(To read the Bible passage simply put your cursor over the verse)
WHAT WE MUST BELIEVE ABOUT YAHOSHUA, THE MESSIAH
In this study we'll take a look at everything the scriptures have to say about exactly who the Messiah Yahoshua is, and also a number of things they don't say.
Often times those that say they believe in the Messiah Yahoshua have a very different view of who he is and who he claimed to be, then what we're actually told in the Scriptures.
For instance many people today refer to the Savior as the "god/man," or “god the Son” and often times as the 2nd person of a Trinity. Terms which are often used by Christian minister but never once found in the bible.
The "Trinity" which is the most prominent belief among Christians and Messianic believers today is another term never mentioned in he bible, again not one time. Nor is it ever talked about by the apostles or prophets! But for those that believe in a Trinity, it is said to be 'implied' once in Matthew 28:19. And although the words “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost“ appear in 1 John 5:7 in the King James Version of the Bible they are not found in any other translation except a few Catholic versions. And the Catholic church readily admits those words were not in the original manuscripts, but added to 1 John centuries later (see 1 John 5:7)
Still there are other who say the Holy Spirit is not a person, or being, and say they believe in the 2 in 1 god, which is made up of the Father Yahuweh and the Son Yahoshua. And although both the Father and Son are said to be the “Almighty God“ they say that mysteriously the two are actually ‘one‘. Claiming it‘s a mystery that cannot be explained or understood. But again, it’s a mystery that is never mentioned in the entire Bible.
And finally, there are some that believe and teach, what I believe to be possibly the most bizarre of the all the teachings put forth today concerning the Messiah, it's what is called ’oneness’ doctrine. And although there are many versions to the 'Oneness" teaching, basically it states that the Almighty Yahuweh, ceased to be the ’Father.’ That's right, He is said to have ceased to exist when the Messiah appeared on earth. The Father ceased to be the Father and now took on the form of the Son. Meaning there wasn’t a Father in heaven when the Son was on earth. You might be asking yourself, if there wasn’t a Father in Heaven well who then was the Son praying to when he lifted his eyes to heaven and said, “Father the hour has glorify thy Son” (John 17:1), or “Father, save me from this hour” (John 12:27). I asked those same question to a Oneness believer, as they are called. It was explained to me that the Messiah wasn’t actually praying to anyone, he was "throwing his voice" to make it seem to his disciples that he was praying, thereby giving them an example as to how to pray.
As I mentioned, this is without question the most bizarre of all the concepts of who the Almighty is that I‘ve ever heard, and for that reason I won’t spend any time discussing it.
Those concepts may sound ‘confusing’ to some of us, but needless to say in the minds of those who believe them there said to make perfect sense.
But do they really?
Setting aside the confusion.
Why then if such terms as the "god/man", "god the son", and "Trinity" are never used or even mentioned in the Bible are these terms used by so many in the world today that claim to believe and follow the Scriptures?
With such confusion going on among so-called bible believers, as to just who the Messiah Yahoshua is I believe it would be prudent on our part to examine what the Scriptures actually teach about the Savior and what he actually says about himself.
An important thing to keep in mind as you're reading all of the passages concerning the Messiah Yahoshua that will be quoted here from the 'New' Testament, is that the things you're about to read were written years, actually decades, after his death and resurrection.
Why is that important?
It's important to realize that the apostles and disciples wrote their respective gospels and epistles literally decades “after” the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The earliest epistle said to have been written is the letter to the Galatians, written around 48-49 A.D. The gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke were written in 65, 67 and 68 A.D., respectively. And most scholars believe that John wrote his gospel after he wrote the Book of Revelation sometime around the year 98 A.D., over 60 years after the resurrection. How does our realizing that the letters of the “New” Testament were actually written decades after the preaching the Good News help us in our understanding of the Scriptures? There are many reasons, one being that it clearly shows that after 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years of first 'preaching' that Yahoshua is the Messiah the apostle had a very good understanding of exactly who the Messiah Yahoshua was, and who he claimed to be, and never once did they ever mention such a thing as a Trinity, or try telling anyone that Yahoshua was actually the “god/man” or “god the son”. And never did they ever tell anyone to believe Yahoshua was actually the Almighty.
