The following is taken from a sermon preached several years ago by our pastor, Doyle Armstrong Th.D, at the Bible Study Center at 851 S. Elm St. in West Carrollton, Ohio 45449. If you would like more free Bible Studies, write to us or call our computer bulletin board at (513) 866-6435 to download files of ascii text Bible Studies which you can use with any type of computer. Most of the Bible Studies on the BBS get into much deeper areas of the scriptures including many aspects of REVELATION and prophecy for today covered in deep detail. If you like more depth to your studies than most people are used to getting, give the board a try. YOU WILL NEVER BE ASKED FOR DONATIONS, ETC. 300/1200/2400 baud and 24 hours a day. The BIBLE STUDY BBS. ARE NAMES IMPORTANT IN THE BIBLE? DOES GOD REALLY CARE WHAT WE CALL HIM? DOES THE NAME OF A CHURCH MAKE ANY REAL DIFFERENCE? DO NAMES IN THE BIBLE CONTAIN SECRET KEYS TO INTERPRETATION? Consider this fact: OVER 2000 MORE NAMES COULD BE ADDED TO THIS LIST OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS and to the names commonly used to identify God (the Father) and to God manifest as the Son. We live in a day when people have been brought to what seems like an ULTIMATE BABYLON. Babylon means a state of confusion and is used in the Book of Revelation to picture SPIRITUAL CONFUSION. There are SO MANY conflicting theories taught as to the right names for the church, for God, etc. Acts 4:12 and Philippians 2:9 say: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:" From these verses it is evident that the NAME of our SAVIOR is a very important part of our SALVATION. SINCE SALVATION IS THE MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION ONE CAN EVER OBTAIN, IT IS WORTH OUR TIME TO LEARN WHAT IS A NAME (Biblically)? In other words, when the Bible speaks of a NAME, the word comes from a root meaning to "have knowledge of" or to "know" someone. This means that YOU KNOW THEM and not just the WORD by which they are called. The Hebrew word for "name" is the same word as is also translated "SHEM." This is the "name" of the son of Noah who was the forefather of Abraham and the entire Israelite nation. Anyone who is familiar with Bible typology can easily see DIVINE PROVIDENCE at work in providing such a NAME for SHEM. The word itself means a description or identity which is peculiar to a particular person, place, or thing. Today we use the English word name much differently than its meaning in the scriptures. We say, for example, that two people who are called Bob have the SAME name. That is not entirely true in the biblical sense of the word. To illustrate what I am saying, please read II Corinthians 11:4 in your Bible. Paul the Apostle says it is possible for someone to preach "ANOTHER JESUS." It is obvious from the context that he is making reference to someone who is called "Jesus", yet who has an altogether different IDENTITY and therefore is not a manifestation of the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE (John 14:6). Today we think nothing of calling many different people by the same word, but Paul was showing us that people can talk, sing, and preach about Jesus (or even the Greek or Hebrew equivalents of the word Jesus) and STILL NOT SERVE AND PREACH THE TRUE IDENTITY OF THE SON OF GOD (They do not KNOW the TRUE "JESUS.") Jesus Himself spoke in Matthew 7:13-23 and showed that even false prophets and phoney "Christians" would use His name TO NO AVAIL! Notice, He DID NOT say they would use the wrong name. This proves that simply speaking His name or doing good deeds in His name will not prove nor provide salvation. There is much confusion and even strife amongst many today as to whether the Son of God should be called Jesus, Christ (or the equivalent word from the Hebrew language, "MESSIAH"), IESOUS (the word "Jesus", transliterated from the Greek manuscripts) or even Yeshua, Yahshua, or a direct transliteration from the Hebrew language, Yehowshuwa (pronounced yehhoshoo'ah). Sometimes it seems that some people think only one particular language belongs to God and that He cannot understand the others. Such is true in only one sense; God communicates in the language of the SPIRITUAL heart. The scriptures denounce those whose lips (words) honor Him, yet whose hearts are far from Him (Ezekiel 33:31, Matthew 15:8). Some people believe God speaks in the Hebrew language, but that is not Biblical. The Hebrew people were descendents of