Chapter 1: God

Introduction
This is an important topic! All the topics in this book are important. But this topic is
obviously important. It is important because it is about God. This is the person who
made everything. This is the person who we want to serve. This is the person who
can save us from our sins. So it is important that we understand who God is. In John
17:3 Jesus says: -

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom you have sent.

This tells us it is important for us to know about God. It says that knowing God is
eternal life! Eternal life is something that we would all like to have. So knowing God
is very important because knowing God is eternal life! This is why this topic is very
important.

We must understand this topic correctly. Understanding it correctly is eternal life.

God wants us to understand it correctly. In 1 Kings 12 a man called Jeroboam was
incorrect. Jeroboam taught incorrect things about God. Jeroboam taught that God
was two cows! In 1 Kings 12:30 it says: -

And this thing became a sin …

God was angry. Jeroboam was incorrect in his teaching about God. And God hated
this. Jeroboam’s teaching was a sin.

So it is important that we understand who God is.

• We will be worshiping the wrong god if we do not know who God is.
• And knowing the truth about God is eternal life.

Part 1:
There is only one god
There is only one god. The God of the Bible is the only god. This is certain. The Bible
says: -

• … the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. (Deut. 4:35)

• … the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no
other. (Deut. 4:39)
• … the LORD is God and … there is no other. (1 Kings 8:60)
• … you alone are God. … Teach me your way, O LORD … (Ps. 86:10-11)
• … Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am
the LORD, and apart from me there is no saviour. (Isa. 43:10-11)
• This is what the LORD says- … apart from me there is no God. (Isa. 44:6)
• … Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock … (Isa. 44:8)
• I am the LORD , and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. … (Isa.
45:5)
• … there is no God apart from me … there is none but me. (Isa. 45:21)
• … I am God, and there is no other. (Isa. 45:22)

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 • … I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. (Isa.
46:9)
• … God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
• … praise that comes from the only God … (John 5:44)
• … We know … that there is no God but one. (1 Cor. 8:4)
• There is … one God … (Eph. 4:6)
• Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim. 1:17)
• For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus, (1 Tim. 2:5)
• to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude
1:25)

These verses tell us that there is only one god. These verses tell us that the God of
the Bible is the only god. This is no other god.

This is important for us to know. There are no other gods to worship. The God of the
Bible is the only God. No other gods exist. If we worship something else we are
worshipping something that does not exist!

There are many religions in the world. And each religion has different gods. The Bible
tells us that none of these gods exist. There is only one god. The only god is the God
of the Bible. If we worship other gods we are worshipping something that does not
exist! And this makes God angry. We must serve the only god who exists. We must
serve the God of the Bible.

Many religions use idols. The Bible tells us that these idols are worthless. Idols have
no gods connected with them. Idols have no gods connected with them because
there is only one god. So idols are worthless. Ps. 115:4-8 says: -

… idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths,
but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot
hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet,
but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those
who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Idols are not connects to any gods. Idols are only pieces of metal or stone or wood.
Idols have no power. Idols cannot speak. Idols cannot see. They cannot hear; they
cannot smell; they cannot feel; they cannot walk. Idols are not alive. Ps. 115:8 says
people who worship idols will become like the idols: people who worship idols will
become as dead as stone or metal. There is only one god. The only god is the God of
the Bible. Ps. 115:9 says: -

… trust in the LORD …

The God of the Bible is the only god. Trust in him. Do not trust in gods that do not
exist. Trust in the only God. Trust in the God of the Bible.

Idols are just wood and stone, etc. Idols are not alive. Hab. 2:18-20 says: -

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 "Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches
lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that
cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless
stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple …

Idols are not alive. The God of the Bible is alive. The God of the Bible is the only
living god. Jer. 10:14-15 says: -

… every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. His images are a fraud; they have
no breath in them. They are worthless, the objects of mockery …

Jer. 10:14 tells us that there is no breath in an idol. This means they are not alive.
There is no god connected with them. Idols are just worthless objects.

The God of the Bible is different. The God of the Bible is the only living god. Jer.
10:10 says: -

… the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. …

Other verses describe the God of the Bible as the living God - for example: Deut.
5:26; Josh. 3:10; 1 Sam. 17:26,36; 2 Kings 19:4,16; Ps. 42:2; Ps. 84:2; Isa.
37:4,17; Jer. 23:36; Hos. 1:10; Mat. 16:16; Mat. 26:63; Acts 14:15; Rom. 9:26; 2
Cor. 3:3; 1 Cor. 6:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:10; Heb. 3:12; Heb. 9:14; Heb. 10:31;
Heb. 12:22.

There is only one god. The only god is the God of the Bible. No other gods exist.
Idols are not connected to any gods. There are no gods for idols to be connected to!
Idols are just worthless objects. The God of the Bible is the only living god. The God
of the Bible is the only god that exists. The Bible is very clear about this. In Acts
14:15 the Bible says: -

We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless
things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything
in them.

God wants us to turn from worthless idols. Idols are worthless. They cannot do
anything. There is only one living god. The God of the Bible is the only living god.
Turn to him. No other god exists. The God of the Bible is the God who made
everything. The God of the Bible is in control of the world. Trust in him.

Isa. 44 talks about someone who makes an idol. It says that someone cuts down a
tree. They use part of the tree for fuel for cooking. They use part of the tree for fuel
to keep warm. And they use part of the tree to make a god from! Isa. 44:19-20 has
a conclusion: -

No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,

"Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat
and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down
to a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he
cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

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This is a funny passage. The passage is laughing at people who worship idols. But
this is also very serious. Isa. 44:20 says that the idol is a lie. Isa. 40:20 says people
who worship idols have deceived themselves. Worshipping idols is terribly wrong.
Worshipping idols is empty. There is no god attached to idols. Idols are just objects.
Idols are just wood or stone or metal. There is only one god. The only god is the God
of the Bible. Isa. 40:9 says: -

All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless.

Idols are nothing. Idols are worthless. 1 Cor. 8:4 says: -

… We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God
but one.

An idol is nothing. There is only one god. The only god is the God of the Bible.

It is important that we know there is only one god. It is important to know so we can
worship the only real god. If there were other gods we could love them. But there is
only one god. So we must love God completely. We must serve God completely.
There is no other god to serve. There is only one God. This means we only have one
god to love and serve. This is what it says in Mark 12:29-30: -

'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all
your strength.'

