The Godhead

THE GODHEAD

Pastor Gregory Riggen

“THE GODHEAD”

Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14. And they said, Some say that thou art

John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15. He saith

unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art

the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed

art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father

which is in heaven. 18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I

will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19. And I will give

unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth

shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in

heaven.

I. Introduction

A. An Essential Conversation

1. In the above text, Jesus first asked His disciples about the opinions

of others concerning Who He was.

a. The disciples responded with the things they had obviously

heard.

2. Next, Jesus asked a question that was far more important than the

opinion of others – He wanted to know the opinion of His followers themselves.

a. It was at this moment that Peter made his well-known

declaration.

Matthew 16:16

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

3. There are a couple of things about this conversation which deserve

our attention.

a. According to Jesus, this revelation came by revelation from

the Father.

Matthew 16:17

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and

blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

b. This revelation is the foundation of the church.

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

(1) Not the “rock” Peter (petros), but the rock (petra) of

the revelation of Who Christ is!

(2) Consider 1 Timothy 3:16.

1 Timothy 3:16

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.

(a) “Without controversy” is actually one word

in the original Greek, and it means, “by the consent of all,” and, by context, speaks of the

belief held by all true believers.

(b) The Greek word which is translated

“godliness” is not the same word which is usually used to convey the concept of

“godliness;” rather, it is a totally different word with a more far-reaching definition.

Commentary on the New Testament, “the word ‘godliness’ is taken in … sense as the

religion which men profess.”

(d) The Riggen Revised Rendition would read,

“By the consent of all true believers, the basis of the Christian religion is the fact that

God was manifest in the flesh.”

(3) The only church against which Hell cannot prevail

is the church that is built upon the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ!

II. Understanding the Godhead

A. Modern Theologians’ Definition

1. Most “theological scholars” identify God as “the Holy Trinity.”

a. The “Trinity,” is commonly defined as “Three separate and

distinct Persons Who are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent.”

2. In wanting to make sure I explained the Trinity in a way which is

acceptable to those who espouse that doctrine, I searched the internet for an accurate

definition.

a. On the “Alpha and Omega Ministries” website (a site that

claims to be about “Christian Apologetics and Theology”), the Trinity is defined as

follows:

1. There is in the Divine Being but one indivisible essence (ousia, essentia).

2. In this one Divine Being there are three Persons or individual subsistences, Father,

Son and Holy Spirit.

3. The whole undivided essence of God belongs equally to each of the three persons.

4. The subsistence and operation of the three persons in the divine Being is marked by a

certain definite order.

5. There are certain personal attributes by which the three persons are distinguished.

6. The Church confesses the Trinity to be a mystery beyond the comprehension of man.

[http://vintage.aomin.org/natureofgod.html]

b. The web site “layevangelism.com” posts the following:

Christian theologians have said “Deny the Trinity and you will lose your soul; try to

explain it and you will lose your mind.” … God says in His word in Deuteronomy 29:29

“The secret things belong to Yehovah-our-Elohim…” There are some things about God

we cannot understand on this side of heaven. As this verse states there are secrets that

God shares with no one. The mystery of the Trinity is one of them. The Bible teaches us

plainly that there is only one God of one essence from eternity past who is manifested in

3 individual persons who have independent intellect, emotion and will. This means that

while these three persons who make up the ONE God are infinite God with all of the

attributes of deity, yet their individual experiences and choices are unique. This does not

mean that these are three individual God’s [sic], this means that the ONE God of one

essence is manifested in three individual persons.

c. It is evident to me that the reason Trinitarians teach that the

Godhead is a “mystery beyond comprehension” is because THEIR definition of God IS

beyond comprehension!

(1) The Biblical definition, however, is well within the

grasp of human understanding.

d. The biggest problem with stating that the Godhead is

beyond comprehension, of course, is that Paul stated the exact opposite.

Romans 1:20

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being

understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they

are without excuse:

(1) According to Paul, there are some things that are

“clearly seen,” “understood,” and furthermore, those who fail to “clearly see” and

“understand” them are “without excuse!”

(a) Paul listed the Godhead among those things.

(b) Thus, not only CAN you understand it, and

SHOULD you understand it, but you have no excuse for NOT understanding it!

B. The Simplicity of the Godhead

1. Inasmuch as the Godhead can – and SHOULD – be understood,

AND it is NOT a “complex mystery,” it is my contention that the subject of the Godhead

is actually one of profound simplicity.

a. In fact, it is my intention to show that four Scriptural

principles form the framework for all that is needed to understand the Godhead.

