Extreme   Exclusive   Sacred   Name   Movement  (EESNM)

 

Paul Wong

For the purpose of clarification I have divided the Sacred Name Movement into three groups.  All three have the common belief in the Creator’s Hebrew name as “Yahweh” and the Savior’s Hebrew name as “Yahshua”. 

1.    Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Group believes using the Hebrew Sacred Names is for salvation.  Those that do not use them will be damned.  They do not accept the use of the Greek/English transliterated name of “Jesus”.   They reject the English words for God, Lord, Christ, Christian, etc.

2.    Exclusive Sacred Name Group has the same beliefs as the first group.  Although they use the Sacred Names exclusively themselves but they do not condemn others that do not share their beliefs.  They do not use any transliterated names of the Savior.

3.    Sacred Name Group uses the sacred names for their private worship and prayer.  They believe using the Sacred Names is mainly for enhancing the quality of their worship and prayer and it has nothing to do with salvation.  They use the transliterated name of “Jesus” in Greek/English and other languages depending on the ethnic background and culture. They also accept and use the English words for God, Lord, Christ, Christian, etc.

I have never joined any Sacred Name group but I can relate to the third group.  The reason for my writing this article is because I have just received three emails this morning (July 11, 2002), two of them made adverse comments on my position in the Sacred Name Movement.  My position is this.  I knew the Hebrew word for God is “Elohim” a long time ago, but I only came to the knowledge of His Son’s Hebrew name “Yahshua” in the early 1980’s after our family moved from Bakersfield, California to Houston, Texas. 

I did not join any organization like Assemblies of Yahweh or Sacred Name groups to receive the truth of the Hebrew name "Yahshua".  The Holy Spirit revealed it to me in a spiritual song.  I was praying one morning and was filled with the Holy Spirit who gave me a very beautiful song.  I began to praise the Lord by singing "Hallelu-Yahshua . . ."  That was nearly 20 years ago.  Since that time I praise Yahshua in my prayers.  I also preach the name of Yahshua.  From experience I truly testify that using the name of “Yahshua” in prayer improved my worship and personal relationship with my Lord and Savior.  It is not a condition for salvation.  We have held "T.R.U.E. in Yahshua" conferences in Houston, Texas for several years.  Go to the T.R.U.E. in Yahshua web site: à 

 

 

Now I am going to discuss those emails without divulging the names of the senders because I want to be objective in my response.

 

Email #1

Subject Title:  Thanks - I appreciate your stand!

Hi,


    I just was reading a letter in between you and another place that was
upset because you do not use the name Y'shua all the time.


    I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your stand.  I am not a SN
person - I am a Sabbath keeper etc.  I have been enjoying some of the things
you send out however - and read them because of the fact that you don't hold
the blasphemous doctrine that "to be saved you must say Yahshua".
  

In Him,

- - - - - - - - 

Paul Wong’s Response to Email #1

 

HalleluYah, Praise the Lord,

 

I want to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for guiding you to write this email.  He knows I need encouragement because I have come under vicious attacks recently because of my stand regarding the Sacred Name issue.  Thank you, Brother.  I am glad that you enjoyed some of the things that I send out.  I really enjoy sending them out too.  This ARK Forum is growing from strength to strength and I give all the glory and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The doctrine “to be saved you must say Yahshua” is not only blasphemous but also heretical.  Salvation is in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on Calvary, and not in the spelling of His Hebrew name.  I personally prefer to use the spelling “Yahshua” because that was the pronunciation I received in my revelation.  Besides, it also helps me preach the connection between the name “Yahshua” and salvation.  Please see my two web sites concerning the name “Yahshua”.

1.    http://www.oocities.org/ark_pw/Fellowship/Yahshua.html

2.    http://www.oocities.org/nameabove/

Today we find most Messianic Jews either spell His name “Yeshua” or “Y’shua” and He still responds to their call.   I fully accept their spelling of the Messiah’s name.

