We believe that the Shema, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4), teaches that God is Echad, as so declared: the one and only God, an intensive plurality, eternally existent in plural oneness [Gen. 1:1 (Elohim: God); Gen. 1:26 “Let us make man in our image”; Gen. 2:24 Adam & Eve were created to be as one flesh (basar echad)], that He is a personal God who created us ( Gen. 1 & 2), and that He exists forever in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as mentioned in Romans 8:14-17 (Father, Spirit, and Messiah – Son) and Matt. 28:18-20 (immersing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).