C. The First Principle

1. There is only ONE GOD.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy

God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

a. To the Jewish people, this was the most important passage

in the Scriptures.

(1) They made it a habit to repeat it every morning,

every evening, and throughout the day; it was on a scroll that was nailed to the entryway

of their homes.

b. Even Jesus identified it as “the first of all commandments.”

Mark 12:28-30

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving

that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of

all? 29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The

Lord our God is one Lord: 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and

with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first

commandment.

(1) While Matthew only quoted the latter portion (“thou

shalt love the Lord thy God…” – see Matthew 12:36-38), it should be noted that he was

writing to a Jewish audience.

(a) The Jews would have readily recognized this

as part of the one sentence found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and would have immediately

known that the first portion of that sentence (“Hear, O, Israel …”) was obviously a part of

the “first commandment” of which Jesus spoke.

(2) Mark, on the other hand, wrote to a Roman

audience – people who believed in more than one god.

(a) For them, it was necessary to include the

entire sentence.

(3) It can easily be said, then, that BOTH the

knowledge of God’s Oneness AND the requirement of loving Him wholeheartedly make

up the ONE “great commandment.”

(a) It does no good to simply know there is one

God if you don’t love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, AND it does no

good to love just any “god” – it MUST be the One True God of the Old Testament!

c. From this perspective, it is clear that the first and great

commandment includes the fact that God is One.

(1) Therefore, WHATEVER we believe about God, it

MUST be built on the principle that He is ONE – not “three in one” – just ONE. Period.

Romans 3:30

Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision

through faith.

Ephesians 4:6

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

2. PRINCIPLE #1: The most important concept is that God is ONE.

D. The Second Principle

1. The One God of the Bible is a Spirit.

John 4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

2. If ANYONE could identify Who God is, it would be Jesus Christ.

a. He NEVER said, “God is three persons,” or even that “God

is A person;” rather, He said, “God is a Spirit.”

(1) Therefore, let us begin with the BIBLICAL

identification of God – He is not three persons, two persons, or even ONE person – God

is a Spirit.

b. Furthermore, that Spirit we call “God” was identified by

Christ as “the Father.”

John 4:23-24

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in

spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they

that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

(1) It is obvious from verse 23 that, when Jesus spoke

of “God,” He was speaking of “the Father.”

(a) It is interesting to see how many times the

New Testament specifically identifies “God” as “the Father” (for example, see John 6:27;

John 8:41; Romans 1:7; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians

5:24; 2 Corinthians 1:2, 3; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Galatians 1:3, 4; Ephesians 1:2, 3, 17;

Ephesians 6:23; Philippians 1:2; Philippians 2:11; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1

Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4;

Philemon 1:3; James 3:9; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:17; 2 John 1:3; Jude 1:1; et al.)

(2) Thus, it would be correct to read verse 24 as “God

(the Father) is a Spirit.”

(a) With that in mind, any time we read about

“the Father,” we should immediately think “Spirit.”

(b) The Father cannot be “the first person in the

Godhead,” since He is not a “person” at all – He is a Spirit!

c. Regardless of how Trinitarians want to define the word

“person,” the fact remains that God is far bigger, far more powerful, and far greater in

every way than any “person” could ever be!

(1) I have read where even some Trinitarians today are

starting to shy away from using the term “person” to describe God.

(a) The problem is that they would have to

change their entire definition of the Godhead (i.e., “three persons”) in order to quit using

the term.

(b) Therefore, they instead define “person” in a

way that can fit their own ideology; such as that offered by the Christian Apologetics and

Research Ministry (CARM), which is “individuality and self-awareness”

[https://carm.org/what-trinity].

and Dictionary.com list seven definitions for the word “person,” and in both cases, six of

them involve something to do with human beings!

d. We should accept the words of Jesus at face value rather

than trying to interpolate them to fit our own beliefs.

(1) If we do so, we will have to admit that God the

Father is a Spirit and NOT a person!

3. Understanding that God the Father is a Spirit, let us consider some

very important attributes of that Spirit.

a. God the Father is an Omnipresent Spirit (i.e., He is

everywhere at the same time).

Isaiah 66:1

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is

the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Psalm 139:7-10

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I

ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9. If

I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10. Even there

shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Jeremiah 23:24

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I

fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

b. God the Father is an Immortal Spirit (i.e., He is everlasting

and cannot die).

