Worship who? Not an "unknown god" as the religious of this day would like us to believe. Not a 'triune God' or 'God in three persons' as other high profile organizations are suggesting. Rather, we are to worship "Him" and only Him in Spirit and truth. The same "Him" that the wise men came to worship when Jesus was a young child. The same "Him" that has made us free when we stand fast therefore in His liberty. (Hebrews 5:1)
The difficulty is that many preachers, pastors, priests and teachers today (along with their religious institutions and church plants) have not searched the scriptures as we are instructed to do. (Acts 17:11; Matthew 4:4; Psalms 119:105; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:5) And, as a consequence, there is mass confusion about who God is emerging amidst the Christian community. It has not been helped by the numerous versions of the Bible that are written by people who do not themselves understand the Godhead -- that is, in whom they worship.
For example, yesterday I heard a commentator stating that "the Son of God became flesh." What???? Had this person loved Jesus enough to search the scriptures they would never have reached that conclusion. Sadly, this person is not alone. There are too many religious trying to justify the trinity/trinitarian doctrine even when the scriptures themselves never refer to God in three persons. Did you hear that? NEVER do the scriptures refer to God in three persons.
God is Holy -- yes. God is Spirit -- yes. But this same God became flesh -- the Word was with God, the Word WAS God and the Word became flesh (John 1:1-18) The Bible does NOT say that the Son of God became flesh. Throughout the old and new covenant God is one, and in these latter times, His name is JESUS!
The following are other scriptures that confirm the same.
In the beginning God. (Genesis 1:1)
This same God is One -- And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is, 'Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord." (Mark 12:29) "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)
The same God is our Creator -- "Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thine hands." (Hebrews 1:10)
"And God created" -- "And God blessed" -- "And God said" -- "And God made" -- "And God called" -- "And God set" -- "So God created man in His own image, after our likeness" -- "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them ..."(Genesis 1:1-31)
The same God who later became our Saviour. "I, even I AM the LORD, and beside Me there is no Saviour." (Isaiah 43:11)
The same God who dwelt bodily in Jesus. "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9) "I and My Father are one." (John 10:30)
The same God who is the first and the last and our Redeemer. "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." (Isaiah 44:6)
The same God who was made flesh and dwelt among us. "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.)" (John 1:14)
The same God who came to this world in the form of a son complete with a sin-prone body -- "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins ... Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:21-23)
The same God who responded to Philip when he said, "Shew us the Father?" Jesus said unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hast seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, "Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9)
The same God who states: "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last." (Revelation 1:11) "And behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as His work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Revelation 22:12-13)
The same God who IS "the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death." (Revelation 1:17-18)
The same God who said, "Surely, I come quickly." (Revelation 22:20)
"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." (I Timothy 3:16)
So the question is this. If both the old covenant scriptures and the new covenant point to the greatest love story ever told -- that is, God -- who knew no sin becoming sin so that we might experience His peace and joy, then why are so many religious in these last days trying to teach otherwise? Why is it so difficult to believe that God Almighty (Isaiah 9:6) loved us enough to shed His precious blood on a cross for you and I?
"The mighty God, even the Lord, who has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof"-- the same God who said, "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: "I AM GOD, even thy God." (Psalm 50:7)
"The mighty God, even the Lord, who has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof"-- the same God who said, "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: "I AM GOD, even thy God." (Psalm 50:7)
The book of Hebrews elaborates further. "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God."
David wrote, "I will worship ... and praise Thy name for thy loving kindness and for Thy truth, for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name." (Psalms 138:2)
It is time that the scriptural record was set straight once and for all, and our ministers, priests, teachers (and dare I add religious institutions) become more honest about their complete misunderstanding of the scriptures regarding the Godhead. As John recorded to the churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, churches (and you and I) need to return to our first love. We need to start proclaiming His precious name from the rooftops.
Be clear on this. It isn't the scriptures that are at fault for the Word is open and revelatory to those who seek truth. Those who seek Jesus with all their heart, soul, strength and mind.
Isaiah wrote: "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." (Isaiah 43:10)
Isaiah wrote: "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." (Isaiah 43:10)
Therefore, let us look to "Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God ... Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today and forever." (Hebrews 12:1-2; 13:8)
And in so doing, be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. Do not be like the foolish Galatians, or those that "after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (Galatians 4:9)
The Word is truth. "I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but Me, for there is NO Saviour beside Me." (Hosea 13:4) And if this scriptural evidence is still not enough, read Stephen's testimony -- for when he was being stoned, the scripture states, "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (Acts 7:59)
Let him who hath an ear to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.
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