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THE ONLY TRUE GOD AND JESUS CHRIST

Boyce Mouton · 8 pages · 3,389 words

THE ONLY TRUE GOD AND JESUS CHRIST

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

There are many gods in the world, but the Only True God is revealed to us on the pages of the Holy Bible.

Here is the first verse in the Bible:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)

THE CREATOR GOD IS “ONE” BUT IS MANIFEST IN “THREE DIMENSIONS”

The Hebrew word translated as “God” in this verse is “Elohim”. It occurs only in Hebrew and is not found in any other ancient language. While the word is plural, it is normally used with singular verb forms. One reason for this apparent discrepancy is that the One and Only True God is three dimensional. Note:

God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1)
But Jesus also created everything too (Jn. 1:1 - 3).
And the Holy Spirit was also involved in creation “hovering over” the waters (Gen. 1:2).

Thus the Only True God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Bible makes clear the plurality of God’s nature. Note this reference to the creation of man:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” (Gen 1:26)

The idea that the Only True God is One and yet three dimensional, was not a problem for the devout Jew. The Hebrew word for “One” allows for plurality. Note that the “Oneness” of God is the centerpiece of Jewish worship. Their daily prayer is called the “Shema”. It begins:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” (Deut 6:4)

The Hebrew word translated as “one” in this prayer, however, is “echad”. This is the same word, however, used to describe the “oneness” of a husband and wife.

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen 2:24)

Since husbands and wives were “one” it helps Bible students to understand that the Father,

Son and Holy Spirit could also be “One”.

THE ONLY TRUE GOD HAS MANY NAMES

Here is something God told Moses: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” (Ex 6:3)

The idea that One God can be known by many names need not be confusing. If a man has only one father, he can call him , Father, Daddy, Dad, Pop, Pappa, My Provider, My Helper, My Mentor, My Guide, Etc. As long as a man has only one father all of these names can bring clarity and not confusion

Here are some of the names for God found in the Bible:

El - (Deity)
Elohim - (Creator)
Eloah - (God)
Adonai - (Lord)
Ebyeh - Asher - Ebyeh - (I Am that I Am)
YHWH - (I Am that I Am)
El Shaddai - (God Almighty)
El Roi - (The One Who Sees)
El Elyon - (God Most High)
Jehovah Ezer - (The Lord our Helper)
Jehovah Jireh - (The Lord will Provide)
Jehovah Rapha - (The Lord our Healer)
Jehovah Roi - (The Lord our Shepherd)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
Jehovah Nissi - (The Lord our Banner)
Jehovah Shalom - (The Lord our Peace)
Etc.

While these names and descriptions tell us many things about the Only True God, we understand Him most clearly in the person of Jesus Christ. Remember! In Jesus Christ is he fulness of the Godhead in a Body (Col. 2:9).

We will say more about Jesus later.

TELLING THE NATIONS ABOUT THE ONLY TRUE GOD

Just before ascending into heaven Jesus gave His Disciples what some have called “The

Great Commission”. This commission was not limited in any way. It was to include all nations and all people for all time. In one form, or another, this “Great Commission” is found in all four Gospels and the book of Acts.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt 28:18-20)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15-16)
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48)
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

ALL NATIONS CAME FROM NOAH

As the Apostles obeyed this commission, it was helpful for them to remember that all the nations of earth came from Noah. As you know, because of wickedness and violence, God destroyed mankind with a flood (Gen. 6:13). Noah, however, found grace in the eyes of the Lord. With instructions from God, Noah built an ark to preserve seed upon the earth. Only eight people were on the ark (1 Pet. 3:20) They were Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. From these eight people have come all the “nations” on earth.

The genealogy of these three sons is recorded in Genesis chapter 10 and is called “The Table of Nations”.

Japheth was the father of those who went West to Europe (Gen. 10:2 - 4).
Ham was the father of those who went South into Africa (Gen. 10:6 - 20).
Shem was the father of those who went East into Asia (Gen. 10:21 - 32).

