The Image and the Name of God

[JohnD]

In another topic, a point of order was made that only baptisms in the name of Jesus are valid. 

The Father and the Holy Spirit are descriptive titles which we generally use as names, but only God the Word is 

actually named. I AM THAT I AM + SALVATION = YEHOSHUA / Y'shua. John 8:58 / Exodus 3:15

YHVH - SHUA = Jesus.

The Bible teaches the plurality of persons in the Godhead (and indicates that there are three of these persons) what we have come to call the Trinity.

This is a fact.

But in actual name... only one of the three has an actual name name. Jesus.

Just as Jesus is the only one of the three that has a visible image (body)

Colossians 1:13–16 (AV)
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

2 Corinthians 4:4 (AV)
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ever wonder what it really means to be made in the image of God in Genesis?

Human image. Human design. God the Word (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 44:24) made Adam (and Eve) in the physical form 

he would one day take upon himself (John 1:14a). And the reason the plural "us" and "our" was used in "let us make man in our image and after our likeness..." I because Jesus (preincarnate)

made all things (including man) alone by himself in the beginning, but the Father would make the man that Jesus would become in the incarnation. You have to think this through.

So we are made in the image of Christ (God).

And the only name of God man is given is Jesus (YHVH SHUA).

The name of Jesus [represents] the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

So to even baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" is referring to that representative name (Jesus).

[JohnD]

Having said that,

The only true baptism is that of the Holy Spirit (i.e. faith in Jesus).

John the water Baptizer contrasted his water baptism with the baptism of

Jesus (which is by the Holy Spirit [saved] or by fire [judged / condemned on judgment day]).

Matthew 3:11 (AV)
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 

[Pekoudah]

It is interesting to note that in John 1 it says the word (singular) was made flesh. IOW there is a hidden word or a word with a hidden meaning in the OT text that became flesh.

Prov. 25:2 "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter ( דבר word), But the glory of kings is to search out a matter (דבר word)."

What is the "word" that became flesh? It is יהוה

 

[JohnD]

13 hours ago, Pekoudah said:

It is interesting to note that in John 1 it says the word (singular) was made flesh. IOW there is a hidden word or a word with a hidden meaning in the OT text that became flesh.

Prov. 25:2 "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter ( דבר word), But the glory of kings is to search out a matter (דבר word)."

What is the "word" that became flesh? It is יהוה

 

John 1:1–3 (AV)

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.

1 John 1:1–3 (AV)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 

 

[JohnD]

2 minutes ago, JohnD said:

John 1:1–3 (AV)

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.

1 John 1:1–3 (AV)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 

 

Colossians 1:13–16 (AV)
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Isaiah 44:24 (AV)
24 Thus saith the LORD [YHVH], thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD [YHVH] that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Genesis 1:1 (AV)
1 In the beginning God [Jesus preincarnate] created the heaven and the earth [by himself alone].

In the presence of the Father (1 John 1:2) and of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2).

What was hidden until the incarnation is who Jesus (YHVH) was.

 

 

[JohnD]

The name of God.

Exodus 3:13–15 (AV)
13 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?
14 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.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD [YHVH] God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

This name defines God. He is because he is. Eternal, self sufficient. Existence without beginning or end. The eternal source of all.

YHVH [The LORD] Saves is the meaning of the name Jesus (via Greek Iesous via Hebrew Y'shua shortened for Yehoshua).

YHVH SHUA.

There are many other descriptive titles for the Almighty. But this is the only name of God.

Father, Lord, Spirit (Holy or of God) are terms we refer to more as jargon than as names.

And this sometimes whacks us up in our understanding of the nature of the Divinity.

This is only about the limitation of human communication and human understanding. God's nature is not all that hard to comprehend

once we deal with these human deficiencies.

For example... John 4:24 tells us God is Spirit. Psalm 99:9 tells us God is Holy.

So which individual in the Godhead is not Holy or Spirit? Each are.

But this is not to say all three are what we refer to as "the Holy Spirit."

Confused?

How I cleared it up in my mind was by taking the triune nature of God to a very clinical state:

God individual A (who we call the Father)

God individual B (who we call the Son)

God individual C (who we call the Holy Spirit)

All three are fathers of something.

For example... the Holy Spirit is the Father of the Bible (2 Peter 1:20-21)... Jesus is the Father of creation (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 44:24)... and the Heavenly Father is the Father of Jesus (John 1:14, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 10:5). 

God individual A was not a father until he created the body of Jesus (Hebrews 1:5)

Hebrews 1:5 (AV)
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Neither was God individual B was not a son until then.

Jesus (preincarnate) was already the father of creation and specifically of:

Luke 3:38 (AV)
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Adam was the son of God the Word (God Individual B not God Individual A).

When people claim we are all children of God they are partly correct. We are all children of God the Word.  But ONLY Jesus is the Son of God Individual A (who we call the Heavenly Father).

Believers in Jesus are children of God Individual A (the Heavenly Father) by the adoption of sons (Romans 8:15). Unbelievers are NOT his children.

God individual A (who we call the Father) I call* God the Authority

God individual B (who we call the Son) the Bible calls God the Word

God individual C (who we call the Holy Spirit) I call* God the Author

* only to make the distinction between the individuals who are the one God more clear in my mind.

Edited May 8, 2019 by JohnD

[JohnD]

Another example of the limits of human communication / understanding is:

John 14:6–11 (AV)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

This [could be] explained by what I just posted previously that Jesus is A father (of creation and by extension of all the heirs of Adam)... but Jesus was just speaking of his Father (God Individual A).

So how do we understand this passage?

Verses 9 and 10 cover it but only when you have the fuller understanding of verses like:

Colossians 1:15 (AV)
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. "Show us the Father..." Jesus is all the God man will ever see with his eyes.

And:

John 12:44–45 (AV)
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

Learn these things and beware cultists who try to trip you up about the triune nature of God.

John 4:24
God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit

and in truth. ← this is the part that defines the specifics. That man cannot be saved by a generic Jesus or a counterfeit Jesus or one of man's own liking.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 is Paul chastising the people for falling for "another Jesus, another spirit" and Galatians 1:8-9 condemns to hell those who preach another gospel.