Eber, who lived six generations before Abraham. Eber's son, Peleg, lived during the time when God originated the many languages among mankind (due to the construction of the tower of Babel). There are no details in the scriptures to tell us much about Peleg or his spiritual state. His NAME is a word which means a "dividing of the earth." The Bible shows us that the region to which he was "divided" was UR of the Chaldeas (Genesis 11:31 and context). God told Abraham to leave the country (of his ancestors and his father's household) and to go to a place where He would lead him. Since UR means "light from a flame," and since CHALDEA means "lost" (or a state of destruction), we can learn from the spiritual type that the ancestors of Abraham were from a place which is symbolic of FALSE RELIGION whose "light" is the flames of the Lake of Fire (The Lake of Fire is NOT the same as Hell as most people believe! It is symbolic, whereas Hell is a literal place. In fact the Bible says that Hell is cast into the lake of fire - Rev. 20:14). Abraham must "COME OUT" of false religion (in type or allegory) in order to be "saved" (literally) even as we do SPIRITUALLY TODAY. We "come out" of SPIRITUAL BABYLON or CHALDEA (same place) so God can lead us to the truth (Revelation 18; especially verse 4). These things and many other details in the types of Genesis 11 and 12 prove the fact that Eber (the forerunner of the Hebrew nation) and Peleg (the forerunner of the Hebrew language) WERE NOT SERVANTS OF THE TRUE AND ETERNAL GOD! Therefore, a major Bible principle would be broken if God gave these UNGODLY MEN an exclusive and personal "GOD" language. Other people are just as wrong in their beliefs that God speaks in KING JAMES ERA or MODERN DAY ENGLISH! For example, many people almost make an idol out of the word, "JESUS," not realizing that His name is spoken differently in different languages (as is OFTEN the case). As an example of the confusion this can bring to the uninformed, please read Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 in a King James Version of the Bible. These passages speak of the one who led Israel into Caanan after Moses's death. They call Him Jesus. WHY? Because the name Jesus is the SAME NAME (when translated from the Greek manuscripts) as the name Joshua translated into English from the Hebrew text. If you had lived in the first century and had spoken the Hebrew language, you would have called Jesus, Yehowshuwa. If you had spoken Greek you would have called him IESOUS (pronounced eeaysooce') because His name (IDENTITY) was to be "Yahweh Saves" (Matthew 1:21). Therefore, you would have called Him by the word which had such a meaning in your language. Perhaps at this point you are wondering, "why don't people speak the name the same way in all languages?" The answer is very simple. By the very meaning of the term "NAME," it is more important to keep the MEANING of the word, when changing from one language to another, than it is to SPEAK or pronounce it the same in all languages. Remember, to "NAME" means to describe one's identity. The first century writers of our Bible sometimes transliterated (emphasizing the WORD itself rather than its meaning) names from one language to another. However, they realized the importance of the MEANING of Jesus' name, so it was translated. If you are familiar with any of the thousands of spiritual types (allegories) in the Bible, you then should realize the importance of TRANSLATING the original MEANING (identity) of ALL THE NAMES IN THE BIBLE whenever you change from one language to another. THE MEANINGS OF THE NAMES ARE WHAT IS IMPORTANT! NOT HOW YOU SPEAK OR PRONOUNCE THEM. With all the fuss over pronunciations today, one would think that in Matthew 1:21 the angel of the Lord must have stressed the pronunciation rather than the MEANING of the name of Jesus. The fact is, God is FAR more concerned that TRUTH be spoken, and with the reasons it is spoken than He is with HOW it is spoken! To better illustrate God's concern with the MEANING of names (IDENTITIES), one should study in depth the reasons He CHANGED THE FOLLOWING NAMES: Genesis 17:5 Abram ("Lofty and exalted father") changed to Abraham ("Father of Multitudes"). Genesis 32:28 Jacob ("heel grabber") changed to Israel ("Prince of God") Genesis 17:15 Sarai ("domineering") changed to Sarah ("lady, princess, queen") Acts 13:9 Saul ("desire, demand") changed to Paul ("stop, cease") Matthew 16:17-18 