What is His name?

[warren631]

How do I "call on the name of the Lord" (Romans 10:13) ? What is His name?

[Kurieuo]

How do I "call on the name of the Lord" (Romans 10:13) ? What is His name?

I say that verse, because after watching Howard Storm's NDE story on Unsolved Mysteries, I came to believe that Atheists quite possibly could call out to Christ although they rejected Him later in life. Most Atheists have a childhood growing up as Christian, and they turn away from Christ during their teenage years.

While I'd not risk it myself, since I can't say such an opportunity is nowhere taught... since I do converse with Atheists, I'd hope that if they ever wake up on the other side there is part of them still has that child in them which believes, enough to immediately realise they were wrong and need to call out to Jesus. I don't believe such cries will go unheard, but neither can I be certain such an opportunity really exists since there is nothing explicit either in Christ's words or His apostles of such.

[Philip]

Most Atheists have a childhood growing up as Christian, and they turn away from Christ during their teenage years.

The question is, what does it mean that a person can "turn away from Christ?" Becauase, if a child truly believes, commits himself to Christ, asked Jesus to save them - then he is FOREVER so saved. As the salvation applied is made possible and thus done so by God, preceded by His wooing the soft heart of a child to a very basic understanding about Jesus, then that salvation is protected by God - and NOT by someone growing older who "hopefully doesn't later reject Christ." If they ever truly reject Christ, that's a child who just was merely posturing the external, cultural / communal aspects of Christianity, yet without ever having actually been saved. Because if we believe a child cannot be saved WHILE STILL A CHILD, then we shouldn't encourage it - not if we're encouraging the impossible. Hopefully no one is asserting that a child can be saved and then can later lose that salvation. If we don't believe that to be possible with adults (that salvation can be lost), why so with children? (Not saying K is saying this - just clarifying).

"for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you." And because, one entering ETERNAL life remains in Christ from that moment onward!

[DBowling]

How do I "call on the name of the Lord" (Romans 10:13) ? What is His name?

Romans 10:13 is quoting Joel 2:32 which is part of a prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 about the future (at the time of Joel) "Day of the Lord"

In Joel 2:32 "the name of the Lord" refers to God's covenant name (YHWH/Yahweh/Jehovah) which God specifically used in relationship with his covenant people in the Old Testament.

In Acts 2:14-39, the Apostle Peter identifies the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy in Joel 2:28-32. Peter also directly relates the name of the Lord/YHWH from Joel 2:32 to the name of Jesus Christ in Acts 2:38.

Peter answers your specific question in Acts 2:38-39

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

And just before the verse you quote, Paul says the following in Romans 10:9-11

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

[warren631]

I get confused between YHWH, Jesus, Christ, Lord, God, Father, Son. Is Jesus our Lord God YHWH? Can we say "Jesus is Lord God who raised Himself from the dead"? I'm not trying to be a smart ass - all my life I just want to understand.

[Philip]

Warren: I get confused between YHWH, Jesus, Christ, Lord, God, Father, Son. Is Jesus our Lord God YHWH? Can we say "Jesus is Lord God who raised Himself from the dead"? I'm not trying to be a smart ass - all my life I just want to understand.

God is the ONE (and ONLY) God inhabited by a Trinity of three Persons - Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Yes, very difficult to comprehend, as there is nothing that can be compared to Him - but these are NOT three Gods, only One) - and EACH of those Persons are each fully and equally God - yes, difficult to understand, but Scripturally taught. Each Person - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have unique and complementary roles. And throughout Scripture, we learn that there are many names for God. Yahweh is a name for God. Jesus and Christ refer to the Son and His title. He's also the Messiah.

[PaulSacramento]

It was verses like this, OT salvation verses about God, that were applied to Jesus that allowed Christian to understand that Jesus IS God.
The confusion at times was because some people did ( and still do) think of God as a name or His Name as opposed to a "title".
The first step in understanding that Jesus is God is to understand that it is like saying "John is Human".
That God ONLY exists a ONE with THREE distinct PERSONS is just His Nature.

[DBowling]

I get confused between YHWH, Jesus, Christ, Lord, God, Father, Son.
Is Jesus our Lord God YHWH?

