Is God A Binity? Since the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, one of the most popular views of the nature of God has been the doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are essentially a generic 3 in 1 collective entity with all three being co-equal with each other. The term Trinity comes from Tri-Unity meaning 3 in 1. This belief treats all three as a generic collective entity rather than each having a separate and unique identity. While the Church of God has always recognized that God the Father and Jesus Christ are both God Beings, we have also always acknowledged that the Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is the power of God and not an individual. As a result, we have always rejected the Trinitarian view of God. However, some in the Church of God today view God the Father and Jesus Christ in a similar way to how Trinitarians view Them. They view the Father and Christ as essentially a Binity although they typically do not use this exact terminology to describe their beliefs. I use the term Binity (or Bi-Unity) because some in the Church of God today view God the Father and Jesus Christ as a generic 2 in 1 collective entity similar to how Trinitarians view Them but without including the Holy Spirit as part of this single collective entity. As a result, those that hold this Binitarian view of the Father and Christ typically treat most all of the names and titles of God in the Bible as equally applying to both God the Father and Jesus Christ. By not recognizing that many of the names and titles for God are unique and only apply to either God the Father or Jesus Christ they blur the distinctions between Them. Not only does this blur the distinctions between the Father and Christ, but this also allows a person to interpret scripture in any way they want to by applying any name or title used in scripture to whichever One (or Both) that they want to see in that particular scripture and thus they can reverse engineer any conclusion they want to come to. To accurately understand the roles of God the Father and Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture, we first have to understand that the Father and Christ are not a generic 2 in 1 collective entity but rather two separate and distinct Individuals that work very closely together with each other in perfect unity. How The Father And Christ Are One Those that hold a Binitarian view of God support their belief that God the Father and Jesus Christ are a generic 2 in 1 collective entity by pointing to several scriptures in the Bible that refer to the Father and Christ as being one. One of the primary scriptures used to support this Binitarian belief is Deuteronomy 6:4.
Deut 6:4 4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! However, to properly understand this verse we have to first understand that the above quote is from the New King James Version and this verse is not properly translated in the NKJV. This verse is more accurately translated in the New Revised Standard Version. Deut 6:4-5 -- NRSV 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. This verse is not addressing the relationship between the Father and Christ. Rather this verse is commanding Israel to hear and obey the LORD alone. This verse is essentially restating the first commandment (You shall have no other gods before Me) as verse 5 clarifies. This is why Jesus Christ in Mark 12:29 states that this verse is the first of all the commandments. While it is clear that Deuteronomy 6:4 is not addressing the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, during His physical life on earth Christ did make several statements about His relationship with the Father that some use as evidence that the Father and Christ are essentially a generic 2 in 1 collective entity. Here are some examples: John 10:30 30 I and My Father are one. John 14:9-11 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
However, Christ clarifies exactly how He and the Father are one in His prayer to the Father in John 17. John 17:9-11 9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. John 17:20-23 20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Christ s prayer is requesting that the Father make all the members of the Church one as He and the Father are one. Obviously, He is not requesting that the Father make the all the members of the Church a big generic collective entity similar to the Borg on the popular TV show Star Trek. He is requesting that the Father make the Church members all one in mind and character so that they are in perfect unity with the Father and Christ as well as with one another. The Father Is Greater Than Christ One of the common beliefs held by those that have either a Trinitarian or a Binitarian view of God is the idea that God the Father and Jesus Christ are co-equal with each other. However, this is not what the Bible reveals. While God the Father and Jesus Christ are equal in nature and character (John 10:30; 14:9-11), they are not equal in authority. The Bible clearly tells us that the Father and Christ have a Superior/Subordinate relationship with the Father being superior in authority to Jesus Christ. Christ Himself verifies this several times in scripture. John 10:29 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
John 14:28 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. In addition, Paul clearly tells us that God the Father is the head of Jesus Christ and that Christ fulfills His role in subjection to the Father. 1 Cor 11:3 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor 15:27-28 27 For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. In addition to having a Superior/Subordinate relationship, the Bible also clearly tells us that God the Father and Jesus Christ have a God/Servant relationship with one another. Scripture tells us that Christ views the Father as His God. In other words, Christ submits to and worships the Father. John 20:17 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'" Rev 1:5-6 5 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Rev 3:12 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. Notice that in every one of these scriptures Christ was a God Being at the time these statements were made and not a human being. So, the fact that He came to earth as a physical human has no bearing on the fact that Christ views the Father as His God. This fact clarifies the significance of Christ s statement during His ministry that the Father is the only true God. John 17:3 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. The Bible is clear that Christ is also a God Being and worthy of worship. So, by stating that the Father is the only true God Christ is not denying that He is also a God Being. Clearly Christ s point in making this statement was expressing the Father s superiority to Him. It is also interesting to note that we never see statements in scripture of the Father referring to Christ as His God. Rather, what we find is that Christ is always described in a subordinate role to the Father. For example, Christ is described as the Servant of the Father. Acts 3:13 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. Acts 3:26 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."
