Many religious groups out there make it evident that they don't understand the biblical concept of Oneness.

When the Bible talks about Oneness, it shouldn't be confused with Hindu Oneness where the person is swallowed up.

Biblical Oneness makes two one, not numerically but in nature or ultimate purpose.

Yet so many groups out there don't understand this connection in such essentials as the Triunity of God, the Hypostatic union of Christ, faith and works, Body, Soul and Spirit, Christ and the Church, husband and wife, Jew and Gentile, Israel and the Church.

To not understand the connection and what results makes one totally unqualified to move on into the deeper things.

Still, there are those that pronounce anathema's and condemnation over that and those whom they don't even understand, and if they considered even for a second that they might not know it all, they might actually move from milk to meat.

The connections mentioned above are in scripture and are called mysteries (Romans 11:25-27,32;Ephesians 5:32;1 Timothy 3:16;), and have been revealed during the time of the Gentiles, NOW. (Romans 11:25-27; Colossians 1:26,27)

There will be those who will in record time blurt out a response to this message before they have read the whole article. They will do this in hopes that the truth will be lost in the shuffle and leave it up to me to sort through their messy responses.

Oneness only can be understood when considering its origin, which is God. Then after that seeing how this oneness affects everything else.

'Hear, Yisra'el: the LORD is our God; the LORD is one:'
(Deuteronomy 6:4)

One in the Bible often speaks of oneness or unity.

The Muslims reject the idea of a Trinity because their idea of oneness cannot conceive of three persons in One God as the Bible teaches.

The Oneness people think the same way.

Still, if one doesn't understand the Oneness of God taught in the bible they cannot understand the other things.

The oneness spoken of in the bible refers to unity.

God in the Old Testament a few times said, 'us'. A comparison of the names for God shows sometimes a plurality (Elohim) and sometimes a Oneness (Yahweh) Then often these two terms were used together when God spoke.

So the idea of a plurality in unity is not just a New Testament concept.

"The quality of love and the capacities for fellowship and communion, by their very nature, require another personal being with which to share them. And God could not fully share Himself except with another Being equal to Him. Yet the bible says that "God is love" in Himself alone. This could only be true if within the Godhead itself there is a plurality of Personages, or or divine Persons, who could express and experience love in relation to one another. Although the actual word "trinity" does not occur in the Bible, the concept is clearly expressed there, providing the unity and diversity that makes possible the love, fellowship, and communion within the Godhead. The Bible presents a God who did not need to create any beings to experience love, communion and fellowship. This God is complete in Himself, existing eternally in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, individually distinct from each other yet at the same time eternally one God. These three loved, communed and fellowshipped with each other and took counsel together before the universe, angels or man were brought into existence. Truly the biblical triune God "is love" (1 John 4:8,16)-and He alone." (The Mysterious Trinity, Dave Hunt)

If we would simply look throughout the bible to see this idea of oneness, our eyes would be opened on a lot of subjects. But the obvious place to start is with God. He is the originator and the beginning of all things.

"And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26)

Note the word, 'us' here. So this doesn't contradict God being one, it explains it.

Those that deny this plurality in unity deny what all the scriptures say. Other scriptures for this are:

(Isaiah 48:16; Proverbs 8:22-31; Isaiah 44:6; John 1; Hebrews 1)

God is three persons in one, we are in God's image and possess a body, soul and spirit.

One God three persons, One person three parts.

"The inconceivably complete identity of God is the paradigm of all personhood, at its very plurality is the foundation of all relatedness. Such is the 'image of God' in which we are made. In that light, the doctrine of the Trinity is not some facile mystification, but a straightforward statement of the multiple personhood of God ... " (The Mysterious Trinity, Dave Hunt)

The next example of Oneness is Christ himself. He was WITH God and Was God. Then He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1) He had and has two natures but is one person. Plurality in unity, Biblical Oneness.

He is the uniting of the heavenly and earthly, the divine and the human. This was necessary to become our advocate and mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) Nobody else is who Christ is.

This was only possible because of who He was, the God Man. No one else could fill his shoes, not even Mary. Mary is not God and so she cannot fill his shoes. So she cannot be even a comediatrix or coredeemer or an advocate between God and man.
The Union of God the Word with flesh is similar to a glowing poker being permeated by heat, 'so Christ's humanity permeates the Word.'

(Jesus Christ, the God Man, Demarest, pg. 66)

So this union of the Heavenly and earthly in Christ would and does effect everything he touches and everything that touches him. He holds everything together not only because of what He does but because of Who He is. (Colossians 1:15,16)

He is One person two natures. Plurality in Unity, Oneness.

This union of deity with humanity doesn't change either side but unites them.

This is not a hindu or buddhist oneness where all dissolves into a sea of nothingness but where each side maintains it nature is joined together.

They permeate each other. They pass through and effect every part of, filling empty spaces.

Jesus tabernacled among us. (John 1) The phrase 'made flesh' can be translated as 'tabernacled' .

A vessel has value not only in its construction but in what can and/or will be put in it, its potential.

A House is not truly a home until it is made comfortable, filled with ones personal stuff.

Thou wood and tile may build a hall
And roof it with a dome,
It is the space within the wall,
That makes the hall a home. (Lao Tzu)

This incarnational reality affects even what He did at the cross. Those that crucified Christ became guilty of the most horrible of sins. They proved that all are sinners and need the divine sacrifice of Christ. (Romans 11:32)

This is because of who Christ is, God and Man, Two natures, One person (plurality in unity, Oneness) that when He went to the cross he proved the guilt of Jew and Gentile and provided a way of salvation for Jew and Gentile. (Two become One)

Ephesians says this, "For he is our peace, who made BOTH ONE, and brake down the middle wall of partition, 15 having abolished in the flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the TWO ONE NEW MAN, [so] making peace; 16 and might reconcile them BOTH IN ONE BODY unto God THROUGH THE CROSS, having slain the enmity thereby" (Ephesians 2)

Christ who in his very nature is a demonstration of two becoming one is sacrificed and breaks down the middle wall of partition and makes the two (Jew and Gentile) One. This is biblical Oneness, Two become One/Unified. Of course this happens through faith.

Notice it does not say 'The Two Become One Jew' but 'of the two One New Man.'

My oneness with my Jewish Brothers is because of the God who became one of us, to make us One in him. I don't become a Jew and he doesn't become a Gentile.

This is biblical Oneness.

When I become one with my wife, I don't become her and she doesn't become me, but we become One flesh. (Ephesians 5:32) These kind of unions are called myteries in the bible.

The body of Christ wasn't a demonstration of two becoming One, until Jew and Gentile came together through faith in Christ, the God Man.

Two Become One.

We are not talking about two groups becoming one in Christ but individuals becoming one in Christ. Israel as a group/nation still has a unique purpose and destiny. (Ezekiel 36)

They don't become each other any more than Jesus became the Father or the Father the Son.

The references to the assembly in Matthew consisted of Jews and a few pushy Gentiles.

At this point Jesus made a clear distinction between Jew and Gentile. (Matthew 10:5)

Why do Christians disregard this scripture.

In the end this distinction will be brought out again. (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:25-27)

"So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom YE ALSO ARE BUILDED TOGETHER for a habitation of God in the Spirit."

If the only difference between the assembly of the gospels and the church according to Paul was that one was Jewish and the latter consisted of Jews and Gentiles, then why were the twelve still comitted to going to Jews while Paul was to go to the Gentiles? (Galatians 2:8,9)

The term body of Christ was not brought out until Paul the apostle. The nature of a body is an organism which has many INDIVIDUAL parts. The body is One according to Ephesians but still that doesn't dismiss the fact that this One body has many individual parts.

I'm not talking about two bodies and those that insist that this is what is being said here are just showing their ignorance.

So the very nature of Christ (Two become One) and what He did on the cross brings the individual Jew (not national Israel)and Gentile together into one body.

One body many members. (Ephesians 4)

As individuals we are one through faith in Christ, as a nation, Israel will be regathered and restored spiritually as was attempted in the gospels (Romans 11:25ff)

There are also two programs mentioned in scripture.

Check Out:

https://cuf5.tripod.com/id105.html

AND

https://cuf5.tripod.com/id68.html

If one fails to see the two different programs they will remain confused.

These programs are One, but not the same.

No longer can one rely solely on passages such as Matthew sixteen but must include the Rrrrrrrrrrrest of the story as Paul Harvey likes to say.

We are in the image of God who said, "Let us make man in our image after our likeness." (Genesis)

Man consists of body, soul and spirit.

These three parts are not each other but they are One/united.

When you separate them death occurs. At death they are separated from each other. The body goes to the grave, the spirit/soul to the Lord. (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Acts 7:59)

At the coming of Christ, the body will be reunited with the spirit/soul of those that died earlier. (1 Thess. 4:16)

Soul Sleepers want us to believe that the totality of man lies in the grave until the second coming but that wouldn't be death that would be life because only at death does the body and soul/spirit separate.