There is only one god. The result of this is that we must give all our love to that one
god. We must give all our thinking to him. We must give all our strength to serve
him. We must give all of ourselves to God. We must not give only part of our lives to
God – we must not give only a quarter; we must not give only two thirds. We must
give all of ourselves to God.

If we worship other gods then we are foolish. We are foolish because there are no
other gods! There is only one god. God is angry if we worship other gods. In Deut.
6:14-15 it says: -

"You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround
you, for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise
the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe
you off the face of the earth.

This verse tells us that God is jealous if we worship other gods. We would be foolish
to worship other gods. We would be deceiving ourselves if we worshiped other gods.
We would be deceiving ourselves because no other gods exist! We must only love the
one real God. We must only love and serve the God of the Bible.

--Practical lesson …
… Modern-day idols

Now we know the Bible shows that idols are worthless. Only one god exists. The only
god is the God of the Bible. And we know we must give ourselves completely to him.
But we must still be careful! We can still have many idols in our lives. Anything that
takes us away from God is an idol. We must love God with all our heart, all our mind,

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and all our strength (Mark 12:30). If we love something more than we love God then
that is taking us away from God. If we love something more than we love God then
that has become an idol to us!

Maybe we love:
• Money
• Football
• A big house
• Fashion
• Music
• Film actors
• Food
• etc.

These can be idols to us. These can become idols to us if we love them more than we
love God. Anything we love more than God is an idol to us. We must love God more
than these. We must give all of ourselves to God. We cannot serve two masters. We
cannot serve God and something else. We must give all of ourselves to God. For
example, Mat. 6:24 says: -

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both
God and Money.

Money might be an idol for us. Or football might be an idol for us. Etc. Anything we
love more than God is an idol. We cannot serve two masters. We must only serve one
master. We must only serve God. We must give all of ourselves to God. We must not
give only part to God. We must not give only most of ourselves to God. We must give
all of ourselves to God.

Part 2:
God is correct
God is always right. God cannot do wrong. Everything God does is correct. Deut.
32:3-4 says: -

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He
is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God
who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

This says God is correct. God cannot do wrong. Everything God does is perfect. God
does not sin.

--Practical lesson …
… God knows best

Sometimes we do not understand what God is doing. But we must trust God. God
is right. Everything God does is perfect. God know what he is doing.

God is correct. Anything against God is wrong. Anything that does not follow God is
wrong. Only God’s ways are right. God decides what is right. And God decides what

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is wrong. God is the judge of right and wrong. Ps. 50:6 says ‘God himself is judge.’
God is called the ‘Judge of all the earth’ (Gen. 18:25). What God says is right. What
God does is right. Anything against God is wrong.

--Practical lesson …
… We must follow God’s ways

Politicians make many rules. Religions make many rules. People make many rules.
But we must follow God’s rules. God is the only one who is right. We must not do
something if it goes against God. We must follow God’s ways. Acts 5:29 says: -

… We must obey God rather than men!

Part 3:
God does not change
God does not change. Mal. 3:6 says: -

I the LORD do not change. …

God is the same for ever. There is only one God. The God of the Bible is the only god
that exists. And the God of the Bible does not change.

Some people teach that God has changed. Some people teach that God is different in
the Old Testament and different in the New Testament. But God does not change.
God is perfect. God has always been perfect. God is the same in the Old Testament
as he is in the New Testament. God does not change. James 1:17 says: -

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows

God is perfect. God does not need to change. And God does not change.

Part 4:
God is powerful
God is powerful. Job 42:2 says: -

"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Here it says God can do all things. It says nothing can stop God. Jer. 32:17 says: -

… Nothing is too hard for you.

Nothing is too hard for God. God can do anything. Mat. 19:26 says: -

… with God all things are possible.

God can do anything. God is powerful.

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Part 5:
God created everything
Now we know that the god of the Bible is the only god. No other gods exist. And we
know God is powerful. The God of the Bible created everything. Gen. 1:1 says: -

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This tells us God created everything. Gen. 1&2 tell us God made light, water, earth,
sun, moon, stars, sky, plants, animals, birds, humans, etc., etc. God made
everything. Other verses tell us this, too – for example: Job 38-41; Ps. 8:3; Ps.
33:6-9; Ps. 95:4-5; Ps. 148; Isa. 40:12,26,28; Isa. 42:5; Isa. 45:12,18; Mark 13:19

God created everything. God know how things work. And everything belongs to God.
Ps. 24:1-2 says: -

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

This tells us everything belongs to God. It tells us everything belongs to God because
God made everything.

--Practical lesson …
… We belong to God

God made us. We belong to God because God made us. We should serve God
because we belong to him. Mat. 22:21 says: -

Give … to God what is God's

We belong to God, so we should give ourselves to God.

Everything God created belongs to God. Everything that belongs to God should be
given to God. We should use everything to serve God. Some people use things to do
evil. This is not serving God. This is misusing the things God has made.

For example: God made our bodies. Our bodies belong to God because he made
them. We should use our bodies to serve God. God made us so we would serve him.
We should not use our bodies to sin. Our bodies were not made for sin. Our bodies
were made for God. For example: our bodies were not made for sexual immortality.
Sexual immorality is a sin. We misuse our body if we use it for sexual immorality. 1
Cor. 6:13 says: -

… The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord
for the body.

We must not use our bodies for sin. We must use our bodies to serve God. We must
use our bodies to serve God because we belong to him. We do not belong to evil. We
belong to God. We misuse our bodies if we use them for sin. This is the same for
everything God created: -
• We misuse our time if we use it to sin.
• We misuse our transport if we use it to sin.
• We misuse our money if we use it to sin.

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 • We misuse our house if we use it to sin.

Everything is God’s, so we should use it to serve him.

Part 6:
God is in control
God created the world. Everything belongs to him. And God is in control of
everything. God has all power.

God is in control of nature

God made nature. So God can control nature, if he chooses to. For example, Job 38-
41 says God can control the sea, the sun, snow, hail, wind, rivers, thunder, rain,
plants, dew, ice, frost, the stars, the clouds, lightening, animals, birds, etc. God can
control all of nature. Other verses tell us this, too – for example: Ps. 33:7; Ps.
147:15-18; Ps. 148:7-8. God can control nature, if he chooses to.

