Category Archives: God

The Spirit of God (I)

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God (I Corinthians 2:9-11).

It is reasonable to deduce that there are things about God we shall never know. It is a reasonable deduction because God is infinite in all His attributes, as we have seen, and we are mere finite creations. A finite mind can never grasp all the possibilities and nuances of infinite divinity. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). The only things we can know for certain are those things the Spirit of God explicitly reveals and those things that can be reasonably deduced from the things the Spirit of God has revealed. Extreme care must be taken that we stay within the limits of what a finite mind may know about the nature of the infinite God.

As we have seen, the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. He is co-equal in every way with the First and Second Persons of the Godhead. He is God, yet He is not the Father and He is not the Son. It would be an error of the greatest magnitude to think of the Holy Spirit as merely God’s power or energy, dependent upon the Father for its existence. In fact, it would be wrong to think of the Holy Spirit as an “it” at all. The Holy Spirit, as we have seen, has Person status, and He has always existed because God has always existed and He is God. The Holy Spirit has divine omnipotent power (Rom. 15:13) and since He is God there is nothing He cannot do (Luke 1:37).

In a previous article, I tried to offer an analogy of the triune nature of God by comparing it with our own tripartite human nature. As I pointed out then, the analogy is faulty because there is no true analogy for the triune Godhead. But the analogy can be used for contrast, which is also helpful. For the triune nature of God is quite different than the tripartite nature of man. Let’s observe the following.

• God is three divine Persons while man is one mortal person.
• God is three divine Persons Who are co-equal and co-eternal. Man is one mortal person with three parts, body, soul and spirit (I Thess. 5:3) which, while they are all three essential for personhood and intended to go together, seem to have a hierarchical relationship.
• The three Persons of the Godhead are each fully and equally God, while the parts of the body are not fully persons without each other.
• The three Persons of the Godhead are uncreated and self-existing while the body and its three parts are created.
• In God, each Person is fully and equally God, and their unity is perfect and indivisible. In man, the parts are not persons, and their unity is contingent and vulnerable to disruption (as in death).

We can see then that the relationship of the Spirit of God to God is quite different than that of the spirit of man to man. Man’s spirit alone is not fully man; The Holy Spirit in Himself is fully God.

Everything that can be said of God can be said of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3,4). He is identified as Jehovah ( Exod. 17:7, with Heb. 3:7-9; Num. 12:6, with II Pet. 1:21) and as the Most High Jehovah (Psalms 78:17, 21; cf. Acts 7:51) He is eternal (Heb. 9:14) and the Creator of man (Job 33:4). In creation He garnished the Heavens (Job. 26:13). He is omniscient in knowledge (I Cor. 2:10), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7), He is omnipotent in power (Luke 1:35; Rom.), and He is the source of miraculous power (Matt. 12:28, with Luke 11:20; Acts 19:11, with Rom. 15:19). He is co-equal with the Father and the Son (Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14). Jesus was raised from the dead by the Spirit (I Pet. 3:18; Rom. 1:4) and the new birth comes under the work of the Spirit of God (John 3:3-5).

While the Nature and work of the Holy Spirit of God is addressed in multiple passages throughout scripture, He is probably misunderstood by more people in and out of the church than either the Father or the Son. The Holy Spirit is usually considered mysterious, perhaps because of His spiritual nature. And while that nature is unobservable to the human vision (cf. John 3:8), it is knowable and understandable by the things that are revealed in scripture (I Cor. 2:10) to the mind’s eye. The Spirit of God is a “revealer” not a “concealer.” The Holy Spirit brings order, not chaos. We will address more about the Holy Spirit of God in the next few entries.

Eric L. Padgett

These Three Are One (Part III)

The New Testament clearly teaches these facts: The Father is God (John 6:27; I Pet. 1:2). But Jesus is also identified as God (John 1:1-3; 20:28; cf. also, e.g., John 12:37-40; Is. 6:1-10). And the Holy Spirit is also identified as God (Acts 5:3,4; II Cor. 3:17; cf. Psalm 139:7). However, the Father is never identified with Jesus or the Holy Spirit, nor is Jesus ever identified with either the Father or the Holy Spirit, nor is the Holy Spirit ever identified with either the Father or the Son.1 There are three divine Persons in one God. This is what the Bible teaches, though we may not fully comprehend it.

No analogy is ever perfect but when I think of ways to explain the relationship of the three Persons of the Godhead I think of few analogies. First, I think of a triangle. A triangle consists of three sides, three vertices (the points at which the sides meet) and three angles. If you do not have these three parts, you do not have a triangle. Yet, they make up only one triangle. Another analogy that is often used is an egg. An egg has three parts: The shell, the white and the yoke. The three parts make up only one egg, yet each part is the egg. You cook the yolk and not the shell, but you still say you cooked an egg. Another analogy might be a musical chord. A chord consists of three distinct notes that harmonize to create one unified sound. Each note is fully present, yet together they form a single musical entity. Finally, I think of our own human nature. We have a body, soul and spirit. We are a triad, as it were. In fact, we are created in the image of God. Now none of these analogies are perfect because the triune Godhead is unique, but they do help to visualize in our own minds what can be very difficult concept to grasp, namely, God’s triune nature.

The best thing we can do is to look at the scriptures which either explicitly state or are consistent with the verses given above. Let’s begin with Jesus’ baptism. The Bible tells us that Jesus approached John the Baptist to be baptized (Matt. 3). Immediately after He was baptized, as He was stepping up out of the water (Mark 1:10), the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended in a bodily shape like a dove and the voice of God spoke from Heaven, saying, This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased (Matt. 3:16,17). There are three distinct Persons in this account. There is the Father, the Spirit, appearing as a dove, and, Jesus. They are in three, separate locations. The Father is in Heaven. The Son is in the Jordan river and the Spirit is moving from Heaven to where the Son is. The Father speaks from Heaven identifying Jesus as His Son, in Whom He is well pleased. The Holy Spirit is seen descending and lighting upon Jesus and remaining there, thus indicating His distinction from the Son (John 1:33).

Another instance worthy of note, is the Great Commission. In giving the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20), Jesus commanded baptism. Notice how Jesus expressed this command. “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” (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus commanded baptism on the authority of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In doing this, Jesus placed the Son and the Spirit on an equal level of authority with the Father.

