Tag: God Himself

God Himself – Part 4

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Thessalonians 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

Two and three Persons are referred to in every New Testament book (500 Scripture to confirm). In no conceivable way can we force a meaning of three persons in one person; three beings in one being; or three manifestations of only one person in any of these or any other scripture.

Three distinct and separate witnesses bear witness of Christ (1Jn. 5:5-11, 13, 5:20). Both God and man require this many personal and separate witnesses to confirm any point (Matt. 18:16; 2Cor. 13:1). The water and blood of 1 John 5:8 could not be accepted as accredited personal witnesses to confirm any point (Matt. 18:16; 2Cor. 13:1). The water and blood of 1 John 5:8 could not be accepted as an accredited personal witness in themselves. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the only personal witnesses of this passage. If we consider these to be only one person, then there are not the required number of witnesses to establish the truth of the Sonship of Jesus Christ. We are forced by facts to admit all of 1 John 5:7-8 as inspired Scripture and therefore, the fact that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and personal witnesses instead of being only one person or witness. Indeed, many scriptures confirm these three witnesses: (1) The Father (Jer. 29:23; Mal. 3:5; John 5:31-37; Heb. 1:1-2; 2:3-4); the Son (Isa. 55:4; John 18:37; 1Tim. 6:13; Rev. 1:5); the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16; John 15:26; Heb. 10:15; 1Jn. 3:6). If all three are witnesses, then they must be separate Persons. The water and the blood simply confirm the intelligent testimonies of the three Persons of the Godhead and give additional weight to the Sonship of Jesus.

The words through and by, used of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, but not once of the Father, prove that God is a separate Person and the Head and Director of all things done by and through them (1Cor. 3:23; 11:3; John 10:29; 14:28; 16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Acts 2:33-34): (1) Through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:2; Rom. 1:8; 5:1, 9, 11; 6:23; 7:25; 15:17; 16:27; 1Cor. 15:57; 2Cor. 3:4; Gal. 3:14; 4:7; 5:10; Eph. 2:7, 18; Php. 4:7, 13; Tit. 3:6; Heb. 13:21; 1Pet. 1:22; 4:11; 1Jn. 4:9); (2) By Jesus Christ (John 1:3, 10, 17; 10:9; Acts 4:10; 10:36; Rom. 2:16; 3:22; 5:17, 21; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:5; 3:9; Col. 1:15-20; 3:17; Heb. 1:1-3; 1Pet. 2:5; 5:10); (3) Through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2; 21:4; Rom. 8:13; 15:13, 19; Gal. 5:5; Eph. 2:22; Heb. 9:14); (4) By the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 11:24; Mic. 3:8; Zech. 4:6; Matt. 12:28; Luke 2:27; 4:1; Acts 11:28; Rom. 5:5; 15:19; 1Cor. 2:10; 6:11; 12:3, 13).

God Himself – Part 3

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Thessalonians 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

Names of God prove plurality of persons. The Hebrew word ’Elohiym is the word for God in Genesis 1:1 and over 2,700 other places in the Old Testament It is a uni-plural noun meaning Gods and is so translated 239 times (Gen. 3:5; Ex. 22:28; 1Sam. 4:8; Dan. 2:11; 4:6-9; 5:11, 14; etc.). Sometimes ’Elohiym is used with plural verbs and pronouns, “the Gods they caused me to wander” (Gen. 20:13), and “there the Gods they appeared unto him” (Gen. 35:7).

Plural pronouns are used for God, proving the plurality of persons (Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; Isa. 6:8; John 14:23; 17:11, 22-23). First, second, and third personal pronouns are used hundreds of times in Scripture, referring to one, two, and three persons of the Godhead in the same sense they are used for men. Sometimes the different members of the Deity use them to and of one another in the same sense man uses them. In John 17:1-26 alone Jesus uses them 162 times in speaking to and of His Father (cp. John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15). Sometimes singular pronouns are used for the whole Godhead of three members as a unity (Ex. 20:3; Isa. 44:6, 8; 45:5, 21; 46:9; Hos. 13:4), just like the whole body of Christ as a unit is spoken of as a man and “he” (Eph. 2:14-15; 4:13; 5:25-27; 2Thess. 2:7-8).

