Chapter 9. NEW TESTAMENT EXPLANATIONS: ACTS TO REVELATION
This chapter is a continuation of Chapter 8 - NEW TESTAMENT EXPLANATIONS: THE GOSPEL. It explains some verses in the New Testament from Acts to Revelation that are sometimes used to teach a plurality of persons in the Godhead. (Chapter 8 - NEW TESTAMENT EXPLANATIONS: THE GOSPEL covers some verses of Scripture in this category if they relate to questions raised by the Gospels.)
The Right Hand Of God
Numerous passages in the New Testament tell us Jesus sits on the right hand of God. Peter used this expression in Acts 2:34, quoting Psalm 110:1.
According to Acts 7:55, Stephen looked up into heaven while being stoned to death and "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." What does this phrase mean? Does this mean that there are two physical manifestations of God in heaven, God and Jesus, with the latter perpetually stationed on the right hand of the former? Is this what Stephen saw?
A physical interpretation of "the right hand of God" is incorrect. First, no man has seen God at any time, nor can a human see Him (John 1:18; I Timothy 6:16; I John 4:12). God is a Spirit and as such He is invisible (I Timothy 1:17). He does not have a physical right hand unless He chooses to manifest Himself in a human form. We know Stephen did not literally see God apart from Jesus. If he saw two persons, why would he ignore one of them, praying only to Jesus? (Acts 7:59-60). If he saw separate physical manifestations of the Father and the Son, why did he not see the Holy Ghost as a third person?
A careful reading of Acts 7:55 will support the statement that Stephen did not see God apart from Jesus. Verse 55 does not say Stephen saw the Spirit of God, but tells us he saw "the glory of God" and Jesus. In verse 56 Stephen said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." The only visual image or person Stephen actually saw was Jesus Christ.
Other problems arise if we take "the right hand of God" in a physical sense. Is Jesus sitting on the right hand of God as recorded in Acts 2:34, or is Jesus standing on the right hand of God as recorded in Acts 7:55-56? Is Jesus sitting on top of God's outstretched right hand or is Jesus sitting next to God's right hand? Is Jesus in the Father's bosom? (John 1:18). What about Revelation 4:2, which describes one throne in heaven and One who sits on that throne? Does the Father sit on the one throne and does Jesus sit beside it? What about the fact that Jesus is the One seated on the throne? (Revelation 4:2, 8 with 1:8, 18).
Obviously, then, the description of Jesus on the right hand of God must be figurative or symbolic. Indeed, this is evident from numerous references throughout the Bible to the right hand of God. In Psalm 16:8, David wrote, "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Does this mean the LORD was always bodily present at David's right hand? Psalm 77:10 says, "I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High." Did the psalmist promise to remember the number of years God had a right hand? Psalm 98:1 declares of the LORD, "His right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory." Does this mean God defeated His enemies by holding back His left hand and crushing them with a physical right hand? Psalm 109:31 states that the LORD "shall stand at the right hand of the poor." Does He physically station Himself next to poor people all the time? The LORD declared in Isaiah 48:13, "My right hand hath spanned the heavens," and in Isaiah 62:8 the LORD swore by His right hand. Did God reach out a giant hand and literally cover the sky, or did God put His left hand on His right hand and swear by it? Jesus cast out devils by the finger of God (Luke 11:20). Did He pull down a giant finger from heaven and punch devils out of people?
Of course, the answer to all of these questions is "No." Therefore, we must understand "right hand of God" in a figurative, symbolic, or poetic sense and not in a physical, bodily sense. This being so, what does the phrase signify?
In the Bible, the right hand signifies strength, power, importance, and pre-eminence just as it does in the English phrases, "He is my right hand man" and "I would give my right arm for this." Trinitarian scholar Bernard Ramm says, "God's almightiness is spoken of in terms of a right arm because among men the right arm is the symbol of strength or power. Pre-eminence is spoken of as sitting at God's right hand because in human social affairs the right hand position with reference to the host was the place of greatest honor." [24]
Some biblical examples to show this association of the right hand with power are interesting and instructive. Exodus 15:6 proclaims, "Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power." Psalm 98:1 and Psalm 110:1 associate the right hand of God with victory over enemies. When the Bible speaks of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God, it means Jesus has all the power and authority of God. Jesus Himself made this clear in Matthew 26:64: "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (See also Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69.) Jesus thus claimed to have all the power of God; by this implication He declared Himself to be God. The Jews understood these claims and because of them the high priest accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65). Apparently, the high priest knew the symbolic meaning of the right hand in the Old Testament, and he therefore realized that Jesus was claiming to have God's power and to be God. First Peter 3:22 further demonstrates that "right hand" means Jesus has all power and authority: "Who is gone to heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." Similarly, Ephesians 1:20-22 uses this phrase to say Jesus has pre-eminence over all principalities, powers, dominions, and names. This passage also links the right hand with the exaltation of Christ. In this connection, Acts 5:31 states, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." (See also Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:33-34.)