The Father And Christ s Relationship In The Old Testament Many who hold a Binitarian view of the Father and Christ acknowledge the fact that the New Testament clearly teaches a Superior/Subordinate relationship between the Father and Christ but also argue that this relationship is unique to the New Testament. They argue that prior to Christ becoming a human being He and the Father were co-equal with one another. The scripture that is often used as support for this belief is Philippians 2:5-7. Phil 2:5-7 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. The phrase equal with God in this verse is taken to mean that the Father and Christ were equal in authority prior to Christ coming to earth as a human. However, to understand the intent of this scripture it is important to take into consideration the fact that the context being addressed is that Christ had previously been in the form of God and then gave this up to come in the likeness of men. This scripture is not addressing the issue of whether or not Christ shared an equal authority with the Father prior to His physical life on earth. The Old Testament clearly shows us that Jesus Christ had the same Superior/Subordinate relationship with the Father prior to His physical life as He does now. An easy example of this can be found in Christ s role as Melchizedek. Gen 14:18-20 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
Heb 7:1-3 1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace," 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Genesis and Hebrews both tell us that Melchizedek was the priest of God Most High. Obviously, it is God the Father being referred to here as the Most High. A priest, by definition, is always in a subordinate role to the god they serve. In this example, Christ (as Melchizedek) is serving as the Priest of God the Father and thus in a subordinate role to the Father. In addition, the terminology used in these verses in both Genesis and Hebrews reinforces this same point. The Hebrew word translated as Most High in the Old Testament is elyon (Strong s # 5945). The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament by Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter defines this word as A masculine noun meaning Most High, the Highest. The Greek word translated as Most High in the New Testament is hupsistos (Strong s # 5310). The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament by Spiros Zodhiates defines this word as Highest, most elevated, loftiest. So, both the Hebrew and Greek words for Most High tell us that the individual being referred to with this term is the One in the highest position. The use of the term Most High in these accounts emphasizes the superiority of the Father and the fact that Christ (as Melchizedek) is described in terms of His relationship to the Most High shows that He is not also Most High. If They are both Most High the comparison loses any significance or meaning. Another good example that the Superior/Subordinate relationship of the Father and Christ existed prior to Christ s physical life can be found in the creation of the physical universe. Notice that Paul tells us it was God the Father that commanded light to shine at creation (Genesis 1:3): 2 Cor 4:3-6 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
God the Father and Jesus Christ are both mentioned in this scripture. So, it is clear who Paul is referring to when he states, the God who commanded light to shine. In addition, John tells us in Revelation that God the Father created all things. Rev 4:9-11 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." John tells us here that Him who sits on the throne created all things. If we just keep reading on into chapter 5 it becomes very clear who is being referred to as Him who sits on the throne. Chapter 5 tells us that the Lamb (Jesus Christ) takes the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Obviously, God the Father is being referred to by this title and thus He is also who John says created all things. Rev 5:1-7 1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
However, God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ. In other words, the Father made the commands and Christ carried out the Father s commands. The Father was the manager directing His project of creation and Christ was His subordinate caring out the Father s instructions. Eph 3:8-9 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; John 1:1-4 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. Col 1:15-16 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Distinguishing Between The Father and Christ The Superior/Subordinate relationship of God the Father and Jesus Christ clearly demonstrates for us that They are not co-equal and thus their roles and identities are not interchangeable. They both have their own unique roles and identities. As a result, we have to take this fact into account when looking at the various names and titles that the Bible uses to describe Them. It is certainly true that since both of Them are God Beings there are roles and titles that can equally apply to both of Them. An easy example of this can be found in John 1. John 1:1-2 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
