WHEN “ONE” MEANS “MANY”
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were
called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all,
and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6).
In ancient time the study and use of “numerology” was much used, even among the Jews. Three was significant number and became associated with the Godhead. Four, because it represented the different directions. Seven was the complete. Twelve was perfect. But the number “1” receives very little attention.
By Definition: The dictionary almost ignores number “1”. While much is said about other numbers, “one” is defined as : “single in number”. That’s it. Maybe the thought was that since “1” is so much used, and simple, that surely everyone understands what “1” means! But is this so?
One is a confusing number. Man has great difficulty understanding its meaning. There are times and things, when all know that one, “1”, means one…single, not more! Yet there are other times when man says that one “1” means many, several, a multiplicity!
When one really means one. To the believer of the Bible, “One God”, means one God. (Eph. 4:6). From Exodus 20:3, to the close of Revelation, there is One God! I don’t know of any Bible believers who teach that one God means many.
But in religious teaching today, the list of the use of one that really means one, is very short. The number “1” has fallen on “hard times”. Not many know what it means today. When we look at a few of the Bible uses of the number “1”, we shall see that to many, the number “1” is a confusing number.
Christ is the One Mediator between God and man. “For there is one God, one mediator, also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5). Now what does one mean? How many mediators are there? In much of the religious world, one mediator really means many. The “priest” stands between man and God. The “Saints” (by their definition of Saint) mediates for man. “Mary” is yet another. So the statement in I Tim. 2:5; One Mediator—to them, really means many.
In Eph. 4:4 the Bible tells us there is one Faith. Jude 3 tells us to contend earnestly for the Faith. Now what does one mean? In the religious world today, one obviously means “many”. You hear them ‘thank God’ for the many faiths. Everyone can believe the one he wants, your faith…my faith, one faith is as good as another…thus to them one means many!
Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). How many Jesus’ are there? What does one way mean? If we follow the logic of man, then one way or the way, means many. Man says, ‘you go your way, I’ll go mine, it doesn’t make any difference, because we are all going to the same place. One way is as good as another! Does one way, really mean many?
Why has man changed one to many? We have seen several examples where man has changed one to many. How do they attempt to justify this? Because they have little or no respect for what the Bible teaches! It is either ignored, or it is denied.
One Is The Lawgiver! (James 4:12). One is single, it can never mean ‘many’. Men get together and ‘vote’ on what they want to believe, or not believe. Every time man changes God’s Law, he is setting himself up as ‘lawgiver’. When man changed God’s “one” to ‘Many’, he is trying to take from God the authority of Lawgiver.
Man would like to eliminate the One Lawgiver, One Judge, and One Standard, then he could be judged to suit, and to please himself. When will we learn that one really means one!
Frank Briscoe