1 Corinthians 8:6 Meaning: One God and One Lord
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
yet to us is one God, the Father, of whom are the all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are the all things, and we through Him;
yet to us [there is] one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.
Meaning in one sentence
Paul confesses one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ. See how this truth grounds our faith and guides our conduct.
Context
Paul is writing to a church divided. Some believers thought it was fine to eat meat that had been offered to idols. After all, the idols were nothing. Others, fresh from pagan worship, felt defiled by eating. In the middle of this argument, Paul pulls back to the bedrock confession that defines every Christian. He takes the ancient prayer of Israel, the Shema from Deuteronomy, and reshapes it around both the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a theological aside. It is the ground beneath their feet when they ask what they should do. The answer to their question starts here.
Key Words
Two small prepositions carry huge weight. The words of whom translate the Greek ek, meaning out from. The Father is the source, the origin of all things. Everything that exists flows from him like water from a spring. And through whom translates dia, meaning by means of. Jesus Christ is the agent, the one through whom the Father created and sustains everything. The same preposition appears twice: all things are through Christ, and we exist through Christ. Paul is not demoting Jesus. He is saying that the Father works through the Son, and that our very life depends on him. The word Lord (kurios) was the title used for God in the Greek Old Testament. To call Jesus one Lord is to place him squarely in the place of God, yet in relation to the Father above.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have treasured this verse. Many Reformed and Protestant commentators read it as affirming the Trinity: the Father is the one God, but not to the exclusion of the Son, since the Son is also called God and Lord elsewhere. The early church often used this text to show that Christ shares the divine nature while maintaining the distinction of persons. Some Anglican and Catholic scholars note that the phrase through whom are all things echoes the Wisdom tradition and John's Gospel, where Jesus is the Logos. Other traditions emphasize that Paul is primarily contrasting the one God with pagan idols, and that the Son is functionally subordinate in his role as mediator. Both views seek to be faithful to Scripture.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers take this verse to mean that Jesus is not truly God, as if Paul is saying only the Father is God and Jesus is a lesser being. In fact, the verse is set against a background of many so-called lords in paganism. By calling Jesus one Lord, Paul uses the very title the Old Testament applies to Yahweh. He is claiming full divinity for Christ, while still honoring the Father as the source. The two clauses are parallel, not competing: all things are from the Father and through the Son.
Living This Out
This week you will face small choices about what to eat, where to go, how to spend your time. Some of those choices may be fine for you but confusing or harmful to someone else. Before you act, remember who you belong to. You have one God the Father, who made all things and for whom you exist. And you have one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom you live. That confession is not a creed you recite. It is a claim on your life. It frees you to put another person's conscience ahead of your own liberty. Let the truth of who God is shape the way you treat his people.
Main takeaway: We have one God the Father, the source of all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we live.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
There is one God who made everything. And there is one Lord Jesus who takes care of you. They love you always.
For ages 9, 12
When Paul says to us there is one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ, he is reminding us that our whole life belongs to him. We do not worship money, fame, or ourselves. We worship the one true God and his Son, who created us, saved us, and holds us together.
Questions People Ask
What does 'through whom are all things' mean in 1 Corinthians 8:6?
It means Jesus Christ is the agent of creation. The Father created everything through the Son. This is also taught in John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16. Jesus is not a creature. He is the Creator through whom the whole universe exists.
Does 1 Corinthians 8:6 teach that Jesus is not God?
No. Paul is not denying the divinity of Christ. He distinguishes the Father as the source and the Son as the agent, but he also calls Jesus 'one Lord.' That title was used for God in the Old Testament. Paul is affirming that Jesus is Lord while still holding to one God.
Why does Paul say 'to us' in this verse?
Paul is contrasting believers with the pagans who worship many gods and lords. 'To us' means for Christians, there is a different reality. We know the one true God and his Son. This sets us apart from the world around us.
How does 1 Corinthians 8:6 relate to the Shema in Deuteronomy?
Paul takes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4 ('Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one') and expands it to include Jesus Christ. This shows that early Christians worshipped Jesus as divine while remaining monotheists. They understood the one God as Father and Son.
What is the 'knowledge' Paul talks about in this chapter?
Some Corinthians prided themselves on knowing that idols were nothing. But knowledge without love leads to pride. Paul grounds their knowledge in the confession of one God and one Lord. That confession should lead them to care for weaker brothers, not to flaunt their freedom.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study