I. What is the Godhead - Col. 2:9-10

    1. Godhead = theotes (Greek) - Indicates the “divine” essence of Godhood, the personality of God (Vines). The nature of God as existing in three persons - used with the godhood (Webster’s).

        a. God is complete and understanding this will help us to see our completeness in Christ.

        b. Eph. 3:14-21 - This text presents the truth of the whole Godhead in relation to our practical spiritual life. We bow our knees to God as Father in the name of the Son. We ask Him to strengthen us through the Spirit so that Christ may dwell in our heart. The Son leads to the Father and the Father again reveals the Son in us. Then as the Son dwells in the heart and is rooted and grounded in love, we are led on to be filled with all the fullness of God. Our heart becomes the scene of the interchange of operation of the Holy Three. As our hearts believe this, we give glory through Christ to Him who is able to do more than we can think by His Holy Spirit - Andrew Murray.

        2. The common phrase used to describe the completeness of God is the Trinity. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Trinity means the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead according to Christian dogma.

        a. The Bible specifically states that these are three individuals, yet they are ONE - 1 John 5:7 (compare to John 1:1-2, 14).

        b. Many other Scriptures show that there are three individuals referred to as God - Matt. 3:13-17; 28:18-20; John 5:17-18; 2 Cor. 1:1-3; Gal. 1:1-3; Phil. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:1-3; Eph. 1:17; 4:4-6.

II. The Old Testament’s Teaching Of The Godhead

    1. We find the Godhead in the beginning - Gen. 1:1-2

        a. God = Elohim (Hebrew). “El” is the singular form of this word. When “im” is added it makes this word plural. So “Elohim is the plural word for “God”.

        b. We also find that the Spirit of God (The Holy Spirit) was present (v. 2).

        c. We find the phrase “Let US” used several times in Genesis chapter one. Many New Testament passages reveal that the Father and Son were there as well as the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-4; Col. 1:14-19; John 8:58-59).

    2. The children of Israel were to declare that the Lord is ONE God - Deut. 6:4

        a. The translation from the Hebrew is “Shema Ysrael Yahweh Elohim achad Yahweh.” Achad means ONE.

        b. The word achad indicates a COMPOUND unity, not a singular unity. The same word is used in Gen. 2:24 (Gen. 2:21-25). Yachad is used when referring to a singular unity.

        c. Achad used together with Elohim suggests the triunity of God.

     3. Num. 6:24 - The name “Yahweh” is used THREE times in this passage as a blessing upon Israel.

III. God gives us further insight into the triunity of the Godhead

    1. Jesus prays that the church be ONE as He and the Father are ONE - John 17:11, 21-23.

        a. The church is ONE body but many members - 1 Cor. 12:12, 20

        b. When we act as ONE, we can accomplish great things - Gen. 11:6 (Matt. 18:18-20).

    2. As we have seen earlier, the marriage relationship is to be ONE just as the Godhead is ONE.

        a. Gen. 2:21-25

        b. A husband and wife in unity can accomplish great things - 1 Pet. 3:7

    3. Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in perfect agreement and harmony, so should we strive towards this in our marriage relationships and in our relationships with one another.

IV. Other practical insights concerning the Godhead

    1. Ephesians points out some wonderful blessings concerning the Godhead

        a. Eph. 1:12-13 - The Father, in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit: covenant protection.

        b. Eph. 2:18 - Access through Christ, by one Spirit, to the Father: prayers answered.

        c. Eph. 6:10-18 - Victory in warfare: Strong in the Lord, whole armour of God, sword of the Spirit and prayer in the Spirit.

    2. The Trinity and healing

        a. Acts 10:38

CONCLUSION: The triunity of the Godhead is what distinguishes Christianity from every religion from every religion and cult in the world. Most religions will deny the deity of Jesus Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit. Many of them will also deny the fatherhood of God and make Him to be an unloving deity. *Any religion which teaches against this Biblical truth concerning God should be considered a cult.

There are some such as the muslims who believe that Christians teach that there are THREE Gods. The Bible simply teaches THREE PERSONS and ONE GOD. We teach what the Bible teaches. This book has been much more reliable than any Koran’s, book of Mormon, or any other extra biblical revelation. We choose to stick with the Bible and is one considers themselves to be a born again Christian, they too must consider the Bible the only written record of God’s Word to man.

* The only exception I might ever make in this case is the United Pentecostal Church who teaches what is commonly known as the “Jesus only” doctrine. I base my exception of them on Acts 4:12 and Rom. 10:9-10. Although I do not agree with them, neither would I consider them a cult.

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