Should we call God, God?

[BeauJangles]

42 minutes ago, leah777 said:

Papa works for me as a name to call Him.

@leah777, I think that is so sweet! 

[BeauJangles]

42 minutes ago, leah777 said:

Papa works for me as a name to call Him.

@leah777, I think that is so sweet! 

[BeauJangles]

42 minutes ago, leah777 said:

Papa works for me as a name to call Him.

@leah777, I think that is so sweet! 

[leah777]

Just now, BeauJangles said:

@leah777, I think that is so sweet! 

abba is papa. Beloved father.

[BeauJangles]

Oh no! I did a multi-post! Sorry!

[BeauJangles]

Oh well... I like that kitty emoticon anyway!  

Walking away now... 

And now = 

 

[Tristen]

The word god is a relatively new English word whose etymology is unclear. It simply means supreme, supernatural being. It can be applied both exclusively and generically; depending on the context. For most of it's history, the proper noun 'God' has referred exclusively to the supreme supernatural Being described in the Bible. It is therefore a perfectly legitimate (and respectful) title for the Biblical God.

Nevertheless, if that word offends your conscience, the Bible provides many, many other examples of names and titles for the God of the Bible.

 

[teddyv]

NT Wright in some of his writings has actually dropped the capital G and writes it as god. I can't recall the exact reasoning, other than it's not a name, as others have pointed out. 

[HAZARD]

On 5/17/2020 at 7:22 PM, BrandonLee said:

I've been trying to research the etymology of the name God and most of the references I read were vague or can't give me a satisfactory explanation. I'm doubting calling God as God, because perhaps the name might belong to an ancient pagan idol. I also feel that the name God is sort of generic.

I stopped calling God as God for a whole year and start calling Him, Lord, Most High, or YHWH.
 

Hi Brandon. This will help. 

 

 These are the many names of God in the Old Testament.

 

The names of God clearly show that believing in only one person in the Godhead is wrong.
Elohim. This is the Hebrew word for God in Gen. 1:1 and 2700 other places in the Old Testament. It is a uni-plural noun meaning "Gods" and is so translated 239 times (Gen. 3:5; Ex. 22:28; 1 Sam. 4:8; Dan. 2:11; 4:6-9; 5:11, 14; etc.). It is the plural of Eloah meaning deity and God. Itis used in the plural with the definite article of the Supreme God. It is translated "judges" (Ex. 21:6; 22:8-9) and "angels" Ps. 8:5). Sometimes Elohim is used in connection with plural verbs and pronouns, as seen in Hebrew text of Gen. 20:13, "the Gods they caused me to wander" and in Gen. 35:7, "there the Gods they appeared unto him." Many times plural pronouns are used of God in referring to the different members of the Godhead, as "us" (Gen. 1:26; 3:22;11:7; Isa. 6:8; John 17:21), "our" (Gen. 1:26; John 14:23), "we" (John 14:23; 17:11, 22), and "their" Ps. 2:3).
First, second and third personal pronouns are used hundreds of times in Scripture of one, two, or three persons in the Deity. Some of these are used OF men TO and CONCERNING different members of the Deity TO and OF each other. In John 17 alone Jesus uses 162 pronouns in speaking TO and OF God. Other chapters in the Bible have many like pronouns and they are all used right and should be understood in the same sense in connection with God as we understand them when they are used of other subjects.

When different members of Deity speak TO and OF each other just like men do, should we accuse them of misrepresenting themselves and of not being able to properly use human language. We have more right to believe that only one person is referred to when men use first, second, and third personal singular and plural pronouns OF and TO each other, as to believe there is only one person refered to when the members of the Godhead use them OF and TO each other.

When singular pronouns are used of Deity it is one of three persons of the three divine persons of the Trinity speaking of Himself or as representing the whole Godhead, or it is one of the three divine persons speaking to another one concerning a third person of the Trinity, as is clear in John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; 17:1-25).
In the Old Testament it was the Father who was the prominent speaker (Heb. 1:1-3; Acts 3:21); in the gospels the Son was the prominant speaker (John 5:47; 6:33; 8:26, 28, 38; 12:49-50; 17:8); and now it is the Holy Spirit who is the prominent speaker (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-15; Acts 2:4; 13:2; 15:28; 20:28). Singular pronouns are sometimes used of the whole Godhead as a unit (Ex. 20:3; Isa. 44:^; 8; 45:5, 21; 46:9; Hos. 13:4; etc.), just like the whole church as the body of Christ as a unit is spoken of as a "man" and "he" (Eph. 2:14-15; 4:13; 5:25-27; 2 Thess. 2:7-8).
The one Elohim then is not one person, or one in number, but one in unity. Elohim is not a divided Deity, but three persons in "one God,' or one Deity.
The word itself does not say there are three, but merely that Deity is in the plural. God is thus referred to in the plural twice as many times as the word "Jesus" is found in both Testaments.

