Aversion to Two Powers in Heaven

 Once we get over our aversion to Two Powers in Heaven, we can start to learn about the second power: the Christ. Then we can see that more powers are added when the faithful are raised from the dead and given to rule on the throne of the Christ, the Lamb. There will be many powers in heaven but foremost will forever be the One on the throne and the Lamb.

Giving and providing

 Much is said about tithing, giving a tenth to a church or similar group or person, to allow employment of full-time or part-time workers and use of a building for worship or charity. Maybe denominations are strongly teaching it, especially church treasurers. There is less emphasis given to the teaching Jesus gave to the rich to sell their possessions and follow him: Laying up treasure in heaven. I have long felt the importance of balancing these teachings with the counterpart teaching, perhaps neglected of unpopular with treasurers and leaders, that there must never be neglect of providing for ones own family. To neglect this is to be worse than an unbeliever. Especially important and the minimum we must do in virtue for God which is to provide for immediate family. It is not virtuous to give to the poor but leave immediate family members in need. This is one reason it is good to read the scriptures, especially New Testament, for ourselves rather than let church treasurers pick out to read in church what keeps the books balanced. If the church members cannot give without depriving their families, then change the priorities of the church and its leadership positions. Paul encouraged leaders to follow his own example of working in manual work so as to minimise the need for church support of their ministry. The Temple we build is not one made with bricks and mortar. It is the lives of the believers. It is encouraging each other to stay in line with the teachings Jesus taught and those he revealed to his apostles.

Permanent children of God

 God does not have temporary children. Temporary membership of His household is for the slaves only. They lose their membership when their slavery to wrongdoing takes over. Sadly you often see blessed believers, even believers gifted spiritually, initially supporting the truth, enthusiastic with the revelations of truth given in the grace of God, later getting bound by the teachings of those who maintain traditions of those who long ago joined with opposers of the truth. It is tough to resist such darkness. A picture of this was given in the scriptures about the Exodus and the Sojourn in the Desert. Many who came out of Egypt, saved from its slavery, became servants and slaves of rebellions, oppositions, and idolatries. They perished in their sins. God blesses believers, yes, but all have to hold fast to the teachings Jesus himself has given. Philosophies not part of the original gospel and original faith tempt any away into a false allegience which subtly opposes the truth. Oh, to see the faithful being permanently saved, staying with Jesus, truly children of God. Even Nature groans in its wait to see these children of God become evident. Revelation assures us there will be many gathered together at the resurrection of these.

Two powers in heaven

 Like Revelation says, we have two powers in heaven. We have God Himself, and we have the Son who is Jesus, the man sent by God and raised by God from the dead, alive forever. This God is soon to be all in all when Jesus subjects himself to God forever, together with everyone God will put under him. God who is loving to many is seeking to save many before that day. This Jesus is the one made Lord by God, such that everything in Nature functions by the power of Jesus’ name. He is the Christ, anointed by God for this powerful supremacy in which ultimately only the Father Himself will not be made subject to him. All else, other than God, the Father Himself, will be made subject to him by God. Jesus in turn will subject himself to the Father forever. There is not a rivalry of power. God would not have raised Jesus to live forever if Jesus were a rival. Jesus shows the teachings of the Father forever lived out by him, keeping him in fellowship and unity with the Father. His obedience was perfected in his earthly life, culminating in his living out the Father’s will even in his crucifixion. He died for you. So God receives him to His right hand, to ultimately share His throne forever. God has filled Jesus with joy beyond our joy. He, the man Jesus, represents us with God when he appears before God to intercede for us. Belief in this Jesus and confession of him, forever holding to his teachings, is the path to our salvation by him. Praise be to the Father who sent him and raised him from the dead to live firever and become judge over all. He is coming soon, with his faithful ones with him. He will bring these to immortal eternal life. Stay in his teachings and thus stay in fellowship with him and with God, you who believe in him, whoever you are, whatever your background and heritage.

