Unitarian apologists and Muslim debaters often cite John 17:3 (and John 17:1–5), focusing heavily on the word “ONLY” to argue that it functions strictly as a limiting adjective—meaning the Father alone is God to the singular, absolute exclusion of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

When engaging with a Muslim friend or unitarian seeker (kababayan), begin by posing a foundational logical question:

“When the Bible uses the word ‘only’ in a passage, does it automatically exclude the possibility of a second or third person or entity mentioned elsewhere in the same Scripture?”

The expected and logical answer is No.

Part I: Contextual Diagnostic Questions on John 17:1–5

To help seekers examine the full context of Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in John 17:1–5, guide them through these eight direct scriptural questions:

1. Divine Fatherhood: Do you accept that the True God can be called “Father,” since Jesus explicitly addresses God as His Father? (Yes / No)

2. Identity of the Son: Is Jesus the person specifically referred to as the “Son”? (Yes / No)

3. Universal Authority: Does Jesus possess divine authority over all flesh and every person in the world? (Yes / No)

4. Basis of Eternal Life: Does Jesus grant eternal life to those who acknowledge God as Father? (Yes / No)

5. Dual Knowledge: Do you accept that eternal life is grounded in knowing both the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent? (Yes / No)

6. Divine Sonship: Do you acknowledge that Jesus is explicitly identified as the Son of God in this text? (Yes / No)

7. Pre-Incarnate Existence: Do you believe that Christ dwelt in the personal presence of the Father before the material world was created? (Yes / No)

8. Co-Equal Glory: Do you accept that Christ possessed the exact same heavenly glory beside the Father before the foundation of the world? (Yes / No)

Part II: The Genesis 22 Precedent (Isaac vs. Ishmael)

To prove that “only” does not always mean “singly to the total exclusion of others,” turn to Genesis 22:2, 12, 16:

• Genesis 22:2: “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love...”

• Genesis 22:12: “...you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me.”

• Genesis 22:16: “...because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son...”

Interactive Study Questions:

1. Historical Record: When God calls Isaac Abraham’s “only son,” do you mean Isaac was literally the solitary, single son Abraham ever had? (Yes / No)

2. Ishmael’s Existence: Are you aware that Scripture explicitly records Ishmael as Abraham’s firstborn son in Genesis 16:15 and Genesis 17:20? (Yes / No)

3. Non-Limiting Scope: Do you accept that the word “only” (yachid in Hebrew) is not being used here as a strict numerical limit? (Yes / No)

4. Exalted Status: Can you see that Isaac is called “only” because he was the uniquely promised child, the sole covenantal heir, and the lineage through whom the Messiah would be born? (Yes / No)

Part III: Emotional and Relational Depth of “Only” (Yachid)

Consider Amos 8:10:

“...I will make it like mourning for an only son [yachid], and its end like a bitter day.”

Here, the word “only” refers to the deep, irreplaceable love and value a parent holds for a uniquely cherished child. It expresses unparalleled affection, uniqueness, and supreme value—much like Jacob’s intense grief when he believed his beloved son Joseph had died (Genesis 37:31–36).

Hermeneutical Rule & Conclusion

When an entity, person, or divine Person is modified by terms like “ONE” or “ONLY,” but other biblical texts reveal additional Persons sharing the exact same nature or species of existence, the word “only” must never be misused as a restrictive boundary to strip Deity from the Son or the Holy Spirit.

In John 17:3, “the Only True God” exalts the uncreated nature of Deity above all false, created idols—while verses 1–5 simultaneously affirm that Jesus Christ shares the Father’s eternal presence, divine authority, life-giving power, and pre-existent glory.

The word “dragon” appears 13 times in the New Testament.

The book of Job describes a fire-breathing creature. This passage contains the most dragon-like imagery: “ Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth. (Job 41:20-21).

The book of Revelation describes Satan as “a great red dragon” who seeks to destroy the woman giving birth to the messiah (Revelation 12:3). This connects the dragon image with Satan and evil forces.

The “dragons” of the Bible likely refer to large frightening beasts or symbolic enemies, not literal fire-breathing dragons. The dragon imagery evokes fear of chaos, danger, and demonic forces that God’s saints must overcome. #WordMinistry

Let’s strive to be like Jesus in all that we do, putting the needs of others before our own and showing love to those who need it most.

It’s so easy to live for ourselves - pursuing comfort, recognition and status. But Jesus calls us to a radical, upside-down life marked by humility, self-sacrifice and service.

Who can you empower today through acts of love? Is there a lonely neighbor who needs a listening ear? A struggling single mom who needs free babysitting? A homeless person who just wants to be seen? A refugee family that could use household items?

Let’s get creative in meeting practical needs without expectation of reward. As we lay down selfishness and become the hands and feet of Jesus, we bless others and point them to the Father. Our lives can reflect His heart of compassion for the poor, overlooked and marginalized.

#likejesus #selflessliving #shineyourlight #makeadifference #servetheleast #giveback #gospelinaction #compassion #wordministry

Social Cancer

Modern society suffers from what has been accurately described as the “social cancer of performance”. We are a culture obsessed with the extraordinary. We celebrate charismatic leaders, magnetic personalities, and the voices that command the largest audiences. But when we examine how Jesus of Nazareth built His inner circle, we see a striking departure from this worldly metric of success. Christ did not surround Himself with the political elite or the wealthy; He chose the deeply ordinary.

Nowhere is this divine preference more evident than in the life of Andrew.

If you read the Gospel of John, you might notice something slightly humorous, yet deeply poignant about how Andrew is treated. The author seems to worry that his readers won’t know who Andrew is. Consequently, two out of three times Andrew is mentioned, he is introduced with a clarifier: “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother” (John 1:40).

Everyone knew Simon Peter. Peter was the magnetic, larger-than-life figure who would go on to preach the earth-shattering sermon at Pentecost. Peter lived in the spotlight. Andrew lived in the shadows. He belonged to that vast majority of humanity we might call the “middle ranks”—the ordinary.

Yet, history often forgets a crucial detail: Peter was a great man, but it was an ordinary disciple who brought him to the feet of Christ.

John 1:41 tells us that Andrew “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ)” Andrew didn’t possess a theological degree. He hadn’t attended a modern seminar on personal evangelism. He simply experienced the joy of discovering the Messiah and immediately shared that priceless treasure with his brother. His attitude was not one of hoarding a secret, but of joyous proclamation.

Living in the Shadow of Two Crosses.

It has been said that Andrew lived his life under the shadow of two crosses: the cross of Christ, and the superior figure of his own brother. It is incredibly easy for us to become paralyzed by the talents God didn’t give us. We sit idly by, wishing we had Peter’s boldness, Paul’s intellect, or David’s poetry. We become more interested in receiving credit than in pointing to the cross. We fall into the trap of thinking, “If I cannot be great, I will do nothing.”

But Andrew never tried to imitate Peter. He was willing to be exactly who he was and to do the work commensurate with his own abilities. He embodied the spirit of the old adage: “Lord, I ain’t very much, but I is all I got”.

The Fruit You Can Bear

What contribution can an ordinary Christian make? If you cannot preach from a pulpit, serve as a shepherd of the flock, or travel as a foreign missionary, is your life useless? Absolutely not.

The Apostle Paul gives us the ultimate job description for the ordinary believer in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”

These are fruits every single one of us can bear. They are desperately needed in our communities today. When these fruits grace our lives, we become a well of water springing up to eternal life. We become a walking declaration to a lost and hurting world that “we have found the Christ.” If you want to be a soul-winner, you simply must have a winning life.

We may never know who the most “powerful” worker in the church is today. But this one thing is certain: when called forth to display the wares of Christian service, Andrew will not stand empty-handed. A significant part of Simon Peter’s greatness was first born in Andrew’s ordinary faithfulness.

Embrace your ordinary. God specializes in doing extraordinary things through it.

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When unitarian apologists (such as Muslim debaters or Iglesia ni Cristo polemicists) cite John 17:3 (“that they may know You, the ONLY true God”), they frequently argue that the term “ONLY” (Monos in Greek, Yachid in Hebrew) strictly excludes Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit from being true God, limiting deity exclusively to the Father.

However, a careful examination of scriptural precedent demonstrates that the word “ONLY” in biblical usage does not always mean “singly to the total exclusion of any other.” Instead, it frequently denotes an exalted, unique, beloved, or primary covenantal position.