 

 

Email #2

Subject Title:  Knowingly commiting Sin

 

Knowingly committing Sin:

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Messiah,

 

This is a good example that I am going to show you with recorded evidence.

Paul Wong is writing to me that he got the revelation on the Sacred Name 20 years ago in a prayer. He says that it is the true name of Elohim. But he uses it in his prayers and other places: When I asked him a question about this issue: He is telling me that I am preaching false doctrine. Whether he is false or I am false you only examine.

 

Even though the Holy Spirit reveled him the true name 20 years ago, he simply disdaining it and doing as he wishes and again blaming others those who preach the truth as false. See what a hypocrisy it is!

 

Yours in His service

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Paul Wong’s Response to Email #2

 

I place this writer in the EESNM group (please see title of this article).  He is an extremist and an exclusivist.  He claimed that the Holy Spirit revealed to him “NEVER COMPROMISE.”  He would do anything to propagate his teachings.  In this email he did not get the facts right.  He is either very confused about the issue or he does not know the truth.  Here is what I wrote to him.

 

Brother - - - -, both you and I have common beliefs.  We both believe YAHWEH is the name of our heavenly Father and YAHSHUA is the Hebrew name of our Savior.  We both believe in the same truths but we differ in the application of the truths.  You believe and teach that unless a believer uses the names YAHWEH and YAHSHUA exclusively they cannot be saved.  This dogmatic teaching is false.  I believe and teach the sacred names of YAHWEH and YAHSHUA  are to be used for worship.  Transliteration of these names such as the Greek/English JESUS, Chinese YESU, YASO, YESOU, etc may also be used in different countries and cultures.  Using transliteration of the names is not a compromise but a necessity because of linguistic and phonetic requirements. 

Please see my web site for explanation: -->  http://www.oocities.org/nameabove

 

In the Japanese Bible our Savior's name is pronounced YESU.  The written language form is "Katakana" and the script form is called "Hiragana".  There is no character with the sound "Shua".  When you mentioned the name "YESU" to Christians in Japan they know who you are talking about.  There is no mistake that "YESU' is the Son of God, the Savior, the Redeemer, the One who died on the Cross for our sins.  Believing in "YESU" will save a person in Japan.

 

In the United States of America when you talk about "JESUS" everyone knows you are talking about the same "YAHSHUA" that you and I believe to be our Savior.  Salvation is received by those who believe in the PERSON of YAHSHUA, JESUS, YESU, YASO, YESOU (Acts 10:31).  Salvation does not depend in the pronunciation or spelling of the name of the Savior, but faith in the Person JESUS Himself.  Brother ------, you are preaching a false doctrine that leads people to damnation.  You are preaching another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9)  Repent of your sins before it too late.  May Yahweh guide you.

 

This person does not write the truth, or he simply twists the truth.  Here is what he writes about me -----   he simply disdaining it and doing as he wishes and again blaming others those who preach the truth as false. See what a hypocrisy it is!”  I have never disdained the truth about the Hebrew name of the Savior is “Yahshua”, but I utterly refute the false doctrine he preaches that unless a believer uses the Hebrew names of “Yahweh” and “Yahshua” they are not saved.  That is downright heresy.  This doctrine is invented by the devil and comes from the depths of hell. 

 

The meaning of hypocrisy in religion is not practicing what one preaches.  I have never at any time believed or preached that one must use the Sacred Names in order to be saved.  I still do not do so, and I strongly oppose such vicious lies and heresies!  This is not hypocrisy, but standing firmly and resolutely in the truth.