When we think of the nature of the Spirit described in the scriptures, we should realize that the Spirit has “personhood.” That is, He has traits that indicates He is an individual with will, rationality and feelings. The Holy Spirit is always spoken of as an He, not an it. The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He has the potential of being lied to (Acts 5:3), He can be vexed (Is. 63:10), He has intention and is responsive to human action (Is. 63:10), He speaks (Acts 13:2), He teaches (John 14:26), He testifies (John 15:26), He strives (Gen. 6:3), He commands (Acts 8:28), He intercedes (Rom. 8:26), He sends workers (Acts 13:4), He calls (Rev. 22:17), and He works (I Cor. 12:11), etc. We will delve more into the nature of the Spirit at a later time in greater depth but for now it is important to note that He is not a force, but a person, separate from the Father, yet God. He has all the attributes of deity, including omnipotence (Luke 1:35; Rom. 15:19 ), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-13) and omniscience (I Cor. 2:10 ), just as does the Father and Son.

Jesus stated that when He went back to the Father, that the Holy Spirit would be sent to the apostles. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). This statement of Jesus’ clearly identifies three Persons of equal divine status but with different work. After Jesus completed His work here and He returned to the Father, He would send the Spirit of Truth from the Father to the apostles. The Spirit would then testify of Jesus to and through the apostles (John14:26:16:3, etc).

Another instance of the triune nature of the Godhead being mentioned is found in Paul’s three-fold blessing in II Cor. 13:14. Much like the three-fold formulas found in the Old Testament discussed in a previous installment, Paul includes all three Persons of the Godhead in his blessing. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (II Corinthians 13:14). In this three-fold formula, Paul places each of the three on an equal footing while differentiating their separate works.

John’s symbolic description of God’s throne in the Revelation also gives a glimpse of the triune nature of God. In this vision, John saw One that sat on a glorious, heavenly throne (4:2). This is presumably God, the Father. Before the throne were seven lamps, which are said to be the seven Spirits of God (4:5). This is a symbolic way of representing the Holy Spirit. Also in the midst of the throne stood a lamb as if it had been slain (5:6) which is an obvious reference to the Son (Is. 53; John 1:36; I Pet. 1:19,20; Heb. 12:2, etc.). So we have in John’s vision all three Persons of the Godhead symbolically represented. Furthermore, we have the three-fold praise directed toward the throne, Holy, Holy, Holy (4:8).

Besides these texts there are many other passages which reference all three Persons of the Godhead in some way. This site lists 58 Triadic passages and answers some objections to them. There are other sites which provide passages which support the triune nature of God. It is a doctrine clearly taught in scripture, but it is not always easy to grasp all that it entails.

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (I John 5:7).

Eric L. Padgett

Endnotes

  1. There are certain exceptions to this (Is. 9:6, e.g.) but they do negate the overall tenor of this point, that the divine Persons of the Godhead are separate from each other while all being God. Each of those passages need to be examined more closely and independently to understand them more fully.

These Three Are One (Part II)

Beyond the Genesis elohim passages, there are many other passages which add detail to the doctrine of the triune Godhead. In this installment, we will look at some other Old Testament passages. Again, it is not suggested that the writers of these Old Testament passages understood clearly all that they were speaking or writing, but in the light of New Testament revelation, they all become much clearer to us. In our third installment we will look at the New Testament on the subject.

The Plurality of the Godhead in Genesis 11

In Genesis 11 we have another reference to the plurality of the Godhead. When man in his hubris tried to build a tower that would reach to heaven, God said “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Genesis 11:7). It has been suggested that the plural used here is a mere literary device, the so-called “Majestic We.” Kings and those in power will sometimes speak in the plural to emphasize their authority. It is believed that this practice began because God used it that way in these passages (see here). The first problem with this is that in scripture no Hebrew king ever followed such an example and identified himself with a “royal we.” Actually, neither did the kings of the east like Darius (Ezra 6:12) or Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:21). Second, God could very well speak in the royal we precisely because of His triune Nature not in spite of it.

A Revealing Encounter in Exodus 34

Another tremendous passage that is often overlooked is found in Exodus 34. Moses had requested to see the glory of God (Ex. 33:16). God told Moses that no one could see His face and live but that there was a place by Him (33:21) and he could stand in a cleft of a rock (33:22) and God, after covering Moses with His hand (33:22) so he couldn’t see God’s face, would allow him to see His hinder parts as He passed by and would cause all His goodness to pass by and proclaim the name of the Lord (Ex. 33:19-23). The Text tells us that the next morning Moses went up the mountain and “LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there” (Exodus 34:5). At the same time that the Lord stood with Moses there, the Lord also passed before him and proclaimed the name of the Lord (34:6,7). And then Moses, after bowing his head, said, “O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us” (Ex. 34:9).

There are at least two things worthy of note pertaining to the topic of the triune nature of the Godhead in this passage. First, the Text seems to clearly say that the Lord stood by Moses at the same time that the Lord passed by Moses declaring the name of the Lord. This is reminiscent of John 1:1-3 where the Word was both God and the Word was with God at the same time. In this instance, the Lord was both standing by Moses and passing in front of him at the same time.

The second interesting thing is that Moses asked the Lord to let “his Lord” go among them. Previously, Moses had said to the Lord “Thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me” as he led the children of Israel to the promised land (Ex. 33:12). The Lord assured Moses that His Presence would go with Moses and Israel (33:14). This precipitated Moses asking God to see His glory. Now that Moses had seen it, he said “Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us” (34:9). Who was Moses’ Lord? It was the Presence of God (33:14). It was the Angel of His Presence that saved them (Is. 63:9). It was the second Person of the Godhead by Whom Moses stood.

Psalm 110:1 – A Divine Conversation

In a very similar way, David wrote, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). David said the Lord (Jehovah) said to his (David’s) Lord (Adonay) “sit Thou on my right hand until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool.” Who was David’s Lord (Adonay)? Jesus said this passage was speaking of Messiah, of Himself (Matt. 22:42-46; Mark 12:35-37). Peter and Luke applied the passage to the resurrection f Christ (Acts 2:30-36). But it shows a conversation between two lords, between the Father and the Son within the Godhead. The verse implies that “the LORD” (Jehovah) speaks to “my Lord,” pointing to a distinction of persons within one divine essence. It is the same distinction that Moses had made (Ex. 34:9).

Isaiah 6 and the Triune God

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah sees a glorious vision of God, of Jehovah, and of the triune nature of the Godhead. Isaiah saw “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (6:1). Isaiah sees the Lord (Adonay) sitting on a throne. In response, Isaiah says “mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD (Jehovah-ELP) of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). So Isaiah sees the Lord (Adonay) and identifies Him as Jehovah. Jehovah is spoken of in the singular, i.e., His (Second person singular) train filled the Temple (6:1). And yet the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send” (singular) and then “who will go for us?” (plural). Here again, the Lord speak of Himself in the plural. This combination of singular and plural pronouns is intentional. It indicates a plurality in the unity and suggests the triune nature of the Godhead.