Part I: The “Isaac Precedent” (Genesis 22 & Hebrews 11)

Consider God’s command to Abraham in the Old Testament:

• Genesis 22:2: “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering...”

• Genesis 22:12: “...now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me.”

• Genesis 22:16: “...because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son...”

• Hebrews 11:17: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his one and only son [monogenēs].”

The Crucial Question:

Does calling Isaac Abraham’s “only son” negate or erase the historical truth of Genesis 16:15?

“So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”

Clearly not! Ishmael was physically and chronologically Abraham’s firstborn son. Yet God repeatedly called Isaac his “only son.”

Why Was Isaac Called “Only”?

1. Unique Covenantal Status: Isaac was the child of promise, divinely foretold when YHWH appeared in human form to Abraham (Genesis 18) when Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 90.

2. Messianic Lineage: The promised “Seed of the Woman” (Genesis 3:15) who would crush the head of the Serpent—and through whom all families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1–3)—was decreed to come exclusively through Isaac, not Ishmael.

3. Beloved Position: The word Yachid / Monogenēs here highlights an unparalleled, uniquely beloved status, not numerical solitary existence.

APOLOGETIC TIP: When an opponent quotes John 17:3 to claim the Father is “singly and exclusively” the only God to the exclusion of Christ, ask them: “Was Isaac the ‘one and only’ son of Abraham in an absolute numerical sense?” The Isaac precedent proves that “only” designates unique, supreme honor rather than mathematical isolation.

Part II: Other Scriptural Uses of “Only” (Yachid)

The Old Testament consistently uses Yachid (”only, beloved, precious”) to express deep affection and unique value:

• Proverbs 4:3: “When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one [yachid] in the sight of my mother...” (Solomon had other brothers through Bathsheba, e.g., 1 Chronicles 3:5, yet he was uniquely cherished).

• Amos 8:10: “...I will make it like mourning for an only son [yachid]...”

• Zechariah 12:10: “...they will look on Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son [yachid]...”

Part III: Distinction and Shared Divine Glory (Jude 25 & Titus 2:13)

• John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the ONLY true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

• Galatians 3:20: “Now a mediator does not mediate for one ONLY, but God is one.”

• 1 Timothy 6:14–15: “...until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will manifest in His own time—He who is the blessed and ONLY Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords...”

• Jude 25: “To the ONLY God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion and power, through Jesus Christ our Lord, both now and forever. Amen.”

Analyzing Jude 25 and Titus 2:13:

While Jude 25 distinguishes between the “Only God” and “Jesus Christ our Lord,” other New Testament passages explicitly bestow the exact title of God and Savior upon Jesus Christ:

• Titus 2:13 (NKJV): “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...”

Does Christ Share the Father’s Pre-Existent Glory?

1. Isaiah 6:1–10 cf. John 12:37–41: Isaiah saw YHWH high and lifted up in His heavenly temple (Isaiah 6). Apostle John explicitly testifies in John 12:41 that Isaiah was beholding the pre-incarnate glory and majesty of Jesus Christ.

2. John 17:5: Jesus prayed, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

3. John 5:23: Jesus commanded that “all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Part IV: Lexical Definitions & The Nature of Deity

According to standard unabridged dictionaries (e.g., Webster’s Dictionary, p. 373):

• ONLY (Adjective): Alone of its kind; single, sole; unique.

• ONLY (Adverb): Solely, merely, just, not more than.

• ONLY (Conjunction): Except that, but.

The Shared Essence (Likas na Kalagayan) of the Triune Godhead:

Do the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit share the exact same nature, essence, and level of divine existence? Yes.

1. Creators: Father (Genesis 1:1), Son (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:10), and Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4) are all active Creators.

2. Life-Givers: All Three Persons naturally possess and impart eternal life.

3. Attributes: All Three are omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.

They share the same uncreated substance, divine nature, and divine essence (likas na kalagayan).

Conclusion

The word “ONLY” in Scripture is not a rigid mathematical boundary used to strip Christ or the Holy Spirit of their inherent deity. Just as Isaac was called the “only son” because of his unique, beloved, and exalted covenant position without denying Ishmael’s existence, the title “Only True God” exalts the uncreated nature of Deity above all false, created pagan idols.

Jesus Christ is co-eternal, co-equal in nature, and shares the same divine essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit—the One True Triune God.

You can sit in the front pew for thirty years and still be completely, quietly lost.

Familiarity isn’t fellowship. That reality came into sharp focus for me this past week through two different voices speaking on the very same passage of Scripture.

Every evening, my wife, Teng, and I leash up our chihuahuas for our walk in the park. It has become our daily rhythm: side by side in the cooler air, a mobile device on speaker, listening to sermons, talks, or podcasts. Earlier this week on our walk, we tuned into a message by JohnMaxwell breaking down Luke 15.

Maxwell distilled the parables into a sharp contrast:

• The coin did not know it was lost. It simply slipped into a crack, sitting in the dark and dust with zero awareness of its condition until the woman lit a lamp and swept the floor.

• The sheep knew it was lost, but couldn’t get back. Sheep don’t plot rebellion; they nibble grass one tuft at a time until they look up and realize the flock is gone and night is falling. Terrified and helpless, the sheep knows its predicament—but it needs a shepherd to go out, find it, and rescue it.

• The lost son knew he was lost and came back to the father. Unlike the sheep that had to be carried or the coin that had to be swept up, the prodigal came to his senses in the pigpen, turned his boots around, and walked home.

A few days later, on September 27, 2026, the theme resurfaced right at our home congregation at Westside Church of Christ. Rick Pitts was delivering the sermon. Rick is a longtime fixture at Westside—he has served as an elder, teaches Bible classes, and speaks with the grounded wisdom of someone who has shepherded people for decades.

Across all of Luke 15, heaven’s response is identical: an embrace and an open banquet. When the shepherd finds the exhausted wanderer, he doesn’t scold it—he carries it home on his shoulders rejoicing.

The Sign on the Road

Most of the time, the shepherd hunts down the oblivious wanderer. But sometimes, a lost sheep catches a glimpse of the fold and sprints toward it.

To illustrate this, Rick shared the story of Steve.

Steve had spent an entire lifetime around faith. He grew up in church, knew the hymns, and spoke the language. But six decades slipped by, and he had never been baptized. He had lingered at the edges of the flock for sixty years without ever stepping through the gate.

One weekday afternoon, Steve was driving past a church building when four words on a roadside marquee stopped him cold:

Decades of polite delay evaporated in an instant. He swung his car into the parking lot of the Central Church of Christ.

Walking toward the entrance, an internal war erupted within his spirit. Every old habit urged him to hesitate, wait for a better day, or turn around. He pushed through the doors anyway.

The building was empty except for the church secretary. When Steve explained that he had come to be baptized, she looked around the quiet office and gently suggested he return on Sunday when the ministers and congregation would be present.

Steve didn’t blink: “I need to be baptized today.”

Conviction doesn’t wait for office hours.

The secretary picked up the phone, reaching an elder and a deacon who dropped what they were doing and drove over. That afternoon, with no crowd and no choir, sixty-year-old Steve stepped into the water and buried sixty years of hesitation.

When he returned home and told his wife, Gloria, the relief on his face said everything words couldn’t. Seeing her husband’s sudden, genuine peace, Gloria realized she needed that same anchor. She agreed that they should walk this path together, and she was baptized as well. Both went on to live as devoted, faithful sheep following the Good Shepherd.

Stop Lingering at the Edge

Delayed obedience is still a quiet form of running away.

It is easy to stay near the church—respectable, informed, and completely uncommitted—convincing yourself that next month or next year will bring a more convenient time to settle your soul.

Grace doesn’t ask you to carry yourself home:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

— 1 John 5:13

God doesn’t call you to spend a lifetime guessing where you stand. The Shepherd’s shoulders are broad enough to take your weight today—if you’re willing to stop wandering and let Him carry you.

Monotheistic critics—including Islamic polemicists and Iglesia ni Cristo (INC-1914) debaters—frequently argue that the concept of the Trinity is illogical, claiming that 1 + 1 + 1 must always equal 3. To them, Three Divine Persons in One Godhead is viewed as an absurdity.

However, this objection rests on a failure to recognize the broader linguistic and lexical meanings of the words “ONE” and “ONLY.” Preachers and Christian defenders can open any unabridged English dictionary to demonstrate that “Oneness” in Scripture and in language repeatedly refers to unity, harmony, and composite oneness, rather than just a single cardinal counting unit.

