Is God One or is He Three in One?

"I am the LORD your God... You shall have no other gods before Me." — Exodus 20:2-3

Confusion abounds in the modern church regarding the identity of God. While Judaism and Islam have remained strictly monotheistic (believing in one singular God), Christianity has developed various definitions that often contradict one another. In this study, we examine four major views of God and test them against the Scriptures to find the truth.

The Four Major Views of God

1. Sabellianism (Modalism)

Belief: There is one God who manifests Himself in different "modes" or "roles" at different times (sometimes as Father, sometimes as Son, sometimes as Spirit).

Biblical Problem: It contradicts the interaction between the Father and Son (e.g., Jesus praying to the Father). They cannot be the same person acting in different modes if they interact simultaneously.

2. Orthodox Trinitarianism

Belief: God is one being composed of three co-eternal persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

The "Mystery": This view insists on monotheism (one being) while maintaining three distinct persons. It is often described as a mystery beyond human comprehension.

Adventist/Christian Creeds: Many church fundamental beliefs state there is "one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal persons."

3. Tritheism (Three Beings)

Belief: There are three separate beings (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) who are perfectly united in purpose and goal, often called a "Godhead" or "committee."

The Logical Conclusion: If there are three co-equal, co-eternal beings, then there are effectively three Gods. Some proponents suggest they simply "role-played" the positions of Father and Son for the plan of salvation.

Biblical Problem: This destroys the reality of the Father-Son relationship. If they are just role-playing, then God did not truly give His "only begotten Son"—He just gave a colleague who agreed to play a part.

4. The Biblical View (The Father is the One True God)

Belief: There is one true God, the Father, who is the Sovereign Source of all. He has a literal, begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who shares His divine nature but receives His life and authority from the Father.

Biblical Support: This view aligns with the thousands of times Scripture uses singular pronouns ("I", "Me", "Him") for God and identifies Him as the Father.

Testing the Views with Scripture

Let us apply these views to key Bible verses to see which one fits.

1. The God of the Patriarchs

"The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus..." — Acts 3:13

The Test: If "God" here means the Trinity (Father, Son, Spirit), then the verse would say "The Trinity glorified His Son." But Jesus is not the son of the Trinity; He is the Son of the Father. Therefore, the "God of our fathers" is the Father alone.

2. The One Mediator

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." — 1 Timothy 2:5

The Test: If "one God" here is the Trinity, then Jesus is mediating between the Trinity (which includes Himself) and men. This makes no sense. The mediator stands between the one God (the Father) and humanity.

3. The Source and the Channel

"Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things... and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things." — 1 Corinthians 8:6

The Truth: The Bible consistently presents the Father as the Source ("of whom") and Jesus as the Channel ("through whom").

• Creation: God created the worlds through His Son (Hebrews 1:2).
• Judgment: God judges the world through Jesus Christ (Romans 2:16).
• Salvation: God sent His Son to save the world (John 3:17).

Who is the God of Revelation 14?

The First Angel's Message calls us to "Fear God and give glory to Him... and worship Him who made heaven and earth" (Revelation 14:7).

Who is this Creator? According to Hebrews 1:2 and Ephesians 3:9, God the Father created all things by Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the call to worship the Creator is a call to worship the Father, the ultimate Source of all life.

Conclusion: The Authority of the Father

Scripture is clear that even Jesus has a God.

• Jesus said: "My Father is greater than I." (John 14:28)
• Jesus said: "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." (John 20:17)
• Paul said: "The head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3)

The doctrine of the Trinity obscures this beautiful truth by trying to make them "co-equal" in a way the Bible does not support. The Biblical truth is that the Father is the Supreme Sovereign, and Jesus is His literal, divine Son whom we honor and obey.