The document discusses several key questions about the nature of God in Christianity: 1. It examines whether God is one or three, looking at verses that indicate God is one. 2. It analyzes whether Jesus is God or part of God, finding verses where Jesus distinguishes himself from God and says God is greater. 3. It considers whether the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal, noting Jesus' own words that the Father is greater than him. 4. It concludes that based on the Bible, Jesus is not equal to or the same as God, but rather is a human prophet and messenger of God.

2. @ Nr;i r. Al-Arfai,2oo2
K. F. National Library Cataloging-in-
Publication Data
Al-Arfaj, Naji Ibrahim
God in Christianity...What is His Nature?
40 p. cm
rsBN 9960-9345-l-9
study
l- God 2- Compararive 3- Jesus
I- Title
29l.2ll09 dc lll0/22
Legal DePositNo. lll0l22
rsBN 9960-9345-1-9
First Edition
2002
All rights reserved. To reprint this
booklet, you must get prior permission
from the Author.

3. Seekingthe Truth Series ( z
God in Christianity...
Whot^Is
His f{ature?
By
Dr. f{aji I. Al-Arfaj

4. Dedication
To those who seekthe truth sincerely,
honestly,and oPen-mindedlY !

5. Contents
Pre-reading Questians
[tl
lt
t7
Introduction t-;-t
tl
Is God One or Three?
Is Jesus God or Part of God?
l-f
t7
Are They Equal? VI
IY
Is Jesus the Son of God? t-t
IV
So, Who WasJesus? E
IV
Conclusions E
tv
References r;l
L___n

6. What rs IIis Nature?
Pre-reading questions:
1. What is the natureof God in Christianity?
2. Is God one or three(TrinitY)?
3. Is Jesusequalwith God?
4. Is JesusGod or Partof God?
5. Is Jesus sonof manor sonof God?
a
6. So,who is Jesus really?
7. What is your oPinion?
Please read the following
text corefullY, criticallY, and
witho ut any PreconcePtions !

7. llhat is His Nature?
Jesus said, "Seek the truth,
and the truth will setyou.free."
As a seeker of the truth and a
student of life, and after many years of
observation, research and comparative
study, it appears me that people often
to
base their beliefs and judgments on
weak, sandy foundations,rather than on
the solid foundationof rock that Jesus
recommended.
Concerningthe topic at hand, I
have noticed some major differences
betweenwhat is commonlyand officially
understood about God in Christianity,
and what the Bible itself states!

8. Whatis HisNature?
In this booklet, I would like to
sharewith you -out of love and concern-
what I have noticedand learnedthrough
my continuous journey of research,
analysis,and study.
The intent of this work is to
honestly and sincerelypresentthe truth
that I found, not to hurt the feelings of
anyone.
Now let us turn to discusssome
issues and questions concerning the
natureof God in Christianity, namelythe
Trinity and divinity of Jesus.

9. llhat is His Nature?
* Is God One or Three?
* Is JesusGod or Part of God?
What do you think?
.,--------=nn
---fJr"
nnr-
What is your answer?
Let us get the answerfrom the Bible:

10. What is His Nature?
. One csme and ssid unto him,
Good Master, what good thing
shall I do, thut I moy have
eternal life? And he (Jesus) said
unto him, Why callest thou me
good*? There is none good but
one, that is, God. Bat if thou wilt
enter into ltfe, keep the
commundments,
(Matthew 19:16-17)
* WhJ callest thou me good? Or in
modern
English, "Why do you call me good?" We
wouldn't find this wordingandmeaningin some
Biblesl Thistext is foundin King JamesVersion.
Don'ttakemy wordfor it! Check yourBible!

11. What is His Nature?
Several questions can be asked
about the above verses. Some of the
more intuitive onesare:
did Jesus question his own
soodness?
Jesus emphatically stated that
"there is none good but one, that
is, God." Why did he refer to the
one God asthe "good" oneonlY?
Why did he excludehimself from
beinggood,if he wereGod?
Jesusexplicitlypointedout that "f
thou wilt enter into life, keeP the
commandments." Why didn't
Jesuscommandthe questioner to

12. What is His Nature?
believe in him (Jesus)as God in
order to enterinto eternallife?
keeping the commandments
enoughfor gettingeternallife?
Now, let us re-readthe versesof
Matthew (19: 16-17) as statedin King
JamesVersion and the same verses as
reported in the New International
Versionof the Holy Bible.

