2--The Godhead

(The Bible reveals there are
three persons in the Godhead)

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" --Genesis 1:26


Note: God said “Let us . . .” More than one person was involved in this work.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" --Matthew 28:19


Note: This verse mentions the three persons of the Godhead – Our Father in Heaven (as it reads in the Lord’s prayer), the Son (who we understand to be Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost (also called the Holy Spirit), who is ever present with us.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, [be] with you all. Amen." --2 Corinthians 13:14


Note: Here the apostle Paul mentions the three. What is interesting is the grace provided by the death of God’s Son, the love of the Father in giving His Son, and the Holy Ghost being with us in our daily lives. Each person of the Godhead has a special work in the plan for our salvation. Yet, they blend as a whole in purpose and plan.

"[There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all." -- Ephesians 4:4-6


Note: These three are one, in the sense they work in harmony to accomplish what needs to be done for mankind, as well as for the rest of the universe.

"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." --1 Peter 1:2


Note: Here again we see the work of each member of the Godhead. The overall plan and love of the Father, the sanctifying influence of the Spirit, and the shed blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Our Heavenly Father
The Father is the first member of the Godhead.


"When Jesus was on earth He glorified and honored His heavenly Father.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." – 1 Corinthians 15:28


Note: The Father works with and in His Son to accomplish His will. Yet, we shall find the Son a willing Servant of His loving Father. Never is there friction between them. Complete cooperation exists in the Godhead. As we learn to submit to the will of God we shall find ourselves more and more in harmony with His plans. This is because we understand His love for us more and trust Him more.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." --John 3:16


Note: Here we see the Father’s love demonstrated in the giving of His Son for the good of all of us.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." --John 14: 9-13


Note: Jesus came to show us the Father, yet the disciples were slow to understand. Do we have a picture of the Father as harsh and ready to punish? Look at Jesus and we shall see He is all that He declared to Moses when he asked nearly the same question as Phillip.

The Son of God
The second member of the Godhead
(We know by many names. Among the are Savior, Messiah, the only begotten
of the Father, Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." --John 1:1-4,14


Note: Jesus Christ is called the WORD here. He is the part of the Godhead who became flesh and died for our sins. Besides this, we can see from this text, and other texts, He had an active part in all creation. Think of it! The almighty, powerful Creator of the universe became part of His creation, so He could save them! What wonderful love!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." --John 3:16


Note: Jesus was His Son, called the only begotten. Their relationship is closer than any human relationship can be. The wonderful thing about this is He wants us to be one in spirit with Him and His Father. We shall learn more about this later.

"I and [my] Father are one. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him." --John 10:30, 36-38


Note: This statement is made by the Son of God. What more could be said? We can see the Father and Son are in perfect unity in their plans and purposes.

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven." --Colossians 1:12-20


Note: Here again we see our Saviour’s part in creation. He is made the head of the church. Because He was resurrected, all those who choose to follow Him will be resurrected.

The Holy Spirit
(The Spirit, who is the third member of the Godhead,
works to glorify the Son and the Father.)

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:1, 2


Note: God’s Spirit had an active part in creation. How this took place, God has not revealed. We shall find the Holy Spirit has an active part in everything.

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." --Luke 1:35

Note: The incarnation of the Son of God is a mystery beyond mankind. The third member of the Godhead had a part in this. As always, cooperation between the members of the Godhead brings wonderful things to pass.

"The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." --Luke 4:18, 19

Note: Jesus speaks of the anointing of the Spirit in His life. He quotes from Isaiah 61. While He was on the earth He depended on the aid of the Holy Spirit in His life. And, He expects us to do the same.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost]:" --Matthew 28:19


(Sometimes called Holy Ghost and sometimes Holy Spirit)

Note: Here again we see the cooperation in the work between the members of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit has a very important place in the work of redemption.

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." --Acts 10:38

Note: Jesus was anointed with the Spirit and given power to work on this earth in a mighty way.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord." --2 Corinthians 3:21


Note: It is the Holy Spirit that makes the changes in our lives, as we submit to God day by day. Sometimes He woos us and wins us over a long period of time. Our conversion may seem sudden, but really God has been working with us through His Spirit for a period of time. Also, our growth in grace and our overcoming those traits of character must be done through the divine power of God’s Spirit working in us.

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." --Acts 1:8


Note: When we receive the Holy Spirit into our lives we shall be witnesses wherever we are. It is the power of His Spirit that makes our words effective in the lives of others. We cannot cause others to change or convict them, but the Holy Spirit can. Yet, our cooperation with God in this work is important.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." -- John 14:16-18, 26


Note: Jesus tells us we need this heavenly Comforter to teach us and bring things to our remembrance. We don’t see Him but we will become aware of Him working in us. He helps us, also, to interpret God’s word correctly. Yet, only those who are willing to let the God lead in their lives daily will have this experience

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. --John 15:26, 27

Note: The Spirit testifies of the Saviour, and He is sent by the Father. He is called the Spirit of truth.

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show [it] unto you." --John 16:7-14

Note: The Spirit, like the rest of the Godhead, is completely unselfish. He has much to tell us of the plan of redemption. Yet, everything He tells us is in harmony with the written word of God. He was in the writing of that word, and He is in the interpretation of the word. As the Bible says, there is no “private interpretation.” We shall see how much in harmony the different writers of the Bible are, because they were all moved by the same Spirit of God. May we learn to be in harmony because we are listening to that “still, small voice” of God’s Spirit.

CONCLUSION:

Are you ready to find out
more about the Godhead’s plan for your own life?