Part I: There Is ONE LORD (YHWH)

The Old Testament foundational text (Shema) affirms that YHWH is One:

• Deuteronomy 6:4 (NKJV): “Hear, O Israel: The LORD [YHWH] our God, the LORD [YHWH] is one!”

• Deuteronomy 6:4 (NASB): “Hear, O Israel! The LORD IS OUR God, the LORD IS ONE.”

• Deuteronomy 6:4 (Iloco, Ti Biblia, 1952): “Denggem, O Israel, ni Jehova a Diostayo, Isu ti maymaysa a Jehova.”

• Deuteronomy 6:4 (Tagalog, Ang Biblia, 1982): “Dinggin mo, Oh Israel, ang Panginoon nating Dios ay isang Panginoon.”

Simultaneous Existence of YHWH in the Old Testament:

A striking example of plurality within YHWH occurs in Genesis 19:24:

“Then the LORD [YHWH] rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD [YHWH] out of the heavens.” (NKJV)

Here, two distinct manifestations of YHWH exist at the same time—one YHWH executing judgment on earth near Sodom, and another YHWH in heaven above. This dynamic mirrors Matthew 3:16–17, where the Father speaks from heaven, the Son is immersed in water, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove.

Part II: The Divine Name YHWH Applied to the Three Persons

Scripture explicitly applies the sacred, unshared covenant name YHWH (Yahweh) to all Three Persons of the Godhead:

1. God the Father is YHWH: * Deuteronomy 6:3–4; Psalm 110:1

2. God the Son (Jesus Christ) is YHWH: * Isaiah 40:3 (“Prepare the way of the LORD [YHWH]”), directly fulfilled by John the Baptist for Jesus in Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, and Luke 3:4–6.

   • John 12:37–41 explicitly confirms that when Isaiah saw the glory of YHWH on His heavenly throne (Isaiah 6:1–10), he was beholding the pre-incarnate glory of Christ.

3. God the Holy Spirit is YHWH: * Hebrews 3:7–11 quotes Psalm 95:7–11 (where YHWH speaks to Israel in the wilderness), directly identifying the speaker as the Holy Spirit (“as the Holy Spirit says...”).

Part III: There Is ONE GOD (Elohim)

Scripture repeatedly declares that God is One, emphasizing His absolute exclusivity above all pagan idols (Psalm 95:3; Isaiah 40–41):

• 1 Corinthians 8:4–6: “...there is no God but one... yet for us there is one God, the Father... and one Lord, Jesus Christ...”

• Galatians 3:20: “Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.”

• 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

• James 2:19: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”

Scriptural Evidence of Plurality in the One Godhead:

• Psalm 45:6–7 & Hebrews 1:8–9: One Divine Person addresses another as God:

  “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever... Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.” Hebrews 1:8–10 identifies the speaker as God the Father addressing the Son as Creator and Eternal God. Their shared divine essence and uncreated nature make the Two Persons ONE.

• Acts 5:3–4: Apostle Peter confronts Ananias, stating that in lying to the Holy Spirit, he did not lie to men but to God.

• Acts 7:55–56: Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looks into heaven and beholds the glory of God with Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Summary of the Title GOD (Elohim / Theos) in Scripture:

1. The Father is called GOD: Psalm 22:2; Psalm 45:6–7; John 17:3, 5; John 20:17.

2. The Son (Jesus Christ) is called GOD: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1–3; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5–7; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13.

3. The Holy Spirit is called GOD: Acts 5:3–4.

4. Simultaneous Manifestations: Genesis 18:1–2, 33; Genesis 19:23–24; Isaiah 6:3–6 cf. John 12:38–41.

Part IV: Lexical & Dictionary Definitions of Key Terms

An examination of authoritative English dictionaries confirms that “One” and “Unity” carry relational and composite meanings that refute unitarian assumptions:

1. Dictionary Definition of “ONE”

• As an Adjective: Single; undivided, united; the same; designated at a certain unspecified time (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 373).

• As a Noun: The first and lowest cardinal number; an individual thing or person (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 373).

• As a Pronoun: An indefinite person; used to apply to many people; someone (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 373).

• Extended Lexical Meaning: “(1) Being a single individual or object; being a unit. (2) Being an individual or thing thought of as indefinite. (3) Designating a person, thing, or group as contrasted with another; this; that. (4) Single in kind; the same; closely united or alike. (5) Unitary.” (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of the English Language, Vol. 2, p. 883, 1970).

2. Definition of “ONENESS”

• Noun: Individuality, singleness, unity (Webster’s Thesaurus, p. 686). Note: “Unity” is a direct lexicographic synonym for “Oneness.”

3. Definition of “ONLY”

• Adjective: Alone of its kind; single, sole (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 373).

• Adverb: Solely, merely, just, not more than.

• Conjunction: Except that, but.

4. Definition of “UNIFY” & “UNION”

• Unify (Verb): To make into one; to unite; unification (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 536).

• Union (Noun): The act of uniting; a combination of several things, a confederation of individuals or groups, or marriage.

5. Definition of “UNITY”

• Unity (Sense 1): Oneness; harmony; concord; (math) the number or numeral one, a quantity assuming the value of one (Webster’s Dictionary, p. 536).

• Unity (Sense 2): Classical principle of dramatic structure (unity of action, unity of place, and unity of time) derived from Aristotle’s Poetics.

The Objection: The Mathematical Challenge

Critics of Christian theology—particularly Islamic apologists—frequently challenge the doctrine of the Triune Godhead by arguing that the concept of Three Persons existing as One God is illogical, mathematically unsound, and absurd. They argue that 1 + 1 + 1 must always equal 3, insisting that Christians worship three separate gods.

However, Scripture repeatedly uses the word “ONE” (Echad in Hebrew, Eis/Hen in Greek) to describe a composite unity—where multiple distinct individuals or items are unified in purpose, nature, desire, or relationship, and are designated by the divine count of One (1).

Scriptural Analysis: Multiplicity Counted as “One”

Below are key biblical passages demonstrating that the number “One” often reflects qualitative and relational unity rather than mere numerical headcount:

• Genesis 2:24: “...and they shall become one flesh.”

  • Question: Does “one flesh” mean the physical bodies of the husband and wife merge into a single organism? No. The count of “one” operates on relational, mental, emotional, and covenantal levels.

• Genesis 11:6: “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language...”

  • Question: How can tens of thousands of individual human beings at the Tower of Babel be called “one”? Because their unity was defined by shared ambition, purpose, consent, and collective action.

• Ezekiel 37:16–19: “...and join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand.”

  • Question: How do two separate wooden sticks representing two divided nations (Judah and Ephraim/Israel) become “one stick”? God designated their national reunion and restored covenantal unity under one King as a single entity.

• Malachi 2:14–15: “But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit?”

  • Question: Why does God refer to husband and wife as “one”? Because He bound two distinct individuals together into a single covenant relationship.

• John 10:30: “I and My Father are one.”

  • Question: Does this statement eliminate the distinct personhood of the Father and the Son? No. The Son and the Father share the same divine essence, nature, authority, indwelling power, and purpose.

• John 17:11, 21–23: “...that they may be one as We are one... that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You...”

  • Question: When Christ prayed for hundreds and thousands of disciples to be “one,” was He praying for them to lose their individual identities? No. He prayed for absolute unity of faith, mind, love, and mission, patterned directly after the divine unity of the Godhead.

• Acts 17:26: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth...”

  • Question: How can billions of diverse human beings across all nations be called “one blood”? Because humanity shares a single, common origin in Adam.

• 1 Corinthians 6:16: “Do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’”

  • Question: Does the number “one” here refer to a single physical frame? No. It refers to an intimate, bodily union governed by shared physical desire and illicit relationship.

• 1 Corinthians 7:3–4: The mutual authority and ownership that husband and wife exercise over each other’s physical bodies.

  • Question: What produces this dynamic? The complete reciprocal surrender of self, where two distinct wills align into a single unit.

• Ephesians 5:31: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

  • Question: Is the oneness here purely physical? Paul explicitly connects this “one flesh” dynamic to a profound spiritual mystery reflecting Christ and the Church.

• 1 John 5:7 (NKJV): “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”

  • Question: How do three distinct Persons bear witness in total harmony? They share the same divine essence, testimony, and truth.

• 1 John 5:8: “And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”

  • Question: Do three separate historical/spiritual elements become a single physical object? No. Their testimony concurs in unified agreement.