 

This second writer tries to intimidate me with punishment from God.  Here is the conclusion of his email:

*** This is the thing going on with people/preachers like Paul Wong and others.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

 Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his Sovereign's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Here’s Paul Wong’s Response

The Bible clearly defines sin as “transgression of the law” (1 Jn. 3:4).  Please show me which law states that all believers in the world must use the Hebrew names “Yahweh” and “Yahshua”?  Is it the will of our heavenly Father that everyone must address Him as “Yahweh”?  Please show just one verse in the New Testament that our Savior or any of the apostles ever addressed God as “Yahweh” in their prayers?  Did our Lord and the apostles sinned because they did not say “Yahweh”?  Absolutely not!  Did St. Luke sin because he wrote the gospel and the Acts of the Apostles using the Greek name of the Savior “Iesous”?   Did the apostle Paul commit sin when he actually knew the Hebrew name of his Savior is “Yahshua” and still wrote several epistles to the Greek churches in the Greek language using the Greek name of his Savior “Iesous”?   Did the apostle John sinned when he wrote to the seven Greek churches in Revelation using the Greek name of the Savior “Iesous”?   You know what?  I would rather be in the company of the apostles than with the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM).  You don’t scare me one bit.  You yourself should be scared to death – preaching false doctrines and proclaiming sin and punishment on saints that are doing God’s will.

The devil makes false accusations and intimidates the saints day and night (Rev. 12:10).  In the mighty name of Yahweh, Yahshua ha Messiah (Lord Jesus Christ) I rebuke him.  Go to hell!!!

 

Writer #2’s Email #2

 

My reply to your booklet

 

Mr. Frank M. Walker, I have gone through your booklet cover to cover

“ Sacred Names Truth or Error? ”  One Language more sacred than others?

 

The Bible says, only the Satanic Fellows can rebel against the TRUTH, 2 .Tim 3:8.  Yahshua came to this world to bear the witness to the truth, John 18:37. Everyone that is of truth hears His voice. When the Spirit of Truth comes he leads us into all the truth, John 16:13.

 

If you are a perverter of truth then there is a problem with you everywhere.

There is no confusion in using the sacred name, but there is a lot of confusion if the name changes in every language. Your name is Frank M. Walker, please let me know what is your transiliterated name in Hebrew, Greek, and in Aramic? Don’t say Frank M. Walker. Say in transliterated language.

 

In Your book you Wrote about these Languages. Now you tell me the answer.

 

Hebrew .........Yahshua Messiah.......Your Name: Frank M. Walker

Japanese........      ,            ,                                                ?

Dutch............       ,            ,                                                 ?

Russia...........       ,            ,                                                 ?

German........        ,            ,                                                 ?

French.........         ,            ,                                                 ?

English........         ,            ,                                                 ?

Hindu..........         ,            ,                                                  ?

Spanish.................,            ,                                                 ?

Italian ..................,            ,                                                   ?

Chinese...............  ,            ,                                                  ?

Egyptian...............,            ,                                                   ?

 

Now you tell me what is your transliterated name in all the above Languages? What is your confusion? Who is confusing?  Messiah is not the author of confusion 1.Cor 14:33. Church of God people and all those who speak against Sacred names are perverters of truth. There is no Spirit of Truth in you to accept the truth. Why are you writing useless booklets and sending to India to pervert the Indians?

 

In English grammar there is a rule: Proper nouns cannot be translated but has to retain as it is. It should be pronounced as it is. If you have at least COMMON SENSE you can understand this.

 

You are only worrying about your mission but not for truth.

Believe the Sacred Name pronounce it and promote it, that is good.

Don’t fight against Sacred Names you will be punished soon. `

 

Lev 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of Yahweh, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of Yahweh, shall be put to death.

 

In the Name of Yahshua Messiah

Yours in His service

- - - - - - - - - -<

PS: The same reply apply to Mr. Forest Witney who wrote another booklet of the same “ A Sacred Language? “

 

 

Here’s Paul Wong’s Response

 

I tried to locate Mr. Frank M. Walker and also Mr. Forest Witney through the Internet but was unsuccessful.  Can anyone who knows their whereabouts please forward this email to them.

