The name of God holds significant importance in our beliefs, yet some have made it the central focus of their religion by joining Sacred Name groups. These advocates teach that believers should exclusively use Yahweh when referring to God and Yahshua when referring to His Son, Jesus, asserting that using any other name is blasphemous. Organizations like the Assembly of Yahweh, formed in the 1930s in Holt, Michigan, along with subgroups such as the House of Yahweh and Yahweh's Restoration Ministry, emphasize using only these specific names for God and Jesus. Some claim that salvation depends on uttering the correct sound of God's Hebrew name, while others, though not viewing it as a salvational issue, still consider it highly important, declaring that God is restoring His sacred name in these last days. Historically, the groundwork for this movement was laid after the Babylonian exile, when Jews ceased using the personal name of the LORD, the Tetragrammaton, YHWH, considering it too sacred to pronounce. Instead, they substituted it with Adonai, meaning 'My Lord,' in synagogue rituals. However, the Bible's authors, across various books, did not hesitate to refer to God as Yahweh or Elohim in Hebrew, Theos in Greek, or Iesous for our Savior, showing no restriction to a single name. Modern adherents of the Sacred Name movement cannot agree on the exact pronunciation of these names, proposing variations like Yahvah, Yahwah, Yohwah, or Yahowah for God, and Yeshua or Yahoshua for Jesus. If the precise pronunciation were crucial to Him, God would have provided a clear guide, yet no such instruction exists. In the New Testament, written in Greek, Greek terms like Pater and Kyrios are used for the Father and the Son, not the Hebrew names. Even Jesus, in moments of great distress as recorded in Mark 15:34, cried out in Aramaic, using 'Eloi' rather than Yahweh, and His words were translated into Greek. If our Savior did not insist on using the Hebrew name during such a critical time, it raises the question of why we should be bound to do so. While sincerity may drive adherents of the Sacred Name movement, their insistence on exclusive use of Hebrew names for God and Jesus is not supported by biblical example.

The so-called Sacred Names teaching emerged in the 1930s, asserting that the names of the Creator-Father and His Son, the Savior, are sacred only in the Hebrew language. Advocates of this belief do not insist on reading the Bible solely in Hebrew, as they use English translations themselves. However, they claim it is wrong, even sin, to use the names of the Father or the Son in English, demanding that these names be spoken or written exclusively in Hebrew when encountered in Scripture. This contention lacks any scriptural support, as there is no command or statement in the Bible requiring the names of the Father or the Son to be pronounced or written only in Hebrew, regardless of the language being used. Their teaching is based on the false premise that the name "God" is of pagan origin, suggesting that using it is a pagan custom and sinful, even in contexts like naming the true Church. This assumption is not substantiated by any biblical evidence, standing contrary to the inspired usage in Scripture.

The Sacred Names doctrine asserts that God can only be addressed by the Hebrew name YHWH and Jesus by the Hebrew Yeshua. Adherents refuse to use terms like God, LORD, or Christ, insisting on Yah, Yahweh, Yeshua, and Elohim, claiming that God will not respond to any names but the Hebrew ones, as other names are linked to pagan gods. However, the third commandment, as seen in Leviticus 19:12 and Exodus 20:7, does not specify which name of God to use or the correct pronunciation. It solely instructs not to take His name in vain, focusing on avoiding dishonor through speech or conduct rather than mandating a specific name. The broad scope of this commandment encompasses all that has been revealed about Him, urging us not to profane His name through our actions or words. Various scriptures used to support the Sacred Names doctrine, such as Psalm 68:4, do not command exclusive use of Yah or Yahweh but simply encourage praise through these names among many others. God is identified by numerous names and titles in Scripture, each revealing aspects of His nature, and the language used to utter these names is irrelevant; it is the meaning that matters. By fixating on pronouncing God's name in only one way, proponents of this doctrine risk creating an idol of their own idea, elevating a single concept above the true intent of the commandment and missing the broader call to worship Him in spirit and truth.

God is deeply concerned about how we use His name, commanding us not to take it in vain. The proper way to refer to Him is a matter of reverence, as the Bible uses various names to describe distinct virtues and characteristics of His nature. Some question whether using English terms like Lord or God is appropriate due to their potential pagan origins, yet the biblical usage of names like Elohim, which refers to both the true God Family and pagan idols, demonstrates that a word can be used for both true and false deities without diminishing its validity for worship. In Scripture, Elohim is a plural noun primarily describing the one true God Family, including God the Father and Jesus Christ, though it is also used over 200 times for pagan gods. YHWH, introduced as the Eternal's name in Exodus, is often translated as LORD in English Bibles and derives from a Hebrew verb meaning "to be," signifying "He exists" or "He causes to be." Its pronunciation has been lost over time, as Jews considered it too sacred to speak, substituting it with Adonai, meaning Lord or Master. The name Jehovah, a hybrid created by human reasoning, lacks biblical basis. Other names like El, meaning "mighty one," were used by pagans for their deities, yet God is called El in Scripture without issue. In Aramaic texts, Elah replaces Hebrew names for God, showing that translation into different languages is acceptable. In the New Testament, Greek terms like Theos for God and Kurios for Lord are used, reflecting the same reverence for His name without insisting on Hebrew pronunciation. Similarly, the name Jesus, rendered as Iesous in Greek, holds the same sacred power across languages, as seen in healings performed in His name. The various names of God in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek each reveal aspects of His character, such as El Shaddai for Almighty God or YHWH Jireh for LORD Will Provide. Reverence for these names is not about pronunciation but about honoring the attributes they represent. God may have obscured the exact pronunciation of His name to prevent focus on sound over substance. True worship lies in obedience and respect for His character, not in idolizing a specific spelling or sound. When praying, as Christ exemplified, we hallow His name by seeking His will, exalting the One behind the name, the Lord Your God, above mere pronunciation.

Arguments 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.