What Child Is This?

Shawn McCraney discusses the LDS belief that God the Father's name is "Elohim" and Jesus' name is "Jehovah," challenging the notion of three separate gods as non-biblical. He emphasizes that the true identity of Jesus is crucial to faith, asserting that believing Jesus is the "I AM" is essential for salvation, as supported by scriptures in John 8 and Exodus 3.

The teaching emphasizes that the names Elohim and Jehovah are used interchangeably in the Old Testament, with Jehovah being the ultimate and only God, pointing to God's self-existence and eternity. It further explains that Jesus, as God incarnate, is the visible manifestation of Jehovah, revealing the invisible God through His life and actions, thus affirming the essential unity between Jesus and God the Father.

In Shawn's teaching, the unity between God and Jesus is demonstrated through a series of scriptural comparisons showing that attributes and actions ascribed to God are also ascribed to Jesus, such as the ability to raise the dead, heal diseases, forgive sins, and their roles as creators and redeemers. This teaching emphasizes the shared identity and characteristics of God and Jesus, highlighting their unity by illustrating passages where both are referred to as the Word, the First and the Last, and possessing eternal qualities.

The teaching by Shawn emphasizes the oneness and equivalence of Jesus Christ with God through various attributes and roles such as being eternal, the only Savior, worshipped, glorified, the Judge, and the Holy One. It uses biblical references to highlight that Jesus is presented as God in the flesh, being called "I Am," worshipped by angels and people, and sharing in divine roles and honors, solidifying His identity as both God's Son and God Himself.

Jesus is portrayed as the Messiah, who embodies God in human form, as evidenced by scriptural references that highlight his divine attributes, actions, and unity with the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. Believers are encouraged to embrace this truth to attain forgiveness and redemption through His sacrificial death, demonstrating obedience and humility.