Victorious Living
A Home Bible Study
LESSON 1…...THE ONENESS OF THE GODHEAD / LESSON 9……PRAYER: THE KEY TO VICTORYLESSON 2……THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD: REDEMPTION / LESSON 10…..FASTING
LESSON 3……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
PART 1: REPENTANCE / LESSON 11…..SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
LESSON 4……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
PART 2: WATER BAPTISM / LESSON 12…..FINANCES
LESSON 5……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
PART 3: SPIRIT BAPTISM / LESSON 13…..PRAISE AND WORSHIP
LESSON 6……8 LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH / LESSON 14…..HOLINESS: A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP
LESSON 7……TRIALS AND BURDENS / LESSON 15…..THE BIBLE: OUR DAILY BREAD
LESSON 8……ENEMIES OF THE SOUL / LESSON 16…..GETTING INVOLVED IN KINGDOM WORK
THE ONENESS OF THE GODHEAD
I. INTRODUCTION
One of the most misunderstood Bible truths, is the doctrine of the Godhead. The most universally accepted view of the Godhead in denominations today, is the teaching of the Trinity. This view basically states that God is three distinct persons who are co-equal in power, knowledge, and existence. The word trinity is never mentioned in the Bible, but the existence of just One God is mentioned many times in scripture.
Why is it important to know about the Godhead? Jesus said in John 8:24,
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
We also read of Jesus saying in Luke 10:22
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
These verses indicate that the understanding that Jesus is God is relevant to salvation, and the only way to know who Jesus is, is by revelation from Jesus Himself. When Jesus asked Peter who men thought that He was in Matthew 16:13-19, the following conversation took place.
13 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.
The very foundation of the church was built on the revelation of who Jesus is, and promises great blessings to those who are built on that revelatory foundation. It is a God given revelation which everyone should be seeking. If you have never received that revelation for yourself, it is our hope that this lesson will help you to receive the knowledge of the Bible doctrine of the Oneness of God.
II. THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
Many times in our version of the Old Testament the word God or LORD is used in place of the name which was used by the original writers. Some of the Hebrew names for God are:
El. Strength, mighty, almighty, which denotes deity.
Eloah. Derived from El. Always refers to deity.
Elohim. A plural form of Eloah. The word used most often to denote God. The Hebrew plural is intensive, denoting God’s greatness, majesty, and many different attributes, not a plurality of Gods.
Adonai. Lord.
Eheyeh asher Eheyeh. I AM THAT I AM.
YHWH (Yahweh). GOD, LORD, JEHOVAH.
El-Elyon. Most High God.
El-Shaddai. Almighty God.
El-Olam. Everlasting God.
Yahweh is the redemptive name of God in the Old Testament, and the name that God used to distinguish Himself from every false god. It means “Self-Existing One” or the “Eternal One.” In the English it was translated as Jehovah because of the way that the Hebrew scribes wrote God’s name in their scrolls. The Hebrew language didn’t use vowels, so instead, when they wrote His name, they used the letters “YHWH.” Because they would not use His name in vain, it was not commonly spoken. After a long period of time had gone by the pronunciation of His name was uncertain. The translators had to guess what vowels went between the letters, and came up with the equivalent of the name Jehovah when translating to the Greek language. So Yahweh (Hebrew) and Jehovah (English) are the same names in different languages.
To take it one step farther, God revealed Himself to Moses as “I Am.” When we say Yahweh we are saying the same thing, only we say “He Is.” So Jehovah or Yahweh simply means “He Is.” Whether God is referring to Himself as the “I Am” or we are referring to Him as “He Is,” both names speak of God as being eternal, or without beginning or end.
God continuously revealed Himself to the Old Testament people in different ways, which caused them to use descriptive words along with the name Jehovah. Remember that Jehovah (Yahweh) was many time translated as LORD. He was called in Genesis 22:14 “Jehovah-jireh,” which means “the LORD will provide.” In Exodus 15:26 He is “Jehovah-rapha,”“the LORD that heals.” In Judges 6:24 He is “Jehovah-shalom,” meaning “the LORD our peace.” Combining a descriptive work of God with the name Jehovah gave a more complete understanding of His name. It told them more about who God was, and His attributes as they were revealed to the people of Israel. We will talk more about this when we look at the God of the New Testament.
III. HOW MANY GODS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
There are a number of scriptures in the Old Testament that state that there is only One God. Let’s start with Deuteronomy 6:4.
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.
This was taught to every Jewish child at an early age. Isaiah 43:10, 11 gives the words of Jehovah concerning Himself.
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isaiah records the statement of God that He is the only God and Savior. The book of Isaiah is full of revelation concerning who and what God is. It records in chapter 44 verses 6 & 24,
6 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.
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 prophet Zechariah talks about God’s place in the end-times in chapter 14 verse 9.
9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Malachi 2:10 also makes a clear statement of how many Gods there are.
10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?
There are too many verses in the Old Testament to reference them all. But, it is clearly stated that only one God is Creator, Redeemer, King, the First and the Last. and our Savior. Many have tried to say that the name “Elohim,” which is a plural word, is in reference to a trinity of the Godhead. Yet the rest of the phrasing in the surrounding verses refer to God in the singular.