Just as an aside, the word translated “train” in the KJV is elsewhere translated as robe or hem. But Isaiah chose the plural shulayv instead of the singular shulo to indicate the glory of Adonay in the temple. The usage of the plural could be just a Hebrew literary device to emphasize God’s majesty, but it is also consistent with interplay of plural and singular terms in relationship to God’s triune nature.

But we are not left to guess about whom Isaiah saw in his vision for the apostle John, in describing Jesus’ miracles applies this passage (Isaiah 6) to Jesus and says “These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him” (John 12:41). Isaiah says he say the Lord, Jehovah (6:5) and John says he saw Jesus, or the Second Person of the Godhead (John 12:41). Furthermore, it is interesting to note John quotes from the LXX. In that text there is a shift from the one blinding their eyes and dulling their hearing and hardening their heart to the one healing them. It is “He” who blinds (that is, God, cf. II Thess. 2:11; Psalm 81:11,12; et. al.) but “I” (that is, Christ, cf. Mal. 4:2; Is. 53:5) will heal. This is also consistent with the plurality of the Godhead.

Finally, while repetition is one form of emphasis, given all the other nuances and intracasies of this passage, it seems significant, or at least consistent with the triune nature of the Godhead to repeat the holiness of God thrice, Holy, Holy, Holy (cf. Rev. 4:8).

Conclusion

Other Old Testament passages address the plurality of the Godhead in various ways. We have examined various Christophanies in the Old Testament of One who was worshiped as God yet distinct from Him (i.e., Gen. 32 where Jacob wrestles a “man” Who is identified as God, or Manoah and his wife who see the angel who is called God (Jud. 13:22). There are also verbal formulas that are of a triune nature, such as the Holy, Holy, Holy of Isaiah and the triple blessing of God commanded of Aaron (Num. 6:24-26). Additionally, like the word “Elohim,” the word “Adonay,” used about three hundred times in the Old Testament, is also plural and is used with singular verbs (e. g., Isaiah 6:1). Finally, references to God’s Spirit suggest that He is both God but separate from Him (Is.48:16; 63:10; Gen, 1:3; II Sam. 23:2; etc.).

These Three Are One (Part 1)

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (I John 5:7).1

As we have seen, there is but one God. And yet, the Bible clearly teaches here and in the totality of its revelation that there are three Persons in the Godhead, or, in one God. The common word for this is the Trinity. Though that word is not explicitly found in scripture, the idea is there from the first verses to the last chapter of the Bible. While Moses (and Adam and Abraham and all other saints mentioned in scripture) may not have understood the triune nature of God, he speaks to it often, as do other Old Testament authors. In this installment, we will focus on one particular passage and then broaden our scope to cover more of the Old Testament landscape.

The very first verse of the Bible teaches so much. One very interesting aspect of this verse is that the word translated God, elohim, is plural. It literally means “gods.” This is the word translated most often in scripture as “God.” It is true that Hebrew sometimes uses the plural of some words to intensify the meaning. But it’s not the word elohim alone that is significant. It’s the connection of the plural noun “elohim” to the singular verb “created” (bara) that makes it so unique. In Biblical Hebrew, standard grammar demands that a singular noun govern a singular verb and a plural noun govern a plural verb.2 Moses was an educated man (Acts 7:22) and would not have made such a simple mistake as to confuse number grammatically. The text could literally be translated, “In the beginning, the gods He created…” To be grammatically correct, the text should read either “God He created” or “gods they created.”

Grammatically, there are no parallels in Hebrew to this construction which is consistently used in the Old Testament. There are instances of collective, plural nouns receiving the action of a masculine, singular verb (i.e., mayim and shamayim, Gen. 1:1, 7), but this is very different from the use in the elohim passages. And it wasn’t only Moses. Nearly every Old Testament book uses elohim and very often it is connected to a singular verb (i.e., II Chron. 26:7). The use of a singular verb with the plural elohim in scripture is not a mistake, it is intentional and suggests the idea of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is a testament to the inspiration of the scriptures that Hebrew authors and other persons in scriptures across the centuries and from various backgrounds utilized the same grammatical peculiarity in referring to deity. This, in itself, is astonishing.

A further support of this view is that Genesis1:26 contains the statement, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). This grammatical structure indicates a plurality of Persons. Some say God was using the majestic “we.” But God does not use the majestic “we” in other important passages, (ie., Ex. 20 “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me…”). Others say He was speaking to the angels. But angels are created beings and were not of the same nature as God. We are not made in the image of angels (Psalm 8:5;Heb. 2:7-9). It is better to take this as referring to the three Divine Persons of the Godhead. So from the very first verse of the Bible, and from the first chapter elsewhere, we are given a glimpse of the triune nature of God.

It is a glimpse. A foreshadowing of a truth more fully revealed in the New Testament. This is not unusual. Various prophecies, types and metaphors arising from the various tabernacle services and utensils and other forms of Old Testament worship revealed in parts the coming redemptive work of Messiah. These things were not fully understood until the Holy Spirit revealed them clearly in the New Testament. As Paul explained, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:5). And so it is with the triune nature of God. What was hinted at and suggested in the Old Testament regarding the nature of God, is now more fully revealed in the New Tesament.

Accordingly, we have also in connection with Genesis 1:1 the New Testament commentary on this passage in John 1:1-3. John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John clearly intends to comment and elaborate upon the Genesis text. While John’s purpose may have been to combat certain false doctrines regarding Jesus’ nature, he nevertheless corroborates the view that Genesis 1:1 is meant to encompass the triune nature of the Godhead.

John’s statement is just as unique as the Genesis passage. John states the Word was both with God and was God. Now, in our world and reality it is not possible to both be with and be the same thing. I am myself. I am not with myself, not in any sense about which we normally speak (unless we speak in euphemistic way, i.e., we might say someone is beside himself). But both of these things were true of the Word Who became flesh (John 1:18). He was with God and He was God. This explains how God could say, “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26). God the Father was speaking to at least the Second Person of the Godhead, the Logos or Word. John emphasizes this once again in his first general epistle ( I John 1:1-3).

Even standing on its own, it seems to me to be clear that the use of the plural elohim with a singular masculine verb in Genesis 1:1 (and throughout the Old Testament) is speaking to, at the very least, a plurality of the singular God and, in its fullest revelation, the triune nature of the Godhead. We have not even touched upon the fact that Spirit of God is explicitly mentioned in the Text as a separate quantity (Gen. 1:3). More will be said about the Spirit in future installments. And more will be said about other Old Testament passages that add to the doctrine of the triune Nature of God.

