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The Biblical ONENESS of God

theWind said:

The Oneness View of Jesus Christ​

We can state the Oneness doctrine succinctly in two propositions:
• There is one indivisible God with no distinction of persons in God’s eternal essence.
• Jesus Christ is the manifestation, human personification, incarnation of the one God.

All the fullness of God dwells bodily in Jesus Christ, and all names and titles of deity properly apply to him. God’s manifestations as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reveal God’s work in salvation history but do not represent different centers of consciousness or personalities.

The scriptural distinction between Father and Son does not describe two divine persons but the transcendent, eternal Deity and the Deity’s manifestation in flesh as the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5).

There is only one God, known in the Old Testament as Yahweh, and we are to worship, love, and serve Yahweh alone (Deut 6:4–5; Mark 12:28–31). God is a single personal being who thinks, feels, and acts, not an abstract, impersonal substance in which multiple actors can dwell or in which multiple personalities can participate.

God is revealed in three manifestations: (1) as the Father, the source of all existence and life, God in transcendence and in parental relationship to humanity; (2) in the Son, God coming in human identity; and (3) as the Holy Spirit, God in spiritual presence and action.

These roles are necessary to God’s plan of redemption but do not indicate eternally distinct persons, just as the Incarnation does not indicate that God had eternally preexistent flesh. The Bible never speaks of God as a “trinity” or “three persons.”

Jesus Christ is the one God, the Father, incarnate. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Col 2:9 NIV). “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor 5:19 KJV).

Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15 KJV) and “the exact imprint of God’s very being” (hypostasis) (Heb 1:3 NRSV). Jesus is the Word, meaning God in self-revelation (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is the Lord and the God of all (John 20:28). He is not the incarnation of a “portion” of God but of all the identity, character, and personality of the one God.

As to his eternal deity, there is no subordination of Jesus to anyone else. The Father dwells in Jesus so that Jesus is the visible manifestation of the invisible Father (John 14:9–11). This identity is eternal; in heaven we will see the one God in the person of Jesus Christ (Rev 22:3–4).

Jesus is the Son of God. This title means he is a true human being who bears God’s full likeness, or God manifested in the flesh. The term “Son” relates to Christ’s human identity (e.g., “the Son died”) and encompasses the union of deity and humanity in Christ (e.g., “the Son has power to forgive sin”) but is not used apart from God’s incarnation.

The phrases “God the Son” and “eternal Son” are not biblical. The role of the Son began when Jesus was conceived miraculously in a virgin’s womb by God’s Spirit, so that God was his Father (Luke 1:35). When Jesus walked on earth as God incarnate, God’s Spirit continued to be omnipresent.

As the glorified Messiah, Jesus is now “on the right hand of God” – in the position of divine glory, exercising the power and authority of the invisible, omnipresent Spirit.

Jesus Christ is completely and genuinely human – in body, soul, spirit, and will. Christ’s humanity means that everything we can say of ourselves, we can say of Jesus in his earthly life, except Jesus had no sin. In every way that we relate to God, Jesus related to God, except he did not need salvation.

When Jesus prayed, submitted to the Father, and spoke about and to God, he simply acted in accordance with his authentic humanity. At the same time, God was incarnate in him. Deity and humanity were inseparably joined in Jesus. While there was a distinction between the divine will and his human will, he always submitted the latter to the former.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit that was in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit does not come as another person but comes in another form and another relationship; the Holy Spirit is Jesus coming to dwell in human lives (John 14:16–18). By his Spirit, Jesus fulfills his promise to meet with those who gather in his name (Matt 18:20).

As the manifestation of Yahweh, Jesus is the only Savior (Isa. 45:21–23). His name means “Yahweh-Savior,” and Jesus Christ is the only one who literally personifies this meaning. Jesus is the only name (singular) given for our salvation (Acts 4:12), encompassing God’s redemptive work as Father, Son, and Spirit (Matt 28:19). It has become the name above all names (Phil 2:9–11).

