THE NATURE OF GOD

God is one. The Bible states that God is one. He is indivisible. There is only one God. "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" Deuteronomy 6:4. No other Gods exist. "To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him." Deuteronomy 4:35.

God is three. God is one. He is also three. He referred to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7, and Isaiah 6:8. The Father is God, John 6:27. Jesus is God, Titus 2:13. In addition, the Spirit is God, Acts 5:3-4. Each is distinct from the others, John 14:24-26, 15:26-27, and Isaiah 48:16. The Father is not the Son ... and the Father is not the Spirit. The Son is not the Spirit ... and the Son is not the Father. The Spirit is not the Father ... and Spirit is not the Son. However, each is fully God. Each member of the Trinity fully expresses all the attributes of God. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God is three-in-one ... a tri-unity ... a trinity. The combination of God is one and God is three leads to the three-in-one description of God known as the Trinity. The Trinity is alluded to in Matthew 28:18-20 which includes baptizing in the singular name of the Father, Son, and Spirit..."Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit". All three are evident at the baptism of Jesus ... Jesus was baptized ... the Spirit descended ... and the Father spoke. "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'" Matthew 3:16-17.The three members of the Trinity are mentioned in Isaiah which was written about 700 BC. "Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. Surely My hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand together ... Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, from the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit." Isaiah 48:12-13,16.

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KNOWING GOD 2    PAGES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10    
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Disciplemaking 1, copyright 2003, is available free from www.MyDisciplemaker.org where you can study online or print free copies. You may copy this course, any any part of it, for free or at-cost distribution ... without change to the content ... and with this copyright policy attached. Published by www.ActsOneEight.org. Bible Quotations are from the NASB unless noted.