Endnotes

  1. I know this verse is controversial with many. However, I hold it to be sacred scripture. You may find part of my reason for holding it thus here (https://mtvchurchofchrist.org/wp/?p=594). Just because many do not find it authoritative, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used in defense of the truth it states. I will not let other Christian’s skepticism of this verse dictate my use of it any more than I would let modernists skeptics doubts of other passages limit my use of them. I have found that many merely follow what they have been told rather than do their own research and come to their own conclusions, unfortunately.
  2. ”A good command of Hebrew also requires proficiency in using grammatical gender and number correctly, as nouns, verbs, and adjectives are all gendered and must agree in terms of number.” from https://www.hebrewpod101.com/blog/2021/03/18/hebrew-grammar-overview/#2; A Concise Hebrew Grammar Guide

Eric L. Padgett

The Lord, He is God

There is one and only one true and living God. This is explicitly taught in the Scriptures.

Isaiah consistently and often affirms this most important truth. Isaiah wrote, “O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou has made heaven and earth…Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only” (Isaiah 37:16,20). Again he writes, “To whom will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him” (Isaiah 40:18). And again, “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). Yet again, Isaiah affirms there is only one God: “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me” (Isaiah 45:5). Once more, he writes, “…there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me” (Isaiah 45:21). With a most powerful declaration of God’s singularity, Isaiah records the words of the Lord: “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any” (Isaiah 44:6-8). “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:10,l1). Finally, “For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9).

Moses affirmed the same truth: “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him” (Deut 4:35,39). Again, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand” (Deut. 32:39). King David affirmed, “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears” (II Samuel 7:22; I Chron. 17:20; Psalm 18:31; Psalm 86:10). His son Solomon wanted all the people of the earth to know that “the LORD is God, and that there is none else” (I Kings 8:60). Jeremiah taught that there is none like the Lord, Who is the true and living God (Jer. 10:6, 10). Namaan confessed that “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel” (II Kings 5:15). Hezekiah stated that “thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth” (II Kings 19:15). The Levites acknowledge that “Thou, even Thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee” (Nehemiah 9:6). The prophets Hoshea, Joel and Zachariah all affirmed that there is but one Lord over all the earth (Hosea 13:4; Joel 2:27; Zechariah 14:9).

In the New Testament, Paul adamantly affirmed “There is one God…” (I Tim. 2:5). He wrote, “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many), But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (I Corinthians 8:4-6). Paul was condemned by the craftsmen almost throughout all Asia who made silver shrines to the pagan goddess Diana because their craft was in jeopardy by his teaching. Paul had persuaded and turned away much people, saying that there be no gods, which are made with hands (Acts 19:26). James affirmed that there was but one God and that the demons also know this (James 2:19). Paul and Jude agree that He is the only wise God (I Tim. 1:17; Jude 25).

Furthermore, Paul said that God is not only the God of the Jews but of all others, as well, so, he affirms, it is God that justifies (Rom. 3:29,30). Therefore, the same Lord is over all (Rom. 10:12). The scribes acknowledged that “there is one God; and there is none other but he” (Mark 12:32). Jesus said that Jehovah is the “only true God” (John 17:3). Paul once again affirmed there is one God and Father of all (Eph. 4:6).

Contrasting the True and Living God with idols, the Psalmist says “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them” (Psalm 115:4-8). They are all fake gods, made up gods, no gods at all but the figment of man’s vivid imagination. Jeremiah said, “Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.” (Jer. 51:17,18).

One of the most powerful demonstrations that there are no gods other than Jehovah, the true and living God, was when Elijah challenge the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). Elijah “came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (I Kings 18:21). He then proposed a challenge, let the true God answer by fire. The prophets of Baal called upon their god, “O Baal hear us. But there was no voice nor any that answered” (I Kings 18:26). “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked” (I Kings 18:27). In truth, there was no such god as Baal. “They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded” (I Kings 18:28,29). Then Elijah dowsed the sacrifice to Jehovah with water and cried “Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench” (I Kings 18:37-38). “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God” (I Kings 18:39).

So scripturally, there can be no doubt. There is only one God. Only one true and living God. All other “gods” are false gods, or no gods at all. They are the creations of man’s imagination, made from wood and stone and are lifeless and heartless. They are created to validate man’s lusts and desires for power. They are powerless apart from the threats of their creators. They are created by man but the true and living God created man.

And logically, the same argument can be made. God, by definition, is the supreme being. There cannot be multiple supreme beings in the sense of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. The cosmological argument demands an uncaused First Cause, not first causes. Even the Greek and Roman pantheons produced a more dominant god, in Zeus and Jupiter. While they are not supreme in any way near the Biblical sense, their status denotes the need for a superior authority. Indeed, there must be an ultimate authority for there to be morality. If there were multiple “supreme” gods, then there could be multiple moral “truths,” which would entail logical contradiction and morality would be merely the whim of some arbitrary feeling or demand of a set of conflicting dictates from an undetermined set of powerful beings. Many questions would be unanswered. There is no logical way to harmonize a pantheon of powerful beings with the order of the universe or the philosophical order of the Supreme being of Judeao-Christian scriptures.

There is but one answer to all these questions and that is…

The Lord, He is God

Eric L. Padgett

The Angel of the Lord

We have seen that the Presence of God is everywhere and that the Person of God is on His throne in Heaven. Last time we introduced the idea of theophany, the veritable appearance of God in the world in some form. It is how God chose to make Himself known to the world in some instances. Those theophanies are also Christophanies, where the pre-incarnate Christ appeared in the world. Sometimes the Lord’s pre-incarnate appearance was referred to as the angel of the Lord.

First of all, consider that God appeared to Moses in a bush that burned but was not consumed (Exodus 3:1-6). This unconsumed burning bush caught Moses’ attention and piqued his interest. He turned aside to see it, going out of his way, which indicates it was some distance away, yet noticeable. This event was more than a miracle, more than just a bush that was not consumed with the fire that engulfed it, for, from within a flame of fire that covered the bush, incredibly, the angel of the Lord appeared to him (Ex. 3:15).

This was not merely just some one of the myriad of the angels of God. It was “the angel of the Lord,” identifying this” angel” as unique among divine messengers. We learn that God called unto him from out of the midst of the bush, further equating the angel of the Lord with God, Himself! Yet further proof of the divine encounter is that Moses was required to take the shoes from off his feet because that place was holy ground. It could only be considered holy ground only if God was there. Even further tightening the connection between the angel of the Lord and God, is that the one speaking says, “I am the God of they father, the God of Abraham…” (Ex. 3:6).