Simon ("hearing") changed to Peter ("large rock") For the same reason (the types), God specified the exact name for these SEVEN people before they were born: Genesis 16:11 ISHMAEL ("El or God will hear") Genesis 17:19 ISAAC ("laughter") I Chronicles 22:9 SOLOMON ("peaceful") I Kings 13:2 JOSIAH ("founded by Yahweh God) Isaiah 44:28-45:1 CYRUS (Persian for "sun or throne") Luke 1:13 JOHN ("favored by Yahweh") Matthew 1:21 JESUS ("Yahweh or Yahwhoo Saves") Revelation 22:4 says: "And they shall see his face; and name shall be in their foreheads". If you are familiar with Bible symbolism, you realize that "in the forehead" is a reference to the mind. Does that simply mean that the WORD "JESUS" or the WORD "YASHUA," etc., is in their mind? Notice Revelation 19:11-13: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God." This symbolic description of Jesus states that He had a name that no man knew, then it declares His name is called "THE WORD OF GOD." The WORD OF GOD is not a single word (name) nor just a phrase. The WORD OF GOD is as deep and as vast as ETERNITY itself. It transcends all of space and encompasses all attributes and characteristics of DIVINITY. Incorporated under the heading of "THE WORD OF GOD" are tens of thousands of TYPES, SYMBOLS, ALLEGORICAL PICTURES, PROPHECIES, MORAL INSTRUCTION, SPIRITUAL LIFE GUIDELINES, and even HIDDEN KEYS THAT REVEAL ALL THINGS BOTH NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL. I Corinthians 2:7-10 and 14; "BUT WE SPEAK THE WISDOM OF GOD IN A MYSTERY, EVEN THE HIDDEN WISDOM, WHICH GOD ORDAINED BEFORE THE WORLD UNTO OUR GLORY: WHICH NONE OF THE PRINCES (wise men) OF THIS WORLD KNEW: FOR HAD THEY KNOWN IT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY: BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT: FOR THE SPIRIT SEARCHETH ALL THINGS, YEA, THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD. " "BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. " Romans 1:20; "FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. " Psalms 19:14; "THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD: AND THE FIRMAMENT SHEWETH HIS HANDIWORK. DAY UNTO DAY UTTERETH SPEECH, AND NIGHT UNTO NIGHT SHEWETH KNOWLEDGE. THERE IS NO SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE, WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD. THEIR LINE IS GONE OUT THROUGH ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE END OF THE WORLD. IN THEM HATH HE SET A TABERNACLE FOR THE SUN. " These verses and others show us quite clearly that EVERYTHING which God created is intended to symbolize, represent, and "PREACH" about His GLORIOUS GREATNESS and the multiple attributes of His DIVINE NATURE. This is true whether we study the spiritual principles illustrated in the many different arrangements or electrons and protons (which make up the various elements) or even if we simply study the characteristics of various plants and animals or parts of the human body. Someone might ask, "BUT WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE NAME?" Friend, that should be obvious at this point in our study. THE NAME OF THE LORD IS HIS IDENTITY and that IDENTITY IS EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS WORD! Notice the following: THE "WORD" CREATED ALL THINGS...John 1:1-3 " In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not any thing made that was made." THE "WORD" IS THE SOURCE OF FAITH AND THEREFORE THE SOURCE OF SALVATION. Romans 10:13-17; "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRITUAL CONCEPTION.("begat," "begotten") James 1:18; "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." I Corinthians 4:15; "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." 1 Peter 1:23; "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. " (The Greek word which is translated "born again" in this scripture can also be translated "begotten". It is obvious that it should have been so rendered in this text as the context speaks of the part of the father, the giving of seed in order to produce life. The aspect of being "born" is of course the mother's job, and is not the immediate result of the "seed" of the father.) THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRITUAL "BIRTH"...John 3:3 & 5; "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." " Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (The "water" is definitely not literal, but is the "water of life" which is mentioned in