As these families grew in size, they became nations. Since all these nations came from Noah, they had historical knowledge of the Only True God. Naturally they would pass on this knowledge to their children and grandchildren. As time progressed, however, their knowledge of God became

corrupted. Paul put it like this:

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.” (Rom 1:21-23)

So the descendants of Noah began with the Only True God but later became idolaters who worshiped many gods.

EXAMPLES FROM THE BIBLE OF GOD IN THE NATIONS

Abraham worshiped the Only True God in Ur of Chaldea even though he came from a family of idolaters: “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.” (Josh 24:2)
When famine forced Abraham to go to Egypt for food, he assumed that the pagan Egyptians had forgotten the moral standards of the Only True God. Abraham was wrong! The Pharaoh of Egypt apparently had nigher moral standards than Abraham (Gen. 12:10 - 20).
When Abraham returned from defeating the kings of the East he paid tithes to Melchizedek who was the King of Salem and a priest of “God Most High” (Gen. 14:18). This is the first time in the Bible that the Only True God is known by the name of “God Most High”. Even though Melchizedek used this different name for God, it was still the same God that commanded Noah to build the ark.
Because the people of Canaan were so steeped in idolatry, Abraham sent his servant to back to another country to get a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:1 - 9). Even though most people on earth were idolaters, there was still a remnant somewhere that believed in the Only True God.
When Isaac lived among the Philistines because of famine, he made the same mistake his father Abraham had made. He lied to the Philistines and said that his wife was his sister. Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, like the Pharaoh of Egypt, still observed the moral standards that Noah taught to his children (Gen. 26:1 - 11).
Yes! Even though most of Noah’s descendants forgot the Only True God, there has always been a “remnant” who remembered Him. Here are some examples.
The prophet Balaam lived among pagans and loved the wages of iniquity (2 Pet. 2:15). Yet, he still had contact with the Only True God. In fact, God even inspired him to make prophecies about Jesus (Nu. 24:17).
The Pharaoh of Egypt said to Moses “who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” (Ex. 5:2). Ten plagues later he found out. (See Exodus chapters 7 - 12).
Even in Israel, many forgot the Only True God and became idolaters. During those dark days, God encouraged Elijah by reminding him that there were still 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed his image (1 Ki. 19:18).
Pagan king Darias helped many to know about the Only True God by sending out a
decree to every part of his kingdom . In this royal decree he ordered everyone to revere the God of Daniel because He was the “Living God” (Den. 6:26).
A similar decree went out to the 127 provinces of king Ahasuerus in the days of Queen Esther (Esther 9:30 - 32).
Remember! It was wise men from the East, and not Jews, who brought gifts to the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:1 - 12).
Even the philosophers of Athens had not completely forgotten about the Only True God. Their knowledge of Him , however, was limited. In fact they considered the Only True God as “Unknown” (Acts 17:22 - 34). Paul explained that this “Unknown God” was actually the Only True God Who created the heavens and the earth.
A pagan prophet from the Island of Crete is quoted in the Bible accusing his own people of being “liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” (Titus 1:12).
To these Bible references we could add stories of the Queen of Sheba, Naaman the Syrian, the people of Nineveh, the widow of Zerephath, a Roman Centurion named Cornelius, as well as many others. Even though their knowledge of the Only True God was partial and imperfect, they still knew something about Him.
Not only do all the “nations” of earth have some historical connection with Noah and the Only True God, mot of these nations have traditions of a world wide flood. This remarkable fact can be easily verified.
While scoffers deliberately forget about Noah and the flood (2 Pet. 3:5), it is important for the followers of Christ to remember them. Recognizing our common ancestry will help us, as it did the original Apostles, to make disciples of all nations as Christ commanded (Matt. 287:18 - 20).

