How many Gods are there, one or many?

-

Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8 and Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; 1 Cor. 8:5; I John 5:8

  1. One God
    1. (Deuteronomy 6:4)--"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!"
    2. (Isaiah 43:10)--". . . Before Me [YHWH] there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me."
    3. (Isaiah 44:6)--". . . there is no God besides Me."
    4. (Isaiah 44:8)--". . . And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none."
  2. Many gods
    1. (Genesis 1:26)--"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness . . . '"
    2. (Genesis 3:22)--"And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil . . ."
    3. (Genesis 11:7)--"Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
    4. (1 Corinthians 8:5)--"For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords")."
    5. (1 John 5:8)--"For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement."
The Bible tells us that there is only one God in all existence (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8). However, it also mentions "other gods." For example there is Adrammelech and Anammelech (2 Kings 17:31), Asherah (1 Kings 18:19), Baal (Judges 3:7), Chemosh (Num. 21:29), Dagon (1 Sam. 5:2), Molech (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5), etc. The Bible is not contradicting itself. When the Bible speaks of other gods, it is speaking of false gods that have no true existence. Gal. 4:8 says, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods." See also, Isaiah 37:19 and Jeremiah 2:11. God tells us that he alone is the true God, and that all of the invented gods of man do not exist except in their own minds. So, we can see that the Bible is not contradicting itself regarding how many gods there are in existence. There is only one.
Note: in the verses in Genesis that have God saying "Let us make . . . , Let us go down . . . , etc." are clues to the Trinitarian nature of God. God is a Trinity of persons: a Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There are not three Gods--but one. There are those who insist that the Trinity is polytheistic. But it is not. Trinitarians believe in a single being who is God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aspects of Information as Found in the Bible

-
Image
by Dr. Werner Gitt on May 28, 2009 God is shown as the source or sender of biblical information. 14.1 God as Sender—Man as Recipient The five aspects of information—statistics, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and apobetics—were discussed in chapter 4 , and it was stated that all five are indispensable for both the sender and the recipient. It is highly instructive to view the Bible in this way. Figure 27: God as sender; man as recipient. When God speaks in the Bible, He is the Sender of information. The message of the Bible, transmitted to us as recipients, can be analyzed according to the aspects of information, namely syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and apobetics. Only when we cover all the levels, will we achieve the purpose intended by God. Sender: In Figure 27, God is shown as the source or sender of biblical information. His Word is available to us today in completed ( Revelation 22: ) and written form (e.g., Exodus 17:14 ;...
Read more

Why Did Jesus Sacrifice Blood? was it Necessary?

-
  John 19:34-35a (Jer) One of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water. This is the evidence of one who saw it. Rev 5:9 (Jer) ... with your blood you bought men for God. How Much Are You Worth? Sandy Gregory's Car Parable: If I offer a car for sale, which I think is worth 7K, and offers are made ranging from 2K to 9K, how much is the car worth? The 7K that I think it's worth? The "low-ball" offer of 2K? No. The car is worth what the highest bidder is willing to pay in the open market. People are "traded" in a spiritual and eternal market. We are not worth what we happen to think, or any "low-ball" offer. We are worth what the highest bidder will pay. The highest bidder is God, and the price-tag is the Cross. God looked out across the eternal ages and said, "I'll take that one, even though the price is steep!" Our worth is established once and for ...
Read more

Five Powerful Communication skills to Effectively Manage and Nurture Relationships

-
Image
Every relationship, even with someone we've just met, begins with how we communicate.   Communication is the foundation of any relationship, reflecting the depth of our concern, joy, or other inner feelings toward the other person. Clear, affectionate, understanding, and honest communication strengthens bonds, potentially lasting a lifetime. In some friendships, there's a unique way of expressing wishes that deeply resonates with us, affirming the connection.   Others may communicate in a straightforward manner, signifying a relationship of convenience rather than depth. The way we communicate reveals how much we value the relationship—if we truly care, it will be evident in our words; if not, our communication will be limited to what is necessary.   Your relationship begins with your intent and your words. The right words can heal like a balm or cut like a knife. Your words matter.   Here are five powerful communication skills to effectively man...
Read more