Yahoshua - the Prophet
One of the first prophecies of the Messiah was given through Moses in :
Deut 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Deut 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my
words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
So one of the things the people of Israel were expecting was ‘a Prophet’ which is exactly who they thought Yahoshua to be.
Mat 21:10-11 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
"And the multitude said, This is Yahoshua, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
And later when the Leaders sought to kill the Messiah, they feared the multitude, why, was it because everyone thought Yahoshua to be the Almighty, or that Yahuweh Himself came to earth? No, of course not, but because they thought him to be a prophet. And just as all the prophets before him, they wanted to kill Yahoshua. (Luk 11:47-48)
"But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet." Matthew 21:46
The woman at the well, when Yahoshua revealed to her things about her life, who did she think him to be?
Joh 4:19 The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
Instead of correcting her, as so many 'ministers' today would have done, by saying “Oh no, Master, you’re not only the ‘prophet, you’re the Almighty God”, Yahoshua told her that he, himself, was a worshiper of Yahuweh.
John 4:22 You worship that what you know not: we (including himself) know what weworship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 6:14 "Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Yahoshua did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world."
John 7:40 "Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is that Prophet."
Indeed, how did Yahoshua describe himself? As a 'prophet' and never as Almighty God.
Luke 13:33 "Nevertheless I, Yahoshua must walk to day, and tomorrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem."
It was the 'prophet' that was to perish, not the Almighty
Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Yahoshua said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.
In Matthew chapter 21, surely by this time in Yahoshua’s ministry the people would have realized that Yahoshua was the Almighty. But again never did anyone think such a thing.
Mat 21:10-11 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? "And the multitude said, This is Yahoshua the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."
And later when the Religious leaders sought to kill the Messiah, they feared the multitude, why? Because everyone thought him to be the Almighty God? No, never, but rather because they thought him to be a prophet.
Matthew 21:46 "But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."
When the Savior brought back to life a mother's only son, who did the people think the Son of man to be?
Luke 7:16, And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, Saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!' and God has visited his people!"
Did the people think that this 'great prophet' was the Almighty God, NO, but rather God, the Almighty Yahuweh, had visited His people by sending them this great prophet
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" Matt 16:13
Notice that no one thought that he was the ‘Living God,' or the Most High God, or as so many today believe that he was part of a 2 in 1 god, or a 3 in 1 god of the Trinity. Something that is never mentioned, not one time in the entire bible.
As I mentioned earlier, with all the confusion as to who the Messiah, Yahoshua, was and is, let's allow him to tell us in his own words.
In John 17:3 Yahoshua tells us , "This is eternal life that they might know you Father the only true God and Yahoshua the Messiah whom you sent."
It would seem to me that for someone to hear it from the mouth of the Messiah himself that would be enough to settle the question as to who the only true God is, which of course is the Heavenly Father, who’s name is Yahuweh. But as clear of a statement as that seems to be, many today refuse to believe it, and continue to cling to this notion of a 2 in 1, or 3 in 1 god, known as the Trinity .
Eternal Life is predicated not just on our recognizing Yahoshua as the Messiah, but also recognizing the Father as the Only True God. "This is Eternal Life to know you Father the Only True God...and...Yahoshua the Messiah, who you sent.“
It is without question a matter of Eternal Life, our Salvation, to believe the Savior, always, and especially, when He tells us that his Father, not him, but the Father is the “Only" True God. To deny this is to deny the words of the Messiah Himself, and it will cost many their salvation.
Why was Yahoshua worshiped?
The Messiah Yahoshua was worshipped by many people, as were all of Yahuweh’s representatives, such as the kings and prophets, before him, but did this, the fact that Yahoshua was worshipped imply that people thought him to be God Almighty. Of course not, as the following examples will show. (see the article on “Why do we worship the Messiah?“)
We'll take a look at the examples of the times the Messiah was worshiped, and then we look at who it is the people doing the worshipping thought the Messiah to be.
