trinity – La Vista Church of Christ

If Jesus Is God Then to Whom Did He Pray?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:58:54 +0000

by Jon Rowe

The Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus is God (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9, etc). So, in an attempt to dismantle that claim, skeptics may ask, "Then to whom did Jesus pray?" While it is true that there is only one God, He exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We like to try to explain this as one God in simply three different forms, like liquid water, vapor, and ice. That actually makes it more difficult to understand how the Son was praying to the Father. Did Jesus keep "morphing" back into a different form (i.e., from water to ice) while He was praying to God?

Let's get a more biblically based picture. When Jesus was baptized, the Son was in the water, the Spirit descended from above, and the Father spoke from heaven. God did not switch costumes to complete this scene. All three were there simultaneously. This wasn't even a new reality, as we can see by going back to the beginning. In creating humans, God said, "Let Us make man in Our image" (Genesis 1:26). God was not talking to Himself. Instead, He was speaking with Himself, within the fellowship of the Son and Holy Spirit. Concerning the Son, from the beginning, the Word (Jesus, see John 1:14) was with God and was God (John 1:1).

So, let's look at this interaction with His Father while Jesus was on earth. Jesus modeled the frailty of human flesh (Philippians 2:6-7), submission to God (Philippians 2:8a), and obedience to the point of death (Philippians 2:8b). One reason Jesus came into our world was to show us what a healthy relationship with God looks like. That includes prayer. Jesus spent significant time in prayer — and those prayers were not God talking to Himself in an incoherent monologue. The Son (as a distinct person) was in communion with the Father. Before going to the cross, He "fell on His face and prayed, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will'" (Matthew 26:39). The Son submitted His will to the Father's will through prayer. That means Jesus had a will, and so did the Father. Although there is one God, we see two wills.

While all of this may still sound a little confusing to us as finite beings, it makes more sense that the Son can pray to the Father when you realize that they are two distinctly different beings, while still being part of the one triune God. The Jews quoted Moses (who quoted God) when they recited, "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Hebrew word for "one" is "echad," which refers to a singular entity that can encompass multiple components as a composite unity. By contrast, the Hebrew word "yachid" refers to a singular, individual entity. Is your brain still hurting? By faith, just realize that "God is in heaven and He does whatever He pleases" (Psalms 115:3).

How are the Father and Jesus related?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:01:44 +0000

Question:

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I hope this email finds you in good health and spirit.

Recently, certain doctrinal questions have arisen within our congregation. Some members are concerned that our local preacher's teachings regarding the nature and deity of Christ differ from what has traditionally been taught and believed in many churches of Christ in the area.

Because of the confusion these matters have caused, we would greatly appreciate your biblical insight and comments on the following points.

Is Jesus God?

Our local preacher teaches that Jesus is not only the Son of God but is also God. In support of this position, he cites passages such as Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; and I John 5:20.

The common belief in many churches of Christ in my region is that Jesus is the Son of God but is not God Himself.

Could you please provide your biblical understanding and comments on this matter?

Is Jesus Jehovah, or Does He Share in the Divine Identity of Jehovah?

Our local preacher teaches that Jesus is Jehovah or shares in Jehovah's divine identity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He cites Hebrews 11:26; Matthew 12:28; I Corinthians 10:9; Psalms 102:25–27 with Hebrews 1:10–12; Psalm 89:8–9; Mark 4:39; Isaiah 6; and John 12:41.

He also refers to the article "Is Jesus Jehovah?" to support his view.

For many decades, the churches in my region have generally understood Jehovah to refer exclusively to the Father. Consequently, this teaching has generated considerable discussion and confusion among our brethren.

Would you kindly provide your comments and biblical perspective on this subject?

Is Jesus Worthy of Worship?

Our local preacher teaches that Jesus is worthy of worship. He cites passages such as Romans 9:5 and Revelation 7:10.

The common belief in many churches of Christ in my region is that worship should be directed only to the Father, based on passages such as John 4:23–24.

Could you please explain your understanding of this matter from Scripture?

Does God Have a Triune Nature?

Our local preacher teaches that God is triune in nature (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). He cites Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, and I John 5:7 (NKJV).

The churches in my region do not traditionally hold the doctrine of the Trinity. Rather, we believe that God is one, namely the Father.

Would you please share your biblical assessment of this teaching?

We sincerely desire to understand the Scriptures correctly and to preserve unity in the truth. Therefore, we would be grateful for any biblical guidance, explanations, or resources you can provide regarding these matters.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Answer:

Before we begin, let's establish that it doesn't matter what has been traditionally taught or what the preacher says. The only thing that matters is what the Lord says, since He is the head of the church. "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).

I couldn't help but notice that while you listed verses that your preacher used to prove his position, you have no verses used by the brethren in your region to prove their position. That should be a warning sign.

Is Jesus God?

John begins his book with this statement: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:1-4). John claims that the Word was both with God and was God. In order to be "with" requires multiple beings; hence, we conclude that God is composed of more than one being. We also see that the Word was completely involved in all creation; therefore, the Word cannot Himself be created.

Continuing in John, we read, "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:10-12, 14). Here we read that the Word came in the flesh to dwell among men. The Word is Jesus Christ.