Acts 5:31 indicates that the right hand of God or the arm of God sometimes specifically refers to God's power in salvation. Many other verses of Scripture speak of the right hand of God as representing the deliverance and victory God gives to His people (Exodus 15:6; Psalm 44:3; Psalm 98:1). Isaiah 59:16 says, "His arm brought salvation." It appears, therefore, that the description of Jesus on the right hand of God connotes that Jesus is the expression of God's saving power. This concept harmonizes with the association of the position of Jesus on the right hand of God with His mediatorial role, particularly His work as our intercessor and high priest (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 8:1).
With this understanding of the right hand of God, we still may wonder why the Bible sometimes says Jesus "sat down" on the right hand of God (as in Hebrews 10:12) instead of simply saying He is at the right hand of God (as in Romans 8:34). It is probable that this particular phrasing indicates that Jesus received complete glorification, power, and authority at a certain point in time. This exaltation began with His resurrection and was completed at His ascension. At that time He freed Himself from all human limitations and physical restraints. This is the opposite of the self-limitation to which Jesus submitted in the Incarnation as described in Philippians 2:6-8. He completed His role as a human walking on this earth.
No longer does Jesus submit Himself to human frailty and weakness. No longer is He the suffering servant. No longer are His glory, majesty, and other divine attributes hidden from the casual onlooker. He now exercises His power as God through a glorified human body. He now displays and will display Himself as the Lord of all, the Righteous Judge, and the King of the whole earth. That is why Stephen did not see Jesus Christ as the ordinary man He had appeared to be while on earth, but he saw Him with the glory of God and the power of God. Similarly, John saw Jesus revealed as God in all His glory and power (Revelation 1). This exaltation, glorification, and unveiling of Christ culminated at His ascension. Mark 16:19 says, "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God."
The phrase "sat down" indicates that the sacrificial work of Christ is not continuing but is complete. "When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes… But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool" (Hebrews 10:11-13).
In summary, we would encounter many inconsistencies if we were to interpret the description of Jesus on the right hand of God to mean a physical positioning between two Gods with separate bodies. If we understand it as symbolic of the power, strength, authority, pre-eminence, victory, exaltation, and saving ability of Jesus as manifested in flesh, then we eliminate the conflicting concepts. Furthermore, this interpretation is consistent with the use of the phrase "right hand of God" throughout the Bible. The "right hand" reveals the omnipotence and absolute deity of Jesus and vindicates the message of one God in Christ.
Returning to our original question, what did Stephen actually see? It is apparent that he saw Jesus. Isaiah 40:5 says with reference to the coming of the Messiah, "And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Jesus is the revealed glory of God. Stephen saw the glory of God when he saw Jesus. He saw Jesus radiating the glory that He possessed as God and with all the power and authority of God. In short, he saw the exalted Christ. He saw Jesus not merely as a man but as God Himself, with all glory, power, and authority. That is why he called on God by saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59).
Greetings In The Epistles
Most of the epistles contain a greeting that mentions God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, Paul wrote, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:7), and "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 1:3). Does this phraseology indicate a separation of persons? If it were so interpreted, there would be several serious problems with which to contend.
First, why is there no mention of the Holy Ghost in these greetings? Even if these greetings are interpreted to teach a separation of persons, they do not endorse the doctrine of the trinity. From this interpretation, the greetings could teach binitarianism; they could also relegate the Holy Ghost to a junior role in the trinity.
Second, if we interpret other similar passages to indicate separate persons in the Godhead, we could easily have four persons in the Godhead. For example, Colossians 2:2 speaks of "the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." Other verses of Scripture talk about "God and the Father" (Colossians 3:17; James 1:27) or "God and our Father" (I Thessalonians 1:3). First Thessalonians 3:11 says, "Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you." So if and separates different persons, we have at least four persons: God, the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
If the salutations do not indicate a plurality of persons in the Godhead, what do they mean? By referring to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the writers were emphasizing two roles of God and the importance of accepting Him in both roles. Not only must we believe in God as our Creator and Father, but we must accept Him as manifested in the flesh through Jesus Christ. Everyone must acknowledge that Jesus is come in the flesh and that He is both Lord and Christ (Messiah). Consequently, the salutations emphasize belief not only in God, which the Jews and many pagans accepted, but also in God as revealed through Christ.
This explains why it was unnecessary to mention the Holy Ghost; the concept of God as a Spirit was wrapped up in the title of God the Father, especially to the Jewish mind. We must remember, too, that the doctrine of the trinity did not develop until much later in church history. (See Chapter 11 - TRINITARIANISM: DEFINITION AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT.) Therefore, these phrases did not sound the least bit awkward or strange to the writers or the readers.
A study of Greek is very interesting in connection with these greeting passages. [25] The word translated "and" is from the Greek word kai. It can be translated as "and" or as "even" (in the sense of "that is" or "which is the same as"). For example, the KJV translates kai as "and" in II Corinthians 1:2 but as "even" in verse 3. Verse 2 says, "from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ," while verse 3 says, "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Verse 2 could properly appear as, "from God our Father, even from the Lord Jesus Christ." The KJV translates kai as "even" in several other places, including the phrases "God, even the Father" (I Corinthians 15:24; James 3:9) and "God, even our Father" (I Thessalonians 3:13). So the greetings could read just as easily, "from God our Father, even the Lord Jesus Christ." To further support this, the Greek does not have the definite article ("the") before "Lord Jesus Christ" in any of the salutations. Thus, even if we translate kai as "and," the phrases literally read, "from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ."