13. ll/hat is His Nature?
t One came und sqid unto him, Good
Master, whst good thing shall I do,
that I may have eternal life? And he
said unto him, WhYcallest thou me
€ood? There is none good but one,
that is, God.
Version)
(In KingJames
o lr,lowa man come up to Jesus and
asked, "Teacher, what good thing
must I do to get eternal life?"
"Why do you ask me about what is
good?",lesus rePlied. "There is onlY
One who is good. If You want to
enter ltfe, obey the
commandments."
Version)
(ln the Nelv International

14. llhat is His Nature?
To make it easyto compare,here
areJesus'two differentquestions:
Accordingto King JamesVersion(KJV),
in simpleEnglish,
Jesus
asked:
o Why do you CALL ME GOOD?
But, accordingto the New International
Version(NIV), Jesussaid:
o Why do you ASK ME ABOUT
WHAT IS GOOD?
Pleasehonestlycomparebetween
Jesus' question in the King James
Version and his question in the New
InternationalVersion.Do they have the
same meaning? Can they both be
correct?

15. ll'hat is His Nature?
Going back to the critical
question, Is Jesus God?, I think that if
Jesus were God or part of God, his
logical responsewould be to approve of
what the questioner called him (i.e.,
"Good Master").
Sound reasoning and plain logic
tell us that God is good. And if Jesus
were God or part of God (Part of the
Trinity) he MUST BE GOOD! Don',tyou
agree?
Presumably,some of the possible,
expectedresponses that Jesuscould utter
in response to the young man saYing
"Good Master" include:

16. lVhat is His Nature?
O "Certainly,I am good,for I am God."
O "You are right. I am good."
O Or at least,knowing that he was
obviouslygood,beingGod or a
manifestation God, Jesus
of could
have answered young man without
the
taking issuewith his wordsby saying:
' "rf thou wilt enter into lW,
keepthe commandments."
But, astonishingly, Jesus
respondedto the young man's words
"Good Master" with something
unexpected! deniedthat he was good,
He
wondering,"Why you call me good?"
do

17. llhat is His Nature?
So, instead of denying his
goodness,wouldn't it have been more
reasonable for Jesus to seize this
occasionand acknowledge that he was
good, since he was God or a
manifestationof the one God, if such
werethe case? Why would he refer to the
true God alone,and not reveal his own
'good' divinity? Was he hiding the truth
abouthimselffrom the questioner?
o IYow this l's life eternal, that they
know you, the ONLY true God, and
Jesus Christ, whomyou have sent.
(John 7:3)
1
In this verse, Jesus again
distinguisheshimself from the ONLY
true God! It is this only true God who
createdand sent Jesus.So, who has the

18. lYhat is His Nature?
full authorityto command and send?The
ONLY true God or Jesus? Who is
greater, the one who orders and sends
or the one who is orderedand sent?
o There is One God and one mediator
between God and men, the mqn
Christ Jesus. (l Timothy2: 5)
This versepointsto two identities:
(l) one God, and (2) one mediator
(Jesus)!Jesus described ,,theman.,'
is as
The verse did not call him ,,the God
Christ Jesus." In fact, nowhere in the
Bible is JesuscalledGod!
To further discussand answer the
question,Is Jesus God or part of God?,
let us carefully,critically,and objectively

19. Llthat is His Nature?
read the following parts of verses
reported Matthew4: 1-10.
in
. Then Jesus was led by the SPirit
into the desert to be temPted bY
the devil.
. After fasting forty daYs ond forA
nights, he was hungry.
. Again, the devil took him to a
very high mountsin and shawed
him all the kingdoms of the world
and their splendor,
. He (the devil) said to him (Jesus)'
"All these I will give You, tf You
will fall down und worshiPme."
Did theseverses triggerany questions
or thoughtsin your mind?

