Who is the one true God?
Who is the One True God?
This question is foundational to our faith and understanding of life itself. In a world filled with competing truth claims and the worship of countless false gods, it is essential to identify and affirm the one true God. The Bible reveals that the one true God is utterly distinct from all idols fashioned by human imagination or demonic deception. As Isaiah 44:9–10 declares, “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?” In contrast, the one true God is glorious, full of grace and truth, and worthy of all worship (John 1:14).
The Attributes of the One True God
Sovereign and Self-Existent Creator
The one true God is the Creator of all things, sovereign over the universe. Isaiah 42:5 declares, “Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it.” He exists independently of creation, and all things are sustained by His will (Ephesians 1:11).Eternal and Spirit
God is eternal, existing from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 90:2 states, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” He is spirit, transcending physical limitations (John 4:24).Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent
God knows all things (Isaiah 46:10), possesses unlimited power (Matthew 19:26), and is present in all places (Psalm 139:7–10). His infinite nature is incomprehensible to finite creatures, yet it invites us to trust in His sovereignty.Immutable
The one true God does not change. James 1:17 affirms, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” His faithfulness and promises are steadfast.Holy and Righteous
God’s holiness sets Him apart. Isaiah 6:3 records the angels crying out, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” He is just and will judge all sin (Acts 17:31), yet He is also merciful, offering forgiveness to repentant sinners (Psalm 130:4).
The One True God as Triune
A key distinction of the one true God is His triune nature. God is one in essence but exists eternally in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament hints at this plurality (Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 48:16), and the New Testament makes it explicit. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands, “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.” The triune nature of God reveals that He is relational within Himself, perfectly loving and glorifying within the Godhead.
Any concept of God that denies the triune nature is false. Islam, for example, worships a unitarian deity, Allah, who is fundamentally different from the triune God of Scripture. 1 John 2:23 emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the Son: “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” Denying Jesus Christ as God and Savior is to reject the one true God.
God’s Revelation of Himself
The one true God desires to be known and has revealed Himself in multiple ways:
Through Creation
The natural world declares God’s power and divine nature. Romans 1:20 states, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”Through Covenant Relationships
God revealed Himself personally to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, forming a covenant with them and their descendants (Exodus 3:6). His covenantal faithfulness displays His unchanging character and His plan for redemption.Through His Word
The Scriptures are God’s inspired revelation (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Through the Law, Prophets, and Writings, God reveals His will and character.Through Jesus Christ
The ultimate revelation of the one true God is in His Son. Hebrews 1:1–3 proclaims, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the exact representation of God, and the only way to eternal life (John 14:6). Without Jesus, no one can know the Father or be reconciled to Him.
Choosing the One True God
The Bible consistently calls for exclusive worship of the one true God. Joshua 24:15 exhorts, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Similarly, Elijah challenged the Israelites in 1 Kings 18:21: “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” This same decision confronts every person today. False gods—whether idols of materialism, self, or pagan deities—lead only to death. Only the one true God offers salvation and eternal life.
God's Exclusivity in Worship and Lordship
The one true God not only commands worship but also demands absolute allegiance. His self-identification in Exodus 20:2–3, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me” (NKJV), establishes His sovereign claim over His people. This exclusivity emphasizes that devotion to God cannot coexist with allegiance to other gods, idols, or philosophies. The New Testament echoes this in Matthew 6:24, where Jesus teaches that one cannot serve two masters.
This claim is not rooted in divine insecurity but in God's perfect nature and His desire for what is best for His creation. Worshiping the one true God aligns humanity with its created purpose, whereas idolatry distorts and degrades that purpose.
God's Holiness and Our Transformation
The one true God’s holiness (Isaiah 6:3) is not just a distant attribute but a transformative force in the lives of His followers. In 1 Peter 1:15–16, believers are called to reflect God’s holiness: “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (NKJV). This means that acknowledging the one true God involves not only intellectual assent but also ethical and spiritual transformation. Worshiping God rightly compels believers to pursue sanctification, allowing His Spirit to mold them into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
God’s Sovereignty in Salvation
Understanding God as the one true God underscores His sovereign authority over salvation. The triune nature of God is central to the gospel. God the Father ordains salvation, God the Son accomplishes it through His atoning death and resurrection, and God the Holy Spirit applies it to believers’ lives through regeneration and sanctification. As Jonah 2:9 declares, “Salvation is of the LORD” (NKJV).
This sovereignty brings assurance. In John 10:27–28, Jesus promises, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (NKJV). The one true God’s power ensures the security of His people, a profound comfort for believers.
God’s Global Mission
The one true God desires to be known by all nations. His covenant with Abraham included a promise that through Abraham’s offspring, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, NKJV). This promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His followers to “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” (Matthew 28:19, NKJV).
This global mission demonstrates the one true God’s heart for the world. Unlike false gods, who are often tied to specific nations or tribes, the God of the Bible is universal, and His salvation is offered to all people without distinction (Galatians 3:28).
The Uniqueness of Jesus as God’s Revelation
Jesus Christ is the definitive and ultimate revelation of the one true God. As Colossians 1:15 states, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (NKJV). To know Jesus is to know the Father (John 14:9). This exclusivity is highlighted in Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (NKJV).
The person and work of Jesus challenge all other religious claims. Unlike false gods, who demand human effort or rituals for appeasement, Jesus offers grace and reconciliation through His finished work on the cross (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Practical Applications for Believers
Personal Worship: Acknowledging the one true God involves daily worship, prayer, and devotion. Believers are called to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).
Community Witness: The knowledge of the one true God compels believers to share the gospel. Evangelism is not merely an option but a responsibility to make God’s name known among the nations.
Cultural Discernment: Recognizing false gods in modern contexts—whether materialism, self-idolatry, or secular ideologies—helps believers remain faithful in a pluralistic world.
Hope in Trials: The one true God’s unchanging nature and promises offer steadfast hope amidst suffering. Believers can trust that God’s sovereignty is at work for their ultimate good (Romans 8:28).
The identity of the one true God is not just a theological concept but the bedrock of all existence, worship, and salvation. Recognizing and submitting to Him transforms every aspect of life, aligning believers with their ultimate purpose: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Conclusion
The one true God is the sovereign Creator, the triune Lord, and the ultimate source of life and truth. He is perfectly holy, just, and loving, desiring that all people know Him and receive salvation through Jesus Christ. As Jesus prayed in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” May we forsake all false gods and worship the one true God in spirit and truth.
