The Only True God

The title of the day, The Only True God. You might say, well, I thought we were all going to be gods. Well, we are going to be on the god plane in resurrection. Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. He's not ashamed to call us brethren. We shall see that as we go along here today. We often hear that God is one because God is a family, and there is only one God family. While that is true, it does not explain how Jesus Christ could say the one true God. So let's turn to John, John chapter 17, Jesus Christ, and this heartfelt prayer to the Father. These words spoke Jesus, John 17, verse 1. These words spoke Jesus and lifted up his eyes in heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son, that your son also may glorify you. Of course, we'll be talking about the son giving up his glory a great deal from Philippians chapter 2 a little later. As you have given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. And this is life eternal. Life eternal. This is life eternal. There's one place in the Bible that talks about the eternal spirit, and it's Hebrews 9 and verse 14.

Do you know that when you are begotten of the Spirit of God, I'm going to read Hebrews 9 and 14 at this time. When you are begotten of the Spirit of God, then you are begotten of the eternal spirit. And that eternal spirit, how old is the eternal spirit? Well, we don't know at some point in eternity. In 914, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Eternal spirit, the spirit that has always existed, just as God has always existed, and the one who became Jesus Christ has always existed, of course, their spirit, because the essence of God in Christ is the Holy Spirit. And we have that same spirit dwelling within us. Now continuing in John 17, verse 3, and this is life eternal that they might know you the only true God. So the title of the sermon is The Only True God. Jesus said it, and I just repeated it, that you might know the only true God. Do you really know the only true God, and do you know why Jesus could say that he is the only true God?

You might know the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent.

We should note at this point that there are two New Testament writers, both apostles, that could be considered theologians and Christologists. Theology is the study of God. And in academic circles, theology is the study of God, and Christology is the study of Christ. And there are, of course, many other ologies that go with one who is pursuing a degree in theology.

So mainly, we'll be using quotes from both John and Paul and other places. We should begin with the fact that the plan of salvation was developed before time began. We have gone to this scripture many times, but in 2 Timothy 1 and verse 9, 2 Timothy 1 and verse 9, who has saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, who calls us? God the Father. No one can come to me except the Father draw him, and I will raise him up to the last day, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Now, that word world is in the Greek kronos, and it's the word from which we get chronology, and it means time. From the time before time began, time as we know time. The plan of salvation was developed before, as we know time, back in the ancient days, and who knows how long ago that was as we measure time. The word gave up his glory, and he took on the form of man. So now we go to Philippians, G-E-P-C. I'm wondering where Philippians is. Philippians chapter 2. In Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5, this is the kind of sermon for, I would say, advanced students. You're not going to get it unless you follow it. You're not going to remember it unless you take notes. There's no way. Let this mind, which go to Philippians 2 and verse 5, let this man be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery. Now, that word robbery translated from the Greek means a thing to be seized.

It wasn't a thing to be seized to be equal with God because he was already equal with God. There's such thing as the quantity and quality. And of course, there's authority and there is submission. But at one time in eternity, the one that we know as the word, as it says in John 1, 1, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, we know that in the scripture, he is oftentimes he being the one who became Jesus Christ, is called the word.

Her being in the form of God thought it not robbery. That is a thing to be seized to be equal, ISIS, I-S-O-S, with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the snake. Wherefore, God has also highly exalted him, given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. It is no wonder that God has exalted Jesus Christ to the extent that he has. He now sits on the right hand of the Father as our heart priest, making intercession for us, because he gave up his glory in this same prayer that we prayed in John 17, in verse 5 of believe it is. He's John 17. 5 of believe it is. He says, restore unto me the glory that I had with you before the world began, or before time began. So at this point in eternity, the point in which Jesus Christ humbled himself and said, I will do it. I will give up my glory, and I will humble myself and take on the form of a man. And as I mentioned from John 1.1, he was called the word. Oftentimes from John 1.1, it says the word was made flesh. 1.14 agreed to give up his glory and his equality in authority, and humbled himself to become the only begotten son of the Father. Now, he was the only begotten son of the Father at that time. Some contend the one we address now as God the Father was always in charge before the word was brought, was thought before the word, who thought it not thing to be seized to be equal with God, as it says in Philippians. Thought it not robbery, which literally means a thing to be seized to be equal with God.

