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The Godhead

Statements of Faith

I found several "statements of faith" and excerpts from creeds of different churches across the internet.  The vast majority of Church statements written today read in much the same manner as these.

Would you agree with me that if ANYONE writes a statement that disagrees with or contradicts the bible, then that person, and certainly that statement must be discounted as false?  Wouldn't you say that?

YOU examine these, then examine your own church's statement.  Does it agree or disagree with THE WORD OF GOD?  If you wish to dispute this, then might I suggest as always to do so USING THE WORD OF GOD?  Any other option is unreliable and is only conjecture or theory.

 

From a Methodist Church:

We believe that the only true God is God in three persons: Father, Son Holy Spirit. The three unique persons are distinct from each other, but equal in power, glory and majesty.

From a Lutheran Church:

We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each possessing all the attributes of Deity.

From a Charismatic Pentecostal Church:

There is one true triune God, eternally co-existent in three persons Who form the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Word and God the Holy Spirit. These three dwell together in perfect unity, forming one heavenly government called God, and each of the three divine persons we recognize to be God.

From a Baptist Church:

We believe there is but one living and true God everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there are three Persons of one substance of eternal being, and equal in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and dignity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

From a "Jesus Only" Church:

We believe the Bible teaches that there is only one true, ever living, eternal God, infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose, and possessing absolute, invisible deity. The One true God has revealed Himself as Father, through His Son in redemption, and as the Holy Ghost, by emanation. This one true God manifested Himself in the Old Testament in various ways; in the Son while he walked among men; as the Holy Ghost after the ascension.

We believe the Bible teaches that there is only one God, who has chose to manifest himself in three offices to mankind:  God the Father in the Old Testament, God the Son when he walked, and now He has shown himself to be God the Holy Ghost in the hearts of believers.

From the UPCI church:

This one true God has revealed Himself as Father; through His Son, in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by emanation.... Before the incarnation, this one true God manifested Himself in divers ways. In the incarnation, He manifests Himself in the Son, who walked among men. As He works in the lives of believers, He manifests Himself as the Holy Spirit.... This one true God was manifest in the flesh, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ.
 

Some others who claim to be "oneness":

“God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, God three in one. The Holy Ghost is no different than Jesus and Jesus is no different than the Holy Ghost

God the father, one God, three functions one and different functions God functioning as a father- God functioning as a son -God functioning as the holy ghost

In each case I see a contradiction with the Word of God that should be apparent to anyone observing the statements:  They ALL contradict at least ONE passage of Scripture taken directly from the Word of God! 

Allow me to tackle them one by one and let me show you the Word of God then  YOU TELL ME what the Word of God actually says about it!

From a Methodist Church:

We believe that the only true God is God in three persons: Father, Son Holy Spirit. The three unique persons are distinct from each other, but equal in power, glory and majesty.

Jesus said "all power is given to me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:17-19).  How much do you believe "ALL" power is?   Hebrews 1:1-3 declares that Jesus is the express image of God's person.  If God is invisible, who has seen him?  Hint:  read 1 Timothy 6:16 (No Man), John 1:18 (No Man),  John 6:46 (No man), 1 John 4:12 (No Man), John 14:9!  Colossians 1:15 declares Jesus is the image of the invisible God.   Colossians 2:9 declares that the entire Godhead dwells in the BODY of Jesus Christ.    What do you believe:  a creed, a church doctrine, or the bible?

From a Lutheran Church:

We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each possessing all the attributes of Deity.

Again we see the 3 "persons" mentioned.  There is NO SUCH MENTION of anything like this in the Word of God.  Many attempt to force Hebrews 1, Colossians 1, Colossians 2 and John 1 to state that there are 3 "personalities" of God.  They claim this is what is meant by the word "Person".  When the bible plainly declares that Jesus is the EXPRESS IMAGE of GOD's PERSON, I ask you now:  Who (or what) is the PERSON of God the Father?  It IS...JESUS CHRIST!   Do you believe the bible, or do you believe your doctrine?

From a Charismatic Pentecostal Church:

There is one true triune God, eternally co-existent in three persons who form the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Word and God the Holy Spirit. These three dwell together in perfect unity, forming one heavenly government called God, and each of the three divine persons we recognize to be God. They are coequal in power.  They are each omniscient and they are each independent.  Each functions independently of each other.

When Jesus said he had "all power"  (Matthew 28:18) was he lying?  Absolutely not!   What then, do we say on the subject of  coequality in power?  Examine the statement above concerning  "...they are each independent."  Is that a true statement?  Hint:  Read Hebrews 1:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 5:19
"God was in Christ."    As the scriptures record, the entirety of the Godhead is IN (literally IN) Jesus!  Independent?  No.  Everything rests upon JESUS CHRIST.  EVERYTHING:  All Rule, All Authority, All Worship from us toward God, All Power and All Grace.   Everything is in JESUS.

