The nature of God is in its fullest sense a mystery beyond human comprehension. But we can explore it as much as the Word of God reveals. It will clearly be seen that there is only one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a unity of three coeternal Persons; and that it was God who shed His own blood for us on Calvary.
Let’s begin in Isaiah…
How many true gods are there according to Old Testament? Isaiah 46:9
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me“.
Is this confirmed in the New Testament? Mark 12:29
“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord“. (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4)
God has many names in the Old Testament, what is the most prominent one? Exodus 3:13-15
“13 And Moses said unto God… What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses … I Am hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers … hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”
God’s name is spelled YHVH and is pronounced Yahweh, or Jehovah. But the Bible authors often times did not voice it, but said “the Lord”, which means “Eternal” or ‘self-Existent”, hence God calling Himself both “Lord God” and “I Am” in the text above.
God created the Universe, did He have any helpers? Isaiah 44:24
“Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself”.
But when we read the creation account, we find some contradicting verses, or?
How does God refer to Himself? Genesis 1:26
“26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
Where-else does He refer to Himself in plural form? Genesis 11:7
“Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (cf. Genesis 19:23-24)
How can multiple persons be one? Genesis 2:24
“24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
As the family (and the church) is one unity of multiple individuals, so God is one unity of several individuals (cf. John 10:30, 17:21-22), ie: God = Surname.
How many Individuals does the Godhead consist of? Isaiah 48:16
“16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.” (Context Isaiah 48:12-17)
Here we see three Beings with divine attributes and authority, 1) the One speaking, and the two that sent Him, 2) the Lord God and 3) His Spirit.
Who is the One sent by the Lord to become as a man? Philippians 2:5-7
“5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”
What names does the Old Testament give to the Messiah (Hebrew word for Christ)? Isaiah 9:6
“6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (cf. Hebrews 7:3; Micah 5:2 Psalm 90:2; Proverbs 8:22-23)
Let us look at what more the New Testament says about Jesus’ equality with God…
By Whom were all things made? John 1:1-3
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
What happened to the Word? John 1:14
“14 And the Word was made 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.”
Who did Thomas think Jesus was to him? John 20:27-29
“27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (Context John 20:26-29; see also 1 John 5:20; Romans 9:5)
To what degree is He God? Colossians 2:9
“9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Who did the angel Gabriel consider Jesus to be? Matt 1:22-23
“22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Who did Jesus claim Himself to be? John 8:58-59
“58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (cf. Exodus 3:13-15)
Did the Jews understand exactly what Jesus was saying? John 5:18
“18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” (See also John 10:30-33; 5:21-23, 26)
Who did Stephen call upon in while being stoned? Acts 7:59
“59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Who did God the Father consider Jesus to be? Hebrews 1:8-10
“8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands“. (Context Hebrews 1:4-10; Psalms 102:22-28)
Who only should be worshipped according to Jesus? Matthew 4:10
“10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.“
Who does the angel Gabriel tell John to worship? Revelation 19:10
“10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (cf. Revelation 22:8-9)
Who are the angels commanded to worship? Hebrews 1:6
“6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.“
Do Jesus’ followers worship Him? Matthew 2:11
“11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” (cf. Matthew 14:33; Luke 24:52; John 9:38)
Can everything about God the Son becoming man be explained? 1 Timothy 3:16
“16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
What about the Holy Spirit? Some say the Spirit is electricity or a force. What did Jesus think?
How does Jesus refer to the Holy Spirit and what is He able to do? John 16:13
“13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (He has feelings too, Ephesians 4:30)
Can a force do all these things?
What else does He have? 1 Corinthians 12:11
“11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
Is He the same person as the Father and the Jesus? John 14:16
“16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever”. (cf. Matthew 12:31-32; Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Who is The Holy Spirit considered to be equal with? Matt 28:19
“19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost“. (cf. Acts 5:3-4, 2 Cor 3:17)
Friend,
We are saved by God; the Father through His grace, by Christ through His life, death, resurrection and mediation above, and by the Holy Spirit who creates in us a new heart and mind, where the Father and Christ can dwell through embracing Bible truth.
Do you desire to learn more about this God of Love and what He has done and is doing for us?