As we've already noted from Hebrews 9 and verse 14, that we are begotten by the eternal spirit of God. The same spirit that is in God is in Christ is in us, there is one spirit. In Ephesians 4 it says it clearly.

Now, he gave up his glory and the Father begat him. Now, how can you be a father before you begat anyone?

Let that sink in. How can you be a father before you beget anyone? Now, as I said, some think that the one who is the Father has always been in charge.

But it does not say clearly that in the scripture. And as we read, it thought it not a thing to be seized to be equal with God. He was on the God plane, and he gave up his glory and became a man. Now, the beginning of Jesus is covered in Luke 1 and verse 35. It's amazing that there's only one verse really dedicated to this in Luke 1 and verse 35. And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the highest shall overshadow you. So the messenger angel Gabriel came to her and said, the power of the Holy Spirit shall overshadow you. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. That's Luke 1 and 35. And Jesus Christ, after he was born, he was named Emmanuel, and he was named Jesus.

Now, why would he give up his glory and become a man and volunteer to die for the sins of the world? Why would he do that?

Why would he humble himself so much? We have difficulty in humbling ourselves over the least of matters. The answer is given in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2 of why he did this. This is not the main thrust of the sermon by any means, but it is good to understand why Jesus Christ would do what he did. That is to give up his glory and humble himself, take on the form of man, and be crucified. So Hebrews 12 and verse 2.

Hebrews 12 and verse 2.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, how could that be joy? Because he knew that through his life, death, burial, resurrection, that he would be the Savior of the world and give you an opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and be a begotten son, daughter of God. Despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So Jesus Christ gave up his glory, humbled himself for the joy that was set before him.

But we're getting ahead of the process at present. So as we read from Philippians chapter 2, after the word gave up himself and agreed to eventually die for the sins of the world, the word submitted himself to the will of the Father in all things. He lived a perfect life. He always did the will of the Father. He often said, it is not I that speak, but the Father who lives in me. I'm not doing the word, but the Father does the works through me. And on and on it goes. After God to get the word in the will of Mary, which we read from Luke 1.35, a new relationship developed between God the Father and his only begotten son.

A relationship that never existed before in the history of the universe. That is a father-son relationship. When Jesus was begotten in the womb of Mary, he became the only begotten son. Now they have a father-and-son relationship as a result. So after the birth of his only begotten son, God became the father and the God of his only begotten son. So now we want to note 2 Corinthians 1 and verse 3. 2 Corinthians 1 and verse 3. This is a verse that we oftentimes read to those who are in grief, who are in mourning, who've lost a loved one or are facing death or had a serious accident or illness. Blessed be God. This is 2 Corinthians 1.3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. And we turn to him. But what we want to focus on now is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The summary of the reason why God and the word developed the plan of salvation is given in the often quoted John 3.16. You don't see John 3.16 displayed at football games the way he used to in college games or NFL. But occasionally you see it. My wife saw one this past Sunday of a John 3.16 sign where God so loved the world.

Emphasis on God so loved, loved, loved. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. So the reason that the Father gave his only begotten son to die on the state was because he so loved the world. In other words, he deeply desired to share his love in a family setting. Love is outgoing concern and action for others. The Father and the word were motivated by love. Love must be shared. Love must be shared for it to truly be love.

So how could the holy God engender children that could be begotten by the Holy Spirit be viewed as sinless and receive the Holy Spirit upon repentance, faith, and the sacrifice of Christ baptism and the laying on of hands? So God deeply desired to share his being with others so deeply that he was willing to give his only begotten son. And through this process, the believer can receive the very essence of God. God is spirit, John 4, 24. It says very clearly that God is spirit. Through this process, the very essence of God, which is spirit, and upon the resurrection of believers, be born as glorious, radiant spirits, spirit beings, in the kingdom of God and the family of God. When the word became flesh and died for the sins of the world through repentance, faith, and the sacrifice of Christ, baptism, laying on of hands, they became begotten sons and daughters of God. So you are begotten sons and daughters of God, of God, of God, because he is the Father. The Jews were strict monotheists. And they often quote the verse from Deuteronomy, the Lord, he is the only God. Well, the word for he is one God there is a God, which literally means a God is one of those words that can be plural and it can be singular. In that case, it was singularity because they lived in a pagan world and there were many gods.