Example: the Red Sea (Ex. 14)

The Jews were slaves in Egypt (Ex. 1). The Jews cried to God for help (Ex. 2:23-25).
God saved the Jews. God brought the Jews out of Egypt. But the Egyptians chased
the Jews! The Jews were on the shore of the Red Sea. The Jews were trapped! The
Egyptians were behind them. The Red Sea was in front of them. The Egyptians would
destroy them. But God controlled nature. God divided the Red Sea. Ex. 14:21-22
says: -

… the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry
land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry
ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

God controlled nature. God made a path through the sea. The Jews crossed the sea.
And they were saved! God can control nature.

God is in control of world politics

God is also in control of world politics. Dan. 4:17 says: -

… the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to
anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.

God is controlling world politics. God is controlling politics because he uses countries
to do his will.

Example: Assyria (2 Chron. 33)

The Jews had turned away from God (2 Chron. 33:9). God tried speaking to them.
But the Jews did not listen to him (v10). So God punished Israel. 2 Chron. 33:11
says: -

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 So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of
Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with
bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.

God punished the Jews using the Assyrians. God brought the Assyrians against the
Jews. God was controlling the politics. God used the Assyrians. He used the Assyrians
to punish the Jews. God controls world politics.
God can be in control of sufferings
Sometimes difficult things happen in our lives. God can be in control of these. Isa.
45:7 says: -

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I,
the LORD, do all these things.

Here it says God creates prosperity in people’s lives. And it also says God creates
disaster in people’s lives. God can be in control of difficulties in our lives.

God can bring difficulties into our lives. God brings difficulties into our lives for a
reason. God brings difficulties into our lives to train us. Difficulties can help shape
people’s characters. Difficulties can make people stronger. Heb. 12:7 says: -

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father?

Fathers disciple their children. God is like this. God disciplines people. Human parents
discipline their children. Sometimes parents disciple their children incorrectly.
Sometimes parents disciple their children out of hate. But God disciples people
correctly. Heb. 12:5-6 says God disciples people because he loves them. God
disciples people to help them. Heb. 12:10 says: -

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God
disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

Here it says God disciples us for our good. God trains us so that we may share in his
holiness! That is wonderful. Overcoming difficulties can make us more like God!

Jesus was trained by God, too. Heb. 5:8-9 says: -

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and,

once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who
obey him

Jesus was trained by God. This training made Jesus perfect. And we can be like
Jesus. The difficulties we face in our lives can make us more like God, too. The
difficulties we face can help make us perfect! Knowing this can help us through
difficulties. We know difficulties can be for our good. So we can endure difficulties.
We can endure difficulties because we know they can help us. James 1:2-4 says: -

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything.

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This says trials in life can develop us. Trials can make us ‘mature’ and ‘complete.’ The
passage says we should consider trials as something good! This is difficult to do. No
one likes trials. But trails are good for us. Trials can develop us. Trials can make us
more like God! We must learn to see trials as good things.

Example: a child and fire

Imagine you have a child. Your child goes near fire. You snatch your child away from
the fire. And you disciple your child. You disciple your child because you love them.
You do not want them to be burned in the fire. You disciple the child to know fire is
dangerous. The child does not like the disciple. But the disciple in for the child’s good.
The child could be burned if you do not disciple them. The disciple is better than
being burned!

This is similar with God. God loves us. For example, God does not want us to be hurt
by sin. Sin is bad. So God disciples us. God trains us to know sin is bad. We do not
like the disciple. But the disciple is for our good. The disciple is better than being
burned by sin!

God can control difficulties in our lives. God can use trials to develop us. God can use
trials to make us more like him!

We should not fear difficulties. God is in control of difficulties. Trials are for our good.

God is in control of life and death

God is in control of life and death. Deut. 32:39 says: -

See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and
I bring to life …

This says God brings life. And it says God brings death. 1 Sam. 2:6 says: -

"The LORD brings death and makes alive;

he brings down to the grave and raises up.

This says God brings life. And it says God brings death. Life is from God. Life is a gift
from God. And God ends life when he chooses.

--Practical lesson …
… We must accept death

Sometimes death is difficult for us to accept. It is difficult to accept when someone

we love dies. It is difficult to accept when a child dies. But God knows best. God is
correct. And God is loving. God knows best when death should come.

There was a man called Job. God took everything from him. God even took the lives
of Job’s children (Job 1:13-19). Job was sad. But Job knew God was correct.
Everything God does is correct. Job’s reply was (Job 1:21-22): -

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 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD
gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job accepted what God had done. ‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away,’ he
said. Job knew everything was a gift from God. Job knew God was correct to give.
And Job knew God was correct to take away. God cannot do wrong. God does what is
right. And God does what is right at the right time. We must be like Job. We must
accept what God brings. We must accept the death of people we love. We must know
God is right is everything he does. And we must be trained by the trials in life. They
can bring us closer to God (Heb. 12:10).

Sometimes death can be a blessing. Death can end suffering. Isa. 57:1 says: -

… devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are
taken away to be spared from evil.

Here death is good. Here death takes people away from evil. Death is not always a
bad thing. Death can end suffering.

God knows what is right. God ends life when he chooses. We must accept God is
right. It is difficult to do. But we must accept God is right. ‘The LORD gave and the
LORD has taken away’ (Job 1:21).

Sometimes God gives control to man

God does not direct every single event. Sometimes God lets things happen. For
example, sometimes God lets humans do what they like. This is out of God’s control.
God could take control. But God chooses not to take control. 1 Sam. 26:19 says: -

… If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If,
however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! …

Here it says God can cause suffering. It also says man can cause suffering.
Sometimes God lets humans do what they want. We should want to serve God! But
sometimes people choose to serve themselves.

God’s plan cannot be stopped

Humans may be in control sometimes. But God has a plan. God’s plan cannot be
spoiled by humans. God has ultimate control. Ps. 33:10-11 says: -

The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the
peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his
heart through all generations.

God lets humans be in control sometimes. But God’s plan cannot be stopped. Ps.
33:11 says God’s plans stand firm forever. Job 42:1-2 says: -

Then Job replied to the LORD:

"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.

