Is There Really One God?

By Carl O. Cooper

            Is there really one God? Now that’s a strange question to ask, wouldn’t you think? After all, doesn’t the Bible declare that there is one God in many places? Sure it does. In Isaiah 45:5-6 God, Himself declares it to be true. I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; 

            Now this is just one of many places in the Scriptures where God declares that there is no other God besides Him. A quick search of the Scriptures shows at least 28 passages of Scripture where the Bible teaches explicitly that there is only one God. There could very well be more places and they are scattered all through the Bible which includes both the Old Testament and the New Testament as well.

            Then why ask the question, you might ask.

            Well, the Bible also teaches something else that is just not quite so easy to explain. Can you explain the “Trinity”, and how it works? How can it be that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are all separate persons and entities, with separate personalities, if there is only one God?  And not only that, each is considered as God. How can that be? Look at these Scriptures;

John 1:1-3 (NKJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  

            Now how can you explain that statement? Jesus “The Word” was in the beginning with God, and He was God. If there is one God, how can Jesus be “with God”, and at the same time “be God”?

            And also what about this;

Matthew 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  

            Here you see that Jesus is listed and the Holy Spirit is in the form of a dove. But we also see that God’s voice comes from heaven and speaks and declares Jesus to be His Son. Now these passages are used many times to show that the Bible teaches that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are 3 separate persons with 3 separate roles in the Godhead.

            Now, once again, how is this possible if there is only one God?

            Now let me caution you here. Don’t allow yourself to jump to conclusions just because something in the Bible seems to be too hard for you to understand.

            There are many things in the Bible like that. And there are things that we may never understand because God is just way too highly advanced for us to ever think we could reason and understand all the things He can do. No matter how hard you try, you will never understand how God created this universe. There are some things we must accept because God said it and it exists. The Trinity is one of those things.

            However, God sometimes gives us clues and pieces of information that in some cases leads us to a better understanding of some mysterious things. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t always see these clues and never, never speculate about things that could lead you to mistakes and false doctrines of things which the Bible just does not clearly reveal. False Gods and false churches have been invented because men chose to speculate and define things that they really did not understand. Don’t be ashamed to admit that you do not understand something you read in the Bible. And at the same just never stop searching for the answers to your questions.

            After considerable study and many years I feel like I have a possible answer and explanation to the question, “Is there really one God”? Of course, you understand this explanation is not recorded in the Bible and so this makes my explanation “my opinion”. But to me it does make logical sense.

            Look at this Scripture. John 17:20-21 (NKJV)

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

            Now this Scripture is used to show that division in churches is against the will of God. It tells us very clearly that denominational division is just not authorized and not approved by God and therefore it is a sin. But there is also something else revealed. God and Jesus are totally united as one and it is clear that He wants the church to united as one just like They are.

            Now look at the church. The church is referred to as one body. Members of the church of Christ understand this. The Bible is so very clear that the church is referred to as “the body of Christ”. Look at these Scriptures; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (NKJV)

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—

            And just what is this body that He is referring too? It is the church. Look at this Scripture.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NKJV)

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.  

            The church is one body. This is clear. But wait, there are many congregations of the church of Christ and each one has its own individual name. They are engaged in different works and missions and some even speak different languages. And if you address any one of these congregations you can refer to them as “the church”. When you use the term “church” you can refer correctly to an individual congregation or you could be referring to the entire church which includes all congregations.

            Now how is this possible? Well, it is made possible because we are united as one. Just like Jesus prayed in the Garden before He was crucified, we are united as one, as He and God are one. We have the same doctrines, the same goals and missions, and we share the same beliefs. And in spite of our different works and members, we are one.

            Sound familiar? It should. Doesn’t this describe the oneness we find in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit? Three different persons and yet one God. Could this be an intentional design by God? I think it is. But, once again, let me make this clear. I have no Bible chapter and verse to back this up. It is just an opinion, but to me is seems to help clear up a mystery. I hope some of you who read this article will study what I have written and use your own logical reasoning and expound on what I have said.

Carl O. Cooper