Conclusion

The biblical usage of the word “ONE” frequently describes abstract, relational, and qualitative realities—such as unity of mind, agreement of purpose, harmony of affection, and shared nature.

The word “ONE” in Scripture is not restricted to counting isolated physical objects or solitary individuals.

1. Thousands of rebels at Babel were counted as One in their rebellion (Genesis 11).

2. Thousands of believers in the Church are counted as One in their faith (John 17).

3. Two distinct human beings in marriage are counted as One in covenant and life (Genesis 2; Ephesians 5).

Therefore, when the Bible declares that God is ONE (Deuteronomy 6:4), it perfectly accommodates the Triune reality: Three distinct Divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—existing in complete eternal unity, sharing the same uncreated divine nature and essence.

NOTE: In the next study, we will examine the detailed dictionary and lexical definitions for the terms “One” and “Only.”

In Italian, a cappella means “in the manner of the chapel.” In the Church of Christ, it is not a quirky throwback or a stylistic preference—it is the entire foundation of how the congregation gathers. While most modern churches rely on drums, electric guitars, or organs, non-instrumental Churches of Christ sing with no instruments at all.

When New Testament writers like Paul talk about worship in letters like Ephesians and Colossians, they tell believers to sing and make melody in their hearts. They never mention instruments in the early church gatherings. To the Church of Christ, if Scripture did not ask for a band, adding one feels like bringing something into worship that God never requested. The only instrument intended for the room is the human voice.

Studying that doctrine on paper is one thing, but standing in the room is completely different. When you remove the stage, the lights, and the heavy sound system, worship stops feeling like a concert you watch and turns into something you have to actively build yourself. You cannot hide behind a loud drum set or an amplifier. To stay on pitch, you have to listen closely to the people around you—the alto across the aisle, the tenor behind you, the person who cannot carry a tune but sings anyway.

That dynamic creates an immediate, grounded sense of community. The singing is not just an act to fill time before the sermon; it is prayer set to pitch. Every lyric is a shared petition, spoken directly to God and to the people in the pews at the exact same time.

That atmosphere often catches visitors off guard. Recently, a pastor from another denomination visited our a cappella service for the first time, having only ever known church services driven by full bands and stage lights. Afterward, he admitted he was floored by how raw and beautiful it felt to worship that way. Without the noise and production, the room felt personal and honest.

You do not need an expensive soundboard or professional musicians to make worship meaningful. A room full of people blending their voices in four-part harmony carries its own weight, proving that keeping things simple is often what makes them last.

/act 9.11.26

In the article “10 Things One Worship Leader Stopped Doing That Helped the Congregation Sing Louder,” Scott Connell outlines ten deliberate steps he took to counteract the widespread decline of congregational singing in contemporary churches.

When looking closely at Connell’s list, what modern worship leaders are fighting to reconstruct by scaling back production is the default practice of Churches of Christ. What many contemporary churches treat as countercultural adjustments, a cappella assemblies have practiced organically for generations.

A direct comparison highlights how Churches of Christ address the exact challenges Connell raises:

1. Reversing the “Concert Model” (Connell’s Points #1 & #2)

• Connell’s Challenge: Do not turn the lights down and do not turn the sound up. Dark auditoriums and loud mixes turn worshippers into an isolated audience watching performers on a stage. When people can’t hear themselves or their neighbors, they stop singing.

• The Church of Christ Answer: In an unaccompanied assembly, the room remains fully lit and the sound comes from the floor. Without heavy electric guitars, kick drums, or synths masking the middle vocal frequencies, there is no acoustic wall. The auditory feedback loop is immediate: you hear your own voice, the person sitting next to you, and the room behind you.

2. Eliminating Spectator Gaps (Connell’s Points #4 & #10)

• Connell’s Challenge: Do not use long instrumental solos and do not have the band play through every moment. Connell points out that instrumental breaks tell the congregation “this part is not for you,” and he urges leaders to drop instruments mid-song to let voices carry the room.

• The Church of Christ Answer: The instruments are never playing to begin with. There are no solo fills, guitar intros, or backing tracks to disengage the room. The congregation is the only instrument present. If the people stop singing, the room goes silent. This transfers 100% of the responsibility to the pews, cultivating an active, participatory mindset every single Sunday.

3. Singability Over Performance (Connell’s Points #3 & #8)

• Connell’s Challenge: Do not try to sound like the YouTube/studio recording and do not use rhythmically complicated melodies. Studio tracks feature syncopation, unexpected phrase lengths, and vocal acrobatics meant for professional soloists, which discourages the average singer.

• The Church of Christ Answer: A cappella singing naturally selects for clear meter, steady cadence, and four-part harmony. The praise team or song leader’s role is strictly practical: giving the starting pitch, setting a steady tempo, and guiding parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass). They exist as leaders, not performers running ad-libs. This allows men, women, and children of varying vocal abilities to find a natural lane and lock in.

4. Anchoring to Familiarity and Deep Repertoires (Connell’s Points #5, #6, & #7)

• Connell’s Challenge: Do not chase the newest songs, do not get rid of favorite old songs, and keep the working library disciplined (around 40–50 core songs). Overloading a congregation with unfamiliar music every week prevents songs from taking root.

• The Church of Christ Answer: Churches of Christ rely heavily on shared, doctrinally rooted hymnals and well-practiced repertoires. Songs are repeated, sung from memory, and carried across generations. When a room already knows the tune and parts, they sing with boldness rather than hesitating over lyrics on a screen.

5. Serving the Room, Not Exhausting It (Connell’s Point #9)

• Connell’s Challenge: Do not pile on too many songs per service. Congregants’ voices and stamina have limits, and dragging through long sets teaches people to mentally check out.

• The Church of Christ Answer: A cappella song service is typically woven intentionally around the liturgy—interspersed with prayers, scripture readings, the Lord’s Supper, and the sermon. It treats singing not as an extended concert block, but as responsive, back-and-forth worship that keeps the body energized and mentally engaged.

The Underlying Truth

Connell concludes his article with this observation:

“Worship leaders today operate in a cultural moment that is saturated with polished, produced music... The better instinct is to give them something no streaming service can: a room full of people singing the same words to the same God together.”

That is precisely the distinctive strength of Churches of Christ. While broader church movements spend time trying to “strip down” the band or “turn off the haze machines” to recover congregational volume, a cappella singing starts with the fundamental conviction that the human voice—united across the room in mutual instruction and praise—is already the fullest, most biblical instrument in the church.

Introduction: The Polemical Challenge

One of the primary objections raised by Islamic apologists and polemicists against Christianity concerns the doctrine of the Triune Godhead. Opponents often argue that the concept of Three Divine Persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) existing as One God is illogical or mathematically absurd, insisting that 1 + 1 + 1 must strictly equal 3.

Furthermore, critics cite biblical warnings regarding the invisibility and unapproachability of God to claim a contradiction with passages recording divine appearances.

Part I: The Prohibition — “No Man Can See God and Live”

• Judges 13:22: “...We shall surely die, because we have seen God!”

• John 1:18a: “No one has seen God at any time.”

• John 5:37: “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”

• John 6:46: “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

• John 14:9: “...He who has seen Me has seen the Father...”

• Colossians 1:15: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.”

• Hebrews 1:3: “He is the radiance of His splendor, and the exact expression of His nature...”

• 1 Timothy 6:15–16: “...He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”

THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION: The lethal warning against seeing God refers to a direct, unshielded encounter with the overwhelming, unmitigated full glory of God (as feared by Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1–13). Alternatively, these biblical prohibitions specifically point to God the Father as the Divine Persona who remains unmanifested directly to mortal human eyes, whereas the pre-incarnate Son (Logos) serves as the visible agent of divine manifestation.

Part II: The Historical Record of Divine Appearances

The Old and New Testaments record numerous instances where God, His presence, or heavenly beings manifested visibly in material form:

Old Testament Manifestations:

• Genesis 3:1–5: Satan, a spirit cherub, manifested physically in the form of a serpent.

• Genesis 28:12–22: YHWH appeared to Jacob in a dream atop the heavenly ladder.

• Exodus 3:1–22: God manifested visibly through the burning bush, and later as a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 32:1–17).

• Exodus 17:5–7: YHWH stood with Moses on the rock at Horeb when water gushed out.

• Exodus 19:20; 34:28: YHWH conversed with Moses on Mount Sinai over 40 days and 40 nights.