From a Baptist Church:

We believe there is but one living and true God everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there are three Persons of one substance of eternal being, and equal in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and dignity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Interesting.  This one states "three Persons of one substance".  If God is invisible Spirit and Jesus is visible flesh, is that the "same substance"?  When Jesus returns to earth, will we also see God?  We will only see JESUS.  Where will God the Father be at THAT time?  Will he not be everywhere at once still?  Sure He will!  God is a Spirit!   The only way you will ever "SEE" God is through the PERSON of Jesus Christ.  We again see the statement concerning equality of power.  Once more, if Jesus has ALL power, how much does anyone else have?  Have you actually read 1 Corinthians 15:23-28? 

From a "Jesus Only" Church:

We believe the Bible teaches that there is only one true, ever living, eternal God, infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose, and possessing absolute, invisible deity. The One true God has revealed Himself as Father, through His Son in redemption, and as the Holy Ghost, by emanation. This one true God manifested Himself in the Old Testament in various ways; in the Son while he walked among men; as the Holy Ghost after the ascension.

Jesus only people believe God was some sort of  "changeling" who transformed himself from one form  to another.  They believe that while Jesus was on the face of the earth, God was "contained" completely AS (not in) Jesus.  Friends, God DID NOT change from Spirit to flesh as is being taught in the Jesus Only crowd.  When Jesus walked this earth as a fleshly man, God was (and STILL is) a SPIRIT (John 4:24).   God has always been a spirit and will always BE a Spirit!  The statement that God chose to "reveal himself as the Holy Ghost" is quite inaccurate.  Read Colossians 1:27.   Where was God when Jesus walked the earth?  EVERYWHERE.  Where is he now?  Everywhere.  How?  God is a Spirit that fills the universe.  The only BEGOTTEN Son he has ever had or ever will have is Jesus Christ in whom he dwells BODILY.  (Colossians 2:9)

Another Jesus Only Church

We believe the Bible teaches that there is only one God, who has chose to manifest himself in three offices to mankind:  God the Father in the Old Testament, God the Son when he walked the earth, and now He has shown himself to be God the Holy Ghost in the hearts of believers.

This is a bit different but much the same as above:  The three "Offices" statement is incorrect. 

For you Jesus Only believers, please refer to These Questions and answer them BY THE WORD OF GOD if you can.  Feel free to either post your answers in the Discussion Forum or email them to me (use the mail icon at the top of the page).

From the UPCI church:

This one true God has revealed Himself as Father; through His Son, in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by emanation.... Before the incarnation, this one true God manifested Himself in divers ways.   In the incarnation, He manifests Himself in the Son, who walked among men. As He works in the lives of believers, He manifests Himself as the Holy Spirit.... This one true God was manifest in the flesh, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ.

UPC believes that God changes according to the purpose that he has in mind at the time (ie.  Holy Ghost as He works in our lives).  It is difficult to answer John 1:1 when you make a statement such as "Before the incarnation, this one true God manifested Himself in divers ways.   In the incarnation, He manifests Himself in the Son, who walked among men."  John 1:1 states the Word was from the beginning.  1 John 5:7 states there are 3 that bear record in heaven and these three are ONE.  Many UPC churches are very close to the Jesus Only doctrine in their beliefs.   This was not always the case.  UPC at one time was complete ONENESS in their belief.   It would do you well, if this is your belief, to also answer the QUESTIONS for the Jesus Only crowd.  Can you do so by scripture and scripture alone with no other explanation necessary? 

Some others who claim to be "oneness":

“God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, God three in one. The Holy Ghost is no different than Jesus and Jesus is no different than the Holy Ghost.

What?   No different?  That is extremely unbiblical.  Jesus is the author of our Salvation, the one who bled, died and resurrected.  Jesus is the one who is returning.  This statement of them being no different is way off!

And rather confusing description from one branch of "Oneness Pentecostals" out there:

God the father, one God, three functions one and different functions God functioning as a father- God functioning as a son -God functioning as the holy ghost.

Three functions?  This is very close to what the UPC church has begun to believe in recent years.  God didn't "function as" the son upon the earth.  God was STILL a Spirit that fills the Universe while Jesus was walking the face of the earth.  God didn't cease to be that Spirit while Jesus was here!

Please feel free to send you comments to me however let me give a  brief reminder to all:

IF YOU WISH TO HAVE A CIVIL DISCUSSION, I am always more than happy to examine a differing viewpoint WHEN biblical scriptures can be cited and reviewed.  I will not examine any outside books for reference.  USE THE BIBLE! 

In the nearly 8 years that this teaching has been on the site, however, I have not had one single person that wanted to discuss the scriptures.  I have had literally hundreds, however that have 1 or 2 verses (sometimes a few more) that are dogmatic and that do not at all discuss the issue.  They rather try to cling to their pet passages and ignore dozens of contradictory verses to their personal pet ones.  I will NOT argue, fight, flame, accuse, name call, etc.  If that's what you wish to do, please take your childish behavior elsewhere.  Otherwise, if you wish to really study and understand my viewpoint or wish to even contradict it by the WORD OF GOD ALONE, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you and may the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless and keep you.

 


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