Template:What is in a name

John 17:6 "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them], and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them."

Name Defined

A name is usually "an alphabetical grouping of letters that represents an individual for the purpose of identification".

• "a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to."

The term can also be defined as "The identifying characteristics which identify the spirit or nature of someone or something."

So doing something in the name of someone can mean doing it according to their "identifying characteristics". That means you would come with the same identity or have the same "identifying characteristics".

"For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." Luke 22:27

"Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Luke 12:37

"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." John 12:26

Praying in the name of Yahushua/Jesus does not mean saying the word "Yahushua" or "Jesus"Yahweh" or "Jehovah" or "Yahuwah" or YHWH in your prayer or dialogue.

It would mean praying with the same Character of the individual identified as Yehshua/Jesus.

It means that when you ask, appeal or apply to God the Father you are to have the same character, spirit or nature as Jesus, Yahushua, YHWH, etc. In other words don't bother praying to God if your character, spirit or nature is that of a commandment breaker, like a liar, a thief or someone that is covetous, vain, jealous, slothful, lustful, greedy or fearful.

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4

So:

What is the "name" of God?

Is it letters, symbols or sounds?

Or is it the "character" of God?

https://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/name.php

What is in a name

"Words are but the signs of ideas." Samuel Johnson.

Some might object to the using of the word "Christ" believing that it is from the word Christos who was a Greek god.

The word christ is from the Greek word for anointed.

The word mashiyach or messiah also means anointed.

The word "christ" is the English version of the word christos which is the Greek word for Messiah. The word Christ means Messiah and anointed and are interchangeable words from Greek to Hebrew to English.

• "[He is] the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore." 2 Samuel 22:51

The word anointed is the same Hebrew word translated Messiah in Daniel 9:25-26 which references the coming of Jesus. The word christ is not a name but the word stating that Jesus was anointed. Specifically anointed King and highest Son of David who was also anointed.

It is true that Iesous or Jesus is a Greek and English spelling. The words or are Hebrew forms of Yehashua or Joshua which are also English versions of a Hebrew character spelling. To write Yashua or Yeshua or Yahushua or any of the several English renditions of Hebrew letters and words is merely the result of opinions and poor phonology and trans positioning.

Hebrew was never a pure language, any more than Sanskrit. There is no such thing as a pure language. It was a very clever language with meaning in the letters which are worth studying, but the dependence on language as a discipline of science is foolishness. The transitory nature of all language over time understandably results in the fall of men in a sort of Tower of Babel where language confounds itself and understanding is lost.

A name is not the symbol, although we may use the symbol as a NAME. Words have many uses and definitions. The "name" of someone is the identity of the person who is represented or referred to by the name. The problem is not in the spelling of the word, but in the identifying and recognition of the Character of the person and the precepts of his true identity. This is where men betray God's name, not in the spelling with letters of different cultures associated with that name, but in falsifying who He really is.

• "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Jesus told us to tend to the "weightier matters". In that list he did not mention using the holy or "sacred names". In fact when he tries to teach us how to pray he does not use those names. We do not even find the sacred "name" used in early gospel like The Gospel of the Hebrews, which is relating the same instructions of praying by saying "Our Father".

Jesus probably used the term "Our Father" to distinguish from who most Jews were really praying or applying to at that time. He makes it clear we should not be praying to men who were the "fathers of the earth".

To name something expressed you had authority to name it, like your sons or daughters, or like Adam naming the animals, etc. But once something was named the name often became a way to identify what or who you were talking about simply as an instrument of language. For centuries a name was a descriptive word that defined you or a central characteristic of their personality. It was not used like we use government ID today. Since a name was more descriptive rather than a label.

Many Names

My son's name is James. The corresponding Hebrew would be יעקב (Yaʻaqov). Names cang fro culture to culture. For example, that which started out as "Ya'acov" in Hebrew, came out "Jacques" in French, "James" in English, but in Greek it would appear as Ἰάκωβος which would sound like Iakobos or ee-ak'-o-bos, which is almost unrecognizable. Or how about Spanish where James appears as Diego. Jesus is far closer to Yeshua than some of these non conspiracy alternatives found in language and culture shifts.

Zeus was and is not Yeshua. When you say Jesus everyone knows you are talking about a personage in the Bible who was crucified and preached a kingdom. Very few people imagine any association with Zeus who was not crucified nor was he mentioned in the Bible.