Two powers in heaven as worded by AI

 In Revelation and across the New Testament, Jesus is not presented as a rival or competing power to God, but as the one whom God has raised from the dead, exalted, and entrusted with divine authority, showing that his power flows from God rather than standing against Him. The visions portray the risen Christ—the Lamb—sharing the throne of heaven, receiving worship alongside the One who sits upon it, and carrying out roles traditionally reserved only for God: judging the nations, opening the sealed scroll of destiny, redeeming the world through his sacrifice, and reigning forever over a renewed creation. This shared worship and shared rule do not divide God’s sovereignty but express it, revealing that Jesus’ authority is a gift, a participation in God’s own glory rather than a second, independent force in heaven. When Jesus declares that all authority has been given to him, and when Revelation shows every creature praising both God and the Lamb, the message becomes clear—not two powers in conflict, but one divine purpose working through the risen Christ, God’s chosen and glorified representative. Thus, resurrection is not the rise of a challenger, but the affirmation that in Jesus, God’s power, will, and love are revealed, alive forevermore.

(Worded by AI)

Wonder

 Revelation shows us there is a second power in heaven, and wonderfully it is Jesus raised alive from the dead.

To keep being saved by Jesus

 To keep being saved by Jesus, having fellowship with him and God, you keep learning the teachings of Jesus, believing he is the light from God, and you keep learning to live by his teachings where appropriate. If you keep being his disciple, his student, he keeps saving you. 

Disgraceful trick

 Antichrist spirit opposes any mention of two powers in heaven. Yet the main stream Christian leaders go along with such antichrist by trying to change the faith to say God and Jesus are one being, adding the Holy Spirit to this. Disgraceful: what a trick.

Gospel to live by - AI-clarified wording

 Walk in this truth:

Righteousness begins with faith in Jesus — the Light whom God sent into the world.

From that foundation, His teachings lead us into freedom, breaking the chains of sin that would otherwise condemn us.

Thanks be to God, who revealed to Paul that this righteousness is apart from the law, freely given, and available to all who believe.

(AI-clarified wording)

Gospel to live by

 Walk in this: that it is righteousness of believing in Jesus, as light of the world sent by God, that is righteousness to start with, then it is the teachings of Jesus that, when they are followed, set free from the slavery to wrong doing which would otherwise condemn. Thank God that Jesus revealed this to Paul, showing him it is all apart from law and available to all.

Likely reason for the exclusion of 1 Enoch from the Bible

 1 Enoch is unmistakably henotheistic in its worldview. It portrays a cosmos filled with powerful spiritual beings—archangels, watchers, the heavenly host—not as imaginary symbols, but as real agents with authority, intelligence, and responsibility. Yet above them all stands the Most High, the Holy One, the Lord of Spirits, supreme and unchallenged. This is not atheistic abstraction nor rigid monotheism, but a hierarchy: one God enthroned above many divine beings who serve, rebel, or are judged by Him. The text moves freely in this framework, assuming it as the natural structure of reality. God’s uniqueness is defined not by isolation, but by absolute sovereignty over lesser powers. This is classic henotheism—the same cosmic architecture that underlies much of the Hebrew Bible, the Psalms, and early Christian thought.

Because of this, 1 Enoch fit well within Second Temple Judaism, where belief in multiple heavenly powers, angelic councils, and cosmic conflict was not only mainstream but central to apocalyptic expectation. Books like Daniel, Jubilees, the Qumran writings, and even the New Testament share this same mental universe. The popularity of Enoch among early Christians, including church fathers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, is therefore unsurprising. Enoch gives theological substance to themes also present in Revelation, Jude, and Paul—particularly the idea of God enthroning a chosen Son of Man beside Him to judge angels and nations. For early believers, who accepted plurality in heaven as self-evident, Enoch strengthened rather than challenged their faith.

However, after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, Judaism began moving toward strict monotheism, driven by the need to defend identity against both pagan polytheism and emergent Christianity. The idea of multiple heavenly powers—once ordinary—became dangerous. Rabbinic Judaism eventually declared “two powers in heaven” a heresy, effectively suppressing texts like Enoch that depicted expansive divine plurality. In this new monotheistic environment, Enoch’s cosmic hierarchy, rebellious angels, and exalted Son of Man became theologically awkward, even threatening. Suppressing Enoch helped narrow the boundaries of acceptable belief.