Therefore, John answers the question. See "Is Jesus God?" for additional details. The passages your preacher used also establish this point.

Is Jesus Jehovah, or Does He Share in the Divine Identity of Jehovah?

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Jesus wears the same names as the Father even though they are separate beings. Before Jesus' birth, it was prophesied that one of his names would be Immanuel. "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel," which translated means, 'God with us'" (Matthew 1:23). Yet, the LORD (Jehovah) stated in the past: "'You are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me'" (Isaiah 43:10-11). There is no God or Savior but Jehovah, yet Jesus is God and Savior (Titus 2:13). Thus, Jesus is a part of the Godhead.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him" (Colossians 1:15-19).

"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Colossians 2:9-10).

In other words, Christ, while he was here on earth, completely represented God. This was by the Father's design. Jesus exists in the form of God.

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11).

Therefore, yes, Jesus is Jehovah and so is the Father. See "Jesus Is God" for more details.

Is Jesus Worthy of Worship?

"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.' Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.' And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.'And the four living creatures kept saying, 'Amen.' And the elders fell down and worshiped" (Revelation 5:9-14).

Angels and men refuse worship, but Jesus received worship without rebuke.

"And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, 'And let all the angels of God worship him'" (Hebrews 1:6)

See also Matthew 2:11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9, 17; Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 9:38. For more on this topic, see "God Was Manifest in the Flesh," "Jesus' Deity While on Earth," and "The Deity of Christ."

Does God Have a Triune Nature?

See "The Trinity: God is Three in One."

Question:

Thank you for the clarification, Brother Jeffrey.

It was a helpful clarification. As you rightly pointed out, my earlier email did not emphasize what our brethren say that contradicts our preacher's teaching.

Our brethren's position on the points:

Is Jesus God?

Our brethren quote I Corinthians 8:6, "yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live." They say God is the Father only, and Jesus is limited to being Lord (King).

Another verse they quote is Mark 15:34, "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is translated, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" They argue that Jesus cried out to the Father, showing that Jesus is dependent on Him.

They also cite Ephesians 1:17, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him." Their conclusion is that the Father is God even to Jesus.

Is Jesus worthy of worship?

Our brethren refer to John 4:23, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him," and say that Jesus Himself directed the Samaritan woman to worship the Father, not Himself.

Is Jesus Jehovah?

Our brethren quote Isaiah 53:6, "All of us, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him," and say that this verse differentiates between the Father and Jesus. They point to verse 10 of the same chapter as further support.

The triune nature of God

Our brethren say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct and are not the same.

If you have some time, please clarify the above verses.

Answer:

We know that there is a distinction between the roles of the Father and the Son. "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:3). Since a man has headship over a woman and men are human, do we conclude that women are not human? Of course not! Since the Father has headship over the Son, we cannot conclude that the Son is not God. All we are told is that there is an order of authority, with the Father at the head. Mark 15:34 simply demonstrates the order of authority, but it does not prove that Jesus is not God. "In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:7-9).

"But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, 'All things are put in subjection,' it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all" (I Corinthians 15:23-28). This passage also indicates a hierarchy within the Godhead.

"Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled" (I Corinthians 8:4-7).

Thus, I Corinthians 8:6 does tell us that Jesus is Lord, but this does not mean he is not also deity. It is no different than Ephesians 4:4-6, which tells us that there is one Spirit, one Lord, and one God, the Father. While they are separate beings, they are all deity and are the one God we worship.

Paul is contrasting the true God with the gods of heathen idolatry. The gods of the idols don't exist. The idols represent multiple deities that are often in conflict with one another. For Christians, there is one God. The idols are not real to Christians. Within the Godhead, there is the God, the Father, from whom all the universe derives its existence, and we exist for His purpose. There is also Jesus Christ, the Lord. He was involved in creating all things and sustains His creation. Paul also said similar things in his letter to the Colossians:

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him" (Colossians 1:15-19).

Regarding John 4:23, Jesus does state that the Father seeks people to worship Him. However, your brethren are adding more by claiming that Jesus implied that he was not to be worshiped. That is not stated in this passage, nor is it implied. I already showed that Jesus did receive worship; therefore, your brethren's conclusion contradicts what the Bible states.

As I also already pointed out. The designation "Yahweh" (or Jehovah) is applied to both the Father and the Son, just as "Lord" is applied to both, though it is applied to the Son more often. This does not prove that the Son is not God.

I have never said that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are the same being. They are distinct beings that work together in absolute unity. They are God both as a group and individually. They all have the same eternal nature.

Who Is God?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:17:00 +0000

Who Is God? (Part 1) Who Is God? - Part 2

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Psalms 145

I. You run into many strange ideas in the world concerning God

A. We have people stating that there is only one being called God

1. The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that His name is Jehovah

2. There are Pentecostal sects who claim he is Jesus

3. I haven’t run across any that claim He is only the Holy Spirit, but I would not be surprised that they exist somewhere.