Psalm 90:1-4

LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2. Before the mountains were

brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to

everlasting, thou art God. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye

children of men. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,

and as a watch in the night.

1 Timothy 1:17

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and

glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:16

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;

whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

c. God the Father is an Invisible Spirit.

John 1:18

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the

Father, he hath declared him.

Colossians 1:15

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

1 Timothy 1:17

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and

glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his

love is perfected in us.

1 Timothy 6:16

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;

whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

4. PRINCIPLE #2: The one God (the Father) is a Spirit!

E. The Third Principle

1. The Son of God was “that which was born of Mary.”

Luke 1:35

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and

the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall

be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

a. First, notice that it was the Holy Ghost which performed

the miracle of paternity upon the womb of Mary.

(1) By simple logic, then, it should be evident that the

Father of Jesus Christ was the Holy Ghost!

(a) With that being the case, we are left with

only a few options: either Jesus had more than one Father, OR Jesus was confused about

Who His Father was, OR the Holy Ghost (or “Holy Spirit,” which by virtue of the very

name, is understood to be a Spirit) IS the Father!

(b) The only logical conclusion that can be

drawn is the last one – since the Father is a Spirit and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit, yet there

is only “one Spirit” (Ephesians 4:4), there can be no distinction in the identity of God the

Father and the Holy Ghost.

repeatedly called “the Holy One,” AND there is only “one Spirit” (Ephesians 4:4), then

God the Father IS the Holy Spirit (see 2 Kings 19:22; Psalm 71:22; Psalm 78:41; Psalm

89:18; Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 5:19, 24; Isaiah 10:17, 20; Isaiah 12:6; Isaiah 17:7; Isaiah 29:19,

23; Isaiah 30:11, 12, 15, 29; Isaiah 31:1; Isaiah 37:23; Isaiah 41:14, 16, 20; Isaiah 43:3,

14, 15; Isaiah 45:11; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 55:5;

Isaiah 60:9, 14; Jeremiah 50:29; Jeremiah 51:5; Ezekiel 20:39; Ezekiel 39:7; et al).

b. The second thing that should be noted in Luke 1:35 is “that

which was born of Mary” was what we know as “the Son of God.”

(1) Since Mary was flesh, she did NOT give birth to a

spirit.

John 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

(b) The Son of God was “made of a woman.”

Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,

made under the law,

was the mother of the Son of God!

c. The “Son of God” refers to the humanity (the flesh), as

evidenced by the following references to those things which accompany humanity.

(1) He grew physically, intellectually, emotionally, and

spiritually (Luke 2:52); He got hungry (Matthew 4:2); He grew weary (John 4:6); He

slept (Matthew 8:24); He wept (John 11:35); He called Himself “the Son of Man”

(Matthew 16:13); He called Himself “a man” (John 8:40); He died (John 19:33; 1

Corinthians 15:3).

d. While we believe in the Eternal Father and, therefore, the

Eternal Spirit, we do NOT believe in the Eternal Son.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever

believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(1) “Begotten” and “eternal” are contradictory terms.

(a) “Begotten” means to have a beginning, but

that which is eternal has no beginning.

(b) Therefore, to identify Christ as the

“begotten” Son is the exact opposite of calling Him the “eternal Son.”

(2) There was a specific day which marked the

beginning of the Son of God.

Hebrews 1:5

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I

begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

(3) The Bible even speaks of the day in which the

office of Son will cease to exist.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the

Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25. For he must

reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed

is death. 27. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put

under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28. And

when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto

him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

(a) The purpose of the son was redemption

(completed at Calvary), mediation (on-going until the rapture), returning in glory, and

reigning 1,000 years. When all of this is completed, God will be “all in all.”

d. The person of the Son cannot be found in the Old

Testament since He did not exist at that time (as the Son).

(1) Any passage that truly makes mention of the Son of

God in the Old Testament was prophetic, such as what is found in Proverbs.

Proverbs 30:4

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his

fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the

earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?

(a) Notice the first verse of this chapter.

Proverbs 30:1

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even

unto Ithiel and Ucal,

(b) The writer clearly identifies this passage as

“the prophecy.”

(2) What about Daniel 3:25 which identifies the fourth

man in the fiery furnace as being “like the Son of God”?

Daniel 3:25

He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and

they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

(a) You must remember that Nebuchadnezzar is

speaking, and he was a heathen king who had no concept of “the Son of God” (as far as

the way the term is used in the New Testament).