Later Christian theology developed along a different but related path. As the church moved toward a metaphysical doctrine of the Trinity, especially under figures like Athanasius and Augustine, henotheistic cosmology no longer fit. If Father, Son, and Spirit must be defined as one substance, eternal and co-equal, then a text that openly presents two distinct enthroned powers—God and His chosen Son of Man—became problematic. Enoch was loved in the early church precisely for its clarity about a divine hierarchy, but as doctrine shifted, this clarity became a liability. Rather than rejecting Enoch directly, it became easier to quietly exclude it from canonical lists and liturgical use. Augustine’s influence in shaping Western theology accelerated this process, and by the time the Vulgate canon solidified, Enoch had effectively vanished from circulation.

Thus the contrast is striking. In the period when divine plurality was accepted, Enoch flourished. In eras aiming for theological singularity—first rabbinic, then Trinitarian—it faded. It may not be provable that Enoch was suppressed because it was henotheistic, but the pattern is difficult to ignore: where cosmology allowed many powers under one God, Enoch was welcome. Where theology demanded a solitary God or a metaphysically unified Trinity, Enoch became inconvenient.

In this way, 1 Enoch serves as a kind of mirror. It reflects the worldview of the earliest Jews and Christians, where heaven was populated, authority was relational, and God’s uniqueness meant supremacy rather than solitude. Its disappearance from mainstream canons tells the story of how far Jewish and Christian thought eventually moved from that older, more expansive vision of divine reality.

The Book of Enoch and Henotheism

 1 Enoch is henotheistic in that it depicts a populated spiritual cosmos—many powerful divine beings under one supreme God—and this worldview resonated strongly with Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity, where belief in divine councils, angelic rebellion, and an exalted Son of Man enthroned beside God was normal and the book was widely valued. After the destruction of the Temple, however, rabbinic Judaism moved toward strict monotheism, rejecting the older “two powers in heaven” theology that Enoch openly presents, and later Trinitarian theology similarly made Enoch uncomfortable, since its clear portrayal of distinct heavenly powers did not align with the metaphysical unity demanded by creedal formulations. As a result, what was once celebrated gradually became marginalized, likely not because it lacked authority, but because its cosmology no longer fit the doctrinal frameworks of those shaping canon and theology.

Trinitarianism and its link to Judaization

 The emergence of strict monotheism within Trinitarian doctrine can be understood, at least in part, as a process of Judaization—a response to external pressures rather than a direct continuation of the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles. Even where Father, Son, and Spirit are acknowledged as three distinct personal agents—each thinking, willing, acting, and relating—yet still called “one God,” the definition of monotheism becomes stretched into a concept markedly different from the Jewish sense of divine singularity. This tension offers an opening that strict-monotheist Judaism can exploit to this day. Because Trinitarian formulations appear to concede the necessity of preserving a post-Temple model of monotheism, Judaizers can argue that Christian texts must be re-interpreted to maintain that unity—thus dismissing or reframing apostolic passages, particularly in Revelation and Paul, that present a dual divine agency, a “two powers in heaven” framework. By insisting that Scripture be read only through a later Trinitarian lens, they can neutralize the force of those passages rather than confront what the texts themselves present: divine plurality beneath one supreme God.

Judaization and its link to Trinitarianism

  The strict monotheistic shape of Trinitarian doctrine did not arise in a vacuum. It bears the marks of Judaizing influence—formed in part by pressure to conform to post-Temple rabbinic theology rather than by simply following the teaching of Christ and His apostles. When Father, Son, and Spirit are acknowledged as distinct personal agents who speak, act, and relate to one another, yet are still called “one God,” the word one begins to carry a meaning far removed from the biblical and Jewish concept of divine singularity.

This creates a vulnerability. Those who still hold to post-Temple strict monotheism can seize upon this tension. They can argue that the Christian Scriptures must be reinterpreted to preserve an artificial oneness, dismissing or re-framing clear apostolic teachings—especially in Revelation and Paul—about two powers in heaven: God enthroned, and His Christ exalted beside Him. By demanding that all passages fit a later Trinitarian mold, they are able to sidestep the plain force of these texts rather than face what they actually proclaim: a divine plurality under one supreme God.