The Greek word for Zeus and the word Jesus have little in common.

The Latin language and other languages change the ending of names and words depending on their use in a sentence. Romans would commonly end the subject of sentence, when it was a male name, with the letters or sound of "us" and in Greek the ending "os" appears. Therefore Yeshua could easily become Yeshus or Iesous simply as a matter of common speech when Rome and Greece were the predominant cultures in the Mediterranean.

The idea of turning Zeus into Iesous or Jesus falls short of practicality, since Ζεύς, Zeús, [zdeǔ̯s] is pronounced "Tzoos" or "Dzyoos" not "Ya shua" "Hay soos" or "Gee sus". Even in the Modern Greek we see the use of the letter Delta to produce Δίας, Días [ˈði.as]) whose Roman equivalent was Jupiter.

And finally the letter "Z" is not transposed in language with "I" nor the new letter "J". The letter "Y" is often replaced by the letter "I" and later when it was invented we find the letter "J" taking its place. Therefore Yeshua could very easily become Jeshus pronounced, first, "Hay soos" and then could become "Gee sus".

The word "jury" comes from the Latin ius, iuris which also appears as iurii because of the case changes in Latin. The Romans commonly changed the ending of a word depending on its use in a sentence. If you read almost any modern Latin text you will see iue, iuris written as jus, juris even though there was no "j" in the original manuscripts.

It is a myth to say that the word Jesus is from Zeus, but it is not a myth that many ideas of pagan worship and practices have crept into modern religion and government. Getting the letters and spelling right but not the spirit is what the Pharisees did.

The word Augustus means "savior" and so does Yeshua. The difference between the two is not the spelling but the precepts by which they functioned and governed those who believed in them. One system was of the kingdom of men and the other of the kingdom of God. Here is where we will find the Messiah of our faith, not in the words and letters of our parent language.

In Aramaean Jesus might be called Yesu. In Urduor, Farsi-Persian or Kashmir His name might be written Yuzu or Yuzuasaph. And in Arabian the letters Issa could represent the name. And in some Dead Sea Scrolls it is believed the name some time appeared as Asaph or ya Asaph. The fact is the spelling of names accurately is an obsession of scribes and accountants for government identification. For ages names meant something and what every name meant that would be your name in other languages.

There is a great danger in imagining that we know the Father because we know the Hebrew version of His name or His Son's name.

All the symbols and letters may very well be manifestations of the spirit of Evil but in all these letters, symbols and words where do we see the solution. The Messiah said seek the kingdom and His righteousness. Are we coming together in the spirit of righteousness or substituting Hebrew letters for the spirit of God and His kingdom. Are we tending to the daily ministration of His government?

Are we loving our neighbor as ourself?

Are we rightly dividing the bread from house to house?

Are we preaching the kingdom is at hand or tending to that kingdom of heaven in His righteousness?

Where is the kingdom of God much less His righteousness for those who play the name game?

If spelling was so important then we would have heard the parable of the speller or the story of the words and phrases. Or Jesus would have said thou shall take Hebrew lessons.

It is the Spirit that giveth life, not Hebrew incantations. The symbols are there but the ministers of His government are not like those of Rome. It does not offer systems of Corban nor return the people to the bondage of Egypt, make covenants with strangers nor worship the gods of the capitol nor the federal reserve of Diana.

When do you want to start working for the kingdom of Yashua?

Many religions or religious beliefs throughout the ages have ascribed different names they claim or used for the creator God they believed established all things. Just a few are Adi Purush [Timeless Being to the Hindu], Adonai, Al, Allah [a cognate of the Hebrew word Eloah], Apollo Azhura, Baal, El, Elah, Elohim, Gad, Horus, Jehovah, Krishna, Loki, Mene, Mithras, Tammuz, Tian Zhu [ Lord in Heaven in China], Thor, and Waheguru [meaning Wonderful Teacher in Sikhism], Yahweh, YHWH, or Zeus, plus many more. These are all names or alphabetical representations ascribed to God or gods.

In truth some of those people knew of the God of creation and I have little doubt there were not some prophets of God speaking the truth amongst them. That is the way God works. Prophets are born every day like angels sent from heaven to bear witness to the truth. These names were simply symbols for that God but as the people focused on knowing the lettered "name" rather than knowing God they lost sight of Him who gave them life and fell into the idolatry of creating their image of God and simply attaching a name to that image and the lettered name became their god.

