The Oneness of God – Part 1
Bibleway Christian Life Centre

1. Introduction

Within Christendom there are three major concepts/theories of the Godhead. These are:

A. The Trinity theory: that God exists in three distinct co-equal and eternal persons, namely God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. According to this theory, Jesus Christ is God the Son (the second person of the Trinity) manifested in the flesh.

B. The Oneness doctrine: that God is one almighty, all-knowing, ever-present and eternal Spirit. According to this doctrine, Jesus Christ is God Almighty manifest in the flesh. Hence, he has a dual nature as God and man.

C. The Jehovah Witness’ theory: that there is one Almighty God, namely Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is a lesser, created demi-god manifested in flesh.

According to Rom. 1:20, we are without excuse for not understanding the Godhead. We shall, therefore, take a journey through the scriptures to see which of these theories is scripturally correct. Throughout this study we shall bear in mind the words of the Lord “Thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17)

2. What Do We Know About God

A. God is a spirit. (Jn. 4:23-24)

B. God’s Spirit is everywhere present at the same time. He fills heaven and earth. (Ps. 139:7-10, Prov. 15:3, Jer. 23:23-24)

C. God is invisible. (Jn. 1:18, Col. 1:15)

3. There Is Only One God

A. The Old Testament teaches the oneness of God. (Deut. 6:4, 2 Sam. 7:22, Ps. 86:10, Is. 43:10-11, Is. 44:6, Is. 45:18, Mal. 2:10)

B. The New Testament teaches the oneness of God. (Mk. 12:28-30, Eph. 4:6, 1 Tim. 2:5, Gal. 3:20)

From the Old and New Testament it is clear that this God, who is a spirit, everywhere present and invisible is absolutely wholly and solely one God.

4. Who Is Jesus Christ?

A. The Old Testament categorically teaches that Jesus is God. (Is. 7:14, Is. 9:6, Is. 43:11, Is. 35:4-6, Is. 40:3, 9-11)

B. The New Testament categorically teaches that Jesus is God. (Jn. 1:1, 14, Jn. 14:7-10, Acts 20:28, Col. 2:8-9, I Tim. 3:16, 1 Jn. 5:20)

C. The Bible also teaches that Jesus was a man. (Jn. 1:14, Lk. 1:35, Lk. 2:39-40).

The greatest evidence of His humanity was His death at Calvary. Scripture, therefore, teaches that Jesus was both human and Divine, flesh and Spirit, humanity and Deity.

D. The dual nature of Christ is expressly taught in scripture. (Jn. 2:19-22, Jn. 8:56-59, 2 Jn. 9)

As A Man, He:

* Was born a baby (Matt. 1:23-25)
* Is the Son (Lk. 1:35)
* He was not yet 50 years old (Jn. 5:57)
* He prayed (Lu. 22:44)
* He died (Jn. 19:30)

As God, He

* Is from the beginning (Jn. 1:1)
* Is the Father (Is. 9:6, Jn. 14:8)
* Was before Abraham (Jn. 8:58-59)
* Answers pray (Jn. 14:13-14)
* He raised His body from the dead (Jn. 2:19-21)

Jesus Christ is, therefore, both the Father and the Son, God and man, God manifest in the flesh. Most of the so-called controversies of the Godhead (e.g., who was Jesus praying to, the baptism of Jesus, the Lamb in Revelation, etc.) are easily understood when one comprehends the dual nature of Christ (e.g., Christ praying in his humanity (as a man) to his deity/Spirit/Father).
4. What About the Holy Ghost?

A. The Holy Ghost is otherwise referred to in the Bible as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord and the Spirit of Christ. (Gen. 1:2, 2 Cor. 3:17, Rom. 8:9)
Sometimes these phrases are used interchangeably within the same verse. The Holy Ghost/Spirit is, therefore, God because God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24). God often speaks of His Spirit as of his working among us by the invisible manifestation of His presence.
5. Conclusion

We may conclude from our study of the scriptures that nowhere does the Bible teach a trinity of persons in the Godhead. On the contrary, it positively affirms the absolute oneness of God. Neither does the Bible teach that Jesus Christ is a second god, but rather that Jesus Christ is God in every sense/aspect of the word and that He is man at the same time.

The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are, therefore, manifestations of one God: the Father is his manifestation in creation, the Son is His manifestation in the flesh and the Holy Ghost is the manifestation of his presence in the life of the believer and in all His marvelous works, but his Great Name is Jesus. (Col. 2:9, Lk. 4:12, Philippians 2:9-11)

The Oneness of God

1. What are the three major concepts/theories of the Godhead within Christendom? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. God is a person True/false

3. God is everywhere present at the same time True/false

4. God is not invisible True/false

5. The Old Testament teaches the oneness of God True/false

6. The New Testament does not explicitly teach that God is one True/false

7. The Old Testament teaches the Messiah to come is God True/false

8. The New Testament does not teach that Jesus is God True/false

9. Jesus was not a man True/false

10. Jesus had a dual nature – human and divine True/false

11. As a man, Jesus is the Father True/false

12. As God, Jesus is the Son True/false

13. Jesus is the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost True/false

14. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Christ True/false

15. The Bible expressly teaches the doctrine of the Trinity True/false

16. The Bible expressly teaches the oneness of God in Christ True/false

17. Jesus is God manifested in the flesh True/false

18. Father, Son and the Holy Ghost are manifestations of one God, namely Jesus True/false

19. We should baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, thus fulfilling Matt. 28:19 True/false

This article ‘Oneness of God’ was excerpted from: Milk of the Word: Discipleship Manual by Bibleway Christian Life Centre. 1993. It may be used for study & research purposes only.