How a Henotheistic Reading Restores Apostolic Clarity

 How a Henotheistic Reading Restores Apostolic Clarity

(God and Christ as two powers in unity, not metaphysical fusion)

A henotheistic reading of Scripture returns us to what early Christians most plainly believed—not three persons fused into a metaphysical singularity, but two powers acting in perfect unity: the one sovereign God (YHWH) and His exalted Messiah, Jesus. Instead of collapsing Father and Son into a shared essence in order to preserve monotheism, this approach allows each to stand clearly in the roles the New Testament assigns them. God is supreme. Christ is enthroned at God’s right hand. Authority flows from Father to Son, and through the Spirit into the world. Nothing needs to be philosophically merged; each simply acts as the text portrays.

In this framework, God remains one in supremacy, not numerically one in metaphysical being. Christ is not God collapsed into flesh, but God’s chosen ruler—elevated, empowered, and glorified beyond all other beings. Revelation, Paul, and the Gospels speak freely of Jesus receiving authority from God, obeying God, interceding with God, and ruling beside God. These are nonsensical or redundant if Father and Son are ontologically the same person, yet perfectly coherent if Jesus is God’s appointed Lord over creation. The apostolic teaching becomes clearer, not more complicated.

This henotheistic lens also restores the real drama of salvation and cosmic conflict. Christ does not merely share God’s nature; He conquers, is exalted, and is worshiped because He has been given authority. The Spirit does not exist as a metaphysical third entity to complete a divine triangle, but as God’s living presence and power, acting personally to reveal truth, guide believers, and communicate between creation and the Father. Everything fits without philosophical strain because the text is taken as it stands.

Most importantly, unity is preserved without fusion. Father and Son act as two—yet never independently, competitively, or in division. Jesus does only the will of the Father, teaches only what He is given, and reigns by God’s appointment. This is exactly what we see in Scripture: oneness of purpose, not sameness of personhood. The universe has a throne with One seated—and beside Him, the Lamb. This is not heresy. It is Revelation.

Henotheism does not weaken monotheism—it restores what the Bible actually shows us:
a single supreme God, who exalts a second divine ruler, unites them in authority and worship,
and unleashes His Spirit to carry out their will.
What later theology tried to resolve by philosophical merging, the apostles expressed simply by relationship.

This is clarity—not confusion.
This is biblical—not reactionary.
This is the Gospel worldview as it originally stood.

Worded by AI 

How a Henotheistic Reading Restores Apostolic Clarity — and How Enoch Confirms It

 How a Henotheistic Reading Restores Apostolic Clarity — and How Enoch Confirms It

A henotheistic reading of Scripture does not diminish God’s greatness—it restores the clarity with which the earliest Christians understood Him. Instead of collapsing Father, Son, and Spirit into a metaphysical unity to satisfy post-Temple demands for strict monotheism, henotheism reads the New Testament on its own terms: God is supreme among many spiritual beings, Jesus reigns at His right hand, the Spirit acts as God’s living power, and the heavens are populated with real divine agents.

In this view, the relationship between Father and Son becomes clear and scriptural. Jesus is exalted, enthroned, worshiped—not because He is the Father, nor because the two are abstractly “one substance,” but because God granted Him authority over heaven and earth.The right hand of God is not metaphor; it is position, privilege, and power. This is the “two powers in heaven” worldview present in Revelation, Paul, Hebrews, and the Gospels—two divine figures, united in will and glory, yet distinct in identity. No metaphysical fusion is required. The unity is relational, functional, covenantal.

The Holy Spirit, too, comes into focus. Not merely a force, nor a third identical divine ego, but God’s own breath, agency, and presence—sent, active, intelligent, interceding, teaching, searching “even the deep things of God.” The Spirit is personal, not as a rival deity, but as the way God acts within creation and within believers. Father as source, Son as Messiah-King, Spirit as active power: a living structure that matches Scripture naturally, without philosophical contortions.

