Godhead
Godhead is a Middle English variant of the word godhood, and denotes the divine character of the Christian God. Godhead is also a title for God. The term was introduced by John Wycliffe (godhead, then spelled as godhede) in the King James Version Bible. The word "Godhead" occurs three times in the scriptures (Acts 17:29, Rom. 1:20, Col. 2:9). There are two different Greek words translated Godhead in these occurrences, theiotes and theotes. Thayer says Godhead (theiotes) means, "divinity, divine nature" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 285). Vine distinguishes between these two words: "Theiotes, the attributes of God, His Divine nature and properties; theotes indicates the Divine essence of Godhood, the personality of God" (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The Godhead, then, is divinity, divine nature, and the essence of God, simply stated. It is essential that we also understand the term inspired writers used to designate the Creator - "God." "God" is from the Greek theios which means "divine, deity" (Thayer, pg. 285).
The Godhead consists of only One God. "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4, 1 Cor 8:4, 1 Tim 2:5). The scriptures in the New Testament present three manifestations (not persons; even as the trinity is not a scriptural doctrine, but rather one adopted instead from pagans in the third century) of the One God: John 1:1-2, 14, 1 John 5:7, 2 Cor. 13:14, Matt. 28:18-20.
The nature of God (Godhead). God is all knowing (Acts 2:23), self-existent (Jn. 5:26), immutable (Jas. 1:17), and all-powerful (Matt. 19:26). God possesses absolute holiness (I Pet. 1:15), creative power (Rom. 11:36), and eternality (Rom. 1:20). Not only does God love, but the essential nature of God is love (I Jn. 4:8).
The nature of God is seen in the "God is…" expressions found in the scriptures. God is love (I Jn. 4:8), God is faithful (I Cor. 10:13), God is holy (Ps. 99:9), God is light (I Jn. 1:5), God is merciful (2 Chron. 30:9), and God is jealous (Deut. 6:15).
God is also revealed in his names. He is Jehovah-nissi ("Jehovah is my banner," Ex. 17:15, suggestive of triumph), Jehovah-shalom ("the Lord is peace," Judges 6:24), Jehovah-shamah ("Jehovah is present," Ezek. 48:35), Jehovah-tisidkenu ("Jehovah is righteous," Jere. 23:6), and Jehovah-Jireh ("Jehovah will provide," Gen. 22:14).
The scriptures collectively present God as strict and firm (Rom. 11:22), as good, and perfect (Matt. 5:48). God hates sin, ignorance, and confusion (Isa. 59:1-2, Acts 17:30-31, I Cor. 14:33, 40). God is above man (Isa. 55:8-9). There is none like God: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else, I am God, and there is none like me" (Isa. 46:5-10).
The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God manifested unto men (Acts 17:26-28). It's the Comforter sent by God to reveal all truth to His disciples (John 14:26). This is God's indwelling spirit or unction that's given unto baptized believers in His name (1 John 2:20, Matthew 3:12-17, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38-22:16)
God is a jealous God. As noted under the nature of God, God is jealous. In other words. God does not compete or take second place to any. He demands singularity and priority (Deut. 6:14-15). Jesus said, "…Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24). Jesus also taught, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37).
In view of the exalted magnificence of the God of heaven, it is a great privilege to learn of him (through the Bible) and serve Him. Paul preached the following of God in his famous sermon in Athens, Greece: "…and set the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:26-27).
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