JOHN 17:3 : Bakit Only True God?
By Bro. Nathan
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (Jn. 17:3) NKJV
This is the words na sinabi ni Jesus Christ sa kanyang intercessory prayer—which shows the importance of knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ. It's important sa salvation natin na kilalanin the one whom we have faith to. And dito ay binigyan ng Son ang Father ng supremacy—na ang Father ay ang only true God. But some sects however ignore the message and misuses the verse this verse kagaya ng Trinitarians at Unitarians. Trinitarians believe na ang Father and Son ay co-equal at of the same being, modalism believes na ang Father and Son in one person at nagchachage ng modes whethere Father or Son at Unitarians believe na only one person lang ang Divine who is the Father and they will use Jn. 17:3 for that, pero ano ba talaga ang message ng Jn. 17:3 at bakit ba ito consistent sa Theology ng Restored Church? In here, ipapaliwanag natin ang verse with arguments against these three strict monotheist views, Trinitarianism, Modalism, at Unitarianism.
Clinaclaim ng mga Trinitarians na ang Godhead ay One being of God manifested in three persons. at what we meant by this ay na ang Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit ay consubstantial or iisang substance lang. Iisang being sila. And modalism on the other hand ay na ang Father and Son is one being and one Person at nagchachage ng modes. These two views ay problematic. First, ang sinasabi sa Greek :
αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.(Nestle-Aland 28)
Ang phrase na τον μονον αληθινον θεον (ton monon alethinon Theon— The Only True God) ay nakapredicate sa iisang person lang unlike Trinitarianism na nagclaclaim ng isang being composed of three persons. Nakikita natin dito na may distinction not only sa Father and Son but maging kay God at kay Jesus (cf. Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Jn. 20:17; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 1 Cor. 8:5-6). It show no co-equality or consubstantialinity as well as with Modalism.
Unitarians also use this verse against Trinitarianism at para idisprove ang Deity ni Jesus Christ pero will there be a problem with this? No. Since ang term na "God" sa Latter Day Saint theology ay isang multivalent term. ang deity ni Jesus Christ can also be seen sa v. 5 at v.24 na pinapakita ang kanyang pre-existing glory together with the Father. Ang title na "God" at nature na Divine ay napoposses ni Jesus Christ as taught throughout the scriptures —Jn. 1:1-18; 17:5-24; 20:28; Phil. 2:5-1; 1; Heb. 1:2-10; 2:14-18; 2 Pt. 1:1; 1 Jn. 5:20; Rev. 22:6-16
So for Latter Day Saints, ano ba ang Only True God sa Jn. 17:3? This shows ang isang form sa atin ng monotheism na Kingship Monotheism. hindi nito iniistate na may ibang equal na God kay Heavenly Father nor na si Heavenly Father lamang ang tanging ontological existing God. Even though may ibang ontologically existing deities at may Divine persons sa Godhead, ang Father parin ang kinikilala na Only True God. one can comapre this sa pangalawang commandment sa Ten commandments which reads :
"“You shall have no other gods before Me." (Ex. 20:3) NKJV cf. Dt. 5:7
Alamin natin first yung qualities ni Heavenly Father at ang roles niya. Si Heavenly Father ay ang Eternal Father at Siya ay ang nagprepreside sa Godhead. Siya bilang someone presiding shows the subbordination of the Son (1 Cor. 11:3; Jn. 14:26-31; 2 Ne. 31:7-12; 3 Ne. 28:11). At Siya ang God of gods—He is the greatest among all (Dt. 10:17; Josh. 22:22; Ps. 136:2; Dan. 2:47; 11:36; Jn. 10:29; Eph. 4:6). Si Heavenly Father ang tanging ating iwoworship at tanging Siya ang ating object of our love and worship at wala nang iba. —Josh. 22:5; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 4:8; D&C 4:2; 18:40; 20:29
