Ask those who call themselves Christians, who they believe God is, and they'll most likely tell you this... "Three gods in one: father, son, and holy ghost." Now they say they believe in only one true God but they'll also say God is composed of three persons which they call the trinity. Is that true or false? Find out who the one true God is today on Face The Truth Hello and welcome to Face The Truth. A program brought to you by the Church Of Christ. I am brother Barry Thompson. You know, though most of the various religious groups and churches who are affiliated with Christianity believe in the teaching of the Bible that there is only one God, for many of them the one God is composed of three persons. Namely the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Now they would further teach that Jesus Christ himself, is God incarnate, or that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. Now this is arguably the most popular belief about God that so many people, today, have. But, popularity of a belief does not equate to truth, which is what we are after. So let's lay out the facts. Now let's not forget that we learned, previously that the Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is a man. And that is clearly shown in various verses throughout the Bible. Now since Jesus Christ is a man in his state of being, then we must learn the identity of the one true God and see if the Lord Jesus Christ is, himself, identified as the one true God of the Bible. Now how does the Bible introduce the true God? Let's go to the book of Deuteronomy the chapter is 32 and the verses are 3,4, and also verse 6 Now during the ancient times when Israel was under the leadership of Moses, a servant of God, he taught them that the God who made them is none other than the Father. Now notice, there is no mention here, by Moses, of the son or the Holy Spirit. Now as we move forward to the time of King David, How was the true God introduced during the reign of King David? Let's go to the book of Psalms chapter 89 and the verse is 26 this is written. Now God is introduced here as the Father. So notice here again that neither the Son, nor the Holy Spirit is mentioned as God. Next let's continue to move forward in time, to the time of the prophet Isaiah. Who was the true God acknowledged at this time? From the book of Isaiah chapter 64, the verses are 4 and 8 let us read. Notice, God's servants again did not change in their view and the teaching as to the identity of the one true God. They introduce the true God as the Father. Now yet to solidify the teaching as to the identity of the one true God of the Bible when we go to the last book of the Old Testament to the time of the prophet Malachi, who is the true God during this time? Let's read from the book of Malachi, chapter 2 and the verse is 10. So take note, the one God who created all of us, is the Father. And so, at this point in our study, there is no need to guess as to the identity of the one true God, or to make opinions or suppositions. It's clearly taught. For He was clearly introduced by the servants of God in the ancient times, as the Father only, not the Son nor the Holy Spirit. Now does this change in the Christians Era? Did God change? Find out when we return on Face The Truth. Welcome back to Face The Truth. You know in the ancient times, the servants of God were united in their belief, and teaching, that the one true God is none other than the Father. Now perhaps others would assert that when the Christian Era arrived there was a change or more was revealed about God than what was previously revealed during Old Testament times, so as we now go to the Christian time was there any change in teaching as to the identity of the one true God? Let's ask the Lord Jesus Christ himself, as to who the one true God is. And especially for the fact that so many people assert or assume that Jesus Christ is the true God. So we will ask Christ now, who is the one true God? And this is what He said in the book of John 17, the verses are 3 and also verse 1. Now Christ tells us here there this is only one true God. Now He also identifies who the one true God is. Did you notice the words used by our Lord Jesus Christ? He said, "You" Not "us", not "we", not "we three" Not "you, me, and the Holy Spirit" but He said, "You". People should know You, the only true God. Now who was the Lord Jesus Christ addressing in this verse? When we read verse 1 you'll notice that Christ was lifting up His eyes to Heaven. So He is on earth, and He was lifting up His eyes to Heaven and He said, "Father" So the Father, according to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father in Heaven is the only true God. Now we must ask, should we go against what the Lord Jesus Christ said? When there are those who would say the Son or Jesus Christ is also God Was Jesus Christ telling a lie? Or telling a half truth, or keeping back part of the truth? Maybe He was saying, "Well you know, I don't wanna tell people who God really is" No. Christ said, the one true God according to Jesus Christ, is the Father only. No more. And we are sure our Lord Jesus Christ was not lying because the Lord Jesus Christ never sinned or told a lie. So when the Lord Jesus Christ mentioned that the Father is the only true God that's the truth, 100%. And it doesn't matter how many others say differently or teach something else, we could never and would never dare to go against the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now Christ taught that the Father is the only true God. What, in return, did the Almighty God Himself teach about the Lord Jesus Christ? In Matthew 3:17 Let us hear from God now. Now, the Almighty God, our heavenly Father is now introducing the Lord Jesus Christ. And how did God introduce Christ? According to what we have read God introduced the Lord Jesus Christ as His son. Christ then is the Son of God. Now for those who believe in the trinity they would probably use the phrase "God the Son" But do you know that the phrase "God the Son" is not to be found anywhere in the Bible? That's why we could not accept it. What we could read in the Bible is the Son of God, and Christ is the Son of God. Now did the Christians of the first century, led by the Apostles, also have the same belief and teaching as that which Christ taught, that the one true God is the Father? Let's go to the Apostle Paul, and listen to what he says in First Corinthians, the chapter is 8, and the verse is 6. This is what Apostle Paul stated. Notice what was mentioned by the Apostle Paul and what he taught, and what the Christians believe because Apostle Paul says for us, "yet for us there is one God, the Father. So it's the same thing that was taught by our Lord Jesus Christ that the Father is the only true God. And this is what the first Christians believed. They did not teach or believe that the Son, as well as the Holy Spirit are also God, or anything called the trinity. In fact, did you know that the word "trinity" is not found in Scripture? Neither is the phrase "God the Son"? So if it didn't come from the Bible, where did this teaching that millions around the world believe, come from? Find out as we return on Face The Truth. Welcome back to Face The Truth. You know you can comb through every page of the Bible and you will