Blog - One God Worship

Is the Holy Spirit a Person? A Look at the Pronouns in John’s Gospel

Is the Holy Spirit a person or the power of God? A "He" or an "it?" According to Trinitarians, the Holy Spirit is a separate person, distinct from the Father and the Son. The main evidence presented as "proof" that the Spirit is more than just a divine power or force is the use of masculine pronouns found primarily in John's gospel. What most people don't realize, however, is that these pronouns cannot be used to determine the natural gender[1] of the Spirit, as we…

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May 17, 2020

Read more about the article Do You Have to Believe in the Trinity to Be Saved?

The Holy Trinity by Antonio de Pereda, 17th century

Proof Texts for the Trinity / Principle of Agency

Do You Have to Believe in the Trinity to Be Saved?

What must we believe in order to be saved? According to the fifth century Athanasian Creed, we must believe in the doctrine of the Trinity and the related doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus. The creed states in part:So in everything...we must worship [Father, Son, Holy Spirit] their trinity in their unity and their unity in their trinity. Anyone then who desires to be saved should think thus about the trinity. But it is necessary for eternal salvation that one also believe in the incarnation of our…

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May 9, 2020

Who is Jesus / Principle of Agency

In My Father’s Name

If Jesus is God and the second member of a triune being, as fourth century councils would later determine, we would expect him to act in a manner consistent with a divine nature. As deity, we would expect Jesus to come in his own name, that is, to act on his own authority, according to his own will or determination. What we find in Scripture, however, is that Jesus did neither. Instead, Jesus said he came in his Father's name: John 5:43 (NASB) "I have…

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April 20, 2020

Read more about the article Jesus, A Man Under Authority

Christ and the Centurion, by Paolo Veronese, 16th century

Who is Jesus / Church History

Jesus, A Man Under Authority

In first-century Rome, a centurion was a military officer in charge of a centuria,[1] the smallest unit of soldiers within a legion. Each centurion was ranked and assigned various levels of authority and responsibility, with the first ranking centurion of the first ranking cohort, being called the primus pilus or first spear.[2] The centurion was said to be in the middle of the Roman military hierarchy, having men who ranked in authority both above and below him.[3] We see this hierarchy referenced in an exchange between…

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April 6, 2020

Proof Texts for the Deity of Christ

Did Jesus “Return” to the Father?

There are certain verses in John's gospel, John 1:1-3 and John 17:5, for example, that are considered proof that Jesus pre-existed in heaven. There's another passage, depending on the translation you read, that appears to support the notion as well: John 13:3 (NIV) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God (emphasis added) Did Jesus Return to the Father? The phrase "returning to God" or "going back to God"…

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March 19, 2020

Read more about the article Jesus, The Great Teacher, Had a Teacher

The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch, c. 19th century

Who is Jesus

Jesus, The Great Teacher, Had a Teacher

Those who encountered Jesus during his earthly ministry may have debated whether or not he was the Messiah,[1] but few, if any, debated his ability to teach. On the contrary, crowds were astonished by his teaching: Mark 11:18 (NASB) The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. (emphasis added)Many people, including Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, recognized that Jesus' teachings, and the signs…

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March 14, 2020

Read more about the article My Father’s Kingdom

Benediction of God the Father, Luca Cambiaso, c. 1565

Who is God / Who is Jesus

My Father’s Kingdom

Many Christians believe Jesus will rule the kingdom for all of eternity because he is God, and therefore, the kingdom inherently belongs to him. Scripture, on the other hand, reveals a different picture about the coming kingdom, who it belongs to, and the reason for Jesus' rule. The Kingdom Belongs to the FatherThe Psalms often speak of God in terms of royalty:Psalm 47:2 (NASB) For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.Psalm 103:19 (NASB) The LORD has established…

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March 8, 2020

Who is the Holy Spirit

Is the Holy Spirit a Separate Person From the Father and the Son?

The doctrine of the Trinity hinges on the Holy Spirit being a separate person from the Father and the Son. Without this determination, there is no Trinity. What does Scripture have to say about the matter? Has belief in the personhood of the Spirit always been a foregone conclusion? What does the historical record reveal? You may be surprised at what you're about to read.Survey SaysIn 2014, Lifeway Ministries and Ligonier Ministries surveyed evangelical Christians in America. While the vast majority of the respondents (96%)…

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February 29, 2020

Who is the Holy Spirit

10 Biblical Truths About the Holy Spirit That Contradict Orthodoxy

As we endeavor to build our lives on the foundation of God's word, it's important to know what the Bible says and what it doesn't say about the Holy Spirit. We've been taught that the Holy Spirit is God, a separate person from God the Father and Jesus the Son, and the third member of a triune being. The Spirit is understood to be co-equal, co-eternal, and co-essential with the Father and the Son. If this is the case, we should find ample evidence of these…

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January 29, 2020

Who is Jesus

Christ Belongs to God

From ancient times, the Jews understood that the coming Messiah would be a servant or agent of God who would rule on God's behalf.[1] Just as King David was referred to as God's anointed[2], so the coming king would be called the same: Psalm 2:2 (NASB) The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed (emphasis added) The Christ of God To be sure, throughout Scripture, Jesus is referred to as being of or belonging…

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January 22, 2020