Even when the translations render kai as "and," they often agree that the phrase denotes only one being or person. Below are some examples:
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| Scriptural Reference | Version | Translation | |
| 1 | Galatians 1:4 | KJV | God and our Father |
| NIV | our God and Father | ||
| TAB | our God and Father | ||
| 2 | Ephesians 5:5 | KJV | the kingdom of Christ and of God |
| NIV | the kingdom of Christ and of God | ||
| NIV (footnote) | Or 'kingdom of the Christ and God' | ||
| 3 | Colossians 2:2 | KJV | the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ |
| NIV | the mystery of God, namely, Christ | ||
| NIV (footnote) | Some manuscripts 'God, even the Father, and of Christ' | ||
| TAB | God [which is] Christ | ||
| 4 | II Thessalonians 1:12 | KJV | the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ |
| NIV | the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ | ||
| NIV (footnote) | Or 'God and Lord, Jesus Christ' | ||
| 5 | I Timothy 5:21 | KJV | before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ |
| NIV | in the sight of God and Christ Jesus | ||
| 6 | Titus 2:13 | KJV | the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ |
| NIV | our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ | ||
| TAB | our great God and Savior Christ Jesus | ||
| 7 | II Peter 1:1 | KJV | God and our Saviour Jesus Christ |
| NIV | our God and Savior Jesus Christ | ||
| TAB | our God and Savior Jesus Christ | ||
| 8 | Jude 4 | KJV | the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ |
| NIV | Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord | ||
| TAB | our sole Master and Lord, Jesus Christ | ||
This table shows that kai sometimes identifies God as the Father, or even Jesus as God. From this, it is easy to see that kai sometimes identifies Jesus as the Father since the grammatical construction is similar in all three cases.
We conclude that the salutations do not indicate any distinction of persons in God. At the most, the use of kai in these cases denotes a distinction of roles, manifestations, or names by which man knows God. In at least some cases the use of kai actually identifies Jesus as the same being as God - the same being as the Father.
"The Apostolic Benediction"
Second Corinthians 13:14 reads, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." Again, we should remember that Paul penned this verse of Scripture at a time when trinitarianism was still a doctrine of the future, and therefore the verse was not puzzling or unusual at the time. Basically, the verse conveys three aspects or attributes of God that we can know and have. First, there is God's grace. God has made His grace available to mankind through His manifestation in flesh, in Jesus Christ. In other words, unmerited favor, divine help, and salvation come to us through the atoning work of Jesus. Then God is love, and love always has been part of His basic nature. He loved us long before He robed Himself in flesh as Christ. And finally, the baptism of the Holy Ghost gives us communion (fellowship) with God and with our fellow believers: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" - the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13). Through the indwelling Spirit of God, not the presence of the physical body of Jesus Christ, we have a present, continuing relationship with God unlike anything available to the Old Testament saints.
Second Corinthians 13:14 is logical and understandable when we interpret it as three important relationships God has shared with us or as three different works the one Spirit accomplishes. There are diversities of operations but only one God working all in all (I Corinthians 12:4-6).
Other Threefold References In The Epistles And Revelation
Several other verses of Scripture identify God by three titles or names. However, many more verses use only two designations for God, in particular Father and Lord Jesus Christ. But most verses of Scripture use only one designation for God. There does not appear to be any special significance as to the Godhead in the threefold references; none of them require any separation of persons. Let us analyze them one at a time.
Ephesians 3:14-17 uses the following titles to describe God: "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," "his Spirit," and "Christ." Interestingly, this passage actually stresses one God with no distinction of persons, because it describes the Spirit first as the Father's Spirit and then as Christ in our hearts. Although the KJV is unclear as to what "his" means, the NIV, TAB, RSV, and Nestle's Greek text clearly demonstrate that "his Spirit" means "the Father's Spirit." So, in this passage, the Father, the Spirit, and Christ are all identified as the same being. The only remaining distinction lies in the phrase, "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," which distinguishes between the Spirit of God and His manifestation in the flesh.
Ephesians 4:4-6 states there is one Spirit, one Lord, and one God and Father. Again this proves the oneness of God. The one God is Spirit and He is the Lord of all. The basic idea expressed in these verses is the oneness of God, not a threeness. Why was this thought restated in three different ways? Verse 4 connects the one Spirit with the assertion that there is one body, reminding us the one Spirit of God baptizes us into the one body (I Corinthians 12:13). Verse 5 groups "one Lord" with "one faith" and "one baptism," indicating we must condition our faith and our baptism on the person, name, and work of the Lord Jesus, not just on a belief in God as a Spirit. Verse 6 brings it all together, saying, "one God and Father of all, who is above all [i.e., who is Lord], and through all, and in you all [i.e., who is the Spirit in you]." The one God is the one Lord and the one Spirit.
