John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
What this passage establishes
Jesus identifies the Father as the only true God while speaking from His real messianic humanity.
Why it matters in the argument
This establishes the controlling biblical confession: every later passage about Father, Son, and Holy Ghost must be read without multiplying the one God.
Apostolic connection
Apostolic teaching begins with the Bible’s own insistence that God is one indivisible divine being, then reads the incarnation as that one God revealed in Christ.
Common misunderstanding
Counting titles, manifestations, or relational language does not overturn the Bible’s explicit statements that God is one and alone.
How to use it in conversation
Start here before discussing difficult relational texts. Establish what Scripture says plainly about how many are God.