Jesus answered the disciples’ question with a question of his own, “How be it my church save it be called in my name?” (v. 8). Jesus also asked, “Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day” (vv. 5–6). The name “Christ” is an English word that derives from the Greek word christein, which means “to anoint,” and thus it is a good translation of the Hebrew word mashiach (from which we get the word “messiah”) which also means “anointed.”
The sacredness and importance of the name of the Lord is one of the first lessons of holiness. When you bear the name of Jesus Christ—the name of Jehovah—that makes you a holy person. On the crown or headpiece of the high priest officiating at the Temple of Solomon were the words: “Holiness to Jehovah.” The name of Jehovah was on his forehead because he, as the high priest, represented Jehovah and that made him a holy being.
Power is exercised and holiness flourishes when the name of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, is invoked or solemnly mentioned. In the world of the Old Testament, knowing the holy name by which the Lord was known in that era—namely Jehovah or Yahweh—was a key to sacred power. In the book of Acts, Peter, James, and John used the name of Jesus to heal people. In fact, using the name of Jesus Christ was what got these apostles in trouble with the Sanhedrin, who said that they could perform all the miracles they wanted, but not in the name of Jesus. Faced with this order, Peter and the other apostles refused to be restricted and reaffirmed that they would “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Knowing and using the Lord’s name was that important to them.
In 3 Nephi, Jesus extended this holiness to every member of his Church. When we partake of the sacrament, we all take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. Maybe we do not think about that part of the sacrament as something that sanctifies and makes us holy, but being the bearer of his sacred name certainly renders us holy. And likewise, bearing the name of Jesus Christ makes the Church holy.
We are commanded not to take the Lord’s name in vain. If we are cavalier or insincere in bearing the name of Jesus Christ, if we ignore the privilege of bearing his name, or if we are embarrassed by who we are by bearing the name of Christ, aren’t we bearing the name “in vain”? If so, we are violating one of the very first and most important commandments.
Given the opportunity, the disciples directed the question to Jesus. The Lord’s response was, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day” (vv. 4–5).
Jesus’s use of these words points back to King Benjamin and his people when they took upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ as part of the covenant. This was also done in 3 Nephi 18 and other places. Here however, not only have the people taken the name of Jesus Christ upon themselves individually, but Jesus now also applied the name to them collectively.
Why is the name of the Church so important? What is in a name? And why was it important for the name of the Church to be revealed in this particular way? These questions are well worth pondering.
The full name by which the Church was to be named in the modern dispensation was revealed in the Doctrine and Covenants 115:4–5: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations.”
On August 16, 2018, President Russell M. Nelson sent out an official statement about the name of the Church in which he announced,
The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will.
In the following October 2018 General Conference, President Nelson further explained:
The name of the Church is not negotiable. When the Savior clearly states what the name of His Church should be and even precedes His declaration with, “Thus shall my church be called,” He is serious. And if we allow nicknames to be used or adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, He is offended.
Church authorities and members have gone to extraordinary efforts to comply with the Prophet’s directive from the Lord, because when we remove the Lord’s name from the name of His Church, we inadvertently remove Him as the central focus of our worship and our lives. A name is not merely something that goes on a billboard or a marquee. It really does define who the people are, and whose they are.
Many churches select a particular doctrine to define themselves. The Baptists emphasize baptism. The Catholic Church emphasizes their role as the “catholic,” meaning “universal,” church. For Episcopalians, authority resides in their bishops, and the word “Episcopalian” comes from the Greek word episkopos, which means “bishop,” thus indicating that their highest authority stops at the level of bishop (and hence the Archbishop of Canterbury) and not at the level of the Pope in Rome. Presbyterians, presbyteroi, meaning the “elders” place authority in the local leaders, while Congregationalists see authority residing in the consent of the congregation. The Methodists have a method of perfection that was taught by John Wesley, and so they are known by that term because they follow that particular method. Here in 3 Nephi, in His answer to the disciples’ question, Jesus emphasized the point that this is His church, the Church of Jesus Christ; and that is pointedly descriptive and prescriptive. For Latter-day Saints, authority emanates from Jesus Christ.
Personal names are very significant in an individual’s development and consciousness, and likewise it is also important in the development of the identity of any organization and the people who belong to it. It was important to the Nephite people to have a name given to them by Jesus, just as the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is important for members today.
When working on the Encyclopedia of Mormonism in 1990, we as editors wanted to use the complete name of the Church as often as possible. This created tension with the Macmillan managing editors because the name was so long. Macmillan guidelines set the parameters for this publication—no more than 1300 articles, no more than 500 pictures, and no more than 1,200,000 words. One executive explained, “Don’t ask for a single word more. We know how to say ‘no’ in every language spoken on the planet.” Nevertheless, we still made a point of using the complete name for Christ’s church as often as possible—even though it cost us words. And after President Nelson’s emphasis, I’m glad we did.
There is no conclusive information about who was the first person to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as “Mormons.” Perhaps it was an 1831 article that appeared in an Ohio newspaper calling this group that had now started gathering in Kirtland, Ohio, “the Mormonites.”The word “Mormonites” was then shortened to “Mormons.” So, it appears that the nickname for the Church was introduced by the press. They had to have sound bites even then, and this turned out to be the sound bite for reports on this new religion in America.
For many years, people generally referred to the Church as “the Mormon Church,” until President Nelson’s official statement. Even in the past, the word “Mormon” was used only for clarification or convenience—it was never to be used officially. Church members and even Church nomenclature and publications used the name “Mormon”—the “Mormon Tabernacle Choir” and the “Mormon Pioneer Trail.” That is no longer acceptable according to the official style guide of the Church. It gives the following instruction:
While the term “Mormon Church” has long been publicly applied to the Church as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, please avoid using the abbreviation “LDS” or the nickname “Mormon” as substitutes for the name of the Church, as in “Mormon Church,” “LDS Church,” or “Church of the Latter-day Saints.”
The “Mormon Tabernacle Choir” has now been officially renamed as “The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square,” just as other adjustments have been made in Church nomenclature.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ must never shy away from or fail to reflect the true leader of His Church and the correct name of His Church. The question asked by the Nephite disciples was crucial, and the answer brings great blessings to members of Christ’s church. At the October 2018 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson assured members of the Church:
I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen. We will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.
President Nelson reinforced that promise in the April 2020 General Conference:
Previously, I promised that if we would ‘do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church,’ He would ‘pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.’ I renew that promise today.
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Must Christ’s True Church Be Called after His Name? (3 Nephi 27:8),” KnoWhy 482 (November 6, 2018).
Russell M. Nelson, “The Correct Name of the Church,” Ensign, November 2018, online at churchofjesuschrist.org.
Russell M. Nelson, “Opening the Heavens for Help,” Ensign, May 2020, online at churchofjesuschrist.org.