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The biblical truth is very
clear that Monotheism–the doctrine or belief that only one
God exist, is what the
Old Testament and
New Testament of the Bible teaches. It was during the
time of the Patriarch Abraham when the only true God made an everlasting covenant with
Him (Genesis
17:7). Thus, "monotheism"
became the concept of
God in Abrahamic religions, however, due to
theological differences,
the object of their worship maybe different.
Monotheism in Christianity also differ significantly.
Monotheism in Christianity generally refer to
three contrasting theologies, all professing belief in One God, but with
different concept of God. Thus,
God in Christianity
may not be the same. Although, many professing Christians
would like to believe that their religions believe and
worship the same God. But, on a practical and theological
level they simply cannot - there's just no choice in the
matter. They may all want to believe in the One God
(monotheism), but the content of their beliefs varies
wildly—they have different conception of God. Today the vast
majority of Christians
(predominant religion) are Trinitarian monotheist, but a
small percentage of Christians are Unitarian monotheist,
while the rest belong to other Christian beliefs.
Knowing the
biblical truth that the Lord our
God, the Lord is absolutely and perfectly One, let us
continue our Bible study that we may come to know who is the
"only True God" that everyman should know and worship so he may
gain
salvation
and attain
eternal life.
2J.1
According to the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is the "Only True God", who is absolutely
and perfectly One?
In John 17:1
& 3, the Lord Jesus, Himself, in His prayer to the
Father in heaven, emphatically declared that:
1 After
Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven
and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give
glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to
you. 3 And eternal life means to know you,
the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ,
whom you sent. (TEV)
The same
verse in other versions of the bible:
1WHEN JESUS had spoken these things, He
lifted up His eyes to heaven and said,
Father, the hour has come. Glorify and exalt
and honor and magnify Your Son, so that Your Son
may glorify and extol and honor and magnify You.
3And
this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to
perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and
understand) You, the only true and real God,
and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the]
Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You
have sent. (AMP)
The Lord Jesus Himself
said this in plain and unmistakable words as He prayed
to the Father in heaven.
"And Eternal Life
means . . . . . . . . .
-
to know you
(the Father) the "Only True God",
-
and to know Jesus
Christ whom you (the Father)
sent.
When Jesus prayed to the Father and said
that "eternal life means to know you, the only true
God". . . . ,
- Jesus categorically
pointed out that the Father in heaven is the "Only
True God".
- And by Jesus saying that He was
sent by the Father (the only true God), Jesus
Himself made it clear that He is distinct or a
separate being from God,
the Father. Thus, Jesus' statement about the Father
as the only true God, clearly imply that Jesus Himself is not the true God.
Thus, according to the Lord
Jesus Christ (as explained above),
the "Only True God", who is
absolutely and perfectly one is the Father in heaven.
This biblical fact that "the Father is the only true
God", is corroborated by another statement of Jesus
saying that
the true worshipers of God
will worship the Father
in spirit and truth.
Questions to
Ponder:
< Click
for details |
The Trinity doctrine
states that God is the Triune God, existing as three
persons, but one being.
Members of the Trinity are said to be co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence,
nature, power, action, and will. (Lesson-2C.1)
-
If Jesus is indeed co-equal as God in the
Trinity, is it right for Him to say that "the
Father is the only true God"?
-
When
Jesus said that the Father is the only (lone,
single) true God, does it also mean that Jesus
himself is not the true God?
-
If Jesus is indeed truly and equally God in the
Trinity, then, why did
He (Jesus) pray to the Father in heaven?
-
Can God the Son pray to God the Father and still
be equal as God in the Trinity?
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2J.2 Why did Christ
Jesus Himself say that the Father, who sent Him, is the "Only True
God"?
In the following verses,
these are written:
"Most
assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater
than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than
he who sent him. (John 13:16, NKJV)
"You
have heard Me say to you, `I am going away and
coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would
rejoice because I said, `I am going to the
Father,' for My Father is greater than I. (John
14:28, NKJV)
On several occasions
prior to His crucifixion, Jesus said these things. . . .