Yes, there are a number of times in the NT where Jesus is identified with YHWH from the OT.

Can we say "Jesus is Lord God who raised Himself from the dead"?

I think we can Scripturally say that God the Son was raised from the dead by God the Father

I'm not trying to be a smart ass - all my life I just want to understand.

You are definitely not alone!
People have been struggling to understand the nature of the Trinity for 2000 years now.

I think the most explicit description of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son can be found in John 1.
John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

This tells us that...
- The Word was with God
- The Word was God
- The Word is the Creator
(In fact God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were all involved in creation)

Then later in John 1:14 tells us that the Word (Jesus) who was God and who was with God became flesh and dwelt among us.

[Stu]

Most Atheists have a childhood growing up as Christian, and they turn away from Christ during their teenage years.

The question is, what does it mean that a person can "turn away from Christ?" Becauase, if a child truly believes, commits himself to Christ, asked Jesus to save them - then he is FOREVER so saved. As the salvation applied is made possible and thus done so by God, preceded by His wooing the soft heart of a child to a very basic understanding about Jesus, then that salvation is protected by God - and NOT by someone growing older who "hopefully doesn't later reject Christ." If they ever truly reject Christ, that's a child who just was merely posturing the external, cultural / communal aspects of Christianity, yet without ever having actually been saved. Because if we believe a child cannot be saved WHILE STILL A CHILD, then we shouldn't encourage it - not if we're encouraging the impossible. Hopefully no one is asserting that a child can be saved and then can later lose that salvation. If we don't believe that to be possible with adults (that salvation can be lost), why so with children? (Not saying K is saying this - just clarifying).

"for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you." And because, one entering ETERNAL life remains in Christ from that moment onward!

No he is not forever saved. You can turn away from God, and while once you believed in Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and our saviour, you can also stop believing that and not believe that Jesus is God's son anymore.

Even the Bible talks about a falling away in the end times. People who once were Christians and then fall away from the faith.

You are teaching a very dangerous thing - that people can do and say whatever they want after accepting Jesus and you will still be saved.

[BavarianWheels]

Most Atheists have a childhood growing up as Christian, and they turn away from Christ during their teenage years.

The question is, what does it mean that a person can "turn away from Christ?" Becauase, if a child truly believes, commits himself to Christ, asked Jesus to save them - then he is FOREVER so saved. As the salvation applied is made possible and thus done so by God, preceded by His wooing the soft heart of a child to a very basic understanding about Jesus, then that salvation is protected by God - and NOT by someone growing older who "hopefully doesn't later reject Christ." If they ever truly reject Christ, that's a child who just was merely posturing the external, cultural / communal aspects of Christianity, yet without ever having actually been saved. Because if we believe a child cannot be saved WHILE STILL A CHILD, then we shouldn't encourage it - not if we're encouraging the impossible. Hopefully no one is asserting that a child can be saved and then can later lose that salvation. If we don't believe that to be possible with adults (that salvation can be lost), why so with children? (Not saying K is saying this - just clarifying).

"for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you." And because, one entering ETERNAL life remains in Christ from that moment onward!

No he is not forever saved. You can turn away from God, and while once you believed in Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and our saviour, you can also stop believing that and not believe that Jesus is God's son anymore.

Even the Bible talks about a falling away in the end times. People who once were Christians and then fall away from the faith.

You are teaching a very dangerous thing - that people can do and say whatever they want after accepting Jesus and you will still be saved.

Agreed.

John 15:4

Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

The word "remain" requires an active decision to do so daily if not at every moment...depends on one's personal needs.
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[PaulSacramento]

The confusion at times comes from the view that belief in Christ is all that is need for salvation and this is true BUT the word belief doesn't just mean believe that He exists or what not ( Even the demons believe), but also means TRUST and to put FAITH IN Christ.
I hate using the term "true Christian" so I won't BUT I will say this:
If a person is a Christian then it means they are sealed by the HS, they are anointed by the HS and ONLY by the HS do they believe AND proclaim that Christ Is Lord.
That person is IN Christ and only they can LEAVE Christ ( and they can leave since the HS holds NO ONE prisoner) but THEY are the ones leaving and it is ALL on them.
They have to make the conscious CHOICE to stop having faith and trust and belief in Christ.

