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
