First-Century Christians: One God [22:49]
by Terry M. Ferrell rated at 1.6 (6 votes so far)
There have been many centuries of Hellenistic constraints on Christianity, and many councils and creeds since the days of the early apostles. But exactly what did the early followers of Jesus believe? Though most "orthodox" Christians believe in a trinity, was that concept really taught and believed in the early church? What about the "Shema?" What about the simple unity of God? Is our basis of belief on the word of God, or has it been formulated throughout the history of the church? In today's message, we examine the one God of the Hebrew scriptures and what the early church professed about their God and his Son. Mark 12:28-34; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 44:6; 2 Timothy 3:16
books
These books, written by people from diverse backgrounds, express the simple truth that God is one. Some of them are more scholary while others are more autobiographical. In addition, a few of them are available to read online. If you would like more in depth treatment of christian monotheism, these books are the next step to take. Note: if you know of other books, not listed here, please leave us feedback.
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The Shema (Truth Matters)
by Brian Kelly [28:06]
rated at 1 (out of 5 votes)
Brian Kelly has been studying the Bible for over three decades and leads a home fellowship in Syracuse, NY. On this show he talks about the importance of the core creed of the Bible: the Shema. The word "Shema" means "Hear" or "Listen up" and it is the shorthand way of referring to Deuteronomy 6.4-5.
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
When a Jewish scribe asked Jesus what the foremost commandment was, Jesus immediately quoted this text. This tells us that the God Jesus worshiped is the same as the God of Moses and the Old Testament.
In this show, Brian leads us to consider the two parts to the Shema. (1) To recognize that Yahweh alone is our single God (2) to love this God with everything (holding nothing back). Download this file to learn more about biblical monotheism and how to avoid the pitfalls of ancient Israel's idolatry.