A trinitarian interpretation of Ephesians 4:4-6 is not logical because it separates Jesus from God. If there are three persons maintained in these verses, they would be: God and Father, Lord, Spirit. This interpretation implies that the Father is God in a way that Jesus is not. It is against the theory of the trinity to think of Jesus as separate from God. Trinitarians must be consistent with their theory and accept Jesus as the one and only God of the Bible or else abandon their theology of one God.
According to Hebrews 9:14, Christ offered Himself through the eternal Spirit to God. The subject of the verse is the blood of Christ, so obviously the verse speaks of the human, mediatorial role of Christ. How did Christ make His great sacrifice? He did so through His divine nature - the eternal Spirit - which is none other than the Father. Jesus prayed to the Father in Gethsemane and received strength from Him to endure the crucifixion. This verse simply teaches that Christ was able to offer up His human body to God through the help of the Spirit of God.
Similarly, I Peter 3:18 says Christ was put to death in the flesh but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit so that He might bring us to God. We know that Jesus resurrected Himself from the dead by His own divine Spirit (John 2:19-21; Romans 8:9-11). In other places, the Bible says God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32). So, we have the man Christ raised from the dead by the Spirit of God - the divine nature of Christ - in order to reconcile mankind to God.
I Peter 1:2 mentions the foreknowledge of God the Father, the sanctification of the Spirit, and the blood of Jesus. This verse simply describes different aspects of God in relation to our salvation. First, foreknowledge is part of God's omniscience, and He had it before the Incarnation and before the latter-day outpouring of the Spirit. Thus, it is natural for us to associate it with God's role as Father. Secondly, God does not have blood except through the man Jesus, so it is more natural to say the blood of Jesus rather than the blood of God or the blood of the Spirit. Finally, we are sanctified, or set apart from sin, by the power of the indwelling presence of God, so Peter naturally spoke of sanctification by the Spirit. As with II Corinthians 13:14, the Bible uses the most logical way to describe these attributes or works of God, namely by associating them with the roles, names, or titles God has.
Jude 20-21 is another verse of Scripture like this. It speaks of prayer in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the mercy of Jesus. As before, we can understand this easily as denoting different workings of God by using the roles most closely associated with those workings.
Revelation 1:4-5 says, in part, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ." According to verse 8, Jesus is the One "which is, and which was, and which is to come." He is the One on the throne (Revelation 4:2, 8). The seven Spirits belong to Jesus (Revelation 3:1; 5:6). This passage, therefore, merely gives us several ways of looking at the one God, who is Jesus Christ. The reason verse 5 mentions Jesus Christ in addition to the preceding description of God is to emphasize His humanity, for that verse calls Jesus the first-begotten of the dead.
If a person is determined to make this passage mean three persons, what would prevent him from dividing the Spirit into seven persons based on verse 4? Also, verse 6 speaks of "God and his [Jesus Christ's] Father," and the same logic would divide these into two persons - God and Father.
In summary, several verses of Scripture use three titles or names of God. In each case, the Bible uses a very natural and easily understandable way to describe a plurality or roles, attributes, or workings of God. In many cases, these verses actually provide additional evidence that there is one God with no distinction of persons.
The Fulness Of God
In this book we have emphasized Colossians 2:9 a number of times because it teaches that all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Jesus Christ. We understand this to mean all of God - all His attributes, power, and character - is in Jesus. Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Jehovah, Word, and so on are all in Jesus. Some trinitarians try to counter this interpretation by referring to Ephesians 3:19, which says we as Christians can be filled with all the fulness of God. Therefore, they argue, Colossians 2:9 does not indicate the full deity of Jesus any more than Ephesians 3:19 indicates the full deity of Christians. We will answer this argument by analyzing these two verses of Scripture in turn.
Colossians 2:9 refers to the fulness of deity in a way that Ephesians 3:19 does not. Immediately after stating all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Jesus, the Bible adds, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10). In other words, everything we need is in Jesus, and Jesus is omnipotent. These statements are based on verse 9, and therefore verse 9 must indeed mean all of God is in Jesus.
In fact, this is the only logical conclusion based on the theme of the book to that point. Chapters 1 and 2 make the following claims about Jesus:
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| Verse | Description of Jesus | |
| 1 | 1:15 | He is the image of the invisible God |
| 2 | 1:16 | He is the Creator of all things |
| 3 | 1:17 | He is before all things (Eternal) |
| 4 | 1:17 | By Him all things consist |
| 5 | 1:18 | He is the Head of the church |
| 6 | 1:18 | He is pre-eminent in all things |
| 7 | 1:19 | All fulness of Godhead dwells in Him |
| 8 | 1:20 | He has reconciled all things to God |
| 9 | 2:3 | He has all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Omniscience) |
| 10 | 2:5 | We should have our faith in Him |
| 11 | 2:6 | We should walk in Him |
| 12 | 2:7 | We should be rooted and built up in Him |
| 13 | 2:9 | All the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him |
| 14 | 2:10 | We are complete in Him |
| 15 | 2:10 | He is the Head of all principality and power (Omnipotence) |
We should note that in Colossians 2:2, the subject is "the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ," or as the NIV puts it, "the mystery of God, namely, Christ." Verse 9 is merely an elaboration or further explanation of this mystery. The mystery of God (Christ) is that all the fulness of the deity dwells in Christ. Thus, we see from the context that Colossians 2:9 is an explanation of Christ's full deity.
The Greek word for Godhead in Colossians 2:9 is Theotes, which means the Deity. The word bodily reminds us of the word incarnation, which means the embodiment of a spirit in earthly form. Putting this together, Colossians 2:9 tells us Jesus is the incarnation of the fulness of the Deity - He is the bodily manifestation of everything God is. The Amplified Bible translates Colossians 2:9 as, "For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead), continues to dwell in bodily form - giving complete expression of the divine nature." It translates Colossians 1:19 as, "For it has pleased the Father that all the divine fullness - the sum total of the divine perfection, powers and attributes - should dwell in Him permanently." The NIV translates Colossians 2:9 as, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." It translates Colossians 1:19 as, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him."
Turning to other translations of Colossians 2:9, the Twentieth Century New Testament has, "For in Christ the Godhead in all its fulness dwells incarnate"; The New Testament in Modern English (J. B. Phillips) has, "yet it is in him that God gives a full and complete expression of himself (within the physical limits that he sets himself in Christ)"; and Living Letters: The Paraphrased Epistles (Kenneth Taylor) has, "For in Christ there is all of God in a human body."
It is clear then, that Colossians 1:19 and 2:9 describe the full deity of Jesus Christ. We could not apply the statements in Colossians 1 and 2 to ourselves and be correct. We are not the incarnation of the fulness of God. Nor are we omniscient, omnipotent, and so on. Whatever Ephesians 3:19 means, it cannot mean the same thing as Colossians 1:19 and 2:9.
What does Ephesians 3:19 mean, then, when it says "that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God"? When we look at the context, we see the emphasis of the passage: Christians can have the fulness of God in them because they have Christ. Since Christ is the fulness of God, when we have Christ in us we have the fulness of God. Verse 17 speaks of Christ dwelling in our hearts, and verse 19 tells us we can have the fulness of God by having Christ. Far from tearing down the absolute deity of Christ, Ephesians 3:19 establishes once again that all of God is in Christ. Colossians 2:10 supports this reading of the passage in Ephesians, saying, "And ye are complete in him - Christ." The NIV makes it even clearer: "And you have been given fulness in Christ…" Similarly, TAB says, "And you are in Him, made full and have come to fullness of life - in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead."
This may give rise to a further question; namely, how is a Christian different from the man Christ if both have the fulness of deity resident in them? The answer is that Jesus Christ is God revealed in flesh. He had His divine nature because He was conceived by the Spirit of God. His human nature has the divine nature dwelling in it, but His divine nature is God. Therefore, nothing can ever separate Jesus from His deity. We can live without the Spirit of God in us and the Spirit can depart from us, but this is not so with the man Jesus. Christ has all the attributes and character of God as His very nature, while we have them only by Christ dwelling in us. The nature of God is not ours. We can let it shine through us and control us (by walking after the Spirit), but we can also quench it and let our own human natures dominate (by walking after the flesh). Jesus Christ has all the fulness of the Godhead bodily because He is God Himself incarnated. We can have the fulness of God in our lives only as we let Jesus Christ live in us.
There is one more aspect we need to address with respect to Colossians 2:9. Some point out that Paul's purpose in writing this was not to oppose trinitarianism but Gnosticism. Of course, Paul did not aim his argument directly at trinitarianism, because that doctrine had not yet emerged! No doubt Paul was opposing the Gnostic belief that Christ was an inferior emanation from the supreme God. The fact remains, however, that Paul's language, which was inspired by the Holy Ghost, does exclude trinitarianism. Colossians is clearly an affirmation of the Oneness belief. It does not matter what false belief Paul was opposing; his positive doctrine still stands. The Oneness doctrine he taught certainly stands against Gnosticism, but it also stands against trinitarianism and any other belief which denies that all of the deity dwells in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:6-8
This passage describes Jesus Christ as follows: "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The NIV says, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!"
Apparently, this verse of Scripture is saying that Jesus had the nature of God, that He was God Himself. God has no equal (Isaiah 40:25; 46:5, 9). The only way Jesus can be equal with God is for Him to be God. So, Jesus was equal with (the same as) God in the sense that He was God. However, He did not consider His prerogatives as God something to be held or retained at all costs, but He was willing to lay these aside and assume a human nature so that He could save lost mankind. He willingly became a humble, obedient servant and even submitted to death on a cross.
Trinitarians view this verse of Scripture as describing two persons in the Godhead - God the Father and God the Son. In their view, the Son had the same nature as the Father but was not the Father. They contend that the divine Son became incarnated, not the Father. Many trinitarians further maintain that in the Incarnation this divine Son surrendered or emptied Himself of many of His attributes as God, including omnipresence. Thus, they speak of the kenosis or emptying of Christ, from the Greek word kenoo in the first part of verse 7. Although this word does include in its meaning the concept "to empty," most versions do not choose this meaning. Here are three renderings of kenoo in Philippians 2:7: "made himself of no reputation" (KJV), "made himself nothing" (NIV), and "stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity]" (TAB).
From the Oneness point of view, Jesus is not God the Son, but He is all of God, including Father and Son. Thus, in His divinity, He is truly equal to, or identical to God. The word equal here means that the divine nature of Jesus was the very nature of God the Father. Jesus did not strip Himself of the attributes of deity, but rather stripped Himself of His dignity and rightful prerogatives as God while He dwelt among men as a human. The Spirit of Jesus, which was God Himself, never lost any of His omniscience, omnipresence, or omnipotence.
This verse only refers to the limitations Jesus imposed upon Himself relative to His life as a human. As the three translations quoted above indicate, the kenosis of Christ consisted of a voluntary surrender of glory and dignity, rather than a surrender of His nature as God. As a man, Christ did not receive the honor that was due to Him as God. Instead of acting in His rightful role as King of mankind, He became a ministering servant to mankind. As a man, He submitted to death on the cross. He did not die as God but as a man. So, this verse expresses a very beautiful thought: Although Jesus was God, He did not insist on retaining all His rights as God. Instead, He willingly stripped Himself of His right to glory and honor on earth by taking on the nature of a man and dying. He did all of this so that He could provide salvation for us.
As a result of Christ's humbling, God (the Spirit of Jesus) has highly exalted Jesus Christ (God manifested in flesh). Jesus has a name that is above every name - a name that represents all that God is. The Spirit of God gave this name to the Christ (Messiah), because Christ was God manifested in flesh. Also, Jesus Christ has all power over things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, thereby giving glory to God the Father since the Father is in Christ. Philippians 2:9-11 describes all of this: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Many, and perhaps most, trinitarian scholars actually view the kenosis of Christ in a way consistent with Oneness. For example, one prominent scholar says Christ did not actually "empty" Himself of attributes of deity, for that would mean an abdication of deity, with Jesus becoming a mere demigod. [26] Instead, he explains the passage as follows: Jesus renounced not His divinity but His being in the form of God alone. He did not discard His divine attributes but concealed them in the weakness of human flesh. They were always available, but He chose not to use them, or He used them in a new way. He imposed limitations on Himself. His heavenly glory and majesty were no longer immediately apparent. In short, He hid His divinity in humanity, but His deity was still evident to the eyes of faith. [27]
Colossians 1:15-17
We have explained this verse in Chapter 5 - THE SON OF GOD, which includes a discussion of the pre-existence of Jesus, His role as Creator, and His title as the firstborn from the dead.
Hebrews 1
We have discussed many parts of this passage in Chapter 5 - THE SON OF GOD, particularly verses 2-3, 6, and 8-10.
I John 5:7
Chapter 6 - FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST explains this verse.
Revelation 1:1
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him." Here we find a distinction between the eternal Spirit of God and the man Christ. Only the Spirit could give the revelation of the events of the end times. The humanity of Christ could not know these things (Mark 13:32), so Jesus Christ knew them only through the Spirit. In addition, the deity of Christ was not a product of His humanity, but the divine human union was a product of the deity. The Book of Revelation not only reveals things to come, but it also reveals the deity of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge of both must come from the Spirit of God. We soon find that Revelation does reveal Jesus as God, for in Chapter 1 John saw a vision of Jesus in all the power and glory of God.
The Seven Spirits Of God
This phrase appears in Revelation 1:4, 3:1, and 5:6. Does it describe seven persons in the Godhead? No, but if some people applied the same logic to this phrase that they use on other phrases in Scripture then they would have seven persons of the Spirit. The Bible lets us know, however, that there is only one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4).
Why, then, does Revelation speak of seven spirits? We must remember that Revelation is a book filled with symbolism. Furthermore, seven is a very symbolic number in the Bible, and it frequently represents perfection, completion, or fulness. For example, God rested from creation on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2), the Old Testament Sabbath was on the seventh day (Exodus 20:10), the candlestick or lampstand in the Tabernacle had seven lamps (Exodus 25:37), Noah took seven pairs of clean animals into the ark (Genesis 7:2), Jesus told His disciples to forgive a brother seven times a day (Luke 17:4), and the Book of Revelation contains letters to seven churches (Revelation 1:11). Thus, the seven spirits of God simply indicate the fulness or perfection of the Spirit of God. It is a way of emphasizing the totality of God's Spirit. The phrase may also allude to the seven aspects of the Spirit recorded in Isaiah 11:2, especially since both Isaiah and Revelation describe the seven spirits as belonging to Jesus.
This brings up another point: the Bible does not identify the seven spirits as seven separate persons or even as one separate person. Rather, John clearly told us the seven spirits belong to Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:1; 5:6). Later in the book he described the Spirit in the singular (Revelation 22:17). Thus, the seven spirits symbolically represent the fulness and power of the one Holy Spirit, who is none other than the Spirit of Jesus.
