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The Sacred Name Movement

CGG Weekly by John Reiss

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 Plain Truth About the "Sacred Name"

Herbert W. Armstrong Booklet

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.

Extremes of Idolatry: Graven Images and Sacred Names

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

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.

The Names of God

'Ready Answer' by Martin G. Collins

The 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.

What Is the Prophesied 'Pure Language'? (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

God's people need spiritual lips, not carnal lips speaking Hebrew. The angel told Mary that she should call her son Iesous, which is not a Hebrew name.

'Arguments Over Words'

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Arguments over words can get a teacher into great trouble and actually lead him away from the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

What Is the Prophesied 'Pure Language'? (Part Two)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

A culture that is far from God has a debased language, but the real problem with the Jews of Isaiah's day was that they were going astray in their hearts.

A Pure Language

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

We don't need to be experts in Hebrew or use Hebrew names to call on the name of the Lord, nor is Hebrew sacred. Pure language comes from an undefiled heart.

The Third Commandment (1997)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Many think the third commandment deals only with euphemisms and swearing, but it goes much deeper. It regulates the quality of our worship and glorifying God.

Was Jesus Dead?

Herbert W. Armstrong Booklet

Can God die? Was Jesus really dead, or did only His body die? Was Jesus the Divine One alive during the three days and three nights a body was in the tomb?