The phrase “of one being with the Father” in the Nicene Creed is the theological mountain peak of the creed. Two Greek words were widely deliberated and debated for over 50 Years in the 4th Century, between the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD & the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD.

The Greek term: Homoousios

Can you spot the difference between these two Greek words: homoousios and homoiousios? The first word, homoousios, means “of one being.” The second word, homoiousios, means “of like being.” These words may be distinguished by only a single letter, but their meanings are far apart. If Jesus is homoousios with the Father, then they are a unified divine being. If Jesus is homoiousios with the Father, then Jesus is not God. That’s a big iota of a difference!

The Council of Nicaea chose this word very carefully.

  • Homo: Same.
  • Ousia: Being, essence, or substance.

It means that Jesus is not just like God (Homoiousios), but that He is the same God.

Biblical Foundations for “One Being”

John 10:30 – “I and the Father are One”

This is the most direct reference. In the Greek, the word for “one” (hen) is neuter, not masculine.

Jesus isn’t saying “We are one person,” but “We are one thing.” He is claiming a unity of essence. This is why the very next verse says the Jews picked up stones to kill Him—they knew exactly what He was claiming: equality of nature with Yahweh.

Hebrews 1:3 – “The Exact Imprint of His Nature”

The writer of Hebrews uses the word $charaktēr$ (the mark left by a seal) of God’s $hypostasis$ (substance).

Just as the impression in hot wax is the exact shape of the signet ring that made it, Jesus is the exact “expression” of the Father’s being. He isn’t a “close enough” version; He is the perfect representation because He shares the same nature.

Colossians 2:9 – “The Fullness of Deity”

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”

Paul doesn’t say Jesus has “a portion” of God’s power or “some” of His attributes. He says the fullness of what it means to be God lives in Jesus. If Jesus were a different “being” or “substance” than the Father, He could not contain the “fullness” of the Father’s deity.

John 14:9 – “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”

This is a radical claim. If Jesus were a created being—even the highest one—seeing Him would only give you a reflection of God. But Jesus claims that looking at Him is looking at the Father. This is only possible if they are “of one being.”

The Divine Name: “I AM”

Verse: John 8:58 — “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'”

Jesus doesn’t say “I was.” He uses the present tense ego eimi. This is a direct claim to the name God gave Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14.

The “Being” Logic: God’s name, “I AM,” refers to His Aseity (Self Sufficiency) —the fact that He exists in and of Himself. By claiming this name, Jesus is saying His “being” is the same self-existent “being” as the Father. The listeners knew this; they immediately tried to stone Him for blasphemy.

The “First and the Last” (Eternity)

In the Old Testament, God identifies Himself by His relationship to time—He precedes it and outlasts it.

  • The Yahweh Claim: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6)
  • The Jesus Claim: In the book of Revelation, Jesus uses this exact signature. “Fear not, I am the first and the last.” (Revelation 1:17)
  • The “One Being” : There cannot be two “firsts.” If Jesus is the First and the Father is the First, they must share the same eternal “Being.”

The “So What?” of One Being

What does this mean for me? It means certainty. It means security. It means bridge to the infinite.

Certainty: We often wonder, “What does God really think of me? Is the Father a stern Judge while Jesus is the nice one who stepped in?” Because Jesus is “of one being” with the Father, there is no “good cop/bad cop” in the Trinity. When you see Jesus weeping at the grave of Lazarus, you are seeing the heart of the Father. When you see Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery, you are seeing the Father’s disposition toward you. You never have to look “behind” Jesus to find out what God is really like. Jesus is the Father’s heart made visible.

Security: Your salvation doesn’t rest on a “middleman.” It rests on the Sovereign God who refused to stay distant and came down to do the work Himself.

Connecting to Infinite:The “One Being” doctrine means Jesus is the perfect Mediator. He is 100% “us” (humanity) and 100% “Him” (God). He has a hand on the shoulder of the Father and a hand on your shoulder.

Application: When you pray, you aren’t shouting into a void. You are speaking to a Brother who knows exactly what it feels like to be tired, tempted, and hurt, but who has the infinite power of God to actually do something about it.