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God the Father (Part 1)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God the Father holds the highest authority within the Godhead, a position of supreme power and purpose. He is the ultimate source of biblical truth, directing Jesus Christ, who carries out His will with complete agreement and enthusiasm. As the Creator, God the Father fashioned all things through Jesus Christ, demonstrating Their unified work in creation. His authority is evident as He qualifies us for the Kingdom of God, working alongside Jesus Christ to accomplish this divine plan. Jesus Himself acknowledged this hierarchy, stating that His Father is greater than He, affirming God the Father's supreme role. The Father's will is paramount, with Jesus submitting harmoniously to Him, showcasing Their oneness in purpose within the divine Family. God the Father is the sustainer of the universe, deeply concerned for His creation and His future sons of glory, overseeing all with an unchanging and immutable counsel that establishes His fixed and unbreakable purpose.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God the Father holds supreme authority as the Absolute Deity, greater than Jesus Christ in function and responsibility. Jesus Himself declared that He has a God, identifying this God as His Father, both during His time in the flesh and after His resurrection as spirit. The Father is the Source, while the Son is the means through whom the Father reveals Himself. Though both are of the God-kind and worthy of worship, they are not equal in rank; the Father is the sole Head, and the Son is subordinate, always submissive to the Father's will. Christ directed worship to the Father, affirming His supremacy, and instructed us to pray to the Father, highlighting the clear distinction in their roles. The Father appointed the Son as the Head of the church for its benefit, yet His authority remains limited by the Father's overarching command. Scriptures emphasize that the Father sent the Son, demonstrating His greater authority, as the Son submitted to carry out the Father's will perfectly. The principle of the lesser being blessed by the greater applies, with the Father as the Source of all blessings, having prepared a body for the Son and assigned Him tasks such as preaching the gospel and dying for the sins of the world. The unity between Father and Son is shown not in shared substance but in the Son's loving obedience, exemplifying submission to the Father as the ultimate Head.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Bible consistently presents God the Father as the greater in authority over Jesus Christ, emphasizing a distinct relationship of hierarchy rather than equality. Numerous scriptures, including those from Jesus' own words, affirm that the Father is greater, establishing that They cannot be co-equal. Paul, in I Timothy 1, declares there is only one God, invisible and the King of all creation, with no one, including Christ, superseding Him in authority. Jesus Himself, in John 17, identifies the Father as the only true God who sent Him, further illustrating a greater/lesser dynamic. The Father is depicted as the Source of all things, giving to Christ what He needs to fulfill His role, while Christ serves as the Channel through whom all is accomplished. The Father is the Supreme God, the object toward which all creation moves, underscoring His ultimate authority over the Son, who reveals Him to humanity as the Image of the invisible God.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Eight)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ reveals a clear hierarchy in authority, though both are of the God kind. The Father is greater in terms of responsibility and function, as Jesus Himself declared in John 14:28, stating that the Father is greater than He. This ranking does not diminish Jesus, who is equally God in nature, being uncreated and eternal, but it establishes that the Father holds the ultimate authority, with no God beyond Him to whom He must answer or submit. Scriptures such as I Corinthians 11:3 and I Corinthians 8:6 further confirm this hierarchical order, showing that the Father is the Head, and Jesus, though God, answers to Him. Even after His resurrection, as seen in Revelation 3, Jesus acknowledges the Father as His God, emphasizing the Father's supreme position. In Ephesians 4:5-6 and I Timothy 1:17, the Father is described as the only wise God, the Absolute and Supreme Being, reinforcing that there is no other above Him. Thus, while both share the same divine nature, the Father holds the greater role in authority and function within Their perfect unity of purpose.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God the Father holds greater authority over Jesus Christ, as evidenced by numerous scriptural references. The Father is the Supreme God, the Absolute Deity, who answers to no one and acknowledges no superior. Unlike the Son, the Father has no God above Him, establishing His unique and unparalleled position. Jesus Himself declared, "The Father is greater than I," clearly distinguishing Himself from the greater One and affirming that they are not co-equal. Additionally, Jesus stated that the Father sent Him, indicating that He was dispatched by an entirely different Being on His assignment. Scriptures Jesus also acknowledged His submission to the Father's will, as seen in His plea, "Not My will, but Yours be done," a statement the Father could never make, further illustrating the hierarchy between Them. In Matthew 27:46, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" showing His appeal to a higher power, something the Supreme God could not do. Furthermore, in John 20:17, Jesus told Mary Magdalene that He must go to "My God and your God," confirming that He shares the same God as humanity. Scriptures such as I Corinthians 11:3 state that God is the Head of Christ, and Ephesians 1:15-23 reveals that the Father appointed Jesus as Head of all things to the church, demonstrating the superior appointing the subordinate. Jesus deferred everything to the Father, teaching that we should pray to the Father through Him, as He is the only access to the Supreme Ruler of everything. The Father's invisibility and inaudibility to mankind, contrasted with Jesus as the visible and audible Image of God, further separates Them as distinct Beings. The Father's sovereignty is absolute, as He is the Source and Sender, not subject to anyone, with perfect judgment and invincible will, unlike the Son who submits to Him.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God the Father holds greater authority in the divine relationship as revealed through Scripture. The Father is the Source of all things and the Object toward which all creation is moving, while Jesus Christ, the Son, serves as the Channel through whom the Father carries out His purpose. This distinction is consistently shown, with the Father as the Fountain of everything and the Son in perfect agreement, executing His commands. Though both are rightly called God, They are not co-equal, as Jesus Himself testifies that the Father is greater than He is. This is evident in His own words, affirming His inferior position relative to the Father. The Father's supremacy is further confirmed in various passages. He is the invisible God, the only wise God, and the King of unmatched rank, eternal, immortal, and unseen, whose dominion extends over all ages. By contrast, when Jesus walked the earth, He was visible and held limited authority. The Father remains hidden, directing focus to the Son, who is the image of the invisible God, revealing the Father's nature, love, wisdom, power, mercy, and grace. No one has seen the Father at any time, as Jesus confirms, emphasizing that all contact with God is through the Son, the Revelator. The Father's purpose in remaining invisible and inaudible is tied to salvation by grace through faith, not in what can be seen or heard. This invisibility prevents idolatry and the diminishing of His transcendence, while also ensuring that attention is focused on the Son, through whom the Father's mind and character are revealed. Jesus, as the image, does not need to be of the same substance as the Father, yet He perfectly represents Him, reflecting God's bright glory and bearing His character. Through the Son, the Father's plan unfolds, from physical creation to spiritual redemption, with everything sourced in the Father and channeled through the Son.