What is the significance of this appearance? God had told Abraham over four hundred years earlier that the children of Israel would go into bondage in a land that was not theirs and serve them four hundred years (Gen. 15:13,14). But God promised to bring them out again and the people who had enslaved them would pay dearly (Gen. 15:14). God sealed that promise with Abraham by His own theophanic revelation as a smoking furnace and a burning lamp (Gen. 15:17). The time had now come to bring an end to their captivity (Ex. 3:8). The children of Israel had been brought, as it were, by God “out of an iron furnace, even out of Egypt” (Deut. 4:20). Israel had gone through the fire and water and God had brought them to a wealthy place (Psalm 66:12). It was the angel of the Lord that said “I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you” (Judges 2:1).

When God had commanded Abraham to offer up his only son Isaac, it was the angel of the Lord that stayed his hand (Gen. 22:11). Twice the angel of the Lord speaks to Abraham, but it is what He says that is great interest.

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice (Genesis 22:16-18).

Note that the angel of the Lord says “By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord…” (22:16). The angel identifies Himself as the “LORD”, or Jehovah. All the affirmations of this Angel indicate that He was divine, and not merely one of the myriad of created angels at God’s disposal. The Angel says, “you have obeyed My voice” (22:18). This can only be God.

Though the phrase ‘Angel of the Lord’ is absent in this passage, the Lord’s appearance to Abram at Mamre (Gen. 18:1) bears similar characteristics to other theophanies/Christophanies. Yet, the Bible says three “men” appeared to Abraham on the plains of Mamre (Gen. 18:2). While they are talking, the Text suddenly changes from the plural to the singular, from “they” (v.9) to “He” (v.10). Moreover, “He” promised to return again in a year to see that Sarai would have a son, even though they were both old and Sarai had passed the age of childbearing (Rom. 4:18-21). This is the kind of promise only God could make. The Bible text says that while apparently two of the “men” then left and went toward Sodom, Abraham was left to stand before the Lord, or Jehovah. We find that two angels come to Sodom (Gen. 19:1), which identifies two of the three men as angels and the one that did not come was the Second Person of the Godhead.

It seems fitting that the Second Person of the Godhead would appear to Abram and Sarai and announce that they would have a son in a year in fulfillment of the promise the Lord had made to Abraham some twenty-five years earlier since, He, Himself, would come in the fulness of time and be born of a virgin and be the ultimate fulfillment of that spiritual promise to bless all the earth.

Scripture records several other encounters with the Angel of the Lord: His appearance to Hagar in the wilderness (Gen. 16:7-13), to Gideon (Judges 6:11-24), to Manoah and his wife regarding Samson’s birth (Judges 13:3-22), as Israel’s divine guide (Ex. 23:20-23), to Joshua before Jericho (Josh. 5:13-15), and more. It is clear, that God has appeared in times past in some visible, tangible form to guide, and sometimes judge, His people. This shows God’s personal interest in our affairs and the development of the Scheme of Redemption. These theophanies/Christophanies were powerful testimonies to that fact God cares and is interested in man’s salvation.

One final note. In the mythologies of at least the western world there were stories of gods appearing in various forms to man. But these were very different than what we see in the developed theology of the Bible. Consider the following.

First, the nature of the divinity is drastically different. Jehovah is transcendent, holy, and unchanging. Theophanies reveal His presence without diminishing His divine nature. But the appearances of the gods in mythology (i.e., Greek and Roman, an others) are often anthropomorphic, flawed, and subject to human-like emotions and desires. In the second place, the purposes are completely different. Theophanies serve to reveal God’s will or guide His people (e.g., the burning bush, Mount Sinai) while mythological appearances often involve deception, seduction, or personal whims of the gods (e.g., Zeus taking the form of a swan to seduce Leda). In the third place, consider the moral framework. Biblical theophanies emphasize holiness, justice, and divine authority. Encounters often demand reverence and obedience while mythological appearances frequently reflect the gods’ capricious nature, often leading to morally ambiguous or tragic outcomes. And finally, consider the form of the appearance. God appears in various forms, fire, cloud, angelic messenger, but always with a clear divine purpose. Greek and Roman gods take on human or animal forms, often to manipulate or interact with mortals in unpredictable ways. Ultimately, mythological depictions of divine interaction pale in comparison to the biblical portrayal of God’s direct involvement in the unfolding Scheme of Redemption.

Through the unfolding drama of Scripture, the appearances of the Angel of the Lord serve as profound glimpses of God’s personal engagement in human history. These theophanies/Christophanies reveal the Second Person of the Godhead actively working within His creation, guiding, delivering, and establishing His covenantal promises. Unlike the flawed and capricious deities of mythology, who often descend for self-serving ends, the biblical manifestation of God demonstrates divine intentionality, holiness, and redemptive love. From the burning bush to the patriarchs, these encounters remind us that the God who appeared in times past is the same God who ultimately took on flesh to dwell among us, fulfilling His promises in the person of Jesus Christ. His involvement is not distant, but deeply personal, pointing humanity toward redemption and the culmination of His divine plan.

Eric L. Padgett

Theophany

The Bible clearly teaches that no man has seen God at any time (John 1:18). He is the invisible God (Col. 1:15). It is to be anathema to attempt to make an image of Him (Ex. 20:4), for God is a Spirit and His worship must be in spirit (John 4:24). Out of the fire on Mt. Horeb, God spoke with a voice but did not appear in any form (Deut. 4:12). Just as He presented no image of Himself, God prohibited the making of any graven images (Deut. 4:15,6). He transcends mortal man infinitely in every way. He dwells in the light that no man can approach unto and Whom no man has seen nor can see (I Tim. 6:16). Indeed, no man can see Him and live (Ex. 33:20). His Presence must be too overwhelming to observed by mortal man. In this sense, God is transcendent and unapproachable by man, or any other creature, for He is infinitely higher than His creation.

But, we have also seen that God is immanent, that is, that He is both omnipresent in His creation and reigns over all creation from His throne in Heaven. He is not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27). Ultimately, God has spoken to us in these last days by His Son (Heb. 1:1-3). God came down to man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He was Emmanuel, or God with us (Matt. 1:23). He was the child that was born who was called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6). In Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9). We will discuss this in more detail in a later installment.

But before the Incarnation, God manifested Himself in the world in visible forms at various times (Heb. 1:1). These appearances were dramatic, direct, physical revelations of God’s presence, character, and will. They often marked pivotal moments in biblical history, reinforcing divine authority and guiding God’s people. These appearances are known as “theophanies,” (“theo” – God; “phaino” – appear).

