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Bible Associations One -- Unity Overview The number one and the subject of unity can be seen in the fact that God has often in the scriptures taken larger numbers and unified them into one. For instance, in the marriage covenant the scriptures say that they two shall be one flesh. The Jews and the Gentiles together in the Kingdom of heaven make up one fold. Likewise, the three that make up the Godhead are one God. The four living creatures in Ezekiel each one had four faces and four wings. Similarly, the four wheels each had one likeness. The church consists of many members that make up one body. The words church or churches appear 113 times in 111 verses. One time it refers to the church in the wilderness. One time it refers to the general assembly and church of the firstborn as it pertains to all the elect of God living in glory. 111 times it refers to the new testament assembly that makes up the visible militant church of the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth. The scriptures also speak of one gospel, one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one spirit, one mind, one heart, one sacrifice, one pearl, one Shepherd, and one Lamb. Perfect unity rests in the perfect God. 1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." That there are not three Gods, but only one is substantiated by the following verses: 1. Mal 2:10 "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" 2. Mark 12:32 "And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:" 3. Rom 3:30 "Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith." 4. 1 Cor 8:6 "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." 5. Eph 4:6 "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." 6. 1 Tim 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" 7. James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." I admit that there is a lot about the Godhead that I do not know. Some have said that there are three persons or three offices in the Godhead. Some have treated the subject as though there are three Gods that are unified in purpose and characteristics. This does not seem to be consistent with the teaching that there is but One God. We will have more to say about the Godhead when we study the association between the number 3 and the subject of the Godhead. Suffice it to say for now, that the one word Godhead appears exactly three times in the scriptures. 1 John 5:7 speaks of the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one. Elsewhere the Word is called the Son. Let us examine how these three that make up the Godhead are one. First, they are one in character and quality. What can be said about the character and quality of the Father, can also be said about the Son and about the Holy Spirit. God is eternal, all powerful, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present and no where absent. He also is just, holy, righteous, incorrupt and incorruptible. He is said to be love, a spirit, light, and a consuming fire. He is unable to lie, deny himself, fail, be discouraged, be tempted with evil, change, or sin. These same things can be said about the Father or about the Son or about the Holy Ghost. When asked by Phillip to show the Father, Jesus answered him and said, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?" Thus, the Son of God is no different in character or quality than the Father. Similarly, the Holy Ghost is no different in character or quality than the Son and the Father. Second, they are one in purpose. Eph. 3:10 "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's eternal purpose is set forth in Rom. 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Jesus said in John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Plainly, the Son's purpose is identical to the Father's purpose. Likewise, the Holy Spirit's purpose is identical to the Father's and the Son's purpose. Third, the works of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in perfect harmony and unity with one another. 1 Peter 1:2 illustrates this principle: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." The exact same ones that the Father elected, the Spirit sanctified, and the Son justified. If just one that the Father elected was not sanctified or justified, then the Godhead would not be unified. According to the covenant of redemption, the same ones that God foreknew, he also predestinated, called, justified, and glorified. This takes the work of all three in the Godhead and this work is perfectly unified. These same ones that God the Father foreknew and predestinated are called by the Holy Spirit and justified and glorified by the Son. There is neither a loss nor an addition of one.
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