Onegod, Part Three

PART THREE-TWO SPIRITS CALLED GOD Now that it has been established why some scriptures speak of “one God,” and that this is not literal, what is the literal view of the Bible? If there is not just one God at this time, then how many is there? This part three, and the next three parts, will examine the Bible’s answer. It was mentioned in part two that the Bible would show there is only one God if there was proof. But the Bible just does not say this. What the Bible says is the title of this part. But proof is what will firmly place these things. Let us begin in the book of Genesis, notice: “Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness....’” (Genesis 1:26, New American Bible). Notice this says God, singular, says “Let us...after our....,” which are plural. Some by this verse think it proves there is only one being, or spirit, called God. And far as the plural forms here, there is this quick conclusion this is just a figure of speech. Or the “us” and “our” here is talking about angels. But is this what the very word of God, the Holy Bible, says? Genesis 1:27 is also used to support the above teachings. Because Genesis 1:26 goes to singular references it is automatically concluded that God is only one spirit. However, the Bible reveals why the singular “God” is used with the plural “us” and “our.” And in no way is the conclusion being that there is only one spirit that is God. More on this in a later part. For now we need to concentrate on why “us” and “our” are used in Genesis 1:26. The word “Genesis” means “beginnings,” but this is not the very beginning. The Bible reveals beginnings before the book of Genesis. And this will explain clearly why the plural forms are used in Genesis 1:26. Notice: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2, New International Version). This verse clearly tells that there were two spirits called God in the beginning. Nothing changed when Genesis 1:26 was written by Moses. The reason why the above verse uses “us” and “our” is because there were two spirits called God. John 1:1 plainly says this, and it is undeniable. Why there

is the singular “God” has a lot to do with God’s nature. And this also will be looked at later. Now, some get the idea that “was” here means the past, so today there is only one God in heaven. But the Bible does not agree with this change based on the word “was.” And those who adhere to this forget who the “Word” became by the time John wrote John 1:1. No, the word “was” does not change what would be in the future. Read Psalms 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right-hand till I make your enemies your footstool’” (New American Bible). If there is only one being called God then why is there two beings, or spirits, mentioned here? The Lord is obviously God the Father. This is one of the few places where even an inkling of the Father is revealed in the Old Testament. This and Genesis 1:26. The Father is just not known in the Old Testament. So we see that David was inspired to write a direct quote from the Father to “My Lord”-which is David’s Lord. This Lord of David’s was the only God he knew. It is very doubtful whether he knew the Father as personally as he knew his Lord. That verse from Psalm 110 is very important to seeing that there are two spirits called God. And that there always has been. Psalm 110:1 is quoted in Matthew 22:44 and Acts 2:34. Those who want to believe “The Lord” and “My Lord” do not refer to two Gods have a weak scriptural case. And this would be treading on dangerous ground regarding the deity of the Father and Jesus Christ. The New Testament further supports Psalm 110:1 as speaking of two spirits called God. In the New Testament the Father is known, and a personal relationship is possible with him as well as with Jesus Christ. First look at Matthew 1:23: “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name EMMANUEL,’ which translated means, ‘God with us’” (NAB). This verse is quoted from Isaiah 7:14. Matthew 1:23 called Jesus Christ “God with us.” He was no longer “The Word,” and no longer spirit. “The Word” became the flesh and blood man Jesus Christ. But as a human he was God-God with us. So this confirms that at this time in the New Testament there were two spirits called God. So just because John uses the past tense “was” in John 1:1 does not mean that left only one spirit that was God. Read further:

