GOD: AS I UNDERSTAND HIM. By Robert Matthews II c August 23, 2013

GOD: AS I UNDERSTAND HIM By Robert Matthews II c August 23, 2013

1 The God of the Holy Bible seems, to me at least, to be a single person and being, that was NOT created or have had any kind of birth, He always was and has been, HE HAS NO BEGINNING. The name of this God Jehovah (King James Version) or Yahweh comes from the Hebrew word YHWH and is always translated THE LORD in the Old testament. Paul and Jesus said that there is ONE God and said who the one God is--'the FATHER' 1 Cor 8:6; Jn 17:3. Seems to me that since he did not say the father, son and holy spirit is the one God, but said 'THE FATHER' is the one God, Paul either was very confused or just did not know about the 3 persons in one God-- after all, how could millions of people be wrong?! On the other hand there are those who believe that the Father is the one God and He had a son that was created in the beginning and had become flesh, and all authority was given to him by that one and only true God his Father. The purpose of this writing is not to try to convince anyone my view of who or what God is but rather to spark in you a desire to find what God says who He is, after all, I am just a man and my thoughts are not as high as His thoughts (Isa 55:9). The first rule in bible study is to let the bible interpret itself another wards what does God says about what He has said. THE BIBLE IS NOT WHAT MAN SAYS WHAT GOD SAID!! The second rule is to get as close as you can to the language God used (Hebrew, Aramiac and Greek). The third rule is to compare as many different translations as possible. Above all else pray first, that God will teach you though His Spirit. Remember, Its not easy to learn if you have your own preconceived ideas. All scripture is God-breathed: God-breathed comes from the Greek word (2535) Theopneustos / theo meaning God and pneo meaning to breath or blow. Therefore, theopneustos is defined as prompted by God, given by divine inspiration, breathed out by God and produced by the breath of God. God, by divine inspiration has given to us His precious word. REMEMBER: the bible interprets itself never read it with a preconceived idea. Man does not interpret what God has said the bible does that. God, through Paul, said there is ONE God and that is the Father. Since Paul said the Father is the one God, there must be other passages were God said himself, or through other people, who this one God is.

2 Dt 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. The LORD translated from Yhwh (Yahweh or Jehovah: I will use Yahweh for the rest of this writing). This verse reads as: Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one or Yahweh alone is our God. (No trinity here). Ex 6:2 God also said to Moses, I am the LORD. Ex 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. Again, The LORD translates from Yahweh and reads: God said to Moses I am Yahweh. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name Yahweh I did not make myself known to them. (No trinity here either). These 2 verses alone say that Yahweh is the almighty God. ONE PERSON=ONE GOD! Isa 46:9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. In this verse God (Yahweh) says 'I am God, and there is no other'. If God was a being with 3 persons (Father, son, and Holy Spirit), then why did He not say WE are God and say there is none like us? If the trinity is God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit in one God, then sounds like God is confused about who and what He is. Question: Why does the Bible never use the phrase God the son or God the spirit but only says the son of God or the spirit of God? Why does the Holy Spirit not have a name?

3 Think about it: He (meaning 1 person) is 3 persons. This statement above hardly fits what God said, in fact how could he (1 person) be 3 persons? God, Yahweh, said He is one, besides Him there is no other, there is no one like Him. 1 person=1 God. Yahweh said He is the almighty. Almighty also means the only one. Jesus could not be the almighty God because Yahweh is. Scripture and the statement above both state the Yahweh and Jesus are distinct persons, therefore could not be the same God. If the Holy Spirit was a person, why doesn t the Holy Spirit have a name? Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit= One God in essence (being). WITH THEOLOGY THIS BAD, NO WONDER YOU CAN'T ADD!

4 Now lets look at what God, not man, says about the Father and the son. The Father: Ps 41:13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Praise be to Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has no beginning or end. He always was and will be. The Son: Was created by God first before anything else (Proverbs 8:22-30); and worked with God with creating (Colossians 1:15-17 NLT). 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can t see such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. (Note: for vs 16 through see Proverbs 8:22-30). He is the image of the invisible God. Are not images a creation? If something is created then it has a beginning. Man is created in the image of God and has a beginning, just like Jesus, Yahwehs son. Yahweh does not have a beginning, therefore the Father and Son can not be the same persons or being as stated earlier in the christian view of God. Firstborn and first begotten come from the Greek word: Prototokos from protos=first and tikto= to bring forth. To bring forth first. Christ is the image of the invisible God (Yahweh), He was brought forth first (Pro 8:22), for through (1 cor 8:6; Jn 1:3) Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth...(col 1:15, 16). Then after Christ was created, he was brought into the world:...when G3752 he bringeth in G1521 the G3588 firstbegotten G4416 into G1519 the G3588 world, (Heb 1:6, also Jn 1:14).

