Write Rebuttal #1 God’s Holy Name
Rebuttal and doctrinal deconstruction:
# 1 Objection: I have to ask forgiveness from the Lord as I was teaching false understandings (because of the Organization) instead of a pure understanding of scripture (For example, we should be saying the name of Jesus. We are witnesses to Jesus.)
Colossians 3:17 BSB
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The name we are saved by is Jesus specifically, since the establishment of the NEW COVENANT! Does that mean Jehovah is not our God? No, of course he is our God. His memorial name is the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) pronounced in English as Jehovah, Yahweh, or some say Yahovah. But we must look to the scriptures for Truth. And in this then, we see that it is the name of Jesus, we are saved by, which is to the glory of the Father.
Acts 4:12 BSB
12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 2:21 Amplified Bible
21‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] SHALL BE SAVED (rescued spiritually).’
Jesus referred to his father as “Father, or Abba.” The Scriptures do not record him using the memorial name, “Jehovah” as Watchtower disciples constantly do (so much for claiming they practice like the first century Christians.) The scripture says in John 17:26, he made his father’s name known. But, this does not mean he spoke the literal name “Jehovah" (or spoke the Aramaic word for the Tetragrammaton.) All Jews knew the Tetragrammaton (YHWH)was in the scrolls, but did not say it out loud for fear of committing the sin of using HIS name in vain and breaking the 2nd commandment; so, the name of the most high was not said out loud. Elohim, Adonai, and Yah were used. Jesus was making known that now, through himself, we would become "Children of God," and therefore our relationship was to be that of a child to his Father.
He called His Father, “Father;” and so in imitation of Jesus, we should refer to our Heavenly Father as our “Heavenly Father” or “Our Father.” The Watchtower has instituted a deviation in adherence to the Word of God to suit their purposes of special distinction and separation from other Christians. Is it wrong to call on the name of Jehovah to be saved?
Some translations of Acts 2:21 insert the name Jehovah. I can’t say that would be wrong. But Jehovah sent Jesus to us to be saved. Believing in Jesus will save you. Believing in Jehovah, without Jesus, will make you a Jew. When we are told by Paul in Colossians 3:17 to do all things and say all things in Jesus name, it is for a reason. It is the New Covenant between Jehovah God and believers. So, focus on Jesus. Your witness to Jehovah without Jesus makes you a Jew. Your witness to Jehovah in Jesus' name, makes you a Christian. So, in reality, you are witness to Jesus. Call yourself a Witness to Jesus, a Jesus Witness. You can’t please The Father without giving glory to the Son.
Jesus begins the model prayer (John 6:9) and he prayed on the cross, “Father or Abba.” He did not cry out to his Father as “Jehovah.” Think about that. Pronouncing the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah only diverts you away from how Jesus was teaching us to relate to Himself and the Father now that Jesus had come into the world. Stop using the name Jehovah in everyday conversation, for surely you will perhaps tread on His holy name. let us not accept the false teaching that we are men/women of Old Testament days when The Tetragrammaton was the name by which God used to talk to his people: not now that he sent His son. He sent His son, Jesus, whose is the Messiah, as the NAME by which we are to be saved.
BSB Acts 4:12
12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
We can only honor the Father when we honor the son; and his name is Jesus (Yeshua.)
John 5:23 KJV
23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Romans 10:13, ASV
13For “for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Looking at the context of Acts 4:12 (“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”) provided in Acts 4:10 (“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.”) is speaking about how the LORD (Jesus) is the name being taught here to Israel AND the Gentiles.
For it is Jesus’ name being over Jew AND Gentile (ASV Romans 10:12-13.) If it were the name Jehovah that was meant by “LORD,” then that be familiar to the Jews, but not to the gentiles. The scriptures reference NEW teachings (The Messiah’s missionary work.) They are about Jesus as savior. It was not Jehovah’s name that was being sent out among the gentiles, it was the "Name of Jesus." So, it was the "Name of Jesus" that was taught to be over BOTH Jews and Gentiles so that BOTH types of people, Jews and Gentiles, would come to know the saving blood of the lamb. This does not mean that Jesus substitutes for Jehovah. Jehovah is the one True God, but he sent forth Jesus Christ. We imitate Jesus not Jehovah, per se. Later on, we will discuss that Jesus as the Word is also Jehovah.
To my JW friends, you should stop using God’s memorial name Jehovah so abundantly, fluidly, and casually and instead use the name of Jesus, who is your savior. God’s scripture has told you so.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians said to them…
1 Cor 3:2 NKJV
2For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Just focus on what the scripture actually says. Paul said he was determined not to know anything but Jesus Christ and him crucified. It would appear that God is telling us in scripture not to use His memorial name (Tetragrammaton,) but rather to use the name of Jesus Christ when talking among ourselves as his congregation and in our witnessing to others. Believe scripture, not the twisted reasonings of men.
Col 3:17 NKJV
17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Where in this scripture is there any wiggle room to make a habit of doing things or saying things in the name of Jehovah? God, The Father is telling us to do all things and say all things in the name of Jesus giving thanks to the Father. The Bible makes matters clear if you just believe the message God is communicating to us and avoid altered “messages” from men.
# 1 Recap: Is the Memorial Name of our One God, Yahweh or Jehovah? Yes, because the Bible tells us so. But, It is the Name of Jesus by which we are saved. It is in the name of Jesus that we should say and do all things to the Glory of the Father. Unless we do all things in the name of the Son, Jesus, we are not bringing honor to the Father, our God. So, the JW organization has implemented a false culture of training the sheep of Christ to use the Old Testament Name of God instead of the name of Jesus by which we must say and do all things and be saved by. Believe them or believe the scriptures?
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