Understanding and Knowing the One True and Living God
Hello Family of God,
I will be sharing some FACTS regarding the Triune God of Scripture and His Immutable Attributes. It seems as if the God of Holy Scripture has been accused and slandered among many, even those who profess to belong to Christ and God. I will begin with . . .
[Why God must be Triune in BEING]:
Simple Answer: God is Love; and what I mean by that is the Divine/Perfect Love shared within the Triune Godhead from Eternity past (cf. Matt. 17:2; Jn. 17:24; 2 Pet. 1:17). Love is an emotion that is directed toward someone other than ourselves. The Perfect Love of the Father is manifested in His Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness. We see this manifested in the Giving of His One and Only Son, and how Jesus Christ experienced the most unimaginable suffering that a finite being could never fully understand (Isa. 53:3-12; Ps. 22:14-18; Matt. 26:36-39; Lk. 22:44; Jn. 10:18; 18:11; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9-11; 5:7-8; 12:2-3; 1 Jn. 4:7-12). Also keep in mind that God is Love, NOT Love is God; and this has been taught by many well-meaning Christians (e.g., "the car is red, NOT red is the car").
"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." (Hebrews 11:6)
First and foremost: there is NONE like the One True God. The above verse cited is not to be interpreted as simply believing in the Existence of God (everyone should know this); it is to be understood that those who desire to Know God must believe that He is the One TRUE GOD, separate from all other gods, who are all false gods or demons (Jer. 10:11; Rom. 1:20; 1 Cor. 8:5-6; 10:20-22). The God of Holy Scripture is unique in the sense that there is no other "god" like Him (One in BEING), and Eternally Existing in Three distinct persons (2 Kgs. 19:15; 2 Sam. 22:32; Neh. 9:6; Isa 37:16,20; 43:10; 45:5; 64:4; Joel 2:27; Mk. 12:32; Jn. 17:3; 1 Tim. 1:17). He does not change, for He is the Eternal I AM.
"For thus saith [THE HIGH AND LOFTY ONE] that inhabiteth eternity, [WHOSE NAME IS HOLY]; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of [a contrite and humble spirit], to revive [the spirit of the humble], and to revive the heart of [the contrite ones]." (Isaiah 57:15)
Even the name of the One True God is set apart from all the false "gods" of this world. I have often heard atheists accusing God as arrogant and haughty because of the verse above, and the Irony in this is absolutely stunning. Even the [a]theist knows in their heart of hearts that God obviously exists; and it is their deceitful hearts, corrupted consciences, and the fallen nature of the unregenerate man which suppresses this Truth (cf. Jer. 17:9; Rom. 2:14-16; 1 Cor. 2:14-15; 1 Tim. 4:2). To the unregenerate man or woman who questions the Absolute Sovereignty of God:
- Who brought you into this world?
- Have you existed from Eternity past?
- Are you Deserving/Worthy of Worship?
- Is God HIGH AND LOFTY? Is the name of God HOLY? Would God be lying if He were to deny any of His self-existent and Immutable Attributes?
- Did you the Universe into existence from absolutely NOTHING? A
- Is there any "created" being in existence who would fit the characteristics and nature of God?
- Does the above quote cited bother you? And if so, why?
- Would a man or woman be considered humble and take issue with God in any way?
"[HE MUST INCREASE], but [I MUST decrease]. He that cometh from above is [ABOVE ALL]: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is [ABOVE ALL]." (John 3:30-31)
"I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth." (Isaiah 43:6-9)
Learn some humility my friend! The Word Incarnate became flesh not only to reconcile man unto God, but to demonstrate and prove that Christ is Lord, and is to be exalted. He had took the sins and burden of mankind upon Himself as an act and accomplishment of Divine Love beyond all human comprehension that no creature in existence would forego. His life and ministry is without doubt confirmed Him as Lord over all. God has created mankind to KNOW Him, to see His Glory and enjoy everlasting fellowship with Him in a way that cannot be fully understood by the fallen man, even in his redeemed state (cf. Isa. 43:6-9; Jn. 17:3; 1 Cor. 2:9; 13:12; 1 Jn. 3:2; Rev. 4:11).
"[THOU ART WORTHY, O LORD], [TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER]: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11)
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and [I will GIVE you rest]. Take my yoke upon you, and [learn of me]; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find [rest unto your souls]. For [my yoke] is easy, and [my burden] is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
"I am the LORD: that is my name: and [MY GLORY] will I [NOT GIVE TO ANOTHER], neither my praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8)
"I have [GLORIFIED THEE] on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, [GLORIFY THOU ME] with thine own self with [THE GLORY WHICH I HAD WITH THEE] before the world was." (John 17:4-5)
Do the above passages seem paradoxical at first glance? Only if you are a "natural" man (1 Cor. 2:14). We all know what the pronoun "another" means, correct? If all Three persons of the Godhead are ONE IN ESSENCE, co-equal, co-eternal, and of equal power (i.e., "Omnipotence"), then it stands to reason that the Son and the Holy Spirit are NOT to be considered as additional "Gods" (i.e., three Gods in total), rather they are One in BEING as the Father (Jn. 10:30).