• Exodus 24:9–11: Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 elders of Israel saw God and ate and drank in His presence.

• Exodus 32:34–35: The Father spoke with Moses, while the pre-incarnate Christ acted as the Angel of YHWH.

• Exodus 33:11–23: YHWH spoke to Moses face-to-face as a friend, permitting Moses to see His back while shielding His face: “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live.”

• Exodus 34:5, 30: YHWH descended in the cloud, passing before Moses, transferring divine brilliance onto Moses’ physical face.

• Numbers 12:4–9: YHWH descended in the pillar of cloud and spoke with Moses mouth-to-mouth.

• Numbers 20:7–13: YHWH instructed Moses to bring water from the Rock—the Rock which Paul identifies in 1 Corinthians 10:4 as Christ.

• Joshua 5:13–15: The Commander of the LORD’s Army appeared as a Man before Joshua, making the ground holy.

• Judges 6:12; 13:1–25: The Angel of YHWH appeared to Gideon and to Manoah’s family as a Man.

• 1 Samuel 3:21: YHWH appeared again in Shiloh through His Word.

• 1 Kings 3:5; 9:2; 2 Chronicles 7:12: YHWH appeared to Solomon in dreams by night.

• 2 Chronicles 3:1: YHWH appeared to King David on Mount Moriah.

• Isaiah 6:1–10: Isaiah saw the glory of YHWH sitting on a high throne (John 12:39–41 explicitly confirms that Isaiah saw the glory of Christ).

• Amos 9:1: Amos saw the Lord standing by the altar.

CHRISTOLOGICAL NOTE: Since Christ is revealed as the active Creator (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:10), He is the Elohim who walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As Micah 5:2 declares, His “goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

New Testament & Heavenly Manifestations:

• John 8:56–58: Christ declared His pre-existence: “Before Abraham was born, I AM”—affirming personal pre-existence, not merely a distant plan.

• John 17:5, 23–25: Christ shared eternal glory and love with the Father before the foundation of the world.

• Matthew 3:16: The Holy Spirit visibly manifested in the physical form of a dove alighting upon Jesus.

• Matthew 17:1–9: Moses and Elijah appeared physically to the naked eyes of Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration.

• Luke 1:26–38: The Angel Gabriel, a spirit being, took on visible form to announce the Messiah’s birth to Mary.

• Deuteronomy 34:5–8 & Jude 9: Michael the Archangel contested with Satan regarding the body of Moses.

• Mark 16:5–6; Luke 24:4; John 20:12–13; Acts 1:10–11: Angels appeared in human form to the guards and apostles following the Resurrection and Ascension.

• Revelation 1:17–18: The glorified Christ declares Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, who died and is alive forevermore.

Part III: Exegesis of John 1:18

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:18)

1. Who is excluded from “seeing” God? The statement that “no one has seen God” applies specifically to mortal human beings in their natural state. It does not exclude the Son (Logos). In His eternal deity, Christ was loved by the Father before the foundation of the world (John 17:24) and dwelt in His immediate presence before creation (John 1:1–3; John 17:5).

2. The Heavenly Reality: Holy angels exist in the immediate presence of God’s throne (Isaiah 6:1–3). Meanwhile, the Son sits upon His own throne (Daniel 7:9–14) and at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3; 10:12; Colossians 3:1; as witnessed by Stephen in Acts 7:55). Christ testifies in John 5:19–21 that He beholds the works of the Father directly.

3. “In the Bosom of the Father”: This phrase is a Semitic idiom denoting intimate love, absolute unity, and shared essence—not a physical geographical coordinate. It mirrors Luke 16:22, where faithful souls reside in “Abraham’s bosom,” symbolizing spiritual intimacy and honor with the father of faith.

4. Seeing as Intimate Knowledge: In biblical theology, “seeing” God includes direct, perfect comprehension. As Jesus declared:

   • “no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son...” (Matthew 11:27)

   • “...believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (John 10:38)

5. The Exact Representation: In attributes, essence, and character, the Son is the perfect, visible representation of the invisible Father (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:1–3; John 14:7–11).

Conclusion

The proposition that Jesus Christ—who is God—could take upon Himself human flesh and blood (John 1:14) is neither illogical nor biblically impossible.

To reject the Incarnation is to disregard the established record of biblical history, where the true God repeatedly manifested Himself through physical forms, clouds, fire, and human personages. If created spirit beings like Satan could appear as a physical serpent (Genesis 3), and holy angels could take on human forms (Genesis 18; Acts 1), there is no scriptural or logical ground to deny that the Almighty Creator can manifest Himself in human flesh.

Have you ever wondered why do people dread going back to work and say, “back to reality?” Aren’t we supposed to be excited to go back to reality? I’m sure you’ve heard the idiom before, but what does it mean and why do we use it? We can relate this saying to our own lives when we are about to end a fun or relaxing time with friends, family, or even ourselves. People dread going back to work, even if they love their jobs. What can we do to make sure we enjoy our work and make our jobs less stressful?

The Bible encourages us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.“ (Colossians 3:23)

Why do we dread going back to work so much? We have everything we need to be happy there — we have a paycheck, a steady routine, and the ability to build relationships with coworkers. But we often count down the days until the weekend.

“Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.” (Proverbs 20:13)

There are lots of reasons people don’t enjoy going to work because of workplace stress (yes, it is an actual thing). According to estimates, 90 percent of workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” from their jobs. Most employees spend “half of their waking lives doing things they really don’t want to do in places they don’t particularly want to be” according to Barry Schwartz, a psychology professor from Swarthmore College.

The Bible warns against laziness: “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” (Proverbs 10:4)

Schwartz concludes many individuals start off in their occupations being enthusiastic about a “variety of aspirations” that go beyond the paycheck, but eventually they find out that other factors take precedence over those aspirations.

“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.“ (Proverbs 22:29)

You may not love your job, but you’re doing something that needs to be done! Whether it’s changing bed pans for patients or negotiating multi-million-dollar mergers and acquisitions, there will always be grateful for your hard work.

The Bible encourages us to work hard: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

So next time you’re feeling down about going back to work after an amazing vacation or just a quick weekend getaway, try reminding yourself of this: someone is glad that you’re working hard so they can enjoy their life a bit more because of it. Because if nobody were doing it, none of us would enjoy our vacations or anything else we could do.

In my last post, I talked about how Christians shouldn’t be boring. But you know what? That’s too exciting. I say we embrace the boring Christian stereotype!

Who needs thrills and adventures when we could sit around together and watch paint dry?

Instead of sharing the gospel and serving others, let’s see how long we can stare at a blank wall in silence!

I’m kidding, of course.

The truth is, our faith in Christ opens us up to live vibrant, purposeful lives.

As Christians, we’re called to share God’s hope and love with others in creative, meaningful ways.

Yes, we should pursue righteousness and avoid sinful indulgences.

But that just frees us up for even greater joy, curiosity and childlike wonder in our walk with Jesus.

His love is the most exciting, unboring thing in the world!

It defeats sin and death and opens up eternal life.

Now that’s a story worth sharing and living out.

So let’s embrace the exciting mission God gave us.

The world needs Christians who aren’t boring but are filled with contagious joy.

Our lives should point people to Jesus - not make them want to sleep!

What do you think? Should we aim to be boring Christians? Let me know in the comments!

Let’s be agents of healing and reconciliation in a world that is torn apart by conflict and division, just as Jesus was.

With so much pain, brokenness and bitterness around us, God is calling His people to be peacemakers who bring hope. Like Jesus, we can choose to see the dignity in all people, even those rejecting or attacking us. We can model grace, empathize beyond surface level differences, and love our enemies.

It starts small - forgiving coworkers, reaching out to estranged family, or having hard conversations in love. As we surrender our pride and prejudices to God, He can work through us. With the Spirit’s help, we can be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus - tearing down walls, building bridges, and restoring what’s been broken.

Let’s pray for opportunities to promote peace, listening before reacting. Our posture of reconciliation can have a ripple effect, revealing the unifying power of the gospel.

#bridgebuilder #forgive #empathy #justice #reconciliation #unity #peacemaker #gospel #hopeheals #wordministry

Living a life that Jesus would approve of means being willing to stand up for what is right, even when it’s difficult or unpopular.

It’s tempting to stay silent in order to keep the peace or avoid controversy. But following Jesus requires moral courage and a willingness to speak truth, even in the face of opposition.

