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Set Apart Ministries Position on the Use of the Hebrew Name of Y'shua and His Deity
We are clear that our Savior is Hebrew and that His Name is Hebrew. We know that the transliteration we have all grown up with, Jesus, cannot be correct as there was no "J" sound in Hebrew and no "J" in the English language until the 15th century. Yet, we know and recognize that we first came to know Him in that Name. In His mercy, He has been gracious to us during our exile!
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. (Lev. 26:44)
He has, and still does, answer prayer in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth for those who have not yet understood.
We also know that there is disagreement as to how to transliterate His Hebrew Name most correctly: Yahshua, Yeshua, Yehoshua, and so forth. (S.A.M. has chosen to use the Names Yahshua and Yahweh (YHWH) when we refer to Him)
Occasionally, in our worship praise times, we may choose to use a few songs that do not contradict Messianic understanding, but may use the Name Jesus. Judah maintained knowledge of Torah but "missed" Messiah while Ephraim "lost" Torah and has had only a limited, distorted understanding of Messiah. Yet, YHWH has used Ephraim to keep knowledge of Yahshua alive! In His time, He is removing the veils from the eyes of both houses! He has been gracious to us in our ignorance and we believe we can do no less. Therefore, we believe that both houses have valuable things to offer as we come together. S.A.M., as an equipping ministry, will encourage study and understanding of Yahshua our HEBREW Saviour, using His Hebrew Name, however, we will not disparage anyone who, as they begin to learn, finds comfort in the familiar transliteration "Jesus" or who prefers Yeshua or Yehoshua rather than Yahshua; HaShem, Yahoweh or Yahweh.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now stays faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. (I Cor. 13:9-13)
We would further state that when one understands personally and deeply that the name Jesus holds "baggage" from our distorted, veiled, exile traditions that to personally address Him by a name that a person believes incorrect would be offensive to Him. Therefore, in worship times together, everyone is encouraged to address Him as they know Him to be no matter what someone next to you may do. Thankfully, YHWH, our Father, will know our hearts
In recent months the controversy over our Messiah intensifies, just as we are told it would as we draw nearer to His return. There is a resounding crash going on between those who see Him as a Prophet and those who see Him as the Son of God. There is perhaps a more subtle crash as people debate whether He is actually God or a representative of God. So that there would be no confusion as to where we stand on this issue, let it be known that we firmly declare Him, Y'shua ha Maschiach, (Jesus of Nazareth as we formerly knew Him) to be fully God and fully man. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily as written in Colossians 1: 13-20. We declare Him to be One with the Father as He Himself declared as recorded in the words of John 17: 21-23. The plural unity is described in Hebrew as echad and seems to lack a comparable word in the English language. A simple analogy that has helped make the picture more clear for some is as follows: If we were to consider all of the Red Sea to be our Elohim, then we were to remove a cup of the Red Sea to represent the Son; it could be said that the Son/water in the cup is ALL God but it is not all OF God.
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