Creating an image or symbol of a god in our own mind rather than letting the God of heaven into our heart and mind is the spirit of idolatry and clinging to a particular representation of who God really is, whether it is a golden statue or a written word becomes a form of idolatry. Do not be trapped by this religious delusion but let the Spirit of God in your heart and know the truth of who He is.

Meanings of letters

More to language than meets the eye

Hebrew is a conceptual cross between alphabets and the pictorial symbols of Chinese and Japanese type languages. In Hebrew each letter has a meaning and those meanings produce the word. Even some letters have meanings composed of other letters.

In English as well as Greek words are often composed of other words or parts of words to produce one word. Japanese and Chinese are pictorial in their origin. Basic word pictures are built on by adding strokes from other words in order to expand their meaning. When they are written, Japanese and Chinese, are similar enough to be read in each different country but when spoken each language is so changed they cannot be comprehended.

Hebrew letters each have a meaning. Even each stoke used to make a letter has a meaning. Often three letters will form a base word or meaning. To expand on that meaning another letter or letters with other meanings will be added. This unique nature of Hebrew can reveal and release us from the bondage produced by modern doctrines and the Pharisaical approach to faith. See [Sophistry|[Adventures of Artifice in Language Land]]

The alphabet was formed to allow the words to be created by a consecutive order of written letters with meanings. Those letters are still pictures forming a word representing an idea or thought. Chinese and Japanese words had no consecutive letters and therefore no pronunciation key.

When Sequoyah produced the Cherokee alphabet about 1821 he needed 85 letter to produce each sound of an existing language. This would be true of most languages which instead simply ascribes multiple sounds to many letters.

There is no way to have a meaning attached to each letter in a spoken language since the words and sounds preexist. Some would say that this is the miracle of the Hebrew language while others would say that it was the innovation of it. The Hebrew language was a written language that could be pronounced if you added vowels.

If God invented the Hebrew language I don't believe there would be such confusion and irregularities in pronouncing the words. Many words are composed of consonants. In order to pronounce these words vowel sounds are added.

There is quite some controversy over how Hebrew words are to be pronounced. The tetragrammaton יהוה‎ is written YHWH in English letters but to pronounce it one must add vowels. For some this produces the word Jehovah and for others Yahweh. Some scholars say that YHWH is pronounced YodHayVahHey. Yahweh maybe simply another form of YodHayVahHey.

The Vah and We (some pronounce 'way' and some 'vay') sounds vary because of the differences in dialects. Certain sounds are more vulnerable to variations in different cultures due to use and dialect.

In English we say water but in German the word is wasser but is pronounced vasser. V and W, S and T, soft G and hard G and many other sounds will change with local use and custom even though the same letters are used. Over a period of time the changes may make pronunciation unrecognizable.

God's name is not needed to put on His ID card nor did His Father name him. The Hebrew letters have meaning.

The Hebrew Yod or י is a point of beginning or an infinite point and reveals the spark of essential good. For instance hidden within the letter tet or ט there is references to the concealed good. The secret of the tet (numerically equivalent to nine, the nine months of pregnancy) is the power of the mother to carry her inner, concealed good.

Another letter is the vav or ו which references connecting realms and worlds. Now if you put two yods and a vav together you can produce an alef. An alef or א is the paradox of God and Man by two yods, one to the upper right and the other to the lower left, joined by a diagonal vav. Two worlds of man and God come together.

You can find more on this in the following PreparingYou articles Isaiah 24 and Hebrew.

We also have an article on our main His Holy Church website Isaiah 24 and More

Name Boggler

A Man's good Name Is not just a word

What is a name. In many lands there are different names for a rose yet a rose is unaffected by what one person or nation might choose to call it.

No one has the right to change your name and no one has actually changed the name of Jesus by changing the letters because that is not His name. Even if you took letters like or YodShinVavAyin, which reads from right, if you turn that into or AyinVavShinYod by reversing the order and writing English letters you have changed the name if the the letters are His name. Is the name merely an accumulation of letters or sounds?

If pronunciation is the key, then how is one sure that they are pronouncing the letters correctly? I had a call from a fellow in Mississippi the other day whose pronunciation was decidedly different from mine and I know that pronouncing ancient Hebrew with absolute certainty without any kind of heavy change in accents is bordering on impossible without some serious speculation.