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God can do all things. God’s plans cannot be stopped.

What is God’s plan? God plans to fill the world with his glory. Hab. 2:14 says: -

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the
waters cover the sea.

Here it says the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord. The
earth will be filled with God’s glory. This hasn’t happened yet. But it will happen. No
one can stop this happening.

God plans to live with perfect humans. Ezekiel 48:35 says the name of God’s future
city. The name is ‘The LORD is there.’ God wants to live with people. Rev. 21:3 says:
-

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is
with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself
will be with them and be their God.

This is at the end of the Bible. This is the end of God’s plan. This is God’s desire. God
wants to live with sinless humans. This will happen. Sometimes humans have control
of events. But God’s plan cannot be stopped. One day God will live with sinless
humans.

Part 7:
God knows everything
God knows everything. Ps. 147:5 says: -

… his understanding has no limit.

There is no limit to what God knows. God knows everything.

Part 8:
God sees everything
God see everything. 2 Chron. 16:9 says: -

… the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth …

God sees everything. Prov. 15:3 says: -

The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the
good.

God’s eyes are everywhere. God sees everything.

--Practical lesson …
… We cannot hide from God

God sees everything. We cannot hide from God. Ps. 139:7-8 says: -

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go
up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are

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 there.

God sees everything. We cannot hide from him. God sees us when we sin. It is not a
secret to him. So we should stop sinning. We cannot hide our sins. So we should
confess our sins to him.

Also, God sees everything. God sees if we are in trouble. And God can help us.

Example: Israel in Egypt

The Jews were in Egypt. The Jews were slaves in Egypt. The Jews were oppressed
in Egypt. But God saw their suffering. Ex. 3:7 says: -

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I
have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am
concerned about their suffering.

Here God is speaking. God says he saw the suffering of the Jews in Egypt. God
says he was concerned for the Jews. So God saved the Jews. God brought the
Jews out of Egypt.

God can see if we are in trouble, too. And God can save.

Part 9:
God is invisible
We cannot see God. John 1:18 and 1 John 4:12 say: -

No one has ever seen God …

No one has seen God. No one has seen God because God is invisible. 1 Tim. 1:17
says: -

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and
glory for ever and ever. Amen.

God is invisible. We cannot see God.

Part 10:
God’s personality
What is God like? We know there is only one God. We know he created everything.
We know God is always right. We know God is powerful. And we know we cannot see
him. But what is God like? What is God’s personality like?

Ex. 34:6-7 tells us: -

… "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and
forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty
unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the
fathers to the third and fourth generation."

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This tells us what God is like. God is compassionate. God is gracious. God is slow to
anger. God is abounding in love. God is abounding in faithfulness. God is forgiving.
And God punishes the wicked.

We saw above that God is right (Deut. 32:3-4). God is the Judge of the world. God
knows what is right and wrong. And God punishes wicked people. Ex. 34:7 agrees
with Eph. 5:5-6: -

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a
man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's
wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

This says God’s anger is coming on people who are disobedient. God will punish the
wicked. Ps. 5:4-6 says: -

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot
dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do
wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.

God hates sin. And God will destroy sin.

But God is also a loving God. Ex. 34:6-7 tells us this. God is compassionate. God is
gracious. God is patient. God is loving. Etc. God loves us. God gives us many things.
Even our lives are from God. God gives us all the good things we have in our lives.
James 1:17 says: -

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows

God is loving. God even loves his enemies! Mat. 5:44-45 say: -

… Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the
good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

This says God even loves his enemies. God is loving. God is generous.

God hates sin. God will punish the guilty. But God loves us. And God does not want
us to be caught in sin. In Ezek. 18:32 God says: -

… I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Repent and live!

Sinners must die. But God does not want anyone to die. God wants people to turn
away from sin. God is happy when people turn from sin. Ezek. 33:11 says: -

… As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the

death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn!
Turn from your evil ways! …

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God does not want us to die. So God encourages us to repent. Repenting is turning
away from sin. God wants us to repent. God forgives people when they repent. Ex.
34:7 says God is forgiving. God forgives us when we repent. Acts 2:38 says: -

… Repent and be baptized … for the forgiveness of your sins.

God will forgive us if we repent. 1 John 1:9 say: -

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.

God punishes sin. But God is just: God will forgive us if we repent. God is loving. God
will forgive us if we repent.

God is righteous. And God is loving. God punishes sin. And God cares for us. Rom.
11:22 has a summary: -

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those

who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.
Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

We must respect God. We must respect God because he is righteous. And we should
love God. We should love God because he is kind. God’s kindness outweighs his
sternness. Look at Ex. 34:6-7 again. The kind qualities outweigh the sternness. 1
John 4:16 says: -

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. …

We reply on God’s love. We are all sinner. We rely on God’s kindness to forgive. God
is good. God is love.

God’s glory
We know God’s plan. Hab. 2:14 says: -

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the
waters cover the sea.

This is God’s plan. God’s plan is to fill the earth with his glory. But what is God’s
glory? Sometimes God’s glory is shown in a bright light or bright cloud (e.g. Exodus
40:34-38; 1 Kings 8:11). But God is talking about something greater in Hab. 2:14.
What is the glory in Hab 2:14? In Hab. 2:14 the glory is his personality! We have
seen Ex. 34:6-7. This passage is about God’s personality. God shows his personality
to Moses. Now look at Ex. 33:18-19. Here Moses asks to see God’s glory. Ex. 33:18-
19 says: -

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." And the LORD said, "I will cause
all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the
LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Moses asks to see God’s glory. This is the glory in Hab. 2:14. God replies, ‘I will
make all my goodness pass in front of you.’ So God’s glory is his goodness. God
proclaims his name in the next chapter - in Ex. 34:5-7: -

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 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and
proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses,
proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave
the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

Here God proclaims his glory. God’s glory is his personality! Compassion, grace,
patience, love, etc. This is God’s glory.

God wants to fill the world with his glory (Hab. 2:14). God wants to fill the earth with
his wonderful characteristics. This is the plan that cannot be stopped. The earth will
be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The
earth will be filled with God’s wonderful personality. The earth will be filled with
compassion, grace, love, etc., etc. The world is not like this yet. But one day it will
be. This is exciting. And this is wonderful.

 Difficult passage: ‘he punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation’ (Ex. 34:7) 

This is a difficult passage. God is just. But the passage above seems unfair. A parent
sins and the child is punished for it? Why does God punish the children for the
parents’ sins? What does this mean?

The answer is in Ex. 20:5 and Deut. 5:9: -

… I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me

People can hate God. People can pass on their hate to their children. Children can
follow their parents’ sins. God will punish the children if they follow their parents’
sins. Each person will die for their own sins. Deut. 24:6 says: -

Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death
for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

A child might follow their parents’ sins. A child might join in the evil ways of their
parents. The children will be punished for their own sins if they do this. The children
are doing the same sins as their parents.

Example: Zechariah, king of Israel (2 Kings 15)

Zechariah was an evil king. 2 Kings 15:9 says: -

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn
away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to
commit.

Zechariah did evil. Zechariah followed the same evil ways as his ancestors. He joined
in the sins of Jeroboam. Zechariah was punished for his own sins. His sins were the

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same as his ancestors. Zechariah’s ancestors passed their evil ways on to their
descendents.

--Practical lesson …
… Our sins can affect other people

Our sins can affect other people. People might see us sinning. And people might
follow our example. We can pass our sinful ways on to others. This is terrible! We
must not lead people into sin.

But a child might not follow their parents’ evil ways. A child might follow God. If a
child does this they will not be involved in the same sins as their parents. If the child
does this then they will not be punished for their parents’ sins. Ezek. 18:14,17-18
says: -

… suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and
though he sees them, he does not do such things: … He will not die for his
father's sin; he will surely live. But his father will die for his own sin …

If we reject our parents’ sins we will not die for their sins. We must not follow sinful
ways.

--Practical lesson …
…We must not follow bad examples

We must not follow bad examples. We trust our parents. But we must not follow
our parents if they sin. We must follow God. If we follow our parents’ sins we will
die. We must follow good examples. We must follow God’s ways.

Part 11:
The Trinity is not true
Many churches teach the Trinity. But the Trinity is not true. A summary of the Trinity
is as follows: -

There is one God in Three persons,-the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost.
These three persons are co-equal in all things. The Father is God, the Son is
God, and the Holy Ghost is God, and yet they are not three Gods, but one
God. (Staley , V., The Catholic Religion, A manual of Instruction for Members
of the Anglical Church, p. 152. Pub: Mowbray)

This says God is made up of three persons. It says the Father is God, Jesus is God
and the Holy Spirit is God. Many churches teach the Trinity. But the Bible does not

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teach the Trinity. There is confusion here. But the truth is simple. It is amazing that
there is confusion. The Bible is clear. There should not be confusion because the Bible
is clear.

a. Jesus is not God

It is clear in the Bible that Jesus is not God. The Trinity is wrong. For example, look
at 1 Cor. 8:6: -

… there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for
whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ …

Here it says there is one God. It says the one God is the Father. It does not say the
one God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together. It says the one God is
the Father. So the Father is the one God. That is so clear.

The verse shows a difference between God and Jesus. It says there is one God. It
says the Father is the one God. And then the verse mentions Jesus. So there is a
difference between God and Jesus. Jesus is not God. The Father is God. Jesus is not
God. The Father is the only God.

Other verses tell us this, too. For example, 1 Tim. 2:5 says: -

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus

Here it says there is one God. And it says there is also a mediator between God and
man. And the mediator is Jesus. Jesus is the mediator between God and man. The
verse shows a difference between God and Jesus. The verse says Jesus is not God.
The verse says Jesus is the mediator between God and man. There is a difference
between God and Jesus. Jesus is not God. This is clear.

John 17:3 says: -

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom you have sent.

This verse says that life eternal is to know the only true God and also to know Jesus.
This shows a difference between God and Jesus. God and Jesus are not the same
being. Jesus is not God.

Also, the verse says God sent Jesus. This also shows Jesus is not the same as God.
Jesus was sent by God. But Jesus is not God. This is clear.

John 3:16 is very famous. It says: -

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Many people know this verse. But many people do not understand it. The verse says
God gave his son. This shows a difference between God and Jesus. Jesus is not God.
Jesus is God’s son. God gave Jesus to the world. But Jesus is not God. This is very
clear.

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Jude 1:24 says: -

to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

This verse shows a difference between Jesus and God. God is given glory through
Jesus. There is a difference. Jesus is not God. Jesus brings glory to God. But Jesus is
not God.

John 14:28 says: -

… you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater
than I.

Here Jesus says the Father is greater than he is. The Father is greater than Jesus.
The Father is God. Jesus is God’s son. Jesus is not God.

John 20:17 says: -

… I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

This is Jesus speaking. Jesus says the Father is the God of the disciples. The Father is
God. And Jesus says the Father is his God, too! Jesus is not God. The Father is God.
The Father is Jesus’ God. God is greater than Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3 says: -

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! …

This says God is the Father. This says the Father is Jesus’ God, too! The Father is
greater than Jesus. Jesus is not God. The Father is God.

1 Tim. 6:15-16 says: -

… God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who
alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has
seen or can see. …

Here it says no one has seen God. But people did see Jesus! So Jesus is not God.
Jesus is God’s son, but Jesus is not God.

Rev. 1:1 says: -

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what
must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant
John,

Here it says God gave Jesus a prophecy. This shows a difference between God and
Jesus. Jesus is not God. God gave the prophecy to Jesus. This shows Jesus is not
God.

Conclusion

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There are no verses in the Bible that teach the Trinity. But there are many verses
that teach Jesus is not God. There are many verses that teach that Jesus is different
from God. The Bible is clear. Jesus is not God. The Trinity is not true. It is amazing
that there is confusion about this.

~~ What about … ?
‘I and my Father are one’ (John 10:30)

In John 10:30 Jesus says, ‘I and my Father are one.’ What does this mean? We now
know that Jesus is not God. But what is Jesus saying here? How was Jesus “one”
with his Father? The answer is in John 17.

John 17:11 says the believers can be one with each other. John 17:11 says: -

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name - the name you gave
me - so that they may be one as we are one.