Mat 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Mat 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mat 9:18 While he spoke these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Mat 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
All the above examples of the Messiah being worshipped are found in Gospel of Matthew, chapters 2 thru 15 and as chapter 16 will show, no one thought they were worshipping the Almighty.
Matt 16:13 ... He was asking his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
Now if the fact that Yahoshua was worshipped implied somehow that he was Almighty God
the apostles who seen the Messiah worshipped on numerous occasions, and even they themselves worshiped him (Matt 14:33) should have said, "well Master since you've been worshipped by us and others surely we, and they, believe you to be God Almighty." But they didn't say that. Why? Because no one ever expected the Almighty God Himself to come to earth. And never did the Messiah claim to be the Almighty. Listen to what the people did think about Yahoshua, the one they worshipped.
Matt 16:14-16 And they said, "Some of the people say you are John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets, He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God"
Notice that "no one" thought him to be the Almighty God.
What Yahoshua’s disciples believed and taught about Yahoshua.
After the Messiah rose from the died, he met two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. Surely, after spending possibly two to three years with the Messiah during his ministry while he walked the earth, eating, sleeping, walking, talking to the Master, they would have known he was the Almighty God, Himself. But again, the answer is no, never, did anyone think such a thing.
Luke 24:19 "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Yahoshua of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before Yahuweh and all the people:"
What John preached and touch about Yahoshua.
The apostle John tells us that every thing he wrote was to convince the people of what, that Yahoshua was the Almighty? No.
John 20:30; Many other signs therefore Yahoshua also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
John 20:31 But these are written, that you might believe that Yahoshua is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.
John clearly tells us not once but twice that "no man has seen God at any time"
"...no man has seen God at any time..." John 1:18,
"No one has beheld God at any time..."1 John 4:12
And yet listen to what he says of the Savior, Yahoshua.
1 John 1:1, "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life..."
John believed, preached and taught that "Yahoshua was the Messiah", sent by Yahuweh, never did he tell anyone to believe Yahoshua was Almighty God, or part of a Trinity.
1Joh 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denies that Yahoshua is the Messiah? He is anti-messiah, that denies the Father and the Son.
1Joh 5:1 Whosoever believes that Yahoshua is the Messiah is born of God: and every one that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten of him.
Now turn to the passage where John tells us to believe that Yahoshua is Almighty God ? He never does.
What Paul preached and taught about Yahoshua
The apostle Paul taught and preached that "Yahoshua was the Messiah". Again, never did he, or anyone else, ever tell anyone to believe he was the God Almighty.
Act 5:42, "And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Yahoshua as the Messiah."
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Yahoshua Messiah is the Son of God.
Now let's consider what the apostle Paul taught about the Savior after his conversion in Act 9:1-22, when Yahoshua Himself appeared to him, on the road to Damascus.
Act 9:19-22, "...Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Yahoshua in the synagogues, saying, he is "the Son of God" And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on the name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Yahoshua is the Messiah.
Was Paul 'confounding ' the Jews by telling them that the Almighty was not the Father alone (John 17:3) but rather some Triune God, of which the Messiah was the 2nd part of? NO, NEVER did Paul or anyone else try to tell anyone such a thing, but he confound the Jews by proving from the scriptures that Yahoshua was the 'the Messiah.'
Act 17:2-3, And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Yahoshua whom I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah."
Act 17:31, "...because He (Yahuweh) has fixed a day in which He (Yahuweh) will judge the world in righteousness through a Manwhom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
Peter and Paul both refer to Yahoshua as the "Man." And never as the 'god/man'.
Act 18:5 And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Yahoshua was Messiah.
Act 18:28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, [and that] publicly, showing by the scriptures that Yahoshua was Messiah.
Rom 16:27 "...to the only wise God through Yahoshua the Messiah"
Could the 'only wise God here possibly have included the Savior, Yahoshua?
1 Cor 8:6 "...yet for us there is but one God the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him and one Lord (Master), Yahoshua the Messiah, through whom are all things, and we exist through Him."