 

The writer was trying to tell us that transliteration of names is an absurdity or impossibility.  It is a very common thing.  Let me give you an example.  In the United States my official name is Paul Wong.  I have Chinese ancestry and I am going to give you my name in four Chinese dialect transliterations.  Chinese always place the family name first.  In Mandarin Chinese I am known as “Huang Pau Law”.  In Cantonese I am called “Wong Pou Law”.  In Hakka they call me “Wong Pau Law”.  In Hokkien (Taiwanese) I am known as “Ng Po Lo”.  Why are there so many different pronunciations?  They are just dialects that have been developed in different parts of China.  There are hundreds of Chinese dialects.  It does not make any difference what dialect transliteration people call me.  They know me and I know they are calling me.  Transliteration is an accepted practice by all people all over the world.  My Japanese friends in Japan would call me “Oo-o-ng Po-Ro”.  They do not have the direct phonetic alphabets for Wong and no “L” sounds in their spoken language for Paul.  Do I have my name in Japanese?   Sure, I do!

 

Transliteration of our Savior’s name has been used in Bible translations in more than 700 languages.  I have checked with Crosswalk.com on our Savior’s name in various languages.  I want to emphasize these are not transliterations printed by the Sacred Name Publishers that are biased and inaccurate.  These are transliterations by world recognized language experts.

 

Hebrew

Yahshua  Messiach

Italian

Gesu   Cristo

Greek

Iesous  Christos

Afrikaans

Jesus Christus

English

Jesus  Christ

Czech

Jezis   Kristus

Dutch

Jezus  Christus

Hungarian

Jezus   Krisztus

German

Jesus  Christus

Tagalog

Jesus  Kristo

French

Jesus  Christ

Yiddish

Jesus  Kristus

Spanish

Jesus  Cristo

Turkish

Isa  Mesih

 

Transliteration of our Savior’s name have existed centuries before His birth in Bethlehem.  The Septuagint Bible has the transliterated Greek name of “Joshua”.   Pilate wrote the transliterated Greek and Latin names of our Savior on the cross where He was crucified (Jn. 19:19-20)

 

Email #3

Subject Title:  Names of Creator and Savior

 

Dear Mr. Wong:

 

One of your writings has been forwarded to me, in which you state that you use the Name Yahshua in worship, but still use God, the Lord, etc. also.

 

I would just point out Isaiah 65:11, which says that God worshippers are those who have forsaken Yahweh. (Yes, "that troop" in the KJV is God or Gad or Gawd, all pronounced the same, in Hebrew.)

 

"To him who knoweth to do good and does it not, to him it is sin."

 

What about the Sabbath? Are you a Sabbath keeper? If so, do you also accept Sunday worshippers without pointing out their error? Same thing with His Name.

 

When the Name was revealed to you 20 years ago, you apparently did not fully realize its importance. Nor do you seem to even now.

 

I intend to check out your web page ASAP. Mine is as follows:

 

www.search-the-scriptures.org/

 

Shalom,

- - - - - - - -

Here’s Paul Wong’s Response to Email #3

 

I want to be absolutely truthful in my position on the Sacred Name issue.  Yes, I do use the Name “Yahshua” in my worship.  I have also preached the Name “Yahshua” before congregations in public.  I want to emphasize that “Yahshua” is a Hebrew name that can be meaningful and accepted by everyone in a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I was brought up in a Chinese congregation in Malaysia, and even here in America the composition of our congregants in various cities are predominantly Chinese (more than 90%).  Although my sermons are delivered in English yet they have to be translated into Chinese (Mandarin) because not everyone can understand English.  We use the New King James Bible and Chinese bibles.  None of our bibles have the Hebrew names such as “Elohim”, “Yahweh” or “Yahshua.”  The main emphasis of our beliefs are centered in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, His atoning death, His sacrifice, His shed blood, His love, mercy and grace.  Yes, I do preach and teach the name of  “Yahshua” but it is not centered on its Hebraic origin, its spelling, whether with a “Y” or “J”.  Who cares if there is no “J” in the English or Greek alphabets before 500 years ago?  It is not the “Y” or “J” that saves us.  It is the One True God who manifested Himself in the flesh and came to die in our place and shed His precious blood to wash away sins.  That is all that matters in our salvation.  The Person of “Yahshua” Himself, not the way you pronounce His name or the way you spell His name that saves. 