John 17:22 says similar things: -

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we
are one:

Here Jesus is praying. Jesus is praying for his disciples. And Jesus says the disciples
‘may be one as we are one.’ Here the disciples can be one with each other. And the
disciples can be one in exactly the same way that Jesus is one with the Father.
Jesus says the disciples may be one ‘as we are one’. The disciples are to be one.
But nobody would say the disciples are the same physical being! The disciples are
one. But the disciples are not all the same being! Jesus says it is the same between
himself and God. Jesus is one with God – but Jesus and God are not the same being!

Jesus has unity with his Father. But Jesus is not God. The disciples have unity
together. But the disciples are not the same being!

Jesus has unity with his Father. And the disciples have unity with each other. This
unity is described in 1 Cor. 3:8-9: -

The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each
will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God's fellow workers
…

This says someone who plants seed has the same purpose as someone who waters
the seed. Both people want the seed to grow. There is unity here. The verse says the
person who plants and the person who waters have one purpose. And v9 talks
about unity with God. 1 Cor. 3:9 talks about disciples working together with God. The
believers can have one purpose with each other. And the believers can have one
purpose with God. But the believers are not the same physical being as each other.
And the believers are not the same physical being as God! It is the same with Jesus
and God. Jesus and God have unity. Jesus and God have one purpose. Jesus and God

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are working together. But Jesus and God are not the same being. Jesus is not God.
The Father is God. Jesus is working with God.

There are many examples of Jesus and God working together. Jesus is not God. But
Jesus worked together with God. Jesus and God had the same purpose. For example,
John 5:19 says: -

Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by
himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the
Father does the Son also does.

Here Jesus is speaking. Jesus says he does the things he sees his Father doing. This
shows that Jesus is working together with his Father. Jesus does what his Father
does. Jesus and his Father are not the same being. But Jesus does what his Father
does. Jesus and his Father have the same purpose. They are working together.

(Also, Jesus says he cannot do anything by himself. Jesus says he does the things he
sees the Father doing. This shows the Father is greater than Jesus. Jesus is not
equal with the Father. This is because Jesus is not God.)

John 5:30 says: -

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,

for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Here Jesus is speaking. Jesus says he cannot do anything by himself. Jesus says he
does the things that please the one who sent him. God sent Jesus (John 3:16). So
Jesus is doing what pleases his Father. Jesus and his Father are working together.
Jesus is not God. But Jesus and God are working together. They have the same
purpose.

(Also, Jesus says he cannot do anything by himself. Jesus says he does the things
that please God. This shows God is greater than Jesus. Jesus is not equal with God.
This is because Jesus is not God.)

John 10:27-30 says: -

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my
hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can
snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

This is Jesus speaking. Jesus is talking about his disciples. Jesus says he is like a
shepherd. And Jesus’ disciples are like sheep. Jesus looks after his disciples like a
shepherd looks after his sheep. Jesus says his Father has the same purpose. Jesus’
Father looks after the disciples, too. Jesus and his Father are one. They are not the
same being. But they have the same purpose. Jesus is not God. But Jesus and God
are working together. They have one purpose. They both care for the disciples.

(Also, here Jesus says the Father is greater than all (v29). This shows the Father is
greater than Jesus. Jesus is not equal with his Father. This is because Jesus is not
God.)

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John 5:36 says: -

"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the
Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father
has sent me.

This is Jesus speaking. Jesus says the Father has given him work to do. Jesus is
working for his Father. Jesus and his Father have the same purpose. They are
working together. They are not the same being. But they are working together. They
have one purpose.

There are other examples of Jesus and God working together - for example: John
7:16-17; John 10:37; John 14:24.

This is the same between a husband and wife. A husband and wife are one. Eph.
5:31 says: -

… a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the
two will become one flesh.

Here a husband and wife become one flesh. A husband and wife are not literally one
flesh. But a husband and wife share life together. A husband and wife share time
together. They share their bodies with each other. They share money. And they share
the same purpose. A husband and wife are not physically one. But a husband and
wife have one purpose. A husband and wife work together.

Being “one” does not mean being the same person. John 17:11&22 and Eph.5:31
show us that being “one” does not mean being the same person. Being “one” means
working together in harmony. Jesus was one with his Father. But Jesus was not the
same organism as his Father. Jesus was not God. But Jesus had the same purpose as
God.

Conclusion
Jesus and God work together. Jesus and God have the same purpose. But Jesus and
God are not the same being. Jesus is not God. Jesus did what God wanted him to do.
Jesus was working for God. God and Jesus had one purpose.

--Practical lesson …
… the believers should be one

In John 17:22 Jesus says: -

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we
are one:

Here Jesus is praying for his disciples. Jesus prayers that the disciples should be one.
Jesus prays that the disciples should be one as he is one with his Father. We have
seen that Jesus and God worked together. We have seen that Jesus and God had the
same purpose. Jesus wants the disciples to be like this! Jesus wants the disciples to
be one in the same way he is one with his Father. Jesus wants the disciples to have
the same purpose. Jesus wants the disciples to work together. Jesus wants the
disciples to work together to do God’s will.

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We must have unity if we are Jesus’ disciples. We must have one purpose. We must
work together. We are not Jesus’ disciples if we divide from each other.

~~ What about … ?
‘In the Beginning was the Word … ’ (John 1:1-2)

John 1:1-2 says: -

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Here is says that in the beginning was the Word. It says the Word was with God. It
says the Word was God. Some people teach that this means Jesus is God. We know
this cannot be true. We have seen that Jesus is not God. We have seen many verses
that say Jesus is not God. One verse cannot contradict many verses. So, what does
this verse mean? What was the Word?

The answer is in v45. John 1:45 says: -

Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote
about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of
Nazareth …

Here is a man called Philip. Philip had a friend called Nathanael. Philip had met Jesus
(John 1:43). Philip told Nathanael about Jesus. Philip said, ‘We have found the one
Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote.’ Here Philip
is talking about the words in the Old Testament. Philip says the words in the Old
Testament were about Jesus! The words in the Old Testament prophesied about
Jesus. When Jesus was born the words were fulfilled.

So the “Word” in John 1:1 is the Old Testament prophecies. The “Word” is God’s plan.
God had a plan right from the beginning. The plan involved Jesus. The “Word” is not
Jesus himself. The “Word” is God’s plan about Jesus.