Oneness theology bears some affinity to ancient modalism, but historically there is no link. We cannot be certain of theological links as we do not know the modalists’ full views. Both movements speak of one God in threefold manifestation while protecting the numerical oneness of God and the full deity of Christ. Unlike some descriptions of ancient modalism, however,

Oneness theology affirms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as simultaneous, not sequential, manifestations of God. Some theologians maintain that in modalism God is essentially unknowable because God’s essence is hidden behind three “masks.” The main thrust of Oneness theology is exactly the opposite; we can truly know God’s character, holiness, love, and power in Jesus Christ.

The one true God is not hidden but manifested, for as 2 Cor 4:6 teaches, the glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

https://mphbooks.com/oneness-view-jesus-christ/
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I would only say to this that Jesus Christ being in the flesh indicates a distinction in personality (and thus a distinction in Person) from Jesus Christ as He dwells in eternity as a Spirit without flesh (in the Person of the Father).

Of course we do have the titles given, biblically, of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in Matthew 28:19.

I do believe that this represents the fact that there is a distinction between who God is as He is defined by each of these titles.
 
justbyfaith said:
I would only say to this that Jesus Christ being in the flesh indicates a distinction in personality (and thus a distinction in Person) from Jesus Christ as He dwells in eternity as a Spirit without flesh (in the Person of the Father).

Of course we do have the titles given, biblically, of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in Matthew 28:19.

I do believe that this represents the fact that there is a distinction between who God is as He is defined by each of these titles.
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Not sure I fully understand, but thank you for the comment.

So you think Jesus was a different person in the flesh than He is now?
 
justbyfaith said:
I believe that Jesus is still in the flesh.
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1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
 
justbyfaith said:
I believe that the Father and the Son are distinct (not separate) individuals within the Godhead.
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That's not what you said, but maybe it's what you meant.

You said that Jesus was a different person when He was alive physically upon the earth than He is now.
 
theWind said:
That's not what you said, but maybe it's what you meant.

You said that Jesus was a different person when He was alive physically upon the earth than He is now.
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Does talking about Jesus mean a person has faith in the oneness of God, or in the forums oneness of chat appreciation.
 
The last four words of John 1:1 prove that many people stubbornly refuse to believe what the Bible plainly teaches.

That Jesus Christ is the Word, ... and the Word is God Almighty.
 
gordon777 said:
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
Click to expand...


Clearly, Jesus is risen bodily from the dead, John 2:19-21, Luke 24:42-43.

He is a Man, in the flesh (1 John 4:1-3 (kjv), 2 John 1:7 (kjv)), sitting on the right hand of the throne of God.

We relate to Him through the Holy Spirit.

However, the following statement determines whether a person is of Christ or the Antichrist:

"Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."

Confess it, you are of Christ.

Deny it, and you are of the spirit of Antichrist.
 
theWind said:
That's not what you said, but maybe it's what you meant.

You said that Jesus was a different person when He was alive physically upon the earth than He is now.
Click to expand...
Jesus is the same now as when He was alive physically on earth. He is still in the flesh.
 
theWind said:
The Bible plainly makes the case that God is ONE individual being/person/identity from Genesis to Revelation.

Christ is that person.

Oneness is intentionally misrepresented constantly by trinitarians as it is a major threat to the integrity of their unbiblical doctrine. Contrary to trinitarians' claim that Oneness is modalism,

Oneness theology affirms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as simultaneous, not sequential, manifestations of God.​

https://mphbooks.com/oneness-view-jesus-christ/

Some theologians maintain that in modalism God is essentially unknowable because God’s essence is hidden behind three “masks.” The main thrust of Oneness theology is exactly the opposite; we can truly know God’s character, holiness, love, and power in Jesus Christ.