Virtually all the nations except Israel. And so the Shema, as it is called, is noting that the Jews were strict monotheists. He is the only one true God, the one God. But a God can also be plural. And I won't go into the pursuit of that, but I have done it in the past. And for sure, it can be a plural. Because now there are many people or there's more than one on the God plane born into the kingdom of God, which we shall see. Now, we know that in the Old Testament, they should have known there were two beings. We often quote Psalm 110. So let's go to Psalm 110. What we're showing now is that there were two gods in the Old Testament. Two gods in the Old Testament. In Psalm 110, verse 1, it says, the Lord said unto my Lord, the Lord, Yahweh, all caps, L-O-R-D, said unto my Lord case, L-O-R-D, sit you on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. And we could also point to Psalm 2 and verse 2. In Psalm 2 and verse 2, the Messiah is clearly announced here. And the Jews, the Orthodox Jews, are still looking for the birth of the Messiah.

In Psalm 2, it says, the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers have taken counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying. Then later in the chapter, verses 6 and 7, yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Now there is a woman who has been writing to the ministry and saying, I understand that you people are Zionists. We are not political Zionists. We're not of the political, worldly Zionists. But we are Zionists in the sense that the Bible talks about Zion. Zion is a dwelling place of God and Christ. Clearly says that I will make my dwelling place in Zion. And eventually, we are born in Zion. And Zion is also symbolic of the church, as we've noted many times from Hebrews 12, verses 23. The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Yahweh and against his anointed saying. And then in 6 and 7, yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree, the Lord has said unto me, you are my son. This day have I begotten you. So even in the Old Testament, you see. Now this Hebrew word that is translated begotten here should be translated this day have I brought you forth. The Hebrew word there is yalat, Y-A-L-A-D. It is equal to, corresponds to the Greek word of gedao, which means to bring forth when spoken of the mother and to engender when spoken of the father. In Psalm 16, verses 8 through 11, David prophesied the resurrection of Christ by the Father. And so if you go now to Psalm 16, Psalm 16 and verse 8, in Psalm 16, verse 8, you will see that David prophesied the resurrection of Christ. And so I'm reading now verse 8, I've said the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved, therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices, my flesh also shall rejoice in hope. For you will not leave my life essence in the grave, sheil in Hebrew in the grave. Now soul is your life essence. Soul is found throughout the Bible. The Hebrew word, of course, is nafesh. Nafesh, it's also used to animal life and human life. It means life potential. You will not leave my life potential. He was dead, as they say, as dead as a doornail when he went into the grave. Before he went into the grave, he said, Father, into your hands, commend I you my spirit. So he was depending on the Father to resurrect him. So it says, for you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You will show me the path of life in the presence, and your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand, there are pleasures forevermore. And then on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was sent, the apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16 and three or four verses from it, David being a prophet prophesied that his life essence was not left in the grave. He was resurrected as a glorious radiant spirit being that now sits at the right hand of the Father. The right hand is one of prominence and authority. I have set the Lord before me always because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. And of course, God and the angels protect all of us. One of the main reasons why Jesus was sent to the earth was to reveal the Father. The Father is the one who interfaced, I'm sorry, the word was the one who interfaced with Israel in the Old Testament. Now, this scripture is a very important scripture that everyone should turn to. It's John 5 and verse 37. John 5 and verse 37.

John 5 and verse 37.

And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape.

I didn't write it. That's what it says in the Bible. In Luke 10.22, if we would turn there, Luke 10.22, back a few pages. Luke 10.22, Jesus states that he reveals the Father. So one of the main reasons Christ came to the earth was to reveal the Father. All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knows who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And no man can come to the Son unless the Father draws him. So there is a reciprocal relationship there, one who draws and one who reveals. Now, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. Here is another very important scripture.

The Gospel of John in verse 26. The Gospel of John in verse 26. In fact, the Eastern Church, what is called today, it is called the Greek Orthodox Church. And the Russian Orthodox Church is a copy of the Greek Orthodox Church in large part. So in the circle of 1000 BC, AD, 1000 AD, the Eastern Church split from the Western Church because of an argument over the possession, how did it proceed? In other words, the source of the Holy Spirit.

