The Oneness of God

Lesson 1 - The Identity of God

Who is God? What is His name? Can He be known and understood? These are all questions that must be answered in order to worship and serve God. Man has tried to answer these questions for centuries and has managed to come up with some very farfetched schemes. Before we examine who God says He is, let’s define the various beliefs of men about God. Every religious (or non-religious) belief can be defined in the following terms:

Agnosticism - the belief that God can not be known or understood. This term was coined by a man named Thomas Huxley in 1869. They state that nothing about God can be understood or revealed to man and so the subject of God is not worth studying. While we may never understand every aspect of God, the Bible is the story of God revealing Himself to man over the centuries. Romans 1:20 states that “the eternal power and Godhead” are “clearly seen,” and to not understand God is to be “without excuse.”

Atheism - the belief that there is no God. Very few people are true atheists, and -- as the saying goes -- there are none in foxholes! Atheist usually hold to talking about wisdom and reason as being what governs man. Some even believe that man created God in that they wanted a concept of God so they invented Him. The most famous atheist of all time was a French man by the name of Voltaire. Voltaire vowed a vow to destroy all of Christianity before his death. After Voltaire died, his home became the headquarters of a Bible society that printed Bibles and distributed them. Voltaire also criticized the famous scientist, Isaac Newton, who predicted that one day men would be able to travel at speeds of over 40 miles an hour. Voltaire scoffed at this idea stating that a man traveling at such speeds would “suffocate and his heart would stop.” Voltaire’s life definitely proves that the Bible is true when it states in Psalms 14:1 that “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God ... !”

Deism - the belief that God was the Creator of the universe but does not care anything about is any more. This is not a common belief today but was very popular in the 1800s. Deist basically claim that God created the world and then “locked Himself out of it and threw away the key.” They teach that God can not be felt and does not care for us. The Bible obviously refutes this theory; one good example is John 3:16.

Pantheism - the belief that nature is God and the forces of the universe are gods. In other words, everything that man did not create is God. Some believe in a living earth, and worship the mother earth. It does not matter what part of creation that you worship as long as it is not man made because God is everything and everything is God. Many nudists are pantheists because being naked is the “natural” way to live. In other words, they feel that they are closer to their God, nature, when they are “natural.” The Bible teaches in many passages that the Creator is to be worshipped and not the creation, and that God is distinct from His Creation (Hebrews 11:3 Acts 17:28).

Polytheism - the belief in more than one God. Most Eastern religions (Hindu, Buddha, Taoism, etc...) are polytheistic. The Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic which is why Moses wanted a unique name for the God of Israel before telling Pharaoh “God has sent me” (Exodus 3:14). Almost every nation around the promised land were polytheistic in belief. The Greeks and Roman religions were extremely polytheistic. Most people have studied Greek and Roman mythology in school, and that is exactly what their beliefs were: myths. Polytheism was the common Gentile belief during the New Testament. “Ditheism” is the belief in only two Gods. “Tritheism” is the belief in only three Gods. The term “Polytheism” is usually used in the context of believing in four or more Gods. Paul’s response to the polytheism of the Greeks should also be our stand today: “Lords many, gods many . . . to us there is one God” (I Corinthians 8:4)!

Monotheism - the belief that there is only one God. There are only three religions in the world that are monotheistic in nature: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Judaism is the belief of the orthodox Jews today and hold to the laws of Moses and Phariseeical statues regarding their life, disregarding Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Islam states that the one God is named Allah, and that Jesus Christ was just a prophet. Christianity believes that Jesus Christ was the Messiah or promised one to Israel. Within Christianity there are several beliefs of God:

Trinitarianism - the belief that the one God can be divided into three separate persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but still be only one God.

There are basically two types of Trinitarians:

1. Trinitarians who emphasize the “unity of God” without realizing or understanding is meant by saying that God is “three separate persons.”

2. Trinitarians who emphasize the “threeness” of God to the point of believing in three separate beings. These Trinitarians are essentially tritheistic even though they vehemently deny being so.

Binatarianism - the belief that there are only two persons in the Godhead: the Father and the Son. They do not classify the Holy Spirit as being a separate being or equal with the Father or the Son.

Monarchianism (or Oneness Monotheists) - the belief that God can not be divided into persons and is absolutely (in every way) one.