To better understand this, we must first understand that when the Word became flesh, the Incarnate Word then had a dual nature (i.e., "He was BOTH God and Man"). So does this mean that there was an additional person added to the Triune God? Not at all. By the way, Mary is NOT the Mother of God, and this has been erroneously taught by Catholics, who venerate Mary above Jesus Christ. Jesus is BOTH God and Man; therefore, Mary is the mother of Jesus the "man", and NOT Jesus as God.
Who decided that God is One Person? Where did this idea come from? It is the "fallen nature" of the corrupted man which clouds his understanding of a Transcendent Being, who is The One True Creator God (Jn. 8:42; 1 Cor. 3:19). The Son of Man came into this world to not only reconcile mankind unto God, but to "reveal" the True Nature of God in all His Glory, and this will be fully expressed in the Eternal State (Matt. 11:27; Jn. 14:7,20-23). Sin separated man from God, and because of this separation, God is distanced from the unregenerate mind (Isa. 59:2). A Unipersonal "god" spells trouble for this so-called "god," Look what it did to the Devil:
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, [I will] ascend into heaven, [I will] exalt my throne above the stars of God: [I will] sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [I will] ascend above the heights of the clouds; [I will] be like the most High. [YET THOU SHALT BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL], [TO THE SIDES OF THE PIT]. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?" (Isaiah 14:12-17)
- I will ascend into heaven (No chance in hell)
- I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (There's going to be a new heaven and a new earth)
- I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north (False prophecy)
- I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (Stop dreaming)
- I will be like the most High (That position is already taken, and it's PERMANENT)
Satan is only concerned about himself, and he will use any means necessary to exalt himself. He will make false promises to those who would carry out his bidding in order that he may lifted up on high. He is the epitome of selfishness, self-centeredness, arrogance, hatred, deceit, malice, contempt, and every wicked thing under the sun. Isn't this what we see with many false teachers today who are only in it to fleece the flock, and feed their own selfish ambition and carnal desires? The Pharisees of Jesus' day did just that: they stole money from widows and deceived them into believing that they can "buy" their way to Heaven by literally giving ALL that they had, and these poor and destitute widows had nothing left to offer (cf. Lk. 21:1-4; 1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:6; Tit. 1:11; Jas. 5:1-3; 1 Pet. 5:2). Jesus referred to such religious hypocrites as children of the Devil (Jn. 8:44-45).
The time will come when this creature called the Devil and Satan will be brought to the lowest pits of hell. God and Christ is Glorified, and the accuser of our Brethren will be an abhorrence to all those who will gaze upon him. No more masquerading as an angel of light, the ugliness and shame of this foul creature will be seen for who he truly is. Let this be an example and lesson to all who resist God's Will and Sovereignty over all Creation. God alone is to be worshiped, and none other, because there is no other BEING in existence who can stake this claim. When all is said and done, every knee will bow before God and Christ whether they refuse to acknowledge Him now as Lord over all or not (Rom. 10:9-10; Phil. 2:10-11; Isa. 45:23).
Since mankind was [separated] from his Divine Creator as a result of disobedience and sin, mankind's understanding of the True Nature of One has been lost. It is the Father in Heaven who draws the unregenerate towards God, and reveals who the One True God is (Matt. 16:16-17; Jn. 6:44; 14:6). The curse of death (BOTH physical and spiritual) was the consequence of disobedience in the paradise of God; however, Jesus Christ cannot sin, and therefore the curse of death does not apply to Him (Rom. 5:12). Jesus did NOT die as a result of having a sin nature, but was murdered by His own at the age of 33. He "aged" to Perfection from the Cradle to the Cross, and accomplished all that His Father foreordained by fulfilling the Perfect Will of God (Ps. 16:10; Jn. 5:19; 8:29; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). The redeemed of all the ages will understand with perfect knowledge the True Meaning of ONE as they will SEE God in all His Glory.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for [WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS]." (1 John 3:1-2)
The Greek verb "see" (Grk. optanomai -- future middle indicative). To SEE GOD is to see Him in All His Full Glory in the Eternal State when God may be ALL IN ALL (1 Cor. 15:28). Christ will reign for 1,000 years upon the Earth, and after the consummation of the Millennial reign, God and Christ will continue to reign for all of Eternity as God the Father AND the Son sits on the Eternal Throne in the Eternal State. The Triune God will be manifested in His FULL GLORY, and the entire Family of God will see THE FACE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD (i.e., "God the Father") in the person of Jesus Christ (Matt. 11:27; 16:27; Jn. 1:18; 10:30; 14:9; 17:5; 1 Tim. 6:16).