1 Cor 11:3, "But I want you to understand that Messiah is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God (Yahuweh) is the head of the Messiah."
2 Cor 5:19-20, namely, that God was in the Messiahreconciling the world to Himself,..."
Paul is not saying that the Messiah "was" God but that God was "in" the Messiah.' As He is in all of His true Worshippers, but not to the same extent that He was in the Savior, of course.
2Co 6:16 ….. for you are the temple of the living God; as Yahuweh has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Eph 4:5-6 "...one Lord (or Master, Yaoshua), one faith, one baptism, one God and Father (Yahuweh)of all who is over all and through all and in all."
1 Thes 1:9, For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His (the living and true God's) Son..."
Yahoshua is not the living true God, but rather the Son of the 'living and true God'.
1 Tim 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the manMessiah, Yahoshua."
Who is the mediator between God and man? "The Man" Yahoshua the Messiah.
The list can go on and on, as to who the apostles told the early assemblies, that God was and is, and who they said Yahoshua was and is. And 'NEVER, EVER' did anyone tell the people to believe that the Savior was the God Almighty or part of a Trinity.
Why is it that never did anyone teach and preach that Yahoshua is Almighty God, along with the Father? Because he isn't. He is the Messiah sent by God.
What did Peter believe and teach about the Messiah, Yahoshua?
In Acts chap 2, when Peter gave his first sermon to the thousands of Jews that had gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Pentecost, He explained to them for the first time the things concerning Yahoshua. Please listen to what he had to say, and what he "did not" say.
Act 2:22, "Men of Israel listen to these words: Yahoshua the Nazarene, a manattested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Himin your midst, just as you yourselves know..."
And verse 36,
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that Yahuweh has made Himboth Lord (Master) and Messiah, - this Yahoshua whom you impaled,"
3000 souls were saved that day by Peter's preaching and never once did he try to imply to anyone that Yahoshua was God, but rather that God worked 'through' Yahoshua, and Yahuweh ‘made him’ both Lord and Messiah' (Act 2:36)
Peter again years later, in his sermon to the first ‘gentile' converts, Cornelius and his family, in Act 10:38, we find Peter explaining to them,
"You know of Yahoshua of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him",
and vs 42, "And He (Yahuweh), ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead"
Why is it that the writers of the New Testament, who always open their letters with such phrases as, "God the Father" or "God our Father," or "the God and Father of our Lord (Master), Yahoshua the Messiah, why is it that they "never" use such terms as "god the Son" or "the blessed part of the Trinity," or "to the Blessed Triune God"? The answer is simple of course, because such a thing as a Triune God, or the idea that Yahoshua was the Almighty, NEVER existed in Israel or anywhere in the entire Bible. It was literally centuries later that such a teaching took hold. When the Catholic Church was first organized in 325 A.D. (see the article "The Trinity).
Who did Martha believe Yahoshua to be?
Martha, a woman very close to the Savior and one whom Yahoshua loved (John 11:5) knew and understood exactly who the Messiah was and was not.
John 11:21-22, Martha therefore said to Yahoshua, "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."
Obviously she did not think of Yahoshua as the 'god/man' as so many do today. But rather she understood that he was 'sent from God,' which is exactly what the Savior tells us he wanted the people to believe.
Verse 42, Yahoshua said "And I knew that you hear Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that You did send Me."
Verse 45, Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary and beheld what He had done, believed in Him.
What did they believe? That they were actually looking at the Almighty, Himself, of course not, but rather that this is a man 'sent from God. '
They understood that God gave this authority to the man, Yahoshua. Which is what the Savior said on a number of occasions, such as;
Matt 11:27, "All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father..."
Jn 3:35, "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His Hand"
Lk 10:22, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father..."
Of course, His Father was and is "His" God, John 20:17
Joh 20:17 Yahoshua said unto her, ….go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Jn 7:16, "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself"
Rev 3:12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,…I will write upon him the name of my God, ….and the name of the city of my God, ….which comes down out of heaven from my God: …
How many times does the Savior have to tell people that "his" God is our God, before people start to believe him?
