| International Bible Studies |
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 1983
Christ the Son of God
(GOD IN CHRIST)
KEY VERSE: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son.” —Hebrews 1:1,2
SELECTED SCRIPTURE: John 14:8-11; Hebrews 1:1-4; I John 1:1-4
“THE first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29) The true God of the Bible was not known in Paul’s day, nor is he known in ours, except to the believers. God has permitted Satan, the god of this world, to blind the eyes of the people. (II Cor. 4:4) One of the ways Satan has employed to blind the eyes of the people is through the precepts of men. The concept of the trinity is one of these man-devised doctrines. Historically, the idea had its beginning about the start of the fourth century. It was at this time that this idea began to be elaborated and formulated into a doctrine, and an endeavor made to reconcile it with the belief of the church in one God. Out of the attempt to solve this problem sprang the doctrine of the trinity. It is a marked feature in Hinduism, Persian, Egyptian, Roman, Japanese, and most Grecian mythologies. Please see Conant’s Religious Dictionary, page 944.
At the beginning of the fourth century, Constantine, who was emperor of Rome, promoted what he thought to be the reforms demanded by the times. His chief interest was to promote stability in the empire and this he concluded could best be done by uniting under one set of dogmas the various Christian factions and those who held pagan beliefs. Because the factions were unable to agree, Constantine called a council and presided over the deliberations. He rendered judgment on the questions at issue between the conflicting parties, and a standard of orthodoxy was established for the future government of the Christian world! Included was the doctrine of the trinity, although, at the time, very little was said of the Holy Spirit. It became more clearly defined as part of a triune god in the years immediately following. Please see Ridpath, History of the World, Vol. 3, p. 33; Moshlem’s History of Christianity, Vol. 2; Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 22, p.479. The doctrine does not come to us with good credentials, especially to the historian who is acquainted with the morals and life of Constantine, even though he professed to be a Christian.
The Bible does teach a oneness of the Father and the Son. One of these texts is John 14:8-11, which states in part, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” (vs. 9) In the context of this scripture Jesus explains what he means. Jesus had asked Philip the question, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip?” The meaning of the question was that Philip should have become aware of the perfection of Jesus’ life, his mercy, love and goodness. In other words, Jesus reflected in his life God’s perfect character, and in this sense Philip had seen in Jesus all that he would ever be able to discern of the Father—his character.
Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, admonishes his footstep followers to endeavor to manifest the same characteristics, that is, the Heavenly Father’s character, in their lives; the objective being that they too might become children, sons, of the Heavenly Father: “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. … Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:45-48) The ultimate objective held out to the footstep followers of Jesus during the Gospel Age is expressed by Jesus in his prayer recorded in John, the seventeenth chapter: “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:16-21) It should be obvious to all that the oneness between the Heavenly Father, the Son, and the footstep followers of Jesus is that of mind, purpose, and activity.
We invite you to write for the free booklet, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Address your request to Dawn Publications, East Rutherford, NJ 07073.