Yehova. This is the Hebrew word for "Lord" in Deut. 6:4 and 7,600 times in the Old Testament. It means the Self-existent, Eternal, Immutable One, or Unity. It does not tell us how many persons are in the "One [unified] Lord," but the Scriptures mention three persons who are called "Lord" and who are "Self-existent" and "Eternal" and therefore, all of them can be called "Jehovah." In Gen. 19:24; Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:44; Zech. 2:10-11 we have the Father and the Son both called "Lord," and Ex. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-8 and Isa 6:8-9 with Acts 28:25 and Ex. 17:7, with Heb. 3:7-9 and Jer. 31:31-34 with Heb. 10:15-16 prove that the Holy Spirit is also called "Lord" or "Jehovah." Yehovah is rendered "Jehovah four times (Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4). Jehovah is used in many compound names of Deity.

El, is the Hebrew word for "God" in 250 places in Scripture. It means the Strong One, or Elohim the Omnipotent, while Elohim is God the Creator, putting His omnipotence to work. All three persons are also omnipotent.

Eloah, is the Hebrew word for "God" in 56 places in Scripture. It is Elohim who is to be worshiped. It is the name of God when worship of idols is contrasted to worship of the true God. It is "the living God" in contrast to dead gods. It means Deity and God.

Elyon, is the Hebrew word for "Most High," and it is so translated 40 times in Scripture. It means Supreme, Most High, Highest, Lofty. It is El, the posessor of Heaven and Earth, and Elohim, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. It is translated "High" (Ps. 78:35; Dan. 4:2); and "higher" in referring to Jesus as God's "first born" (Ps. 89:27). Jesus of the New Testament is never called the Most High, but only the Son of the Most High God (Mark 5:7; Luke 1:32-35; 8:28). Angels, when Christ was born, sang to the "God in the Highest," who was not Jesus (Luke 2:14). The Father is still the "head of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:3); so He is rightfully the Most High God.

Adon, is the Hebrew name for "Lord," and it is so translated 195 times in the Old Testament. It means Sovereign, Ruler, Master. Adonai is the emphatic form of Adon and is translated "Lord" 430 times in the Old Testament. It is also translated "Lords" 4 times(Gen. 19:2; Deut. 10:17; Ps. 136:3; Isa. 26:13). There are two Adonais mentioned in Ps. 110:1 and are refered to in the New Testament as the Father and the Son (Matt. 22:44).

A few other names of God in the Old Testament are "Jah" (Ps. 68:4, 18); "I AM THAT I AM" and "I AM" (Ex. 3:13-15); "God Almighty" (Ex. 6:3); "Lord God' (Gen. 2:4 and hundreds of times); "Jealous" (Ex. 34:14); "The Lord of Hosts" (Isa. 47:4 and 128 other times); "Holy" (Isa. 57:15); and many other names, thus proving that the doctrin that "Jesus" is the only God and the only name of that God is unscriptural. If God said these were His names and some human beings say they are not His names, who are we to believe? Some believe that all these names are titles signifying office, rank, or relationship, but this is mere human theory and contradicts the Scriptures which say they are real names.
God's names are found over 19,000 times in connection with His eternal plan of creation and redemption of all things and His eternal rulership over all creations (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 27; Luke 1:32-33; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Eph. 1:10; 2:7; Rev. 5:10; 11:15, 22:4-5).

These are the names of God and their usage in the New Testament.

Theos. This is the Greek word for "God" and is used 1,332 times in the New testament. It means Deity and God and with the definate article means the Supreme Deity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are all called God.

Kurios. This is the Greek word for "Lord" and is used 627 times in the New Testament. It means Lord, Master, and Sir and is used of man 31 times.

Jesous. This is the Greek word for "Jesus" 979 times in the New Testament. It is the Greek form of the hebrew Yehowshua, rendered "Joshua" 215 times in the New Testament. Joshua of the Old Testament is called "Jesus" in the New Testament in Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8. Jesus is never the name of the Father, or of the Spirit in either Testament, and it was not the name of the second person of the Godhead until He became man, and the Son of God about 1900 years ago. It is the human name of the Son of God.