 

“To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:43)  This verse says nothing about His name must be in the Hebraic form, it must be spelt with a “Y” and pronounced in a certain way with a certain accent.  When you place emphasis, focus and give so much importance on the linguistic, spelling and ethnic aspect of the name you have completely missed its real essence.  You may have made the name “Yahshua” into an idol. Anything that takes the place of “Yahshua” Himself is an idol.  None of the unspiritual things in the name can save or remit your sins. It is through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”  Amen, brother! 

 

Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name adherents have completely missed the true essence of the Savior’s name.  It is the Person “Yahshua” who saves, and not the spelling and pronunciation of the name.  Remember that!  “And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts. 16:30-31)  I know that I am definitely saved because I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Can we use the words “God” and “Lord”?

 

I am not an expert in theology or in the English language, so I shall be quoting an article that gives us the derivation of the word “God” in our English Bibles. 

Web Site: à  http://www.logon.org/english/S/p220.html

The Etymology of the Name of God

Objections to the use of the word “God” stem from the understanding that the Babylonian deity of fortune was Baal-Gad (pronounced gawd).  It is then assumed that the term is pagan if the word God is used.

The term God in the ancient Anglo-Saxon comes from the word Goode, or Goot as in the Dutch and German. The word is actually a Hebrew word from which gad itself in the sense of SHD 1410 is derived. The word is SHD 1464 Guwd (pronounced goode). The tribes of Israel, when taken into captivity, took with them this name. It was used also by the Assyrians who captured them. It is a prime root meaning to crowd upon or attack and this means to invade or to overcome. It is this sense of overcoming, as God is the center of power, that the term is used. Guwd or Goode is not the same as gad or Baal-Gad worshipped by the Babylonians. One is a perversion of the concepts of the other.

The word God is derived from the old Teutonic form gudo which means that which is invoked (or worshipped) by sacrifice (cf. Oxford English Universal Dictionary, art. God, p. 808). This was adapted among the Teutonic tribes in the variant forms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some argue that God” is a word that is used by pagans to refer to idols. That is true. Pagans who used the Hebrew or Aramaic language also called their idols by Hebrew names — such as “Elohim”, “El”, "Eloah” and “Elah” (Gen 35:2; Josh. 24:15) — but Yahweh, or the LORD, inspired his prophets to apply the same names to Him. This shows that it is not wrong to refer to the true God by the same words that the pagans misused in reference to their idols.  If EESNM want to be strict about it and use the same judgment that they have against the English word “God” they should throw away or burn every Sacred Name Bible that have the word “Elohim”.  Would they?

The Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement is Doomed for Failure

Uncertainty of the Correct Name

I have many problems with the confusion and inconsistencies of the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM).  During the early years of my discovery of the name “Yahshua” I tried to learn about this movement as much as possible.  There is one congregation called Assembly of Yahvah in Emory, Texas that I visited.  I spend some time with their leader who explained to me the true name of the Creator is “Yahvah” and “Yahweh” is wrong.  That was a shock to me.  As time went on I learned there are many EESNM groups giving the Creator names with different spellings and pronunciations.  As you may know, there are many variations of the sacred name: Yah, Yahweh, Yahvah, Yahveh, Jehovah, Yahovah, Yahoweh, Yahovah, Yahuweh, Yahuveh, Yahuvah, Jeova, Jehofah, Geova, Ihowa, Iahueh, Yaohu, etc.

According to the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name groups unless one uses the Hebrew name and only the Hebrew name for God that person will be eternally damned.  It should be noted that not all of the Sacred Name teachers are so dogmatic, but most are. This exclusive view is held by many Sacred Name groups, however they do not know the original pronunciation of the Name, they are in much disarray as well. This is admitted not by their own words but by the variety of different names that are used within their movement.  The Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) is in a cauldron of mass confusion.  Can anyone be absolutely certain of the correct spelling and pronunciation of our Creator’s name?  If not, how can these EESNM adherents condemn anyone for not using His Hebrew name?

