How is it that one of the plain truths of Ephesians 4:4-6 (often called “the seven ones of unity”) now sounds strange to many Christians? “One body… one Spirit… one hope… one Lord… one faith… one baptism… one God and Father of all, who is above all…” (Eph. 4:4-6).
These seven simple, Spirit-given truths are meant to produce unity, yet one of them — the truth about God the Father — has been largely overlooked, softened, or even denied by many children of God.
Some have worked so hard to make the One Lord and the One Spirit equal with the Father in every possible way that they have, perhaps unintentionally, denied the Father’s supremacy over all, including His authority over the Son and the Spirit (Jn. 3:17; 5:30; 7:16; 13:16; 14:26, 28; 16:13; 1 Cor. 11:3, etc.). In their zeal to defend the Deity of Christ against false teachers who deny such, many have dishonored the Father by denying or suppressing the very headship affirmed by the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (Jn. 14:28; 16:13; 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 4:6; Heb. 1:8-9).
Furthermore, to defend a traditional Trinitarian viewpoint, many have tried to make the One Lord and One Spirit components of the “one God…above all” even though Paul listed them separately and only identified the Father as the “one God” who is truly above all other beings. The Bible does not combine all three into one God who is above all, but repeatedly gives that distinction to the Father. This is because “God” in that sense refers to supreme authority, not merely divine nature. Jesus and the Spirit are sometimes called “God” but never “the one God…above all” in the ultimately authoritative sense of the Father.
Jesus said He and the Father are “one” in the same way His followers are to be one—united in nature, purpose, and will, not merged into a single Person (Jn. 10:30; 17:11, 22). This unity does not erase the clear distinctions in authority or identity repeatedly affirmed in the Scriptures. The Father is still “above all” in authority (Jn. 14:28; 20:17; 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 4:6). Likewise, when a husband and wife become “one” in marriage, they remain two persons, and the husband still possesses a higher level of authority (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-24). Distinct persons being united is the kind of “oneness” under consideration.
It should also be noted that the word “God/god” is used in several different ways in Scripture. In the New Testament, it overwhelmingly (well over 200 times) refers specifically to the Father (Jn. 17:3), sometimes to divine nature (John 1:1; Acts 5:3-4); sometimes to Christ’s exalted role underneath the Father (Heb. 1:8-9); sometimes to human judges (Jn. 10:34; cf. Psa. 82:6); and even to false gods or Satan as “the god of this world” (1 Cor. 8:5-6; 2 Cor. 4:4).
The word “God” is related to power or authority and does not always refer to one who has supreme authority over all other beings. Furthermore, if we treat the word “God” in a sentence as if it means “all three Persons combined” or “one Person in three modes,” we will reach conclusions the Bible does not teach, and this can even distort the instructions God has given for worship (Jn. 4:23-24; 16:23; Rom. 15:30; Eph. 5:19-20; Php. 1:3-4; 4:6-7; Col. 3:16-17, etc.). Note also that Deuteronomy 6:4 does not refer to “all three Persons,” but to God the Father as the one God, distinguishing Him from idols (see the surrounding context and how the New Testament repeatedly affirms the Father as the one God).
Jesus and the Spirit possess the divine, eternal nature and can thus rightfully be called “God,” but they are not equal in authority with the Father. This is why Jesus Himself called the Father “the only true God,” because the Father is the only Being with no one above Him in authority (Jn. 17:3; 1 Thess. 1:9–10; cf. Mal. 2:10; Jn. 5:26-27; 14:28; 20:17; 1 Cor. 8:6; 11:3; 15:27-28; Eph. 1:3, 17; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:8–9; 1 Pet. 1:3).
It should also be stated that the Father’s supreme authority does not nullify the divine nature of the Son or the Spirit. Submission does not remove their divine, eternal nature, just as a wife does not lose her humanity, womanhood, or honor by submitting to her husband (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-24; 6:2; cf. Jn. 1:1; 8:58; Heb. 1:8-9; 9:14; 1 Pet. 3:7; Acts 5:3-4).
The supreme authority of God the Father is an essential part of “keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3-6). We cannot ignore it or rewrite it to fit a doctrinal tradition that contradicts even one passage, let alone the multitude emphasizing the Father’s authority. God the Father is “the one God… above all,” and honoring Him as such is a critical part of keeping the unity and peace the Spirit commands.
Thank you for sharing this.