“The Case for Christ - One True God”

As we all know, we are facing, in God’s spiritual history, the final moment of the revelation of His absolute truth. 

For this reason, we have been examining the end time essential: to acknowledge and live out earthly life under the  Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, in Mt 25, indicated this truth is what ultimately will be what is left standing when end time events are upon us.

The early beginning of this truth was validated by Jesus when He said: ‘Believe in God; believe also in Me’(Jn 14:1). 

Here, He was testifying of His equality with God Almighty. He was verifying His place in the Godhead. 

He was saying He was true God and Lord along with God the Father.

This affirmation by Jesus was severely challenged. To even suggest God, the divine Being, as becoming flesh was revolting - disgusting! It was sheer blasphemy! 

Because of recent days in which we have been made so conscious - through the news media - of the practice of some religious faiths, particularly of Islam, I would like to spend this time together tonight examining Jesus’ place in His equality with God.

First, let me say this, that - after much prayer and study - this end time subject lays heavy upon our hearts - both Ella’s and mine.

We have felt the urging of the Holy Spirit for these past few weeks to address this subject in connection with the end time events that Jesus spoke of.

Also - let me say that throughout our deliberations tonight, I am referring heavily upon the writing of Mr. Timothy George, a dean currently of a leading divinity school.

He wrote an exposition entitled, ‘Is the God of Muhammad the Father of Jesus?’. In it, he explained something about Islam. He classed Islam, Judaism and Christianity as the only three monotheistic faiths in the world. That is, only these three say that there is one God.

And, because of this fact, there are those who naturally lump all three together into one great religion. Their prescription is simple: ‘we take the same highway to God; each one is just marching to a different tune; therefore, each can go along hand in hand.’   

But - we want to examine the concept of ‘one God’ a little more closely. Let me start on the positive side. And, here, I will point out what the author stated about that subject. 

He gave three main areas where there is agreement among these monotheistic faiths: coherence in the historical, in the the textual, and in the teleological areas.

Let me explain each briefly.

First, all three are historical religions. Each one claims that God acted definitively in human history. 

The Jews say God acted decisively at the time of the Exodus when He lead His people out from under slavery.

In Christianity, it was in the Incarnation, when ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.’

For Islam, it was the beginning of the latest and final revelation with the prophet, Muhammad.

Furthermore, the Islamic religion adopts essential figures from both Judaism and Christianity. It acknowledges that ‘Moses was a prophet of God who gave the law of God. Jesus was a friend of God. But when Jesus talked of sending another ‘Counselor Who will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I said’, it says Jesus was talking about Muhammad.’

So, historically, all three can claim God’s decisive action in history, each at a different occasion. And, of course, each in a different way.

Not only is each historical, but, along with this, each is also textual. This just means that each one has a written document to follow. ‘In Judaism, it is the Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings.

In Christianity, it is the Bible, both the Old and the New Testament.

For Islam, it is the Qur’an.’ This is believed to be the revelation given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. It is said to have been revealed in Arabic as a ‘transcript of a heavenly book’. Therefore, it is ‘divine’. 

And that is what is perceived as being the ‘express image of God, the Word of God’. This is so important that early Muslims believed, and many of the orthodox still do, that the Qur’an cannot be translated. If it were, it would lose its sense of a true revelation from God. However, through the years, it has been translated, but those translations are not regarded as true and actual divine works. 

And, finally, along with the historical and the textual agreements, all three are teleological.

‘Teleological’ just means that the religion itself has a very definite end in sight. That is, life has the objective of gaining something at its end. 

And, of course, that end is the divine future that each anticipates. 

And each one claims that the eternal future each sees as the reason for his faith is what God intended from the beginning. He set up all things to direct and guide it to this end. 

None of the three - neither Judaism, Islam, nor Christianity, of course - accepts the teaching of reincarnation that other religions do. There is only one life - one eternal future.

These, then, are the three general points of agreement - historical, textual, and teleological.

