How does 1 Corinthians 8:6 affirm the oneness of God and Jesus Christ? The Immediate Context Corinth was awash with temples and idols. Believers struggled with meat offered to these “gods.” Paul responds by anchoring them in the unshakeable truth of God’s oneness. 1 Corinthians 8:6 “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” Monotheism Declared: “One God, the Father” • Paul lifts language straight from the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4), affirming that only one true God exists. • “From whom are all things” points to the Father as ultimate Source—every molecule, every breath. • “We exist for Him” underlines purpose: our lives orbit His glory. Divine Identity Shared: “One Lord, Jesus Christ” • “One Lord” mirrors the Greek translation of Yahweh in the Old Testament, assigning Jesus the very title of deity. • “Through whom are all things” places Jesus in the divine act of creation—identical to John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2. • “We exist through Him” highlights His sustaining power and mediating role in salvation (John 14:6). Unity in Creation and Redemption • Source (Father) and Agent (Son) act in perfect harmony—one divine will, not two competing powers. • The Father initiates; the Son executes—yet both fully God (John 5:19; 10:30). • Their oneness secures both the universe’s existence and our redemption (Ephesians 1:3–7). Harmony with the Shema • Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” • Paul preserves that confession while expanding it to include Jesus within the singular divine identity. • Far from dividing God, he shows Jesus to be the embodiment of the God Israel worships. Echoes Throughout Scripture • Isaiah 44:6—“I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God.” Jesus applies identical words to Himself (Revelation 22:13). • John 1:1—“The Word was God.” • Philippians 2:6–11—Jesus shares God’s form yet is distinguished in role, receiving universal worship. • Hebrews 1:3—Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Practical Takeaways for Our Faith • Worship Jesus confidently—He is not a lesser being but the Lord through whom all things came. • Rest in the secure foundation that one God governs all reality; no rival powers threaten His rule. • Live “for the Father” and “through the Son,” aligning every choice with their united purpose for your life. |
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