B. There are those who claim the Father and Son, but say the Spirit is just the spirit of one of those two.

II. God is three beings

A. Genesis 1:26 - Notice the use of plural pronouns in reference to God

1. This is not a use of the royal “we.”

2. Kings in the Bible used singular pronouns in reference to themselves. I Kings 8:17-21 is an example.

3. The word for God in the Hebrew is a plural noun

a. A noun in singular form that refers to multiple things.

b. Similar to words like “herd” or “flock.”

4. By itself, we cannot determine how many beings make up God.

B. Matthew 3:16-17 - Notice this is a reference to three separate beings in separate locations doing different actions.

C. Baptism occurs in the name (or authority) of three - Matthew 28:19

D. Three are also named in II Corinthians 13:14.

E. God, the Father

1. God is our Father because we are His creation - Isaiah 64:8

2. Jesus taught us to pray to the Father - Matthew 6:9

3. The Father resides in heaven while Jesus was here on earth - Matthew 7:11

4. The Father is God - John 6:27

5. There is but one Father and the Lord Jesus is separate from Him - I Corinthians 8:5-6

F. God, the Son

1. John 1:1-3 - The Word was both with God and was God

a. If ever there is a verse that proves God is made of multiple beings, it is this one.

2. John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among man – Jesus the Christ.

3. Jesus’ name, “Immanuel” means “God with us” - Matthew 1:23

4. Calling himself the Son of God was making himself equal to God - John 5:18

5. Jesus is God, over all, and blessed - Romans 9:5

G. God, the Spirit

1. From the very beginning we see reference to the Spirit of God - Genesis 1:2

2. He, too, dwells in heaven since Jesus sent Him from there - John 16:7-8

a. This proves that Jesus is not the Holy Spirit

3. John 14:16-17 - Nor can the Spirit be the Father

4. We are the temple of God with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us - I Corinthians 6:19

5. Lying to the Spirit is lying to God - Acts 5:3-4

6. Demons were cast out by the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) or by the finger of God (Luke 11:20)

III. God is One

A. Each is one in count - Ephesians 4:4-6

B. The disciples are to be one as God and the Son are one. - John 17:20-21

1. Being one does not mean there is only one disciple

2. Being one does not mean we lose our individual characteristics

C. Jesus and his Father are one - John 10:30

1. To see Jesus is to see the Father - John 14:8-11

2. Yet Jesus is not the same as his Father, as he speaks of going to the Father - John 14:12-13

D. The concept should not be difficult for us.

1. We speak of men and women becoming one in marriage - Matthew 19:4-6

2. We speak of companies as a single entity, though they are made up of many people. And when the CEO speaks, often it is report that the company made an announcement.

E. There is only one God - I Corinthians 8:4

1. Even though later Paul speaks of both the Father and the Son - I Corinthians 8:6

F. There is not a separate God for Jew and Gentile - Romans 3:29-30

1. There is not a Jewish God, a Muslim God, and a Christian God. There is only one God.

G. God is only one - Galatians 3:20

IV. The Roles within the Godhead

A. The role of the Father

1. John 14:28 - The Father has supreme authority

2. Jesus reigns until he gives the kingdom to his Father - I Corinthians 15:27-28

3. As the ultimate authority, the Father knows more than the Son - Mark 13:32

4. My grandfather used to use builder terms to describe the Godhead.

a. The Father is described as the owner because everything belongs to Him.

b. This is also why the Father is sometimes just called God because ultimately He is the head.

B. The role of the Son

1. The very term “Son” shows the submission of the Jesus to the Father.

2. The world was made for and by Jesus - Hebrews 1:2,10

3. Through Jesus the world holds together - Colossians 1:16-17

4. Using our building illustration, Jesus is the architect.

5. Jesus was sent by God into this world - John 6:38

a. Even though he is equal to God, he submitted to the Father’s will - Philippians 2:5-11

b. He did so to set us free from Satan’s power - Hebrews 2:14-18

c. He was the author (or captain) of our salvation - Hebrews 2:10

d. Therefore he became the head of his people, the church - Ephesians 5:23

C. The role of the Spirit

1. The Spirit is the moving force of God

a. We see him shaping the world according to God’s will - Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30

b. In our construction illustration, the Spirit is the builder

2. He was sent by Jesus after Jesus left this world - John 16:7

3. His purpose is listed in John 16:8-14

a. He would convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment

b. He would guide the apostles into all truth

c. Like the Son, he would only speak what He is directed to say

d. He will glorify Jesus

4. He is the guarantee of our salvation - Ephesians 1:13-14

a. The written word, our Bible, comes by the Spirit.

b. It is the Bible that contains the promise of our salvation.

c. It was the work of the Spirit to confirm that promise

d. He is the witness of our salvation - Romans 8:16-17

5. Blasphemy (willful rejection) of the Spirit is more dangerous than rejecting the Son - Matthew 12:32

V. The difficulty is that the word “God” can refer to the three – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – working together as one, or it can refer to the Father.

A. It is the context that defines the term and in many cases it doesn’t matter if we are talking of the Father only or the Godhead.

B. People have a tough time with the concept, but only because they want to simplify the concept of God.

C. But a God whom we could simply describe could not be the God who created more than we can understand.

D. Sometimes it is easier to accept the facts as presented.

Do You Believe in Baptizing in the Trinity?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 23:17:10 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

Just before Jesus went back to heaven, He told His disciples to go “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). What that means is that we baptize people with the full authority of the triune God. It is not a formula of what to say while immersing someone, but rather an action done with an understanding that God, in all aspects, will bless the persons coming into discipleship.