But when the comforter is come. Now, in John 14.26, the comforter is identified as the Holy Spirit. It just clearly says, which is the Holy Spirit across the page of my Bible, but the comforter of which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. So it's sent in the name of Christ and is shed on us through Christ. But when the Holy Spirit is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father. There's no doubt in Scripture as clear as it could be. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. He shall testify or bear witness of me. And it should be translated, it shall. The Holy Spirit, of course, is not a person.

But it shall be. And it shall be. And it shall be. And it shall be. And it shall be. And it shall be. Now, we come to the fact that, or the New Testament quote, on the day of Pentecost by Peter, of Jesus Christ being in the grave for three days and three nights. And remember, I said unto Jesus Christ prayed before he died, unto your hand, Father, command I you my spirit. So this is Acts chapter 2 and verse 31. Acts 2 and verse 31. He, seeing before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ. He, being David, David, who was a prophet, and preceding verses, that his life essence was not left in Hades, Greek in the grave. Neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus, as God raised up, who raised up Jesus, God the Father, whereof we were all witnesses. Therefore being at the right hand of God, exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has shed forth this which you now see and hear. Now, Trinitarians would speak of the person of the Holy Spirit. I get so tired, I watch a lot of YouTube in which I want to know what the religious world is saying and the hallmark of Orthodoxy, so called, you know what the word Orthodoxy really means, of the same opinion. You're immediately labeled heretical if you don't believe in the Trinity. We don't believe in the Trinity. There are certain radio stations will not carry your program. I know that by the fact that I did 287 radio broadcasts, and some of them, there was one in three reports that stopped carrying our program because we did not believe in the Trinity. So Trinitarians speak of the person of the Holy Spirit. If the person of the Holy Spirit begets a believer, it would be the believer's father. Is the Holy Spirit our father? No, God is our father. And he gives us some of his essence, paralleling what happens in the human realm in which the father engenders through his seed and the ovum of the woman. Of course, the Trinitarians are thrown into a loop of, in Orthodox Trinitarianism, they teach that the father continually generates the Holy Spirit. And he's continually generating the Holy Spirit and Jesus. What about when Jesus was made flesh here on the earth? So we had one Jesus being generated in heaven and one here on earth. And I wrote an article that was in the, I don't know what it was called then, it was either Beyond Today or the one before that.

The Holy Spirit is always under the control of God in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the essence of God. Now, when I say under the control, when they send it forth, it's under their control. Now, if you have the Holy Spirit within you, as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5, you can quench the spirit. If you read such and such in the Bible and refuse to do it, or if God lays upon your heart and mind that which is true and you don't act on it, then you can quench the Holy Spirit. Let's look at Zachariah 2 and verse 6. There was a time in the church of God in which we went around parroting, the Holy Spirit is the power of God, the Holy Spirit is the power of God, the Holy Spirit is the power of God. Finally, we move from that to understand that the Holy Spirit is the essence of God. That's what it says. John 4.24, God is spirit. That is his essence. Now, the Protestants also talk about a bodily resurrection. Always a bodily resurrection, remember that he appeared to Thomas and they showed him the scars in his hands and his side and all of that. And Thomas says, oh, my Lord, my God. But see, the door was locked and he came suddenly appeared before him. Now, what human being can do that? See, as a spirit being, you can be transformed into that which looks like flesh. And apparently, Thomas examining him said, yeah, look here, the scars in my hand. Look at the scar on my side where the spirit was thrust. And Zachariah 2 in verse 6, he sends forth his spirit and it does works of power. In this verse, it says not by might nor by power, but through my spirit says the eternal of hopes. This is the word of the Lord under the rubber belt saying not by might nor power, but by my spirit says the eternal of host. So with this background, we should be able to now answer how Christ and the other writers of the Bible under inspiration of the Holy Spirit could state that the Father is his God and the only true God.

The Orthodox response, as we know, is the Trinity, three persons in one, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Now, let's note this. So now we're going to talk about and don't let this go over your head, but I'm going to say it up front. When Jesus Christ was resurrected, a new order of being came into being. There had never been a person that lived in the flesh born of the spirit. This is covered in the paper on the nature of God that's on the UCG website. And I wrote basically 95% of that paper. And I was the author of this particular part. A new order of being came into existence. See, when we are born into the family of God, we're on the God plane. Jesus Christ is the first born. This is Revelation 1.5. It says that he's first born of many brethren. And he's not ashamed to call us brethren.

