Why Unitarian Monotheism Makes the Most Biblical Sense Print

What is the nature of Yahuwah? And who is Yahushua?

Historically, there have been three ways of answering these questions. And, by the same token, three ways of interpreting the Bible:

I. Trinitarianism: This view holds that Yahuwah is actually three persons: Yahuwah the Father, Yahuwah the Son, and Yahuwah the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully Yahuwah. And yet there aren't three dieties, but one. These persons are: Co-eternal, Co-essential, and Co-equal. Trinitarians see Yahuwah as one divine substance that each of the three persons shares.

II. Modalism: Modalism considers Yahuwah as one person, not three persons. Modalists, however, believe that Yahuwah manifests Himself in three different modes, hence the term "modalism."
In other words, Yahuwah previously related to His people as the Father: then, through the incarnation. And then, in a third way, as the Holy Spirit. Modalists believe that Yahuwah is one, yet is manifest in three different modes or masks.

III. Biblical Unitarianism: Yahuwah is one; He not an entity or substance in which three persons share. It is the literal understanding of the Shema: "Hear, O Israel: Yahuwah our Elohim, Yahuwah is one." From the Unitarian Monotheistic perspective, Yahushua is the human son of Yahuwah and the holy spirit is Yahuwah's Spirit which dwells among us. There is no second or third person apart from Yahuwah Himself.

The following four points demonstrate why Unitarian Monotheism is the only position that makes biblical sense:

1. Yahuwah is always presented as a singular entity.

"Hear, O Israel: Yahuwah our Elohim, Yahuwah is one." (Deut. 6:4)

Yahuwah gave us the scriptures in normal human language. And the singular personal pronouns of "I", "me", "he", and "him" refer to one person. Therefore, when the Bible uses these words to refer to Yahuwah, it's teaching us that Yahuwah is one. The handful of times that the Bible uses a plural pronoun to refer to Yahuwah must be weighed against the thousands of times that singular personal pronouns are used for Yahuwah. Consider the following passages:

Deuteronomy 4:39: "Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that Yahuwah He is Elohim in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else."
Deuteronomy 32:39: "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no elohim with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand."

These passages tell us that Yahuwah is one and there is none like Him.

2. Yahushua is always presented in the Bible as a distinct person from Yahuwah.

"Every tongue will confess that Yahushua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of Yahuwah the Father." (Phil. 2:11)

In 1 Corinthians 15:27-28, we read: "For he has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says, all things are put in subjection. It is evident that he has excluded the One who put all things in subjection to him." Paul is saying here that Yahuwah put all things under the Messiah's feet, but obviously not Yahuwah Himself. This makes clear the distinction between Yahushua, the exalted Messiah, and Yahuwah, the one who exalted Him.

This distinction is echoed in Philippians 2:9-11: "For this reason [Yahushua's obedience to Yahuwah] also, Yahuwah highly exalted him, bestowed on him the name which is above every name. So that at the name of Yahushua every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on Earth and under the earth. And that every tongue will confess that Yahushua the Messiah¹ is Lord, to the glory of Yahuwah the Father."

Yahuwah, the Father, is irrefutably distinct from His son whom He has exalted to His right hand.

3. Scripture never requires us to believe Yahushua is Yahuwah.

"But these things have been written so that you may believe that Yahushua is the Messiah, the Son of Yahuwah..." (John 20:31)

In Matthew 16:16, Peter correctly confesses that Yahushua is the Messiah, son of the living Yahuwah. And John 20:31 says: "but these things have been written so that you may believe that Yahushua is the Messiah, the Son of Yahuwah, and that by believing you may have life in his name." So neither Peter nor John says that Yahushua is Yahuwah; rather, they say that Yahushua is the Messiah, the son Yahuwah.

In Romans 10:9, Paul says: "if you confess with your mouth that Yahushua is Lord and believe in your heart that Yahuwah raised him from the dead, then you will be saved." Paul doesn't say we must confess that Yahushua is Yahuwah; rather, he admonishes us to confess that "Yahushua is Lord" and believe that "Yahuwah raised him from the dead."

To sum up, Yahushua is the highest exalted being in the universe, but he's still under Yahuwah. Yahushua is the exalted sinless human son of Yahuwah.

"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true Elohim [Yahuwah], and Yahushua the Messiah whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

4. Yahuwah possesses certain attributes, which are incompatible with being human.

We learn from 1 Timothy 1:17 that Yahuwah is "immortal and invisible." And from the same epistle in 6:16, that He "alone possesses immortality." John 1:18 tells us that "no one has seen Yahuwah." According to the New Testament, Yahushua was seen, he was visible, and he obviously died since the foundation of our faith is his vicarious death, burial, and resurrection.

Conclusion: All parts of the Bible should be interpreted in the light of the whole. These are just a few of the reasons why Unitarian Monotheism makes the most biblical sense.

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true Elohim [Yahuwah], and Yahushua the Messiah whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

Embrace this truth and accept the gift of eternal life to stand before Yahuwah in the perfection of Yahushua.

For more on this important topic: #The Trinity (doctrinal error)

The above article is based on 2 video presentations by Unitarian Pastor, Daniel Calcagno.

¹G5547 (Christos): "Christ" is the Greek word for "anointed" or "messiah." Its equivalent in the Hebrew is H4899 (mâshı̂yach).