Who did the Religious Leaders believe Yahoshua to be?
If Yahoshua would have at any time claimed to be the Almighty God, or equal to the Almighty, that would have been justification enough to put him to death. But of course never did he say such a thing.
When the religious leaders tried to find any 'false' accusations against the Messiah,that they might put Him to death they couldn’t find any.
Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Yahoshua, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses
Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
Notice that they NEVER, EVER, tried accusing Him of calling himself God Almighty, even at His trial. But they did accuse him of ‘trusting’ in God.
Mat 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
Mat 27:40 And saying, You that will destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Mat 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
Mat 27:43 He trusted in God; let him, God, deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
Again even though the Pharisees, who while the Savior was preaching and teaching, tried to 'falsely accuse' Him of claiming to be God, in such passages as John 10:30 and John 5:18, NEVER did anyone bring up such accusation at His trial, instead they accused Him of "Trusting in God."
Who did Nicodemus believe Yahoshua to be?
John 3:1-2, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him (Yahoshua) by night. And said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with Him."
"God was with the Messiah" never did the Messiah, nor any of his disciples claim that he was the Almighty. Even his enemies looking for a reason to put him to death, accused him of "trusting in God" but never accused him of claiming to be God. I believe if any one honestly wanted to know what the Apostles taught in the early days of the 'church', all that would be necessary is to read through the book of Acts, and by believing what the apostles said, without adding anything to the Scriptures, such as terms like, the 'god/man, or the 'Trinity', or god the Son,' or the '2nd person of the godhead,' etc, all terms which are NEVER found in the Bible, I am convinced that any confusion someone might have had would soon disappear. As quoted above, Peter in his first sermon to the Jews in Act 2:22. And also his first sermon to the first Gentile converts, in Act 10:38. made it clear that God was with the Messiah' NOT that the Messiah was actually the God, Himself.
Other examples to consider
In Act 18:24-28, We're told of Apollos, who was an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, meaning He knew what the Bible said. He went about teaching ACCURATELY the things concerning Yahoshua. And he helped greatly those who had believed through grace. While keeping in mind that Apollos, spoke 'accurately' the things concerning Yahoshua, notice what He taught about Yahoshua. You would assume if you listened to the preachers of today that Apollos would have, and should have, tried proving from the Scriptures that Yahoshua was the 2nd person of the Triune ‘god‘, or the god/man, but he never did such a thing.
Act 18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures.
Act 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of Yahuweh; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Yahoshua, ….. and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,
Act 18:28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Yahoshua was the Messiah.
Why didn't Apollos, as many Christian preachers today would have tried to do, 'powerfully refute the Jews' by provinig to them that Yahoshua was not only the Messiah but was also the Almighty Himself, or at least "part" of the Almighty God? The reason is because such a concept was NEVER taught by anyone in the Bible. NEVER, not one time, are we told to believe Yahoshua is the Almighty, or part of a Trinity.
The passages stated above, are what I call 'Black and White' there isn't anything confusing about them, it is just a question of our willingness to believe them. You can't possibly be deceived if you read and believe all that has been said thus far. The danger comes in when people start "adding" to the scriptures things that the Scriptures NEVER talk about, such as the 3 in 1 god, the 2 in 1 god, or the 'god/man' or 'god the son' - all terms which are never found in the bible.
The Almighty, Yahuweh is NOT a 'Mystery,' He is not a 3 headed god, which is something all the pagan religions believed in, but rather He is Yahuweh, the Only True God, the Father and God of our Savior Yahoshua the Messiah. The only one that would try to deceive you into denying this Truth is the Adversary, Satan.
Humble yourself in the sight of Yahuweh, and believe the words of the Savior that his Father is the ONLY True God. John 17:3
"We are from Yahuweh; he who knows Yahuweh listens to us (the Apostles); he who is not from Yahuweh does not listen to us, By this we know the spirit of Truth and the spirit of error" 1 John 4:6,
Throughout the entire 'New' Testament, we are told over and over again to believe that "Yahoshua is the Messiah" the one send from God. (John 17:3). And "never" are we told to believe that Yahoshua is the Almighty God.