.
- a servant is not
greater than his master; nor is he who is sent
greater than he who sent him.
- `I am going to the
Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
Jesus
made it clear to His disciples that the "Only True God" who
sent Him, is greater than Him. This proves, once more,
that He is distinct from the Father because He is not
equal to the Father for the Father
is greater than Him.
How did
Christ regard the Father who is indeed greater than Him?
In the same book of
Apostle John, in chapter 20 verse 17, our Lord Jesus
Christ said this to Mary Magdalene just after Christ's
resurrection as they were still by the tomb where Jesus
was buried:
Jesus said to her,
"Do not cling to Me, for I
have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My
brethren and say to them,
`I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to
My God and your God.' ''
(John 20:17, NKJV)
In clear and
unmistakable words the Lord Jesus Christ said this to
Mary Magdalene,
Jesus, by saying that "the Father in heaven is His
Father and His God", clearly proves that the Father is
indeed the “Only True God” as it corroborate His (Jesus)
previous pronouncement in John 17:3, that the Father is
the “Only True God”.
Questions to
Ponder:
< Click
for details |
The Trinity doctrine
states that God is the Triune God, existing as three
persons, but one being.
Members of the Trinity are said to be co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence,
nature, power, action, and will. (Lesson-2C.1)
-
If Jesus is indeed co-equal as God in the
Trinity, why did Jesus say that the
Father is greater than Him?
-
If Jesus is indeed co-equal as God in the
Trinity, is it
right for Him to say that the Father in
heaven is His father and His God?
- Does it mean that
God the Son has a God in the person of
God the Father?
- Does that also mean
that God the Father is greater than God
the Son?
- Then, there would be
two different Gods, that is one God is
greater or lesser that the other God?
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2J.3
Did the Apostles really teach the early Christians
that the Lord Jesus Christ
has indeed a God and Father?
In the following verses
these are written:
that
you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans
15:6, NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort, (2 Corinthians 1:3, NKJV)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. (2
Corinthians 11:31, NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
(Ephesians 1:3, NKJV)
We
give thanks to the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you, (Colossians 1:3, NKJV)
Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
according to His abundant mercy has begotten us
again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3, NKJV)
5 and
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the
firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the
kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed
us from our sins in His own blood,
6 and has made us kings and priests to His
God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6,
NKJV)
Absolutely YES, the Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ has indeed a God and Father. The Apostles
clearly and repeatedly, in the above verses, referred to . . . . .
-
"the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ"
- "to His God and Father"
The Apostles
were
obviously referring to the
"only True God—the Father in heaven", who is
the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Questions to
Ponder::
|
The Trinity doctrine
states that God is the Triune God, existing as three
persons, but one being.
Members of the Trinity are said to be co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence,
nature, power, action, and will. (Lesson-2C.1)
-
If Jesus is indeed co-equal as God in
the Trinity, why did the
Apostles clearly
teach that Jesus has a God and a Father?
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2J.4
How did the Apostles affirm the teaching of Christ Jesus
that the "Father is the only true God"?
In 1 Corinthians 8:5-6,
this are written:
5. According to some people, there are many
so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on
earth.
6. But we know that there is only one God, the
Father, who created everything, and we exist for
him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus
Christ, through whom God made everything and through
whom we have been given life. (NLT)
The Apostles and the
early Christians affirmed their basic Christian belief when they
said that according
to some people, there are many so-called gods and many
lords, both in heaven and on earth.
. . . . . .
- But we know that
there is only one God, the Father who created
everything,
To the Apostles and
the early Christians the
Father, who created everything, is the only one God. Thus
affirming Christ's teaching that "the Father is the
only
true God".
In what other way did the Apostles
affirm the teaching of Christ that the Father is the
"Only True God"?
