ONE GOD - 3

BIBLE INTERPRETS HIS EXISTENCE AS ONE GOD - 3

 

The divine interpretation of the information concerning the unity of God is essential if there is to be understanding and blessing for men.

1. The Bible makes it clear that the unity of God means there is one God as to number (1 Tim. 2:5). On this point it should be noted that this has to do with essence, being, nature, and substance. Though in Greek thought the unity of this one God was reducible to pure being, the negation of all content, an un­fathomable abyss, pure abstraction, the Bible teaches that God is fullness, plentitude, infinite volume (Eph. 1:23; 3:19; Col. 1:19; 2:9).

2.     Moreover, unity is to be understood in the Biblical sense as only one God in exclusiveness. This is a way of saying that there is not a second God (1 Kings 8:60; John 5:44 ASV; 1 Cor. 8:6). In the very nature of the case there can be only one God, and there is no room for another. In the face of the fact that polytheism has existed for thousands of years, underlying all this pagan thinking, it has been discovered that there was one God who was regarded as supreme and exclusive of all others.

3.     The unity of God also includes the idea that this one God is unique, in a class all by Himself. That is the meaning of the expression, "the only true God" (John 17:3). The word true is intended to mean genuine, distinguishable from all others. Perhaps, more than anything else, certain passages of Scripture, though including the first two ideas about unity, were intended to feature uniqueness (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 46:9; Zech. 14:9). "Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Exod. 15:11).

4.     Furthermore, the unity of God is also integral in sense, expressive of the perfection of the divine being in relation to the inner and qualitative nature. To put the matter negatively, God cannot be divided into so many parts, nor are His attributes a sum total of His being. God is undivided and indivisible. Each attribute embraces the whole. God is spirit (John 4:24), life (Deut. 32:40; Psa. 36:9; John 1:4; 1 John 5:20), light (1 John 1:5), and love (1 John 4:8). Each one of these attributes extends to the whole and embraces all. The three persons of the Godhead do not destroy the unity of nature (John 10:30; 14:23).