What the Bible says about God is One
(From Forerunner Commentary)
Genesis 1:26 expresses the specific purpose statement of the Bible. God, the Creator, the Master Potter, is reproducing Himself! This is THE work of God. He is in the process of making man in His image. That project is completed in two stages, the physical and the spiritual. When the physical aspect was completed at creation, the spiritual one began. This is the overall project He is supervising.
God is already a unit: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is one, but consists of more than one Person. When Jesus came, He proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom of God. In doing this, He publicly announced the expansion of this unit to include others besides the two Beings already revealed.
A kingdom is synonymous with a nation. It consists of large numbers of people, but it, too, is one. Indeed, the church is called "a holy nation" in I Peter 2:9, and though it has many members worldwide, it is one church. Thus, Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God will consist of many more personalities. He also told us how we can become a part of it and how it will be accomplished. Through these means the project stated in Genesis 1:26 will take a giant step toward fulfillment.
John W. Ritenbaugh
In the Grip of DistrustRelated Topics: Creation | Creation, Physical | Creation, Spiritual | God is One | God Reproducing Himself | God's Work | Holy Nation | Holy People | Kingdom of God
This verse shows that two human personalities can become one flesh. Why, then, can God not be one with two distinct personalities who work independently yet in complete harmony? Paul adds in I Corinthians 6:17, "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." If a human can be one with God and remain entirely distinct, why cannot another spirit being with a separate personality be one with Him?
John W. Ritenbaugh
God Is . . . What?Related Topics: God is One | God is Spirit | God's Nature | God, Description of | Godhead | Harmony | Harmony With God | Harmony with God's Purpose | Harmony with God's Will | Nature of God | Unity | Unity in Christ | Unity in the Spirit | Unity with God
Deuteronomy 6:4 states, "The LORD our Elohim is one LORD." In John 17:5, Jesus establishes that there was a time when He was alongside the Father, but now He says that He is with, alongside of, His disciples. He is not alongside of the Father, and in this context, He asks the Father, "that they [the apostles] may be one as we are." What kind of oneness is this, if it is not being "alongside of"? John 17:21 shows this unity is actually "inside of"!
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Nature of God: ElohimRelated Topics: Elohim | God is One | God is Spirit | God's Nature | Godhead | Nature of God | Union with Christ | Unity | Unity in Christ | Unity in the Spirit | Unity with God
"There are gods many, and lords many." In verse 6, Paul says, "But to us there is but one God." It seems Paul is saying that God has some competition, that He is not alone among the gods. This is also seen in Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 86:8; 97:9; 135:5.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Nature of God: ElohimRelated Topics: Glory of God | God is One | God the Father Greater in Authority | God the Father in Supreme Command | God, Uniqueness of | Gods