REVISED
How is it that whole groups of people can read the scriptures and receive an entirely different interpretation? Alternatively, how can people study the same scriptures and come up with an entirely different understanding than most people? Those two questions are what we start this article with and I may not answer them to your liking. Whether you read the scriptures or study them, at length you should come to the same understanding if in fact you are reading and studying the same group of scriptures I use in this article.
I believe that what you believe reflects how you live. It was such a blessing when the Holy Spirit made me to know that what I had learned as young Christian was inaccurate. The most amazing thing about learning the truth of this subject from the Holy Spirit was the fact that the Holy Spirit used the same scriptures taught me to reveal the truth.
God overshadow Mary with Jesus in her womb and the Holy Ghost was in Jesus. Colossians 1:19 (KJV) 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; This scripture lets us know that the Father (Holy Spirit ) was in heaven while Jesus was on earth and heaven simultaneously. The Father is God, God is a spirit, and they that worship must worship Him in spirit and truth. Colossians 2:9 (KJV) 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Where did the Godhead dwell – in him dwell the fullness of the Godhead bodily?
The father was in Jesus, Jesus is the son and Jesus had the Holy Spirit dwelling in Him while on earth. The Godhead consists, of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. I count three separate and distinct functions and yet they were all in Jesus when He moved about the earth.
Look what King Solomon asks: Proverbs 30:4 (KJV) 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? King Solomon asked what the name of God is and what his son’s name is. One of the names of God the Father was Jehovah. The son’s name is Jesus. Jesus said it this way in this scripture: John 10:30 (KJV) 30 I and my Father are one.
That scripture says it all – my Father and I are one. If you are having a difficult time, following all this asked the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you. He will. In this scripture, we are dealing with two-thirds of the Trinity or Godhead. Many believers do not accept or like the term Trinity, that connotes three-in one. Trinity = God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost/Spirit. When put all together we have God the Father or Jehovah/Yahweh, God the Son or Jesus in the flesh and God the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost/Spirit. They are one!
As we continue to unravel, this circle of the Godhead let us look at several scriptures that shed further light on the subject. John 1:1-2 (KJV) 1 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. The writer Saint John says in the beginning was the Word and was God. Now we have another title or name for God – the Word. Then we must ask who is the Word. In verse 14 Saint John goes on to tell us John 1:14 (KJV) 14 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.
Who was dwelling among them – Jesus? The awesomeness of Jesus and the facets or roles he served as the son of God. Then they wanted a sign and here they received one from him as stated in John 6:32-33 (KJV)3 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
After he reiterated what God had done by giving them bread in the wilderness, he lets them know he was that bread as stated here in John 6:34-35 (KJV) 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. What a powerful promise given by Jesus that if you believe on him you will never hunger and never thirst.
In this passage we discover Jesus praying to the Father in John 17:1-5 (KJV) 1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I do believe he was praying to himself. Just like you and me, here on earth, we have a father; Jesus was communicating with his Father in heaven.
Jesus clearly states in this next passage that if you have seen me (Jesus) you have seen my Father. Here is what it says in John 14:4-7 (KJV) 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. He is letting the disciple know that he and the Father are one spirit but unique in function.
John says this in 1 John 5:4 (KJV) 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Then comes back in the next verse and identifies you and me if we believe Jesus. He says it this way 1 John 5:5 (KJV) 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Here we find John making it clear that when Jesus was on earth he was the Son of God.
In this passage, Jesus is showing his keeping power over man and he makes the bold statement at the end that He and His Father are one. Let’s see what the passage says: John 10:27-30 (KJV) 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one.
Jesus declares that His sheep hear his voice and that He knows them and they follow. The question I ask are you a sheep? The reason I ask this question is, if you are still confused about the Trinity or the Godhead, you might seek the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you the full understanding.
1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) 16 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. Now this scripture sets the tone that there is NO controversy among the writers of the Bible about the mystery of godliness. I believe the confusion that exist, with some about the Godhead is of the enemy to bring division among the people of God. The scripture goes on to say that GOD was manifest in the flesh – that was Jesus. God was justified in Holy Spirit and seen of angels. Different Apostles preached to Gentiles and that many in the world as they knew it believed. God was received into glory which is stated in Acts 1:10-11 (KJV) 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Please not the underline portion above that the same Jesus who ascended will also descend when he returns in Zechariah 14:4 (KJV) 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. This is the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth to rule and reign a thousand years seated on the throne of King David in Jerusalem.
I want to make it perfectly clear that when Jesus comes back to gather the church out of the earth we meet him in the air: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV) 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. We will meet him in the air.
This next scripture is so powerful because it immediately likens an unbeliever to being possessed of an antichrist spirit. It says it this way: 1 John 4:3 (KJV) 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. No true Christian wants to be recognized as having an antichrist spirit, but I believe the true Christian will acknowledged Jesus came in the flesh, born of virgin and live and died that we might live with him eternally.
The spirit of antichrist is all through the earth today, but we know beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus lived and died: John 3:14-17 (KJV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Jesus sent to this by God the Father to fulfill a task that I believe no else could fulfill. God’s son is the only one who could come from God, being human for the needed assignment and remain without blemish or sin. That is why Jesus is called the second man Adam. Adam was perfect without sin until he listened to Eve and ate the proverbial apple.
Jesus the matchless Son of God born of a virgin fulfilled his assignment as the Son of God on the earth. He told His disciples this in John 14:16 (KJV) 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Jesus was preparing His disciples for a special helper that would help them in difficult times. He further gave them hope in this passage: John 14:26 (KJV) 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. In this last scripture and statement Jesus identifies the Comforter as the Holy Spirit the third person or component of the Trinity/Godhead.
Jesus gives more definition of the Comforter in this next passage as the Spirit of truth (God cannot tell a lie): John 15:26 (KJV) 26 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: Is it not interesting how this scripture says “I will send unto you from the Father” which that He could only do it as the Father and the Son, because He and the Father are one.
John 16:7 (KJV) 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. In this scripture Jesus tells his disciple and us that He needed to go so they could continue the work they were assigned without Him. And by Him leaving as He did He was sending the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit or Comforter He told them in the first chapter of Acts to go back to Jerusalem wait on it to receive. It was the power that would dwell in them to give them that dynamic power.
Jesus was a baby in Mary’s womb, Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus was God in the flesh and God was Jesus in the flesh. Jesus was the Comforter who operates in the spirit realm as the Holy Spirit then and now. Now He also sits at the right hand of God in this dispensation. The truth is Jesus was God in the flesh and is God in heaven and now manifested as the Holy Spirit in the earth realm.
Is He alive in your heart and do you know Him as your personal savior?
