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FAQFAQ: Plain answers to straight questionsWhy we use the names 'Yahshua' and 'Yahweh'...We respect everyone we know enough to strive to speak and spell their names accurately and see no reason to deny the same respect to the two most important figures in our life: Our Father and God, Yahweh, and our Lord and Savior, Yahshua. RESPECT is the main issue, not the spelling and pronunciation, although we obviously do consider them phonetically more accurate representations of the original spoken renditions of these names. We just don't think brethren ought to squabble or divide over trivial things like phonics and spelling. In stark contrast to others, in over 20 years, we've never once suggested that anyone else should adopt our way of speaking and writing these names. Unfortunately, most professing Christians seem to have a very hard time with non-conformance in general, so the fact that we maintain this as nothing more than a personal conviction doesn't deter the castigations that come from both sides: To other 'sacred name' folks, being unafraid to say 'Jesus', 'God', or 'Lord' makes us heretics, whereas those who say 'Jesus' often find our practice in this an affront. Nevertheless, as long as I prefer my given name 'Phil' over 'Bill', then I'm personally compelled to continue incorporating the most accurate rendition of my very much alive Lord and Savior's name that my uneducated hillbilly English tongue and pen allows. Thus, not meaning to sound crass, we really aren't too concerned about whether others have a problem with this or not: Even unbelievers are quite able to see that there is no offense to God or man in this with only a few words of explanation. We are glad to explain, but generally unwilling to defend ourselves as though owing anything to anyone other than our Savior, Yahshua the Messiah (or Jesus Christ) Himself.
Why we don't 'Hebrewize' other Biblical names and words...Because, frankly, we find this common practice little more than superstition falsely packaged as Biblical faith. When we talk face-face with Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, and John, we'll want to know how to address them, but in the meantime, all we ever do is talk about them. However, since we are in constant communication with the Father and Yahshua, we regard their names in the same way as we do our contemporaries; for now, the rest are but historical figures to us, so we refer to them by their common names for the sake of understanding.
Who or what are 'Yahshuites'?Like the term 'Christian' in the first century, the name derives from a couple enemies' imagination intended to stigmatize us amongst a group that had long since accepted our use of the name 'Yahshua' as merely a personal conviction. After responding that I didn't mind the name 'Yahshuite' as much as the way it was made to sound like 'nigger', the name sort of stuck in my mind. Inasmuch as we strive to serve and follow the Son of God, whom we call 'Yahshua', the name seemed both accurate and honorable to us, so we've embraced it. Of course, this doesn't diminish our regard for all our true brethren in Christ, regardless of how they identify themselves, and we still don't have any membership ranks to join. We are glad to walk with all who earnestly seek to serve the same Lord.
Why we don't promote keeping Sabbaths and other elements of the Law of Moses...Because one cannot be "under the law" (of Moses) AND under (the law of ) grace simultaneously...at least not in this generation. That doesn't make keeping Sabbaths, etc. a bad idea (far from it, actually), but does mean that any supposed gospel of Christ that attaches such things to being saved is a false gospel. The true children of God are those who are led by the Spirit, not the law.
Why we don't ascribe to the "Saved by Grace Only" doctrine of salvation...The Bible doesn't teach this egregious lie except in forecasting total lawlessness amongst the people of God in the last days. We are saved by grace through faith, which WORKS by love -- the singular, all-encompassing COMMANDMENT passed down from Yahshua and the apostles to us. Faith without such works is dead, and nothing dead will every save anyone -- not a dead Messiah, dead faith, or dead works. A living faith will produce living works by doing the 'do's' rather than not doing the 'don'ts', and that means loving one another as Christ did, which fulfills the whole law of God.
Why we don't believe Yahshua (Jesus) is God...Yahshua Himself said that His Father is the only true God (Jn 17:3), and we believe Him. The statement says two things: 1) The Father is God, and 2) No other person or thing besides the Father is God, most especially the one who said so -- Yahshua Himself. So called proof texts come up short when assumptions like the deity of Christ and the trinity doctrines aren't assumed in their interpretation.
Are we anti-Church?Not really, but with regard to things like eternal life and the kingdom of God, we're anti-anything that gets in the way of people finding their way. Unfortunately, that implicates most Christian organizations, but our hearts still go only towards those amongst them who seek a better way than presented therein. Since we neither have a membership roster nor solicit financial support, we obviously aren't interested in competing with other people or groups for numbers or glory. We're here for those who want to associate with us at their own discretion, not to compel people to align with us against others. Thus, the only conflict we have with orthodox Christians / Christianity is to the extent that they proactively oppose us. We are pro-children of God, and only anti-church to the extent that any proactively oppose us or our brethren in pursuit of the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We have battles to fight, but our battles are in the realm of spiritual things in the hearts and minds of people, not organizations
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