(b) The actual Hebrew reads, “the form of the

fourth is like a son of the gods!”

gods, and what he saw that day resembled a man (“a son”), yet was obviously reflective

of Divinity (“the gods”).

(3) In order for the Son of God (who was “made of a

woman”) to exist in the Old Testament (or before), the woman of whom He was “made”

would have had to have existed at that time as well.

2. Just as when we read “Father,” we should immediately think

“Spirit” or Deity, so when we read “Son,” we should immediately think “Flesh” or

Humanity.

3. PRINCIPLE #3: The Son was born of a woman and was,

therefore, flesh.

F. The Fourth (and Final) Principle

1. God was IN Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:19

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their

trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

a. Remember, when we read God (or “the Father”), we should

immediately think “Spirit,” and when we read “Christ” (or “the Son”), we should

immediately think “Flesh.”

b. Therefore, in the Riggen Revised Rendition, this Scripture

would read like this: “To wit that the Spirit was in the Flesh, reconciling the world unto

HIMSELF.”

(1) Notice it is not “themselves,” thus providing further

proof that the Father indwelt the Son, making just one individual!

2. Jesus was both God AND man.

a. While John 8:40 tells us He was a man, Thomas called Him

“God” (John 20:28); although He was not yet 50 years old, He existed before Abraham

(John 8:57-58); even though Luke 2:52 said He increased in wisdom, Peter said Jesus

knew “all things” (John 21:17); He is described in various passages as being weak (2

Corinthians 13:4) and weary (John 4:6), yet He describes Himself as the Almighty

(Revelation 1:8); He was on earth, but He said He was in Heaven (John 3:13); in Luke

22:41, we find Him praying; yet He is the One Who answers prayer (John 14:14)!

b. Don’t see two persons in these scriptures; see a dual nature

in one person!

3. At any given time, having a dual nature, He could act and speak

from either of two very different standpoints – He could act and speak as a man, and He

could act and speak as God.

a. All you have to do when you read about Jesus is ask

yourself, “Is He acting as God or as man? Is He speaking as God or as man?”

(1) When He said His spirit was willing, but His flesh

was weak, He spoke as a man; when He said all power was His, He spoke as God.

(2) When He rode the ship across the sea, He acted as a

man; when He walked on the water, He acted as God (see Job 9:8).

(3) When He said, “I thirst,” He spoke as a man; when

He said, “If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink,” He spoke as God.

(4) When He asked for help in the garden, He acted as a

man; When He miraculously helped others, He acted as God.

4. He, having a dual nature, could be both Father and Son.

a. Anyone who cannot accept this fact does not have a

problem with me – they have a problem with the prophet Isaiah!

Isaiah 9:6

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.

(1) This verse calls Him both the Son & the Father!

b. How could He be both Father and Son? In the same way

that He can be both Alpha AND Omega, Beginning AND End, First AND Last

(Revelation 22:13), the Rose of Sharon AND the Lilly of the Valleys (Song of Solomon

2:1), the root of David AND the offspring of David (Revelation 22:16), the Lion of the

Tribe of Judah (Hosea 5:4) AND the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and the sacrifice

(Hebrews 9:28) AND the altar (Hebrews 13:10) AND the High Priest (Hebrews 3:1)!

5. In Him, humanity and Deity were fused, but not confused.

a. When He assumed a human nature at His incarnation, he

did not cease to be God.

b. Now, however, in addition to being what he always was,

Jehovah God assumed a human nature.

c. The One God (Who is a Spirit) took on a robe of flesh

(called “the Son”).

(1) This explains the biblical concept of the Godhead

fully and comprehensively!

6. Please get this straight – Oneness people have often been

misrepresented by our detractors who claim we believed that the Father IS the Son, or

that the man Christ Jesus was His own Father.

a. Neither accusation is true inasmuch as we see a clear

distinction between the Father and the Son – but it is NOT a distinction in persons.

John 14:10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak

unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

(1) Remember that the Father is the Eternal, Invisible

Spirit.

(2) Remember that the Son is the Visible Fleshly robe

which the Father took on.

7. This brings us to yet another major fallacy of the doctrine of the

Trinity, by the way – the teaching that each “separate and distinct person” is “co-equal”

with the other “separate and distinct persons.”

John 14:28

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved

me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

a. Jesus clearly stated the opposite of two “co-equal” persons!