There is also much variation in our Savior’s name.  “Yahshua” is agreed by most EESNM folks. But some call him Yasha, by others Yeshua, Yahushua, Yaohushua, Iahushua, YAHVAHSHUA, and Yhwhhoshua.  How do you know which of the Savior’s name is the correct one?  Remember they teach you must be exact in your pronunciation. So which Sacred Name group is not going to hell for the correct pronunciation?  There are dozens of different spellings and pronunciations of the names used by those who claim to have the correct name.  All of them promote their particular name as the only one God approves of.  There are only two possibilities.  The first possibility is that only one of the names is correct.  Which one?  The other possibility is that none of them are correct.   There is so much confusion in this movement that you can say that it is definitely not of God.  “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” (1 Cor. 14:33)

God’s Name is exalted in Languages of the World

The reason for so much confusion, disarray, disunity and conflicts within the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) is because there is little or no guidance from God through the Holy Spirit.  Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (Jn. 14:26)  “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak  on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (Jn. 16:13-14)  On the Day of Pentecost God poured out of His Spirit on the disciples of Christ

“And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. . . . And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? . . . . Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” (Acts. 2:4-11)

These were all Jews hearing the message of God in the various languages of different nations of the world.  What does this miracle indicate?  It certainly does not show that God wanted all the different nations to exalt Him only in the Hebrew language.  God has shown the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ that His name must be exalted in different languages of the world.

What a great contrast to the EESNM’s manifesto to have all the people of the world using only the Hebrew language to exalt God.  EESNM’s insistence on using only the Hebrew names and words for the Creator and the Savior was never in God’s plan at all.  Anything that is not in accordance with God’s will and has never been approved by Him would fail.  That is exactly what happened to EESNM.  Utter Failure!

Hebrew names not in the New Testament

First, Hebrew names or titles for God are not found in the New Testament. It is therefore supposed by adherents of the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) that there must have been a different original, a non-Greek version.  There is none!

The New Testament uses the Greek Theos” for “God” 1,345 times and Kyrios” for “Lord” 665 times! There is no New Testament manuscript in which Hebrew names for God are used instead of these Greek words.

The foundation of the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) is the use of the Hebrew names of the Creator and the Savior.  Since the New Testament do not have the Hebrew names the movement have nothing to stand on.  This movement is a sham, a big lie.

Insurmountable Obstacles in World Languages

If EESNM object to the English word “God” what about other languages that describe the Deity? We should look at this issue from an international perspective.  The word “God” is not a proper noun or personal name of the Almighty.  It is a word to describe the Creator.  Here is what I look at from a Chinese viewpoint.  There are three versions of Chinese Bibles that have different terminologies describing the Deity.  The Roman Catholics use the “Tien-Chu” version, meaning “Lord of Heaven”.  The Protestant churches use the “Shang-Ti” version, which means “Highest Ruler” and the third version is “Chen-Shen” which means “True God”.  Our congregation uses the version with the “True God”.    Right now there is no Sacred Name version of the Chinese Bible. Even if there is, it is impossible to change the Chinese language and hundreds of Chinese dialects to have the Hebrew names of the Creator and Savior.  It does not appear that EESNM will be able to have any presence in China or even amongst the Chinese Christians outside of China. I am talking about just one ethnic race with 1.3 billion people in the world.  We have not even begun to discuss the insurmountable obstacles EESNM would face in other countries.

The Test of the True Movement of God is in its Fruit

In His discourse on the Second Coming our Lord Jesus Christ have stated:

“All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Mt. 24:8-11)

This prophecy may be applied to this issue of whether or not Christians can use the transliteration of the Greek/English name “JESUS”.  Normally non-EESNM Christians have not prohibited nor opposed anyone for using our Lord’s Hebrew name“Yahshua”. They have not hated anyone for using it or feel offended by its use.   On the other hand EESNM adherents have been very intolerant and hateful towards Christians that use the Greek/English name “JESUS”, titles such as “Lord”, “Christ” and “Christians”.  There is no question who are the offenders.   They are very hateful of Christians because there is little or no Christian love in them.  Let me cite an actual case in Houston, Texas.