Do a study of death and you will see that whenever some kind of separation occurs death results and when some kind of union occurs life results.

Paul only gave two choices in Philippians:

'I am caught betwixt the two.'

1) Remain in the flesh

2) Depart and be with Christ.

To create a third choice is adding to the scripture.

James says it clearly: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ... 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. " (James 2)

Notice that faith alone is dead, in other words saving faith without works following it is dead, being alone.

So the body separated from the spirit is dead.

As God is three persons, Man is three parts which depend on each other for life.

They cannot in totality remain in the grave because that is not death.

For more on this go to:

Death equals separation:

http://www.bible.ca/d-death=separation.htm

AND

Does the Soul Sleep?

https://cuf5.tripod.com/id109.html

This two become One truth is true in salvation as well.

We love because He first loved us. But before we love we need to believe that He first loved us, else we wouldn't and couldn't love at all.

So God's grace then faith comes first, then salvation which makes one willing and able to love. This is the only logical and scriptural order.

Then after salvation scripture says, Faith worketh by Love (Galatians 5:6)

Because Faith is objective not subjective it is the object of our faith that saves and sanctifies us. So as Josh McDowell says, 'It is not a great faith in God it is faith in a Great God.'

The faith then love dichotomy is another example of two becoming One and is such because the object of this faith is Christ the God-Man who is the ultimate demonstration of Two becoming One.

Faith is not works, but they are united.

Still faith doesn't become Love or vice versa but they work in union, after salvation.

Ephesians goes on to say in chapter four, "with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all."

Notice how many times the word, 'One' is used?

We know One is a diversity in unity. For instance:

'One body' BUT many members (1 Corinthians 12)

'One Lord' BUT three persons. (Isaiah 48)

'One baptism' Water and Spirit (1 John 5)

These are more examples of a plurality in unity.

Now lets go back to the starting point and that is Christ.

In First John it says, "And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

"This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. 7 And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8 For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son." (1 John 5)

Notice Christ came by Water and Blood, not with water only but with water and blood, and the spirit, water and blood agree in one. They are not the same but they agree in one.

So water is not the same as blood, it agrees.

We are saved through faith in his blood (Romans 3:25:5:9 ) The spirit agrees and indwells the believer, then the water bears witness to what has happened already. We are then baptised. Here is the biblical order.

Problems arise when people misunderstand oneness. The water is not the blood it bears witness to the fact (baptism) that you have already been cleansed by the blood of Christ. It is the blood (not water)of Christ that cleanses, and the spirit bears witness that we already are the sons of God and it is the spirit that sanctifies. (Romans 8:16)

Jesus is not resacrificed at the mass, it is the spirit that AGREES with the blood of Christ and sanctifies us.

So water is NOT necessary for salvation. The blood of Christ has been shed once for all and there is no need for another sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12)

The oneness spoken of is consistent with the biblical teaching of oneness throughout scripture.

The proper understanding of Oneness is essential to understanding the essentials of the faith.

We (Jew and Gentile) are to be One in Christ and nothing else. This oneness is only possible in Christ the God Man. Jesus is the truth, (John 14:6) so therefore we can only be One in truth. We cannot gloss over or diminish the importance of being One in the truth. The New Age Movement and folks that are trying to come together with those that teach things contrary to scripture must be rejected altogether.

Ephesians is my favorite book of the bible because it speaks of all the things we possess and are IN CHRIST. It speaks of the proper understanding of Oneness which starts with Christ 'IN WHOM dwelleth all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge'

This is where we need to go for our wisdom and knowledge because of Who He was and is. No other will do, not even His Mother because of who His Mother isn't.

Eastern Religions teach a oneness that loses the individual in a sea of oblivion. I am not the walrus and the walrus isn't me.

Even Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who liveth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Even in his crucifixion with Christ he still exists as an individual. Notice that he still refers to himself as I.

God is still God and we still are not. (Psalms 90:2)

From everlasting to everlasting He is God.

So does this have any bearing on my daily experiences?

I'm a woodworker and certainly want to build something that someone will use.

I'm not into woodworking for arts sake.

A pretty piece of woodworking doesn't mean anything to me unless it also serves a useful purpose.

It is not just the stucture of the thing being made that is important but the empty space in it.

A Wooden Vessel has value when it is filled with something.

From damp clay molded into place,
A vessel may be wrought;
And yet, but for its empty space,
Its value would be naught. (Lao Tzu)

 

Filling the empty spaces of a vessel is using its potential.

This is what the Great Carpenter/Woodworker did , and what I seek to do.

Christ is God become Man.

BJ Maxwell