Theophanies can be of various kinds. Some suggest there are upward of fifty theophanic appearances in both the Old and New Testaments. But this is on the high side because it includes God’s appearances in dreams and visions, which, strictly speaking, are not physical appearances of God and do not fit the general definition of a theophany. God has appeared in non-human form, such as in fire and clouds and storms (Ex. 3, 19). He has also appeared in human form, as when He wrestled with Jacob (Gen. 32). God also appeared to man in audible utterances, as in Elijah’s still, small voice (I Kings 19:12,13). In each case, God’s Presence was revealed in a physical manifestation of some kind. They were not apparitions or projections. They were real, physical appearances of God, in some form, in the world.

Theophanies are powerful moments where God makes Himself known in unmistakable ways, shaping the faith and understanding of His people. These appearances reveal God’s nature and provide glimpses into God’s attributes, such as holiness (Isaiah 6), power (Exodus 19), and mercy (Genesis 18). Theophanies in the Old Testament anticipate the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ, who is the permanent manifestation of God among humanity (John 14:9). God also appeared to lead His people, such as in the pillar of cloud and fire during the Exodus (Exodus 14:19-20) and the Rock that followed them (I Cor. 10:4). Then again, some theophanies demonstrate divine judgment, like God’s appearance in a storm at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19).

These appearances do not conflict with the fact that no man has seen God at any time (John 1:18). Each manifestation presents God in a mediated form. Moses, for instance, saw only God’s hinder parts, a term whose full meaning may not be fully known (Ex. 33:32,33). God’s face was not seen (Ex. 32:23). In other words, Moses had a very extraordinary, but yet, limited, view of God. God’s face often stands for His special, providential Presence. The Hebrew word “panim” and the Greek “prosopon” are frequently used to convey relationship not position. A special Jewish blessing was the statement “The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Num. 6:24-26). It simply meant that God was showing His favor, grace, and benevolence toward His people. Again, Deuteronomy 31:17: “I will hide My face from them, and they will be destroyed.” This simply meant that God was going to sit in judgment on them.

Many of these theophanies are also Christophanies. A Christophany is the actual appearance of the second Person of the Godhead in the world in some material or physical way. I say many, but not all. When the Father said from Heaven “This is My beloved Son” He was distinct from the Son present on earth. However, many Old Testament appearances, such as the Angel of the Lord, the fourth figure in the fiery furnace, or the man wrestling Jacob, strongly suggest that they were manifestations of the pre-incarnate Christ. These Christophanies serve as veiled revelations of God’s presence while maintaining the truth that no man has seen the Father in His full essence.

The study of Theophanies and Christophanies reveals the gracious manner in which God has chosen to make Himself known throughout history. Though He dwells in unapproachable light and remains unseen in His full essence, He has entered the world in forms that humanity could engage with and understand. These divine appearances prepared the way for the ultimate revelation in Christ, in whom the fullness of Godhead dwelt bodily (Colossians 2:9). Through Him, God is not only revealed but approachable, bridging the gap between His infinite transcendence and His intimate presence.

Eric L. Padgett

God Is in Heaven

While the Bible and reason teach that God is omnipresent, the Bible and reason just as clearly teach that God also resides in heaven. The Bible is very clear about this.

Jesus taught us to pray by saying, “Our Father, which art in heaven…” (Matt. 6:9). In this simple statement, He clearly affirms that the first Person of Godhead, the Father, resides in Heaven. Several things need to be addressed in this connection. First, this post assumes the triune nature of God. That is, that God is three Persons in One God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This topic will be addressed in another post, but for our purposes here, it will be assumed as correct. Second, while the Father is in Heaven on His Throne, the second and third Persons of the Godhead may be elsewhere. For instance, in Jesus’ baptism, the Father spoke from Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and Jesus was in the Jordan being baptized. Thus, while in some sense God’s Presence is everywhere, as we have seen, the Person of the Father was in Heaven on His throne.

When Jacob went out from his father unto Haran, he came to a certain place where he pillowed his head upon some stones (Gen. 28:10,11). In a vision from God, he dreamed there of a ladder whose top reached to Heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending upon it (v.12). But above the ladder was Jehovah (v13). Jacob said, “How dreadful is this place. This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (v17). Heaven, then, in Jacob’s view, in the Biblical view, was the House of God.

When Solomon prayed at the dedication of the Temple he had built as a “house of habitation” for God (II Chron. 6:2), He made clear that God’s actual dwelling place is in Heaven (II Chron. 6:39). On multiple occasions Solomon would say of God, “Then hear Thou from Heaven” (6: 23, 25, 27, 35) which he would call “Thy dwelling place” (6:21, 30, 33, 39). During Hezekiah’s day, it is said the prayer of the children of Israel was heard and that it went up to Heaven, to His holy dwelling place (II Chron. 30:27). Isaiah said that God dwells in the high and holy place (Is. 57:15). Every time we read of Heaven, it is always spoken of as being upward.

The following is a list of passages which refer to Heaven in some form as God’s dwelling place:

Gen. 28:17- This is the House of God, the gate of Heaven
II Chron. 6:39 – Heaven Thy dwelling place
II Chron. 30:27 – Holy dwelling place, even Heaven
Psalms 123:1 – Dwellest in the heavens
Is. 57:15 – Dwell in the high and holy place
Is. 63:15 – Heaven is called the habitation of the holiness and glory of God
Matt. 23:9 – Your Father in heaven
II Chron. 20:6 – God in heaven
Psalm 115:3 – Our God is in the heavens
Is. 66:1 – Heaven is the place of His rest
Gen. 21:17 – Angel of God called out of heaven
Gen. 24:3 – The Lord, the God of Heaven
Gen. 24:7 – Lord God of Heaven
Josh. 2:11 – He is God in Heaven
II Chron. 36:23 – Lord God of Heaven – Ezra 1:2
Ezra 5:12 – God of Heaven – (6:9,10; 7:12, 21,23; Neh. 1:4,5; 2:4,20; Psalm 136:26; Dan. 2:18,19,37,44; John 1:9; Rev. 11:3;16:11)
Job 22:12 – God is in the height of heaven
Psalm 14:2; 53:2 – God looked down from Heaven
Psalm 57:3 – He shall send from Heaven
Psalm 80:14 – God look down from heaven and visit
Eccl. 5:2 – God is in Heaven
Is. 14:13 – satan said I will ascend into heaven and exalt my throne above the stars of God
Dan. 2:28 – God in Heaven (Matt. 22:30)
Dan. 5:23 – Lord of Heaven
Matt. 23:20 – He that swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and Him that sits thereon
Mark 16:19 – In heaven is the right hand of God
Acts 7:55 – Looked into Heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
Rom. 1:18 – Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven
I Thess. 4:16 – Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven
Heb. 9:24 – Jesus went into Heaven itself to appear in the presence of God for us
I Pet. 3:22 – Is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God
Rev. 3:12 – New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven
Rev. 20:9 – Came down from God out of Heaven- Rev. 21:2
Rev. 21:10 – Out of Heaven from God

A distinction needs to be made between the various uses of Heaven in the Bible. The word “Heaven” is used in a least three ways. Heaven is used, first of all, in reference to the atmosphere surrounding the earth (Gen. 1:20; Psalm 104:12). Then it is used of the place where the stars are, the universe (Gen. 1:14,15; Psalm 19:1). But Heaven is also used of where God resides (II Cor. 12:2; II Chron. 6:39). It is in the third sense that we are speaking about now. Sometimes, however, the other two heavens are used interchangeably with God’s place of dwelling (e.g., Psalm 103:19 – The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all).