There is an African-American couple here in Houston that I know.  The husband is a very strict Sacred Name user.  He forced his wife to use the Sacred Name but she did not think it is important to do so.  The husband was unbending and he divorced his wife.  They did not talk to one another for many years.  I used to hold Sabbath fellowships in the afternoon in IHOP (International House of Pancakes) because they allow us to use their meeting room.  One Saturday afternoon the husband came with his group.  The wife, without any knowledge of her ex-husband's presence, also came to our fellowship because the LORD gave her a dream that she should go to IHOP which she interpreted as "In His Omnipotent Presence".  The estranged couple met for the first time after many years.  I didn't know that they were married and divorced before.  In fact that was the first time that I met both of them.  I explained to the Fellowship our position regarding the name of “Yahshua.”  It is the Hebrew name of our Savior.  It is a very special name.  I explained that it is not wrong to use the Greek/English name of "Jesus".  Both the husband and the wife agreed to our position.  They communicated with one another again.

 

Let me clarify that not all Sacred Name adherents are unloving.  Some are good Christians (although they may not like this terminology).  In the beginning paragraph of this article I have shown three groups. I am discussing the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) adherents that are very deceptive and unloving towards those that do not share their views.  It fits the description of our Lord's prophecy: "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Mt. 24:11-12)  They certainly have no Christian love for those that use the Greek/English name of "Jesus”.  We need to be very careful of them.  How do we know who they are?  “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Mt. 7:20)

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Here are some problematic questions for those that teach we cannot use the Greek/English name of our Savior JESUS.

 

2.  Does our Savior have His name written in Latin and Greek besides Hebrew?  The answer is yes. Read this:

       "Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.  And the writing was: 

     JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS

     Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin." (Jn. 19:19-20)

 

2.  What language did the apostle Paul use in writing the letters to the Roman Church and the Greek Churches?  The answer is simple.  He wrote Latin to the Romans and Greek to the Greek Churches.  The name of the Savior is "Iesous" in Greek.  That is how we get the transliteration of the English name JESUS which is derived from the Greek name.

 

3.  Did our Lord Jesus Christ speak Greek?  Answer is YES.  He said: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1:8)  "Alpha" [ ] is the first letter and "Omega" [ ] is the last letter in the Greek Alphabet.  The apostle John wrote the book of Revelation in the Greek island of Patmos and it was written in the Greek language.  How do we know that?  The Lord Jesus Christ told him: "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." (Rev. 1:11)  All these seven churches speak, write and read Greek and the name of JESUS in the book of Revelation is in the Greek language.

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The Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement (EESNM) is a dead movement.  Why?  The reasons are given above. Adherents of this movement are not applying the truth in the correct way.  Forcing believers all over the world to use the Hebrew name of “YAHSHUA” is not a command of God.  It was never practiced in the Early Apostolic Church because it could never be practiced in every country of the world.

 

I am praying that all the EESNM adherents that read this email on this web site will repent of their errors. I am praying for the salvation of their souls, and also for the salvation of the people they are misleading, to abandon this senseless, dogmatic, heretical "EESNM"position that they hold.  That revelation "NEVER COMPROMISE" is wrongly applied to a false doctrine that leads people to damnation.  May the good Lord help them.

 

The name of “YAHSHUA” is “the name which is above every name.” I love it very much and I use it daily in my private devotions, but I also use the Greek/English transliteration of the name “JESUS”, and of course, I also use the Chinese transliteration of our Savior’s name a lot. I do believe that many Christians will come to call upon the name of “YAHSHUA” as I do. If you have not done so, just give it a try. You will be amazed at the results and also how much more blessings you will receive from “YAHSHUA”.

 

May God bless you.

Updated on 01/13/04

 

This Article is the response of Paul Wong
to a discussion in the ARK Forum on July 12, 2002
For comments please write first to: arkpw@sbcglobal.net

 


Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston.
The ARK Forum on the Internet is international and non-denominational.



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