(1) For those who understand the Oneness of the

Godhead, we have no problem with this verse – in fact, it further confirms our message!

when we read Son, we think “Flesh;” therefore, Jesus was simply saying, “My Spirit is

greater than my flesh.”

(2) This is why we can say the Father is not the Son --

because the Spirit is not the Flesh.

(a) Yet the Father and Son are not two different

persons.

(b) Just as you have flesh and spirit (which are

distinct from one another), but your spirit and flesh do not make up two people, so it is

with Christ Jesus.

Father), yet they are not two persons.

8. Interestingly, most Trinitarians would readily say that “Jesus is

fully God” (although they refer to Him as “God the Son”).

a. My question to them is this: If Jesus is “fully God,” is there

ANY title for God which does not apply to Jesus?

(1) If you can find any title of God which cannot be

ascribed to Jesus, then Jesus is not “FULLY” God!

b. My next question is: Can you apply the title “God the

FATHER” to Jesus?

(1) If not, then you cannot truly say that Jesus is “fully

God.”

9. Jesus plainly identified Himself as the Father.

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known

me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us

the Father?

John 10:30

I and my Father are one.

a. In fact, He stated that it is essential to believe that He is the

Father!

John 8:24

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am

he, ye shall die in your sins.

(1) The phrase “I am He” is actually just “I Am” in the

original Greek.

(a) Jesus openly told the Jews that He was the I

Am – the One Who had spoken to Moses from the burning bush!

(b) In fact, it was His reiteration of this

statement that angered the Jews to the point of wanting to stone Him!

John 8:56-59

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said

the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 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.

10. The Son of God in the New Testament was the fleshly

manifestation of Jehovah God of the Old Testament.

11. PRINCIPLE #4: God (the Spirit) was in Christ (the flesh).

G. Summary

1. There are four Scriptural principles which explain the Godhead.

a. There is only one God.

b. God (the Father) is a Spirit.

c. Christ (the Son) was born of Mary and was, therefore,

flesh.

d. God (the Spirit) was in Christ (the flesh).

2. There are not three persons in the Godhead.

a. While Trinitarians teach that Jesus is in the Godhead, the

Apostle Paul taught no such concept.

Colossians 2:9

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

(1) Instead of teaching that Jesus is in the Godhead,

Paul said that the Godhead is in Jesus!

b. While Trinitarians say that Jesus is the “Second Person in

the Godhead,” Jesus never called Himself the “second” anything!

(1) He did, however, say this:

Revelation 22:13

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

III. Providing Further Proof

A. More Scriptural Examples

1. The Plan of God

a. The Bible declares that God’s plan of redemption was NOT

an afterthought.

b. Jesus was called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the

world.”

Revelation 13:8

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the

book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

(1) Of course, He was not LITERALLY “slain” from

the beginning – He was slain in God’s foreknowledge.

c. Consider what John wrote.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(1) “Word” in this verse is translated from the Greek

word “logos,” which denotes more than a term which is spoken; it speaks of reason,

concepts, thoughts, doctrine, purpose, ideas, the expression and completion of one’s will.

(a) Vincent’s Word Studies says that it

expresses both an inward thought, and the outward form by which that thought is

expressed.

(2) The best way I can define it is “a plan,” i.e., a

blueprint.

(a) Thus, “In the beginning, God had a plan.

The plan was with God, and the plan was God!”

d. However, God’s plan of redemption required the shedding

of blood.

Hebrews 9:22

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood

is no remission.

(1) Inasmuch as God is a Spirit which does not have

blood, something had to happen.

(a) John goes on to tell us what happened.

John 1:14

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.

(b) The literal rendering is “The Word became

flesh.”

fulfill the plan, He became flesh!

1 Timothy 3:16

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.

(d) This was not a matter of one divine person

sending another person – rather, it was the ONLY Divine One taking upon Himself

human flesh for the purpose of redeeming sinful man!

1 John 3:16

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought

to lay down our lives for the brethren.

e. This was the very thing about which Jesus spoke when He

talked about the glory He had “before the world was.”

John 17:5

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had

with thee before the world was.

(1) That “glory” was in the mind (i.e., the

foreknowledge) of God!

2. The Prophecy of Joel

a. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stated unequivocally that

what had just happened was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

Acts 2:14-18

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men

of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my

words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the

day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass

in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and

your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men

shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in

those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

b. With that being established, let us examine the prophecy

itself.

Joel 2:28

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your

young men shall see visions:

(1) Please notice that God said through Joel that He

would pour out His spirit “afterward” – after what?