There are many Words in the Old Testament that talk about Jesus. For example, 2
Sam. 7:12-13 says: -

When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your
offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will
establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and
I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Here God is speaking. These are words from God. God is speaking to King David.
These words are about Jesus. This is a prophecy about Jesus. Jesus was not born
yet. But these words are about Jesus. This is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus.
Jesus was going to be a descendent of King David (Mat. 1:1). Jesus was going to be
a king (John 18:37). And Jesus’ kingdom is going to last for ever (Luke 1:32-33).
These are words about Jesus. These are words about Jesus even before he was born.
In the beginning was the word! The Word is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus.

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Deut. 18:18-19 says: -

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will
put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I
myself will call him to account.

Here God is speaking. These are words from God. God is speaking to Moses. These
words are about Jesus. This is a prophecy about Jesus. Jesus was not born yet. But
these words are about Jesus. This is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus. Jesus was
going to be a prophet (Mat. 13:57). Jesus was going to be a Jew (Mat. 27:11). God
would tell Jesus want to speak (John 14:24). These are words about Jesus. These
are words about Jesus even before he was born. In the beginning was the word! The
Word is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus.

Jer. 33:14-15 says: -

'The days are coming,' declares the LORD , 'when I will fulfill the gracious
promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. ‘In those
days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line;
he will do what is just and right in the land.’

Here God is speaking. These are words from God. These are words about Jesus. This
is a prophecy about Jesus. Jesus was not born yet. But these words are about Jesus.
This is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus. Jesus was going to be a descendent of
David (Mat. 1:1). Jesus was going to be righteous (1 John 2:1). Jesus would do what
was right. These are words about Jesus. These are words about Jesus even before he
was born. In the beginning was the word! The Word is God’s plan. God’s plan
involved Jesus.

There are other words about Jesus in the Old Testament. For example, see the Table
below: -

Words in the Old Testament about Jesus Old Testament words fulfilled by Jesus
Gen. 3:15 Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:9,14
Gen. 12:7 Gal. 3:16
Gen. 22:18 Gal. 3:16
Gen. 49:10 Luke 1:32
Ps. 2:7 Mat. 3:17; Heb. 1:5
Ps. 16:8-11 Acts 2:24-28
Ps. 22:1 Mat. 27:46
Ps. 22:7-8 Luke 23:35
Ps. 22:17-18 Mat. 23:35-36
Ps. 34:20 John 19:32-33,36
Ps. 41:9; Ps. 55:12-13 Mat. 26:49-50; 22:47-48
Ps. 110:1 Acts 2:33-35
Ps. 110:4 Heb. 5:5-6
Ps. 117:1 Rom. 15:11
Ps. 118:22 Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7
Isa. 7:14 Mat 1:21-23
Isa. 8:14 1 Peter 2:8
Isa. 9:1-2 Matthew 4:13-16

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Isa. 9:7 Luke 1:32-33
Isa. 11:10 Rom. 15:12
Isa. 28:16 1 Peter 2:6
Isa. 45:1-4 Mat. 12:17-21
Isa. 53:1 John 12:37-38
Isa. 61:1-2 Luke 4:17-21
Jer. 23:5 Mat. 1:1
Mic. 5:2 Mat. 2:5-6
Zech. 9:9 Mark 11:7,9,11
Zech. 13:7 Mat. 26:31
Etc.

These are all prophecies about Jesus. How many more can you find? There are many,
many more. These are words about Jesus in the Old Testament. Jesus was not born
yet. But these words are about Jesus. This is God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus.
In the beginning was the word! The Word is God’s plan.

The prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled when Jesus was born. John 1:14 says: -

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. …

Here the Word becomes flesh. Here the prophecies become real. The Old Testament
had words about Jesus. And now Jesus had come. The words became real.
Remember what Philip said in John 1:45: -

… "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom
the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth …

The Old Testament wrote about Jesus. And now Jesus was here. Now the believers
could find the one the Old Testament wrote about. They could not find him before.
He did not exist before. But now Jesus was here. Now the prophecies were fulfilled.

The prophecies were only words before Jesus was born. But the words became real
when Jesus was born. The words became flesh. The prophecies became real. God’s
plan with Jesus became real.

Example: building a house

Imagine someone would like a new house. They have plans about how to build the
house. But the house is not build yet. The plans for the house are like the “Word”
in John 1:1. Jesus did not exist yet. But there were plans about him.

Imagine the house is now built. The plans have been followed. The plans have
been fulfilled. This is like Jesus at his birth. The prophecies had become real. The
word had become flesh (John 1:14). The plans had become real.

Conclusion
John 1:1-2 is about God’s plan. God’s plan involved Jesus. Jesus is not God. But
Jesus was part of God’s plan. God’s plan with Jesus became real when Jesus was
born.

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b. The Spirit is not God
This is even simpler. The word “spirit” can mean different things in the Bible. For
example, sometimes the word “spirit” refers to the mind and thoughts. Sometimes
the word “spirit” refers to power. But the word “spirit” never refers to a person like in
the Trinity.

The “spirit” in Luke 1:35 is God’s power. It says: -

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be
called the Son of God.

This is an angel talking to Mary. The angel is talking about Jesus’ birth. The angel
says the power of the Most High will overshadow Mary. And the angel says the Holy
Spirit will come upon her. This shows the Holy Spirit is God’s power. Here the Holy
Spirit is God’s power. The Holy Spirit is not a person. The Holy Spirit is God’s power.

Also see Luke 24:49: -

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city
until you have been clothed with power from on high.

Here Jesus is talking. Jesus is talking to his disciples. Jesus says the disciples will
receive power from Heaven. When did this happen happen? The disciples received
the power in Acts 2:1-4. Acts 2:4 says: -

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Jesus said the disciples would receive power. And the disciples received the Holy
Spirit. This shows the Holy Spirit is God’s power. The Holy Spirit is not a person. The
Holy Spirit is God’s power.

The word “spirit” can also mean mind. The “Spirit” in 1 Cor. 2:10-16 refers to the
mind. The key verses are 1 Cor. 2:9-10 and v16. 1 Cor. 2:8-10 says: -

… "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has
prepared for those who love him" -- but God has revealed it to us by his
Spirit.

