The Godhead Revealed
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
The Godhead is one of the most difficult, yet simplest subjects in the Bible to understand.
Some of the greatest minds in our world have stumbled while others with less scholastic ability have understood it clearly.
Why?
Because God has hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed it unto babes (Luke 10:21).
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
God expects us to know who He is and to worship Him with understanding. The scriptures affirm that the Godhead is without excuse (Romans 1:20).
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Unfortunately, the subject of the Godhead has been greatly complicated by historical church creeds that were developed by church councils during the early days of church history.
These creeds have left Christendom with a lack of understanding of the Godhead.
These councils and creeds are revered by many today as being infallible. Yet, a closer look would prove that their concept of God is non-biblical.
Two Views
Two Views
Basically, there are only two views of the Godhead being taught in mainstream Christianity:
1. Oneness (Monotheism)
2. The Trinity
The Oneness doctrine teaches there is one supreme eternal spirit, known as the Father, who manifested Himself in flesh as the Son, Jesus Christ.
God also manifested Himself as the Holy Spirit that comes to dwell inside of mankind. Thus, in short, God is the Father in creation, the Son in redemption, and the Holy Ghost in regeneration;
one God operating simultaneously as three manifestations.
Modern Oneness Theology does not endorse much of earlier Oneness Theology since censorship was practiced and Oneness documents were distorted and misrepresented by the biased victors of debates.
Moreover, ancient manuscripts were often changed (interpolations) by later copyists to support their doctrines.
Interpolations meaning:
an act of interpolating something or the state of being interpolated : the introduction or insertion of something spurious or foreign
something that is introduced or inserted : an insertion or addition
The Trinity doctrine teaches there are three persons in the Godhead.
The names that are given to these three persons are: God the Father; God the Son; and God the Holy Ghost.
Yet, they deny they believe in three separate Gods (Tritheism).
the catholic encyclopedia states that the Godhead is defined as “three distinct separate persons”
The phrase "in the name" (eis to onoma) affirms alike the Godhead of the Persons and their unity of nature. Among the Jews and in the Apostolic Church the Divine name was representative of God. He who had a right to use it was invested with vast authority: for he wielded the supernatural powers of Him whose name he employed. It is incredible that the phrase "in the name" should be here employed, were not all the Persons mentioned equally Divine. Moreover, the use of the singular, "name," and not the plural, shows that these Three Persons are that One Omnipotent God in whom the Apostles believed. Indeed the unity of God is so fundamental a tenet alike of the Hebrew and of the Christian religion, and is affirmed in such countless passages of the Old and New Testaments, that any explanation inconsistent with this doctrine would be altogether inadmissible.
In explaining their beliefs, proponents of The Trinity waver between Oneness terms and Tritheistic.
Ultimately, they resort to stating that The Trinity is a mystery our finite human minds cannot fully comprehend.
There is a division among those who profess to believe The Trinity. Some believe outright Tritheism while others have a Oneness concept but simply apply the term Trinity to their beliefs.
EVALUATING BOTH VIEWS CLOSELY
EVALUATING BOTH VIEWS CLOSELY
Oneness view:
Oneness view:
Both Old Testament Jewish believers and New Testament Oneness believers derive their beliefs from:
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
Jesus declared this was …“the first of all the commandments” (Mark 12:29).
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Jesus further endorsed this concept in His conversation with a Samaritan Woman.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
All of the Old Testament writers were Oneness and had no concept of a trinity of persons in the Godhead.
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
They were looking for their one God to manifest Himself in the flesh and be their Messiah.
This was Foretold by Isaiah
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.
this statement was confirmed in the New Testament.
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.
Conclusion:
The Jews were looking for their one God to manifest Himself among them and be Emmanuel, God with us.
The New Testament writers, most of them being Jews, had this same concept and expressed no thought of introducing a dramatic new revelation of a plurality in God.
The Old Testament teaches that God was coming in the flesh, and the New Testament teaches that God came in the flesh.
This truth is seen in Isaiah.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: For the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
The Hebrew word for salvation in this text is Yeshuah . Yeshuah is also rendered in English as Jesus.
Let’s take a look at this scripture in this context.
Isaiah 12:2-3
2 Behold, God is my Jesus ; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my Jesus
Yeshua, the salvation that was brought to the Jews first, was then shared with the whole world. Just like what we saw in Simeon, the hunger to know the name of all names is out there – even in Israel today!
So why then do we say Yeshua HaMashiach and how is it different from Jesus Christ?
Often shared as a joke, many children think that Christ was simply Jesus’ last name. But let’s be honest, maybe even you thought that. That is because it’s a Greek word and its meaning is not exactly clear in English!
It is important that we acknowledge the full meaning. The word Christos is the Greek word for Messiah, which means anointed. And the definition of anointing is to ceremonially confer divine position of authority to someone. How’s that for Jesus’ “family name”!
So Mashiach (the Hebrew pronunciation of “messiah”) means the Anointed One. In short, Jesus Christ is Yeshua HaMashiach is Anointed Salvation.
Complete Jewish Bible XV. Synagogue Usage of the Complete Jewish Bible
Barukh attah ADONAI Eloheinu melekh-ha‘olam, asher natan lanu et Yeshua binkha k’meshichenu goalenu moshi‘enu kapporatenu va’adonenu, ve’et sifrei B’rit heChadashah le ‘amenu ulekhol ha‘amim. Barukh attah ADONAI noten yeshu‘ah b’Yeshua HaMashiach.
Praised be you, O LORD our God, king of the universe, who has given us Yeshua your son as our Messiah, our redeemer, our savior, our atonement and our Lord, and the books of the New Covenant to our people and to all the peoples. Praised be you, O LORD, giver of salvation in Yeshua the Messiah.
this is often read before and after the reading of the Torah. wow.....
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD
What is God?
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 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.
Conclusion:
God is an eternal, immortal, invisible spirit that dwells in light.
What is Jesus Christ?
He is the visible body that the one supreme, invisible spirit prepared for Himself to dwell in and He lived among us.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Conclusion:
There is one eternal spirit known to us as the Father that dwelt in a body known to us as Jesus Christ.
Jesus was the visible image of the invisible God.
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
16 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.
Conclusion:
The Father is an invisible spirit that makes Himself visible in the body of Jesus Christ.
Jesus declared this himself.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew 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, Shew us the Father?
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
The only way we will ever see the Father is to look into the face of Jesus Christ.
The Father and the Son are one.
30 I and my Father are one.
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, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
The Son was the everlasting Father manifested in the flesh, Emanuel, God with us. That’s why Jesus Christ could declare Himself to be the Almighty God.
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.
( this scripture is indicated by the red letters in your Bible that Jesus is speaking)
The Father also dwelt in the Son.
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Conclusion:
The Almighty God (Spirit) dwelt in the Son (body) and was Emanuel, Almighty God with us.
The Almighty God was manifest in the flesh.
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.
Encarta Dictionary says manifest means:
clear to see or understand. 2) To make something evident by showing it very clearly; to appear or be revealed.
Conclusion:
The Almighty God was manifest in the flesh so that angels and humans could see Him.
to restate the scripture that we read in Romans 1:20.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: