The God of the Bible is revealed as one God. Both Old and New Testaments declare that there is but one God.
The oneness of the Godhead as revealed in Scripture
Old Testament Scriptures
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4
“To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.” Deuteronomy 4:35
“There is none besides You.” 1 Samuel 2:2
“You alone are God.” Psalm 86:10
“Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.” Isaiah 43:10
“I am the LORD, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:18
New Testament Scriptures
“There is one God, and there is no other but He.” Mark 12:32
“There is no other God but one.” 1 Corinthians. 8:4
“God is one,” Galatians 3:20
“One God and Father of all,” Ephesians 4:6
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe, and tremble!” James 2:19
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” 1Timothy 2:5
Each of these verses shows clearly that there is one God, or that God is the one true God. The Jewish people were monotheistic. The New Testament declares the unity of God. Christianity continues the true faith of Israel in the fact that it is monotheistic, and worships one true God.
The Threeness of the Godhead as revealed in Scripture
Old Testament Scriptures
“In the beginning God…” Genesis 1:1-2 [The word for God is “Elohim” the plural form of the Hebrew word “El”.]
“Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Genesis 1:26
And God (Elohim) said; ”Man is become as one of US, to know good and evil.” Genesis 3:22
“Come, let US go down and confuse their language.” Genesis 11:7
The Old Testament speaks of the Father;
“You, O LORD, are our Father.” Isaiah 63:16.
“Have we not all one Father.” Malachi 2:10
The Old Testament speaks of the Son;
“Kiss the Son lest He be angry.” Psalm 2:7,12.
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Isaiah 9:6
The Old Testament speaks of the Holy Spirit;
“The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2
“But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.” Judges 6:34
New Testament Scriptures
The revelation of God as three persons is the distinctive ministry of the Son of God. One of the persons of the Godhead had to come to reveal God to man. It was the eternal Son, the Word, who was sent to declare God in His tri-unity of Being.
“No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Matthew 11:27
“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:18
The Incarnation was prophesied in the Old Testament and then fulfilled in the Virgin Birth of the Son of God. He was God manifest in the flesh.
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
The New Testament plainly declares the number of Persons in the Godhead to be three. What was veiled in the Old Testament in types and shadows, and was hidden within the divine names of God, has now been clearly displayed for us through the revelation of the Son of God.
The whole of the New Testament abounds with clear references to three distinct, divine persons, who are revealed as the Eternal Godhead.
Following is a set of Scriptures which show the distinction in the Godhead, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These verses tell of three persons, each having a distinct ministry and function, yet one in mind and will, working in harmony.
Matthew 3:16-17
The Father’s voice spoke from heaven.
The Son of God in Jordan’s waters of baptism.
The Holy Spirit descending bodily in the form of a dove.
Matthew 28:19
Believers were to be baptised into the name of
the Father,
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:16-17
The Father hears the prayer of the Son.
The Son prays to the Father.
The Holy Spirit as the Comforter will be given.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit (Holy Spirit).
Differences of ministrations but the same Lord (The Son).
Diversities of operations but the same God (The Father).
Ephesians 2:18
Access unto – The Father.
Through Him- The Son.
By one Spirit-The Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one Lord – The Son.
There is one Spirit – The Holy Spirit.
There is one God – The Father.
2 Corinthians 13:14
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – The Son.
The love of God – The Father.
The communion of the Holy Spirit – The Spirit.
1 John 5:7-8
There are three that bear record in heaven:
The Father
The Word – The Son.
And the Holy Spirit,
And these three are one.
There is one God, manifested and distinguished in three persons.
The Lord Jesus in John’s Gospel chapters 14-17 clearly brings to view the divine persons of the Godhead. The Son prays to the Father to send the Holy Spirit. He prays that the disciples may be “one as we are one” and that they may be “one in us” John 17:21-23. Here again is a compound unity, the unity of more than one person.
Relationship and Distinction in the Godhead
As outlined in “Foundations of Christian Doctrine”, Kevin J Conner
The Scriptures recognize three in creation.
The Father in creation. Exodus 20:11, Psalm 102:25,Genesis 2:7
The Son in creation. Col 1:16-17, John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2,10.
The Holy Spirit in creation. Genesis 1:2, Job 26:13, Psalm 104:30.
The Scriptures show the eternity of the Godhead.
The eternity of the Father. Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 90:2
The eternity of the Son. John 1:1, Phil. 2:6
The eternity of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 9:14
The Scriptures show the omnipresence of the Godhead.
The omnipresence of the Father. Jeremiah 23:23-24
The omnipresence of the Son. Ephesians 1:23, Matthew 18:20
The omnipresence of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 139:7
The Scriptures show the omniscience of the Godhead.
The omniscience of the Father. Proverbs 15:3, 1 John 3:20
The omniscience of the Son. John 21:17, Col 2:3 , Rev. 2:23
The omniscience of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10-12
The Scriptures show the omnipotence of the Godhead.
The omnipotence of the Father. Matthew 19:26
The omnipotence of the Son. Philippians 3:21, Matthew 28:18
The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:19
The Scriptures show the Holiness of the Godhead.
The Holiness of the Father. Revelation 15:4
The Holiness of the Son. Acts 3:14
The Holiness of the Spirit. Acts 1:8
Though the Father, Son and Holy Spirit maintain these qualities in common, they are also distinct from each other.
The Father
The Father is God, a distinct person. He is eternal, self-existent, invisible and immortal, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man can see in His fullness.
The Son
The Son is God, a distinct person, made visible by the Incarnation. The Son was pre-existent, that is, He existed before the world was. He is eternal along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Son is pre-eminent above all things except the Father. The Son is God manifest in the flesh.
The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God, a distinct person. He is not an influence or a force but a divine person. He is eternal along with the Father and the Son.
