Also in Ezekiel God says: I will myself attend to my sheep. Ezek. 34:11. Now Christ says, that he is the Shepherd of the sheep, and that the sheep are his own. Zechariah says: Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and in John we read, that Christ is the Bridegroom, who has the bride; and in the epistle to the Ephesians [we are taught], that he gave himself for her, that he might prepare himself a glorious church. Eph. 5:25. Christ also is the Lamb of God, and in Revelation we read that the marriage of the Lamb is come, and that his wife has made herself ready. Rev. 19:7. Hence we can clearly understand from these words, that Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom and husband of his church, which husband by the prophet Isaiah is called God: “For thy Maker is thine husband,” he says; “the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Is. 54:5.
See, my friends, from all these words it can clearly be understood, that Christ cannot be excluded from the unity or from God; since God in the Scriptures is frequently expressed by the word Christ, as you may read in Timothy, where Paul calls Christ our Savior, and also calls God our Savior; and in other places, where God is called our Savior. Read 1 Tim. 1:1. And God says through Isaiah: I am the Lord; and beside me there is no Savior. Is. 43:11; 45:5. Now the Scriptures testify, that man’s salvation lies in the sacrifice of the body of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, as we above quoted to you some passages; as, that we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son: the body died, and, as Peter says: by his stripes we were healed: his body suffered the stripes. 1 Pet. 2:24. And Isaiah: With his stripes we are healed: the stripes were inflicted upon the body. Is. 53:5.
See, my friend, it is therefore clear from these words, that Christ cannot be excluded from God with body and spirit, since God ascribes to himself that which Christ has done, as we explained above concerning the Shepherd of the sheep. And Christ ascribes to himself that which God does, as may frequently be understood from the Scriptures; so that the inference is clear, that they have one will and work: for what things soever the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. And as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. John 5:19,21. Hence the works of the Son of God can be ascribed to none other than to God, so that the Son cannot be excluded from God. When therefore the word God is named, Father, Son and Holy Ghost are thereby expressed. Thus confess we the only God.
You further desire an answer in regard to the passages which speak of the one God, whether thereby any other than the Father is named. I understand your question thus: Whether Christ, who died, is also comprised in the expression _one God_? Rom. 1:8; 5:8; John 5:18; 1 John 5:9.
_Answer._ In the first place you quote Deut. 6:4, where Moses said: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God;” and says still further in the same chapter: “Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.” v. 16; Matt. 4:7. See, my friend, they tempted this one God, who by Paul is called Christ, where he says: “And let us not tempt Christ, as some tempted him.” 1 Corinthians 10:9. Now I understand from your letter, that you would exclude Christ from God; I understand it by the passage you quote (John 17), by which you would prove that Christ is not God. Our answer concerning this passage is: They that confess Jesus Christ in truth also confess him God, since God is expressed by the word Christ, as we have proven above from the words of Paul. You further quote the language of Hezekiah, where he said: O Lord God of Israel, thou art alone God; thou hast made heaven and earth. 2 Kings 19:15. By these words you would prove that Christ is excluded from the one God. And you write in your letter that the one God of whom Hezekiah spoke made heaven and earth; and you exclude Christ from the one God; hence you must also exclude him from the creation of heaven and earth, and must first refute all these witnesses that testify concerning Jesus Christ, that all that is made was made by him. Read John 1:3; Col. 1:9; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2; Ps. 33:6. When you shall have refuted all these witnesses, and excluded Christ from all the works of God, then I shall admit your view, that Christ is not comprised in the expression, one God.