We should also understand that the Father sent Jesus, and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, so that all that is done by the authority of Jesus is automatically with the Father’s full approval and blessings, and with the full approval and blessings of the Holy Spirit. So, in Acts 2:38 when Peter told the 3000 to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ”, this was not something different than what Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19. Being baptized in the name of Jesus is also not a formula of what to say while immersing, but again an action to be done with an understanding that Jesus’ authorizes and blesses this action.

So, what is done in Jesus’ name (by His authority and blessing) is also done in the name of the Father and Holy Spirit. So, when I understand that I am being baptized by the authority of Jesus, I also understand that I am being baptized by the full authority of the Father and the Holy Spirit. There is no conflict of interest in the triune God. They are one in desire, thought, and will, and doing all in the name of the Lord will of necessity be doing all in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God Talks to God but Not to Himself

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:49:37 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

How can God talk to God but not be talking to Himself? God is triune (three in one), which is what He revealed about Himself. In the beginning, God said, “Let Us (plural) make man in Our (plural) image (singular)” (Genesis 1:26). Who was God talking to? And why is the image singular? There is a oneness, a singularity about God as well as a plurality about Him. Now, that may be hard to grasp, admittedly. Still, as we examine the whole of what God has revealed about Himself, we find that the One true God is composed of three individuals who bear an inseparable unity, meaning that they share the same eternal attributes (all-knowing, all powerful, omnipresence, deity, divine nature, and do not differ in mindset, holiness, and redemptive mission for us).

Three persons in one, but not three Gods. How can that be? When you talk about “gods” (plural), they are distinct from each other in what they can do, what they have the power to do. For example, each of the pagan gods is limited in power. Ra, the god of the Sun, does not possess the same power and attributes as “Diana of the Ephesians”, the goddess of fertility. One god differs from another in power and sphere of influence, in what they can do and control.

Therefore, you have to speak of them as different gods (Paul says these are not really gods, but pretend gods). However, you still need to discuss plural gods when referring to beings with distinct powers and characteristics. But when you speak of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the Jewish prophets and Christian believers, you don’t have three gods with separate powers and separate characteristics.

Since all three have the same powers, the same characteristics, and the same mindset, and share an inseparable unity, then we will have to speak of the singularity in some contexts, and the plurality within that singularity in other contexts. They are not different gods, but one God composed of three beings perfectly united, a perfect unit.

To demonstrate that this concept was not invented by Christians, but was embedded in the Jews’ own book, the Old Testament, we can see Hebrews 1 quoting the Old Testament to make the point that the Father is “God” and the Son (Jesus) is “God.” Jesus was far greater than the angels, and the Old Testament substantiates this point. Psalm 2:7 said of the Father speaking to the Son, “You are My Son.” “You” is not “Me” (same being talking to Himself), but "you" and "me" are two beings who share a unique relationship.

In Hebrews 1:6, the Father says, “Let all the angels worship Him” (Jesus). Worship belongs only to a deity, a divine being. We are forbidden to worship created beings, even as high as angels, but Jesus is “the express image of His (the Father’s) person” (Hebrews 1:3). So, worship belongs to Jesus as much as to the Father because there is an inseparable unity here. To worship one is to worship the other. There is no competition for glory. Since there is perfect singularity in the three beings and no competition for glory, we have to think in terms of the unit, not three separate and uniquely limited gods. The true God is triune, three in union, or three in the one unit.

The Hebrew writer then went on to quote the Old Testament scriptures from Psalms 45. The chief musician writes “my composition concerning the King” (Psalms 45:1). He says, “God has blessed You forever” (Psalms 45:2) and calls the blessed one “O Mighty One” (Psalms 45:3), and then in Psalms 45:6 says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” He is called “God” and the “Mighty One” by God. So, God (the Father) blesses Jesus as “God” and the “Mighty One.” That is two persons, both of whom are referred to as “God,” and one blesses the other.

To cap it off, Psalms 45:7 says, “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You.” God blesses God, but it is not one being blessing Himself. There are clearly two beings that are involved in the singular state of Godhood in this passage of scripture. Godhood includes the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), but anything other or different does not possess true godhood and therefore is not God, and is not really even worthy of the term “god” at all.

Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit being sent from the Father when Jesus leaves the disciples. So, the Holy Spirit is not Jesus and is not the Father that sent Him (John 14-16). Jesus said, “I (one person) will pray the Father (second person), and He (second person) will give you another Helper…even the Spirit of truth (third person)" (John 14:16-17). In Acts 5, Peter confronted Ananias with “lying to the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:3) and called it “lying to God” (v.4). The Holy Spirit is God, too. There was perfect agreement among the three to fill different roles, and they were in full agreement. The Holy Spirit would be the revealer of truth, the Father would fill the role of Father above, and the Son would become the Son who gave His life, all perfectly the same in image and purpose, but for redemption’s sake, filling three different roles.

