JESUS ONLY: FACT OR FICTION?

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

There is ONE God. In Isaiah 44:6 the prophet says, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; Beside me there is no other God” (see also Isa. 48:12). For anyone to suggest that there is more than ONE God, such is to pervert the Scriptures and to put one's soul in jeopardy (Rom. 1:24-25). Yet, in as much as there is ONE God, three persons are a part of the Godhead. We know the Father is God (1 Cor. 8:6). The Bible says that the Son is also God. “And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Also, in Hebrews 1:8-9, “But to the Son He says: Your throne, 0 God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than your companions.” Did you notice that in these verses the Bible states that the Son is God? The Holy Spirit is God also. In Acts 5:3 Ananias was told that he lied to the Holy Spirit. Yet, follow Peter's train of thought in verse 4. Peter said to Ananias, “Thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.” When Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit, he lied to God. We should be able to see that the Scriptures teach that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. Does this mean, however, that there are three Gods? No! The Bible clearly teaches that there is ONE God. In the Old Testament the word translated God is a collective noun like “Team” or “Family” or “Manhood.” There is one manhood upon the earth. JUST ONE! Yet, many persons are a part of that manhood. Each person is fully and equally man. There is one Godhood; JUST ONE! Yet, three persons are members of that Godhood. Each person is fully and equally God. Paul attests to Jesus’ pre-existent nature in the Scriptures. “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God” and “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Phil. 2:6 & Col. 2:9). Jesus had within himself all the characteristics of deity, even while in the flesh.

There is not any doubt that the Godhead consists of three persons who are equally God. There are not three gods. One can see the Father, Son and Holy Spirit together as separate persons in Scripture. In Matthew 3:16, John sees Jesus standing before him. Then, he notices that the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Following that, the Father speaks from heaven. In Revelation 5:6-7, the Father is on the throne with a scroll in His hand. Jesus is standing in the midst. The Holy Spirit went unto the earth. Jesus takes out of the hand of the Father the scroll. These events would be impossible if God was actually one person. However, I believe these passages refute the notion that Jesus is both the Father and the Holy Spirit. Those who continue to hold on to this view ignore the clear teaching of Scripture and make a mockery out of the Godhead.