what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
While we know that God is alive there may be a question about God’s basic nature that we may not understand. Is God a unit of one person, two persons or three persons? Depending on your beliefs the scriptures give you a means to support each of the three main beliefs. God says that his nature is known through the things he created so men are without excuse.
According to the Old Testament sacrificial system or the orthodox Jew the Lord God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). The messianic Jew and the Trinitarian believes in a God of three persons (Matthew 28:20) based on the baptismal formula. Then there is another view that Jesus presented when he said I and the father are one (John 10:30).
One of the reasons there is a difference in the human understanding of God is that there are several religions outside the protestant church that teach the nature of God differently. Each teach the structure of the Godhead (divine nature) according to the way they were taught as a Child. They have been convinced that they are right and reinforce their own beliefs.
God says that mankind is without excuse because God has made his nature, existence and authority known plainly to mankind. The truth is no man has seen God but God gave mankind visible examples of who he is and what he is like through the things he created. In addition the examples of his nature found in our environment form a foundation where man has no excuse but to believe that God exists.
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
In this verse God is telling man that his physical makeup can be understood in the examples of human beings which he created to know that we resemble our creator. Perhaps God is showing us that his glorious appearance will not make you become frightened to death upon seeing him. Although there is something about his majestic appearance that those who have seen his glory fell in reverence and worshipped at the feet of those sent representing God.
Still Jesus said if you have seen me you have seen the father (John 14:9).
God gave us an example of his image and likeness at the creation of mankind when he created man as male and female. Within the bible the word image is used more to speak of the graven images made to look like the god that was worshiped. Have you considered that God made man in his image because we were made to resemble the God to be worshipped by man? The difference is man does not have the breath of life or the authority to give life. But unlike any image man could form God gave man the ability to think and respond to the grace of God through his authority.
Just as man is male and female we learn that God formed man from the dust of the earth. What this means is that the elements man is made from is found is found in the components the earth is made of. However man did not become a living being until God breathed into the nostrils of his creation. It was after God gave breath to man that he became a living being.
Through God’s creative skills man resembled God but our body was made from the dust of the earth. However the body God formed was lifeless without the breath of God. At death the body and spirit separate but the body is buried and the spirit returns to his maker. At the same time God made two persons consisting of a male and female from which the human race replenished the earth. God then commanded the husband to cling to his wife and the two would become one flesh.
By the same token man cannot reproduce after his own kind without a mate, therefore God created mankind as a unit. The male and female unit is normally seen on every continent and Island where mankind dwells today. However it is abnormal to see man living with more than one mate or of the same gender. When this happens God is not pleased and says man has corrupted his natural instincts.
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
God’s creation is a living picture of his nature and purpose. However for truth to exist in this biblical picture it has to accurately agree with number and description of the Godhead. In other words the creation of man was arranged to represent and describes what the divine nature looks like.
Creation was a visual picture created to be seen and understood by mankind that both God and man have a lifetime commitment to another person. The scriptures present a word picture of God in several verses. For example the son of God is always seen seated at the right hand of the Mighty One. And Jesus said that it was possible to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3). And again Jesus said “I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
God has been seen in visions even though with exception of Moses no man has seen God face to face. Yet (Romans 1:20) is an example of God’s grace and mercy demonstrating that we can know him through the creation of God that we see every day of our life. Being made in God’s likeness we resemble God in appearance. Still man is confused over this issue for;
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. James 3:9
We know that with God all things are possible but it also impossible for God to lie. God’s holy nature will not allow him to bear false witness. The current teaching of God in three persons has suppressed the direct evidence found within the scriptures.
The trinity concept is taught from the authority of the Catholic faith and the Athanasian Creed. Although most churches breaking off from the Catholic Church adopted this creed it is strongly recommended that every Christian compare this creed against the inspired word of God.
According to the Athanasian Creed God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are impossible to understand. But the scriptures say the divine nature has been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:20). Whom do we believe?
The answer concerning the Godhead or divine nature lies in whom you are listening to. When we read God’s word, do we put what we know about God aside? You can struggle with God’s word because you cannot listen to God and defend your beliefs at the same time. The outcome is that though you read God’s word you will refuse to listen to anything that does not agree with what you believe. What gets and holds your attention are the things that support your beliefs.
Why do we listen to man when God says the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jeremiah 17:9). Why do we believe God is comprised of three person when our Savior was commanded to say, I and the father are one (John 10:30) and may they be one as we are one (John 17:11,22).Consider that Jesus Christ has been seated at the right hand of God before the beginning of the world and should know the absolute truth of what he is testifying about. 4/22/2014
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