Could I be in danger of losing salvation because of dyslexia or a speech impediment?

Can we possibly imagine that that something so finite as letters or sounds has anything to do with an infinite God's salvation?

I have a neighbor named Jesus,

Who never does displease us.

His name is pronounced hay-soos.

Yet because of phonetic misuse

Some will just say he's gees-us,

Here is a mind boggler. If heaven is a spiritual realm and there is no need for air there, then is there sound as we know it? Or how does God write His name in Heaven?

Does he use a pencil or pull a feather from an angel's wing?

Does God have ID? Do you need ID to fly in heaven?

Who named Him? Not His Father.

Even the word Shem [ShemMem] in the Hebrew does not merely mean "name" as we think today or even nomenclature. Those two letters can mean "name" but also "reputation" and are translated name, renown, fame, famous, named, report, there, therein, thither, whither, in it, thence, thereout and more.

Does His name or reputation have anything to do with sound, or letters at all?

If you do something in His name do you have to pronounce the name right or it does not count?

Does doing something in his name mean doing it according to His Character and spirit?

Or is the word we call His name simply for our finite benefit, since, we have fallen to a world of words and language, including Hebrew, since the tower of Babel was knocked down.

To say Yeshua, Yahushua, Jesus, Iesous are all variations in symbol and letter form and none is truly a correct form. They are forms representing the idea just like the name James and Diago are variations representing the identity of someone called Christopher. If you did get the name right with a great deal of study and luck have you done anything important in the eyes of God or His son? Is God's name a magic word whereby we conjure up His power by incantations and spells.

• "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:5

To understanding what His Name is it may be appropriate to understand what A Name is. Some think a name is a group of letters.

Think about this. My daughter discovered last night that there is someone called Gregory Thomas Williams living in Madras, Oregon. His name, though the same as mine, has absolutely nothing to do with me, my family, nor who I am other than the same series of letters used to represent who he is and who I am.

The word name in the Bible is from the Greek word onoma from a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko which is a prolonged form of a primary verb. It is defined to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of, perceive.

Onoma can mean a group of letters but if that is all there is to a name the guy in Madras is me and I am him. The fact is the word onoma besides meaning a proper name also means "everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one's rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc."

No one named God. No one had or has that authority. The words we use to describe Him are our finite attempt to identify Him in our own minds. When we truly know Him we do not need a name. In the Bible Moses knew the people will want a name because that is the way people want to think of God when they do not already know Him.

• "And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?" Exodus 3:13

What was the answer to the question, " What is His name?"

• "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14

He was not actually saying that His name is "I AM THAT I AM" or "I AM". Nor was he saying that his name was, in Hebrew, HeyYodHey HeyYodHey. In the Hebrew text the repetition of HeyYodHey twice produced in translation "I am" that "I am". There is no word for "that" which appears in the text.

If you are going to let God write His name in your heart you better pray that His name is not "HeyYodHeyHeyYodHey" because that will hurt. No His name is not the symbol nor the description of His character. It is His Spirit.

Hebrew is not like English. Much of what we see in the Old Testament is added by translators so that we can make sense of the Hebrew. It is common to find 5 Hebrew words translated into a twenty-word English sentence. And many of those Hebrew words may be translated a dozen different ways. While I have a great deal of faith in God, I have little faith in translators and less in those who attempt to interpret the Bible for their own purposes.

We also see YodHeyVavHey [הוהי Yᵉhovah] from which the word Yahovah or Jahovah is produced. In fact since we know that the Vav is used as a connecting word it would appear that YodHeyVavHey or YHVH is simply a shortened form of HeyYodHey HeyYodHey. Would that make YodHeyVavHey YHVH a nickname?

In fact God has no name and many names and YodHeyVodHey was given the Jews because God had no name but they in their finite view and fallen state needed something to call Him. If God was living in you, you have no need to name Him or apply a name to Him.

• "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Since the scripture is telling us that God and even Jesus can have many "names", including Wonderful [אלפ pele’], Counsellor [ץעי ya‘ats ]. The truth is the need to "name" God comes from a desire to create an image of God in our minds when He is not already living in us. It is, as we have shown, a form of idolatry.

Sacred Name Dialog recorded on Talkshoe 10-10-30 13:57

A name describes that which it represents. It has meaning but it is not what it describes. Words are symbols and shadows of a thing, not the substance of what we seek. Do not forsake God and worship what you think is His name. Let God in your hearts and minds and you will no longer feel a need to name Him.