God is a spirit (John 4:24). A spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39), but a spirit may at least have a body or form (I Cor 15:44; cf. Ex. 33:23). His Presence is everywhere, but His Person resides in Heaven, the third Heaven, where He sits upon His throne, a representation of His sovereignty and rule. God exists and resides somewhere outside and superior to the created, material universe, in some sense as Spirit and where ever that “place” is, is Heaven. Heaven, then, is the eternal realm of God’s personal presence, inseparable from His eternal existence.

The Bible repeatedly affirms that while God’s Presence pervades all creation, He Personally dwells in Heaven. Scripture portrays Heaven as the seat of His throne, the realm of His glory, and the place from which He engages with His creation in a personal way. Understanding the distinction between His Presence and His Person, strengthens our comprehension of God’s nature–He is both transcendent over the universe and imminent in His interaction with His people (Acts 17:27,28). As we grasp this truth, we are invited to approach Him with reverence, recognizing that His throne in heaven is not a limitation of His being but an expression of His divine order and majesty (Heb. 10:19-22).

Eric L. Padgett

God’s Omnipresence

The Bible also teaches that God is omnipresent, or is everywhere. But, like omniscience and omnipotence, God’s omnipresence is a very complex concept, especially for the finite human mind to grasp. As we try to understand this concept, let us start with clear affirmations of scripture and develop it from there. While the affirmations are clear, they may be, at times, very complex, as you would expect, when discussing the nature of God. In dealing with this question, we must address the very Nature of God’s being.

First of all, consider Psalms 139:7-11. David affirms that he could not go anywhere and escape the Presence of God. David uses the extreme opposites of heaven and Sheol (the realm of the dead) to affirm God’s omnipresence. Whether ascending to the heights of heaven or descending to the depths of Sheol, God’s presence remains inescapable. While other scriptures provide further nuance, this passage strongly affirms that God’s Presence reaches everywhere. Barring any qualifying statements from other scriptures, we must take this as literal. Also, note that God’s Presence is equated with His Spirit. Being unable to hide from His Presence means we are unable to hide from His Spirit. David further says that God is in the uttermost in part of the sea. Darkness cannot hide one from God because darkness and light are both the same to God. God’s face, His Presence is literally everywhere.

Another clear passage defining the omnipresence of God is Jer. 23:23,24. Here the prophet says God asks man this question, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?” It is a rhetorical question and the answer is obvious: None can hide from God. Just as in the previous passage, God sees all and knows all. But a new element has been added here. God says, “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” So, God is not only present in every place, but He “fills” heaven and earth. This cannot be said of any man or any other being. Every man, every other being, is somewhere in time and space. We fill only a certain cubic area of space during any given time. But God, in some way, “fills” heaven and earth, “heaven and earth” being an expression encompassing all of creation. In some sense God fills up every part of creation. He is not limited by physical space, but rather His presence permeates all things.

This statement, that God fills heaven and earth, suggests some more very important questions. Some of these will be addressed in the next installment, but for now we continue with the plain affirmations of scripture. Another passage dealing with God’s omnipresence is found in Solomon’s building of the temple. Solomon asked, upon the occasion of the dedication of the Temple, this question: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth?” The answer is obvious and there is a sense in which God cannot be contained on the earth and the temple that Solomon built certainly could not contain God. Solomon continues with this observation and declares, “Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (I Kings 8:27).

This later statement that even the heaven of heavens cannot contain God is more than significant. It is generally believed that “the heaven of heavens” is a reference to the place where God abides. And yet it is stated here that even that place cannot contain God! What an astounding statement! The place where God abides, is in some sense inadequate to contain God. This truly demonstrates God’s omnipresence. More about this later.

In his address to the Athenians on Mars Hill, the apostle Paul touched upon God’s omnipresence. Some historians said it was easier to see a god than a man on the streets of Athens because they had a god for everything. Paul explained to them the God they didn’t know, the true and living God, and he said of God that He does not dwell in temples made with men’s hands (Acts 17:24), agreeing with Solomon’s statement about the temple. He further states that God is not far from every one of us for in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:27,28). There is a sense in which all of creation is “in Him.” This later statement is worthy of much deeper study but it is enough to know here that we are in Him because He fills His creation.

Beyond just the plain scriptural declarations of God’s omnipresence are the deductions that can be drawn from His creative power. God made all things by fiat. He merely spoke all things into existence (Psalm 148:5). In some basic sense, all things owe their existence to God, deriving their being from His creative power while remaining distinct from His essence. God breathed and spoke and we became. We exist because He is. Through His divine word and breath, God brought all things into existence. We exist because He wills and sustains our being. I believe that everything derives its reality from God but remains metaphysically distinct from Him. I am not affirming pantheism or panentheism in any form, at least that is not my intention, but only that all things are dependent on and are derived from God’s power (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:3). God created all things ex nihilo, out of nothing, but that creation was powered by the breathe of God. If God continues to uphold all things by the word of His power, then they are in some sense touched by Him and if they are touched by Him then He is present with them, everywhere, in some sense. But while God is closely connected to His creation, He is also transcendent. We will discuss this in a future installment.

This concept of God’s omnipresence is a deep well from which to draw. It’s entirely possible that I am not as clear as I need to be, especially in the previous paragraph. Its entirely possible that no one can be as clear as they need to be discussing this topic since God’s nature is far beyond our finite mind’s ability to fully understand. I pray that what I have written will not mislead or teach anything contrary to the truth. But I hope it gives us an appreciation for God’s infinite Presence, His omnipresence.

Eric L. Padgett

God and the Possibility of Impossibilities

When one argues for the omnipotence of God, inevitably, there are those who either twist or attempt to contradict the argument or mitigate against the force of it. Let us look at a couple of issues that arise.

Some people try to defeat the arguments for the existence of God by offering what has been called The Paradox of Omnipotence. This view argues against God and His omnipotence by posing a simple question: Can God create a rock so big that He cannot lift it? If God can create a rock so big that He couldn’t lift it, then He is not all powerful. But if He cannot create a rock so big that He couldn’t lift it, then how could He be omnipotent? And so either way, God cannot be omnipotent and if not omnipotent, then He cannot be God.