Christos. This is the Greek word which we translate "Christ," and it is used 575 times in the New Testament. It literally means anointed and is the equivalent of the Hebrew MASHIYACH, translated "Messiah" twice in the Old Testament (Dan. 9:24-26) and twice in the New testament (John 1:41; 4:25). Like the name Jesus, it has no reference to Deity, but to the humanity of Jesus Christ, who became the Christ or the Anointed One thirty years after He was born in a human body and after He was named "Jesus".

Other names apart from those mentioned above of God's Son were not all true of Him until He assumed these titles. For example, He had to become man before He could be called the Son of man, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, Emmanuel, Son of David, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda, the Lamb of God, Mediator, and many other names. Two passages (Gal. 3:17; 1 Peter 1:11) re used by some to teach that "Christ" was a name of Jesus back in the Old testament times, but upon examination of them we find this is not the case. The phrase "in Christ" in Gal. 3:17 is omitted in the texts and was added by some transcriber. It is not in the R. V., Weymouth, Century Translation, Concordent Version, Nestle's  Greek Text, Moffatt, and many other translations. The second passage must be understood in the light of what Peter would naturally say about Jesus after He became the Christ, or the anointed of God. In referring to actions of the second person of the Trinity in Old Testament times one may speak of Christ doing them, but in reality He was not the Christ in Old Testament times when He did them. At that time He was God but not the Son of God or the Anointed of God. Now, since He became man and "Christ" this name could be used of Him in speaking of something He did before He became the Anointed One.

The Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19; 1 John 5:7-8).
Some people teach that these are not names and they are mere titles, but such teaching demonstrates ignorance of human language and contradicts the Word of God. Our dictionaries and grammars call such words "nouns" or "substantives" and say that all such nouns are names. It is true that not all such are always "proper names," or names of certain individuals. But usage in any particular instance shows whether a word becomes a "proper name' or not; that is applied as a name to a certain person. In Matt. 28:19 it is not just any father or any son or any ghost, but it is definitely "Father" and "Son" and "Holy Ghost." The definite article "the" is used both in the Greek and English versions before each word. It is "the Father," and "the Son," and "the Holy Ghost." These terms thus used and associated can apply to no other person on Earth or in Heaven.

The term "the Father" in the New Testament is not once applied to men or the Christ or to the Holy Ghost, but only and always to the first person of the Godhead, "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The term "the Son in the New testament is not once applied to men or to "the Father" or to "the Holy Ghost," but always to the second person of the Godhead, "the Son of the Father,"

The term "the Holy Ghost" is not once applied to men, or to "the Father," or to "the Son," but only and always to the third person of the Godhead who proceeds from "the Father," and "the Son."

The fact that these terms are always spelled with capital letters like proper names proves that they are proper names in Scripture and that it was the consensus of all Bible scholars that these terms are true proper names.

Edited May 21, 2020 by HAZARD

[Tzephanyahu]

On 5/17/2020 at 10:22 AM, BrandonLee said:

I stopped calling God as God for a whole year and start calling Him, Lord, Most High, or YHWH.

Shalom @BrandonLee

Amen.  There is much more revelation behind the Hebrew word 'Elohim' rather than the English 'God'.

I used to be very strict on this a few years back.  However, I believe the Father has taught me to be more lenient on the matter...

What I mean is that if I speak to a fellow believer or unbeliever and they say God, I say God instead of Elohim.   If they say Lord, I say Lord instead of Yahweh.   If they say Jesus, I say Jesus instead of Yahushua.  If the choice is mine, or I speak first, or I'm teaching, then I use my preference. But in conversation, I mirror.

The reason why is that communication is so important and if a believer or unbeliever wants to express their heart (albeit with the incorrect words) that expression is precious.  However, if I interject correcting them on their terms and names, they're likely to bottle-up in fear of using the wrong words or even judge me as legalistic.  In end result is broken communication or hindered expression.

Now, the Father knows what is our hearts.  He knows you prefer Elohim and YHWH.  But whilst it's very important to exalt His Name, we should also be conscious that good interaction with others is paramount.  And who knows, maybe they will be convicted on the matter naturally by your gentle guidance across time, rather than throwing down the "names and terms gauntlet" at the beginning of a conversation.

I'm not suggesting you do any of the above!  But I know that as my passion for His true Name grew, I became quiet stubborn about using any other title, foolishly.  

I hope the above makes sense.  Basically I'm just saying use the correct terms and Name when you pray and share, but don't let it hinder your opinion or interaction with others who still only use God.  Again, I'm not suggesting you do this now, just a heads up   

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As for His Name, after much research I believe it was pronounced Yahweh (YAH-oo-eh).  If you would like to know more, there is a decent summary about it and it's variant pronunciations here: www.faithandtheword.com/yahweh

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Love & Shalom