So, the Holy Spirit had David write Psalms 110, where the Father says to David’s Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Hebrews 1:13). The Old Testament speaks to the plural nature of God. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God (John 1:1-14). God can be with God when you understand the triune nature of the one true and living God. If you don’t believe what God says about Himself, you don’t believe in the same God that the Bible reveals.

God Is One

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 15:33:57 +0000

by Doy Moyer

God is one, united in triune nature, and never broken. From the Father eternally proceeds the Son and Spirit, co-equally divine, perfect, and committed in love and faithfulness. Because of who God is, we can trust that He will always act in our best interest, treat us with true justice, and invite our fellowship. Though we have sinned, He remains committed to His creation and, through the Son, offers redemption and reconciliation. Eternal life can be ours because it comes from the Eternal One who alone makes that path of life with Him accessible by His grace and mercy. The fact that we are here another day means that the door remains open for us to walk through and enter into His gracious fellowship. Shall we walk through, or shall we shut that door?

Jesus Is God

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 18:43:08 +0000

Jesus Is God Jesus Is God - Part 2

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Titus 2:11-14

I. The religious world holds diverse views in regards to Jesus

A. Is he a man or God? Or is it possible for him to be both?

B. Oneness Pentecostals argue that there is only one God, and his name is Jesus.

C. Jehovah’s Witnesses also claim there is one God, but state that his name is Jehovah. Jesus is just the first of Jehovah’s creation.

D. It is hard to answer all the arguments, since there are so many. But today I would like to focus whether Jesus is God.

II. Jesus is distinct from the Father

A. Jesus speaks of His Father as a separate being

1. The Father and Jesus are working - John 5:17, 19

2. Jesus speaks of the Father loving him - John 5:20

3. There has been a delegation of authority - John 5:22, 26-27

4. Jesus doesn’t do his own will - John 5:30

5. Jesus mentions that self-witness is useless (John 5:31) and that there are separate witnesses to him (John 5:32), in that list of separate witnesses he mentions the Father (John 5:37-38)

B. The Father speaks of Jesus as a separate being

1. Matthew 3:16-17 - This is my beloved Son, also Matthew 17:5

2. I John 5:9 - God has borne witness of His Son

C. He is listed separately

1. Ephesians 4:4-6 - One Spirit, One Lord, One God and Father

D. Jesus was with God - John 1:1

III. Jesus is the Son of God

A. This is a point Jehovah’s Witnesses want to make: they claim that a son is not the same as the father.

1. As one Jehovah’s Witness told me, “The son of a president is not a president.”

2. The slight of hand is the mixing of terms

a. To illustrate: The son of a dog is still a dog

b. President is a position which only one person can hold at a time.

c. Deity is not a position, but the nature of the being.

B. The Jews realized that claiming to be the Son of God was a claim to being God - John 5:18

1. The Jehovah’s Witnesses try to avoid this by saying that John only recorded what the Jews said.

2. Look again. It isn’t a quote. The Jews sought to kill him for two things. The second one because it made him equal to God.

C. God calls His Son God - Hebrews 1:8

IV. Jesus was also God

A. Jesus was God - John 1:1

1. Daniel B. Wallace, quoted by William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, p. 27-28

a. “Generally speaking, When a word is thrown in front of the clause it is done so for emphasis. When a predicate nominative is thrown in front of the verb, by virtue of word order it takes on emphasis. A good illustration of this is John 1:1c. The English versions typically have, “and the Word was God.” But in Greek, the word order was been reversed. It reads, “and God was the Word.” (καὶ θεός ν ὁ λόγος) We know that “the Word” is the subject because it has the definite article, and we translate it accordingly: “and the Word was God.” Two questions, both of theological import, should come to mind: (1) why was “God” thrown forward? And (2) why does it lack the article? In brief, its emphatic position stresses its essence or quality: “What God was, the Word was” is how one translation brings out this force. Its lack of a definite article keeps us from identifying the person of the Word (Jesus Christ) with the person of “God” (the Father). That is to say, the word order tells us that Jesus Christ has all the divine attributes that the Father has; lack of the article tells us that Jesus Christ is not the Father.”

2. To get what Jehovah’s Witnesses wish to claim, that Jesus was just a god in the sense that some men are “gods” in that they are God’s representatives you would need “and the Word was God” (καὶ ὁ λόγος ν θεός) in the Greek. This is why no translation, outside the Jehovah’s Witnesses own poorly done one, says that the Word was a god.

3. To get that Jesus and the Father are the same you would need “and the God was the Word” (καὶ ὁ λόγος ν ὁ θεός).

4. In other words John 1:1 says the same as Colossians 2:8-9, just in a concisely worded form.

B. God with us - Isaiah 7:14

1. The name Immanuel is “God with us” - Matthew 1:23

2. There is no other God - Isaiah 43:10

3. Yet Jesus is “God with us”

4. In speaking of that Son - Isaiah 9:6

a. Notice the names mighty God and everlasting Father.