When
Apostle Paul, exhorted the early Christians to keep the
unity in the body of Christ, he also reminded them their
belief in the "only true God".
4. There
is one body and one Spirit. You were called to one
hope, when God called you.
5. There is one Lord . There is one faith.
There is one immersion.
6. There is one God. He is the Father of
everyone. God is above everything, through
everything, and in everything. (Eph.4:4-6, IEB)
Apostle
Paul once again reminded the early Christians of their belief about the "only
true God".
Thus,
the "only true God" is the Father of everyone. The only
true God is above everything,
through everything, and in everything.
2J.5
What will be the
final deed of Christ that will, in the end, prove that
the "only true God is the Father" who is above
everything,?
In 1 Corinthians 15:24-28
these are written:
24.
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to
God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and
all authority and power.
25. For He must reign till He has put all enemies
under His feet.
26. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
27. For "He has put all things under His feet.'' But
when He says "all things are put under Him,'' it is
evident that He who put all things under Him is
excepted.
28. Now when all things are made subject to Him,
then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who
put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
(NKJV)
This
final deed of Christ will happen at the time when
the end comes, when the Son will deliver the kingdom to
God the Father, after He (Christ) puts an end to all
rule and all authority and power. (1 Cor.15:24)
Now, when
all things are made subject to Christ, then the Son
Himself will also be subject to God who put all things
under Christ, that God may be all in all or above
everything.
The fact
that Christ is subject to God―who put all things under
Christ, finally proves that Father is greater than
Christ. Thus undoubtedly affirming the basic teaching
of
Christ that "the Father is the only true God" (John
17:3), who is above everything.
Questions to
Ponder::
|
The Trinity doctrine
states that God is the Triune God, existing as three
persons, but one being.
Members of the Trinity are said to be co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence,
nature, power, action, and will. (Lesson-2C.1)
-
If Jesus is
indeed God the Son who is co-equal
and one in power, action and will as
one being or one Triune God, then
-
Why would
the Son deliver the kingdom to
God the Father and be subject
to Him?
- How
come that God the Father,
is greater than God the Son?
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2J.6
Who, according to the Lord Jesus, is
the "only true God" that should be worshiped by the true
worshipers?
In John 4:23-24, these
are written: worship Him.
23. But the hour is coming, and
now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to
worship Him.
24. "God is Spirit,
Jesus declared that .
. . .
- the "true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in
truth.
- "God is Spirit
and and those who worship Him must worship Him in
spirit and truth.''
Thus, Jesus clearly
attest that the Father is the only true God because He
is the one that will be
worshiped by the true worshipers.
God is a spirit so the true worshipers must worship Him
in spirit and in truth. This pronouncement of Jesus is
consistent with His basic teaching that the only true
God is the Father in heaven (John 17:1&3)
2J.7 What are
scriptural proof that "the Father is the only one God"
of the Prophets during the Old Testament times?
The Prophet
Moses declared this to the people of Israel:
Is
this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and
senseless people? Isn't he your Father who
created you? Has he not made you and
established you? (Deuteronomy 32:6, NLT)
From the above
statement of the Prophet Moses, the Lord he is
referring to is the Lord God, the Father, the
creator of all the people.
And Prophet Malachi also declared:
Have we not all one Father? Has not one God
created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one
another by profaning the covenant of the fathers?
(Malachi 2:10, NKJV)
From the above statement of the
Prophet Malachi, the Father he is referring to is the one
God who created the people.
Thus, the Old Testament
scriptures is very clear that even during the ancient times
the belief in the "only one God" is the same as today in the
Christian era. The Prophets Moses and Malachi declared that
"the Father is the one God who created us.
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The basic teaching of the Lord Jesus
Christ about the "only true God" as written about and taught
by the Apostles is very clear–"the Father is the only true
God or the only one God". This is also the belief of the ancient
people of God as declared by the Prophet Moses and Malachi.
We should therefore believe and not
reject Christ's teachings for it means eternal life
for believers.
______________________
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