"And there shall be no more curse: but [THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB] shall be in it; and his servants shall serve [HIM]: And they shall see [HIS FACE]; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for [THE LORD GOD GIVETH THEM LIGHT]: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 22:3-5)
"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for [THE GLORY OF GOD DID LIGHTEN IT], and [THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT] thereof." (Revelation 21:23)
The Lamb is the Light that God the Father gives to His redeemed, and it is a SHARED GLORY within the TRIUNE BEING of the Godhead. This Full manifestation of the Invisible God and His Glory is seen in the Face of the Son on the Eternal Throne. The redeemed throughout history will be Immersed in the Glorious Light of God and His Christ Forever and ever. Believers are ONE in the Body of Christ, and this is an appetizer of what will come about in the Eternal State; then will they know the meaning of ONE in the Truest sense of the Word (cf. Jn. 14:20; 17:21; 1 Cor. 6:17; 12:13).
"And now, O Father, [GLORIFY THOU ME WITH THINE OWN SELF] with the glory which I had with thee [BEFORE THE WORLD WAS]." (John 17:5)
"For the Son of man shall come [IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER] with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." (Matthew 16:27)
"And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, [BE OF GOOD CHEER] (Grk. tharseite -- present imperative; i.e., a command to "take courage"); [IT IS I] (Grk. ego eimi -- present indicative; i.e., "THE ETERNAL I AM"); [BE NOT AFRAID] (Grk. me hobeisthe -- present imperative; i.e., "a command to FEAR NOT"). And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, [HE WAS AFRAID]; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:25-31)
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you [another Comforter] (Grk. allon parakleton), that he may abide with you for ever; 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. I will not leave you comfortless: [I will come to you]." (John 14:16-18)
The Greek word "another" means another of the SAME kind (i.e., "Of the same essence with the Holy Spirit"). Jesus will come to them when He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell True Believers at Pentecost (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 12:13). This is not semantic nonsense, this is CONTEXT according to the Totality of Scripture; for Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture, and Context is KING. Jesus would come to His followers (Grk. erchomai -- future indicative in the middle voice) when the Holy Spirit is sent to His disciples to equip them for their ministry.
Moreover, if God were to be Unipersonal, then who is this Perfect Love directed at? If that were to be the case, then the God revealed in Holy Scripture is no different than the god of Islam; and he is the epitome of an arrogant, unworthy, and self-serving person. God, by definition, is a Being who is PERFECT in all His Divine Attributes, and they are Immutable. Therefore, it stands to reason that in order for the Eternal and Immortal God to possess a Perfect Love, this Perfect Love must have been directed towards someone other than Himself, and this person must also possess a Perfect Love from Eternity past (cf. Isa. 42:1; Jer. 31:3; Matt. 12:18; Jn. 1:1; 3:35; 5:20; 17:26; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:19; Heb. 1:3).
"Thou believest that there is [one God]; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble (Grk. phrisso; lit., "have one's hair stand on end")." (James 2:19)
The verse cited above does not say that God is One [Person], it says that God is ONE in the literal translation of the Greek grammar. The Divine Attributes of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the same (Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent). Omnipresent does not imply that God is literally IN all things (e.g., "Pantheism"). Does Christ have and agreement with Satan? Are we to have fellowship with unbelievers who want nothing to do with the Truth? God will dwell with His people, and will be in them; He will not live among the unregenerate, nor will He partake with the world and its system (cf. Jn. 18:36; 2 Cor. 6:14-16; Jas. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17; Rev. 18:4).
The Apostle John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote:
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will [MANIFEST MYSELF] to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and [we will come unto him, and MAKE OUR ABODE with him]." (John 14:21-23)
"That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; [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." (1 Timothy 6:14-16)
"[I AM HE THAT LIVETH] (Grk. zao; present participle), and [WAS DEAD] (Grk. ginomai nekros; aorist indicative); and, behold, [I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE] (Grk. idou eimi zao eis aion; aorist imperative/present tense/present participle), Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou [hast seen], and the things [which are], and the things [which shall be] hereafter;" (Revelation 1:18-19)
It is the Holy Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 1:4; 8:11; 1 Pet. 3:18). Jesus also proclaimed that He will raise Himself from the dead (Jn. 2:19; 10:17-18; 11:25). The Bible also teaches that God the Father has raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:24,32; Rom. 6:4).
This will be continued in my next message . . .
God Bless!
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