A RED HERRING

Artemus Ward once said: “It ain’t so much the things we don’t know that get us in trouble. It’s the things we know that ain’t so.”

That proverb of Ward’s aptly shows us the reason why there are so many schisms in Christianity. We all know the truth about Jesus coming to die for our sins and His resurrection from the dead; then we “know” many things that just ain’t so.

False beliefs are a major cause of disunity in the Church of God and the erroneous creeds that divide us are often based upon a doctrine that is established by a “Red Herring” fallacy. (Where a false issue is introduced to lead attention away from a real issue.)

I suspect something very “fishy” about the Sacred Names Doctrine because it is separating committed brothers all around the world.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus didn’t spend any time teaching His generation how to pronounce the Father’s name? Or in warning them that an error in phonetics would break the Commandment of God? Certainly Jesus knew the truth and could have corrected the errors that Sacred Names people say are in the Septuagint. We know that Jesus had the opportunity to address this issue (If it was important) because this translation was in existence in His day and He quoted from it.

The Septuagint uses the word “theos” which the Sacred Name people say represents a pagan god. They also teach that a person who says “God”, “Lord”, Jesus,” etc, are breaking The Third Commandment, which reads:

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

While Jesus didn’t say anything about what vocal sounds represent the name of the Father or Himself, he and the scriptures have a whole lot to say about the misuse of delegated authority! God is Sovereign and all authority among men comes from God whether it is a king, judge, husband, father, or employer. In the book of Daniel we read:

“Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever for wisdom and might are his … he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” Daniel 2:20-21

The delegated authority that God gives to men is much like the signet ring of Bible times which contained the owner’s name. Its impression had the same validity as a power of attorney among us. We have an example of the transfer of royal authority to a subordinate when Pharaoh gave his signet ring to Joseph. Genesis 41:40-42 All of Egypt were then commanded to submit themselves to Joseph , as unto Pharaoh.

While Joseph is an example of a faithful steward, the book of Esther gives an account of Haman, who took the ring of his king and used it for his own agenda. He faced the wrath of the king and was hanged on gallows he had prepared for an innocent man.

Let each of us consider this question of Jesus:

“WHO THEN IS THAT FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD WHOM HIS LORD SHALL MAKE RULER OVER HIS HOUSEHOLD, TO GIVE THEM THEIR PORTION OF MEAT IN DUE SEASON?” Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing … But and if that servant say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”

Clearly the scriptures teach that each member of the body of Christ must submit to those in authority unless they are commanded to disobey God. Those who misuse their God-given authority will not be guiltless on judgement day. That knowledge of the truth will bring unity to the body of Christ.

Could the Sacred Name movement be a “Red Herring” device of Satan to divert our attention from the truth that we will be held accountable for our misuse of authority? You decide which teaching brings unity to the body of Christ while the other one brings only separation and strife.

Harold Kupp