In these verses we see both the Father and Christ being referred to with the title God and this is telling us that both of them are God Beings. However, just because both of Them are God Beings does not mean that all the names and titles for Them equally apply in the same way. One such example that has already been mentioned in this paper is the title Most High. This title is used in both the Old and New Testaments. As we covered earlier in this paper, the meanings of both the Hebrew and Greek words that are translated as Most High in English indicate that the individual being referred to with this term is the One in the highest position. When we understand the Superior/Subordinate relationship of the Father and Christ it becomes very clear that the title Most High exclusively refers to God the Father. When we look at how the term is used in the Bible we see this as well. We previously saw that Christ (as Melchizedek) is referred to as the priest of the Most High in both Genesis 14:18-20 and Hebrews 7:1-3. Here we clearly see the term applies to God the Father. We find the same thing in Mark 5 where we are told that Christ is the Son of the Most High. Mark 5:6-7 6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me." In the book of Luke, Christ tells us that the resurrected Saints will be sons of the Most High. Luke 6:35-36 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. When we understand that the Most High is an exclusive title for God the Father then we can clearly see that God the Father had a very active role in the Old Testament and His existence was known about by numerous people. This list includes Abraham (Genesis 14:18-22), Balaam (Numbers 24:15-16), Moses and the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 31:30-32:8), David (Ps 7:17; 9:1-2; 57:1-2), Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3:26); and even Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:1-3).
Another title of God that is specific to God the Father is the title God of our fathers. Both the Old and New Testaments refer to the God of our fathers. The Old Testament references make it clear the God of our fathers is who Israel worshiped as their God and who they gave credit for leading them out of Egypt (Exodus 3:14-22; Deuteronomy 26:6-10; 1 Chronicles 12:17; 1 Chronicles 29:18; 2 Chronicles 13:10-12; 2 Chronicles 20:5-11; Ezra 7:27). If we look at the wording of both Deuteronomy 26:6-10 and 2 Chronicles 20:5-11 it is very clear that the God of our fathers is the God Israel gave credit for leading them out of Egypt, giving them the promised land, and whose presence they believed dwelt in the temple. Deut 26:6-10 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, "a land flowing with milk and honey"; 10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.' 2 Chron 20:5-11 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6 and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? 8 And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, 9 'If disaster comes upon us sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.' 10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them 11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. The New Testament references of the title God of our fathers give us a very clear picture of who is being referred to with this title. Multiple times in the book of Acts the God of our fathers is contrasted with Jesus Christ making it very clear that it is God the Father that is being referred to with this title.
Acts 3:13-15 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts 3:25-26 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." Acts 5:30-31 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Acts 22:12-14 12 "Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I looked up at him. 14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. Notice that these verses tell us that Christ is the Servant of the God of our fathers and that the God of our fathers raised up Jesus. Christ isn t a servant to Himself and He certainly didn t resurrect Himself nor did He by His own power do any of the works He performed during His physical life (John 5:30). So, it is clear that the title God of our fathers refers to God the Father and understanding this enables us to see the active role that God the Father has in both the Old and New Testaments.
Conclusion There are numerous other Biblical titles that are either specific to God the Father or specific to Jesus Christ and it is not the purpose of this paper to address all of them. The point being made in this paper is that to properly understand the roles and titles of God the Father and Jesus Christ we must first understand that They are a not a generic 2 in 1 collective entity but rather They are two separate and distinct individuals that work very closely together in perfect unity. The Church of God has always clearly understood that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are not co-equal parts of a Trinity. However, we also need to clearly understand that God the Father and Jesus Christ are not co-equal parts of a Binity either. Each have their own distinct identities and this fact is a fundamental key to properly understanding their roles and titles as revealed in scripture.