[BavarianWheels]

The confusion at times comes from the view that belief in Christ is all that is need for salvation and this is true BUT the word belief doesn't just mean believe that He exists or what not ( Even the demons believe), but also means TRUST and to put FAITH IN Christ.
I hate using the term "true Christian" so I won't BUT I will say this:
If a person is a Christian then it means they are sealed by the HS, they are anointed by the HS and ONLY by the HS do they believe AND proclaim that Christ Is Lord.
That person is IN Christ and only they can LEAVE Christ ( and they can leave since the HS holds NO ONE prisoner) but THEY are the ones leaving and it is ALL on them.
They have to make the conscious CHOICE to stop having faith and trust and belief in Christ.

Agreed. One has to make the conscious decision to REMAIN and to remain is to ACT on faith and trust.

So it is dangerous to promote a Once-Saved-Always-Saved ( OSAS ) theology without making clear what that really means.
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[Philip]

No he is not forever saved. You can turn away from God, and while once you believed in Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and our savior, you can also stop believing that and not believe that Jesus is God's son anymore.

There is a huge difference between mere belief in the facts surrounding Jesus, and in inviting Him into your life and committing yourself to Him in commitment through faith! The first one does not save - and the second one GOD will save. Do you believe that you can save yourself? What initiated that salvation? Who made it possible? WHOSE salvation is it - yours or God's? WHO does God say seals and insures one's salvation? Why does Scripture tell us we can be assured of our salvation? Who "completes" our salvation???!!! When was God's decision to save you made? Did He make a mistake? Did He bet on a "horse" that was an unwise "bet?" Did He make a mistake? And what, exactly, IS salvation???!!! How was the Apostle Paul able to state that he was SURE of this? "And I am SURE of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Is it because he could see the future? Because he thought his Christian audience were so committed to Christ that they would never leave their salvation? NO! Because there salvation was NEVER based upon the recipient's abilities, but the faith that God made possible and that He seals in all who are saved.

Even the Bible talks about a falling away in the end times. People who once were Christians and then fall away from the faith.

You are teaching a very dangerous thing - that people can do and say whatever they want after accepting Jesus and you will still be saved.

You are assuming that those who appear to be saved, that later renounce Christ, were actually saved to begin with.

You also need to work your way through the immense number of Scriptures that show exactly why it's called entering ETERNAL life - there is no such thing as "temporary eternal life!" And why do you think Scripture says we can KNOW we will inherit eternal life? Anyone who thinks they are somehow maintaining their eternal life has an unScriptural view of this issue!

Paul: So it is dangerous to promote a Once-Saved-Always-Saved ( OSAS ) theology without making clear what that really means.

NO - it merely means I know what "SAVED" actually means - it's ETERNAL life! Notice that I didn't say people who know all the words, believe all the history surrounding Jesus, externally show signs of being a believer, are Christians - as some may not be. So, people are fooled by the external, not realizing when people have not truly been saved, so that when people turn away, it is NOT the case that they had previously been saved.

See the copious Scriptural evidences of what I'm saying: http://www.godandscience.org/doctrine/s ... iever.html

[BavarianWheels]

NO - it merely means I know what "SAVED" actually means - it's ETERNAL life! Notice that I didn't say people who know all the words, believe all the history surrounding Jesus, externally show signs of being a believer, are Christians - as some may not be. So, people are fooled by the external, not realizing when people have not truly been saved, so that when people turn away, it is NOT the case that they had previously been saved.

We agree. You know what you mean, but that doesn't mean everyone else knows what you mean...therefore it is dangerous to promote OSAS theology without making clear what that means!
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[RickD]

NO - it merely means I know what "SAVED" actually means - it's ETERNAL life! Notice that I didn't say people who know all the words, believe all the history surrounding Jesus, externally show signs of being a believer, are Christians - as some may not be. So, people are fooled by the external, not realizing when people have not truly been saved, so that when people turn away, it is NOT the case that they had previously been saved.

We agree. You know what you mean, but that doesn't mean everyone else knows what you mean...therefore it is dangerous to promote OSAS theology without making clear what that means!
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OSAS means once saved always saved.

You're welcome.