The Lamb In Revelation 5
Revelation 5:1 describes One on the throne in heaven with a book (scroll) in His right hand. Then verses 6-7 depict a Lamb who comes and takes the book out of the right hand of the One that sits on the throne. Does this mean there are two persons of God? No. Once again, we must remember that the Book of Revelation is highly symbolic. In fact, we know the passage in question is symbolic. First, John did not see the invisible Spirit of God, because John himself said no man has ever done that (John 1:18, I John 4:12). In fact, no man can see God (I Timothy 6:16). Revelation 5:5 says a "Lion" would open the book, but in verse 6 John saw a "Lamb" instead. Verse 6 says the Lamb was slain but yet it moved. It had seven eyes, which symbolize the seven spirits or the sevenfold Spirit of God (verse 6) and the omniscience of God (Proverbs 15:3). The Lamb had seven horns, which signify the fulness of God's power or God's omnipotence, because horns in the Bible usually symbolize power. (See Zechariah 1:18-19; Revelation 17:12-17.) All of the description of this scene demonstrates the symbolic nature of the passage. To understand it we must find out who the One on the throne is and who the Lamb is.
Revelation 4:2 and 8 describe the One on the throne as the "Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Yet, in Revelation 1:8 Jesus describes Himself as "the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (See 1:11-18 and 22:12-16 for further proof that Jesus is the speaker of 1:8.) Also the One on the throne is the Judge (Revelation 20:11-12), and we know that Jesus will be the Judge of all (John 5:22, 27; Romans 2:16; 14:10-11). Therefore, we can conclude that the One on the throne is Jesus in all His power and deity.
The Lamb is the Son of God - Jesus Christ in His humanity, particularly in His sacrificial role. The New Testament identifies Jesus as the Lamb who offered His blood for our sins (John 1:36; I Peter 1:19). That is why Revelation 5:6 describes the Lamb as slain. God could not and did not die; only the humanity of Jesus died. So the Lamb represents Jesus only in His humanity as a sacrifice for sin. The rest of chapter 5 also proves this by describing the Lamb as our Redeemer.
That this Lamb is not merely an ordinary human is evident since He has the fulness of God's Spirit, including omniscience and omnipresence (verse 6). He has other roles as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and as the Root of David (verse 5). The Lion denotes Christ's kingly role and His descent from King David. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:1-3; Luke 3:33), which was the tribe of royalty from the time of David. The lion is the symbol of Judah as ruler (Genesis 49:9-10). The Root of David alludes to Christ's role as David's source (Creator) and David's God.
Another fact supports our point that the Lamb represents Jesus in His humanity rather than as a second person in the Godhead. The reason the Lamb appears is to open the book held by God. Many interpret this book to be the title deed of redemption. Others see it as symbolic of the mysteries and plans of God. Either way, it required a human being to open, for God did not redeem us nor did He reveal Himself to us in His role as the transcendent God. He used His manifestation in human flesh as the means both to reveal Himself and to be our kinsman redeemer. (See Leviticus 25:25, 47-49.) So the Lamb represents the humanity of Christ.
Many prominent trinitarian scholars agree that Revelation 5 is symbolic and does not describe God the Father on the throne and God the Son standing by the throne. The Pulpit Commentary identifies the One on the throne as the Triune God, [28] and the Lamb as the Christ in His human capacity. It states, "The Son in his human capacity, as indicated by his sacrificial form of the Lamb, can take and reveal the mysteries of the eternal Godhead in which he, as God, has part." [29] Thus, even in the eyes of trinitarian scholars, this scene is not an indication of a trinity in the Godhead.
We can conclude that the vision in Revelation 5 symbolically depicts the two natures and two roles of Jesus Christ. As Father, Judge, Creator, and King, He sits upon the throne; for in His deity He is the Lord God Almighty. As the Son, He appears as a slain lamb; for in His humanity He is the sacrifice slain for our sins. John did not see the invisible Spirit of God, but he did see a vision symbolically portraying Jesus on the throne in His role as God and as a lamb in His role as the Son of God sacrificed for sin.
If a person insists upon literalizing this demonstrably symbolic passage, then he would need to conclude that John still did not see two persons of God, but rather that he saw one God on the throne and a real lamb near the throne. This is not logical, but it reveals that the attempts of trinitarians to make the passage a proof text for a trinity is futile.
Other verses in Revelation make it clear that that Lamb is not a separate person from God. In particular, Revelation 22:1 and 3 speak of "the throne of God and of the Lamb," referring to the one throne of 4:2 and 5:1. After mentioning "God and the Lamb," Revelation 22:3 goes on to talk about "his servants," and verse 4 refers to "his face" and "his name." The Lamb and the glory of God light the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23), yet the Lord God is the light (Revelation 22:5). So, "God and the Lamb" is one being. The phrase refers to Jesus Christ and designates His dual nature.