Jesus Christ is called the son of Abraham, David, Mary, and God (Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1; 6:3). He is just as much a separate person from God as He is of these other persons.

Two Persons are referred to many times in the New Testament (Matt. 11:27; Luke 23:46; John 1:1-2, 18; 5:19-20; 14:1-9; 16:15; 17:3, 10; Acts 2:38-39; 3:13-26; Php. 2:5-11; Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:5; 2Thess. 2:16-17; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 20:6; 22:3).

God is the head of Christ and thus greater than He in position (1Cor. 3:23; 11:3; 1Chron. 29:11; John 14:28). Christ is the mediator between God and man, not between Himself and man (1Tim. 2:5).

To be continued…

God Himself – Part 2

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Thessalonians 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

With over 20,000 references to God in Scripture, we get to know all we need to know about the subject. If we will take the Bible literally as to what it says about Him, as we do with other things the subject will be very clear; but if we make God a mystery, ignoring the plain statements of Scripture about Him, and refusing to believe the many descriptions of God given by those who have seen one, two, and three separate persons called “God,” then we will remain in ignorance.

There are indeed a few figurative statements about God in Scripture, as there are about man and other things, but shall we do away with the reality of man and these other things because of a few figures of speech? Let us make man mere salt and lights (Matt. 5:13-14) if we are going to do away with God because of a few figures of speech.

We submit the following facts in Scripture to prove a Divine Trinity of separate persons in the Godhead: The word “one” means one in unity as well as one in number. It means unity in 1 John 5:7, as it does in John 17:11, 21-23, and yet these three Persons, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, are spoken of as one each in number and individuality in Scripture. There is one God the Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit (1Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:3-6). Thus, there are three separate Persons in divine individuality and divine plurality. The Father is called God (1Cor. 8:6), the Son is called God (Isa. 9:6, 7; Heb. 1:8; John 1:1-2; 20:28), and the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4). As individual persons each can be called God and collectively, they can be spoken of as one God because of their perfect unity. The word “God” is used either as a singular or a plural word, like sheep.

Everything that could be spoken of God collectively applies equally to each member of the Godhead as an individual, but some things are said of each person of the Deity as to position, office, and work that could not be spoken as of the other members of the Godhead. The Father is the head of Christ (1Cor. 11:3); the Son is the only begotten of the Father (2Jn. 1:3), and the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Acts 2:34).

To be continued…

God Himself – Part 1

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Thessalonians 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. 

‘God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.’ Another clear proof of more than one person in the Godhead. Two are mentioned here: God, our Father; our Lord Jesus Christ. This confirms the deity of Christ (see 1Jn. 5:7).

What we mean by Divine Trinity is that there are three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead, each one having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the same sense each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit. We mean by the body, whether a spirit body or a flesh body, the house for the indwelling of the personal soul and spirit. The soul is that which feels and the spirit is that which knows.

The doctrine of the Trinity can be clearly seen, being understood by the visible things that are made, even to His eternal power and Godhead (Rom. 1:20). What on earth was created in the image and likeness of God? Man (Gen. 1:26-28). Do God’s image and likeness consist only of moral and spiritual powers? If so, it can be concluded that man is only a moral and spiritual being. Is God bodiless? If so, we can conclude that man is also bodiless.

Is God only one being made up of several persons or beings in one being? If so, we can conclude that man is one person or being made up of many. Does God need a flesh body to have any kind of body? No! There are such things as spirit and heavenly bodies (1Cor. 15:35-38). From this passage, we learn that all things in creation – grain, fish, birds, beasts, man and angels – have bodies, sizes, shapes, and forms.

God has been seen physically by human eyes many times (Gen. 18:1-33; 19:24; 32:24-30; Ex. 24:11; 33:11-33; Jos. 5:13-15; Jdg. 6:11-23; 13:3-25; 1Chron. 21:16-17; Job 42:5; Isa. 6:1-13; Ezek. 1:26-28; 10:1, 20; 40:3; Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-10; Acts 7:56-59; Rev. 4:2-5; 5:1, 5-7, 11-14; 6:16; 7:9-17; 19:4; 21:3-5; 22:4).

To be continued…