“‘The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ’” (Acts 4:26, NAS). The church brethren are saying this, quoting Psalm 2:2, after God delivered the apostles (Acts 4:19-24). But notice that the Father is again referred to as the Lord. This is no different from 110:1. Now, unlike “my Lord” as in 110:1, Psalm 2:2 says “anointed one.” But Acts 4:26 magnifies this by saying “his Christ.” All these verses reveal two spirits that are God. Let us look at more plain evidence that there are two spirits called God. The Holy Bible says that the Father is God. John chapter 20 reveals the resurrected and glorified Jesus Christ. In verses 11-16 Mary Magdalene meets her glorified Saviour. But read what Jesus Christ says to her in verse 17: “Jesus said to her, ‘Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren, and say to them, “I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God”’” (NAS). Jesus Christ calls the Father God. He tells Mary to tell the disciples that the Father is God. Even the Jews who rejected Christ knew the Father was God in John 8:41. But now further in John 20:19-25 we read of Jesus Christ suddenly appearing to the disciples. But Thomas was not with the disciples, so he did not believe they saw Jesus Christ. In verses 26-27 Jesus Christ appears again, Thomas being present and Jesus Christ shows Thomas the proof that he is indeed resurrected. Read carefully what Thomas’ response is: “Thomas said in response, ‘My Lord and My God’” (John 20:28, NAB). Thomas is calling Jesus Christ God. Notice how these words of affection mirror his personal relationship with Jesus Christ like David’s personal relationship with “My Lord” in Psalm 110:1. The difference between the two is that David’s God was spirit and only spirit, whereas Thomas’ God was the first human resurrected to spirit. But how could Thomas call Jesus Christ God if it simply was not the case? How could Jesus Christ even permit it to be said if it was not true? Thomas is speaking to Jesus Christ. In this chapter 20 of John we see there are two spirits being called God. This has not changed today. How can there be only one spirit that is God after seeing evidence to refute this teaching? In the beginning of time the “Word” was God. The “Word” became EMMANUEL-God with us. But remember EMMANUEL, or Jesus Christ, was human. After three days and three nights

in a grave Jesus Christ was resurrected to take on spirit composition. He was the first human to be given this immortal body. But observe that no matter what name, or status, the Bible gives the one that became and is Jesus Christ never ceased being God. And of course, it is undeniable that the Father was and still is God. The Old Testament speaks of the one that became Jesus Christ, further showing two spirits that are God. Read Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female create he them.” Why does this verse use the singular “he,” whereas Genesis 1:26 uses the plural “us” or “our”? We saw how John 1:1 explains the plural in Genesis 1:26. But going further in John 1 explains Genesis 1:27: “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3, NIV). The creating was done through the Word. Of course, the Father, unknown in the Old Testament, had a part in the creating of all things. This is why “us” is mentioned in Genesis 1:26. But the actual creating was done through or by the Word. And this is why “he”-singular-is mentioned in Genesis 1:27. The “God” in Genesis 1:27 is the “Word.” The singular form tells us this. But “God” in Genesis 1:26 is both the Father and the Word. The plural form shows this to be true. It does not really matter if the Hebrew word “elohim” is used in Genesis 1:26 and 27. The context is what clarifies the “God” being talked about. Look at Genesis 6:7. Notice the singular “I” throughout this verse. But what God is being talked about? Based on the fact that the Father is not known here, and that this God says, “that I have made them,” reveals the Lord or God here is the “Word.” The Old Testament has many references where “the Lord” speaks or declares something through his servants. We saw how Psalm 110:1 and Psalm 2:2 reveal this to be talking about the “Father.” But in more cases than not, this Lord is the one who later became Jesus Christ. Read Zechariah 14:5, NIV: “You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” This is speaking of the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. Verse 4 leaves no

doubt. But also because the Father does not return to gather the faithful Christians. So this “Lord” here is Jesus Christ. But read that he is also called God. This in Zechariah 14 being a future event provides further that Jesus Christ is God. And the Father is God. The Holy Bible absolutely says there are two spirits called God. The teaching that there is only one spirit called God is not Biblical. And this does not matter whether this so-called one God is in three entities, persons, individuals, or aspects. The fact is there is not only one spirit called God. There is simply no basis for believing such a teaching. Some further scriptures to see to prove there are two spirits called God are 1 Chronicles 16:25-26, Psalm 86:10-12, Psalm 100:1-3, Isaiah 45:18, Zechariah 14:9, Acts 4:24, and Titus 2:10,13. And the last scripture to look at is Revelation 5:1-7. In the next part we will examine how the name, or names, given to God also proves there can not be only one spirit called God. The names given to God will support that there are two spirits, not one, called God.