There are basically two types of Oneness Monotheists: (don’t let the big names scare you)

1. Dynamic Monarchianism - Oneness Monotheists that believe that there is only one God but does so by denying that Jesus Christ was that one God. They may deny this by as subtle means as not using the name of Jesus in baptism, or by extreme beliefs that Jesus was not God but only a man greatly anointed of God. Either way these groups demote Jesus Christ to a “junior God” or “created God.”

2. Modalistic Monarchianism - the belief that there is absolutely one God who can not be divided into persons and that the fullness of the Godhead (everything that God is) was manifested (shown and revealed) in Jesus Christ. They believe that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles that refer to different manifestations, offices, roles, modes (thus the name “modal-istic”), and relationships that the One, True, Living God has displayed to man. They believe that the revealed name of God is “Jesus,” and thus baptize “in the name of Jesus.” Modalistic Monarchianists today usually use the simpler to pronounce terms of “Oneness” or “Jesus Name” to refer to themselves. Their opponents sometimes label them by misleading terms such as “Jesus Only” or “New Issue.” There are several religious organizations today that are Modalistic Monarchianists. The largest organization by far is the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) of which I am a licensed minister.

I am, of course, a Modalistic Monarchianists, but before you decide what you believe, take the “whole council of God.” Most people today have been falsely taught some form of Trinitarianism or of Dynamic Monarchianism and thus view the scriptures through those glasses. We will see in our study, however, that the apostles and writers of the Bible had no such view and wrote unprejudiced by such ideas. Many people today do not believe that the subject of God’s identity is really a “big deal.” However, we will see how that if one does not correctly understand God and the roles that He has revealed to man, then they ALWAYS stray into false doctrine. The subject of Salvation cannot be completely understood without understanding the oneness of God revealed in Christ because the name of Jesus is the only name that will save us (Acts 4:12). A Trinitarian formula will not save you! The subject of Prophecy cannot be understood without understanding how that Jesus Christ was the revealed One God because the Book of Revelation is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ to the World.” You cannot testify, sing, preach, teach, live, pray, or witness without understanding the one for whom you testify, sing, preach, teach, live, pray, and witness! The Writer of Hebrews summed up the importance of understanding exactly who God is well:

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Must believe that God is what? That is the question that we must allow the only reliable source, God’s Word, to answer for us.

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Many people forget that Israel is God’s chosen people, that is, the nation whom God decided to reveal His plan through. Even though God has turned to give “whosoever will” the chance to be saved in the present dispensation of Grace because of Israel’s rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, does not mean that God has forgotten Israel. One popular interpretation today states that God has forever turned His back upon Israel but that is not true. This view called “preterism” is easily debunked by reading the 9th, 10th, and 11th chapter of Romans where Paul completely covers the subject. The point is this: the Old Testament is Jewish History and God’s gradual revelation to the Jews of His divine plan.

The most important scripture to the Jewish people is Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and is even referred to by it’s own name, the “Shema.”

Deut 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.

The Shema is so sacred that when a Jew dies, he tries to make the quotation of this scripture his last words. Moses went on to command Israel in the following verses that they were to place the Shema in their hearts (verse 6), teach it to their children throughout the day (verse 7), bind it upon their hands and foreheads (verse 8; today called phylacteries), and write it upon the gates and doorposts of their houses (verse 9). Orthodox Jews still literally obey these principles today.

Jesus did not do away with the Shema but affirmed the importance of it:

Mark 12:28-30, 32 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. . . . 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

Jesus stated that the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) was the first and most important commandment to understand. This still holds true for today!

It is also important in laying our foundation of the identity of God, to study the various attributes that are revealed by scripture. Even among the characteristics of God, the most important one is scripture is His absolute oneness. This is revealed by the amount of scriptures that deal with the subject. We will show a representation of what the scriptures say about which number should be associated with God. Before we begin, you should know that nowhere in the text of the Scripture is God ever referred to as a “trinity.” “Trinity” is not a Biblical term. In fact, the only number ever associated with God in scripture is “one.” There is never even an implied “three-ness” to God. Space forbids us to list all of the scriptures asserting God’s oneness, but we will list enough for you to get the idea. We will cover many more scriptures as we progress in our study.

Old Testament Scriptures:

Exod 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Deut 5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Is it any surprise that Commandment #1 of the Ten Commandments is about worshipping only One God?