20. What is His Nature?
Let me sharewith you someof the
questionsand thoughts that stroke my
mind afterreadinethe aboveverses:
l) The Bible says,"Jesus was led by the
Spiril into the desert..." I wonder
who has more authority and more
power, Jesus or the Spirit? Why
didn't Jesus leadhirnself the desert
to
if he were God? Does God need
someone leadHim?
to
2) Basedon the testimonyof the above
verses, the devil (Satan) tempted
Jesus who is considered be God by
to
some Christians.The simple and
logical question that could be raised
is: Can God be tempted?

21. Whatis HisNature?
The same Bible tells us that God
can't be tempted! This fact is uttered by
Jesus in the same story of temptation.
Similarly, James,the brother of Jesus,
said:
. "God csnnot be temptedby evil, and
he himself temptsno one."
(James 13)
l:
3 ) The Bible reports that "After fasting
forty days and forty nights, he
(Jesus) was hungry." Analyzing
this verse,let's reason
together:
DoesGod fast?
,> To whom was Jesus fasting? To
himselfas God or to someone
who is
thanhim?
greater
DoesGod feel hungryor thirsty?

22. Whot is His Nature?
4) In the story of 'the temptation of
Jesus' (you find this heading several
in
Bibles), came to discover that the
we
devil (Satan) moved and controlled
Jesus! Did Satan do that with Jesus
the man or Jesusthe God? If Satan
did that with Jesusthe man, what is
the point? And if the devil did that
with Jesus the God, can God be
tried, moved, and controlled?Let's
remember James' words, "God
cannot be tempted by evil... "
At the end of the dialogue between
Jesus and Satan and after Satan asked
Jesus to'Tall down and worship" him,
Jesussaid to the devil:
' Worship the Lord your God, and
serveHim only." (Matthew 10)
4:

23. What r'sI*'s Nature?
I assume, if Jesus were God
incarnate, he might have easily
responded,"No, Satan. It is you who
must fall down and worship me, your
God!" But instead invokedthe above
he
scriptureaboutworshipping true God
the
ONLY.
On the other hand.we learnedfrom
the storythat:
(Please read the whole story of the
Mattherv l-10).
temptation Jesus,
of 4:

24. What is His Nature?
But, the Bible emPhaticallY
indicatesthat GOD CANNOT BE SEEN
OR HEARD.
. No one has ever seen him. And n o
one can see him,
(1 Timothy 1 6 )
6:
. You huve never heurd His voice nor
seenHis shape.
(John :37)
5
. Now to the King eternal, immortal,
invisible, the onlY God, be honor
and glory forever and ever,Amen.
(l Timothy 17)
1:
beforeI conclude
Additionally,, this
section, me ask:During Jesus'life on
let

25. lilhat is His Nqture?
earth didn't his familY, PeoPle, and
followers seeand hear him?
Therefore, according to the
description God in the aboveverses'
of
Jesus cannot be God. Isn't this
reasonable and logical?So, what is the
truth? Think aboutit!
Now let us turn to discuss
other critical questions!
6)
z--
u-1)
( (/
I n

26. lYhat is His Nature?
{. Are God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit EQUAL?
* Is God the Son (Jesus)EQUAL
with God the Father?
* Is God the Son (Jesus)EQUAL
with God the Holy Spirit?
5J*.**-4
7-
/'
/Are
/ They
t::t:-l
,,-- -L -
-:t:"1
,-r- Qa:D
Let us seewhat Jesushimself says:

27. W/hatis His Nature?
. My Father is greater than 1(Jesus).
(John14:28)
o My Father, who gsve them to me,
is greoter thun all. (Johnlo:29)
. Whut I tesch l's not my own
teaching, but it comesfrom God,
who sentme. (John 16)
7:
. I cun of my own self do nothing."
ss I hear, I judge: and my
juclgment is just; becsuseI seek
not my own will, but the will of
the Father who has sent me.
(John5: 30)

