What does the Sacred Name Movement teach?

The Sacred Name Movement is less than 100 years old and teaches that the Old Testament Law must be obeyed, "Yahweh" is the only name used for God, and "Yahshua" is to be used to identify Jesus—other names are blasphemy.

This teaching is related to the Hebrew Roots Movement and was developed in the 1930s from the Church of God (Seventh Day). The Sacred Name Movement also observes kosher food laws and the Jewish festivals. Other movements branched out, including the Assemblies of Yahweh, the Assembly of Yahweh, the House of Yahweh, and Yahweh's Restoration Ministry.

Jesus, though, came to fulfill the Old Testament Law and Old Covenant, not to continue, extend, or expand them. The demands of the Old Testament were done away with when Jesus died in our place and was raised to life (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–29; Ephesians 2:15). Hebrews 8 shows us that the Old Testament was a shadow, or foretell, of the New Covenant.

The Sacred Name Movement's focus on the Hebrew words and names for God and Jesus is also unbiblical. The Bible uses Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic spellings, descriptions, and words for each. It is not erring to refer to God's Son as Jesus (the English translation of a Hebrew name) or for Spanish people to refer to Him as Jesus. It would not be wrong for the Chinese, Russian, or Xhosa to speak of God's Son by His translated name into their language either. Even within the Sacred Name Movement there is disagreement on which of the sacred names should be used—Yahowah, Yahweh, Yahshua, Yahvah, Yahwah, Yahowah, and others are all in contention.

Stating that the Old Testament Law must be continued and regulating the name of the one true God and His Son are unbiblical. Our salvation is based on Jesus' work on the cross and His resurrection and our faith in Him and His actions, not our pronunciation of His name.

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