The Bible clearly teaches that there is only one true God. This God is the creator of all things and the only one worthy of worship. Yet there are references in the Bible to other “gods” and spiritual beings. So how many gods are there from a biblical perspective?
The most fundamental verse on this topic is Deuteronomy 6:4, which states “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This verse affirms that there is only one God, who revealed himself to the people of Israel. The oneness and uniqueness of God is a foundational teaching throughout Scripture.
In Isaiah 44:6, God declares “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” Similarly, in Isaiah 45:5, God states “I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” Passages like these make it clear that there is only one true God.
The New Testament affirms the same truth. 1 Corinthians 8:4 states “there is no God but one.” Paul writes in Ephesians 4:6 “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” God’s oneness is a consistent theme from Genesis to Revelation.
At the same time, the Bible contains numerous references to pagan “gods” and spiritual forces. In the Old Testament, prophets often railed against the worship of false gods among the pagan nations surrounding Israel. Idols of wood, stone and precious metals represented these pretend deities. But the prophets affirmed that idols were mere human creations – empty and powerless (see Isaiah 44:9-20).
In 1 Corinthians 8:5, Paul acknowledges that there are “so-called gods in heaven or on earth – as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords.'” Of course, Paul understood these to be imaginary gods without real spiritual power. But they were still “gods” in the minds of many people in Corinth.
Likewise, the Bible makes mention of spiritual beings like angels and demons. But these are created beings under God’s authority (Colossians 1:16). The term “god” can sometimes refer to powerful spiritual entities, but these beings are never equal to the one true God.
In summary, the Bible presents three categories of “gods”:
- The one true God, who alone is eternal, infinite, and worthy of worship.
- Pretend “gods” representing idols, imaginations or elements of the natural world.
- Powerful spiritual beings like angels, demons and Satan.
So how many gods are there? One true, supreme God who made all things. Any other “gods” are merely part of his creation and vastly inferior to him. As Psalm 96:5 declares, “all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols.” There is none like the Lord!
This teaching of one true God, the maker of heaven and earth, profoundly shapes the biblical worldview. It means that God alone is supreme. There are no equals, rivals or contenders for his glory. It means that worship belongs to God exclusively, not divided between competing spiritual forces. It gives God sole credit as creator, ruler and savior of the world.
The oneness of God is fundamentally linked to his nature as eternal Spirit (John 4:24). God inhabits eternity and exists outside of time and space. For this reason, there can only be one supreme infinite God. If there were two or more gods, none of them could possess the infinite attributes that belong to the biblical God alone. They would be lesser “gods” by nature.
Belief in one God was unique in the ancient polytheistic world. Most ancient peoples worshipped a pantheon of gods governing various spheres of life and nature. By contrast, Israel was called to worship the Lord alone. This marked them off from neighboring tribes. It also flowed from the truth that there is no God but Yahweh, the God who revealed himself to Israel.
This unique view of one supreme Creator God ultimately spread throughout the world through the growth of Christianity. Wherever the gospel goes, devotion to idols and false gods is replaced by worship of the one who made heaven and earth. He alone is God; there is no other.
Of course, many people still cling to polytheism today. Hinduism involves devotion to myriad gods and goddesses. New Age spirituality asserts a pantheistic worldview where everything is connected by divine energy or spirit. Postmodern culture encourages everyone to embrace their own personal “gods” and spiritual paths.
But the Bible retains a countercultural witness to the existence of one true God over all. It calls every person to turn from false gods and worship the supreme Creator. There cannot be multiple supreme beings. To worship the biblical God is to spurn the manmade idols that promise false hope. Jesus said we must worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24) – in line with God’s singular reality.
The Bible’s teaching about one God has numerous implications. Here are a few:
- There is an objective spiritual reality outside ourselves. God’s identity does not depend on human imagination or belief. He exists eternally as the independent Creator upholding all things by his power (Hebrews 1:3).
- God alone is worthy of worship. He has no rivals. There are no other beings like him that deserve glory and devotion. To worship anything else above God is idolatry.
- God alone can save. Salvation comes from the Lord (Psalm 3:8). There are no other spiritual powers or false gods that can rescue us or shape our destiny.
- God alone is infinite in being. His perfections such as love, wisdom and power exist without limit. He does not share his divine attributes with any other beings.
- God alone foreknows and foreordains the future. He works all things according to his sovereign will (Ephesians 1:11). Other spiritual forces cannot thwart or redirect his plans.
- God alone is self-existent. He depends on nothing outside himself for life, perfection and blessedness. God is the source of all else that exists.
- God alone never changes. He remains eternally the same in his character and truth (Malachi 3:6). The stability of the universe rests on his unchanging nature.
The implications of God’s oneness are far-reaching. The Bible’s revelation of one true God provides the framework we need to think accurately about reality, humanity and salvation. It steers us away from error and directs us toward fruitful truth.
Of course, so many questions remain unanswered. How exactly should we understand the three persons of the Trinity, given that God is one? What role do angels play in God’s kingdom? How does spiritual warfare impact our lives? What false “gods” compete for our allegiance today?
Though mysteries remain, the biblical doctrine of God provides orientation amid confusion. By fixing our eyes on the one true God, we find purpose, hope and truth.
So how many gods are there? The consistent witness of Scripture is that there is only one. “You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you” (2 Samuel 7:22).
We live in a world filled with spiritual seekers, longing for meaning and connection with the divine. But human imaginations and spiritual speculations will always come up short. God has clearly revealed himself in the Bible’s inspired pages. He alone is the true God who created us, loves us and deserves all glory. Any other competing “gods” are counterfeits fashioned by human minds and hearts in rebellion against the one who is Lord of all.