Does Paul believe in two persons in God - God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ?

First of all Paul doesn't beleve in two nor three persons in God. Paul asked the Lord his name in Acts 9:1-5. Thus he knows God is one based on his Hebrew training and now he knows his name. He also understands that God manifested himself in the Flesh as the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:10, I Timothy 3:16). So, how does Paul address the dual nature of God? Let's take a look at a few of Paul's revelations.

Ephesians 1:2,3

Verse 2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Translation: Grace be to you, and peace, from God who is our Father and from his manifestation as the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Translation: Blessed be the God who is the Spiritual Father of the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in himself, who is also our heavenly Father, in Spirit form (Isaiah 9:6, I Corinthians 10:4).

Ephesians 1:1-16

Let’s take a look at how Paul addresses the dual nature of God. One would have to always keep in mind that God is one. This will never change, God will always be one. In I Timothy 3:16, It says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:……….This scripture explains that Jesus is God by saying, God was manifested in the flesh………. The dual nature of God is a mystery to the carnal mind.

However, to the spiritual mind and to the saint who believes in the oneness of God through revelation, it’s understandable Even though, I will explain this revelation to you, you will not get it if you don’t believe; for the scripture says, if this gospel is hid, it is hid to those that are lost. To understand Paul; here are some things we must keep in mind. God can;

1. Be in heaven and on earth at the same time. The Spirit of God always remained in heaven and yet that Spirit of God was in the body of Christ. This is the dual nature of God, human and divine. Same Spirit, same God. The Spirit of God can put himself in the body of Christ and declare that his glorified body has all power. (Colossians 1:14-19, 2:9, Matthew 28:18).

2. Reveal to us that all of his Spiritual power is now revealed in the body of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3, 8). God made sure in these scriptures that we understand that His Spiritual form has taken on a glorified body. When we see the true God, he will appear as Jesus Christ (I John 5:20, Revelation 1:8, 11, 22:13). Then the Jews will mourn and weep because they did not recognize God, the Messiah, in his human form. Guess what? A number of Christians have not recognized Jesus as the One and only true God in his human form. On that special day appointed by the Lord, all nations will bow and recognize Jesus is the Lord God of heaven and of earth (Ephesians 3:9, 4:4-6, Isaiah 45:21-23, Philippians 2:10-11)

3. Have a name that has always been eternal (infinite). The prophets didn’t know God’s highest and eternal name (John 1:1, 3, 10, I Corinthians 10:4). The body of Jesus Christ was limited, it had a beginning (finite) and it had a human death. God put the infinite (name) and the finite (body) together. Therefore, there is one body, one person, and one name. It is a great mystery how God performed this miracle (John 14:6-11, I Timothy 3:16).

4. Show a distinction between the Spirit of God and the flesh of God so that we could understand, by revelation, what God was doing and how his manifestations were used to save man from his sins. God had to beget a lamb, and that lamb would be himself, God’s own flesh. (Acts 20:28, Revelation 1:5). The scriptures talk about the Father as “the Spirit” and it talks about the “Son” Jesus Christ as God’s fleshly manifestation (the Messiah). One God, dual nature – not two or three persons in one God. As aforementioned, God can be in heaven and on earth at the same time.

In light of this understanding, Paul said in verse 2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Translation: Grace and peace from the Spirit of God, the Father, even his fleshly manifestation (the Son) which we have seen here on earth.

Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,……

Translation:

Blessed be the Heavenly Spirit, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who manifested himself to us in the form of Jesus Christ.

Verse 4. God tells us that we were chosen in Jesus Christ (God’s eternal name) before the foundation of the world and we should be holy and without blame before him (Jesus Christ).

Verse 5-9. It was a pleasure for him (the Spirit) to adopt us to himself by the blood of Jesus Christ, His fleshly manifestation because our adoption was predestined.

This is an edited excerpt from my book, "Understanding" The Trinity, Three Persons vs Three Manifestations. To order call 1-888-280-7715