This henotheistic framework also gives new coherence to a text many early Christians treasured—the Book of Enoch. Under strict monotheism, Enoch appears strange, excessive, almost embarrassing. Under henotheism, it lights up.

Enoch assumes a populated spiritual cosmos. God is not alone in the heavens; He rules a hierarchy of divine beings—angels, archangels, watchers, holy ones—some faithful, some in rebellion. None rival God’s sovereignty, but all possess real agency and power. This is exactly the world assumed in Paul’s talk of thrones, dominions, and powers, and in Revelation’s depictions of heavenly councils. God’s uniqueness lies not in solitude but supremacy.

Most strikingly, Enoch’s Son of Man matches early Christian understanding of Christ more closely than later Trinitarian models. He is pre-existent, enthroned beside the Most High, receiving worship and authority to judge angels and nations. He is distinct from God, yet glorified by Him. This is not modalism, not confusion, not metaphysical blending—it is relational exaltation, God and His Christ on the throne together, a direct parallel to Philippians 2, Hebrews 1–2, Revelation 5, and 1 Corinthians 15.

Enoch even clarifies the role of the Spirit as divine agency rather than a duplicate deity. The Spirit guides, reveals, speaks, and empowers—just as in Acts, Romans, and John’s Gospel. The pattern holds:

• God is supreme.
• Christ is enthroned beside Him.
• The Spirit accomplishes their will.
• The heavens are alive with other real beings.

This is not polytheism, and it is not the later metaphysical Trinity. It is the worldview of the early church, the worldview of Enoch, Paul, John, and the first believers—a cosmos filled with powers, all subordinate to the Most High and the Lamb.

By AI prompted by Stephen D Green 

Trinitarian Christianity vs. Henotheistic Christianity (Biblical Worldview Model)

 📊 Trinitarian Christianity vs. Henotheistic Christianity (Biblical Worldview Model)

Category	Trinitarian Christianity	Henotheistic (Biblical) Christianity
Nature of God	One God in three co-equal, co-eternal persons: Father, Son, Spirit	One supreme God (YHWH) above all other real divine beings
Jesus	Fully God and fully man, eternally equal with the Father	God’s exalted Messiah and Lord, appointed by God, subordinate to Him
Holy Spirit	A divine person equal to Father and Son, third member of Trinity	Distinct personal agent of God—relational, active, yet subordinate to YHWH
Spiritual Beings	Angels exist but not viewed as “gods” in a real sense today	Multiple spiritual beings exist as real powers(angels, archangels, “gods”)
Monotheism Style	Strict philosophical monotheism	Henotheism—YHWH supreme among many divine beings
Worship	Worship directed to Father, Son, and Spirit together	Worship directed to YHWH only, while acknowledging Jesus’ authority and Spirit’s agency
Salvation	Through Christ’s divinity and atoning sacrifice	Through trusting God and following Jesus as the appointed Messiah
Early Church Development	Doctrine shaped by 2nd–4th century theologians and creeds	Closer to 1st-century Jewish-Christian thought before formal creeds
View of Spiritual Realm	Often symbolic or background theology	Central to worldview—active, populated, and relevant to life
Relationship Between Persons	Co-equal unity within Godhead	Hierarchical: YHWH > Christ > Spirit > Angels/demons/other powers

🔥 In essence:

Trinitarianism	Henotheistic Model
God is Father, Son, Spirit	God has Son and Spirit
Unity as three-in-one	Unity as one above many
Philosophical monotheism	Cosmic hierarchy under one God
Doctrine formed later	Worldview rooted in earliest Scripture

Rediscovering the Bible’s Original Worldview: Henotheistic Christianity (revised regarding the Holy Spirit)

 Rediscovering the Bible’s Original Worldview: Henotheistic Christianity (revised regarding the Holy Spirit) 

Most Christians today understand God through the lens of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—but this doctrine developed centuries after the Bible was written. After the Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Jewish leaders emphasized strict monotheism, rejecting any notion of multiple divine agents. Before this, during Jesus’ time, Judaism was henotheistic: YHWH was supreme, but other divine beings—angels, spiritual powers, and what the Bible calls “gods”—were real and active.