God Is . . . What?

Booklet by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Himself declares, "My Father is greater than I" (John 14:28), revealing a distinction in authority within the God Family. Though both are God, equal in nature, They are not equal in authority, much like a husband, wife, and child are equal in humanity but differ in roles. The Father holds greater authority, as seen in Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He submits His will to the Father's, saying, "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). This harmonious relationship illustrates two distinct Beings working as one, with the Father directing and the Son submitting in perfect unity. Furthermore, Jesus' mission was to declare the Father, as before His ministry, Israel had only hints of the Father's existence (John 1:18; 17:25-26). This distinctiveness is also evident in physical terms, as the Father, through the power of His Holy Spirit, impregnated Mary, resulting in Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, called Immanuel, God with us (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:23; John 1:14). Additionally, Jesus' resurrection and ascension underscore this separation, as He could not ascend to Himself but went to sit at His Father's right hand in the third heaven (John 20:17; Hebrews 1:3). Thus, the Father's greater authority is consistently shown in Their relationship and purpose.

Jesus Is God

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ is the Word, by whom the world was created. He has always interfaced between mankind and the Father, having primacy as our Lord, Master, and Ruler.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Father and the Son are two distinct beings, not co-equal as the trinity doctrine proclaims, but with the Son deferring to the Father in all things.

Parenting (Part 2): Fathers

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Patriarchy is family organization with the father having ultimate authority. The husband's role, grounded in love, must not be abusive or domineering.

Hebrews (Part Three): Who Was Jesus? (cont.)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

John identifies Christ as co-eternal with the Father, equal in character, but subordinate in authority. Christ's sonship was unique; He was the 'only Begotten Son.'

The Holy Spirit

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Theologians, misapplying grammatical gender and personification, falsely deduce a phantom third person, propped up by a spurious insertion (I John 5:7-8).

In The Likeness of Men!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Jesus was subjected to the same experiences as the rest of us, having the appearance, experiences, the capability of receiving injury and suffering temptation.

Was Jesus Dead?

Herbert W. Armstrong Booklet

Can God die? Was Jesus really dead, or did only His body die? Was Jesus the Divine One alive during the three days and three nights a body was in the tomb?

What Does 'Non-Trinitarian' Mean?

Frequently Asked Questions

The 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.