God vs. Godhead

 

God vs. Godhead

Col. 2:9 – “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

Item	God	Godhead
Meaning / Definition	Refers to the one true God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Ruler of all.	Refers to the sum of God’s being and divine essence—the totality of His divinity.
Nature	A personal being, with attributes of personality: will, wisdom, emotion, and action.	An abstract quality, focusing on the divine essence and attributes of God.
Biblical Term	Greek: θεός (Theos)  – directly means “God.”	Three Greek terms: 1. θεῖον (Theion) – Divine nature (Acts 17:29) 2. θεότης (Theotēs) – Fullness of deity, essential divinity (Col. 2:9) 3. θειότης (Theiotēs) – Divinity, attributes of God (Rom. 1:20)
Key Scriptures	- Gen. 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” - Exod. 3:14 – “I AM WHO I AM.” - John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was God.”	- Rom. 1:20 – “…His eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen…” - Acts 17:29 – “…we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone…”
Key Distinction	God is a personal Being.	Godhead is the divine essence.
Relationship	God is the subject who possesses the Godhead.	Godhead is the attribute expressing what God is.
Application	Helps us know God as a living, personal Being with whom we can have a relationship.	Helps us understand God’s divine essence and nature, so we know not only that He exists, but also what He is like.

 

Core Idea: 

God is the living, personal Being; Godhead is the divine essence.

Conclusion: 

God possesses the Godhead, and the Godhead manifests God’s attributes.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 June Semi-annual Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (Part 3), Chapter 3: Enjoying the All-Inclusive Christ as the Good Land—Our Portion