So Jesus Christ included, and all of us, we are children of God. And he is our God. That is not to say that Christ is not our God. He is God. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. We pray to the Father in the name of the Son, indicating it is through his authority and power that we are able to enter into the holiest of all and pray to the Father.

So let's continue here.

So let's now note what Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 5.

And note that I said that there are two apostles that are primarily the theologians and Christologists of the day when the New Testament was written. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2 and 5, for there is one God.

Do you know that was in the Bible? For there is one God and one mediator between God and man.

The man Christ Jesus. Paul writes in Ephesians 4 and verse 4 through 6. So we're going to go to Ephesians now. Verse 4 and verse, chapter 4 and verse 6. I'll get it right in a minute. It's 4-4, Ephesians 4-4. There is one body and one spirit.

One body.

There is one church of God and the church of God is composed of those who have the spirit of God and one spirit, even as you 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.

When you receive the Holy Spirit, it is the spirit of the Father and the Son. There is one spirit.

Now if you'll turn now to John 14 verse 23, you'll see very clearly what it says there with regard to both of them dwelling in you.

I'm going to read this again. One body, one spirit, even as you 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.

Then in John 14, 23, in John 14, 23 it says, the Father and the Son are in you if you have the Holy Spirit.

So here's what he said, John 14, 23, Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. In other words, we will live with him.

Jesus tells Martha, remember when he was resurrected, the women went down to the tomb and Jesus appeared to Martha and he said to her that I ascend to my God and your God.

So Jesus acknowledges to Martha that the Father is his God.

Jesus also acknowledges that the Father is greater than he is. Now here we go to John 14 and verse 28, John 14, 28. You have heard as I have said that I go away and come again unto you. If you love me, you would rejoice because I say I go unto my Father for my Father is greater than I. My Father is greater than I. Straight out of the Bible. My Father is greater than I.

Jesus Christ and all believers are inheritors of God and in resurrection born into the family of God. The fact that God is over the Son does not mean that God is not God, that he is not God, sorry. The fact that God is over all does not mean that the Son is not God and he will always, as God, will always be over Christ. God, Christ, man. The hierarchical order of this is given in 1 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1. Be you followers of me even as I am also of Christ. Now praise your brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the ordinances I delivered unto you, but I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is a man and the head of Christ is God. Now in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 starting in verse 23, a lot of people get this mixed up with regard to who's who and what's what. So we'll read it. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 23. But every man in his own order talking about the resurrection, Christ the first fruits afterward, they that are Christ and his coming, then comes the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. Who puts down all rule and authority and power? The Father. For he must reign till he has put the enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Now that is, once you have been begotten and born in the family of God, there is no more death. That doesn't necessarily mean that there are no other human beings alive on earth when Christ comes.

For he that put all things under his feet, for he hath put all things under his feet. God the Father has put all things under his feet. When he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he, God, is accepted, which did not put all things under him. And with 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 and all.

So when that happens, of course, that's a wonderful time that will take place in the future. Paul writes in Ephesians 3, verse 14, For this cause I bow my knee unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to his riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Jesus Christ with all believers are inheritors of God and in resurrection born into the family of God, and it is a spirit resurrection, God is spirit, we will be on the God plane.

That is one of the great doctrines that separates the church of God, the true church of God, from the rest of the world. Now we go back to where this is stated in Romans 8, 17, inheritors and joint heirs with Christ. We're inheritors with the Father and joint heirs with Christ.

Romans 8, verse 17. Romans 8, verse 17. And if children then heirs of God, and we're heirs of God, we inherit something that he is. He is spirit. And join heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. We're heirs of God, join heirs with Christ. Because remember the new order of being when Christ was born of the spirit, when he looked to God the Father in all things.

And of course he looked to him in all things all the time. Now we go back to Romans chapter 1, and we'll see very clearly from scripture how Jesus Christ became the Son of God. People talk about being born again. Well there's a type of new life that comes into you. John chapter 3 talks about unless you are born from above, you have no life in you. That we receive everlasting life through the Holy Spirit.