" even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods…., yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord (or Master), Yahoshua the Messiah, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him." 1 Cor 8:5-6,
(Remember that God, the Almighty, ‘made' Yahoshua ‘Lord' and Messiah, Act 2:36)
Rom 16:27, "...to the only wise God , ‘through'Yahoshua Messiah, be the glory forever. Amen.
John 20;17, "...go to my Brethren and say them, I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God."
Eph 1:17, "that the God of our Master Yahoshua the Messiah, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him
1 Pet 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yahoshua the Messiah,..."
Who is the God of our Savior Yahushua? Its his Father and ours, Yahuweh (John 20:17).
Now lets go to the Savior Himself to learn who He says "His God" and Father is
While the Savior walked the earth or even after he ascended into heaven never did he once claim, as so many believe today, to be the Almighty or equal with Almighty. But rather He made it perfectly clear, that His Father, who was also His God, and ours, John 20:17, was ‘greater then He' John 14:28.
(as I mentioned, ask for the articles on such passages as John 10:30 , John 8:58, etc)
John 20:17, "...go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to My Father and you Father, and MY God and your God."
John 14:28, "...for the Father is greater than I."
When the Religious Leaders of his time, who were seeking to kill Him for fear of their losing, both their positions and their nation, because of the many miracles that he performed, (John 11:47- 48, 53, Matt 12:12, etc.) He explained to them, that He was, "a man" whose has told you the truth, which I heard from God." (John 8:40).
He told them, "if God were your Father you would of loved me for I have proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He (God) sent me, (John 8:42).
Does this sound like the Savior was trying to convince any one that He was actually the Almighty?
He even went as far as to say that the things He spoke, He didn't speak on His own, but said, "the Father who sent, gave me a commandmentas to what to say and what to speak." John 12:49.
Yahoshua was ‘commanded’ what to say and speak what he did.
Could this be one part of the Trinity commanding the other part of the Trinity as for what to say? I realize how ludicrous that sounds even to suggest such a thing, but that is exactly what so many today believe.
Yahoshua often times told those around Him,
"I have come not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me, John 6:38."
Again in, John 7:17, "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from myself."
Could the Messiah be part of a Trinity and have a 'different will' than the other part of the Trinity ?
So much did He want to obey 'His God and Father', that in the final hours of His life on earth, when the realization set in of the terrible suffering and death he was about to endure, Mark 10:34, for my sins and yours, he was in such great agony, that his sweat was as great drops of blood, Luk 22:44, And he cried out to Yahuweh, to remove this cup from Him, that if there was any other way this could be done that it was His desire to do so. Three times He asked that He might not have to go through this, and yet three times He added, "...yet not as I will but your will be done" Matt 26:39, 42, 44. And because there wasn't any other way, the one "who knew no sin, became sin for us" 2 Cor 5:21.
When one comes to realize that Yahoshua was and is not some part of a 2 in 1, or 3 in 1 god, or Trinity, and recognizes that He was "a man" (John 8:44, Act 2:22, Act 17:31) and as a man was tempted with the same passions and desires that we are tempted with, I believe it has a far more profound impact on our walk with him (1 John 2:6). Then to think He was the ‘Almighty' Himself, who of course is not even able to be tempted, let alone sin.
(Compare Jam 1:13, "God cannot be tempted' with Heb 4:15, Yahushua, "who has been tempted in all things...")
To Whom was the Book of Revelation "revealed"?
Have you ever considered "who" revealed the Book of Revelation to the apostle John?
Of course it was the Messiah Yahoshua. But who revealed it to the Messiah?
Revelation 1:1, "The Revelation of Yahoshua the Messiah, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,..."
John wrote the book of Revelation on the island of Patmos, some 60 years after the Messiah took his seat at the right hand of God, in heaven. And it was at that time, 60 years after his resurrection, that Yahuweh, the Father, "revealed"to the Messiah the things that were soon to take place. And the Messiah then communicated it to his angels and the angels to John.
