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Originally Posted by Evangelical
We understand that the name equals the person. So to use the name is to use the person. And the person has power, we cannot separate the power and the person.
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The name does not equal the person. This has been said ad nauseum, especially by Lee, but with nothing to support it. That kind of thinking a making the name into a thing of its own that has power. But when you "call on the name of he Lord" the idea was to request the person who had the ability to act.
I know, it sounds like the same thing. But it is not. It is like a phone number. If you say that the phone number = the person who might answer the phone, you are wrong. But if you dial the number, you will get the person. The number is a means to get to the person. It is not the person.
Simply calling on the Lord over and over is like picking up your phone and dialing a number over and over but never letting it connect or talking to the person at the other end of the line.
To be honest with you, the whole idea of this kind of uber-religious mantra of calling on the name of the Lord reminds me of something like going to your father's house, studying the furniture in the various rooms, and occasionally knocking on the door to the room in which he resides, but never entering the room.
He knows you are out there. He knows that you speak his name over and over, and that you study about him. But you don't enter the room. Once inside the room, it is time for something besides the continuance of the mantra.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
Many Christians in the denominations say "in Jesus name" at the end of their prayers. Is this not their attempt to invoke a special power by special words?
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You could be correct on this one. I have said the same thing going back to my days in the LRC (that would be 1973 - 87). But they have less intentional expectation that they get what they want just because of the ending.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
There are many examples in the bible where people used the name of Jesus and things happened, they were rescued, they were saved, just by calling on the name. There are still many examples today in Christianity.
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Are you really sure about that? Are you stuck with the idea that the words "called on the Lord" simply means say the name? I'm pretty sure that in virtually every instance it is really an alternate term for praying. More than just the mantra. Real conversation. Real speaking about those low, personal needs that Lee was so loath to hear in any kind of LRC prayer meeting. Only high prayers allowed.
So, like aron notes elsewhere, badger skins are Christ, but calling on the name of the Lord is merely to say his name.