1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1Jn 1:2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 5 From the beginning: From comes from the Greek word Ek and is used in respect of place, time, source or origin. Lets look at 1 Jn 1:1 and Jn 1:1: That which was from the beginning and was with the Father= Jesus. Apparently, Jesus was with the Father (Yaweh, almighty God) in the beginning. He originated from God in the beginning. Yahweh has no beginning He always was! According to 1 Jn 1:1, Jn 1:1; Col 1:15; and Pro 8:22-30, Jesus was created in the image of God in the beginning, brought forth before anything else in heaven or earth. In the beginning God (Yahweh) created the heavens and the earth and created man in His image. Does that make man God? Christ and Adam were created in Gods image, shouldn t the trinity be the father, sons (Jesus and Adam) and the Holy Spirit? What about all men who were created in Gods image? Summary: The one true God, Yahweh, who has no beginning, is the almighty God. Jesus was created in the beginning in the image of God, Yahweh, the same as man was. Yahweh created Christ in His image, then through Christ (the word, spokesman) Yahweh created the heavens and the earth and then man in His (Yahweh) image. Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God The Greek does not say 'the word was God'! From Interlinear: Notice the 2 different Greek words for God, theon and theos and the reverse order of second half of verse: To understand this verse we need to fully understand the meaning of God in the language that God used.

Elohiym and theos defined: Elohiym (NIV 466; KJV 430 Hebrew word): God; god. Plural in form but has singular and plural uses. It can be referred to as rulers or judges with divine authority (Ex 21:6); Pagan gods (Ex 18:11; Ps 86:8) and angels Ps 8:5. Elohiym can denote god or goddess (1 Sam 5:7; 2 King 18:33) and a man representing God (Ex 7:1) and of course God himself (Dt 7:9; Ez 1:3; Isa 45:18). Translations of Elohiym (H430) in the Old Testament: As those who represent God (judges): KJV Ex 21:6 Then his master H113 shall bring H5066 him unto H413 the judges; H430 he shall also bring H5066 him to H413 the door, H1817 or H176 unto H413 the door post; H4201 and his master H113 shall bore his ear through H7527 (H853) H241 with an aul; H4836 and he shall serve H5647 him for ever. H5769 ASV Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. AMPV Exodus 21:6 Then his master shall bring him to God [the judges as His agents]; he shall bring him to the door or doorpost and shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life. In this verse those who represent God (the judges) was translated from the Hebrew word Elohiym. As angels: KJV Ps 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower H2637 H4592 than the angels, H4480 H430 and hast crowned H5849 him with glory H3519 and honour. H1926 4480 min minnîy minnêy min, min-nee', min-nay'= properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses: - above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over, since, X then, through, X whether, with. The angels are from, among or with God. 6 KJV H430 el-o-heem' Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty. Ps 8:5 could read as: for thou has made him a little lower than those with God... or for thou has made him a little lower than those from among God...

7 Psalm 8:5 (AMP) 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. KJV Ps 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower H2637 H4592 H4480 H430 than the angels, Be careful with translations, this verse in the AMP left out H4480 which is the word that translates to english as from, with or among (see above). It should read as Yet You have made him but a little lower than those who are with, among or from God (heavenly beings). Point is that Elohiym does not always mean God almighty and can be those who represent God. The Greek word Theos corresponds with the Hebrew Elohiym and has the same meaning: KJV G2316 theos / theh'-os Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very: - X exceeding, God, god [-ly,-ward] or a representative too represent. Now that the word God is defined, by the Bible, we can see that the word (Christ) represents God the almighty. So John 1:1 can read as: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (theon), and Gods representative (theos) was the word. 2 He was with God in the beginning. Interestingly enough is the Moffat translation states basicly this same meaning: John 1:1 (MOFF) 1 The Logos (word) existed in the very beginning, the Logos was with God, the Logos was divine. Divine comes from the Greek word (NIV 2521) Thios and is defined as what is uniquely Gods and proceeds from Him. Acts 17:29 (NIV) 29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill. Remember man (Gen 1:27) and Christ (Col 1:15) are made in the IMAGE of God almighty (a divine being)! We can be divine by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:3; Romans 8:2,13) and be as Adam once was when he was created in the image of God, we can be divine and be someone that represents God, a theos.