To name a thing is to have dominion over it. To think we have the power to label God and restrict His existence to a lettered name is vanity. Names are for other people to use to attempt to identify you. You are not the symbol or name people may use to communicate who they are speaking of or about.

The point is that language and their symbols are a complex maze of endless study. Many points of understanding may be reached or pondered in the study of languages and the origin of words. But we may be lost in the symbols and forget the simplicity of God and His everlasting love and presence.

• "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:7

It can be a great mistake to grab on to a particular discovery concerning a word and believe that the word contains power or importance in itself. Words are only symbols of ideas and are as important in our consideration and to our understanding as the red cape of a bullfighter is to the bull.

Yes, the cape draws the attention of the bull first but it also captures his focus of attention and leads to his final exhaustion and demise without ever realizing his ultimate target.

If words are not magical but only the symbols or signs for ideas and concepts, then they always fall short of the thing they are trying to express. To hold on to the word itself as if it is the destination is like stopping at the sign of a city and thinking you have arrived. To hold on to the sign keeps us in a state of limbo and far from ever realizing the fulfillment of the journey.

In one sense to cling to the form of the name defeats the very purpose of the name.

The seizure or resolute appropriation of a particular form or representation is in itself a form of idolatry.

To Change or profane the Name

If you write Hebrew in English letters adding vowels to make it audible you have already changed the name or rather its symbolic spelling. Groups of letters form words and words are the symbols of ideas but in Hebrew letters are symbols of ideas and in groups, they produce new ideas. Yet, in Hebrew words are still just symbols or sign for something beyond the word itself.

In Italy, my name might be spelled Gregori. Most people pronounce my name Greg-gree or just Greg, but in Italy even if I used the American spelling it might sound like Gre-gor-ee. That would simply be my name in Italy. There are many other names that might sound very much different from what an American might say or pronounce. None of that changes me or who I am.

At the end of the first millennium, my ancestors crossed from Normandy to England and back several times. When in England they spelled their name one way and when back on the other side they reverted to an earlier spelling. They did this every time they crossed over from one side of the channel to the other. Since there were no real dictionaries the spelling of words was often very freely done this was an accepted and common practice, even with names.

When we say Christ or Jesus everyone knows we are talking about the historical figure Jesus who was anointed King and not Christos of Greek Mythology. Although few people really know Jesus, the man, or his office of Anointed King of a government which came down from generation to generation.

• "And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:" Daniel 4:34

Knowing how to spell His name in Hebrew does not mean you know who he is. You cannot know him unless you know the Father which is again not about spelling but about a relationship and compatibility of heart, mind and soul.

• "Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me: I [am] the LORD." Leviticus 22:2

We profane His name by what we do, not by the way we spell it. As a matter of fact you can call Him many things or names.

Knowing a Name

And when Adam knew Eve and she conceived, the Bible is not talking about spelling when it says knew.

Do you know God or are you substituting knowing what you think is His name for actually knowing Him. If you have the authority to name God in your mind are you leaving room for God's authority to live in you? Who is naming whom?

Ekklesia means called out. There are many who are called out, ekklesia, but only one Ekklesia of Jesus Christ. The Ekklesia of Jesus Christ has the character of Jesus Christ, the Name of Yeshua written in their hearts and minds. It obeys the will of the Father in Heaven and are the Kings brethren.

• "For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" Hebrews 8:10 [Jeremiah 31:33]

Thy name is vanity

Thy Kingdom comes as thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.

If you claim His name but do not do His will then you are taking his name in vain.

• "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matthew 12:50

If you are not doing His will you are not apart of His family and have no part in His name no matter what comes out of your mouth or how you spell things.

Christian

• "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26:28

The word "Christian" is an English phonetic spelling of the Greek word or Christianos. It is found three times in the Bible and is again taken from christos meaning anointed king.

Christianos or Christian, means or a follower of the Christ, the anointed King, the Messiah. The suffix -ian means One relating to, belonging to, or resembling:

If you are related to Him you are doing His will. If you have become His bondservant as a minister of the Church then you belong to the anointed King. If you are becoming like Him in character and in Spirit then you are beginning to resemble Him. Unless one of these are true you are not a Christian no matter what you say.