C. God alone is to be worshiped - Matthew 4:10

1. The worship of others is rejected

a. Acts 10:25-26 - Man is not to be worshiped

b. Revelation 22:8-9 - Angels refused worship

2. When one man received worship, he was killed - Acts 12:21-23

3. The angels were commanded to worship Jesus - Hebrews 1:6

4. Jesus received worship on several occasions

a. Matthew 8:2 - Healing of the leper

b. Matthew 9:18 - The ruler of the synagogue

c. Matthew 14:33 - The disciples

d. Matthew 15:25 - The Canaanite woman

e. Matthew 28:9 - The disciples after his resurrection, also Matthew 28:16-17

5. Jehovah’s Witnesses say none of this matters because David was worshiped (e.g. I Samuel 25:23).

a. Where we make a distinction in English, both Hebrew and Greek use one word for bowing before another. Context demands whether it was worship or not

b. Their response is that Jesus wasn’t receiving worship as God.

c. But note Matthew 28:16-17 and compare with John 20:28.

d. Jesus confirmed the truth of Thomas’ statement - John 20:29

e. As Paul points out, there is no other God - I Corinthians 8:4-6

f. Jesus must be God.

D. God will not give His glory to another - Isaiah 42:8; 48:11

1. Jesus had the glory of the Father - John 1:14

2. All should honor Jesus, just as the Father - John 5:22-23

3. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that this is meaningless because Jesus shares his glory with his followers - John 17:22

a. In essence they are saying that Isaiah 42:8 doesn’t have weight.

b. But let’s just say it meant for that period of time.

c. Jesus had that glory from the beginning - John 17:5

d. That would have been at the time God said He would not share it with another

4. Read Isaiah 6:1-10. How many glories are seen here? Just God’s.

a. John 12:36-37, 39-43 - Isaiah 6:10 is quoted to say that the Pharisees refused to recognize Jesus.

b. But notice that John says they preferred man’s glory to God’s. The implication is that Jesus was displaying, or had, God’s glory.

5. In Philippians 2:6, Jesus “being in the form of God.”

a. The Greek is active, that is, Jesus remaining in the form of God

b. Jesus has God’s form, that is, God’s nature (His glory).

E. The spirit returns to God - Ecclesiastes 12:7

1. Yet Stephen prays to Jesus to receive his spirit - Acts 7:59

F. Only God knows the hearts of men - I Kings 8:39

1. Yet Jesus knew the hearts of men - Luke 5:22; John 2:24-25

G. God is the only Savior - Isaiah 43:11; 45:21

1. God is our Savior - Titus 2:10

2. But notice just a few verses later - Titus 2:13

a. The appearance is something only used in connection with Jesus.

b. Jesus is called both God and Savior!

c. As does Peter - II Peter 1:1

H. God is the only Rock - Isaiah 26:4; 44:8

1. I Corinthians 10:4 - Jesus is the Rock

I. God rules the seas and stills the waves - Psalm 89:8-9

1. Jesus stills the sea - Matthew 8:23-27

J. God alone made the world - Isaiah 44:24

1. The world was made by the Word (Jesus) - John 1:3

2. All things were made for and by Jesus - Colossians 1:16

3. God made the world through Jesus - Hebrews 1:2

K. God is, was, and will be - Revelation 1:4

1. The Lord Jesus is, was and will be - Revelation 1:8

L. God declares that He is the first and the last - Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; Revelation 21:5-6

1. Jesus is the first and the last - Revelation 22:12-13

V. Jesus is a member of God

A. We cannot declare that the Father and the Son are same being because many of Jesus’ statements about the relationship between he and the Father become nonsensical - Matthew 24:36

B. We cannot declare that Jesus lacked deity or lacked deity while here on earth - Colossians 2:9

C. John declares Jesus to be both God and with God - John 1:1

D. The only reasonable conclusion is that there is one God who is composed of three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Triune Nature of God: God’s Divine Nature in Creation

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:28:13 +0000

by Ethan Longhenry
via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014

In Romans 1:18-20 Paul makes an important argument: everyone has been given a sufficient understanding of who God is based within His creation. We recognize how God’s eternal power is evident in the creation: from the fixed properties of the universe that facilitate life down to the functioning of DNA, we can see the hand of God in how things exist. But how does the creation testify to God’s divinity or His “divine nature”?

According to Deuteronomy 6:4, God is One. Yet we see in other Scriptures that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God (John 1:1; 10:30; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:21). The best understanding of this mystery is to declare that God is One Being in Three Persons, for all other alternatives run into biblical challenges. If the Three are just different manifestations of one person, how can all three testify at the baptism of the Son, or how can both the Father and the Son witness to the Son (Matthew 3:16-17; John 8:17-18)? If God the Father is really God, and the Son and the Spirit are divine but not fully God, how could Paul say that in Jesus, the Godhead dwelt fully in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)?

God’s divine nature, then, features the Three in One: God as one, not in person, but in nature, being, character, and will (John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3). In short, God is one in relational unity. The relationship among the Three is so deep and intimate that we can speak of God as one Being, using the singular “He” or “Him.”

God’s divine nature, then, is as the Three in One. Yet how is this evident in creation?

According to Genesis 1:26-27, humans are made in God’s likeness. However, this does not mean we are gods, or God is a man (John 4:24). Instead, we manifest the metaphysical characteristics of God’s creatures: consciousness and the soul.