Christ is called the son of God not God: John 10:31-36 (NIV) 31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? (See Ps 82:6). 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken-- 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? Regarding the trinity if Jesus was God in the flesh, why did he say 'I am Gods son? He was about to be stoned because he was being accused of claiming to be God. Did he lie? Is he God and not know it? OF COURSE NOT!! The two greek words John used in John 1:1 and John 1:18: Some words are spelled the same and its the context around the word that defines it, as we seen earlier with elohiym. The word saw has different meaning depending on context as do many other words. The greek word theos is no different. Jn 1:1 8 We see here John used Theon and Theos and the translators translated both to God, and reversed the order of the second half to make it say 'the word was God'.

Jn 1:18 9 Here John used Theon and Theos and translators translated Theos to son. The NIV translation: No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. No one saw God but God, what he do look in a mirror? Who is at the Fathers side: If God the one and only is at the Father side, who is the Father? John in Revelation 1:14 gave a description of Christ face therefore Christ could not be God according to John 1:18: no one has seen God. We see here the KJV properly translated theos to son which reads: theon (God) no man has seen but the only begotten theos (son) which is in agreement with what Christ said: John 6:46 (NIV) No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God ; only he has seen the Father. John 1:1 properly translated: In the beginning was the spokesman (logos) and the spokesman was with God (theon) and Gods son (theos from Jn 1:18) was the spokesman. Summary: There is only 1 God (Isa 43:10-12), the Father (1 Cor 8:6; Jn 17:3), the almighty, whose name is Yahweh (Ex 6:3; 3:15). He has no beginning (Ps 41:13) and there is no one like Him (Isa 46:9). Elohiym is translated in the literal sense as 'God'. The Son, Christ, was created first (Pro 8:22-30), over all creation in heaven and earth, in the beginning, by the Father in His image (Col 1:15,16; 1Jn 1:1, Jn 1:1). He represents the almighty, the Father. In Jn 1:1, he is referred to as Gods representative (Gr: theos) because he is divine, uniquely Gods and proceeds from Him. Elohiym and theos is translated in a figurative sense as a judge, heavenly being, one who represents the almighty. In Ps 82:3-6, man is called Elohiym, theos ( Gods ) in the same sense that God, the almighty Yahweh, has appointed them for a task, they represent the almighty God, in the same way Christ did. Already the belief of the trinity is falling like a house of cards. Paul said there is one God, the Father. The Father said His name is (YHWH) Yahweh, there is no one like Him and He has no beginning, He always was. The Son and all of mankind was created in the Almighty's image and therefore have a beginning. Question: In 1 Cor 8:6, Pauls statement did not state that the one God was the father, son and holy spirit. Why not?

10 Yahweh the all knowing: Isa 46:9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;i am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. Isa 46:10 I make known the end from the beginning,from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand,and I will do all that I please. The Father knows things that Jesus does not know: Mt 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. If the Father and the son were the same God, surely one would know what the other knows. As I said earlier, it is very important to let the bible interpret itself. God said He is the only God who is almighty, knows all, has no beginning, His name is Yahweh and there is no other like Him. Lets look at 2 passages that supposingly support the trinity. Passage 1: Let us and our image: Verse 26 supposingly support the trinity by God saying let us and our image. Verse 26 even says how man will be made in Gods image HE WILL RULE. God has made mankind to be a kingdom and rule (Rev 1:6) and made us priests to serve get this: CHRIST'S GOD AND FATHER! We will rule a kingdom and serve Christ's God, His Father (Yahweh), that's why Yahweh created man. Yahweh is the almighty God, the almighty ruler, Jesus serves the Father and will rule over the angels (Mt 13:41) and over mankind, that is why he is called the king of kings and lord of lords. He is the king that rules the kings that rules the kingdom the kingdom of God.

