Who is the only true God? John 17:3 & 1st John 5:20

In reality, there is nothing in either John 17:3 or 1 John 5:20 that says that one has to know both the Fathare and His Son "as the only true God". Indeed, Jesus, rather than saying that he is the only true God, stated that he had been sent by the only true God.

Regarding John 17:3, see:
jesus.rlbible.com/?p=440

Regarding 1 John 5:20, see:
jesus.rlbible.com/?p=1322

And the scripure still identifies the Father as the only true MIGHT (Theos, God), and Jesus excludes himself from being that only true God by saying that he had been sent by the only true God.



Jesus was not addressing his disciples; he was addressing the only true God. Why he used the term "the only true God" while addressing the Father is not given; one could ask why did he add "who is in heaven" to the model prayer of Matthew 6:9. His disciples knew that the Father is in heaven, and God Himself knows that he is "in heaven".

However, in regards to John 17:3, it may have been that Jesus foreknew that some would later be claiming that he is the only true God, and thus felt a need to clarify that he was not that only true God by saying that he had been sent by the only true God.



Jesus added himself because he had been sent by the only true God to declare the only true God (John 1:18) since one can only come to the only true God through Jesus whom the only true God sent. -- John 14:6,10; Romans 3:24-26; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:1,2,23; 4:10; 2 John 1:9.

Jesus was praying regarding anyone's knowing the only true God and also the one whom the only true God sent; to know the only true God and the one whom the only true God sent means eternal life. Jesus came to declare the only true God who sent him. (John 1:18) The only way to know the only true God is through the one whom the only true God sent. -- Matthew 11:27; John 8:19; 12:50; 14:6;



Evidently, the point is totally lost, and is being sidetracked.



Again, the point is lost, and is being sidetracked. However, many trinitarians do indeed claim that Jesus is the only true God, even if in that claim they add the Father and the Holy Spirit.



Where does Jesus ever pray for his followes to know that his Father and himself are the only true God? Jesus never prayed for such anywhere. He certainly did not pray for such in John 17:3.

What point have you proven? I simply give, to the best of my ability, what the scriptures say and what they do not say. Jesus never once claimed to be the only true God; he did claim to be sent by the only true God.

Making this assertion does not mean that you have "proved" anything. In John 17:3 only one is identified as the only true God; the one sent by the only true God is not identified as being the "only true God".

We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. -- 1 John 5:20, World English.

1 John 5:20
oidamen de hoti ho huios tou theou heekei kai
WE HAVE KNOWN BUT THAT THE SON OF THE GOD IS COME, AND
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dedwken heemin dianoian hina ginwskomen
HE HAS GIVEN TO US MENTAL PERCEPTION IN ORDER THAT WE ARE KNOWING
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ton aleethinon kai esmen en tw aleethinw en tw
THE TRUE (ONE); AND WE ARE IN THE TRUE (ONE), IN THE
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huiw autou ieesou christw houtos estin ho
SON OF HIM TO JESUS CHRIST. THIS (ONE) IS THE
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aleethinos theos kai zwee aiwnios
TRUE GOD AND LIFE EVERLASTING.
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Westcott & Hort Interlinear

In 1 John 5:20, the one who is true has a son; it is the one who is true who is being identified as "the true God", not the son. "Him who is true" is not Jesus, but "him who is true" has a son, and it is the son of "Him who is true" who is Jesus. I believe many trinitarian Greek scholars will recognize this also. Robertson states:



See also my study:
jesus.rlbible.com/?p=1322



This has been asserted many times, but as yet I have not seen where it has been proven by scripture.



I can say that knowing both the only true God and also the one whom the only true God sent is vital for one have eternal life, as the scripture says. -- John 17:3.

This really presents nothing new and is basically a repetition of what has already been claimed, and does not actually address what has been posted in response.

"Him who is true" corresponds with the "only true God", and "his Son" is distinguished from being "him who is true" in 1 John 5:20. In 1 John 5:20, the emphasis is on knowing "him who is true", for we read "we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true." We cannot have know "Him who is true" except through the one whom "Him who is true" has sent. This agrees with John 17:3, which identifies only one person as being the only true God, and distinguishes Jesus from being the only true God by saying that the only true God had sent Jesus. Jesus then says to the only true God: "the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me." (John 17:8) And the further states to the only true God: "I have given them Your word." (John 17:14) And he says to the only true God: "You sent Me into the world." -- John 17:18.

The only way that we have eternal life is through the ransom sacrifice of the man, Christ Jesus. This was one of the main reasons that "Him who is true" sent His Son into the world, that he should become the savior of the world. (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:9,10,14) It was because Jesus declared the invisible unipersonal God to us (John 1:18; Colossians 1:15), and was obedient to death (Philippians 2:8) that we can come to know Him who is true by means of Jesus. Thus, it is indeed important to know Jesus, if we would know "Him who is true."

"Him who is true" is the true God and Eternal Life. I have no need to prove to you that the Father alone is the eternal life, for I certainly do not believe that the only true God (John 17:1,3) alone is the eternal life. Eternal life is of the only true God, through His son. -- 1 Corinthians 8:6.

A scripture that has similar construct in John's writings is 2 John 1:7:

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don't confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.

John was not saying Jesus Christ is the deceiver and the Antichrist, and most would recognize that in this verse. The antecedent of "This" refers back to "those who don't confess", although Jesus Christ is nearer in the sentence to "This" thatn "those who don't confess".