104. Verse 4. But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first charity, signifies that they do not make such a life as those lived who were in the church at its beginning, the essential of knowledges. This is evident from the signification of "first charity," as being a life according to the knowledges of good and truth, such as those lived who were in the church at its beginning (of which presently); and from the signification of "leaving that charity," as being not to make it the essential of knowledges; for those who are eager for the knowledges of truth and good, and who believe that they are saved thereby, make knowledges essential, and not life, when yet a life according to knowledges is the essential. But as this essential of the church and of salvation is treated of in what follows, more will there be said about it. Charity is life, because all life in accordance with the precepts of the Lord in the Word is called "charity;" therefore to exercise charity is to live according to those precepts. (That this is so, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, in the chapter on Love to the Neighbor or Charity 84-106; and in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39.) The life of the church at its beginning is here meant by "first charity;" for every church begins from charity, and successively turns away from it to faith alone or to meritorious works. (On which subject, and on charity, see what is shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that every church begins from charity, but in process of time turns away from it, n. 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 4689; thus to falsities from evil, and at length to evils, n. 1834, 1835, 2910, 4683, 4689; commonly to faith alone, n. 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094. A comparison of the church in its beginning and in its decline, with the rising and setting of the sun, n. 1837; and with the infancy and old age of man, n. Arcana Coelestia 10134; that the church is not with man until the knowledges of good and truth have been implanted in the life, n. 3310; that charity constitutes the church, n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1844, 1894; that the internal of the church is charity, n. 4766, 5826; that there would be one church, and not many, as at this day, if all were regarded from charity, although they might differ in respect to doctrinals of faith and rituals of worship, n. 1286, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385, 2982, 3267, 3451; that worship of the Lord consists in a life of charity, n. 8254, 8256; that the quality of worship is according to the quality of charity, n. 2190.)

682. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Word means nothing other than His acknowledgment and living in accordance with His commandments. For the reason His name has that meaning, see the explanation of the second of the Ten Commandments, 'You are not to take the name of God in vain' [297-299]. This nothing else is meant by the Lord's name in these passages amongst others:

Jesus said,

You will be hated by all nations for my name's sake, Matthew 10:22; 24:9-10.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst, Matthew 18:20.

As many as received Him, to them He gave the ability to be sons of God, if they believed in His name, John 1:12.

Many believed in His name, John 2:23.

He who does not believe is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God, John 3:18.

Those who believe will have life in His name, John 20:31.

You have laboured for the sake of my name, and have not wearied, Revelation 22:3.

[2] Can anyone fail to see that the Lord's name in those passages does not mean merely His name, but acknowledging Him as Redeemer and Saviour, and at the same time obeying Him, and finally having faith in Him? For at baptism a child receives the sign of the cross on his forehead and chest, and this is a sign of his initiation into the acknowledgment and worship of the Lord. One's name also means one's character; the reason is that in the spiritual world everyone is given a name to match his character. So naming someone a Christian means that his character is such that he has from Christ faith in Christ and charity towards the neighbour. This meaning of the name is to be seen in Revelation:

The Son of Man says, You have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their clothing; and they will walk with me in white clothing, because they are worthy, Revelation 3:4.

Walking with the Son of Man in white clothing means following the Lord, and living in accordance with the truths of His Word.

[3] Name has a similar meaning in John:

Jesus said, The sheep hear my voice, and I call my own sheep by name, and I lead them out; I walk before them, and the sheep follow me, because they know my voice; but they do not follow a stranger, because they do not know strangers' voices, John 10:3-5.

'By name' means by their character as Christians; 'following Him' is hearing His voice, that is, obeying His commandments. All receive this name at baptism, for it is contained in the sign.