The Godhead

Romans 1:20, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The “Godhead” has always been understood by Christian theologians to refer to the divine Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God manifest in three Persons. The word itself does not mean “trinity,” but simply “Godhood”—that is, the nature of God.  God as He has revealed Himself to us. That is the point; He has revealed Himself as a tri-unity God, yet one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; James 2:19). 

Creation Reflects His Tri-Unity of Purpose

This remarkable structure of God is clearly reflected in His physical creation, which could almost be said to be a modeled after the Godhood. That is, the created universe is actually a tri-universe of space, matter and time, with each permeating and representing the whole.

However, the universe is not partly composed of space, partly of matter, partly of time (like, for example, the three sides of a triangle). A trinity is not a trio or a triad, but a tri-unity, with each part comprising the whole, yet all three are required to make the whole. Thus, the universe is all space, all time, and all matter (including energy as a form of matter); in fact, scientists speak of it as a space-matter-time continuum.

But that is not all. Space is a tri-unity comprised of three dimensions, with each dimension permeating all space. The reality of any portion of space is obtained by multiplying the three dimensions together (the “mathematics of the Godhood” has been represented as 1 + 1 + 1 = 1, The Plain Word sees a better representation as 1 x 1 x 1 = 1). Further, space is identified in one dimension, seen in the second dimension, experienced in the third dimension.

Similarly, time is future, present and past. The future is the unseen source of time, manifest moment-by-moment in the present, experienced and understood in the past.

Finally, matter is unseen, omnipresent energy, manifesting itself in various forms of measurable motion, then experienced in corresponding phenomena. For example, light energy generates light waves which are experienced in the seeing of light. Sound energy generates sound waves which we experience when we hear sound.

Thus, the physical universe is a great “Trinity of trinities,” with the inner relationships of each element beautifully modeling the relationships of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All of this does not prove that God is a Tri-unity, but it certainly is a remarkable fact. It is an amazing effect that can be explained on the assumption that God is a triune God, and has made His creation to reflect Himself, but it is very hard to explain any other way.

Two other references to the “Godhead” occur in Acts 17:29 and Colossians 2:9.

Here’s a list of Bible verses that explicitly reference all three members of the Godhead.

The universe itself (Romans 1:20) identifies His eternal power and tri-unity nature. Creation becomes the universal “speech” and “language” of God to man about Himself (Psalm 19:1-3). The triune Godhood is certainly in view; and not only the tri-unity, but the “nature” of that Godhood.

Genesis 1:1-5.

In the beginning, God( a) created the heavens and the earth 2 The earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep and God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Footnotes:

a. Genesis 1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is Elohim.

Note: Elohim is plural noun, includes the Father, The Word (Son of God aka: Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.  For further verification that Christ was there see John 1:1-5, 14.  Verse 2, tells us the Holy Spirit was fluttering over the waters.

Genesis 1:26

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

Genesis 3:22

“And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

Isaiah 48:16

“Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”

Matthew 3:16-17

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dow, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 12:28

“But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”

Jesus is speaking, so He is the I.

Matthew 28:18-20

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Luke 3:22

“And the Holy Ghost descended in bodily shape life a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thous art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”

John 14:16

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with your for ever;”

John 14:26

“But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Note: The Comforter is the same as the Holy Ghost, which is also known as the Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of Jesus, Spirit of life, Spirit of grace, Spirit of Prophecy, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of Holiness, Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, Spirit of Fire, Spirit of Glory, and more.

John 15:26

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

Note: The Comforter is the Spirit of Truth.

Acts 2:33

“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”

Note: The one who is by the right hand of God is Jesus.  Pre-incarnate, Jesus was the Son of God. So, Jesus is God.  As well as man.

Acts 10:38

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Romans 1:4-7

“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  By who we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus Christ is declared to be the Son of God, therefore, Jesus is God.

Romans 8:26-27

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.   And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.”

Note: Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man’s behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world.  The Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit work which helps us to pray.

1 Corinthians 6:11

“Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

1 Corinthians 8:6

“But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.”

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  And there are diversitites of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”

2 Corinthians 13:14

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”

Galatians 4:6

“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Ephesians 1:17

“That the Godof our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”

Ephesians 2:18

“For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”

Ephesians 2:22

In whom [Jesus] you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

1 Peter 1:2

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

1 John 5:7

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

Of course, there are more passages that mention all three members of the Godhead (Eph. 1:13–14, 4:4–6; Jude 20–21), and many more that describe the relationships between them.

*Use Godhead and Godhood interchangeably.  The Godhood is made up of a tri-unity of purpose: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  These three are One.  Note: The Son came in the flesh [Jesus] and is called the Word; among many other names.

* Trinity is a common reference to the Godhead.  The Plain Word prefers to use the term ‘Godhead’ so as not to confuse it with other trinitarian views.

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2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”   AND  1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”