We conclude that Revelation 5, symbolic in nature, reveals the oneness of God. It describes One on the throne, but also describes a lion, a root, and a Iamb. Does this description reveal four in the Godhead? Clearly not. Rather, there is only One on the throne. The lion, the root, and the lamb all represent in symbolic form the characteristics and qualifications of the One worthy to open the seals of the book. The lion tells us He is the King from the tribe of Judah. The root tells us He is the Creator. The lamb tells us He is God incarnate and our sacrifice. It is only in this last role that He can be our Redeemer and can open the book. Thus, Revelation 5 teaches there is one God and this one God came in flesh as the Lamb (the Son) to reveal Himself to man and to redeem man from sin.
Why Did God Allow "Confusing" Verses of Scripture?
Many people ask the question, "If the doctrine of Oneness is correct, why did God allow some verses that seemingly confuse the issue?" For example, if God intended for us to baptize in Jesus' name, why did He allow Matthew 28:19 to be recorded as it is? Even if we can understand this verse to mean that we should baptize in the name of Jesus Christ, is it not the source of unnecessary confusion?
Our answer is twofold. First, these verses of Scripture are not confusing when read in their original context. God cannot be responsible for man's mistakes. The verse as recorded by Matthew was perfectly understandable in the apostolic era, and it is not God's fault that later man-made doctrines have twisted the meaning of Scripture out of context.
Second, God sometimes has a purpose in presenting truth in a partially hidden way. In Matthew 13:10, the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to the people in parables. He explained that the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven were not given to the people (verse 11). Why? "Because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand… For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them" (Matthew 13:13-15). In other words, the people did not really desire to hear, see, and understand more about God. If He spoke to them plainly, they might understand despite their lack of spiritual desire. Therefore, Jesus spoke in parables so that only those who are truly hungry and thirsty for righteousness would be filled (Matthew 5:6), and that only sincerely diligent seekers would find the truth (Hebrews 11:6). After giving this answer, Jesus proceeded to explain to the disciples a parable He had just given to the multitude.
Could it be that God allows some verses of Scripture to be a stumbling block to those who are satisfied with the traditions of men and to those who do not seek the truth sincerely, earnestly, and wholeheartedly? Could it be that these same verses become great revelations to those who earnestly seek the mind of the Spirit? If so, this places a heavy responsibility on those who were reared knowing truth. If they do not have a hunger and a love for the truth equal to that which God requires of others, they will eventually fall from the truth themselves (II Thessalonians 2:10-12). Perhaps this explains why many in Christendom never find the truth, why some who have it lose it, and why some who have at least part of the truth lose what they do have.
Conclusion
Having surveyed the entire Bible in the last three chapters of this book, we conclude that nowhere does the Bible teach a separation of persons in the Godhead. Furthermore, we do not find either the word trinity or the doctrine of trinity anywhere in the Bible. In fact, the only time we find the number three connected explicitly with God is in the dubious verse of Scripture, I John 5:7. Even so, that verse describes the manifestations of God in heaven and concludes that "these three are one."
The New Testament does teach the dual nature of Jesus Christ, and this is the key to understanding the Godhead. Once we get the revelation of who Jesus really is - namely, the God of the Old Testament robed in flesh - all the Scriptures fall into place.
It is interesting to note two things about the verses of Scriptures used by trinitarians to teach a plurality of persons in the Godhead. First, many of these verses actually are strong proof texts of Oneness. Examples are Matthew 28:18-19, John 1:1-14, 14:16-18, I John 2:33, and 5:7. Second, many of these verses, if interpreted from a trinitarian point of view, eventually lead to a nontrinitarian doctrine such as Arianism, binitarianism, or tritheism. For example, many use the prayers of Christ to prove the Father is a separate person from the Son. If this means the Son prayed in His role as God (a person in the Godhead), it leads to the belief of the subordination or inferiority of "God the Son" to God the Father. This interpretation defeats the trinitarian doctrine that the Son is co-equal with the Father, and it leads to a form of Arianism. On the other hand, if the Son prayed in His role as a man, then this explanation supports the Oneness belief and does not advance trinitarianism. This same argument demolishes trinitarian arguments that rely on verses of Scripture which say the Father is greater than the Son, the Son does not have all power, and the Son does not have all knowledge.
Likewise, trinitarian arguments that the recorded conversations, communication of love, and communication of knowledge indicate persons in the Godhead will lead to erroneous doctrine. Their arguments would establish three separate intelligences, wills, and personalities. They fall into the error of tritheism (belief in three Gods) - something in which trinitarians profess not to believe. Similarly, if they argue that Stephen saw two literal bodies of God in heaven, they cannot escape the concept of a plurality of Gods.
Since most of the trinitarian proof texts speak of two, not three, it appears that their interpretation should establish binitarianism (belief in two persons only) or at least a subordination of the Holy Spirit to the Father and Son. However, either doctrine contradicts orthodox trinitarianism.
In summary, most so-called trinitarian proof texts must be explained in a way consistent with Oneness or else they lead to doctrines that trinitarians themselves do not believe. On the other hand, the Oneness point of view clearly explains and harmonizes the whole of Scripture. It is consistent with the strict monotheism of the Old Testament and preserves the Christian belief in the Son of God who died for our redemption and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit who actualizes salvation in our lives.