Part 6: FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST

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Part 6: FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST

Is “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Ghost,” the names of three persons who exist in a substance called the Godhead as the doctrine of the trinity maintains, or are they all simply titles that are applied to the one true God? As we always should do, let’s examine some scriptures.

 

The Father

God the Father” is used many times in the Bible, and based on the context in which this phrase exists, I propose we should understand it as indicating the relationship between: 1) God and all humans (Malachi 2:10); 2) between God and His Son; and 3) between God and reborn humans (Romans 8:14-16). Jesus taught us numerous times that God is our Father and taught us to pray “Our Father which art in heaven.” Jesus had a unique relationship to God that no one else has ever had – He was the only begotten Son of the Father. By that, I mean Jesus was the only one who was conceived by the Spirit of God and who had the complete fullness of God. The Scriptures plainly tell us there’s only one Father (Ephesians 4:6). We also are taught that Jesus is the incarnation of the Father (Isaiah 9:6, John 10:30). Jesus directly told His disciples that the Spirit that dwelt in Him was the Father (John 14:10).

Before we move on, it’s extremely important to note the name of the Father is indeed Jesus. Here’s why: In John 5:43, Jesus said “I am come in my Father’s name.” In Hebrews 1:4, we learn that Jesus “by inheritance obtained a more excellent name” than the angels. So, the Son inherited the Father’s name, which helps us to understand why Jesus told us that He manifested and declared the Father’s name in John 17:6 and John 17:26. In Psalm 22:22 and Hebrews 2:12, we see the prophecy and the fulfillment that the Messiah would declare the name of YHWH or Jehovah. So, I ask you, in what name did the Son come? What name did He inherit from His Father? What name did the Son manifest? The only name He used was in fact Jesus, which is His Father’s name.

The Son

As I covered extensively in Part 5, “Son” refers directly to the incarnation – God manifest in the flesh for the purpose of redeeming humanity. I don’t think anyone would argue that the name of the Son is Jesus. Because “Father” refers only to deity, and the title “Son of God” refers to deity incarnate in humanity, I definitely would argue the Father is NOT the Son, but I would argue that the Father is IN the Son (John 14:10). It’s important to make this distinction – because we can say the Son died, but the Father certainly did not. Because Jesus is the name of the Son, and the title “Son of God” refers to both Jesus’s deity as the Father and humanity as the Son, I am arguing that the name of both the Father and the Son is Jesus.

The Holy Ghost

The term “Holy Ghost” or “Holy Spirit” simply describes the one God in His spiritual nature. God is holy (Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16). God is spirit (John 4:24). There is only one spirit of God (1 Corinthians 12:11, Ephesians 4:4). Holy Spirit means the one God.

This begs the question: If the “Holy Spirit” is simply God, why is there a need for this term? The reason is because it describes a certain aspect of our creator – that He is holy, omnipresent, and an invisible all-powerful Spirit working among people everywhere and can fill our hearts. When we use the terms “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost,” we essential remind ourselves and teach others of God’s invisible power and presence and His ability to anoint, baptize, fill, and dwell within us. Basically, it’s God in action! The following passages provide evidence that the Holy Ghost is indeed God Himself: Acts 5:3-4, Acts 5:9, Acts 20:23, Acts 20:28, Acts 21:11.

Finally, the Holy Ghost is revealed and received through the name Jesus. The Bible teaches us the Holy Ghost is not a different person who comes in another name. In John 14:26, Jesus said “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name.” Coincidentally, a chapter later, Jesus said He is the one who would send the Holy Spirit (John 15:26) – more evidence the Father was in the Son.

The Father is the Holy Ghost

Matthew 1:18-20 and Luke 1:35 tell us in no uncertain terms that the Holy Ghost is the Father of Jesus. The Messiah was conceived by the Holy Ghost and therefore became the Son of God. The one who causes conception is the father, and because the one holy and almighty Spirit of the one true God caused conception in the virgin’s womb, Jesus literally was the Son of God, a.k.a. the Son of the Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, in Joel 2:27-29, the prophet quoted Jehovah (YHWH) by saying: “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” This verse was used by Peter on the Day of Pentecost when describing the baptism of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:16-18. This indicates the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jehovah. Because there is only one Spirit, the Spirit of Jehovah logically is the Holy Spirit.

In keeping with the Biblical principle there is only one Spirit, we learn that the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of the LORD (YHWH)” in Isaiah 40:13; the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of God” in Genesis 1:2, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father in Matthew 10:20. Logically, these verses are all speaking of the same divine being.

The Deity of Jesus is the Holy Ghost

Philippians 1:19 tell us the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Galatians 4:6 mentions the Spirit of His Son. 2 Corinthians 3:17 goes as far as to say about the Spirit, “Now the Lord is that Spirit.” The NIV translation makes it even more plain, saying “Now the Lord is the Spirit” and “the Lord who is the Spirit” in verse 18. It’s clear the Bible tells us the Spirit that resides in Jesus is the Holy Spirit. There are more than 10 instances in the Bible that provide parallel passages to show us definitively the same act was or will be performed by Jesus and the Holy Spirit, essentially showing them to be one in the same. A future installment of this series will demonstrate these, but I will leave them out for now for space reasons.

While the Bible certainly speaks of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it does so for the purpose of describing the different manifestations, roles, modes, titles, attributes, and relationships to humanity of the one indivisible God. The titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost do not refer to three persons, personalities, wills, minds, or centers of consciousness. The one God is the Father of all creation and He’s the Father of the man Jesus Christ having caused the conception; He manifest Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, so He’s called the Son of God; and since there is only one Spirit, He is the Holy Spirit – a term to describe God in His spiritual nature and His activity in the lives of humanity.

Let’s be clear: The Bible emphasizes strict monotheism from cover to cover. The glorious revelation of our great God and creator progresses from the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament without deviating from this strict monotheistic view. The Holy Scriptures reveal ultimately that the revelation of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is none other than Jesus. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

Thank you for reading. May God continue to bless you richly as you seek to know Him and serve Him with all your heart.

-Paul

Concepts and ideas have been adapted from the Oneness of God and other books and lectures by author David Bernard. I highly recommend picking up a hard copy.

The One For All series of short articles discusses my view on the oneness of the creator of the heavens and our enclosed plane earth. I do not claim to have the fullest revelation of God. This is my opinion only. For a longer explanation of what I feel strongly the Bible is teaching us, please see “Part 0 – What I Believe” https://paulontheplane.com/part-0-what-i-believe/