Early Christians sought to honor Jesus as Messiah while navigating a Jewish world that was moving toward this strict, abstract monotheism. Over time, doctrines like the Trinity arose to reconcile Jesus’ exalted status with the emerging idea that God must be absolutely singular.

Reading the Bible on its own terms today reveals a different picture. God (YHWH) is supreme, but the universe is full of other real spiritual beings. Angels, archangels, and other powers exist and act in the world, though none rival God’s authority. Jesus is God’s appointed Messiah and Lord, exalted by God, with authority over creation and the spiritual realm.

The Holy Spirit, too, is more than a mere impersonal force. While it carries out God’s power and presence in the world, the New Testament presents the Spirit as a distinct, personal agent. It guides, teaches, and reminds believers, intercedes with the Father in prayer, and reveals the deep things of God. The Spirit acts with intentionality and interacts relationally with both humans and the Father, yet always remains subordinate to YHWH.

Switching from a Trinitarian perspective to this henotheistic vision means seeing God as supreme among many real spiritual beings, with Jesus as the Messiah exalted by God, focused on his appointed role and authority. Angels, demons, and other powers are active participants in life’s spiritual drama, and faith includes recognizing this reality.

Salvation is trusting God, following Jesus as Lord, and living faithfully within God’s plan, aware that the spiritual world is alive and active. Worship is directed solely to God, but the cosmic reality of angels and powers is acknowledged, giving life a sense of wonder and awe.

Today, centuries have passed since the pressures that shaped Trinitarian theology—particularly the need to conform to post-Temple Jewish strict monotheism—were first felt. Modern Christians can focus on being faithful to Scripture and to Christ and the apostles, allowing the Bible’s original henotheistic framework to guide faith. Shifting to this perspective today is not about rejecting centuries of theological reflection, but about reading Scripture on its own terms and allowing the biblical worldview itself to shape faith, worship, and understanding of God’s cosmic plan.

In short, returning to this biblical henotheism doesn’t discard Scripture—it takes it seriously. It restores the cosmic drama, the real spiritual world, and Jesus’ role as God’s appointed Lord, while honoring the Holy Spirit as a distinct, relational agent of God. It’s a way to connect with the faith of the earliest Christians, seeing God as supreme, Jesus as Messiah, and the spiritual realm as alive and real. For anyone who wants to read the Bible on its own terms, this framework brings it vividly to life.

Henotheism versus Strict Monotheism and Trinitarianism

 Early Christianity, as reflected in the New Testament, was not strictly monotheistic in the sense that later Nicene theology would articulate. Rather, it displayed a henotheistic or monolatrous worldview, in which one supreme God was worshiped as ultimate, yet other divine or semi-divine beings existed and could act or even be worshiped in a limited sense. This framework is evident throughout Scripture. Jesus, for example, cites Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34–36, referring to certain beings as “gods” in defending his own claim to divine sonship, showing no awareness that such language might violate monotheism. Paul similarly acknowledges multiple divine figures in 1 Corinthians 8:5–6, distinguishing the one God from other “gods” without framing their existence as problematic. The Book of Revelation also illustrates this henotheistic cosmology. In passages such as Revelation 11:15–19 and 19:11–21, God and the Lamb co-act in heaven with no apologetic justification, reflecting a worldview in which multiple divine powers could coexist under one supreme God. Other texts, including references to angels, Wisdom, the Logos, and the Son of Man, depict subordinate divine figures acting as agents of God, further demonstrating that early Christianity accepted a plurality of spiritual beings without perceiving any conflict with worship of the one God.

Neither the Hebrew Scriptures, the teachings of the apostles, nor the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the earliest churches imposed the kind of strict monotheism later associated with Nicene orthodoxy. The earliest Christian communities freely referenced “gods” and divine agents, and there was no apologetic concern about violating monotheism. Revelation’s portrayal of God and the Lamb acting together without any defense of Christ’s divinity illustrates that early Christians lived comfortably within a henotheistic framework. Apostolic teaching focused on the supremacy of the one God revealed in Christ and on ethical and salvific instruction, rather than on formally defining the unity of God in philosophical terms. In this sense, the precise and rigorous monotheism codified at Nicaea was absent in the first centuries of Christian thought.

