Musick-al note # 189
In John 14:8-9, Philip said to the Lord Jesus, “Show us the Father”. Did Jesus show the disciples the Father? No, because He said, “He that has seen me has seen the Father”. Everything that one can know of God the Father can be known by knowing Jesus the Son of God. There are those who teach that since God is ONE God, then there cannot be three persons in the Godhead but only three manifestations of the ONE God. Is this what the Scriptures teach? If so, how can Jesus pray to Himself as He did in John 17? He prayed to God the Father as the Son of God who would be God the Son. Are we to so construe His Words that He was praying to Himself? Such would be unreasonable!
When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, He said, “if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. “He will glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:7, 13-14. Jesus spoke not only of God the Father but also of God the Spirit. He must go to the Father that the Spirit might come to guide the Apostles into all truth.
It is hard for man to believe that there can be three persons so perfectly joined in love, plans, direction and purpose that they can be ONE but that is just what the Godhead is. Three persons being ONE! When the apostle John wrote his short epistle of 2 John he said, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” To fail to follow the teaching or doctrine of Christ separates one from God but to live in that doctrine or teaching an individual has both the Father and the Son. John said in 1 John 5:7, “For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” The Word spoken here is the same as in the Gospel of John 1:1-3 and in verse 14.
Let us not be guilty of perverting the Word of God nor destroying its work among the children of men in this world. Let us handle it rightly and carefully that we may be pleasing to God.
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 