And 1 Cor. 2:16 says: -

"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we
have the mind of Christ.

1 Cor. 2:9 says no one knows God’s plans. This is the same as ‘For who has known
the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ in v16. Both talk about people not
knowing God’s plan. And 1 Cor. 9:10 says God has revealed his plan to the believers
by his Spirit. This is the same as ‘But we have the mind of Christ’ in v16. Both talk
about being given something from God. In v10 the “spirit” is given. In v16 the

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“mind” has been given. So “spirit” can refer to “mind”. See the Table below. The
Table shows the words that relate to each other.

1 Cor. 2:9-10 1 Cor. 2:16

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no
mind has conceived what God has
prepared for those who love him"
-- but God has revealed it to us by his
Spirit.
"For who has known the mind of the
Lord that he may instruct him?"
But we have the mind of Christ.

In this passage the “spirit” is the mind. The spirit is not a person. The word “spirit”
can refer to different things. But the word “spirit” never refers to a person.

If the spirit was a person then it would be included in the greetings of Paul’s letters.
But the Spirit is left out of the greetings. Look at Rom. 1:7: -

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace
to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are greetings. There are greetings from two people. There are not greetings
from three people. There are greetings from:

1. God, and
2. Jesus

But the spirit is missing completely. If the spirit was a person it would be included in
this greeting. But the spirit is not included. The spirit is not included because the
spirit it not a person.

(Also, the verse shows a difference between God and Jesus again. The Father is
God in this verse. And Jesus is separate. Jesus is not God.)

It is the same in the other greetings. For example, 1 Cor. 1:3 says: -

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are greetings again. There are greetings from two people. There are not
greetings from three people. There are greetings from:

1. God, and
2. Jesus

But the spirit is missing completely. If the spirit was a person it would be included in
this greeting. But the spirit is not included. The spirit is not included because the
spirit it not a person.

(Also, the verse shows a difference between God and Jesus again. The Father is
God in this verse. And Jesus is separate. Jesus is not God.)

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Have a look at 2 Cor. 1:2: -

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are greetings again. There are greetings from two people. There are not
greetings from three people. There are greetings from:

1. God, and
2. Jesus

But the spirit is missing completely. If the spirit was a person it would be included in
this greeting. But the spirit is not included. The spirit is not included because the
spirit it not a person.

(Also, the verse shows a difference between God and Jesus again. The Father is
God in this verse. And Jesus is separate. Jesus is not God.)

This is the same in the other letters – for example: Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col
1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1-2; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3;
2 John 1:3; Jude 1:1. The spirit is not in any of these greetings. This is because the
spirit is not a person. The word “spirit” refers to different things in the Bible. But it
never refers to a person who is God. For example, the spirit sometimes refers to the
mind. The spirit sometimes refers to power. But the spirit never refers to a person
who is God.

~~ What about … ?
The Counsellor (e.g. John 14:16)

Now we know the Holy Spirit is God’s mind or God’s power. We know the Holy Spirit
is not a person. But what about the “Counsellor” passages? These passages are in
John’s Gospel. These passages talk about the Holy Spirit as a person. See John
14:16-17, John 14:26, John 15:26 and John 16:7-15. Here the Holy Spirit is a
person. For example, John 15:26 says: -

When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

The Holy Spirit is a person here. But we know the Holy Spirit is God’s power or God’s
mind. The Holy Spirit is not a person. So what is happening in these passages?

The answer is in John 16:25: -

Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no

longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.

Here Jesus is speaking again. Jesus says he has been speaking figuratively. Jesus
has been using picture language. The Counsellor is figurative language. The
Counsellor is picture language. The Counsellor is not really a person. Jesus was using
figurative language.

The Bible uses figurative language in other passages, too. For example, Prov 9:1-2
says: -

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 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has
prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

This is talking about wisdom. Wisdom is a person here. It says Wisdom builds a
house. It says Wisdom prepares a meal. And Wisdom prepares a table. But wisdom
is not really a person! The language in Prov. 9 is figurative. It is picture language.
This is the same in John 15:26 etc. The language is figurative. The Holy Spirit is not
a person. Jesus was speaking figuratively. The Holy Spirit is God’s power or God’s
mind.

Overall Conclusion to Part 11

The Trinity is not true.

There is only one God.

The Father is the only God.
The Holy Spirit is God’s thoughts or God’s power.
Jesus is God’s son. But Jesus is not God.

This is very serious. Many people believe the Trinity. But the Bible does not teach the
Trinity. Many people believe Jesus is God. But the Bible teaches Jesus is not God.

The Trinity is false. People who teach the Trinity are teaching something false. 1 John
4:1-3 says: -

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether
they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the
world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every
spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of
the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the
world.

Here it talks about false prophets. It says false prophets have gone into the world. It
says false prophets teach that Jesus has not come in the flesh. People who teach the
Trinity teach that Jesus has not come in the flesh. People who teach the Trinity teach
that Jesus is God. People who teach this are false prophets. People who teach this
are antichrist (v3)!

We must not teach the Trinity. And we must not believe the Trinity. The Trinity is
against God.

2 John 1:7-11 says: -

Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh,
have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the
antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that
you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in
the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching
has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring

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 this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who
welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

Here it says the same as John 4:1-3. Jesus came in the flesh. Jesus was not God.
People are “deceivers” if they teach Jesus is God. The Trinity is wrong.

2 John 1:10-11 says we should not fellowship with people who teach the Trinity. We
should only fellowship with true believers. We should not fellowship with the
antichrist.

This is serious. And it is sad. It is sad because many people in the world believe the
Trinity. Many people in the world have been deceived. This is sad.

But we now know the truth. We know Jesus is not God. We know the Father is God.
We know Jesus is God’s son. And we know the Holy Spirit is God’s power or mind.
Now we can worship the one true God. Now we can worship God in truth. John 4:23
says: -

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks.

These are Jesus’ words. He says that people must worship the Father. We know that
Jesus is not God. We know the truth: we know that the Father is the only God. So
now we can follow Jesus’ words: now we can worship the Father in truth. We are
worshiping the only God when we worship the Father. Let’s follow Jesus – and let’s
give our lives to the Father, who is the only God.

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