When we see injustice, corruption, exploitation, or sin being normalized, we need to speak out - not with arrogance but with humility, grace, and biblical conviction. We represent Christ and cannot remain neutral or complicit in the face of evil.

Of course, we must ensure our own hearts are right before calling out wrong in others. We can stand for truth while still esteeming those who oppose us as people created in God’s image.

Let’s pray for boldness and integrity. By God’s strength, we can stand by biblical principles, challenge cultural lies, defend the vulnerable, and honor the Lord in all we say and do.

#conviction #courage #lightinthedarkness #speaklife #christoverculture #faithinaction #standfirm #biblicalvalues #wordministry

WARNING: “No Man Can See God and Live”

• Exodus 33:20: “But He said, ‘You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.’”

• Judges 13:22: “...We shall surely die, because we have seen God!”

• John 1:18a: “No one has seen God at any time.”

• John 5:37: “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”

• John 6:46: “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

• John 14:9: “...He who has seen Me has seen the Father...”

• Ephesians 1:15: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.”

• Hebrews 1:3: “He is the radiance of His splendor, and the exact expression of His nature...”

• 1 Timothy 6:15–16: “...which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”

THEOLOGICAL NOTE: This feared, lethal outcome of seeing God refers to an unshielded encounter with the overwhelming, unmitigated glory of God (as feared in Isaiah 6:1–13). Alternatively, these biblical warnings specifically point to God the Father as the Persona who remains unmanifested directly to human eyes, whereas the pre-incarnate Son (Logos) is the One who executes visible appearances (Theophanies/Christophanies).

SCRIPTURAL RECORD: The Visible Appearances of YHWH

• Genesis 2:4–24 and 3:1–24: Presupposes Yahweh God in frequent, direct fellowship with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day in the Garden.

• Genesis 12:7: Yahweh appeared to Abram.

• Genesis 15:1–17: Yahweh appeared to Abram in a vision.

• Genesis 16:13: The Angel of YHWH was seen and addressed directly by Hagar.

• Genesis 17:1–27: Yahweh appeared to Abram to establish the covenant of circumcision.

• Genesis 18:1–2: Yahweh appeared as a Man alongside two angels to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre.

• Genesis 19:24–29: YHWH on earth in human form interacted near Sodom while YHWH in heaven rained down judgment.

• Genesis 26:2, 24: Yahweh appeared to Isaac, repeating the promise that same night.

• Genesis 28:12–22: Yahweh communicated with Jacob in a dream (Jacob’s ladder).

• Genesis 32:24–30: The Angel of Yahweh appeared as a Man and physically wrestled with Jacob at Peniel.

• Genesis 35:1, 9–15: God appeared unto Jacob again when he fled, confirming his name change to Israel.

• Genesis 48:3: God Almighty (El Shaddai) appeared to Jacob at Luz.

• Exodus 3:2, 16: Yahweh appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the burning bush.

• Exodus 4:5: God confirmed to Moses that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had appeared to him.

• Exodus 6:3: God declared to Moses, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob...”

• Exodus 16:10: The glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud before Israel.

• Exodus 33:8–11, 18–23: Yahweh spoke with Moses face-to-face as a man speaks to his friend, permitting Moses to see His back while shielding His face.

• Leviticus 9:6: Moses proclaimed that the glory of Yahweh would appear to all the people.

• Numbers 16:19, 42: The glory of Yahweh appeared visibly to the entire congregation.

• Numbers 20:6: The glory of Yahweh appeared to Moses and Aaron at the door of the Tabernacle.

• Deuteronomy 31:15: Yahweh appeared at the Tabernacle in a pillar of cloud.

REITERATED WARNING:

Exodus 33:20: “But He said, ‘You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.’”

Note: The thesis of this article will be continued in the next installment

Seven Views on Holy Spirit Immersion

Among Filipino brethren, there are at least seven views on this issue. I favor View #7 as the most consistent and defensible position in a public debate.

1. The 12 Apostles Only (Strict Requirements): Restricted to the apostles with specific prerequisites: a personal promise by Christ, location in Jerusalem, visual tongues of fire, the sound of a rushing wind, and speaking in tongues.

2. The 12 Apostles Only (Miraculous Powers): Restricted to the apostles, evidenced solely by the miraculous powers listed in Acts 2.

3. Apostles and Cornelius’s Household: Limited to these two groups due to the historical presence of observable powers.

4. Apostles, Paul, and Cornelius’s Household: Limited to these specific individuals/groups due to the presence of observable powers.

5. Apostles, Samaritans, Paul, and Cornelius’s Household: Limited to these groups based on observable powers.

6. One-Time Outpouring: A singular, unrepeatable event on Pentecost (Acts 2) received by the 12 apostles. All subsequent believers receive the Holy Spirit upon obedience at water baptism.

7. Universal Believer Immersion (Author’s Position): All obedient disciples are recipients of and are immersed in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then grants gifts as He wills—miraculous powers to some, and non-miraculous gifts to others.

Foundational Concepts for Study

The following principles provide a starting point for understanding this issue. Any serious Bible student should settle these questions:

1. Definition of Baptidzo: The Greek word translates to “immerse, dip, overwhelm, wash, dye, color, drown” in the active voice and “be immersed, be dipped, be overwhelmed...” in the passive voice. Baptisma means “immersion, dipping, overwhelming, washing, cleansing...” (Thayer, Joseph Henry. “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,” Harper & Brothers, 1889, pp. 94-95).

2. John’s Baptism: John the Baptizer immersed repentant disciples in water, establishing the public nature of the practice (Matt. 3:1-11; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-17).

3. Christ’s Baptism: Jesus and His disciples also baptized disciples in water, even more in number than John (John 4:1-2).

4. The Great Commission: Immersion in Matthew 28:19 is “into (eis) the NAME of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Name refers to the person and all that the person stands for (power, authority, merit, honor, glory, blessings). It does not mean merely giving permission or authorization.

5. Implications of the Commission: The immersed believer enters into the power, merit, authority, and blessings of the three persons in the Godhead—including the Holy Spirit. Claiming, “I was baptized under the Great Commission, so I don’t need to be immersed in the Holy Spirit,” reveals a misunderstanding. It is tantamount to saying, “I don’t need to be baptized into the death of Christ because I was baptized under the Great Commission.”

6. Immersion into Christ: Disciples are baptized into (eis) Christ Jesus and into His death (Rom. 6:3). This preposition denotes entry into, fellowship with, or incorporation into Christ.

7. Buried with Christ: Disciples, spiritually dead because of sin, are buried with Christ during water immersion (Col. 2:12).

8. Immersion into Moses: The Israelites were baptized into (eis) Moses in the cloud and sea (1 Cor. 10:1-2), meaning they came under his power, authority, and leadership as mediator.

9. Christ in Water: Christ Himself was immersed in water (Matt. 3:13-16; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23; John 1:31-34).

10. Christ in Suffering: Christ was also immersed (overwhelmed) in extreme suffering leading to His death (Matt. 20:22-23; Mark 10:38; Luke 12:49-50). This validates the theological concept that there is immersion in a material element (water) and immersion in an immaterial element (suffering/Spirit).

11. Scope of John’s Audience: John immersed massive public crowds—”all Judea, all the region around Jordan” (Matt. 3:5-6; Mark 1:4-5; Luke 3:3-7).

12. Scope of the Spirit’s Immersion: John promised this general public audience that One was coming to immerse them in the Holy Spirit. Because the scope of water baptism was the general public, the scope of Holy Spirit baptism is also the general public. If restricted, this promise becomes an untruth. Immersion in the Holy Spirit is a Messianic ministry offered universally.

13. Christ’s Reiteration: Christ taught this same promise of immersion in the Holy Spirit, which eventually expanded to include the Gentile world (Acts 1:4-8; 10:23-48; 11:1-18).

14. Universal Gift: All obedient disciples are given the Holy Spirit upon the new birth (Acts 2:38-39; Acts 5:32; Rom. 5:5; Rom. 8:1-30; 1 Cor. 3:16-19; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Cor. 12:11-13; 2 Cor. 1:20-22; Titus 3:5-6).

15. The New Birth: The New Birth involves water (immersion) and the person of the Holy Spirit. This means the Spirit exerts a personal influence in conjunction with the Word, resulting in the renewal of the inner man.

16. Key Questions to Resolve:

    • Is there a participation of the person of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the instructions of the Bible?

    • Could this personal participation, authority, and leading of the Holy Spirit accurately be called an “Immersion in the Holy Spirit”?

