Why Is It Important to Use the Correct Name of the Church of Jesus Christ?

My Come Follow Me studies for this took me to Doctrine and Covenants 115-120 in a lesson titled “His Sacrifice Shall Be More Sacred unto Me Than His Increase.” The lesson was introduced by the following information.

There was reason for the Saints to be optimistic about their newest gathering place, Far West, Missouri. The city was growing rapidly, the land seemed abundant, and nearby was Adam-ondi-Ahman, a place of great spiritual significance in the past and in the future (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:53-56; 116). Still, it must have been hard for the Saints not to think about what they had lost. Besides being driven from Independence, the center place of Zion, the Saints also had to flee Kirtland, leaving their beloved temple after only two years. And this time it wasn’t just enemies outside the Church causing trouble—many prominent members had turned against Joseph Smith, including four members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Instead of focusing on what they lost, the faithful just kept building Zion, this time in Far West. They made plans for a new temple. Four new Apostles were called. They understood that doing God’s work doesn’t mean you never fall; it means you “rise again.” And though you’ll have to make sacrifices, those sacrifices are sacred to God, even “more sacred … than [your] increase” (Doctrine and Covenants 117:13).

This scripture block teaches numerous principles, including (1) The name of the Church is important to the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 115:3-6), (2) Zion and her stakes offer “refuge from the storm” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:5-6), (3) My sacrifices are sacred to the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 117), and (4) My tithing helps build the kingdom of God (Doctrine and Covenants 119-20). This essay will discuss the principle about the name of the Lord’s Church.

The book of Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ tells of the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the American continent. He taught his gospel to the Nephites and organized His Church among the ancient Americans before ascending into heaven once again. One day His disciples “gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting” (3 Nephi 27:1), and Jesus Christ “came and stood in the midst of them” (3 Nephi 27:2). He asked them what they desired, and they replied that they wanted to know the name that they should call His Church. (See 3 Nephi 27:3).

4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing?

5 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;

6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.

8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;

10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.

11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.

12 For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you.

Jesus Christ told the ancient Americans that the name of His Church should carry His name. He said the same thing to Joseph Smith and other leaders of His Church: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:4).

In speaking to at the October 2018 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson spoke on the topic of the correct name of the Church (“The Correct Name of the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 87).

Today I feel compelled to discuss with you a matter of great importance. Some weeks ago, I released a statement regarding a course correction for the name of the Church. I did this because the Lord impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He decreed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As you would expect, responses to this statement and to the revised style guide have been mixed. Many members immediately corrected the name of the Church on their blogs and social media pages. Others wondered why, with all that’s going on in the world, it was necessary to emphasize something so “inconsequential.” And some said it couldn’t be done, so why even try? Let me explain why we care so deeply about this issue. But first let me state what this effort is not:

·         It is not a name change.

·         It is not rebranding.

·         It is not cosmetic.

·         It is not a whim.

·         And it is not inconsequential.

Instead, it is a correction. It is the command of the Lord. Joseph Smith did not name the Church restored through him; neither did Mormon. It was the Savior Himself who said, “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” …

[After quoting the above listed scriptures from Third Nephi and Doctrine and Covenants 115, he continued:] Thus, 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.

What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan. When we discard the Savior’s name, we are subtly disregarding all that Jesus Christ did for us – even His Atonement.