“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
Paul has attested that there is only one God who exists and is our loving father and he takes care of us. In the previous verse, Paul says there are so many gods leading many people from the truth yet there is only one God who is the Father.
This scripture often puts us in trouble to explain as it says the father alone is the God. But it is not difficult to understand this verse if we read it according to what Paul intended to say.
“Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” Malachi 2:10
Since the Old Testament declares that there is only one God who is father alone. So we need to view God as a single personal being. These two scriptures directly imply that the father alone is God.
Now we can ask why did Paul mention Jesus in this verse. Let us dive into this scripture to get the actual meaning of this scripture.
But to us, there is but one God, the Father
We can simply get to know that Paul acknowledged that the father alone is the Lord. Paul was a Jew who used to give teachings in his society and he knew very well that they have one God as he was being taught Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord”
In the beginning, he failed to know that Jesus was the father in the flesh so he persecuted the Christians. But when he met Jesus he was surprised that Jesus is the one true God of the Old Testament whom he rejected earlier. He asked Jesus his name.
Acts 9:5 “Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”
This incident opened Paul’s eyes and he repented for his sins. Afterward, he became a great missionary to tell the world that Jesus is the true God.
of whom are all things, and we in him
The father is the Lord who created this wonderful universe and all the things in it. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), The Lord alone created the heavens the earth, and all the things (Nehemiah 9:6), The Lord created heaven by his word and his breath made the host (Psalm 33:6)
The above verses point us that the Lord has created alone all these wonderful things that are visible and which are invisible. The bible also says that he created us in his image. We are his creation and there is no doubt that we are complete in him.
and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him
This portion might be confusing but we can understand it if we view God from the oneness perspective. As the first portion says father alone is God and the second portion says One Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him.
This means that the father who was invisible to mankind became visible in the form of a man named Jesus. The Lord has the foreknowledge of Adam’s disobedience that is why he has the plan to redeem mankind by coming himself in Jesus’ appearance.
God’s deliverance plan was successful through Jesus and he planned to bring his people to him by appearing as a man. God’s entire plan for mankind was fulfilled by his incarnation that is why it says through Jesus all are created and we are in him.
Jesus was the complete God when he was in flesh As Colossians 2:9 says in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Jesus also says he and his father are one (John 10:30).
So we can conclude that Jesus is the father who was manifested in the flesh and from his humanity, he is the man and from his divinity, he is the father.
More Bible Verse Meaning
I And My Father Are One-John 10:30 Meaning
But Sanctify The Lord God In Your Hearts-1 Peter 3:15 Meaning
Bible Verse Meaning of John – 8:12 I Am The Light Of The World
I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me – Philippians 4:13 Meaning
Bible Verse Meaning Of John 10:9 – I Am The Door If Anyone Enters By Me