    • Does the Bible provide sufficient information regarding the personal presence, ministry, and influence of the Holy Spirit in your life (e.g., John 3:5-7; Rom. 8:1-7; Rom. 8:26; 2 Tim. 1:13-14)?

Historical Perspectives (American Restoration Movement)

Early pioneers of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement heavily debated this issue in the 1860s and 1870s, proving it is not a recent theological invention:

Alexander Campbell (Millennial Harbinger, 1834, as cited in Richard Rogers, “A Study of the Holy Spirit of God,” p. 75):

“The phrase ‘the gift of the Holy Spirit’ means the Holy Spirit himself as foretold by Joel... Be it observed that the Holy Spirit himself is a gift. He is not the donor but the donation... For it is evident that the Spirit himself though a gift displayed his presence in the spiritual man by such measures or distributions of his power as seemed good to himself.” (Note: Rogers, a 20th-century educator, accurately quotes Campbell’s 1834 publication).

Moses E. Lard (Lard’s Quarterly, Vol. I, p. 280, 1864):

“They hold that the Spirit now dwells in Christians, also that it helps our infirmities. But, in addition to this, is the human spirit immersed into it? This presents the precise point of difference... I frankly confess I strongly incline to the side of the immersion.”

Thomas Munnell (Lard’s Quarterly, Vol. II, p. 155, 1865):

“The confusion of thought... seems to take its rise in a certain error so well sanctified in the minds of our brotherhood for thirty or forty years, that it seems almost sacrilegious to assail it. The error is this: That there have never been but two instances of baptism of the Holy Spirit recorded in the New Testament. So firmly has this mistake been rooted in the mind that neither writers nor speakers ever stop to prove it, but take it as granted.”

John W. McGarvey (Lard’s Quarterly, Vol. I, pp. 221 & 428, 1864):

(Taking an opposing, strict cessationist view) “We conclude therefore, that while the power to work miracles... was an endowment conferred by the Holy Spirit, the direct inspiration of the human soul was an essential part of its immersion in the Holy Spirit... Christians in general are not immersed in the Holy Spirit.”

Robert Milligan (New Testament Commentary: Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. IX, p. 173, 1875):

“We have then under the reign of Christ, as elementary ordinances of the New Economy: 1) a baptism in water... 2) a baptism in the Holy Spirit, administered by Christ himself to all who are really begotten by the Spirit and born of water; and 3) a baptism in fire, by means of which the wicked will be finally overwhelmed in sufferings.”

Robert Richardson (A Scriptural View of the Office of the Holy Spirit, Chase & Hall Publications, pp. 20-23, 1873):

“The baptism in the Spirit is thus here placed in direct opposition to the baptism in fire... This baptism is to be regarded as applicable to the entire class of believers, without exception, since there is nothing whatever in its announcement restricting it to a limited number or to a particular time.”

Misconceptions and Theological Categories

Unfortunately, many people who have not deeply studied the Biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit assume the majority of the Churches of Christ are strict “cessationists.” Based on this assumption, they judge the brotherhood negatively, assuming our fellowship lacks the Spirit’s active presence.

This judgment shows a misunderstanding of both Scripture and our historical roots. While the brotherhood broadly rejects modern, extra-biblical claims of miraculous gifts, a careful study of the Bible shows we do not deny the Spirit’s active, personal work.

Depending on the theological context, this approach goes by a few different names:

• The “Personal Indwelling” (or “Active Indwelling”) View: Within the Restoration Movement, this position opposes the “Word-Only” view. It argues that the Spirit personally and continually dwells within and influences the believer through His ongoing, non-miraculous work.

• Classical (or Moderate) Cessationism: In systematic theology, this view affirms the Holy Spirit’s active work in regeneration, illumination, sanctification, and leading the believer. Unlike “Hard Cessationism” (which treats the Spirit as distant or inactive today), it maintains that only the specific apostolic “sign gifts” were unique to the early church.

• The “Open but Cautious” View: Aligning with View #7, this approach acknowledges that God can grant miraculous intervention if He chooses. However, it applies strict biblical discernment and generally rejects modern charismatic practices.

Recognizing the universal immersion, influence, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every obedient believer is not a departure from the truth; it is a basic biblical teaching.

Final Appeal

The article above is the most consistent analysis of the scriptures regarding Immersion in the Holy Spirit. If anyone disagrees, let us share ideas and not divide the church over this matter.

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Protestant Calvinism has a strong doctrine on Predestination. It means that God has predetermined from the beginning who among those who live and pass through this life on earth will go to Heaven and those who are going to Hell. Salvation is all of the work of God. It follows that Damnation is all decided by God also. For more understanding of this doctrine of predestination, one should study the doctrine called T.U.L.I.P.

This article presents the doctrine of Fate and Destiny taught in Islam. It is the understanding of this writer that there is no FREE WILL in Islam. Many Muslims, however, believe there is Free Will in Islam, but the Qur’an and Hadiths clearly teaches predestination.

Here are some Quranic passages that teach predestination:

Quran, Al-An’am 6:125, “And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allah puts the wrath on those wo believe not.”

Quran, Fatir, 35:8, “. . . Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So destroy not yourself (O Muhammad) in sorrow for them. Truly, Allah is All-Knower of what they do!”

Hadiths are pronouncement of their prophet and are believed to be revelation from Allah. Analyze the understanding of the followers of their prophet:

Hadith #1 – Islamic Fate & Destiny

It was narrated that ‘Aishah the Mother of the Believers said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was called to the funeral of a child from among the Ansar. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, glad tidings for him! He is one of the little birds of Paradise, who never did evil or reached the age of doing evil (i.e, the age of accountability).’ He said: ‘It may not be so, O ‘Aishah! For Allah created people for Paradise, He created them for it when they were still in their father’s loins, And He has created people for Hell, He created them for it when they were still in their fathers’ loins.’”

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Hadith #2 – Islamic Fate & Destiny

Narrated `Abdullah:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), the truthful and truly-inspired, said, “Each one of you collected in the womb of his mother for forty days, and then turns into a clot for an equal period (of forty days) and turns into a piece of flesh for a similar period (of forty days) and then Allah sends an angel and orders him to write four things, i.e., his provision, his age, and whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed (in the Hereafter). Then the soul is breathed into him. And by Allah, a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which Allah has ordered the angel to write) precedes, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing precedes and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it.

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6594

Hadith #3 – Islamic Fate & Destiny

It was narrated from Muslim bin Yasar al-Juhani that `Umar bin al-Khattab was asked about this verse:

`And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins` [al-A`raf 7:172], `Umar (---) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) being asked about it and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: `Allah created Adam, then He passed His right hand over his loins and brought forth from him his offspring and said: I have created these for Paradise and they will do the deeds of the people of Paradise. Then He passed (His hand) over his loins and brought forth from him his offspring and said: I have created these for Hell and they will do the deeds of the people of Hell.” A man said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), why then should we strive? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: `When Allah creates a person for Paradise, He causes him to do the deeds of the people of Paradise until he dies doing one of the deeds of the people of Paradise and is admitted to Paradise thereby. And when He creates a person for Hell, He causes him to do the deeds of the people of Hell until he dies doing one of the deeds of the people of Hell and is admitted to Hell thereby.”

Grade: Sahih because of corroborating evidence and Da’if (Darussalam)

NO FREE WILL

“’Umar b. al-Khattab reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :

‘Do not sit with those who believe in free will and do not address them before they address you.’”

Grade: Da’if (Al-Albani)

ReferencE: Sunan Abi Dawud 4720

Hadith #4 – Islamic Fate & Destiny

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:

Verily Allah has fixed the very portion of adultery which a man will indulge in, and which he of necessity must commit. The adultery of the eye is the lustful look, and the adultery of the tongue is the licentious speech, the heart desires and yearns, which the parts may or may not put into effect.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2657b

(4a) Chapter: Belief in the Divine Decree - Section 1(4a)باب الإيمان بالقدر - الفصل الأول

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “God recorded the fates of all creatures 50,000 years before creating the heavens and the earth, and His throne was upon the water.”

Muslim transmitted it.