11 Lets look at the creation of man: Ge 2:7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul. God was not talking as a 3 in 1 being. Notice that it says 'THE LORD GOD' or as we learned earlier Yahweh God. It was Yahweh that made man from the ground, not a 3 in 1 god but Yahweh God made man. Yahweh made man (Gen 2:7) through Christ the spokesman (Pro 8:22-30; Jn1:1; Col 1:15,16) in His image in the sense that man will rule (Gen 1:26,28; Rev 1:6). Man was also created in Gods image in the way we know good and evil (Gen 3:22) and man can make things from the earth (Gen 2:7). Satan had a hand in making man to know evil (Gen 3:1-14), so when eloheem (Christ, the spokesman logos --Jn 1:1) said 'let us' make man in 'our image', He was talking also to Satan. In Gen 1:26, (eloheem), Christ, was talking to the Allmighty God, for Christ was the spokesman (Jn 1:1) and to Satan (Gen 3:14,22). Eloheem (Christ) said let us make man and YHWH eloheem made the man (Gen 2:7) and according to Jn 1:1 Christ was the spokesman and worked with God all mighty in creating (Col 1:15, 16 NLT)--but it was the All Mighty who did the creating (Proverbs 8:22). By letting the Bible interpret itself, this passage does NOT support the trinity. Passage 2: as we are one: In this passage those who believe in the trinity say that: we (God the father, son and holy spirit) are one (being). According to the context it is NOT what Christ said: Jn 17:20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, Jn 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Jn 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: Jn 17:23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Christ prayed to the Father that all believers will be one as they are one. He was talking about having faith in one another (v21) and being in agreement (v23), not as multiple persons in a single God or being. Remember what YHWH (Yahweh) said: Isa 46:9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. By letting the Bible interpret itself, this passage does NOT support the trinity either.

Another problem with the trinity: 12 Undivided in essence and co equal in power and glory. Ex 6:2 God also said to Moses, I am the LORD. Ex 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. God here says His name is Yahweh (THE LORD; YHWH) and says He is the almighty. Now if Jesus is co equal in power, then Yahweh is not almighty since Jesus has as much power as the Father. Isa 46:9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;i am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. Here Yahweh says HE is God and there is no one like Him. Jesus was begotten of God (Yahweh), the almighty God, and was brought into the world: Heb 1:6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, Let all God s angels worship him. Compare with: Colossians 1:15-16 (NLT) 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can t see such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Jesus was created before anything in heaven or earth and then brought INTO the world

(Jn 1:14). Seems to me the Father is more superior over the son. 13 Phil 2:6 Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be grasped... Here it says Christ did NOT consider equality with God something to be grasped. The saying in the trinity about the son being co equal with the Father contradicts what God says!! The trinity is not found anywhere in the bible, in fact God, Yahweh, the almighty says He is the only God and there is no other like Him! Paul and Jesus said there is but one God, THE FATHER. (1 Cor 8:6; Jn 17:3). I would comment about where the pagan belief of the trinity came from, but I believe that is irrelevant due to the fact that it did not come from God. As we learned earlier, God (Elohiym) also refers to those who represent the almighty. It is those who believe in His son (Jn 6:40), have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), put Gods word into practice (Luke 8:21) and are born into the kingdom of God (Jn 3). a kingdom who represent the almighty Yahweh. The one and only true God. The gospel of the kingdom of God: Mk 1:14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. Mk 1:15 The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news! Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. Paul, for 2 years in his own home, preached about the gospel of the kingdom of God AND taught about Jesus Christ: Ac 28:30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Ac 28:31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. Kingdom of God defined: Da 2:36 This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. Da 2:37 You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; Da 2:38 in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. Da 2:39 After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Da 2:40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron for iron breaks and smashes

14 everything and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Da 2:41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. Da 2:42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. Da 2:43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. Da 2:44 In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Da 2:45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. Rev 1:5...and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, Rev 1:6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen God (Yahweh) sent His son into the world to build His kingdom. Those who believe in Christ will live forever and will be raised at the last day (Jn 6:40) and some will be kings of the earth (Rev 1:5). Must be born again to enter the kingdom of God: Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Jn 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Ro 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. It is through the Spirit that the Father (Yahweh) will give us eternal life (Ro 8:11; Gal 1:1) at the last day (Jn 6:40; Heb 9:27,28) just like Job said: Job 14:10 But man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and is no more. Job 14:11 As water disappears from the sea or a riverbed becomes parched and dry, Job 14:12 so man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep. The sons of Korah (temple assistants) said: Ps 49:11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.

15 When the body dies so does the soul: Man IS A SOUL Gen 2:7. THE SOUL DIES: KJV: (Esword) Jos 10:28 And that H1931 day H3117 Joshua H3091 took H3920 Makkedah, H4719 and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and the king H4428 thereof he utterly destroyed, H2763 them, and all H3605 the souls H5315 that H834 were therein; he let H7604 none H3808 remain: H8300 and he did H6213 to the king H4428 of Makkedah H4719 as H834 he did H6213 unto the king H4428 of Jericho. H3405 Jos 10:39 And he took H3920 it, and the king H4428 thereof, and all H3605 the cities H5892 thereof; and they smote H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and utterly destroyed H2763 (H853) all H3605 the souls H5315 that H834 were therein; he left H7604 none H3808 remaining: H8300 as H834 he had done H6213 Man dies and lies in the grave until the last day. The whole man body and soul.