If you answer this question honestly you can very well be starting your entrance through that "small gate" and begin your walk down that "narrow road that leads to life" Matt 7:14.
Question: is it possible to "reveal" anything to the Almighty that He doesn't already know? The answer is of course a resounding "NO" there isn't anything that the Almighty doesn't know. Then since the Book of Revelation was "revealed" to Yahoshua the Messiah, some 60 years after his resurrection, can he possibly be the Almighty, or part of the Almighty?
Rev 1:1, The Revelation of Yahoshua the Messiah, ‘which God gave him'.
Messiah didn't know the Last Day and Hour
When discussing the Tribulation with his disciples and his eminent return, he said; in
Mk 13:32, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, not the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
Could it be that one part of the ‘Trinity' had knowledge that the other two parts weren't privileged to have? Notice that the 3rd part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is not mentioned as having knowledge of the ‘day and hour' either, why? Because the Holy Spirit is not a person or being, it is ‘the Spirit of Yahuweh, Yahuweh who is the only true God.
Some, in the past have suggested, that while Yahoshua was in his human form that he chose to ‘forget' some things. Of course such an idea is never mentioned in the scriptures. And such could not have been the case here because when he returned after his death and before he ascended to Heaven, his disciples asked him again, concerning the time of the end.
Act 1:6-7, When they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying, Master, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power...."
Can we blaspheme 2 of the 3 parts of the Trinity?
Matt 12:32, "whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or the age to come."
Now for those that believe in a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, you would have to agree that you can be forgiven for blaspheming 2 parts of the Trinity, the Father and the Son. But if you were to blasphemy the 3rd part there is no forgiveness. Do you really believe that?
What the Savior is saying here is that if you blaspheme the Father, Yahuweh, who is the Spirit (John 4:23-24, Num 15:30) there will be no forgiveness.
Yahoshua often called upon "his" God.
Mk 15:34, At the ninth hour Yahoshua cried out with a loud voice, ...'My El, My El, why have you forsaken me?"
John 20:17; "...go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God."
Rev 3:12; He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and He will not go our from it anymore and 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 My new name.,"
When the Savior spoke to the woman at the well, he didn't hesitate in telling her that he is a worshiper of God, not that He was God, the Almighty. John 4:22, Yahoshua said, "You worship what you do not know; we (including himself) worship which we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But and hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers"
Friend, that hour is here, will you join the "true worshipers" and worship the Father is spirit and truth. And leave behind the Catholic teaching of the 3 in 1 god, or Trinity? Years ago I would have argued vehemently in defense of a Trinity, which I believed in at the time. Until someone took the time to sit down and go through the passages I felt supported such a thing. At which point I had to humbly confess I was wrong. The Messiah, that I would be willing to die for is not the Almighty, or part of a Trinity.
Or will you continue to deny the very words of the One you say you believe in by refusing to believe that His Father is His God and ours. (John 20:17)
Also see the articles
"I said you are gods (elohim) John 10:34
"In the beginning was the Word.... John 1:1
"I and the Father are One" John 10:30
Should we worship the Messiah? Yes, but why?
How many are sitting on the Almighty's throne?
"Before Abraham was I AM" John 8:58
I John 5:7 "...three that bear record in heaven..."
John 5:20 "...this is the true God"
John 1:1 - "..and the Word was God"
The first born of all Creatioin - Col 1:15; Rev 3:14; Heb 1:1-2
Deut 6:4 "Hear Oh Israel, Yahuweh our God is ONE"
Why does the Savior tell us His Father is the Only True God? John 17:3
This article is not intended to 'tear down' anyone's faith but rather to 'build it up.' To bring people to the point in their walk in which they'll believe the words of Savior when he said, "This is Eternal Life that you know the Father, the Only True God....." John 17:3.
May Almighty Yahuweh, the God and Father of our Master Yahoshua, bless those that seek after Him in 'Spirit and Truth'.