What do we humans seek in life? Different answers might be given: money, stuff, fame, power, and so on and so forth. While people might be motivated by different desires, what is at the heart of many of them? People want a comfortable lifestyle and many of the things listed above, but who wants to have them alone? People might want to be as wealthy as Ebenezer Scrooge, but who wants to be Ebenezer Scrooge?

When it comes down to it, people want to be loved, known, and appreciated. In short, they are seeking relationships. Psychologists are discovering that we are wired for relationships; they are one of our most fundamental needs!

When people think of a relationship, the relationship between a husband and wife often comes to mind. What happens in that situation? A man and a woman, unrelated, somehow meet each other. They get to know each other, and they fall in love with each other. They commit to one another. The two become one; they are still two different humans, but it’s more about " us " than “me.” Such is a wonderful time, full of creativity; after all, how many songs, books, and plays have been written, or paintings, sculptures, or other pieces of art made, on account of the desires of love?

There is a natural desire to share in love, and offspring often come based on that love.

Is this not God’s divine nature manifest in His creation?

As we have seen, He is the Triune God, the Three in One. A man and his wife becoming one is analogous to the unity within God (Genesis 2:24). And just as the love between the man and the woman leads to creativity and various creative acts, not the least of which being offspring, what else motivated God to create all things but love? He wanted to share the love within Himself with the beautiful creation which He made, particularly with His “offspring,” man made in His image (Genesis l:l-2:3; Acts 17:26-28).

It is not good for man to be alone; how can it be when he is made in the image of the Three in One, the God who is one in relationship? We are made to seek a relationship with our Creator who loved us and, in so doing, to maintain relationships with one another as well. The Bible testifies to it. The creation testifies to it. Let us praise and thank God that His divine nature is evident in the creation. Let us seek to maintain a relationship with the Triune God, seeking to be conformed to the image of the Son (Romans 8:28). Let us seek to be one with one another as the Father and Son are one (John 17:20-23), and let us thus honor and glorify God!

Jesus is the “I AM”

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 12 May 2024 23:01:37 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jesus-Is-The-I-AM.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

I. Many religions cast doubts on the deity of Jesus

A. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is the first creation of God.

B. Muslims see Jesus as nothing more than a significant prophet, much like Moses.

C. Probably the best analysis of who is Jesus is found in the book of John.

II. The evidence in John

A. The Word was God - John 1:1-5, 10-12, 14

1. Everything was created by the Word.

2. The world was made by the Light.

3. That same God dwelt among us as a man

B. Jesus’ omnipresence - John 1:45-49

1. Jesus saw an event were he was not present physically

2. Nathaniel realized the full significance of Jesus’ ability.

3. This was later demonstrated at Lazarus’ death - John 11:3-15

C. Jesus knew the hearts of men - John 2:24

1. This is a claim of omniscience

2. Jesus knew the past of people he only just met - John 4:17-18, 28-29

3. Jesus healed without being present - John 4:47-53

a. Not only was the healing done, but Jesus knew the results without being present.

b. Another sign that he was all-knowing.

D. Jesus’ claim of being the son of God made him equal to God - John 5:17-18

1. His statement indicates that God as well as he was working to sustain the world, even as they spoke.

2. Colossians 1:17 - In Jesus all things hold together

E. The power of Jesus

1. In John 6, Jesus demonstrates his power over creation by feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes and still having 12 baskets of leftovers.

2. He also walks on water during a storm in John 6

3. He raises Lazarus from the dead in John 11.

4. This is the claim of omnipotent

F. He claimed to come from heaven - John 6:38, 41-42, 46-51

1. Not only this, but Jesus makes an even stronger claim of seeing God the Father

2. A similar claim later caused the Jews to attempt to kill him - John 7:28-29

G. Jesus claimed to be “I AM”

1. God identified himself as “I AM” to Moses - Exodus 3:14

2. John 8:23-24 - Notice that the “he” was added by the translators. Jesus said he was not from this world and that we must believe that he is “I AM”.

3. John 8:50-59 - The Jews understood this.

4. After washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus tells the future events so that they will believe that he is “I AM”. - John 13:18-19

5. This explains why those who came to arrest Jesus fell on the ground before him - John 18:3-8

a. The very statement of his name caused even the wicked to bow before him.

III. Truly was Jesus the fullness of deity in bodily form - Colossians 2:9

A. His name is Immanuel - “God with us” - Matthew 1:23

Three Gods or One God in Three Persons?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:25:47 +0000

by Dudley Ross Spears
via Unmasking Sophistry, Jan-Mar 2024, vol. 4, no. 1
Originally published in Gospel Truths, Vol. IV,
Number 6, June 1993, pp.13-14

The Bible teaches there is only one God.

"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 2:10).

“Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith” (Romans 3:30).

"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" (I Corinthians 8:6).

"One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:6).

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5).

"You believest that there is one God thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

There is but one Lord.

"Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:4).

"And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9).

"And Jesus answered him, foremost of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; e Lord our God is one Lord" (Mark 12:29).

"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" (I Corinthians 8:6).

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5).

Notice how "one" is used in the Scriptures: Paul said in Romans 12:4 "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." In yet another reference to the church Paul said, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ" (I Corinthians 12:12).