The emergence of strict monotheism in Christian theology likely arose from post-Temple developments in rabbinic Judaism. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, Jewish leaders increasingly formalized monotheism, rejecting the idea that any other divine hypostasis could be worshiped alongside God. Claims that a heavenly figure might share divine status were condemned as heretical, forming the basis of the “Two Powers in Heaven” polemic that targeted Christian claims about Christ. Christian apologists and Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Tertullian, and Origen were aware of these critiques and felt the need to defend Christ’s divinity while upholding the unity of God. The pressures of debate and the desire to maintain credibility in interactions with Jewish scholars and students encouraged Christians to clarify theological language and to avoid any appearance of polytheism. Greek philosophical concepts, including the notions of ousia(essence) and hypostasis (person), were subsequently employed to systematize these ideas and articulate a coherent relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit. In this sense, strict monotheism in Christian thought was not directly derived from Scripture or apostolic teaching, but developed in response to post-Temple rabbinic monotheistic strictness and the intellectual and social milieu that accompanied engagement with Jewish thinkers.

Taken together, the evidence suggests that early Christianity began with a henotheistic worldview inherited from Second Temple Judaism. Scripture and apostolic teaching accommodated subordinate divine figures, and early Christians were comfortable within this framework. The precise, rigorous monotheism that would later characterize Nicene orthodoxy emerged not from these original sources, but as a response to post-Temple rabbinic critiques and debates, as well as the social and intellectual context in which early Church Fathers operated. These pressures prompted Christian thinkers to refine their articulation of God’s unity, defend the full divinity of Christ, and eventually formulate the theological structures that culminated in the Nicene Creed.

Rejecting Trinity?

 Trinitarians have long criticized—and sometimes persecuted—non-Trinitarians for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity. Early Arians, who denied the full divinity of Christ, were condemned as heretics by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, and later non-Trinitarian movements, such as Unitarians, faced similar censure. Yet Trinitarians themselves have often rejected other Trinitarian interpretations. Many Oriental Orthodox churches—including the Coptic, Syriac, and Armenian churches—rejected the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE, which defined Christ as fully divine and fully human “without confusion, without change, without division, without separation,” and were branded heretical by Chalcedonian Christians despite affirming the divinity of Christ. Likewise, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches split over the Filioque clause—whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or from the Father and the Son—culminating in the Great Schism of 1054 CE. These examples show that those who claim to uphold “true Trinitarian doctrine” have often rejected other Trinitarian positions, revealing the complex and contested nature of Trinitarian theology throughout Christian history. The contrived nature of these disputes becomes particularly evident within each group: virtually no one challenges the group’s own adopted version of Trinitarian dogma. While Trinitarians condemn non-Trinitarians—or even other Trinitarians with slightly different formulations—for heresy, internal enforcement is rigid, highlighting that much of the controversy revolves less around theological truth than around maintaining institutional boundaries over what counts as “orthodox” belief.

Heavenly Order

 Scripture—particularly Enoch, Daniel, and Revelation—presents a heavenly order in which multiple powers operate under God’s authority, portraying a subordinationist vision of the Son or exalted figure. Early Christians, however, faced pressure from post-Temple rabbinical critiques, which condemned talk of the Son’s divine role as akin to “Two Powers in Heaven.” In response, some Christian thinkers sought to defend the faith by recasting Christ’s identity in Greek philosophical terms, creating Trinitarian theology and labeling subordinationist readings as heresy. While this strategy safeguarded the Son’s full divinity, it also represents a decisive transformation of the biblical subordinationist framework—a move that Paul and John would likely have resisted, insisting that the gospel’s truth must not be reshaped to accommodate human authorities. The tension is clear: the integrity of revelation demands fidelity to scripture, yet the theological innovations of the post-apostolic era illustrate the pressures of external opposition and the deliberate, controversial choice to reinterpret God’s heavenly hierarchy.

