The story of Jesus has been unfolding for 6,000 years. Many books have been published about Him, but most of them concern His life on Earth. This book is different. Through progressive revelation, the time has now come to tell the rest of His story. My book focuses on the life and activities of Jesus in heaven! Jesus is the God who relates with mankind. He is called “The Word” because He speaks for the Father. Truth about the Father comes through Jesus and only Jesus; there is no other source! The Bible says “No one has ever seen God [the Father], but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”1
After more than forty years of writing, this, my final book, is dedicated to people who are willing to consider a view of Jesus that is more encompassing than what is revealed in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Of course, the four gospels are critically important, because they provide essential facts about Jesus which are not otherwise available. However, it takes the remaining 62 books of the Bible to reveal the fullness of Jesus, the great I AM, who is both the God of the Old and New Testaments. There is no one like Jesus in the universe. He has done things that no one else could do, and He is about to do things no one else can do. “Therefore God [the Father] exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”2
When it comes to the topic of God, Jews and Moslems believe there is one God and this is the end of the matter. On the other hand, Christians have been conflicted for 2,000 years, struggling to explain the existence of three beings: the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, each called God, and yet, in some way, acknowledge that only one God exists. Many church groups have split over this topic, and hostilities and divisiveness continue among Protestants today.3 Are there three separate, distinct, equally coeternal Gods or are the three really manifestations of one God? At the risk of alienating you, I want you to know ‘up front’ I have found the Bible teaches there are three separate, distinct, coeternal deities: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, but they function as one unit in purpose, plan, and action.
For fifty years I have been a serious Bible student and my attitude and prayer has been, “Lord, I do not care what the truth may be or where it leads, please open my eyes to understand your wonderful truths.” I discovered early on, the Bible is a difficult study if one is to avoid placing the Bible in a state of internal conflict. Let me explain using an analogy. When viewing a coastline from 2,000 feet in the air, the line between the water and the ground appears sharp and distinct. However, when viewing the ocean from sea level, there is no sharp line. It is difficult to determine where wetness ends and dryness begins.
Likewise, the Godhead can be viewed as one God or three, depending on perspective. If you can momentarily tolerate the idea that three separate deities operate together in perfect harmony, functioning as one God in purpose, plan, and action, their diversity as separate, distinct, coeternal deities will make for a very fascinating study. This process will resolve many apparent conflicts in the Bible.
The Godhead functions like a corporation where many people work together. For example, there is a president (the Father), there is a vice-president for development (the Son), and there is a vice-president for marketing (the Holy Spirit). Of course, the metaphor of a corporation does not begin to address the intricate and loving relationship among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but it is a start. The greatness and largeness of the Godhead (the officers of the corporation) is mind-boggling. Each member of the Godhead is a self-existing deity. The universe is profoundly blessed to have three deities who have characters of pure love and tender hearts. In all the universe there is nothing like them, which is why they are called “holy.”4 The Godhead is infinitely intriguing, beautiful, and creative with never a dull moment. They never sleep or get tired. They love justice as much as mercy. They are generous, kind, forgiving, deliberate, and purposeful. From a distance, they appear to be one God because their union is so integrated; yet up close, they have different roles. They interact with one another at all times and their interaction is the basis for everything that exists, from beginning to end.
Impediments When Studying the Godhead
A Bible student has some impediments when studying the Godhead:
First, each God is infinite…human beings are finite. The ant cannot understand man’s thoughts and ways. In like manner, finite minds cannot understand the thoughts and ways of three infinite Gods. Because each God is from everlasting to everlasting, their objectives are exponentially larger than we can imagine. They always have the “big picture” in mind.
Second, members of the Godhead have sinless natures. This creates an obstruction when trying to understand them because their response to issues and their reason for doing things are unlike ours.
Third, every person’s knowledge of the Godhead is formed by heritage, religious tradition, study, and personal bias. Therefore, changing a long-held paradigm is a huge hindrance.
Fourth, because much of the world’s population dies within the religious system into which they were born, it is difficult for a person to radically change his views about God. The likelihood of a devout Catholic converting to Islam or a Protestant converting to Hinduism is very slight.
