LET'S TALK ABOUT GOD
The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)
Introduction:
Jesus is not only the Son of God, but also God the Son. Since
no greater truth is affirmed in the Sacred Text, one cannot read the
Bible (especially the New Testament) without recognizing the One who is
God the Son (cf. Heb. 1:8). This doctrine in fact permeates the
Word of God from Genesis to Revelation; only a materialist would fail
to see it.
II. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GODHEAD - 1
“What is God”? This question is the central idea to any
religion in the history of man. Whether idolatrous,
Jehovah-centered, or man-centered, there is always the question of a
“Supreme object, force, or being” toward which to pay homage.
The tri-personality of the true God is one of the most mysterious and
most difficult to conceive. It has no human analogy to which to
appeal for understanding; no parallel to clear away the clouds.
It is abstract to the zenith. And, since it is an infinite concept, the
finite mind of man cannot comprehend it completely.
There is no clear definition of God in the Bible set forth on any one
page. If one is looking for a concise, easy definition, one will
not
find it within the Sacred pages. Further, man is dependent
TOTALLY
upon the Bible for the proper concept of God (the Godhead). Man
simply
must look to the Bible for any ideas which may be accurate; man cannot
be
subjective and try to look within himself for any answers.
There are two ideas that are plain within the Scriptures: (1) there is
a Rational, Righteous Spirit, Infinite in attributes; (2) this Spirit
is
Self-existent in THREE Persons (yet ONE in substance or nature), with
the
Persons in absolute and perfect unity. This tri-personality God
is
referred to as the “Godhead” or “Godhead bodily” (of Christ). The
term
“Trinity,” although not used in the Bible, is expressive of an idea
which
is correct concerning the Godhead.
The Scriptures affirm the existence of the Godhead. By Godhead
we mean Deity, Divinity, or Divine substance (nature) as used in
Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, and Colossians 2:9. The Bible teaches
that God (or
the Godhead) is composed of THREE distinct members, each of whom
possesses the nature or quality which identifies one as Deity.
These three distinct members or personalities who share this ONE Divine
nature are characterized in the Bible as the Father, the Son (the
Word), and the Holy Spirit.
One of the most common objections alleged against the doctrine of the
Trinity is that it involves tritheism, or a belief in three Gods.
Tritheism teaches there are three SEPARATE but equal Beings known as
God.
“They are as separate as husband, wife and child, and one as if only a
family unit.” Tritheism teaches that the oneness involved is
“ONLY that of unity, purpose, and will.” This teaching is
actually a form of polytheism and is, unfortunately, believed and
taught by many brethren in the Lord’s church today!
The fact of the matter, however, is that the true Bible doctrine of the
Godhead stands unalterably opposed to tritheism as well as to every
other form of polytheism. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can be
distinguished, but they cannot be SEPARATED. They do not merely
exist alongside of each other, as did Washington, Jefferson, and
Franklin, but they permeate and interpenetrate each other; are in and
through each other.
Friends, as we study this subject together, please understand we are
NOT teaching that there are THREE Gods (as is falsely taught by
Mormonism - see “Mormon Doctrine” by Bruce McConkie, page 317). We do
NOT believe in three Gods. Scripture, reason, and conscience are
in perfect agreement that there is but ONE Self-existent, eternal,
supreme Being (God or Deity) in whom all of the Divine attributes or
perfections inhere and from whom they cannot be separated. In
other words, the Bible teaches that there is only ONE God (Deut. 6:4;
Mark 12:29; 1 Cor. 8:4; Eph. 4:6; cf. Isa. 9:6; John 1:1; 10:30; Phil.
2:5-6). However, there are THREE who comprise this one Righteous
Spirit (Deity) or possess the Divine nature.
Concerning God the Father, please consider these truths... When the
word “Father” is used in prayer, as for example in the “Lord’s prayer”
(Matthew 6:9-13), it does NOT refer exclusively to the first person of
the “Trinity,” but to the THREE Persons as ONE God. The Triune
God is our Father!
The Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"
(Gen. 1:1). God is the translation of the Hebrew word
Elohim. This word bespeaks the power of God the Creator. El
signifies the
strong God; and what less than almighty strength could bring all things
out of nothing?
Elohim also bespeaks the plurality of persons in the Godhead - the
Father, the Word (Son), and the Holy Ghost (the word “Ghost” is often
used in the KJV for the word “Spirit”). This plural name of God,
in Hebrew, speaks of Him as many though He is ONE. The word
Elohim confirms our faith in the doctrine of the Godhead, which, though
but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the
New. John refers to the THREE persons of the Godhead in his
epistle, saying, “For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and
these
three are one” (1 John 5:7).
In dealing with this, one can only affirm there is ONE Infinite Spirit
Being, yet within that one Spirit Essence can be seen THREE
distinctions. Each of these is a Person properly called God who
has all the essential attributes of said Divine Being. Each of
these Persons partakes of the One Divine Substance - Deity. Deity
is NOT made up of three parts, rather Deity refers simply to that One
Essence, of which all THREE Persons partake.
Since the three Persons of the “Trinity” (Godhead) possess the same
identical, substance or essence, and since the attributes are inherent
in and inseparable from the substance or essence, it follows that the
Divine attributes must be possessed alike by each of the three Persons
and that the three Persons must be consubstantial, co-equal, and
co-eternal. Each is truly God, exercising the same power,
partaking equally of the Divine glory, and entitled to the same
worship.
Go To: The Godhead - 2
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