But the answer to this objection is really rather very simple to me. The question tries to present the appearance of a conflict between God’s power and ability when in reality there is no conflict at all between the two propositions. The purpose of asking can God make a rock so big He couldn’t lift is to suggest that there is something God cannot do, either lift or create, thus creating a dilemma. But there is no dilemma. The truth is, He can do both. God can make a rock of infinite size and weight but He also has the infinite power so as to lift it. There is no limit to God’s power or ability and thus no real conflict. The conflict is only semantical. It’s merely a word game disguised as an argument. It’s similar to the question, Have you stopped beating your wife lately? It presents two alternatives as the only options, when they clearly are not.

Now, some would try to answer the Paradox of Omnipotence by simply saying that it is a logical absurdity and that God cannot do the logically impossible. Which brings us to the second issue that needs to be addressed: Can God do that which is logically impossible? Sometimes, in response to these challenges it is affirmed that God cannot make a square circle or make 2+2=5 or some such seemingly absurd, impossible task. Some would say the Paradox of Omnipotence belongs in this category. These questions are, in effect, asking if God can do the logically impossible. And many give this classic response that some things are not subject to possibility because they are not subject to accomplishment.

Other such alleged logical absurdities sometimes put forward, besides creating a rock so big God cannot lift it include, creating a four-sided triangle, making an object that is all white all over and all black all over on the outside, creating a ninety-year-old teenager, or making a room that is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. “To propose such things is to affirm logical contradictions and absurdities,” someone wrote. It is said that God can only do “what is possible of accomplishment—not to what is impossible!”

The view that such questions are logical absurdities and therefore not subject to the power and omnipotence of God dates back to Thomas Aquinas. But I strongly disagree that simply because they might contain a logical absurdity that they are not subject to God’s omnipotence. I would agree these questions might be nothing more than a semantic trick, as we have seen, to suggest the appearance of a conflict in God’s power, as in the case of the Paradox of Omnipotence. But I also firmly believe that God has the sheer, raw power to create an infinitely big rock, a room that is bigger on the inside than on the outside, and an object that is both all white and all black on the outside, etc.. I don’t see why that simply because it may be absurd or illogical that God, in infinite power, could not accomplish it. If you accept that God has infinite power, and this is the clear affirmation of Scripture, then these seemingly absurd tasks are no problem for God.

I am of the view, and I know it is not a majority view, that when the Bible says that nothing is impossible with God, that that is exactly what it means. The point I want to stress here is that God has the sheer, raw, power to do these things. Does that mean He will do them or is obligated to do them? No, absolutely not. But it does not negate the fact that God has the sheer, raw power to do them. Just as the fact that God can make an infinitely large rock does not mean He will or is obligated to do so to prove to you or me or anyone the extent of His power. God can do all things. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with Him.

Think of this. The Bible says 1) with God, nothing shall be impossible and 2) all things are possible with God, and 3) God can do all things, 4) nothing can be with holden from Him. Contrast the statements from the Bible with the statement from some brethren and apologists that God can do only what is possible. I don’t know how you can believe the Bible and say that some things are not subject to God’s power.

Yet, doesn’t the Bible say that God cannot lie (Tit. 1:2)? Doesn’t the Bible say God cannot deny Himself (II Tim. 2:13)? Yes, absolutely. But one has to harmonize these statements with the very clear and unequivocal statements that God can do all things. Again, does God have the sheer, raw power to deny Himself or lie? He has the power to do so. But as these things go against His nature, He will not do them. In effect, He cannot do them and be God. But this does not mean that He hasn’t the sheer, raw ability and power to do so.

An analogy might help with understanding this. Jesus was God in the flesh (Matt. 1:23). All the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Jesus bodily (Col. 1:19; 2:9). Yet, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). You cannot have a temptation without the possibility of it occurring. Now, could Jesus, the Son of God, God in the flesh, have lied? Could He have sinned? Was He tempted to lie. Remember, He was tempted in all points like us. Get this point: If Jesus could never have sinned, then He could not be our example in righteousness, because none of us will be endowed with a divine nature such that it keeps us from sinning. The only way for Jesus to serve as our example is to have been tempted and overcame the temptation.

Someone might answer that it wasn’t the divine nature of Jesus that was tempted, but the human. And this point is well taken and is true as far as it goes. The Bible says God cannot be tempted with evil (James 1:12). But the reason that God cannot be tempted with evil (or anything) is because God is all powerful. He can do whatever He wants or have whatever He wants. For a temptation to be real there must be some enticement. For instance, you cannot tempt me with peanut butter. I hate it. I don’t want it. It makes me sick. But I love chocolate. You could tempt me with chocolate, but not with peanut butter! But for God, there is nothing that can entice Him, so no temptation.

However, it is said of Jesus that He “cannot deny Himself” (II Tim 2:13). This is an absolute statement. He cannot deny Himself, just as it is an absolute statement that God cannot lie. And yet, in the temptation in the wilderness Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them if Jesus would only fall down and worship the devil (Matt. 4:1,8-10). While it is said that Jesus cannot deny Himself, He may well have been tempted by this offer (Heb. 4:15), knowing what lay ahead for Him (Matt. 26:39). But this statement that He cannot deny Himself is clearly a reference to His Nature and that He will not deny Himself, even though He had the sheer, raw power to do so.

Furthermore, the more that is learned about quantum states the more we realize just how much we don’t know. In quantum physics particles can exist in two different states at the same time. If God can create the physics that can do this then God has the sheer raw power to do what we consider logically impossible. But I don’t need quantum physics to prove my case. It is enough that God has said in His word that with Him, all things are possible.

In dealing with God’s omniscience, I said that God cannot know a lie. But I made the point that God knows the truth value of all precisely stated propositions. God cannot know that I own a mansion and a yacht. He cannot know it because it is not true. But He knows the truth value of the propositions regarding that fact. But with omnipotence, if there is anything that God does not have the sheer, raw power to do, regardless of how absurd or illogical, then He is not all powerful.

I believe my position not only does not violate any doctrine of the scripture but positively affirms the truth of scripture. I definitely do not deny God’s absolute omnipotence. I do not deny God’s sovereignty over His creation. I do not place anything above God, such as logic or knowledge. These are a part of the Nature of God, and not something outside or above Him. My view acknowledges God’s Holiness and Righteousness. My view recognizes that God will not violate His Character and Nature. My view magnifies the God who, though He has the sheer, raw power to do whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3), He only acts in accordance with His Divine Nature. I believe my position to be eminently scriptural.

Eric L. Padgett