 Stephen D Green thesis worded by AI 

A Tale of Two Powers

 After the apostles, some strands of post-Temple Jewish thought expressed concern over what they perceived as a “Two Powers in Heaven,” criticizing Christian claims about the Son as potentially heretical. In response, certain Christian writers—especially apologists in a Hellenistic context—sought to articulate the gospel using Greek philosophical categories, laying the groundwork for Trinitarian theology. Yet Paul and John demonstrate a careful balance: they insist that the gospel’s core truth cannot be distorted to appease external authorities, whether philosophical, rabbinic, or otherwise. At the same time, they communicate this truth in ways intelligible to their audiences—Paul adapting his style to Jew and Gentile alike, and John framing the Logos in a language familiar to a Jewish-Hellenistic readership. For them, the integrity of revelation is paramount, but expressing it necessarily engages the conceptual tools of the surrounding culture, showing that faithful articulation and philosophical borrowing are not mutually exclusive.

Stephen D Green, researched and worded by AI 

Anathema and Antichrist

 The idea of using greek philosophy to subvert the faith to the pressure of post-Temple strict monotheism would have been anathema to Paul and antichrist to John.

Rediscovering the Bible’s Original Worldview

 Rediscovering the Bible’s Original Worldview

Most Christians today think of God through the lens of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one essence. This way of understanding God has been central to Christian faith for centuries. But it didn’t come directly from the Bible. It developed over time, in part as a response to a very specific historical situation: after the Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Jewish leaders emphasized strict monotheism, rejecting any notion of multiple divine agents. Before this, during the time of Jesus and the apostles, Judaism was quite different: YHWH was supreme, but other divine beings—angels, spiritual powers, and what the Bible calls “gods”—were real and active.

Early Christians were trying to honor Jesus as Messiah while fitting their faith into a Jewish world that was moving toward this strict, abstract monotheism. Over centuries, Christian thinkers shaped doctrines like the Trinity to reconcile Jesus’ exalted status with the newly dominant idea that God must be absolutely singular.

So now, today, if we step back and read the Bible with fresh eyes, a different picture appears. God (YHWH) is supreme—but the universe is full of other real spiritual beings. Angels, archangels, and other powers exist and act in the world, though none rival God’s authority. Jesus is God’s appointed Messiah and Lord, exalted by God, with authority over creation and the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit is God’s active power and presence, guiding, inspiring, and working in the world. This is a henotheistic worldview, where God’s uniqueness comes from being the ultimate ruler, not from being the only spiritual reality.

Switching from a Trinitarian perspective to this henotheistic vision means seeing God as supreme among many real spiritual beings. Jesus becomes the Messiah exalted by God, focused on his role and authority rather than metaphysical equality. The Spirit is God at work in the world, rather than a separate divine person. Angels, demons, and other powers are active participants in life’s spiritual drama, and faith includes recognizing this reality.

Salvation is about trusting God, following Jesus as Lord, and living faithfully within God’s plan, aware that the spiritual world is alive and active. Worship is directed solely to God, but the cosmic reality of angels and powers is acknowledged, giving life a sense of wonder and awe.

Today, centuries have passed since the pressures that originally shaped Trinitarian theology—particularly the need to conform to strict post-Temple Jewish monotheism—were first felt. For modern Christians, the historical constraint that once demanded an abstract, metaphysical unity of God is no longer the driving factor. Instead, the primary concern for many is being faithful to Scripture and to the teachings of Christ and the apostles as they were originally lived and proclaimed. Approaching the Bible with this goal in mind opens the possibility of rediscovering its original henotheistic framework, where God’s supremacy, Jesus’ messianic authority, and the active spiritual world are understood as the heart of the gospel. Shifting to this perspective today is not about rejecting centuries of theological reflection, but about reading Scripture on its own terms and allowing the biblical worldview itself to shape faith, worship, and understanding of God’s cosmic plan.

In short, returning to this biblical henotheism doesn’t discard Scripture—it takes it seriously. It restores the cosmic drama, the real spiritual world, and Jesus’ role as God’s appointed Lord. It’s a way to connect with the faith of the earliest Christians, seeing God as supreme, Jesus as Messiah, and the spiritual realm as alive and real. For anyone who wants to read the Bible on its own terms, this framework brings it vividly to life.

Stephen D Green worded by AI