28. What is His Nature?
o No one knows, however, when
thut day or hour will come-
neither the angels in heaven,
nor the Son; only the Father
knows.
(Mark13:32)
. Anyone who says something
against the Son of man can be
forgiven, but whoever soys
something against the HolY
Spirit will not be forgiven- now
or ever (Matthew 12:32)
After reading these clear-cut
statements well as many othersspoken
as
bv Jesus what canwe conclude?
hirnself"

29. ll4tat is His Nature?
Basedo n J esus' honestand frank
testimony that the only true God (the
Father) is greater than him and greater
than the Holy Spirit, that what he teaches
is not his, that he and the Holy Spirit
know nothing aboutthe last day, and that
he can do nothing of himself,a s incere
seekerof the truth should acceptwhat
Jesussays about himself and not make
him God or the equalof God!
Let me discuss another significant
question.

30. ll/hat r's//rb Nature?
* Is Jesusthe only son of God?
Let us get the answerfrom the Bible:
t Adum is the son of God.
(Luke 38)
3:
o Isrsel is My first-born son.
(Exodus4:22)
. The Lord hus said unto me, thou
art my Son; this day hove I
begottenthee. (Psalms
" 2:7,KJY).
So, according to the Bible, and
announced by the Father himself,
David is anotherbegottenSon {with a
capital'S'|!

31. What is His Nature?
. Blessed qre the peqcemskers,far
they will be culled sons of God.
(Matthew 5:9)
Tracing this title "son of God" in
the Bible, w€ can find many "sons of
God" and that Jesus not the onlv son.
is
It can be concluded that the Bible
usesthis title "son of God" figuratively
to mean righteous,pious, selected,or
God-conscious.
THIS LEADS US TO THE CRUCIAL
QUESTTON WHICH WE MUST
ASK!
n
tl
tl
ll
tl t-7
=-
-,,-

32. lVhat is His Nature?
{. So,who was Jesus?
After discussingevidencefrom the
Bible that God is One, NOT THREE,
that Jesus is not God or part of God,
that he is not equal with God, and that
he is not the son of God in the literal
sense, mustask:So,who wasJesus?
we
D Jesusthe man
The times that Jesusis referredto
as 'man' or'son of man' in the Bible are
many.Below arejust someverses:
o Ye men of Israel, heur these words;
Jesus of Nazareth, wss a MAN
approved of God smong you by
mirocles, wonders,and signs.
(Acts2:22).

33. llrhat is His Nature?
These words were uttered by
Peter, a very dear friend and follower of
Jesus,and he witnessedthings closely.
o The Son of MAN come eating and
drinking. (Matthewll: 19)
o This MAN is really the Prophet.
(Jo h n :4 0 )
7
o Now ye seek to kill me, o MAN that
hath told you the truth, which I have
heard of God. (John 8: 40, King James
Version, some Bibles do not reveal this
truth! Checkyour Bible!).
At this critical moment of his life,
Jesustestified himself that he is "a man."
Why didn't he clearly and openly say:

34. lVhat is His Nature?
"Now you seekto kill me,God incarnate,
who hastold you the truth." Is it possible
that he was hidine the truth?
tr Jesusthe Prophet
. This is Jesus the prophet of
Nuzareth. (Matthew I l)
2l:
. Jesus said, "A prophet is never
accepted his home town."
in
(Luke4'.24)
. I tell you the truth, no servsnt
is greoter thun his msster, nor
is a messenger greater than the
one who senthim.
( J o h n3 : l 6 )
l

35. Nature?
What r's.EIis
. Surely this is the prophet who is
to come into the world.
(John 14)
6:
Jesus,who wasa prophet,..
(Luke24: 19)
These are just some of the many
Biblical verses which point out that
Jesus was a prophet and a messenger
of the one true God! Again, nowhere
in the Bible he is called God.
A finsl criticsl and sisnificant
piece of information sbout Jesus!

36. Whst is His Nature?
"In his life on earth Jesusmade his prayers
and requestswith loud cries and tears to
God. who could savehim from death.Because
he was humble and devoted, God heord him."
(Hebrews5:7)
and conclusionsthat we can
derive from the above-cited
Biblical texts?

37. ll/hat is His Nature?
Conclusions:
The above statements from the
Bible form a coherentmessage that there
is only one God. " ... I am the only God.
Besides me there is no other god; there
never was and never will be. I alone am
the LORD, the only one who can save
you" (Isaiah43: l0-11). "f am the Lord
your God und I talerste no partners."
(Exodus20: 5)
Hundreds of similar statements
occur in the Bible, as compared just a
to
few which contradict them*.
*Please see the notesfollowing these conclusions,

38. What is His Nature?
The recurrentthemeis that Jesusis
the prophet of the only true God, who
createdJesus,created and createdall
us,
things.
Approaching the end of this
journey of seekingthe truth, I would like
to leave with you some questions to
think about!
O Isn't it time to put things in their
right places?
O Isn't it time to placeJesusin his right
and respected positionas only a man
and a prophet of the one true God?
O Isn't it time to turn to our only true
God, the Creator,and worship
Him alonebeforeit is too late
(beforedeath!)?

39. ll/hat is His Nature?
Notes:
rr It is believedby a growing number
of Biblical scholars that it was Paul
(born in 5 A. D.!) who reshapedthe
major beliefs in Christianity,including
the Trinity, divinity of Jesus,
original sin,
crucifixion, salvationthrough the blood
ofJesus, etc.
Furthermore, is widely accepted
it
by these scholars that Paul wrote his
letters before the four gospels, which
were later colored and influenced by
Paul's beliefs and teachings. The
differencebetweenPaul's teachings and
Jesus' original messagecontributedto
the considerable confusionwe find today
about the nature of God. For more
information about this, please refer to mJ)
upcoming booklet, What llent Wrong?

40. Whatis HisNature?
Afinal thought...
After reading this booklet carefully,
critically, and oPen-mindedlY;
a sincere, and serious
honest,
seekerof the truth might raise
questions like:
. ,So.
Whatis the truth?
. lVho is the true God?
. lVhut is His true message?
. Whst went wrong?
Thesequestions others be
and will
writings,
discussed uPcoming
in
God willine

41. lVhat is His Nature?
References
I - The Holy Bible.King James Version.
2- G ood newsBible. Today's Version.
English
3- H oly Bible.New International Version.
4- H oly Bible. Revised Standard Version.
5- The Bible Library.29 workson one
CD-ROM disc.It includes Bibles
9
and20Biblicalreferences. 1995Ellis
Inc.
Enterprises, Oklahoma, USA.
6- The Multi-Bible CD-ROM. Innotech
Multimedia,Inc. Ontario,Canada.
7- S everalweb sitesfrom the Internet.
8- I nformation and feedbackfrom my
public lectures'audience my
and
Weekly TV program's viewers.
Useful web sites:
g www. sultan.org
g www.al-sunnah.com

42. ll/hat is IIis Nature?
Any feedback or corrections sre
For further information,questions,
suggestions, reactions,
or
pleasefeel free to contact:
Dr. Naji Ibrahim Al-Arfaj
Website: www.abctruth.com
E-mail: abctruth@hotmail.com
P. O. Box 418
Hofuf. Al-Ahsa 31982 KSA
After reading this booklet critically,
I would love to hear from vou!

43. Writings and Works bY the Author
I. A step by step seriesof see.king truth
the
(Foltowing a scholarly tnd comparative approach):
1. Who is He? A
2. What is His Nature? &
3. Just OneMessage! |
4. What is the Truth? g
5. What WentWrong? (
6. The Beautyof Islam! U
7. The ABCsof Islam. $
II. Upcoming writings:
) Keysto UltimateSuccess Happiness!
and
) A Letter to Janet!
) Why'We'?
) Why are YOU here?
III. Other works:
o A weeklyTV program.(usingcreative
PowerPointand Internet materials)'
o TV episodes video& audiotapes'
on
r Public lecturesand talks'

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Mobil: 055913113,JtF
E-mail: abctruth@hotmail.com
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