The Nugget:
Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
My Comment:
To find the truth about what the New Testament says about a subject or theme you must not only read it carefully and repeatedly, but you must study it carefully. This is true of any work of great literature, but especially true of the Bible.
You will not always find the subject you wish to learn about by simply searching for that exact term in the Bible. Some terms we often use in speaking of topics taught in the Bible are not given or referred to by those exact terms in the Bible, yet the teaching is most certainly there. For example, you will not find the precise phrase “second coming” or the term “rapture” or the terms “eternal security,” “trinity,” “God the Son,” “God the Holy Spirit,” anywhere in the Bible. To learn about these topics you must study by looking up the cross references given for the Bible passages that come closest to speaking of the subject.
Just now, in a discussion begun on “Jesus or Mohammad, who’s the Right Way to Heaven” Facebook group, the following Muslim challenge to Christians was posted:
The Question:
Let’s make a search for God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit in the new testament.
We will find many verses that talks about GOD THE FATHER, but there was no verse that talks about God the son or God the holy spirit.
That assures and proves that God the father is the only God according to the bible.
My Response:
Ibrahim Al Dahleh, you apparently have not made a careful, thorough study of the New Testament.
You are also falling into a logical trap, a trap that insists upon finding expressions worded exactly as you specify, rather than searching the Scripture carefully to learn how the Bible states its teachings.
One of my 24 rules of correct Bible interpretation is what I call the rule of necessary inference. Some things in the Bible are not directly stated in the words we might wish or choose to use to express the truth it reveals, but by necessary inference, we can legitimately derive such truths from what is said.
Careful study of Scripture demonstrates that all three (and only these three and no others)–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–are persons of the Godhead, who are associated on an equality of being, and possess the attributes and prerogatives of Deity.
Consider these facts stated in the Bible:
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost, KJV) are each
(1) called God.
The Father is called God: John 6:27. Galatians 1:1, 3. Ephesians 6:23. Philippians 2:11. Colossians 2:2. 1 Thessalonians 1:1. 2 Timothy 1:2. Titus 1:4. 2 Peter 1:17. Jude 1:1. [These are the very passages you have cited in your opening post above, thank you]
The Son is called God: John 20:28.
John 20:28
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
King James Version
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
King James Version
John 1:14
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
King James Version
Romans 9:5
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
King James Version
Titus 2:13
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
King James Version
Hebrews 1:8
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
King James Version
2 Peter 1:1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
King James Version
The Holy Spirit is called God: Acts 5:3, 4
Acts 5:3
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
King James Version
Acts 5:4
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
King James Version
(2) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Lord:
The Father is called Lord: Romans 10:12
Romans 10:12
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
King James Version
The Son is called Lord: Luke 2:11
Luke 2:11
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
King James Version
The Holy Spirit is called Lord: 2 Corinthians 3:17
2 Corinthians 3:17
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
King James Version
(3) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called or said to be everlasting:
The Father is called everlasting: Romans 16:26
Romans 16:26
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
King James Version
The Son is called everlasting:
Micah 5:2
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
King James Version
John 8:58
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
King James Version
John 17:5
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
King James Version
Hebrews 13:8
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
King James Version
Revelation 22:13
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
King James Version
The Holy Spirit may be said to be eternal or everlasting: Hebrews 9:14
Hebrews 9:14
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
King James Version
God the Father, as well as Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit are each:
(4) Omniscient
The Father is omniscient: Hebrews 4:13
Hebrews 4:13
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
King James Version
The Son is omniscient: John 21:17, “thou knowest all things”
John 21:17
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
King James Version
[This is asserted or demonstrated further in a number of passages of Scripture: John 2:24, 25; John 4:16; John 5:6; John 5:42; John 6:61, 64; John 11:14 (Jesus knew days before he arrived that Lazarus was dead); Matthew 17:24-27, and many more passages.]
The Holy Spirit is omniscient: 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11
1 Corinthians 2:10-11
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
King James Version
Only God can be omniscient. Since Jesus Christ is both declared and demonstrated to be omniscient, by the rule of necessary inference, Jesus Christ must be God, that is, He always has been divine, or deity, in His eternal position as God the Son.