Jesus taught that two persons can be one without losing their individual identity. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one esh? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:56). Likewise He prayed that all believers might be one. Read John 17:20-22, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." In neither passage does the term one mean one person. Nor does one mean one person when the Scriptures speak of one God or one Lord.

The issue turns on the meaning of the biblical term, Godhead, which means “Deity, the state of being God or divinity.” To contend that since the Bible says there is one God – or One Lord – that there is only one person who is Deity is as foolish as contending that since the Bible says a man and wife are one flesh that there is but one person after the marriage union is complete. Such is rank ignorance of divine principles of truth. A man and woman who are married scripturally are "one flesh” but remain two distinct persons. All who obey the apostle's inspired words are made one in Christ (John 17:20) but that does not mean they all become one person. If countless billions can be “one" and remain distinct human beings by obeying the gospel of Christ, surely three divine Beings can be one and remain distinct divine beings.

A United Pentecostal creed book reads: “We believe in the one ever-living, eternal God: in might, in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible deity. This one true God has revealed Himself as Father, through His Son, in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by emanation. ... This one true God manifested Himself in the Old Testament in divers ways; in the Son while He walked among men; as the Holy Spirit after the ascension." [Manual, United Pentecostal Church, page 17]. Some of those who adhere to this creedal dictum explain it this way. "God is one person, who has manifested Himself in creation as Father, in redemption as Son, and in the Church as the Holy Ghost," This false doctrine about God's personality is extremely dangerous. If God exists eternally as only one person, manifesting Himself in three different modes, He is not (and cannot be) a manifestation of all three simultaneously. Either God is Father (as Pentecostals say He was in creation) or He is the Son, as they claim He was in redemption, or He is the Holy Spirit now. He cannot be all three at the same time and be but one person. This brings a serious consequence they must face. If Jesus was God manifest in the Son, but God is now manifesting Himself as the Holy Spirit, Jesus is not now the Son of God. Those who deny that Jesus is the Son of God are anti-Christ. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (I John 2:22-23). Those who affirm only one person of God but three separate manifestations cannot acknowledge the Son and the Father also. They must deny that Jesus is now manifest as God. It is just that simple and that is very serious.

To prove there are three separate and distinct beings of God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) all that is needed is to go to the Bible. It furnishes abundant evidence of the identity of each of the three divine Beings who make up the one Godhead. Please follow along in your Bible.
Genesis 1:26 reads: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:..." The Hebrew word Elohim is defined as: “... specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God.." It appears some 2500 times in the Old Testament and is always a plural word. Notice that God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." "Us" and "our" are plural pronouns. Every high school student recognizes the rule of grammar that "a pronoun agrees with its antecedent in person, number, and gender." [Plain English Handbook, page 20, section 125]. The fact that Elohim is a plural word explains why the pronouns "us" and "our" are used. Consider another Old Testament reference to God. "Come, let us (plural) go down, and there confound their language" (Genesis 11:7). Genesis 11:8 adds, "So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city." The word for Lord here is Jaweh, the self-existent or eternal God.

Another passage affirming the plurality of God in the Old Testament is, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). The Hebrew word for Creator in this verse is plural. The Creator in Ecclesiastes 12:1 is the God of Genesis 1:26 and consists of the three divine Beings, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The New Testament is just as emphatic that there are three separate and distinct Divine Beings of God. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, ou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" (Hebrews 1:1-5).

The first person, the Father, uses the pronoun, "I, Me, My" (Hebrews 1:5). Of the Son, the Father uses the pronouns "thee, thy, ..." Both the Father and the Son are mentioned and the Son is called "the express image" of the person of God. It is obvious that the Son cannot be the express image of something nonexistent. This passage shows that the Father is a Divine being and that the Son is the express image of that person. It would be interesting to hear some Pentecostal preachers explain how Jesus could be the express image of the person of the Father since they deny that the Father is a person separate and distinct from the Son.

The New Testament also teaches the distinct identity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 28:19. Jesus commissioned His apostles to "Go teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." We hear some who say that there is only one name for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, based on this verse. But "name" (singular) does not mean one name for all three divine Beings. Read with me from Isaiah 9:6. "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, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Notice that "name" is singular, but includes at least five names. Matthew 28:19 is irrefutable proof of the identity and existence of the three separate and distinct divine Beings who make up the one Godhead. There is one God composed of three Divine Persons.

Scriptural baptism is in the name of the divine three. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct persons. They are the one true and living God Almighty. We follow the teaching Christ gave His apostles. We baptize people on His authority (in His name) into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

A second-century heretic, called Sabellius, argued, "but one person in the divine essence; or he denied that the Father was one person, the Son another person, and the Holy Spirit a third; of course, he discarded the inherent distinction of three persons." [Moshheim's Ecclesiastical History, Book I, Century IIl, Part II, Chapter 5, page 198, Footnote (12)].

Any unbiased person can quickly see the origin of the modern-day heresy of "one person in the Godhead." It did not start with a Holy Spirit-guided prophet, apostle, or teacher. It began in heresy and remains heretical. It must not be allowed to go unopposed. It is a discredit to the sacred "Trinity" and misleads many people into error on one of the most basic of all Bible doctrines - the Personality of the Divine Godhead.