Who Is The One True God? The Faithful One
The One True & Living God
Worship is a common practice. We don't have to look very far to see someone worshipping something. When we look around at the complexity and beauty of the world, it screams that it was created. Can we know the truth of who created it?
Who is the one true God? The Bible declares that the LORD is the only true God (Jeremiah 10:10). There is only one God and the God of the Bible is the one true God. The question arises, how can we know that this declaration about the God of the Bible is true? We know that the LORD is the only true God because He is always faithful to do what He says He will do. False gods have no power to keep their word. God, whenever He has spoken — either through Himself, angels, or men — every word has proven to be reliable (Hebrews 2:2a).
How you answer this question of which God you worship will directly impact what you do on earth. It will also decide where you will spend eternity: heaven or hell. Let's dig deeper into this answer.
For more on the attributes and names of God see our articles:
Declaration
The names of God are essential to know and understand. These names reveal to us who the one true God is. For example, in Genesis 14, God reveals to us that He (and He alone) is El Elyon. This is translated as, “God Most High.”
You may recall the story. Abram and Lot grew too prosperous to continue dwelling together. The land simply could not provide for them both. They were forced to part ways. Lot chose the direction to go and he went with what was pleasing to his eyes. The land towards Sodom and Gomorrah was green and well-watered. Lot literally left for greener pastures.
Lot pitched his tent outside the city of Sodom. The Scriptures reveal that the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against the LORD (Genesis 13:13). As time passed, Lot made his way into the town and dwelt amongst the wicked (Genesis 14:12). King Chedorlaomer went to war against Sodom and captured its people and possessions. This included Abram’s nephew, Lot.
Upon hearing this, Abram took 318 of his men and pursued Chedorlaomer and his allies. Abram defeated them, rescuing the captives and their possessions.
Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
He gave him a tenth of all. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.” (Genesis 14:17-24, bold added)
The name El was culturally used at the time to represent deity. For example, Exodus 34:14 says,
—for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (bold added)
This Scripture is not saying that there are other gods. There is only one true God (Jeremiah 10:10). What this passage is saying is that there are many els, or false gods, that people bow down to and worship. This is what is being affirmed by God revealing Himself as the God Most High. Those who worship the true God are not to bow down to any other thing that is called a god.
Every one of the nations present in Genesis 14 worshipped a god or gods. These gods they worshipped were believed to possess power, strength, and might. They believed that every military victory represented both the strength of the nation and the strength and might of the god they worship. These facts are important to the context of the victory of El Elyon in Genesis 14.
Abram rushed in with 318 men in the power of His God and defeated his enemy. Abram’s God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that fills them. It was declared this day that God is God. He alone is the God Most High. There is no one above Him, nor will there ever be anyone above Him. He is the only true God. He demonstrates this in Genesis 14:14-24. This truth continues to be demonstrated throughout Scripture when He declares what He will do and then with His mighty arm has the strength to bring it to completion.
The Scriptures thus declare with a mighty roar that the God of the Bible is the one true God,
“I am the LORD your God, He who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery. You must not have any other gods besides Me. You must not make for yourself an image of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath.” (Deuteronomy 5:6–8)
God was able to deliver His people from the land of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders.
The LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King. When He shows His anger the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand up to His fury. (Jeremiah 10:10)
None can stand against the only true God.
For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9)
It is good and right to turn away from any other idol and turn to the true and living God in humble faith.
The Faithful Words
The Bible records many prophecies that God revealed to His people, through His prophets. God often declares these things in advance in order to glorify His name when He brings them to pass in history. God speaks first, then the events come to pass. God reveals what He will do in advance, before He actually performs it.
There are many different religious texts that claim to be from a god or gods. None of them can stand up to the accuracy of biblical prophecy. As you look at Bible prophecy, it is evident that God is faithful to do what He says. God alone has the power to bring the event to completion.
(I recommend you read the Bible for yourself to see this mighty truth played out. We suggest our 90-Day Bible Reading Plan to everyone.)
Let’s look at just one example. In Genesis 12:1-3, God calls Abram and says that He will make Abram a great nation. God also declares that through Abram all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Now the Lord said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country, And from your relatives and from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Bold added)
I want us to look to the last promise given. It is in Abram that all the families of the earth will be blessed. How can this be? (For more on this same theme, check out our article: The Promised Seed.)
God tells us of a problem in the Scriptures. Man is wicked. God declares that the wicked will not go unpunished (Proverbs 11:21). God is a just and righteous judge. Thus, every sin will be punished. Since all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), all men (if left to pay the penalty alone) would perish under the righteous wrath of God for eternity.
This is the beauty of the promise made by God to Abram in Genesis 12:3. God was working through Abram and the nation of Israel which would come from Abram’s lineage. Working to bring forth the Messiah from the seed of Abram when the fullness of time had come.
For more on why the Messiah came when He did, see our article: The Fullness of Time.
God fulfilled this promise made to Abram through Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Christ. Jesus’s lineage can be traced back to Abram. Jesus is the promised blessing. Jesus, who is the second member of the Trinity, the Son of God, came in the likeness of sinful flesh, although He knew no sin (Romans 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus was made sin as He hung on a Roman cross, being made a curse (Galatians 3:13). Jesus endured while the full force of the wrath of God was poured out on Him for sin. He was buried and rose from the dead on the third day where He is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. Where He is ruling and reigning until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 10:12-13).
This was done so that God could be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). Now everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be blessed. Not just the Jewish people, but all peoples, everywhere. Jesus, the promised one, made a way in Himself for man to be reconciled to God.
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through messengers proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? (Hebrews 2:1-3a)
God is God. He is faithful to do what He has said He will do. Every transgression and disobedience will receive its just penalty. Either we look to His Son who bore our penalty on the cross and cling to Him with all our strength; or, we will receive the just penalty for our actions as we perish in Hell for eternity. Look to Jesus Christ, who God made both Lord and Savior (Acts 2:36), and be saved. To the praise of His glorious grace.
Related Questions
What is the name of the one true God? God has revealed Himself to His creation using many different names. The one true God is the God of the Bible. When Moses was speaking to God through the burning bush, God revealed Himself as “I AM.” God is and always will be. He is eternal, having no beginning or end, He is who He always has been. For more names of God see our article: 30 Names of God.
Is God one or three? There is one God. This God exists eternally as three Persons. Different explanations have been offered to preserve monotheism due to the difficulty of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God without moving into polytheism. Some of these alternatives have become definitive for particular denominations. Throughout Christian history, Trinitarianism has been the orthodox view. All deviations have been deemed heretical and contrary to the genuine Christian faith.