(a) The answer lies in the previous verse.

Joel 2:27

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God,

and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

(b) “LORD” in the original is “Jehovah,” and

“God” is “Elohim;” therefore, this verse states that “Jehovah your Elohim” would be “in

the midst of Israel.

poured out AFTER what was stated verse 27 was accomplished – AFTER Jehovah

Elohim had been “in the midst of Israel.”

(d) Just prior to the fulfillment of verse 28 on

the day of Pentecost, Jesus had literally been “in the midst of Israel” – obviously, Jesus

was “Jehovah Elohim!”

c. This is confirmed by the writings of Zechariah.

Zechariah 12:10

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the

spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,

and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness

for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

(1) The One Who is saying that “they shall look upon

ME whom they have pierced” identifies Himself in first few verses of the chapter.

Zechariah 12:1

The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth

the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within

him.

(2) The Speaker was the One who “stretcheth forth the

heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him”

– the Elohim of Genesis 1!

Zechariah 12:4

In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider

with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every

horse of the people with blindness.

(3) Here “Elohim” is called “the LORD” (Jehovah).

(4) There can be no question that One Who would be

pierced was Jehovah Elohim – the Creator of the Universe – the One and Only True God!

3. Jehovah of the Old Testament

a. Immediately after their deliverance from the Egyptians,

Moses and the children of Israel sang an interesting song.

Exodus 15:2

The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and

I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

b. This same statement is made twice in the Book of Psalms.

Psalms 118:14

The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

Psalms 118:21

I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

c. Twice in one verse Isaiah speaks of this as well.

Isaiah 12:2

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH

is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

d. Looking at the original Hebrew, there is a beautiful insight

into these verses that our English Bible has hidden from us.

(1) The word “salvation” in each of the abovementioned

passages is the Hebrew word “Yeshua.”

(2) If that word sounds familiar, it is no wonder – it is

the very name given to the Messiah!

(a) “Yeshua” is the Hebrew form of the name

we pronounce as “Jesus.”

e. With that in mind, let us go back and consider exactly what

was said.

(1) In Exodus 15:2, Psalm 118:14, and Psalm 118:21,

we find: “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my Jesus!”

(2) In Isaiah 12:2, we read, “Behold, God is my Jesus; I

will trust, and not be afraid: for JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is

become my Jesus!”

4. The Throne

a. When John was given a glimpse into Heaven, it is

interesting to note what he saw.

Revelation 4:2

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one

sat on the throne.

(1) John saw ONE throne and ONE sitting on the

throne.

(a) Concerning this verse, Philip Schaff, in his

Popular Commentary of the New Testament, wrote, “It is not easy to determine who is

meant. That the Sitter on the throne is neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit is indeed obvious

… But is He the Father or the Triune God?”

(b) Since there was only ONE throne, it seems

to me it would be very crowded if the members of the Trinity are all sitting on the same

one.

(2) The fact is that John saw exactly the same thing

Isaiah had seen centuries before.

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and

lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

(a) Isaiah, like John, saw ONE Lord sitting

upon “A throne,” that is, ONE throne!

IV. Questions Answered

A. “Let Us Make Man.”

Genesis 1:26

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.

1. The argument is often made that, since God spoke using plural

pronouns, there must be more than one person in the Godhead.

a. While there are many differing opinions on the use of the

plural pronouns, I tend to stick with the most simple one (which I also happen to believe

is the correct one).

(1) The use of plural pronouns do not show one

member of the Trinity speaking to others; rather, God was using what is known as a

“majestic plural.”

(a) For centuries, if a ruler greeted a crowd, he

would not say, “I am happy to be here;” rather, he would say, “We are happy to be here.”

(b) The plurality used was not one of persons,

but of majesty – the one speaking spoke on behalf of the entire kingdom they represented.

Africa – if they want to show the highest respect to an elder, they do not refer to that

individual as “him” or “her;” instead, they refer to “them,” even though there is only one

person being referenced.

b. To further confirm this explanation, notice what is said

about the actual creation when it is taking place.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and

female created he them.

(1) Notice that this verse does NOT say, “created

THEY him,” but “created HE him.”

(a) Although God spoke in plurality, He acted

in singularity!

(b) In spite of how some people view this verse,

I do not believe God was consulting with the angels – He did not say, “Watch Me make

man;” He said “Let US make man.”

inviting them to participate in the creation, which the Scripture clearly says did NOT

happen.