And we are in a sense, at that time when we received the Spirit, we are begotten children of God. Now resurrection, we become full sons and daughters as Christ did. The first born from the dead, Revelation 1.5. So this is Romans 1.3, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the flesh of the seed of David, according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness, how by the resurrection from the dead.

How did he become the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead? As we have noted before, Jesus continually referred to the Father and instructed us to direct our prayers to the Father. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Revelation 1 and verse 1. See, Revelation begins with God.

By that I mean the revealing of the future. When the apostles asked Jesus, when are you coming again? He said, I don't know. It's in the hands of my Father. See, Revelation begins with God, then it goes to Christ, then it goes to an angel, then it goes to us. In Revelation 1.1, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, who gave it to Jesus Christ, oftentimes people will say that revelation is the revelation of Christ.

It is the revelation of God which he gave to Christ. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass, and he sent and signified it by an angel and his servant John. So God, angel, God, Christ, angel, man.

Then we have the letters to the pastors of the three churches in Revelation 2 and 3. Throughout the Bible, we note that the Father is over all, that Jesus Christ is under his authority, and we are called to be submissive to God and Christ. Numerous scriptures show that God the Father is the God over all, and one of the reasons was that Jesus Christ came to the earth was to reconcile us to the Father. I think we need to review this at this time, Romans 5, verses 6-11.

Lest you forget, how do we have all of these things made possible? How is it that we can be begotten and born of the Spirit of God? Because Christ humbled himself, gave up his glory, died on the stake, was resurrected, sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. It is through his sacrifice.

So this is Romans 5, verses 6-11. Romans 5, verses 6-11. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for then godly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Yet for adventure for a good man, some would even dare to die.

But God commanded his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All are in need of a Savior. All need to be justified. Much more than being now justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him.

For when we were enemies, enemies were an enemy of God. When we're out in the world and we don't know the way. And so many people today are under the sway of Satan the devil. Even those in the faith, as it says in Timothy, verse Timothy 4, I believe it is, it says, and those of the faith shall fall away in the latter times.

So continue here. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by his death, by the death of his son. How are we reconciled? Through faith and the sacrifice of Christ. Much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. He was resurrected. He became the son. We read it from Romans 1, 3, and 4. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we now have received the atonement.

See, in the Old Testament, the atonement was a covering. The blood of bulls and goats. Now we are actually forgiven. And our sins are remembered no more and are partied from us as far as the East from the West. Jesus clearly stated that he is the son of God in John 6, 46. I'm not going to turn there. Jesus continually highlighted the role of the Father during his ministry. So I hope you now understand how and why Jesus called the Father the one true God. Because he is the son of God by the resurrection from the dead. He looks to God just as we look to God.

But he is over us also. The Father and the Son are over us. So remember, we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. So we are, the reason that Christ could say what he said was because he gave up his glory for the sins of the world so believers could be viewed as sinless, be reconciled to God like we read from Romans 5, receive the Holy Spirit and become begotten sons and daughters of God and upon resurrection, spirit born sons of God.

So remember, we are now heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the born son of God and as such, his resurrection and birth and his family makes him a being that did not exist before that event. As we said, a new order of beings, a spirit born person who lived in the flesh, now our high priest sitting at the right hand of God.

As I mentioned in Hebrews 9 verse 14, that we are begotten by the eternal spirit through the eternal spirit. Back when the doctrinal wars were being waged in Pasadena along about 1990-91, we had consolidated back here in Big Sandy. I was on the doctrine committee out there and I was on the phone when I moved over here. And they came up with this notion, say, oh, you human beings cannot be on the God plane because they are created beings.

Yes, Adam and Eve were created, but we are begotten by the eternal spirit, the very essence of God. And so when we are born of the spirit, we are no longer flesh and blood. Now we can appear as a human being, but we are of God. So they quit singing that song when I wrote that to them.

So I want to conclude here with two scriptures, sort of summarizing one where we started John 17. Three, and this is life eternal that they may know you, the only true God. So do you really know the only true God? Do you know why you can say he is the only true God? Jesus said it. We should say it or can say it.

This is life eternal that you know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. But you may with one mind. Now this is Romans 15 six. That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.