EXAMPLES TODAY

Don Richardson, in his book Eternity in Their Hearts, ;provides a series of illustrations regarding knowledge of the Only True God among the nations. Here is a brief summary

After the flood, the Santal Tribe migrated to India. When they came to high mountains they abandoned their worship of the Only True God and made a covenant to worship the spirits of the mountains. Generations later, in the late 1860s, missionaries came to the Santal people and began learning their language. While doing so they came across the words “Thakur Jiu” which means “Genuine God”. Their sages explained that because they chose to worship the spirits of the mountains, they had lost all contact with the Genuine God. The missionaries wisely explained that their mission was to tell them that the Genuine God had sent His Son to be their Savior. Even though the words “Genuine God” are not found in the Bible, He is obviously the Only True God Who created the universe (41 - 48).
Pachacuti, king of the Incas (1438 - 1471) noted that clouds could dim the light of the sun. He therefore reasoned that the sun god was not the ultimate power in the Universe. He called the True Creator God “Viracocha” (33 - 41).
The Wa Tribe in Burma called the Creator God , “Siyeh” (102 - 104).
The Gedeo people of Ethopia called the Only True God “Magano” (54 - 56).
The Karen Tribe of Burma called the Only True God “Y’wa” (73 - 77).
The Kachin Tribe in Northern Burma calls the Only True God “Karai Kasang”; Hpan Wa Ningsang” or “Che Wa Ningchang”. These names; describe attributes of God explaining that He is “bigger than man can comprehend”, He is the “Glorious One Who Creates”, and He is also the “One Who Knows” (p. 85).
The Lahu Tribe calls the Creator “Gue Sha” (p. 86).
The Korean people called the Only True God “Hananim” (63).
In the Central African Republic the Creator God is called “Koro” ( p. 57).
The Naga people of India called the Only True God “Chepo - Thuru”.
The Mizo people called the true God “Pathian” which literally means “Holy Father” (p. 91).
Etc.

Just as Milchezedek worshiped the Only True God by the name of “El Elyon” or “God Most High”, these other descendants of Noah referred to the Only True God by other names unique to their own people. Understanding this can be a great benefit to preachers of the Gospel.

THE CHINESE LANGUAGE

China, as you probably know, is the most populous nation on earth. Approximately one out of every four people on earth speak Chinese. They too are descendants of Noah, and their pictographic language proves it. Here are a few examples.

Their word for “boat” is a combination of four individual radicals depicting “eight + people + life saving + plus vessel”.
Their word for “create” is “Dust + breath of mouth + alive + walking”.
Their word for “happiness” is “God + one or first + man + garden”.
Their word for “garden” is “dust + breath + two persons + enclosure”.
Their word for “devil” ” is “secret + man + garden”.
Their word for “flood” is “eight + united + earth = total + water”.
Their word for “united” is “mankind + one + mouth”.

These examples can easily be multiplied. Whole books and lengthy documentaries have been produced demonstrating that the Chinese language proves that at one time the people of this great nation knew the Only True God. Incidentally, their name for this One and Only Creator God is “Shandi”. Some have speculated that this name comes from the Hebrew “El Shaddai” (Almighty) which the Chinese pronounced “Shandai”.

The important point for preachers to remember is that pagan people may have some knowledge of the Only True God, even though they call Him by a different name. It is indeed wise to preach Christ as the Son of the Only True God, regardless of what pagan people call Him.

JESUS CHRIST

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) We have said many things about the Only True God, now let us consider what the Bible has to say about Jesus Christ.

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matt 1:23)
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9)
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all

the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Col 2:8-10)

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Tim 3:16)

While the “mystery of godliness” is too complex for the finite mind to completely comprehend, we can at least understand enough about the “Only True God and Jesus Christ” to have eternal life. Please consider:

Since God is a Spirit no man can see Him or accurately understand His nature. This is why pagan people are confused about God and disagree with one another about His nature.
God chose to become visible in the person of Jesus Christ. This is why He is called Emmanuel, or God with us.
A “word” is a vehicle of communication. The word “water”, for example, immediately communicates a mental image for everyone is familiar with water. The word “God”, however, had no clear meaning for many centuries. Now, however, since Jesus is the “Word of God”, we have a clear picture of what God is like.
While the Only True God is to vast for the finite mind, everything we need to know about God we can understand though Jesus Christ. For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead in a body (Col. 2:9).
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! No one comes unto the Father except by Him (Jn. 14:6).
The condescension of God to become a man is an example of humility for all believers. Please consider: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:5-11)

Remember! “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)