Hear, o Israel: The LORD Our God is one LORD” or “The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4, RSV as all quotes). This is more than a denial of many gods or of multiple personalities within a “trinitarian deity.” There is more here even than a declaration of God’s unique sovereignty. This statement is an affirmation concerning God’s nature and character. It proclaims His spiritual and moral integrity and speaks of the unfailing harmony of His words and His ways. Whereas man is duplicitous, divisive and deceitful, the Lord is constant, cohesive and consistent. The Lord is one.
Divine consistency
God always acts in accord with the principles revealed in His Word. When He “repents,” for instance or when He “turns,” it is on the basis of these principles. According to people’s reactions to His promises and requirements, He reacts toward them. “God shows no partiality:” He “judges each one impartially according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:11; I Peter 1:17).
As the source of knowledge, wisdom, love and life, He is “the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change…for his steadfast love endures forever” (James 1:17; Psa. 136:1). Consequently, His son, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” (Heb. 13:8).
Implications for us
This doctrine of the unity of God places demands upon us in regard to belief and practice. His children ought “to show entire and true fidelity, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our savior” (Tit. 2:10).
In our personal and communal conduct, we should always act with godly integrity. To be two-faced is to be ungodly. Divisive conduct is a denial of our relationship with the one Lord; it undermines the doctrine of the unity of God. Here is an unavoidable connection between what we preach and what we do.
Further, we must not advance theories that imply conflict and inconsistency within the Word of God lest we undermine the doctrine of a God who is one. Our scriptural expositions should therefore be carefully tested for conformity with the whole divine revelation.
Covenant principles
Scriptural harmony is not always immediately apparent. “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Prov. 25:2).
It may appear, fix instance, that various scriptural covenants are based upon diverse principles; closer scrutiny reveals that they all follow the same consistent pattern. Each has two essential elements — a promise and a requirement. The fulfillment of the promise is always conditional upon honoring the requirement.
At the heart of each covenant is a relationship. To that relationship, there must be exclusive loyalty, abiding faithfulness. For those who thus continue in the covenant, the promise is fulfilled. This is true of the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant.
The Lord our God is one Lord; the principles upon which He operates are the same today, yesterday and forever.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One