The Godhead: All That Are Called God

I heard a minister trying to preach and teach his congregation that there is but one God. Though he was very scripture oriented, and quite dogmatic; he was actually wrong in his perspective of what it means to be “One” relative to God and Christ.

The minister cited Acts 7:55; But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,.

In his attempt to prove that there is but one God, he stated that the above passage doesn't mean that Jesus was literally standing on the right hand of God. He went on to say, “if that were so, then there would be two Gods.” It became very apparent to me that he did not understand the concept of spiritual ‘one’ nor the physical make-up of the Godhead. Some may think that this lesson is not necessary, but I beg to differ. It is necessary for us to seek all of the knowledge of God He is willing to disclose. If the scriptures declare a thing that has rendered many controversial conclusions, then it is time for the wisdom of God to be sought in the matter. Remember, it is imperative that we always allow the scriptures to solve or reveal the mysteries of God.

JESUS - THE SON OF GOD

1 John 5:5

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

In this scripture it is stated emphatically that we must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. It is impossible to be saved from sin if one does not believe this fact. This verse leaves nothing to debate about. It clearly and straightforwardly states that Jesus is the Son of God. Now that means whatever conclusion we arrive at, in our quest to determine whether Jesus is God; this fact must remain the same. It cannot change; as it is written, “...the scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35).

Therefore, if we find any other passages where Jesus is referred to as God, then it follows that He would have to be God, as well as the Son; that is, if we are to maintain the integrity of the scriptures. Thus, we will find that the scriptures are not timid in revealing the nature and true identity of our Savior.

If the minister cited above had consulted the Holy Spirit more diligently, he might have revealed to him the truth that was hiding in plain sight. To illustrate this, let us examine the fifth verse of the prayer in the Garden.

John 17:5

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Jesus was more than the 33 year old man kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemani. According to His own testimony…

Revelation 1:7-8

7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 19:13

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

This is the glory Jesus sought from the Father. He is saying, “I have done all that you sent me to do. Now Father, give me back the glory I had with you before you ever made this world you sent me to save. I am the Word of God, that you clothed in flesh. Now Father, give me back that glory. I am a member of the Godhead; and as such, I am the Almighty.” Yes, Jesus was and is God on earth.

Let’s go a little further.

Romans 1:18-20

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

This is a very powerful scripture in that it proclaims God’s power and His Godhead, can be seen by the things He made or created. In the 19th verse, he goes so far as to say, God showed it unto those who now hold that truth in unrighteousness. This is the Church. We are the people of the New Covenant to whom God has revealed Himself. We are truly without excuse.

But take the scripture at full value. In His zeal to save us, He has shown us His eternal Godhead. What does the writer mean here? How is it that God has allowed us to clearly see the Godhead? Well, a more precise answer to this question can be obtained from Paul’s message on Mar’s Hill, as he ministered concerning their Unknown God.

Acts 17:28

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Let us not add or take away from the Word of God. We are literally the offspring of God. If that is true, then we must stay with the literal meaning of offspring:To be born of, kindred or kind, nation, family, or generation; individuals of the same nature or kind.

I don’t know why this is so difficult for the Body of Christ to receive. Maybe it is because of our past failures and negative mindsets that we have judged the nature of our salvation. These failures have influenced our faith in the Word of God in a most horrific way. Our deeds of unrighteousness have convinced us that we are not “as he is.” This is indeed a horror story for most of the Body. But the Lord is faithful to mercifully give us a spirit of enlightenment in our darkest hour.

We are indeed the offspring of God. We are His family. Now is it not fair to believe that the family of God is even as God? In other words, we truly have been made partakers of the divine nature. We do have the mind of Christ, we are divine in nature, and we are in every sense of the word, the sons of God.

Before we go any further, I want you to consider how you really feel about this truth. Are you able to embrace it as your true estate, right now, today, in this world? The truth is, unless you can earnestly embrace this reality, then it would be impossible for you to believe the rest of these truths.

Acts 17:29

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Notice how bold the apostle is in this verse.

Forasmuch then…therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so; as or because we are the offspring of God, you should know that the Godhead is not likened unto gold, or silver, or any man made device. In other words, you can look upon us, we are His children, therefore, a part of the Godhead.

I can hear the thoughts of the skeptics; how dare she place the sons of God inside the Godhead. My response is simple. We are the children of God. We are the only creatures in the universe that are His kind. We are His family.

Ephesians 3:14-15.

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes…

Colossians 2:8-10

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

In Christ is the fulness or complete embodiment of the Godhead. You are in Christ, therefore, you are also in the Godhead, which makes you complete. There is nothing pertaining to God that is lacking in you.

We were always in Christ. According to the Word of God, we were in Him before the foundations of the world were laid. And Christ was always in God. Therefore, we were in God’s eternal Spirit, when the three who bear record in Heaven, declared themselves to be “One.”

It might be hard for you to accept this word as truth concerning you. But I need you to consider whose words they are.

God’s testimony of Jesus:

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

But John 1:14 clearly states; And the Word was made 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. Yes the Word, which is God, was clothed in flesh, and given the name, Jesus. Paul also reminds us of this great mystery. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5).

John 1:2-3

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

According to the above, all things (the creation) were made by Jesus. But Moses said, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

As I was working on this chapter, the Lord spoke to me saying, “Have you considered the Cherubims? They have four faces on one head. The Lion, the Ox, the Eagle, and the Man. Nevertheless, it is but one Cherubim.

1 John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

We have seen three expressions of God, but only one God.