The apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament, in a series of 14 epistles. Who was this Paul? He was an Israelite by birth, of the tribe of Benjamin, thoroughly grounded in the teachings of the Torah that G-d gave to Israel. As with any Israelite male who was serious about obeying the Torah, Paul was fiercely monotheistic. From a child, his parents, as with any believing Israelite parents, would have drummed into his head the central creed of Israel. His upbringing, education, and conduct were in accordance with this creed of Israel which is recited multiple times daily: [b]Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is one” [/b] Paul grew up in this tradition, and his conversion to accepting Yeshua the Messiah did not change his dedication to monotheism. Indeed, Paul's writings are expressly monotheistic, and in some instances, starkly clear that there is one G-d, G-d the Father, and one Messiah, the man Yeshua. As Paul went around preaching in the various synagogues, he preached monotheism. Had he preached that there were two G-d’s, or two members of a "G-d family," or three G-d’s, or a three-person G-d, he would have been stoned to death in accordance with the law. Paul's enemies were many. They would certainly have seized on this opportunity to rid themselves of Paul had Paul been teaching polytheism. But they had no such opportunity, for Paul taught strict monotheism, in accordance with his heritage as a Torah observant Israelite. In fact, what he was accused of was teaching that you need not obey the teaching of the one G-d, itself a lie. The Children of Israel were known throughout the world as a nation that was monotheistic to the core; Israel would not tolerate the worship of any other G-d. [b]Exodus 20:2-3 – “I am the L-rd, your G-d, which has brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shall have no other gods before me.”[/b] Matthew’s gospel was strictly monotheistic. Mark’s gospel spoke of only one G-d. Luke’s gospel made no reference to multiple G-d’s. John’s gospel made clear references to the Israelite creed of monotheism. None of these gospel accounts even hinted at divine plurality. If Paul had written epistles that introduced the concept of polytheism (more than one G-d, or a G-d of three), his fellow Israelites would have rejected his gospel, and indeed, would have had grounds for stoning him under the law. Given Paul’s background, and the nature of the strong beliefs of his audience, we would have a strong expectation that Paul would preach a message that was completely monotheistic in nature. Indeed, this is so. Paul's epistles are riddled with monotheistic teachings: [b]Romans 1:3 – “It concerns his Son - he is descended from David physically; he was powerfully demonstrated to be Son of G-d spiritually, set apart by his having been resurrected from the dead; he is Yeshua the Messiah, our Master.”[/b] Paul begins his first letter by describing how our Messiah, Yeshua was a created being. He was flesh, a descendant of David. This teaching is consistent with the creed of Israel. Paul teaches that the promised Messiah, a man sent by the only G-d, was Yeshua of Nazareth. [b]Romans 1:8 - "First, I thank my G-d through Yeshua the Messiah for all of you."[/b] Paul identifies clearly who his G-d is, by making a distinction between G-d the Father, and Yeshua the Messiah. Paul states that his G-d is G-d the Father. He gives thanks through Yeshua, but to his G-d. Thus we see that Paul did not believe the Yeshua was G-d, but that there was one G-d, G-d the Father. [b]Romans 1:25 – “They have exchanged the truth of G-d for falsehood, by worshipping and serving created things, rather than the Creator - praised be he for ever. Amen.”[/b] Paul identifies G-d as the Creator. This same G-d is the Father of Yeshua, and is the same G-d that Paul called "my G-d" in verse 8. Paul is saying that his G-d, who is G-d the Father, is the Creator G-d, the G-d of the Old Testament. And Paul makes the point very clear. Man has in the past and will in the future worship what was created instead of the One who created. [b]Romans 5:15 -"But the free gift is not like the offence. For if, because of one man's offence, many died, then how much more has G-d's grace, that is, the gracious gift of one man, Yeshua the Messiah, overflowed to many!"[/b] Again and again, Paul draws a distinction been G-d and the man Messiah Yeshua. When he refers to G-d in his epistles, Paul ALWAYS means G-d the Father. He frequently refers to Yeshua as a man, but NEVER calls him the creator. [b]Romans 8:11 - "And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you."[/b] The same G-d that raised the man Yeshua from the dead will also raise us from the dead. When the man Yeshua died, he would have stayed dead unless G-d his Father raised him from the dead. Thus it is with all men. We do not have life inherent within us; we exist at the pleasure and by the power of G-d our Father who will raise us from the dead, just as he did for our elder brother Yeshua. [b]Romans 8:17 - "and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of G-d and joint-heirs with the Messiah - provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him."[/b] We are called "children" and "joint-heirs" with Messiah. As Yeshua was, so shall we be. An heir is not G-d, but rather G-d's creation. Just as Yeshua was raised from the dead and entered into the Kingdom of G-d, so shall we. Just as we were not G-d before our human birth, neither was Yeshua. [b]Romans 10:9 - "that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is master and trust in your heart that G-d raised him from the dead, you will be delivered.”[/b] Paul draws the distinction between G-d [the Father] who did the raising from the dead, and Yeshua, who was raised from the dead. The immortal G-d raised Yeshua from the dead. Why? Because the man Yeshua was mortal, and DIED. G-d cannot die. G-d is immortal. Paul teaches us that Yeshua was not G-d. [b]Romans 15:6 - "so that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the G-d and Father of our Master, Yeshua the Messiah."[/b] Paul clarifies that when he refers to "G-d," he means G-d the Father. He NEVER calls Yeshua G-d. Paul's monotheism is declared every time he uses the word "G-d" in his epistles. For Paul, there was but one G-d, the G-d of the Torah, the Creator. [b]Romans 16:27 - "to the only wise G-d, through Yeshua the Messiah, be the glory forever and ever! Amen.”[/b] Paul ends his first epistle by dedicating it to "only wise G-d," through Yeshua our mediator and drawing a distinction been his G-d and Yeshua the Messiah. For Paul, there was but one G-d, the Father and one mediator between that G-d and Man, Yeshua.