not find the term "trinity" in its pages. So who came up with the term "trinity"? I'm gonna read to you, an excerpt from a book called Systematic Theology written by Louis Berkhof on page 304, I quote Notice that the term "trinity" came from Tertullian, or is ascribed to Tertullian. And Tertullian is not a prophet, he is not an Apostle, nor can he be found anywhere in the Scriptures and thus it is not surprising that the term "trinity", itself is also not found anywhere in the Scriptures. Now what is found in the Scripture is a unity of teaching and belief about the one true God, from the ancient times to the Christian Era, the belief of God's true servants remain the same. They understood and believed, and taught not only that God is one but also that the one true God is the Father. Now it shouldn't surprise us that there is no change in their teaching and belief about God because that would imply that God changes, which would contradict what the Bible teaches about God. And this is what we could read in the book of Malachi, the chapter is 3, and the verse is 6, this is stated. God Himself tells us that He does not change. And so this leaves no room for anyone to entertain any belief that God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ, as some would tell you, or some would believe. Now what does the Bible tell us as to the nature of the one true God? Let's go to Jesus Christ. And He tells us this in the book of John, chapter 4 and the verse is 24. So, Christ here, tells us as to the nature of the one true God and Christ says, God is spirit. What exactly does this mean? Again from the Lord Jesus Christ, as He explains what a spirit is, Luke 24 the verses are 36 through 39 let us, again, listen to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples. Now here Christ corrected the wrong belief of His disciples when they were thinking He became a spirit. And so the Lord Jesus Christ explained to them that a spirit does not have flesh and bones as He does. Thus, showing them He is not a spirit or that He could not be God, Who, Himself, Christ introduced as a spirit. Now, not only did our Lord Jesus Christ explain to His disciples that He has flesh and bones and thus, could not be a spirit or God, He also tells us that He is a man, when speaking about His own self. And this is what He says in John chapter 8 and the verse is 40, Let's again listen to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now you know, Christ has every opportunity to tell us who He really is. And in this verse He tells us that He is a man. Now to say that Christ is other than a man, in His state of being would be to go against the very words of Christ, or to make it appear that Christ is lying about Himself, or hiding the truth from us. Now He said He is a man. He said He has flesh and bones, He said God is a spirit, and a spirit does not have flesh and bones. So they're different. Now others would argue that Christ never stated that He is not God. Well Christ doesn't have to say that He is not God, because the mere fact that He is a man is sufficient proof that He is not God. For example just like a man or a human being, doesn't have to say that he's not a monkey. Just the mere that he's man or a human being is a proof that he is not a monkey or an animal. Now even God's servants from the ancient times tell us what we should not think about God's nature. Like today people are thinking that God is a man, or became a man. Well look at what the servants of God of old said, in Numbers 23, and the verse is 19 this is written. Now according to God's servants, God is not a man, nor the son of man. Now if we were to ask God Himself, concerning what so many people believe today about Him, that He became a man, What would He reveal? Would He agree to this? Hosea 11:9 contains the answer to that question, let us read what is written. Now God is the one speaking here, and God said, "I am God, and not man." This statement of God should be enough to discourage others from having a false belief that God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. God says, "I am God and not man." What more would you want God to say? Now Christ, Himself, even goes further to tell us about the true God we should believe in. This is what Christ says in the book of John, the chapter is 20, and the verse is 17. Now Christ is speaking to one of His disciples here, after He was resurrected. And He had this instruction for the Christians, or His disciples. He tells Mary Magdelene here, to tell the other believers... something. And what did He instruct her to tell the other believers? Christ said, And so the Father of Christ is also our Father. The God of Christ is also our God. Christ did not say, "I'm ascending..." to My God, or I'm ascending, and I'm gonna turn back into God. But Christ said, "I'm ascending... I'm going up to My Father who is also Your Father. My God who is also Your God." It also tells us opposite of what so many people say today that God descended and became the person of Jesus Christ. Because Christ said here, "I'm ascending... "...I'm ascending. I'm going up to My God, who is also Your God." Now if Christ is also God, He's going up to God you already have two gods. One on earth, and one in Heaven, oh that's not a teaching of the Bible. You'll have so many problems. And so, why don't we just stick to the Bible? Why don't we just stick to what is written? And so if there are beliefs today upheld by others, about a God that is different than what the Bible teaches about God, those beliefs should be dismissed completely. Instead we must hold on to what is written in the Holy Scriptures, and not to fall victim to teachings that go outside of the Bible, and go against the teachings of the Bible. Let's take another look at the truth written in the Bible Christ is a man. God is NOT man. God is a spirit. Christ is the Son of God, He is not the Father. The Bible introduces the Father as the only true God and does not change. God does not change. And so there is no way then that Christ could be God, or even that the trinity doctrine could be true. The only thing that is true about the trinity is that it is truly false. You know some may call this a trivial matter that we are discussing who the true God is. They would argue that it's not a matter of life and death, well if that's what people believe, or even you Then that kind of thinking could cost you your salvation and eternal life. For Christ has this to say about the importance of knowing The One and only true God. We're gonna read a verse that we read earlier, John 17, the verses are 3 and 1. Let's again listen to the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is what He says. Christ told us that the way to have eternal life is to know the Father as the only true God. So if eternal life is not what you desire, then consider what we have studied today unnecessary, or trivial but if eternal life is what you desire then learn from the very words of God. The truth. This is the truth. What the Bible teaches, what Christ teaches about the one true God. The one true God is the Father. And so, the truth... it may be painful at first. But whether we accept it or not, whether we believe it or not, the truth is something we all must face. Thanks for joining us, take care, and God bless.
