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The Sacred Name Movement
CGG Weekly by John ReissThe name of God plays an important role in our beliefs, but some people associated with the church of God have made it the central focus of their religion.
'Arguments Over Words'
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughArguments over words can lead teachers into great trouble and steer them away from the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Paul warns Timothy about those who are obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, and useless wrangling of men with corrupt minds and destitute of truth. Some in the Christian world even argue that the word "Bible" is of pagan origin, claiming it derives from the name of a pagan deity, but this is unfounded. The word "Bible" comes from "Byblos," the Greek name for the Phoenician city Gebal, significant in the papyrus trade, and thus associated with books, or "biblia" in Greek. Gebal itself means "line" in Semitic, not the name of a deity, though the city's patron was called Ba'al Gebal or Ba'alat Gebal, meaning Lord or Lady of Gebal. Similarly, words like "Jesus" and "God" are often condemned as pagan, with claims that "Jesus" derives from Zeus and "God" from a Teutonic deity, but these assertions lack basis. "Jesus" is a Latinized form of the Greek "Iesous," a transliteration of the Hebrew "Yahshua" or Joshua, meaning "Yah saves" or "Savior." "God" is a common Teutonic term for a personal object of worship, adopted by converted Teutonic races to name the one Supreme Being, akin to the Greek "theos" used in the New Testament. Caution is advised in this Information Age against theological arguments that hinge on the meaning or origin of a word, as they often lead to trouble, and Paul urges withdrawal from such disputes.
The Plain Truth About the "Sacred Name"
Herbert W. Armstrong BookletDo we have to refer to the members of the God Family as Yahweh, Jehovah, or other Hebrew names in order to be saved? Is this God's intent, or superstition?
The Names of God
'Ready Answer' by Martin G. CollinsThe name of God is important—so important that He included its proper use in His Ten Commandments. However, His emphasis is on His character, not a pronunciation.