“Indeed, there are many “gods” and many “lords”, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live”
(1 Corinthians 8:5b-6).

When we write about God in our stories, we want readers to understand who He is and when He’s being acknowledged. Much like we name our heroes and heroines, we call the Lord by a certain name in our books. 

But, how do we determine what to call God or Jesus? What should we consider?

Here are a several keys to determining which name or title of God suits your story!

The Book’s Setting

We don’t want our portrayal of God to feel like it “comes out of nowhere.” As if He doesn’t fit into the lives of the characters or the time period of the book. God is not bound by time or creation, yet in each culture around the world, He interacts with people with attention to their circumstances.

God, Lord, Jesus (Christ), or Father are most commonly used in historical fiction because they stand the test of time – people have called the One, True God by these names for centuries.

Names that are less familiar are common in fantasy, sci-fi, and other related genres. For instance, Bryan Davis in Eye of the Oracle used “Elohim” – the widely-used Hebrew name for God in the Bible. The Miller Brothers in The Codebearers Series used the name Author for the Father and Aviad for Jesus (see Hebrews 12:3 and Isaiah 9:6). In Chuck Black’s Nova, God is called “El Yon” which is Hebrew for Most High (Psalm 9:2).

Consider the setting of your book – the feel you want readers to catch – and match it with the name of God you choose, so that He is shown as fitting into the setting…yet higher than it.

The Character’s Relationship 

How your hero/heroine comes to know God or already acknowledges Him is a big indicator of what name God is addressed by in the story. In the Bible, Hagar called Him El Roi. Moses knew God as Jehovah. To David, He was Shepherd and Sovereign. To the nation of Israel, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, God is the Savior.

All throughout Scripture, God was known by various names and it showed the relationship the people had with Him.

What relationship does your character have with God? What connection do you hope to convey to readers? 

The native language of the characters (or of the target audience) also plays a role in what name you could choose. For instance, Spanish-speaking characters will most accurately call God, Dios or Jesu. 

Creating a Name

There are many, many names that God our Father has revealed in the Bible for Himself. Yet, you may find it appealing to create a unique name for God in your story setting.

My cautions in this are:
1) Remember who God truly is and portray Him as true-to-the-Bible.

2) Ensure the name isn’t closely linked, in sound or connotation, to anything that already exists, which would make readers link something evil with the portrayal of God. Pray. Get feedback from family and friends. “Do you best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Your Relationship

You can best write about God in the way that you know Him. It is better to write from the knowledge you have than from the things hoped for or assumed. Remember, we should be always growing in the Lord, so as our knowledge of Him increases, so does our ability to pen more stories with the foundation of Christ.

Consider your relationship. What do you know of God our Father and Jesus Christ? How does the Bible affirm your knowledge? What do you call Him in prayer or when speaking to others?

Draw from those observations to mirror authentic relationship with God, even through the name He is known by, in your stories.

Now, for an enormous list of names to help you out! Did you know that God has revealed over 100 names and titles for Himself in Scripture?

I’ve been studying them over the past two years, searching them out in Scripture and learning about the attributes they reveal about God our Father.

Remember, God’s name is more than a title or for recognition. It is a reflection of Who He is and the essence of His character. All of these names are His, every day, because His character never changes.