No doctrine in scripture is more explicit than the oneness
of God. The King James uses these terms: One God (Malachi 2:10; Mark 12:32; Romans 3:30:
1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; James 2:19). God is one (Galatians 3:20). One Lord (Deuteronomy
6:4; Zechariah 14:9; Mark 12:29; Ephesians 4:5).
Not only does the scripture say that God is one, but further
defines this oneness in these terms: alone (Isaiah 44:24), by Himself (Isaiah
44:24), none beside and none else (Isaiah 45:6), above all (2 Chronicles 2:5), none
before and none after (Isaiah 43:10).
In addition to this are the thousands of times that singular
personal pronouns (He, Him, I, Me) are used of God. While there are a couple
references in the English translations to God as “us” they must not be understood in a Trinitarian sense. The Jews, to whom the language belongs, would
never have understood God as a pluripersonal being. Some of the “us” passages that are sometimes thought to refer to God, like
Isaiah 6:8, clearly do not. The “us” in Isaiah 6:8 does not refer to God
alone, but to God and His host (Isaiah 6:3).
God is never referred to as “they” or “them.”
“Hear, O
Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” Deuteronomy
6:4 KJV
Deuteronomy 6:4 is called the Shema, and is the bed rock
upon which both the Old and New Testaments are built. The Shema is not only central to Judaism, it
is also equally central to Christianity; it is the theology of both covenants. More importantly in the New Testament is the
idea that Israel’s God has been revealed in and as Jesus.
As N.T. Wright says:[1]
“…we
are to look at Jesus and see in him, however strange it may seem, the personal
presence of Israel’s God…”[2]
“…God
who, having made humans in his own image, will most naturally express himself
in and as that image-bearing creature…”[3]
“…in
Jesus, Israel’s God had become present, had become human, had come to live in
the midst of his people…”[4]
The idea that Israel’s God had become human in and as Jesus Christ is incredible! That Jesus is the incarnational and personal
presence of Israel’s one God is replete throughout the Old Testament
(prophetically) and the New Testament (fulfillment).
“Is he the God
of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is
one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision
through faith.” Romans 3:29-30 KJV
This verse beautifully illustrates
that Israel’s God is the Gentile’s God, and the way that Israel’s God became
the Gentile’s God is in the incarnation (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16).
My favorite illustration
of Jesus being Israel’s God incarnate is Jeremiah 17:9-10 and Revelation 2:18,
23:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the
reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit
of his doings.”
“These things sayeth the Son of God… all the
churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I
will give unto every one of you according to your works.” Revelation 2:18, 23
This is a bold claim by
the Son of God to be the Old Testament LORD (Yahweh). The New Testament makes two very clear
claims: 1. Israel’s God is the only true God. 2. Israel’s one God is revealed
in the Person of Christ.
The point of the oneness
of God, as I will attempt to demonstrate in this book, is much bigger than creedal
confession. The oneness of God is not
only the world’s greatest creed, but it is also the world’s great conduct.
[1] For clarification: I am
not quoting N.T. Wright presuming that we share the same Theology or Christology.
[2] Wright, N. T.
(2012-03-13). How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels (Kindle
Locations 1573-1574). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
[3] Wright, N. T.
(2012-03-13). How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels (Kindle
Locations 1706-1709). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
[4] Wright, N. T.
(2012-03-13). How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels (Kindle
Locations 1549-1554). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Greetings John Calvin
ReplyDeleteTrinitarianism is indeed wrong.
But sadly, both Oneness and trinity doctrines try to make Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah our Lord, into Almighty GOD!!
And both doctrines state that you must believe that the Lord Jesus is Almighty GOD to be saved!!
In this regard, both doctrines do err and are scripturally wrong.
IMHO!
Both doctrines appeared hundreds of years after the ascension of Christ.
Both doctrines try to explain how Jesus can be both God and man at the same time!! The Godman!!
But the original faith which was once delivered unto the saints [Jude 3] did not suffer from this problem.
The original faith has always been
that there is solely ONE GOD,
the Father.
And Jesus of Nazareth, is the one man, the one human being whom Almighty GOD raised from the dead, made him, both Lord and Christ, and exalted him to His right hand.
Hence, Jesus of Nazareth is
the Lord Jesus Christ,
a man approved of Almighty GOD,
who is currently at the right hand of the ONE GOD in the heavens.
Whom we await for his return.
(1 Cor 8:4) ... there is none other God but one.
(1 Cor 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
(1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;
(1 Th 1:9-10) For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Hundreds of years after the pure, true, apostolic faith was propagated;
Greek, Hellenistic and pagan philosophy/doctrines changed the human Jesus into a demigod then into a godman.
And in response, both the doctrines of the trinity and Oneness tried to solve this self-inflicted problem!
The solution therefore, is to return to the pure faith and doctrine as taught in the Scriptures:
that there is solely ONE GOD, the Father.
And there is solely one man, one human, whom the ONE GOD has made
"Lord of all", the man Messiah Jesus.
And indeed the day is coming where ...
(Phil 2:11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
60 questions on the Godhead
Oneness on Trial - The Verdict
Oneness on Trial - The Verdict (part 2)
Thank you very much for your response. I obviously disagree. Maybe I will respond in more detail a little later. Again thank you for your involvement on my thread.
ReplyDelete