One God
(God said…) Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no
God besides Me Deu 32.39a
In Deuteronomy 6.4, the word “one” translates the Hebrew word echad.
The Lord our God, the Lord is one (echad)!
Deu 6.4
The Bible verses alongside make it clear that the Hebrew word echad can denote a UNITY of more
than one person…
- Gen 2.24 states that husband and wife are one flesh in the UNITY of marriage.
- Gen 11.16 shows that many people can have a UNITY — a oneness — of language and purpose.
As stated previously, the trinity doctrine holds that the one God is a UNITY of three persons
– Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Mal 2.14-15
And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one (echad)
and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be
withheld from them.” Gen 11.6
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Three Persons |
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The Bible identifies three distinct persons who are known (respectively) as…
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Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… Mt 28.19 |
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| The second of these three persons, the Son, is identified as being Jesus. | And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20.30-31 |
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| Jesus is further identified as “the Word” made flesh. | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.14 |
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Distinct Persons |
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The Bible makes it clear that Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons. There are many Bible verses that establish this fact. We will look at |
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Luke 3.21-22 records that Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit were all three present at the same event,
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Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that…
Jesus (the Son) also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him,
and a voice (the Father) came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; |
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John 14.16-17 records Jesus’s promise to pray to the Father.
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(Jesus said…) “And I (the Son) will pray the Father and He (the Father) will give you another Helper
that He (the Holy Spirit) may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom |
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Three persons are designated as “Lord” |
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The Bible designates each of the three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) as being Lord and |
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| The Father is designated as Lord | At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Mt 11.25 |
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| The Father is designated as God | There is only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. 1 Cor 8.6 |
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| The Son is designated as Lord | that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15.6 |
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| The Son is designated as God | looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Titus 2.13But to the Son He (the Father) says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.” Heb 1:8 |
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| The Holy Spirit is designated as Lord | Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Cor 3.17 |
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| The Holy Spirit is designated as God | But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5.3-4 |
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Three Gods? |
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| The Bible says there is only ONE Lord God. Therefore, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are NOT three Gods. |
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! Deu 6.4
(God said…) Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no |
The good news is…God HAS revealed God!
In the person of Jesus, God was *manifested* in the flesh.
- “Manifested” means “revealed.”
- One of the reasons God became flesh was to reveal His nature to us.
- Jesus IS the revelation of God to humankind.
justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in
glory. 1 Tim 3.16
In John 1.18 alongside, “declared” translates a form of the Greek word exegeomai. (Exegeomai is where we get our
word “exegesis.”)
- Exegeomai means — to make known, to unfold in teaching, to reveal, to explain (per
Vine’s Expository Dictionary, Strong’s Concordance, Thayer’s Lexicon) - As shown by John 1.18, the bottom line is this — one of the main goals of Jesus is to REVEAL God’s nature
to us.
Ergo, if we want God’s explanation of Who and What He is, we must look EXCLUSIVELY
to Jesus.
1.18
Looking to Jesus for answers about the
Trinity
the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You” John 17.1
All of the Father was in heaven and, at one and the same time, all of the Father dwelled in Jesus who was
on the earth, praying.
17.21b
upon Him (the Son); He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. Isa
42.1b
For He (Jesus, the Son) whom God (the Father) has sent
speaks the words of God: for God does not give the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) by measure
unto him. John 3.34
Christ.
In other words, ALL of God is present in Jesus. ALL!
Col 2.9
These verses show that Jesus dwells in the Father at one and the same time
as the Father dwells in Jesus.
Father in Me John 14.11a
(Jesus said…) You, Father, are in Me and I in You John 17.21b
The Perfect Unity of Father and Son and
Holy Spirit
of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1.18
As we have shown, the Bible further states that the Son is indwelt by the Father and
Holy Spirit
Since the nature of Jesus declares the nature of God…
- The Father is likewise indwelt by the Son and Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit is likewise indwelt by the Father and Son
UNITY.
Jesus said…
- I and My Father are one John 10.30
- If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also John 14.7a
- He who has seen Me has seen the Father John 14.9b