(d) Only ONE Being served as Creator.

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;

B. “Elohim” – The Plural Form of “God”

1. Trinitarians are quick to point out that the word “Elohim”

(translated “God” throughout the Old Testament) is the plural form of the word “El.”

a. Its plurality cannot be denied; in fact, the word is often

translated as “gods.”

2. However, just was we learned concerning the use of plural

pronouns, the use of a plural noun does NOT necessarily mean a plurality of persons.

3. Rather, this was again a plurality of majesty, as is proven by the

fact that it was commonly used for ANY deity – not just Jehovah God.

a. Baal (Judges 6:31) and Beelzebub (2 Kings 1:2) were both

called “Elohim” – were THEY each a “Trinity?” Of course not!

b. Furthermore, prophecies which spoke directly about Jesus

also used “Elohim.”

(1) Notice Who is identified as the Speaker in

Zechariah’s prophecy.

Zechariah 11:4

Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;

(a) The literal translation is, “Thus saith

Jehovah my Elohim.”

(b) Yet notice what Elohim says will happen to

Him.

Zechariah 11:12-13

And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they

weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto

the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of

silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

silver?

Zechariah 14:5

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall

reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days

of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

(d) Are three Persons coming back?

1 Thessalonians 3:13

To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our

Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

C. Jordan’s Banks

Matthew 3:16-17

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the

heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and

lighting upon him: 17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in

whom I am well pleased.

1. This passage is often referred to as absolute proof of three persons

in the Godhead.

a. However, it should be noted that John did NOT see three

Persons.

(1) He saw ONE Person – the One he was baptizing.

(a) Other than that One, he saw ONE Spirit

(NOT A PERSON) which descended like a dove, and heard ONE voice.

b. All of this happened, according to John’s own testimony, as

proof to him that Christ was the Messiah – NOT to establish a doctrine about the number

of Persons in the Godhead!

John 1:33-34

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me,

Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he

which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of

God.

c. In trying to use this passage to make light of the doctrine of

the Oneness of God, someone asked, “Was Jesus a ventriloquist?” and someone else

queried, “Was Heaven empty when Jesus was on earth?”

(1) The answer to both questions is NO!

John 3:13

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the

Son of man which is in heaven.

(a) Jesus said that, while He was on earth, He

was still in Heaven at the same time!

(b) Although the fleshly body was on earth, the

Spirit that indwelt that body still filled the heavens!

on earth (as the flesh), then He could be in the water and speaking from Heaven at the

same time!

D. Sending and Giving

1. Trinitarians make much ado over verses which speak of the Father

SENDING the Son or the Father GIVING the Son.

a. They claim that the use of words like “sent” or “gave”

prove Christ pre-existed prior to Bethlehem.

b. If that is true, let us consider a couple of verses which use

this same terminology.

John 1:6

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

(1) Did John the Baptist pre-exist prior to his birth?

(a) Obviously, he was “sent” many years after

he was born!

Genesis 17:15-16

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai,

but Sarah shall her name be. 16And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I

will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

(2) Did Isaac pre-exist?

(a) Of course not, yet God “gave” him to

Abram and Sarai.

Genesis 48:9

And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this

place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

(3) Did Joseph’s sons pre-exist?

(a) I think you get the picture.

E. Jesus Prayed

Luke 22:41-42

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will,

but thine, be done.

1. Trinitarians like to point to this instance as proof that Jesus and the

Father were two separate persons.

a. However, I see this as more of a problem for them than it is

for us inasmuch as they teach that both the Father and Son are co-equal and, as such, both

are omnipotent.

(1) If the Son was equal to the Father, and was,

therefore, omnipotent AS THE SON, why would He seek the help of One Who was only

as powerful as He Himself was?

2. This is NOT one person in the Godhead praying to another person;

it is the flesh praying to spirit!

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the

flesh is weak.

a. That is why He said the Father (Spirit) was GREATER (not

“co-equal to”) than the Son (flesh).

John 14:28

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved

me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

F. The Son doesn’t know the hour, but the Father does.

Mark 13:32

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven,

neither the Son, but the Father.

1. Like the example of the prayer in the garden, Trinitarians will

often use this verse to show that the Father and Son cannot be the same person.

a. Again, however, this is more of a problem for THEM than

it is for US.

(1) How can they be “co-equal” if One knows

something the Other does not?

b. As I just stated, Jesus said that the Father (Spirit) is greater

than the Son (Flesh).

(1) As such, the Father (Spirit) can obviously know

things the Son (Flesh) does not.

c. This certainly doesn’t sound like two co-equal omniscient

Persons to me!

G. Stephen’s Vision

Acts 7:55

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the

glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

1. The argument from this verse is that Stephen said he saw both

Jesus AND God.

a. However, that is NOT what Stephen said at all!

(1) To begin with, remember one of the first things we

learned about God.

John 1:18

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the

Father, he hath declared him.

1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his

love is perfected in us.

1 Timothy 6:16

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;

whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

(a) Paul, who wrote this verse in 1 Timothy,

was standing there when Stephen had his vision!

(b) In fact, it was that very incident that

evidently put Paul under conviction.

about this incident, and yet he said “NO MAN HATH SEEN, NOR CAN SEE” God –

and that obviously included Stephen!

(d) Paul KNEW Stephen did NOT see two

Persons!

b. What Stephen DID see was “the glory of God, and Jesus

standing on the right hand of God.”

(1) Remember something else we learned about God –

He is omnipresent.

(a) Where is the “right hand” of an

OMNIPRESENT Spirit?

(b) Consider the air – can you stand on the right

side or left side of the air?

place, but rather a metaphor for power.

Matthew 26:64

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see

the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 14:62

And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of

power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

c. Stephen saw the glory of God and Jesus enthroned in all the

power of God!

d. Pay attention to Stephen’s prayer.

Acts 7:59

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

(1) He called upon GOD saying “Lord Jesus!”

H. “Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama

sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

1. Yet again we find a passage which Trinitarians think helps them

defend their beliefs when it actually proves them wrong.

a. If the Son was co-equal with the Father, why did it matter

that the Father would forsake the Son?

b. If the Father is such a loving God (which He is!), how

could He possibly “forsake” His own Son?

2. To begin with, I do not believe that Jesus Christ was ever forsaken

by God!

a. He became sin for us, and thereby felt the touch of that

which He had never felt before – the effects of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the

righteousness of God in him.

(1) He, standing in the stead of sinners, felt what every

sinner feels – separated from God.

(a) Although He FELT God-forsaken, I will

show momentarily that He was NOT God-forsaken.

3. Why, then, did Christ speak those words?

a. To help you get a clearer understanding of the purpose

behind this action, consider something for a moment: If I say, “Amazing Grace, how

sweet the sound,” what comes to mind?

(1) There is no doubt the answer is “That saved a

wretch like me.”

(a) The reason those words came to mind was

because you are familiar with the words of that song!

b. If I say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” what comes to mind?

(1) I’m sure the answer you gave is, “I shall not want.”

(a) The reason those words came to mind was

because you are familiar with the words of that Psalm!

c. With that in mind, consider the fact that “My God, my God,

why has thou forsaken me?” was the first verse of Psalm 22.

Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me,

and from the words of my roaring?

(1) When Jesus began quoting that, every Jew standing

near enough to hear began reciting the remainder of that passage in their minds.

(2) In so doing, they were forced to realize that Psalm

22 was being fulfilled before their very eyes.

(3) Consider a few examples.

Psalm 22:6-8

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7All they

that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8 He

trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted

in him.

(a) What was being said at the cross?

Matthew 27:43

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the

Son of God.

(4) There is no clearer picture of a man being crucified

than what is recorded in this Psalm.

Psalm 22:13-16

They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14. I am poured

out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the

midst of my bowels. 15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to

my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16. For dogs have compassed me:

the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

(5) Can there be any doubt that this was a prophecy

being fulfilled?

(6) Furthermore, here is one more thing the Psalmist

said would happen that DID happen at Calvary.

Psalm 22:17-18

I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18. They part my garments among

them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

(a) In fact, Matthew specifically quotes this

Psalm to further prove Jesus was the Messiah.

Matthew 27:35

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled

which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my

vesture did they cast lots.

d. Knowing that Psalm 22 is CLEARLY a prophecy of what

would happen at Calvary, consider verse 24.

Psalm 22:24

For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid

his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

(a) As you can see, the Father did NOT “turn

His face away” or forsake the Son.

V. Conclusion

A. Not “Three IN One”

1 John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy

Ghost: and these three are one.

1. The Bible nowhere declares that there are “three in one.”

a. Inasmuch as verse 8 speaks of three that “agree in one,”

there can be only one meaning of verse 7, which is exactly what it says: “These three

ARE One!”