Many people call themselves Christians like the Pharisees and Sadducees who called themselves sons of Abraham but knew neither the Father nor the Son. When they define Christian they do it according to their own mind and will and spirit.

Who can define the word Christ-ian?

If a Christian is a follower, disciple or bondservant of the Christ, a.k.a. the Messiah, the Anointed, the King of Kings etc. then only the King may define who a Christian is.

Are you a "follower of Yeshua the anointed", a.k.a. Jesus the Christ. The Messiah......?

Do you know the way He was going?

As to the word Christian coming from the French word Cre'tin as some contend, I must question the time sequence of their supposition.

The word cretin came from the French Cre'tin and was used as a derogatory term for true Christians who were seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and living in it and refused the gentile government encroachments of exercising authority so common during its first use of the term in that area. Large numbers of true Christians were persecuted and killed off by false Christians who allied themselves with other Kings and priests that resembled Baal and the Nicolaitans more than Yashua and the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, it would be backwards in history to say Christian was from cretin. The word Christian was used as a name for those who followed the way and were baptized into His kingdom long before the word cretin came into use.

I have many friends that do not like to use the word Christian, Christ or even Church because of its misuse over the centuries. I understand that. Yet, it is just a word, just a symbol of an idea. It is used by many but mostly taken in vain by those who claim an affinity to Yeshua the King.

One should not put to much importance on letters.

• "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Corinthians 3:6

There is great meaning in letters written in the Hebrew. But it is not enough to focus on letters Greek, Hebrews or English. We should understand the character of Yashua and not just the letters of his name. Do not mistake the symbol for the real thing lest you fall into idolatry.

I also know people who refuse to fellowship with people because they use a different group of letters to speak of Jesus, a.k.a. Yeshua. I cannot believe that such prejudice is a part of the character of My LORD and King. The King and His Kingdom of Heaven is not about spelling. Knowing His name and studying words and language has value and should help bring us together as one body under His wisdom and authority and Spirit. We should not cause division over language and letters. It is a point of study where we seek to know the meaning of words but as 2 Timothy 2:14 says, "Of these things put [them] in remembrance, charging [them] before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, [but] to the subverting of the hearers."

If we are bound together with the true love of the Lord God then what words of the mouth and sounds in our ears can divide us.

What did the author mean when he said "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Actually what the author wrote was the Greek word spoudazo which means be diligent. Yes, the word we see translated as study in this text is the Greek word spoudazo meaning to make haste to exert one's self, endeavour, give diligence and is only translated study once in the whole Bible.

The translator decided to tell us the word the author meant there was study. Was there something in the context that might lead us to believe the word should be study and not be diligent?

The verse before is 2 Timothy 2:14 where the author writes:

"Of these things put [them] in remembrance, charging [them] before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, [but] to the subverting of the hearers."

Well we see them saying to strive not about words using the Greek word λογομαχέω (logomacheo).

So he does mention words and striving about those words to no profit. But in 2 Timothy 2:15 he specifically talks about being a workman which is the Greek word ἐργάτης ergates which has to do directly with labor.

This would fit right in with James 1:22-23 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:"

We see the same word workman used by Jesus all the time.

He went on to say in 2 Timothy 2:15 "But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."

Spirit was not created by form but form by the spirit. When the form speaks we get sound when the Spirit speaks we get creation.

• "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Timothy 2:19

I do not believe the letters or the perfect pronunciation should be our focus for He, as we have shown in the holy scripture, who is king, is known by many names.

• "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."Isaiah 9:6

The name of Jesus includes His rank if you are talking about the real king and not my neighbor Jesus (hey-soos). The same is true of the name עושׁי or Yahushua. It is not the spelling that is essential but the recognition of rank.

• "And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them." Luke 21:8

Do you know any one calling themselves Christ? Christ is not Jesus' name but His Rank as anointed King. There are many who call themselves king, prince, ruler, father, judge. Are you following them or coming together in His name, under his name, under his rank?

What is His name? A group of man-made letters or the Spirit of the law of God?

It is fine to study words and letters and language but if you are creating division over words you are falling with the tower of Babel and you are dividing mankind.

I must repeat 2 Timothy 2:14 which says, "Of these things put [them] in remembrance, charging [them] before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, [but] to the subverting of the hearers."

We should be uniting under the rank and knowledge of the true King of God's people.

• "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Timothy 2:19

If the arguing over different spellings or sounds or words is causing division among you then I only have one word for you: