There can exist many gods which are supernatural, such as Satan (possibly worshipped in various religions by other names), Azazel, along with various name forms for the same beings, some of which could actually exist. The recognition of the existence of such beings is not in itself polytheism. If it was polytheism, then recognising the existence of Satan would be polytheism. Polytheism originally used to be understood as worship of these beings, perhaps a select group of them associated with one’s city or nation. Then the Pharisee Rabbis c100 AD changed their meaning of polytheism and monotheism in Judaism. It might be they did this to combat the influences of paganism as the Jews were dispersed through the world. It might be they also wanted to make things difficult for Christians. Either way, they made it heresy to even acknowledge existence of gods other than the Most High God. By outlawing any acknowledgement of the existence of gods other than the Most High, and making it heresy to ascribing to them of any significance and importance, this caused a headache for the believers in Jesus as the only begotten Son of the Most High God. Some Christian leaders were trying to appease Judaism and a few unscrupulous ‘Christian’ writers and scribal teachers used Neoplatonist philosophical concepts borrowed from Greek such as ‘ousia’ and applied them to the gospel message of there being both God and His Son together. In this use of philosophy mixed with the gospel these teachers invented a new ‘gospel’ which allowed them to make the Father and Son into just one God. That way they could pretend to be monotheistic in a way which aligned with the new Rabbinical monotheism. It is important to note that by the original concept of monotheism there is no need for such trickery. Worshipping just the Father as Most High God to whom even the Son will forever be subject, this is still monotheism in its original sense. It recognises that the Father alone is the One True God. It does not require denial of the Son as a second distinct being to the Father. Both Son and Father are through time distinct living beings, but only the Father is the Most High God to whom the Son will forever be ultimately subject. It is important to keep worldly philosophy out of the gospel so that it is not deprived of its divine power.
