The Nature of God and Christ - Members Site - United Church of God

THE NATURE OF GOD AND CHRISTDoctrinal Study PaperAppendix FExplicit Scriptures?The argument is made by unitarians that the Scriptures are explicit in statements madeabout the absolute unity of God. But is that true? How does one answer the scriptures that makethe claim that there is only “one” God? First of all, it should be noted that there is no scripturethat uses the term “one God being.” Of course there are statements such as “one Lord” and “nonebeside Me.” Do these scriptures establish the case for only one member in the Godhead? It is afair question to ask and certainly deserves an answer. This appendix examines the scriptures thatare most commonly used by unitarians to proclaim the “oneness” of God and deny the divinity ofJesus Christ.There are many reasons for believing that Jesus Christ is divine and that He preexistedHis human birth. The weight of biblical evidence is clear that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1-3).Christ is eternal and He existed before the creation. So how should the scriptures be addressedthat seem to exclude Him from being God?Exodus 3:14: “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus youshall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”The question is asked why there isn’t a plural reference to God in this passage. It shouldbe noted that there are many singular references to God in the Old Testament. When Godintroduces Himself to Moses it is in the singular. This passage isn’t defining the Godhead norcounting the number of members. In John 1:18 Jesus states that “no one has seen God at anytime” and in John 5:37, when referring to the Father, He states, “You have neither heard Hisvoice at any time, nor seen His form.” Whose voice did Moses hear? When other scriptures areconsidered, it is clear that it isn’t the voice of God the Father that is being heard, but someoneelse’s voice who is identified as “I AM.” Rather than proving singularity, we see a clearstatement of plurality—one member speaking on behalf of another, yet the statement is in thefirst person.Deuteronomy 4:35: “To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself isGod; there is none other besides Him.”This section of Deuteronomy is condemning idolatry. Israel departed from Egypt and leftbehind the multitude of gods that were worshipped in that pagan society. In this context God tellsIsrael that they should worship no other God. They are to worship the true God. We know fromother scriptures that the Father and Son are one (John 10:30) and that if you have seen the Sonyou have seen the Father (John 14:9).Deuteronomy 32:39: “Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; Ikill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from Myhand.”Page 62September 2005© 2005 United Church of God, an International Association