Finally, harmonizing everything said in the Bible about the Godhead is very difficult. This, too, is an obstacle.
These five impediments have created much confusion and conflict about the Godhead, and there is no end in sight. I anticipate some people will ridicule portions of this study because it is our nature, mine included, to reject whatever we do not already believe. “It is easier to believe a lie that one has heard a thousand times than to believe a fact that one has never heard before.”5 Man’s natural rejection for views different about God (or the Godhead) is a serious deterrent. Be assured, I have not come close to discovering “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” when it comes to the Godhead. Even after the holy angels have lived in the Father’s presence for thousands (millions?) of years, they have not come close to discovering everything about the Godhead and they have fewer obstacles than we do. Finite beings cannot know the whole truth about infinite beings because their truth is ever unfolding. However, I have discovered some truth about the Godhead and this joy has prompted me to create this book. “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”6
Studying the Godhead is similar to a drawing I saw years ago. Several blind men were examining an elephant: touching a different part of the animal. One man felt the elephant’s trunk, another the elephant’s ear, and so forth. When they completed their analysis, the blind men could not understand why the others did not agree on the animal’s anatomy. So it is with the Godhead. Human beings are essentially blind when it comes to understanding the greatness and largeness of the Godhead. Because of our impediments, we are at different places in our understanding of the Godhead. Of course, the Godhead knows this dilemma. To encourage and teach us, Jesus said: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”7
The Apostle Paul adds, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”8 While faith is more important than knowledge, the truth about the Godhead is important because our actions reflect what we believe. If a person believes there is no God or God is not concerned with day-to-day dishonesty, why should we be careful to tell the truth? Obviously, accountability to a higher authority does affect our behavior!
Given the greatness and largeness of the Godhead and our many hindrances for properly understanding them, it should not be surprising that Jesus is the most controversial person to ever live on Earth. He is a member of the Godhead which makes it difficult to organize and harmonize what the Bible says about Him. This has led to endless conflict for the past 2,000 years.
Bible Facts About Jesus
There are many facts stated in the Bible about Jesus. Often, these facts are not explained and can raise more questions than answers. Some facts appear contradictory, but are not, because the Bible and the Godhead are not internally conflicted. Apparent conflicts exist because impediments exist. Those who seriously study the Bible stumble into apparent conflicts on a regular basis. God put apparent conflicts in the Bible to separate truth seekers from surface readers. Scoffers use apparent conflicts to justify ridiculing the Bible. Even many Christians abuse apparent conflicts to defend their cherished religious beliefs and ideas. Sincere students of the Bible know that when one Bible verse is used to resist or cancel the meaning of another, the result cannot be truth-full.
I need to present a few basic facts to tell this book’s story. Space does not allow for a critical explanation of each Bible verse to resolve all apparent conflicts; therefore, please see Appendix A for Bible verses which support the stated facts. If you disagree with these facts, study Appendix B, and please, be as charitable as possible so the story can unfold. After forty-seven years of ministry, I am well aware that “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” I have come to understand some wonderful elements about the Godhead, and my mission is to share this huge and incredible story in a condensed format. The story does include a few presuppositions based on my understanding of scripture after a lifetime of Bible study. Even if you do not agree with some parts of the story, at least consider my conclusions. I hope it will somehow help you appreciate Jesus more than ever. As you read, ask the Holy Spirit for discernment.
- Fact 1. The Father designed the universe and Jesus created it. Jesus is the Creator.
- Fact 2. No one has seen the Father – not even the angels. Only Jesus and the Holy Spirit have seen the Father.
- Fact 3. Jesus is the God of the Old Testament; the One who interfaced with prophets and people; the One who came to Earth and lived as a man so the Father could speak through Him.
- Fact 4. Jesus is an equal, separate, distinct, coeternal God who lived with the Father before creation.
Please see Appendix A for Bible references supporting these four facts.
Click on the numbers by the reference to go back to where you were reading.
1. John 1:18, insertion mine
2. Philippians 2:9-11, insertion mine
3. See Appendix B
4. Revelation 4:8; 15:4
5. Robert Wilson Lynd, British writer, 1879–1949
6. Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher, 1788–1860
7. John 16:13-15
8. Hebrews 11:6