For instance, it says in Genesis 1:26,
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
But verse 27 goes on to say,
27 So God created man in his own image.
Does the Bible contradict itself? No. How then do we explain this portion of Scripture which refers to a plural “us” and a singular “him?” We know the Bible says that God is a Spirit. Were Adam and Eve spirit, or flesh, or were they both? Adam was made of the dust of the ground, which became his flesh, and then God breathed into Adam the breath of life, which came from the Spirit of God, making Adam both flesh and spirit. Was God flesh and Spirit? Not yet. God has all foreknowledge and is not restricted in time as we are. Knowing that man would sin and that He would have to become our Savior, God looked ahead into future time, and saw what He would look like as a man dwelling on this earth. After He decided what He would look like, He made Adam in His likeness, which was the image of Jesus, who was both flesh and God (Spirit). Colossians 1:15 says,
15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.
The “us” referred to in Genesis 1:26 is God and the man Christ Jesus, who is God manifested in flesh. We do not have two different persons, but we have God coming to earth as a man in an earthly body. The fleshly body of Jesus is what is called the Son of God. Since Jesus was the express image of God, when God made us in Jesus’ image, He was making us in His own image.
IV. THE GOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament is also full of references that speak of only One God. Matthew 1:21-23 gives us the knowledge of who Jesus is very clearly stated.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
These verses are a powerful revelation of who Jesus is. The name “Jesus” is a combination of the names “Yahweh” and “Joshua.” Jesus’ name literally means “Yahweh is Salvation,” or “He is Salvation.” Jesus received His name because He was the Savior and was identified as God with us. God came to be with us as a man so that He could die for us and save us from our sins.
1 Timothy 3:16 also declares that Jesus is God.
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.
Paul wrote a warning to the Colossian church concerning who Jesus is in Colossians 2:8-10.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
All three of these portions of New Testament writing let us know that God came to earth in the form of a man. It says God was manifested, which means He was made visible, or He showed Himself to us in a fleshly form. The name Jesus could never have been used by God if He had not come in the flesh. The name Jesus described the new role that God would play in relationship to mankind’s need. Only flesh and blood could die, and God said that blood was the only thing that could buy the remission of our sin in Hebrews 9:22.
22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Since the Spirit of God had no blood to shed, God formed a body for Himself by overshadowing the virgin Mary. That body was made for the purpose of becoming our Redeemer. In Old Testament law, only a near kinsman could redeem a person, or the land, when they were sold out side of the family. God became one of us so that He could be our near kinsman and buy our salvation. The name “Jesus” is a combination of “Jehovah” and “our salvation.” He was called Jesus because Jehovah had become our salvation. Only by dying and shedding His blood could that happen.
The Word then went on to say that God put every thing that there was of the Godhead in the physical body of Jesus. When we have Jesus, we have every thing we need for salvation. His very name means “salvation.”
So, we find that the same Jehovah, who was God of the Old Testament, is still the God of the New Testament embodied in the man Jesus Christ.
V. HOW MANY GODS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
Just as the Old Testament only revealed to us One God, the New Testament does exactly the same. In John 10:30 Jesus says,
30 I and my Father are one.
Jesus says that He is the Father by being One with Him. Ephesians 4:5, 6 helps to make it clearer.
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Again we see that there is only One God and He is in everything. Revelation 1:8 is Jesus speaking to John saying,
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
There can only be one first and one last and Jesus says that He is it. The same Jesus that John saw in chapter one of Revelation he also saw in Revelation 4:2.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
All of the above scriptures refer to only one God. There can only be one first, and one last. John only saw one God sitting on the throne of heaven. So why is there so much confusion about the idea of a trinity of persons in the Godhead? Let’s look at Matthew 28:19 for the answer.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
This verse is the foundation of trinity teaching. It would appear to refer to God as consisting of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. So let’s look at the command and how it was obeyed in Acts 2:38.
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
It would seem, at first glance, that Peter misunderstood what Jesus told the disciples to do. But, look at Jesus’ command to baptize. He said to baptize in a name (singular). So what is the name of the Father, and the Holy Ghost? We already know that the name of the Son is Jesus. Let’s read Isaiah 9:6 for some insight concerning the Father’s name.
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.
The son who was given was Jesus, and He is also the Everlasting Father. Jesus said concerning Himself in John 5:43,
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Jesus came having the Father’s name as His own name. He said to Philip in John 14:8, 9,
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
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, Show us the Father?
Since Jehovah is one of the Father’s names, and Jesus came in that name (Jehovah is salvation), the Father’s name must be Jesus. Since Isaiah said that the Son who would be given, would be called “The everlasting Father”, Jesus must be the Father, for surely He is the Son that was given. Jesus told Philip that He was the Father.
We can easily determine that the name of the Father is Jesus. But, what is the name of the Holy Ghost? Again Jesus is speaking in John 14:17, 18.
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Jesus said that He would come back as the Comforter and would dwell in the disciples. Paul told the Roman church in Romans 8:9,
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.