By bro Paul Lim
What’s in a name? Does a name tell you something about a person? Very recently, a group of like-minded individuals came together to release a hymn highlight titled “Are you washed in the blood” by Elisha A. Hoffman (You can find the acapella rendition of the hymn by the team uploaded on our Eastside COC Youtube channel). Apart from being serenaded by the medley of voices, I noticed several terms used to refer to Jesus Christ. Throughout the Bible, we find many other references made to him such as the Bread of Life (John 6:35), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and our High Priest (Heb 4:14). In this article, I would like to share a simple reflection of the three names used to refer to Jesus in the hymn – Lamb, Saviour and Bridegroom. Jesus the Lamb To understand the significance of Jesus as the Lamb, we need to recall the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. God tasked Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. Ten plagues were to come upon Egypt to convince the then stubborn Pharaoh of the power of God and make him relent. The final plague was the death of the firstborn, where a Passover lamb was required to preserve the life of the Israelites’ firstborn. God’s instruction was to take the blood of the lamb sacrifices and “strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses” of the Israelites (Ex 12:7). When God passed through the land to execute judgment, the firstborn of the Israelites’ houses were spared on account of the lamb’s blood upon the houses (See Ex 12:12,13). In like manner, when God looks upon the blood of Jesus, He gives us His grace and mercy. 1 Co 5:7 reads, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us”. The English Standard Version (ESV) makes it even more specific in this verse that Jesus is our “Passover Lamb”. Surely, we obtain favour from our Heavenly Father because of the blood of Jesus.
Jesus the Saviour
Jesus is aptly named the Saviour because He saves us from our sins (Matt 1:21). We know that on our own, we are doomed for eternity because of our trespasses (Rom 6:23). Through faith and obedience to the words of Jesus, man can be saved from spiritual death. There are some who may save us from our worldly troubles, whether it be through lending a helping hand or stepping in as a mediator to solve our conflicts with others. These certainly warrant our gratitude and appreciation. However, Jesus is most deserving of the name “Saviour” because He willingly gave up His life for our sakes. Our obligation to Christ is to wait faithfully for him until the day that He comes again to bring us home to an abode in Heaven (1 Thes 1:10).
Jesus the Bridegroom
The church is known as the bride of Christ. When Christ comes again, He will receive His bride into an everlasting habitation – Heaven. Christ, as the bridegroom, loves the church. Eph 5:25 mentions that “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”. It is then appropriate to ask the reverse – Does the church love Christ? The Bible describes the church in Rev 19:7-8 as the bride having “made herself ready” and “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white”. How have we shown our love for Christ? Are we supporting one another and playing our individual part to ensure that the church is a bride ready for Christ when He returns? It is certainly the responsibility of every Christian in the Lord’s church to add to the cause of presenting the church “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev 21:2)” when the Bridegroom comes to receive her.
In conclusion, being referred to as the Lamb, Saviour and Bridegroom is definitely fitting for our Lord Jesus Christ. A study and reflection of these terms (and many others) would reap many insightful takeaways and help us better appreciate Him. May we continue to remain steadfast and sure in His word.