The one true God is not hidden but manifested, for as 2 Cor 4:6 teaches, the glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

If the True teachings of Oneness were properly explained in every single trinitarian church as a comparison to the trinity teachings, masses of Christians would embrace Oneness overnight. They are not explained, they are never explained, and they are intentionally misrepresented when they are ever referred to because the Truth of Biblical Oneness would find its way to the hearts and minds of those truly seeking God all over the world if they were.

The Bible teaches Oneness from cover to cover.

Nowhere does it teach a trinity.
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Wonder why Jesus didn't know that? Jn 17:11
Who did he say we should worship and serve exclusively? Mat 4:10
 
theWind said:
The Bible plainly makes the case that God is ONE individual
Click to expand...

No where in the Bible does it state that God is One individual.


For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 1 John 5:7


”Oneness” doctrine is based on Modalism.


These three are one.


It doesn’t say this one is three.





JLB
 
theWind said:
Well, ... it's the OP of the thread so .... it makes sense to discuss it here.

The Bible declares it will be one person.

Matt. 24:29-31
Rev. 19:13-16

Makes sense to me to lean on what the Bible says.
Click to expand...

No scripture, just scripture references.


Learn to post scripture itself.


For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 1 John 5:7
 
In the beginning was the (Son) and the (Son) was with (the Father) and the (Son) was (the Father).
John 1:1

When that child will be born, His Name will be The Everlasting Father.
Isaiah 9:6

To whom will the Holy One be equal? (does it say the holy three? NOPE.)
Isaiah 40:25

God, the Lord, He (singular individual) that created the heavens. (There is no way to call a "unity" a He and be accurate in any way possible. 'He' can only mean a singular individual.)
Isaiah 42:5

I am the Lord, ... and My glory will I not give to another, ..." (3 persons include others)
Isaiah 42:8

God is One singular individual.
 
theWind said:
In the beginning was the (Son) and the (Son) was with (the Father) and the (Son) was (the Father).
John 1:1
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Why do you not include the five words that precede the last clause? Why haven't you addressed my previous statements regarding John 1:1?

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (ESV)

"In the beginning" is clearly a reference to Gen 1:1. "Was the Word," that is, when the beginning began, the Word was already in existence, and hence, had always been in existence. "And the Word was with [the] God"--"God" contains the article, and is therefore a reference to the Father (at a minimum). "With," being pros, means "intimate relationship" or "communion." "The Word was God" refers to the nature of the Word, as "God" doesn't have the article.

John's whole point is who the Word is. To sum then, the Word had eternal pre-existence, in intimate relationship with God (the Father), and was in nature deity himself. Yet, we know there was only one God. Hence, one reason why the Trinity best takes into account all that God reveals of himself--there is plurality within the one God.

theWind said:
To whom will the Holy One be equal? (does it say the holy three? NOPE.)
Isaiah 40:25

God, the Lord, He (singular) that created the heavens.
Isaiah 42:5

I am the Lord, ... and My glory will I not give to another, ..." (3 persons include others)
Isaiah 42:8

God is One singular individual.
Click to expand...
There is not a single verse in the entire Bible that directly or clearly states that "God is One singular individual." Some study on this would do you good.

Here we should also consider John's reference to Gen 1 and what else happens in that chapter.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
...
Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (ESV)

Clearly there is only one God. Interestingly, this one God uses plural personal pronouns of himself--"us" and "our"--to speak of creating humans. But when he actually does create man and woman, the pronouns become singular--"his" and "he." Again, this shows that there is plurality within the one God.
 
Randy:
There can be focus on just who is the Son.
But the message given in this greeting hasn't changed.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The only word you're banking on there is the word 'and'.

That word in the original Greek can mean 'indeed.'

Your prized verse is left wanting.

In the original Greek it is translated "Grace and peace to you from God our Father indeed the Lord Jesus Christ."
 
Free said:
There is not a single verse in the entire Bible that directly or clearly states that "God is One singular individual.
Click to expand...
You can continue to repeat that until the cows come home.

Nobody is listening to you.

You have been proven wrong ad nauseum.

Give it a rest.
 
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