There are also some other issues: the dignity of life, the basic, humane ways of dealing with human beings, the sanctity of marriage and family life - these, and other moral issues, are points about which there is usual agreement.

Now - let us go over to the other side to see what the  eminent distinction is among the three faiths.

This is the mark that is like the composer’s ‘Unfinished Symphony’. It stops short of the final revelation.

And, here, I take you over to Deut 6:4. It is known as the ‘Shema’ or the Hebrew affirmation about God. It reads ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.’

This is the confession that there is only one God. It denies the existence of other deities. It is adamant that there is only one Lord God to be worshipped.

It rejects any notion of lesser gods surrounding Him. He is supreme - there is none other.

Now - all three faiths are in accord with this thought.

Yes - there is only one God!

But - with Islam and Judaism, this is said with an emphatic period at the end of the sentence. The symphony stops here!

However - Christianity finishes the ‘symphony’ with the absolutely, most harmonious finale earth will ever know!

We can see it in our text for this evening. Jesus said: ‘Believe in God: believe also in Me.’

What happened when Jesus declared His relationship as being God the Son with God the Father?

He laid open the very heart of faith! Here was the definitive message that sets Christians apart: Jesus is the same essence as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Sadly - when the Christian declares this, there is the same condemnation of ‘blasphemy’ today as it was heard in Jesus’ time.

And - this is what confuses the belief of the many who do not believe in Him. 

The dilemma is: ‘How can you talk about Jesus also being God? You also talk about the Holy Spirit as being God. If God is one, how can there be three gods?’   

And, with that, the fact of the truth of Jesus and of the truth of the Holy Spirit is rejected. 

In other words, they say that belief in the Trinity - of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - as being the truth of one God is ‘profane’, ‘sacrilegious’. 

But - for the Christian, this is truly the great dividing point!

Yes - we affirm emphatically there is one God. That is borne out in Deut 6:4, I read earlier. Other Scriptures bear this out all along. 

Moses, one of the generally accepted prophets, in Ex 8:10, said: ‘...there is none like unto the Lord our God.’

David made a firm confirmation when he prayed: ‘...wherefore, Thou art great, O Lord God; for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside Thee.’

It was to the prophet, Isaiah, the Lord said of Himself: ‘...before Me, there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and, beside Me, there is no Savior’(43:10-11).

So, we Christians do not hesitate to endorse the ‘one God’ doctrine. 

But - the problem lies in this fact: when the other monotheistic faiths look upon ‘one God’, He is seen as if He is a mathematical designation - as a unit of ‘one’ - a single ‘item’, and I use that word carefully.

God is not seen in relational terms. Jesus said: ‘You believe God - believe Me also. We are one and the same.’ 

Always - always - within the being of God, a relationship existed. It was from eternity. There always was this relationship - this union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God.

Yes - the Trinity is a mystery - who can know it? The best any one of us can do is to try to give an example of this hidden mystery.

It is a dynamic, forceful union that exists as one. There is a mutuality in the Trinity. There is an interdependence and an interchange among the Godhead. 

Now - what I am about to say is an all-together too simple, crude, crass, and, certainly, unorthodox representation. 

But - we look at an egg as an illustration. It is a single item. Yet - we cannot know that this single unit is actually made up of three parts - the shell, the albumen, and the yolk - until that unit is opened up. It is only then that its very essence is revealed.   

And, although this is an inanimate object, there is a relationship with the parts to each other. Each depends on the other to exist. There is a sense of - shall I say - a sense of ‘mutuality’ in this unit of the egg.

Now - that is very, very mundane - a very earthy picture. But I hope you will understand what I mean. 

This union of the Godhead dwells as One. There always was a mutual dependence and interchange among the three. 

It has always been a powerful, productive mutuality. The interdependence is seen in the creation story. Look back into Genesis to see this for yourself.

It is seen even before the foundations of the world was laid. Search out the Ephesian and Colossian letters for this. 