Ephesians 5:26). THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRIT AND LIFE...John 6:53-54,63; "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." "It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life". THE "WORD" IS THE WEAPON (protection) OF THE Spirit. Ephesians 5:17; "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" THE "WORD" IS THE SEED WHICH PRODUCES TRUE SPIRITUAL LIFE IN HONEST HEARTS. Luke 8:11 and context; "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." With these thoughts in mind, it should be obvious to us that when the Bible says there is no salvation in any other "NAME," IT IS SAYING THE SAME AS "THERE IS NO SALVATION EXCEPT THROUGH THE TRUE WORD (identity) OF GOD. "Now, the question SHOULD be considered: IS ALL BIBLE PREACHING TRULY THE WORD OF GOD? OUR ETERNITY DESTINY IS AT STAKE. Please study the following thoughts and scriptures: (1) MIRACLES, CASTING OUT OF DEVILS, and GOOD WORKS DO NOT PROVE THAT THE PREACHING IS THE WORD OF GOD. Study Matthew 7:13-23, Matthew 24:24, II Thessalonians 2:8-12. (2) PREACHING FROM THE BIBLE IS NOT PROOF THAT THE TEACHINGS ARE THE WORD OF GOD. Study II Peter 3:16. (3) PREACHING SOME TRUTH (PART of the WORD) IS NOT PROOF THAT ALL TEACHINGS ARE TRUE. Study II Corinthians 2:17 and 4:2. (4) IF A PREACHER MIXES MAN'S TRADITIONS WITH THE WORD, IT CANCELS ITS EFFECTIVENESS. Study Mark 7:13. (5) SIMPLY READING THE BIBLE DOES NOT SUPPLY YOU WITH THE WORD OF GOD. IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM AND ALLEGORY RATHER THAN JUST LITERAL HISTORY (Gal. 4:22-26, John 5:39, I Cor. 10:1-13, Hebrews 8:5, I Cor. 2:14, etc.). II Corinthians 3:13-16 shows us that even the chosen people of the Old Covenant could not grasp the spiritual meaning of the scriptures. They saw them only as HISTORICAL and MORAL instruction. They were really MUCH MORE than that! EVERY HISTORICAL ACCOUNT IN THE SCRIPTURES REVEALS PROPHESIES AND TEACHINGS FOR TODAY. Many people call their BIBLE their "SWORD" (from Ephesians 6:17 which says the sword of the Spirit is the WORD OF GOD). Though we FULLY agree that we OBTAIN the WORD OF GOD from the Bible, we must emphasize, THE BIBLE IN ITSELF IS NOT THE WORD OF GOD (It must be given SPIRITUAL MEANING and APPLICATION to become the WORD OF GOD). If the BIBLE itself is LITERALLY the WORD OF GOD, then: 1) Bibles "increased" in the first century A.D. Acts 6:7 2) Saved people EAT BIBLES. Hebrews 6:5, John 6:53-63 3) John 1:1 would mean, "In the beginning was the BIBLE, and the BIBLE was with God, and the BIBLE WAS GOD." 4) Since salvation is by the word of God, lost people would need only to read the Bible to be saved. In that case, the greatest work that could be accomplished would be to see that everyone has a Bible. That is NOT the case! In order to finish briefly answering the questions we presented at the beginning of this booklet, we need to consider the NAME FOR THE CHURCH. Thousands of names are used by men today to NAME CHURCHES. The BIBLE makes use of only THREE NAMES USED BY CHURCHES TODAY (Acts 20:28, I Corinthians 1:2, 10:32, 11:22, 15:9, Galatians 1:13, I Timothy 3:5, I Thessalonians 2:14, Romans 16:16, etc.). Since the word "CHURCH" and the word "ASSEMBLY" are BOTH correct translations of the Greek word used in these texts, then the names "CHURCH OF GOD," "ASSEMBLY OF GOD," and "CHURCHES OF CHRIST" would all SEEM to have BIBLICAL BASIS. Yet, Jesus' prayer in John 17:12 begs the Father to KEEP FOLLOWERS AS "ONE" or in UNITY through the FATHER'S NAME. From our study of the MEANING of the word "NAME," we should easily realize that Jesus' request was for UNITY resulting from a common knowledge of the TRUE CHARACTERISTICS and IDENTITY of the Father. Since the WORD OF GOD reveals the Father, the REAL ANSWER to Jesus' prayer only comes to pass when FULNESS OF REVEALED TRUTH IS PREACHED! IT WILL NEVER BE FULFILLED BY HAVING CERTAIN WORDS ON A SIGN ON A CHURCH BUILDING! Mankind has always been concerned with certain WORDS or LITERAL PHRASES which are written down or spoken. The TRUE and LIVING GOD (whether you call Him Elohim, Yahweh, Yawhoo, Jehovah, Lord, Father, or even Jesus, Yehowshuwa, Yahshua, Yeshua, Joshua, etc.) IS CONCERNED WITH SPIRITUAL MEANINGS AND PRINCIPLES. So the only way that you and I can truly approach God in the "name" of Jesus, is to study and assimilate in our hearts the "identity" (i.e. SYMBOLICALLY the name) of Jesus, and then God will truly "see" us "IN CHRIST".