Theology, like history, tends to be written by the victors. This is as true of nations as it is of religious institutions first backed by, and then integrated with, the power apparatus of the state. The early believers had a very simple, undeveloped doctrine of the Elohimhead (Godhead) which, for want of a better label, Messianic Evangelicals call 'Prototrinitarianism', the belief that the pre-existent, incarnate and resurrected Son of Elohim (God) is in some way fully Divine (Elohim/God) like the Father, Yahweh, Himself. We believe that this belief and confession is more than sufficient for salvation.
We Confess that Yah'shua was, is and always will be Elohim (God)
Theological wars raged in the early Church after the apostles' deaths between essentially two positions that had by that time crystalised out in the milieu of the heavily Greek-influenced culture of the Roman Empire - Trinitarianism (the idea that there are Three co-equal Divine Persons, with its complex neo-Platonic formulation, that forms the basis of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant belief, the creeds of which have virtually become 'scripture' to these institutions) and Arianism (the belief that the Son is a lesser 'god', the position of the Jehovah's Witnesses and others). All sorts of other formulations and beliefs exist between Unitarianism (the belief that there is but one Divine Person - Judaism, Islam, some Messianics), Binitarianism (the belief there are two Divine Persons - some Messianics, Churches of God), Polytheism (the ever changing Mormon belief that there are 2, 3, 4 or millions of Gods) and Modalistic Monarchism (the notion that there is one Person who changes divine 'hats' - e.g. United Pentecostalism). You will learn about many of these in the articles that follow. Historically, Arianism was defeated leaving Trinitarism, which became entrenched in the Roman Imperial power system, the undisputed 'winner' for over 1½ millennia.
The Messianic Evangelical View
Messianic Evangelicals hold fellowship with all believers who acknowledge that there are at least Two Personages - the Father and the Son, both of whom are Elohim (God) - even though we believe the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) to be Elohim (God) too. We also believe that both the Father and the Son are Yahweh, the Father being the 'Greater Yahweh' and the Son the 'Lesser Yahweh' on account of the Son being subject to, and not co-equal with, the Father whilst remaining Elohim (God). We believe the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) to be female - our Heavenly Mother - whilst Herself being Sevenfold. We believe the Godhead to be a Divine Family in which there is a divine authority structure which human families are required to image.
The Messianic Evangelical ECHAD DOCTRINE OF THE ELOHIMHEAD, that takes all of these Scriptural observations into account, and more, is the fullest exposition of our Godhead theology to date. We do not at all claim to have the final answer to the question of the total composition and nature of Elohim (God) even if our theology is very advanced (sometimes called Patriarchinism), so there is no final NCAY dogma beyond the absolute minimum faith requirement of Prototrinitarianism. There will doubtless always be new revelation on this subject building on what has gone before. You will learn more about this process of search and discovery in many of the articles in this index.
Elohimhead/Godhead Terms in the Bible
|
KJV |
NIV |
God the Father |
13 |
17 |
Son of God |
47 |
40 |
Spirit of God |
26 |
25 |
Holy Spirit/Ghost |
97 |
94 |
Spirit of (Jesus) Christ |
3 |
3 |
Refers to 'God + Christ' as separate entities |
413 |
357 |
Referrs to 'God + Holy Spirit/Ghost' as separate entities |
40 |
41 |
Holy Spirit/Ghost acts as a Person, 'says'/'saith' |
7 |
10 |
Uniquely Trinitarian Terms in the Bible
|
KJV |
NIV |
God the Holy Spirit/Ghost |
0 |
0 |
God the Spirit/Ghost |
0 |
0 |
God the Son |
0 |
0 |
God in Three Persons |
0 |
0 |
Trinity |
0 |
0 |
Triune God |
0 |
0 |
Co-equal |
0 |
0 |
Co-eternal |
0 |
0 |
Consubstantial |
0 |
0 |
First Person |
0 |
0 |
Second Person |
0 |
0 |
Third Person |
0 |
0 |
|