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God Is . . . What?
Booklet by John W. RitenbaughJesus' own testimony reveals that He came to declare the Father, showing that to see Him is to see the Father. Two distinct Personalities, both called God, work in harmony, as evidenced by Jesus submitting His will to the Father's in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying, "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." The use of plural pronouns like "Us" and "Our" in Genesis 1:26 further indicates two divine Beings cooperating as one. Jesus Himself states, "My Father is greater than I," highlighting Their distinct roles within the same Family, equal in nature but not in authority. Many have seen God, yet Jesus says no one has seen the Father's form or heard His voice, leading to the conclusion that those encounters were with the One who became Jesus, not the Father. Part of Jesus' mission was to reveal the Father, as before His ministry, Israel had only hints of the Father's existence. The physical relationship between the Father and the Son also shows Their distinctiveness, with the Father impregnating Mary through His Holy Spirit, resulting in Jesus, called the only begotten of the Father. Since no being can father itself, two separate Beings must be involved. Further evidence of Their distinctiveness appears in Jesus' resurrection and ascension. A separate Being must have resurrected Him, as He could not do so Himself, and He ascended to sit at His Father's right hand, showing He did not ascend to Himself. The Bible consistently portrays God as two Beings cooperating in family harmony. Jesus prays that we may be one with Them as They are one, sharing Their nature and mind within the same Family, yet retaining our individuality, just as a child resembles yet remains distinct from his father. The overwhelming evidence shows God as one, a Family working to fulfill Its purpose of bringing many into Itself. What a tremendous burden will be lifted when God, by grace and creative power, molds the division of man's realm into the oneness of this divine Family.
Image and Likeness of God (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe concept of God as Family is central to understanding our ultimate potential and relationship with Him. Jesus clearly revealed God as the Father, and Himself as the Son, positioning Him as our Elder Brother. We are called sons, daughters, and children of God, indicating a familial bond. This relationship suggests a pattern of reproduction seen in creation, where offspring bear the image of their parents, implying that as God's children, with His Spirit, we are meant to be in His image. The Bible emphasizes this connection, showing that we are partakers of the divine nature through His Spirit, and destined to be conformed to the image of His Son, who is the firstborn among many brethren. This transformation into His likeness encompasses not just form, but also character and personality, reinforcing the idea that God is a Family into which we are invited to grow.
The Holy Spirit
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Bible reveals that Elohim, the God Family, consists of more than one Person, yet speaks with a unified voice through agreement in character, mind, and purpose. Elohim is an institution that is expanding, in the process of adding to its numbers, and we, as sons and daughters, are already considered part of this Family as children of God. Within Elohim, there is a structure of government where the Son submits to the Father, acknowledging that the Father is greater than He, carrying out the operations assigned to Him by the Father. The oneness of Elohim is not a mysterious commingling but a harmony of purpose and will among distinct Personalities. The Bible clearly presents the Father and the Son as the central figures of the God Family, consistently mentioned together in greetings, authority, and fellowship, affirming Their distinct yet unified roles in the divine institution.
The Trinity and the Holy Spirit (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The Father and the Son are two separate personalities, with the Father having pre-eminence. The Bible contains no evidence of a third person in the God family.
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah
Sermonette by John ReissLooking forward to the promises that God wants to give to billions of His human creations inspires us to keep on striving through the trials and struggles.
Strategies for Interfacing with Babylon without Becoming Assimilated (Part Five)
Sermon by David F. MaasGod is not a closed triangular Trinity, but a family consisting of God the Father and God the Son, and will include billions of resurrected, glorified saints.
Our Divine Destiny
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God's called-ones have been given the ability to decipher the scattered concepts, revealing the purpose of their destiny throughout the Scriptures.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe architects of the trinity doctrine admit that it is a 'somewhat unsteady silhouette', requiring assumptions and inferences, but unsupportable by Scripture.
Our Awesome Destiny
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughUnderstanding is totally different from knowledge. Some people with ample knowledge are incredibly ignorant when discerning the plan of God.
Parenting (Part 2): Fathers
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPatriarchy is family organization with the father having ultimate authority. The husband's role, grounded in love, must not be abusive or domineering.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe doctrinal changes made by the Worldwide Church of God have devastating ramifications. Predictably, when the vision was changed, God's law was cast aside.
Born Again (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The gestation or fetus analogy does not adequately depict the sanctification process in which there has to be volition, judgment, and conscious choice.
Parenting (Part 1): Principles
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughBecause of our upside down emphasis on the youth culture and its characteristic selfishness or self-centeredness, the family is crumbling and deteriorating.
Four Views of Christ (Part 6)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughChrist provides a model of how to live a godly life in the flesh, living life the way God lives it. Using His light, we can navigate our way in this world.
What Does 'Non-Trinitarian' Mean?
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe Trinity doctrine cannot be found in the Bible. It was patched together hundreds of years after the deaths of the apostles and the sealing of Scripture.