#2 in a series
QUESTION: “Are all three members of the Godhead equal to one another? Please explain.”
ANSWER: This is a vitally important question. Consider:
- Each member of the Godhead IS EMPHASIZED AS EQUAL in Scripture. Study the following passages:
- “When He had been baptized, JESUS came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and he saw THE SPIRIT OF GOD descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, ‘This is MY beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat. 3:16-17; cf. Luke 3:22).
- “But if I cast out demons by THE SPIRIT OF GOD, surely the kingdom of GOD has come upon you” (12:28).
- “The grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GOD, and the communion of THE HOLY SPIRIT be with you all. ” 2 Cor. 13:14
- “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of (i.e., by the authority—cf. Mat. 7:29; 8:9; 21:23-24, 27; Col. 3:17) the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT.” 28:19
- “But the Helper, THE HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26
- “And being assembled together with them, HE commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the FATHER, ‘which,’ HE said, ‘you have heard from ME.’” Acts 1:4
- “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of GOD, and having received from the FATHER the promise of THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE (Jesus—mb) poured out this which you now see and hear.” Acts 2:33
- “How GOD anointed JESUS of Nazareth with THE HOLY SPIRIT and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38
- “And declared to be the SON of GOD with power according to THE SPIRIT of HOLINESS, by the resurrection from the dead.” 1:4
- “How much more shall the blood of CHRIST, who through THE ETERNAL SPIRIT offered HIMSELF without spot to GOD, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” 9:14
- “Elect according to the foreknowledge of GOD THE FATHER, in sanctification of THE SPIRIT, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of JESUS CHRIST.” 1 Pet. 1:2
- However, while God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are, in fact, equal—because they share the same divine essence—EACH IS OF DIFFERENT RANK in accordance with divine order. Note:
The inspired apostle Paul said the Son is equal to the Father (Phil. 2:6), and yet the Son willingly obeyed the Father throughout His earthly sojourn (cf. John 4:24; 50:30; 8:29; 12:49; 14:31; Heb. 10:7). Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
A believing husband and wife are equal in terms of their spiritual status before God (Gal. 3:28); they are “heirs together” of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7b). Even though the husband is head of the wife (Eph. 5:23), a wife’s different station and function in the home certainly doesn’t make her any less of a Christian. In a similar fashion, the Son’s submission to His Father in no way depreciates His status as Deity. It simply means that He had (and has) a different role and function in heaven’s hierarchy.
ALL CAPS emphasis in Scripture is mine—mb.
INCARNATE 