Ontology of God, Part 6

Shawn McCraney emphasizes the importance of individuals seeking a personal and subjective relationship with God, rooted in love and understanding, suggesting that true knowledge of one's faith and adherence cannot be dictated by others. He also addresses misconceptions about his views on sin and personal conduct, asserting that his role is to love others and point them towards Jesus as the ultimate solution to sin.

Shawn emphasizes that genuine love fulfills the core Christian teachings, surpassing doctrine and practice, as exemplified in 1 John where loving one another and believing in Jesus Christ reflects true faith and connection with God. According to him, discerning spirits, overcoming fear through love, and following God's commandment to love others as He loved us are essential to manifesting Christian life.

Shawn's teaching emphasizes belief in the Son of God as the core of having God's witness within oneself, and explores the use of plural pronouns in the Old Testament as evidence of God’s complex nature. He discusses four main theories explaining this plurals usage, highlighting that the Hebrew grammar suggests God was speaking to others, making the "majestic plural" and other theories less plausible.

Shawn's teaching argues that God's use of plural pronouns in creation does not support the Trinitarian view but instead reflects the prophetic foreknowledge of Jesus' future incarnation, where Jesus existed in deity as "the Word" rather than as a human being. This perspective emphasizes that Jesus, as the eternal Word and integral part of God's creative act, was conceptually present in God's plan from the beginning, with Scriptures like John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17 affirming His preexistence and divine nature without implying a separate person in the Godhead.

Shawn teaches that the use of plural pronouns such as "us" and "our" in passages like Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:22, Genesis 11:7, and Isaiah 6:8 does not imply multiple creators, but rather suggests that God was addressing His angels while maintaining His singular divine nature. He emphasizes that despite the plural language, the Bible consistently portrays Yahweh as the sole creator, supported by the grammar of these passages which use singular verbs with plural pronouns, underscoring the unique and singular creative authority of God.

God is depicted as addressing angels, who existed at creation, acknowledging their moral, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional characteristics akin to His image, as opposed to physical attributes, emphasizing their intellectual independence and will. While angels do not engage in actual creation, a differentiation between the terms "bara" (create) and "asah" (make) in Genesis suggests their participation in the making process, highlighting the collaborative aspect of creation without extending the creative power beyond God.

In exploring the biblical concepts of "bara" and "asah," it becomes evident that creation in Genesis is described as both an act of unique origination and one of craftsmanship, as seen in the formation of humans from pre-existing materials with God's breath infusing life, reflecting His image. Angels, participating in the broader creative process, serve as moral and spiritual parallels, possessing an awareness of good and evil similar to God's, highlighting their integral role and the shared image in divine creation and moral understanding.

When examining biblical passages like Genesis 3:22, Genesis 11:7, and Isaiah 6:8, there is a strong indication that God uses plural pronouns because He is addressing angels, rather than suggesting multiple divine entities. These scriptures show instances of God interacting with angels, whether it is by giving imperative commands or consulting them, as seen in similar angelic gatherings like in I Kings 22:19-23, reflecting the angelic involvement in divine actions and decisions.

Shawn's teaching emphasizes the involvement of angels in God's plans, suggesting that God sometimes seeks their input, as seen in the interaction where a spirit becomes a lying influence in the prophets' mouths to fulfill His will. This implies a need to reconsider traditional interpretations of divine communication and suggests that terms indicating inclusivity in God's statements may refer to angelic beings, rather than support for the concept of the Trinity.

To be justified before God according to Shawn's teaching, one must either perfectly adhere to all aspects of the Law or acknowledge that even a single failure amounts to breaking the entire Law, thus highlighting the impossibility of achieving righteousness through legalistic observance. Embrace faith in Christ's grace for true salvation, as relying solely on one's ability to uphold the Law is insufficient and inevitably leads to guilt, pointing to the need for faith-based redemption.