Deut 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

There is no god WITH God! Notice the repetition of the SINGULAR pronoun “I.”

2 Sam 7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

There is no god BESIDE God!

1 Chr 17:20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

God must have considered understanding that there is no god beside Him very important to repeat it twice!

Ps 86:10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

The Prophet Isaiah had a wonderful revelation of who God was. We will mention a few:

Isa 44:6, 8 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. . . . 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Isa 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;

The One Lord is the Redeemer, and He created the earth BY HIMSELF!

Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Is the theme of there not being anyone or person BESIDE God beginning to sound familiar?

Isa 45:21-22 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

There is no Saviour beside the one God!

Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

There is no one even “like” the one God!

Isa 48:11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Twice God has said that he will not share His glory with any other.

Isa 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

God is alone in heaven. He alone created heaven and earth.

Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Isa 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Above are three scriptures that refer to God as the “Holy One of Israel.” Lest we think that there are only three scriptures that call God this, here is another one:

Ps 71:22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

Mal 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Malachi joined Isaiah in saying that only one God created everything and also called Him our one Father.

Zech 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

This scripture is in reference to the Millennial reign when God rules and reigns for 1,000 years upon the earth after the Rapture of the Church. In that day the only God worshipped will be the one God and His name will be one! We will see later what His name is to be called!

New Testament Scriptures:

Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

1 Cor 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that 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.

If Paul is stating that the Lord Jesus Christ is another person, then he is contradicting himself and Old Testament scripture. The focus of this scripture is on the number one and Paul knew that Jesus Christ was Lord, the God of Glory (Acts 22:8). When Paul had his experience with a bright light and a voice from heaven on the Damascus road, he asked the most pressing question that he had: “who art thou Lord?” The reason that Paul was persecuting the Christians was that he did not understand that Jesus was Lord! Once he realized that Jesus was God, then Paul became the greatest theologian and soulwinner that ever lived! Could it be that what is holding you back from being what God designed you to be could be a lack of revelation of the Oneness of God? Here are more scriptures from Paul:

Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Compare this scripture with Galations 3:20 above. There is no discrepancy. Jesus Christ is both God and mediator between God and man. God can do two things at once!

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The devils know how many Gods there are, and it scared them. They do not want you to get a revelation of the One, true, living God because of what the revelation will equip you to do!

I Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

John also refers to Jesus Christ as the Holy One. Hmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Rev 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

An easy answer to the most wondered about trinitarian question: “How many thrones are there in heaven and how many persons sitting on those thrones.” There is A throne, as in only one throne and only one that sit upon it. Think about it. According to these scriptures, when you get to heaven, how many Gods are you going to see?

Before concluding, let’s look at a favorite “trinitarian scripture.”

I Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

We will thoroughly discuss this verse later but notice what the point of the verse is: “these three are ONE.” This scripture does not teach three separate persons of the trinity, but teaches that even though God has revealed Himself to man in three different manifestations, He is only one person. In the same way, I can bear record as a Pastor, Husband, and Son but am not a trinity of three persons: I am only one person, and my name is not Pastor, Husband, or Son! If this was a declaration of the “Holy Trinity” then why did John write “the Word” instead of “the Son?”

In conclusion, we see that man has many beliefs of what and who God is. The only number zealously associated with God is ONE, and the only time that THREE is even used in the same verse as God is to prove that He is ONE! The Jews believe that God is only one, and that is the foremost reason why Jews have trouble accepting the typical view of Christianity today. For Jesus to be the Messiah to a Jew, He must be the one God! God asked Abraham to forsake the many gods that his father and land worshipped and worship the one true God (Genesis 12:1-8). If we are the church, then we are considered to be the children of Abraham (Galations 3:7). Jesus said that if we are the children of Abraham we will do the works of Abraham (John 8:39)! God is calling you and I to leave the traditions of our land and maybe even our fathers and mothers to worship the One, True, Living God. The immortal words of Jesus still hold true for us today:

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.

The Father is seeking for someone that will worship Him in spirit and in truth! Are you a true worshipper? It is popular to be “spirit-filled” today and worship God with all of the outward motions and expressions, but we are also commanded to worship Him in “truth.” You really cannot worship God in “truth,” unless you know who He is and that is the reason and importance of our study on the oneness of God!