Grade: Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza’i)

Reference: Mishkat al-Masabih 79

Hadith #5 – Islamic Fate a Destiny

“(2)Chapter: The Debate Between Adam And Musa (Peace And Blessings Of Allah Be Upon Them) (2) ‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

There was an argument between Adam and Moses (peace be upon both of them) in the presence of their Lord. Adam came the better of Moses. Moses said: Are you that Adam whom Allah created with His Hand and breathed into himHis sprit, and commanded angels to fall in prostration before him and He made you live in Paradise with comfort and ease. Then you caused the people to get down to the earth because of your lapse. Adam said: Are you that Moses whom Allah selected for His Messengership and for His conversation with him and conferred upon you the tablets, in which everything was clearly explained and granted you the audience in order to have confidential talk with you. What is your opinion, how long Torah would haye been written before I was created? Moses said: Forty years before. Adam said: Did you not see these words: Adam committed an error and he was enticed to (do so). He (Moses) said: Yes. Whereupon, he (Adam) said: Do you then blame me for an act which Allah had ordained for me forty years before He created me? Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: This is how Adam came the better of Moses.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2652c

Hadith #6 -- Islamic Fate & Destiny

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) having said:

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2749

In the Old Testament, the Trinity within the Godhead was taught, though it was largely suppressed or minimized by rabbinic traditions. The traditional Jewish concept of “One God” came to be viewed strictly as a single, isolated Divine Being—much like counting a single angel or cherub. That same unitarian perception forms the core of Islamic theology today.

As shown in our previous article, the presence of Three Divine Persons in the One Godhead is amply recorded across the Hebrew Scriptures:

• Genesis 1:1–2 presents God and the Spirit active in creation.

• Proverbs 30:4 explicitly mentions God and His Son.

• Isaiah 48:16 reveals the LORD, His Spirit, and the divine speaker (the Son).

• Genesis 19:24 (NKJV) records two manifestations of YHWH simultaneously (one raining brimstone from heaven, and YHWH on earth at Sodom).

• Psalm 45:6–7 records one Elohim addressing a second Elohim, a passage directly confirmed in Hebrews 1:5–10 as the Father speaking to the Son. In verse 10, the Father addresses the Son as “Lord” and Creator, perfectly aligning with John 1:1–3 and Colossians 1:15–16.

• John 8:56–58 and John 17:5 affirm that Christ, the Logos, had distinct personal existence and activity before the material universe was created.

Now we turn to the New Testament. Are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit clearly identified and active together? Absolutely.

Consider the baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:16–17: all three Divine Persons are revealed simultaneously. The Father speaks from heaven (“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”); the Son, Jesus Christ, stands in the Jordan River having been immersed by John the Baptist; and the Holy Spirit visibly descends like a dove to rest upon Him.

Later, in Matthew 28:19, Christ commands His apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptizing believers “into the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”—one divine name encompassing three distinct Persons.

This trinitarian framework appears repeatedly throughout the New Testament writings:

• John 14:25–27: Jesus, while present on earth in human form, speaks directly of both the Father and the Holy Spirit (the Helper).

• 2 Corinthians 13:14: The Apostle Paul explicitly invokes the Triune God: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

• Romans 1:1–8: Paul systematically lists God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Spirit.

• Hebrews 9:14: The author highlights all three Persons working in the scheme of redemption: “...how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God...”

• 1 Peter 1:1–2: Peter explicitly addresses believers chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ.

NOTE: IThe next article will be a study on the physical appearances (theophanies/christophanies) of God in Scripture. Who is this God who manifested Himself in visible, material forms—such as fire, cloud, rock, and human form?

By Dr. Eusebio A. Tanicala

A Personal Encounter with History

In September 1999, a visit to the family of Domingo and Veny Camaganacan in Talaibon, Ibaan, Batangas, brought me face to face with a living link to our church’s dim past. There, I met Mrs. Cleotilde Villanueva, the mother of Sister Veny.

Mrs. Villanueva shared two astonishing facts. First, she was baptized in 1928 by the American missionary Henry G. Cassell. Second, she personally knew Pedro Asada, a key figure in our early history.

She recounted that Pedro Asada moved his family from Calapan, Mindoro, to Mindanao before the Second World War. However, one daughter, Aurora, was left behind in Mindoro as she was already married. This Aurora Asada, she explained, was the mother of Eliseo A. Sikat.

The connection struck me immediately. Eliseo Sikat was my classmate at the Philippine Bible College in 1964. All those years ago, I had no idea my classmate was the grandson of Pedro Asada. Sister Veny and Eliseo, being children of church leaders in the same area, knew each other well as neighbors. That fateful day in 1999 revealed the very “missing links” I had sought in our Philippine church history, connecting my own generation directly to the pioneers.

The Foundations: Pepperdine, Benson, and Cassell

The story of the Church of Christ in the Philippines begins with a series of providentially timed events.

During a leisure trip to the Orient, George Pepperdine (founder of Pepperdine University) made a stop in Manila. He congregated with the “Christian Church/Churches of Christ” group that met at Cruzada, Quiapo, Manila.

In 1927, another American, George Benson, a missionary in China, was forced to evacuate the mainland. The ship carrying him and other foreigners docked at Pulasahi in Mindoro. It was George Pepperdine who had previously encouraged Benson to consider the Philippines as a mission field if circumstances ever forced him out of China. Benson preached for several months in Mindoro, planting seeds of the gospel.

When Benson eventually left, the Southwest Church of Christ in Los Angeles—where Pepperdine attended—sent Henry G. Cassell to continue the work in Mindoro. However, the climate in Mindoro was not favorable to the Cassell family’s health, prompting them to move to Manila. From their base in Manila, Henry G. Cassell would make occasional preaching trips back to Mindoro.

The Crucial Link: Cassell and Pedro Asada

According to the recollections of Timoteo Lomanang of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro (based on his own memories and the stories of his father, Carlos), Henry Cassell chose Pedro Asada as his interpreter and travel companion for his trips to Mindoro. Asada was one of several young Tagalog preachers associated with the Samahan (Christian Church) group meeting on Cruzada Street in Quiapo.

This partnership proved to be the pivotal moment of doctrinal clarification. Cassell worked closely with Asada, clarifying the theological issues that separated the Churches of Christ (non-instrumental) from the Christian Church/Churches of Christ (instrumental). Key practices such as the eating of blood, Christmas celebrations, and Holy Week observations were discussed and subsequently dropped by Asada.

This “restored” message, as clarified by Cassell, is what Asada carried with him.

The Gospel Spreads Through Filipino Pioneers

Pedro Asada’s influence became the bridge linking the American missionary effort to the indigenous spread of the church across the islands.

• To Mindanao: Before the Pacific War, Asada moved his family to a farm settlement in the wilderness of Cotabato, Mindanao. There, he met Antonio Villanueva, who had already begun preaching to men like Cornelio Alegre and Laureano Belo. Asada discussed the doctrinal issues Cassell had clarified with him, influencing Villanueva and this entire group, which would become a bedrock of the church in Mindanao.

• In Mindoro: Cassell’s work, reinforced by Asada, continued from 1928 to 1941. While Benson’s initial work was in the Pulasahi-Roxas area, Cassell’s efforts were centered further north in Calapan. There, they converted and influenced several key families who would become pillars of the church, including the Lomanang family, the Menor family, and the Sikat family (Eliseo Sikat’s relatives).

The Interruption of War and Lasting Connections

In December 1941, the outbreak of the Pacific War brought this work to a sudden halt. Henry Cassell and his wife were declared enemy aliens by the Japanese Imperial Army and were interned at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

They suffered greatly during their long incarceration. When Manila was liberated in 1945, the Cassells, along with thousands of other civilians, were repatriated to the United States. Though they were very sickly when they sailed home, their connection to the Philippines remained. The Cassells continued to correspond with the Isidro Villanueva family in Calapan City, Mindoro, throughout the 1950s and early 1960s.

A Chain of Faith

We can therefore trace the series of events and relationships that established the Church of Christ in the Philippines. It began with George Pepperdine’s influence, leading to George Benson’s work in Mindoro, which in turn resulted in Henry G. Cassell being sent by the Southwest Church.

Cassell’s vital contribution was clarifying the church’s distinct message to Pedro Asada. Asada then became the key link, carrying this teaching to two primary fields: Mindanao (influencing Antonio Villanueva, Cornelio Alegre, and Laureano Belo) and Mindoro (with Cassell, influencing the Lomanang, Menor, and Sikat families).

Although these men were foundational, other early leaders like Melchor Fontanilla, Remigio dela Torre, the de Castro brothers, and Fabian Bruno were also instrumental. This history was built from the joint efforts of American missionaries and the dedicated Filipino preachers who embraced the message and carried it forward.

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