There is one true God. In the beginning the Trinity—The Father, The Word, and Holy Spirit—was and is; they are eternal. Three persons, but ONE true God. Jehovah is God; He, Himself, states it irrefutably as “I AM that I AM.” The Scripture of the New Testament clearly teaches the equality of Jesus with God as the incarnate Son of God, fully God and fully man.

In the beginning [before all-time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it and is unreceptive to it]. [John 1:1-5, AMPC]

For clarity, the third person of the God-Head is Holy Spirit, who is given to us, now, for help in this world, to teach and instruct us on how to be more like Jesus, to become all Our Father intends for us to be. A triune God, who has three persons sharing one divine essence. The Bible states in unequivocal terms that the Lord is God, and He is the only God, He is ONE. God’s chosen people (whosoever believes) are to bear witness* and testify of Him, testify by reiteration* of His faithfulness, of Who HE IS!

You are My witnesses*,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore, you are My witnesses,” Says the LORD, “that I am God. [Isaiah 43:10-12]

In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 we read: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The Deuteronomy passage is referring to cultivating your children in the ways of God. Usually, when we think about ‘cultivation’, our mind goes to the preparing of land for crops or gardening. However, cultivating a dynamic devotion to God should be thought of in the same way. The processes of cultivating can also be applied to acquiring and developing a particular quality, skill, or viewpoint, or even an attitude or opinion towards a situation. Now, notice the reference in the Isaiah 43 (verse 10) using the word, ‘know’ [Strong’s #3045], which means “to perceive and see, find out and discern”. Take note, as well, the word ‘understand’ [Strong’s #995] which infers a deeper meaning of “to regard and perceive; to separate mentally; to distinguish”, knowing to the depth of a subject to developing an ability to teach others. Hence the “teach them diligently to your children” command. The passage goes on with instructions on how to carry out the command resulting in raising the children up in the way they should go: “talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up”. In other words, speak about the one true God repeatedly, continually! This process is a form of meditation.

Expounding on meditation, let us think about the translated phrase, “shall be in your heart” (v.6). The word ‘heart’ was originally used in translations because it referred to the center of one’s being, who a person is in relation to his moral character.  In Hebrew this phrase is one word, ‘lebab’ which means “the inner man”, but specifically relates to how one’s understanding and will is guided by the conscience. Biblically, the words ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ are sometimes used interchangeably because a soul is one’s “inner man” so to speak; it is his thoughts (mind) but also includes his motivations and his will which all are (should be) guided by his conscience which in turn is developed by personal assimilation of knowledge.   

The foundational truth for world redemption is that there is one God who creates and redeems. This truth brings us to the undivided devotion to God that is required to obey and carry out His instruction. This is necessary because we are still living in this fallen world with an enemy seeking opportunities to snare us and stop God’s purpose for our lives here on earth. It requires a wholehearted preparation of your own “soil” (soul) to reap a crop of fruit to glorify our God through prayer, spending time in His presence, and planting the seed of The Word in our “hearts”. It requires pursuing holiness which can only be done by devoting ourselves to His ways. God tells us throughout scripture, “Be holy for I AM holy.”

God calls His people to pursue Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. In that pursuit, we will find life and blessing. Seek God’s face with all your heart, he promises you will find Him. In the Old Testament, we have the command to teach and instruct our children. “Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed … that you may carry them out… and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments…– you, your children, and your grandchildren….” –Deuteronomy 6:1-3

In the New Testament, we have The Great Commission from Jesus: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. This is the mission of the Church. Again, the instruction implies teaching and training those under our authority about God. We are to be His witnesses on the earth testifying Who He is, that He is THE ONE TRUE GOD. ~*~

ADDITIONAL INFO FROM ‘THE VOICE’ COMMENTARY ON JOHN CHAPTER 1:

This Gospel begins not with Jesus’ birth or John’s baptism but with a deliberate echo of the creation story in Genesis. It takes us back before time began to the moment when God interrupts the silence and speaks the cosmos into existence. Only John’s Gospel names Jesus as the Logos and declares that He existed long before time was measured. This Greek word carries a variety of meanings, all relating to the act of speaking. It could be translated “word,” a thought that comes to expression, message, declaration, reason, or the content of preaching; most are found in various translations. It is clear that John means that logos is declared to all creation.

John’s use of logos is unique and has often been rendered as “Word.” While this is a useful translation, even a casual understanding demonstrates that “Word” reflects only part of its meaning. Most readers will interpret “word” as a unit of language—a combination of sounds generally spoken but also written—that carries meaning. To understand what John means, readers need something more than their cultural understanding of “word”; they need a new way of thinking about it. Therefore, we have chosen to offer another rendering, an interpretive, poetic translation, of what may be one of the most theologically loaded words in Scripture. Since logos essentially refers to the act of speaking or bringing thoughts to expression, we have decided to use the word “voice” to capture that reality. John declares that truth has culminated in the person of Jesus. No single word captures the complete meaning of logos, but “voice” has several advantages.

First, “voice” manifests the act of speaking. Voice is that which is spoken and that which is heard; it comes on both sides of any communication event, bridging the gap between sender and receiver. John intends that in Jesus, God is speaking and revealing Himself to the world.

Second, a voice is distinct and personal. We can distinguish people from one another simply by their voices. In John 10 Jesus describes the fact that the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd when he calls and they follow, but they refuse to follow a stranger because they do not know his voice (John 10:1-5). John desires that we know Jesus as the Son of God and believe in Him personally as the Good Shepherd.

Third, “voice” is dynamic in that it reflects the robust and powerful activity of a living God. It is historical in that any act of speaking comes to expression and takes place in the real world as a “voice” calling, demanding a response. It challenges any notion that the Christian faith can be reduced to rules, propositions, or doctrines that can be merely believed or dismissed and not lived out in our lives. Since in Jesus God is speaking and revealing Himself to the world, and since in Jesus we hear the Voice of God, then this new reality changes everything so we, too, must change.

In the beginning

Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking.

The Voice was and is God.
² This celestial Word remained ever present with the Creator;
³ His speech shaped the entire cosmos.
Immersed in the practice of creating,
    all things that exist were birthed in Him.
⁴ His breath filled all things
    with a living, breathing light—
⁵ A light that thrives in the depths of darkness,
    blazes through murky bottoms.
It cannot and will not be quenched.