An Introduction To God: The Names of God “Part 1 “ELOHIM”

Names of God Overview

In this foundational opening message of a brand-new series, the Pastor of NTC Ministries introduces listeners to one of Scripture’s most profound yet overlooked divine titles: Elohim. Drawing from Genesis 1:1, the sermon establishes that the very first name used for God in the Bible is not a generic term but a rich compound word rooted in strength, creativity, and covenant. The Pastor explains that Elohim appears over 2,500 times throughout Scripture and carries a plural form that points directly to the Triune nature of God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — all active in creation and in the life of every believer. Using Hebrews 11:3, Colossians 1:16, John 1:1-3, and Genesis 1:26-27, the message shows how the three persons of the Godhead worked together to create the universe and to create humanity in their own image. The sermon also addresses the heresy of Arianism and its modern influence, the covenant-making dimension of Elohim, and the practical truth that God’s creative power is still available today. Believers are urged to move beyond a vague knowledge of God and into an intimate relationship with the Creator who continually creates, sustains, and brings new life to all who call on His name.

Names of God Outline

• 00:00 – Introduction to the New Series on the Names of God: The Pastor shares the inspiration behind this multi-part series, explaining how years of preparation and divine direction led to this study on who God truly is, opening with the question every person should be able to answer.
• 06:30 – What Do You Know About God? The Need for True Introduction: Using 1 Corinthians 13:12 and the metaphor of seeing through a dim mirror, the message addresses why even born-again Christians often struggle to articulate who God is and why knowing Him more fully increases faith.
• 14:00 – Elohim — The First Name of God in Scripture: Genesis 1:1 is examined in depth. The Pastor introduces Elohim as a compound word rooted in strength and power, appearing over 2,500 times in the Bible, and identifies it as the title that defines God as Creator.
• 24:00 – God Is Still Creator — Creation Has Not Stopped: A compelling case is made that God did not stop creating after Genesis. The expanding universe, miracles, and new birth are all presented as ongoing expressions of Elohim’s unceasing creative work in the world.
• 33:00 – The Plural of Elohim — The Triune God in Creation: Genesis 1:26-27 is read aloud as the congregation is shown that the plural ending of Elohim reveals Father, Son, and Holy Spirit acting together. The necessity of all three persons being active in a believer’s life for true dominion is explained.
• 43:00 – Arianism, Revelation 3:14, and the Defense of Christ’s Deity: The Pastor addresses the historical heresy introduced by Arius in the third century and its modern expression in Jehovah’s Witnesses theology, contrasting it with multiple Bible translations that affirm Jesus as the originating source of all creation.
• 52:00 – Elohim as Covenant-Making God: The covenant dimension of Elohim is explored through Abraham’s covenant in Genesis, Enoch walking with God, and Jeremiah 32:38-41. The sermon shows that new birth itself is a creative covenant act initiated by Elohim.
• 59:30 – Psalm 91 and Communion — Confidence in Elohim: The message closes with Psalm 91:2-4 and a corporate communion moment. Believers are encouraged to say Amen with full confidence in Elohim’s ongoing creative and covenant-keeping work in their lives.

Scripture References

Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 13:12, Hebrews 1:1, Hebrews 11:3, Colossians 1:16, John 1:1-3, Romans 1:16-17, Revelation 3:14, Matthew 16:13-18, Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 32:38-41, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 36:24-27, Genesis 5:24, Psalm 91:2-4, Romans 5:5

Key Takeaways

• Elohim, the first name of God in Scripture, means the strong Creator, and it appears over 2,500 times in the Bible as a declaration that God’s creative power never stops.
• The plural form of Elohim reveals the Triune nature of God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — all actively involved in creation, salvation, and the daily life of every believer.
• God is not a passive Creator who rested and withdrew; He is continuously creating, and that same creative power is available to every believer through faith in His Word.
• When you are born again, Elohim performs a brand-new creation within you — not a renovation, but something that never existed before, described in the Greek as kainos, entirely new.
• Elohim is the covenant-making God who swore by His own name to bring good to His people, and that covenant is the foundation of every promise in your life.
• Saying Amen at the end of prayer is not a closing formality but a declaration of confidence that Elohim is actively creating and fulfilling His word right now.
• To walk in true dominion on this earth, believers need all three persons of the Godhead — the Father as architect, Jesus as builder, and the Holy Spirit as the one who breathes life into all that is built.

Names of God Notes

Elohim Declares God as Eternal Creator

The sermon opens with a striking observation: the very first word used for God in the Bible is Elohim, a name rooted in the Hebrew word El, meaning strength or mighty one. This is not incidental. By choosing this title in Genesis 1:1, Scripture immediately frames God not as a distant philosophical concept but as an active, powerful Creator. The Pastor emphasizes that creation did not conclude on the seventh day of rest. The universe is still expanding, still being formed, and God never issued a command to stop. His identity as Elohim is not a past tense description but a present reality that shapes how believers approach every need in their lives.

The Trinity Hidden in Plain Sight

One of the most illuminating moments in the sermon comes from Genesis 1:26, where God says let us make man in our image. The Pastor draws attention to the plural pronouns and connects them directly to the plural ending of Elohim itself. This is no grammatical accident. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were all present and active at creation. The same three persons are all necessary for a believer to walk in dominion today. Denominations that exclude the Holy Spirit or reduce God to a single person are, as the Pastor notes, missing the full revelation of who Elohim truly is and therefore limiting what He can do in their lives.

Arianism and the Defense of Christ’s Deity

The Pastor takes time to address Revelation 3:14, where Jesus is called the beginning of the creation of God, a verse historically misread by Arius in the third century to argue that Jesus was a created being. This heresy spread rapidly through the early church and eventually gave rise to modern movements like the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Multiple Bible translations are cited — including the Amplified Bible and the New Living Translation — to demonstrate that the phrase more accurately means Jesus is the originating source of God’s creation, not a product of it. The Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed were formulated directly in response to this doctrinal error.

New Birth as an Act of Divine Creation

Grounding his teaching in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Ezekiel 36:24-27, the Pastor shows that salvation is not self-improvement or religious reformation. It is an act of creation by Elohim. The Greek word used for new in new creation is kainos, meaning something that never existed before — not something refurbished, but something entirely original. God takes out the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh, puts His Spirit within the believer, and brings into existence a person who had no prior existence in that form. This understanding transforms how believers see themselves and removes any sense that their past defines their future.

Covenant as the Foundation of Every Promise

The sermon explores the covenant-making character of Elohim through Abraham, Enoch, and the prophecy of Jeremiah 32. When God made covenant with Abram, He put him to sleep, passed between the sacrificial halves Himself, and swore by His own name because no one greater could swear on His behalf. This was not a mutual agreement between equals; it was a unilateral act of a sovereign Creator binding Himself to His people. Enoch walked so intimately with this covenant God that he was taken without experiencing death. The message to believers today is that Elohim has already committed Himself fully to doing them good, and that covenant cannot be broken.

Praying with Confidence in Elohim

The practical conclusion of this message is that every prayer ending with Amen should carry the weight of its true meaning — a declaration that Elohim is actively at work. The Pastor uses the image of a hunter who watches two lanes expecting the deer from one direction, only to have it appear from an entirely unexpected angle. God does not need our strategy or our predicted pathway. He simply needs our confidence in who He is. Believers are encouraged to pray the Word, release their requests with thanksgiving as Philippians 4:6-8 instructs, and trust that the same God who spoke the universe into existence is speaking life into their circumstances right now.

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