John, in ch 1:1, told of this fact when he spoke of the Incarnation: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.’

Jesus verified it: ‘Before Abraham was, I am.’ God had said: ‘I am that ‘I AM’.

The angel, Gabriel, sent from God, told Mary about soon being overshadowed by the power of the Highest. She would give birth to the ‘Holy Thing’ Who would be called the ‘Son of God’.

Jesus, also God, Who existed before His inception, was coming in the flesh. As God, He had said: ‘...beside Me, there is no Savior.’

Through Him, the Trinity - in mutual agreement - was carrying out the plan for God sharing Himself with men. It was always in His mind to open heaven for His church. 

‘Always - always - did the one, true and living God project His aim toward interpersonal terms with men so that men could know Who He is. 

And He sent His Son to earth to do that. It is Jesus Who completed the ‘unfinished symphony’ of life. He is the final revelation of that. 

We do not need one other word about God. Instead, Jesus has shown us Who He is.  

When we say there is only one God, we are saying that we know that God is. 

But it is when we acknowledge Christ’s Incarnation and the fact of the Trinity, that we know Who He is.   

Let me say that again.

We can all say ‘God is One’. But to be able to define Him, to know Who He is, we cannot do that apart from these two facts of the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ.

To know about God does not take us ‘to’ Him in a relationship with Him. The devils believe there is one God - and they tremble!

To know Who He is by Jesus Christ takes us to living under His Lordship. This is what Christ accepts in the end time.  

If God had never created the world, or had never set up His plan of redemption through Christ, the Trinity would not be any less God.  

But, the Good News is that ‘He chose to love out from His own will. He chose to make a world apart from Himself, and He chose to make Himself known’ in such a way that we can know Who He is in a personal relationship with Him. 

He chose to ‘predestine us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will.’

Now - that is Good News! That is the news that finished the divine song of His heart. And the spiritual eyes opened to that great truth are blessed indeed!

Yes - there are points of agreement we have with the other faiths. 

But - how do we meet those who do not ascribe to these affirmations of the Trinity and Christ’s Incarnation that is the final revelation of God?

There are two main thoughts I would like you to prayerfully consider about this. Let me just state them briefly before we close tonight.

First, we do not, nor dare we, stand in the place of ‘Judge’!
 
It is God Who ‘...cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.’(Ps 96:13)

This is the time when ‘...God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ...’.(Rom 2:16)

Jesus said: ‘Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’(Mt 5:16)

And He told His disciples: ‘You shall be My witnesses.’

So, we cannot stand as judge but only as witnesses through the testimony of Jesus Who shows us Who God is.

Then, the second thought is this: only God knows the heart and what is in the heart. Only He meets what is there!

And - remember - He does not deal with various faiths. He deals with persons - with individuals.

There are many, many who address God from the heart. The Gentile, ‘Cornelius’, in Acts 10 is our best example.

In his pious seeking of God, he was taken to the ‘brink of Judaism’. But - ultimately, he did meet Christ. He did accept His atoning work. It quieted his seeking heart.

It was a ‘step at a time’, perhaps ‘here a little, there a little’. In the transitioning, he was being channeled from religious ritual to spiritual life! 

So, many, many today - we see them all about us - have a ‘heart’ for God. Many may not be ‘far from the Kingdom of God’.

It is the leading and convincing of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of Jesus in each of His followers that will bring many of those seeking God into that relational knowledge of the one, true God.

So - we do not judge others.

But - we do cover them in the love of Christ. And, we prayerfully become the testimony of Jesus to them on their behalf.

The ‘symphony of spiritual life’ is finished in Him!
 
I leave you with these thoughts tonight. Lock this in your hearts - move it faithfully before the Lord so that the testimony of Jesus in us is increasingly strengthened.

‘Believe in God; believe also in Me’ Jesus said.

Let this become the ‘light’ in this present world!

Amen. So be it! 

Let us pray!