16. When God said, "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26), was He speaking to another person in the Godhead? No. Isaiah 44:24; Malachi 2:10.
God was absolutely conversing within himself. The use of plural pronouns here and elsewhere is clear enough in pointing this out. The alternative view that God was speaking to angels is contradicted by Isaiah 44:24 or that God was speaking using the ‘royal we’ is based on an anachronistic reading of the text. Ecclesiastes 12:1 uses the word for creator in the plural (Heb. bor’ekha) while Psalm 149:2 uses the word maker in the plural (Heb. b’osav). All of this coupled with the fact that there is one creator argues highly in favor of a multi-personal God.
17. How many of God's qualities were in Christ? All. Colossians 2:9.
Trinitarians would agree although we recognize that certain prerogatives were laid aside in the incarnation. The Son cooperated fully with the humanity that he added to himself (see Phil. 2:5ff).
18. How may we see the God who sent Jesus into the world? By seeing Jesus. John 12:44-45; 14:9.
The question implies a recognizable distinction in persons. We have the Son who is sent and the Father who sends. One wonders how the oneness believer can ignore such a blatant reality.
19. Does the Bible say that Jesus is the Almighty? Yes. Revelation 1:8
Agreed.
20. Whom do some designate as the first person in the trinity? God the Father.
Absolutely—the Father is the first person in the Trinity because it is the Father who begets the Son and spirates the Spirit. The Father is unbegotten while the Son is begotten by the Father by an eternal generation (see response to question # 13) yet the Son does not beget or spirate—the Spirit proceeds forth from the Father by an eternal procession (Jo. 15:26) yet the Spirit is not begotten nor does he beget or spirate.
God was absolutely conversing within himself. The use of plural pronouns here and elsewhere is clear enough in pointing this out. The alternative view that God was speaking to angels is contradicted by Isaiah 44:24 or that God was speaking using the ‘royal we’ is based on an anachronistic reading of the text. Ecclesiastes 12:1 uses the word for creator in the plural (Heb. bor’ekha) while Psalm 149:2 uses the word maker in the plural (Heb. b’osav). All of this coupled with the fact that there is one creator argues highly in favor of a multi-personal God.
17. How many of God's qualities were in Christ? All. Colossians 2:9.
Trinitarians would agree although we recognize that certain prerogatives were laid aside in the incarnation. The Son cooperated fully with the humanity that he added to himself (see Phil. 2:5ff).
18. How may we see the God who sent Jesus into the world? By seeing Jesus. John 12:44-45; 14:9.
The question implies a recognizable distinction in persons. We have the Son who is sent and the Father who sends. One wonders how the oneness believer can ignore such a blatant reality.
19. Does the Bible say that Jesus is the Almighty? Yes. Revelation 1:8
Agreed.
20. Whom do some designate as the first person in the trinity? God the Father.
Absolutely—the Father is the first person in the Trinity because it is the Father who begets the Son and spirates the Spirit. The Father is unbegotten while the Son is begotten by the Father by an eternal generation (see response to question # 13) yet the Son does not beget or spirate—the Spirit proceeds forth from the Father by an eternal procession (Jo. 15:26) yet the Spirit is not begotten nor does he beget or spirate.
