One of the Attributes of God: God Is One
The Main Idea of the Lecture
The lecture explains an essential attribute of God which is the oneness of God. It clarifies that the Christian faith affirms that God is one in His essence, even while believing in the Holy Trinity. The lecture also presents a logical theological explanation showing the impossibility of the existence of more than one god and clarifies the difference between the Christian Trinity and pagan concepts of multiple gods.
Proof of the Oneness of God
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the idea of more than one god contradicts the attributes of divinity. If more than one god existed, their power would either be equal or unequal.
If they were equal, then each one’s power would be limited by the others, and none would be able to do everything.
If one of them were stronger than the others, then the stronger one alone would be the true god. Therefore the full attributes of divinity can only exist in one God whose power is unlimited.
Creation and the Authority of God
The teaching also addresses the issue of creation. If several gods existed, the question would be: who created the universe?
If only one god created it, then he alone is the true God.
If all of them were creators, either they created each other or none created the others, and in both cases limitation of authority appears.
This contradicts the nature of God who is the creator of everything.
Evil Does Not Have an Independent God
The teaching rejects the idea of a god of good and a god of evil. Evil does not have an independent god because Satan himself is a creature created by God, not a god.
Satan was not created evil but was created a good angel who later deviated by his own will. Therefore evil did not exist in the beginning but appeared as a result of deviation from goodness.
The Difference Between the Christian Trinity and Pagan Trinity
The lecture explains the great difference between the Christian Trinity and the pagan concept that speaks about a father, mother, and son.
In the pagan trinity there is physical reproduction and a time when the son begins to exist, meaning that he was not eternal.
But in Christian faith, the Son is begotten from the Father with an eternal spiritual generation, not a physical one, similar to the thought coming from the mind or the ray coming from the sun without separating from it.
Unity of the Persons in Essence
The teaching affirms that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three gods but one God in three hypostases.
There is distinction among the hypostases in characteristics but there is no separation between them.
The Father represents the divine essence, the Son represents the divine mind, and the Holy Spirit represents the divine life, and all share the same complete divine essence.
Illustrative Examples of Unity
Some examples are used to clarify the idea, such as the human being who has self, mind, and spirit yet remains one person.
Also the fire which has light and heat but remains one entity.
These examples illustrate how distinction without separation can exist within divine unity.
The Spiritual Message
The lecture affirms that the Christian faith is based on confessing one God perfect in His attributes, and that the Holy Trinity does not mean multiple gods but reveals the depth of the one divine life.
This leads the believer to a deeper understanding of God’s nature and to faith in His complete unity while recognizing the mystery of the Trinity within Orthodox belief.
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