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All trinity studies Previous Download Next What is the difference between Godhead and Trinity What is the difference between Godhead and Trinity? So what does the word Godhead mean and can it be used in place of the word Trinity? The fact is there is no relationship with the Trinity and the word Godhead at all as you are about to find out. Godhead refers to God the Father. And making this issue a little more confusing, Godhead is often a word used by those with the non-Trinitarian truth for lack of a better word to use in opposition to the word Trinity. More and more Trinitarians are using the word Godhead in place of Trinity thinking that changes what it is. But calling the Trinity by another name will never change what it is. You can call a cat a dog but it will still be a cat. And you can call the Trinity the Godhead but it will still be the Trinity! The word Godhead is found in 3 verses in the King James Bible which are translated from three different Greek words that have slightly different meanings but all basically mean the same thing. In Acts 17:29 the Greek word translated Godhead is “theios” (G2304) and means to be godlike and hence divine. Acts 17:29 KJV “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.” The same Greek word is used in the verse below but has been translated to the word “divine.” 2 Peter 1:3 KJV “According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue:” In Romans 1:20 the Greek word translated Godhead is “theiotēs” (G2305) and refers to the divine nature. Romans 1:20 KJV “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” And in Colossians 2:9 the Greek word translated Godhead is “theotēs” (G2320) and means deity as in the state of being God. Colossians 2:9 KJV “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” So the word Godhead speaks of the “Divine nature” of the Father which has been given to the Son and hence is in the Son as we find in Colossians 2:9 above. Thus Jesus being the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15), and being brought forth from the Father, He has the same “Divine nature” as His Father. Thus Paul states that the fullness of the “divine nature” of God dwells in His Son. Colossians 1:19 KJV “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;” John 5:26 also tells us that the Father gave life to His Son. “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26. If Jesus had always existed alongside the Father as the Trinity doctrine claims, then God could not have given life to His Son as He would have always had life. But Scripture reveals this is impossible. And so neither does the word Godhead explain the non-Trinitarian position in opposition to the word Trinity. It has been the only real option in lack of a better word to use for the non-Trinitarian view. The Trinity doctrine states that there are three co-equal (equal in every respect), co-eternal (the same age), omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful) gods, who are not three gods, but one god. By the words of the Athanasian Creed it is, “the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three gods but one God.” In other words. 1+1+1=1 ! So a 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 god which means the Father cannot really be a Father and the Son cannot really be a Son, which denies the Father and Son which the apostle John called antichrist. And hence the Holy Spirit is supposedly a third god that makes up the one god rather than being the actual Spirit of the Father and Son just as we have a spirit. So the Divine nature of the Father referring to the ONE true God does not and cannot equal 3 gods yet alone a 3 in 1 god. Thus Godhead does NOT equal Trinity in any way whatsoever! Godhead refers to God the Father and His Divine nature which dwells in His Son because Jesus Christ is His Son. See “Does Godhead mean Trinity? - Prove All Things” below for more information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9HxDgBZl-U Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Jesus has a God JESUS HAS A GOD Jesus HAS a God, hence He is NOT the Supreme God. HIS FATHER IS. God the Father HAS NO GOD, He answers to NO ONE. He does as it pleases Him. Jesus has a God & answers to the Father. It pleases Him to do what pleases His God, the Father. [Bible texts below]. 1 Corinthians 3:23 (KJV) 23 And ye are Christ's; and CHRIST IS GOD'S. 1 Peter 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ： Ephesians 1:17 (KJV) 17 That THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Romans 15:6 (KJV) 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 2 Corinthians 11:31 (KJV) 31 THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. Colossians 1:3 (KJV) 3 We give thanks to GOD AND THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, praying always for you, Matthew 27:46 (KJV) 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, MY GOD, MY GOD, why hast thou forsaken me? John 20:17 (KJV) 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to MY GOD, and your God. Hebrews 1:8-9 (KJV) 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, EVEN THY GOD, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Revelation 1:6 (KJV) 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto GOD AND HIS FATHER; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 3:12 (KJV) 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of MY GOD and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of MY GOD, and the name of the city of MY GOD, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from MY GOD: and I will write upon him my new name. [Caps added for emphasis, however no content has been changed] Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next How Many Divine Beings Are There According to Bible and SOP How many divine beings are there according to the Bible and Ellen White’s published writings? “Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,--one in nature, in character, and in purpose,--the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” {E. G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 493} That plainly tells us that there is no other being besides Christ who enters into the counsels of God. No other being in all the universe! That makes two beings only. The Holy Spirit cannot be a being, for that would mean it cannot enter into all the counsels of God! But we knew that for the Bible made it clear long ago (Zechariah 6:12, 13). Sister White never mentions another being besides Christ who is allowed into counsel with God. How can this be if she really was a Trinitarian, as some claim on her behalf? Where is “God the Holy Spirit”? The only other being in the universe who wanted to enter into counsel with God and His Son was a proud angel by the name of Lucifer. It was he who wanted the heavenly counsel to include a third member! Let the readers read the first chapter of Patriarchs and Prophets and see if this is true or not. But there is more: “The only being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter's bench with his earthly parent.” {E. G. White, Signs of the Times, October 14, 1897 par. 3} Here she clearly and plainly says Christ is the only being who is one with God. There is no mention of anyone else being “one” with God besides Christ. That is only two beings. Just in case someone may use the strange notion of “just because God the Holy Spirit is not mentioned does not mean he is not there!” we again emphasize the word ONLY. When using that word Mrs. White is excluding any other options or possibilities. It is impossible for her to say "only" and then elsewhere contradict it. Again, the same plain language and testimony is used in the following quote: “The Father and the Son alone are to be exalted.” {E. G. White, The Youth’s Instructor, July 7, 1898 par. 2} The above statement alone should be sufficient to abolish every theory of a trinity. Honestly, how could Ellen White (if she was really a Trinitarian) make a statement like that? Let us ask again the oft repeated question: where is ‘God the Holy Spirit’? If the Father and the Son alone are to be exalted, then what are we to do with ‘God the Holy Spirit’? Surely we say aright, the servant of the Lord was not a believer in that doctrine which is espoused by the mother of all harlots, neither in any of its varied and multitudinous forms. Let us look at further evidence that will confirm the above. We are counseled to go by the “weight of evidence” (DA 458) and not just by one or two statements. Let each reader consider the question: who is the third highest being in heaven? This is an important question to answer in light of the “three holiest beings” statement. We shall not attempt any guess-work in seeking an answer to this question. In the published writings we are plainly given the answer: "Drawing aside the veil which conceals the glory of God, it shows Him in His place, high and holy, and lifted up, not in a state of solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy, happy beings, every one waiting to bear the message, to do His bidding--all heaven is in active communication with every part of the universe through a variety of channels, and that holy One is actually stooping, bending from His throne, listening to every sound uttered, observing the movements of every earthly power. It is the highest Being condescending to the lowliest, approving or condemning every action which is developed.” {UL 23.3} “God is a moral governor as well as a Father. He is the Lawgiver.” {12MR 208} “The Son of God was next in authority to the great Lawgiver.” {2SP 9} “The only being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter's bench with his earthly parent.” {ST, October 14, 1897 par. 3} “The Lord has shown me that Satan was once an honored angel in heaven, next to Jesus Christ.” {1SG 17} “Speaking of Satan, our Lord says that "he abode not in the truth." He was once the covering cherub, glorious in beauty and holiness. He was next to Christ in exaltation and character.” {RH, October 22, 1895 par. 1} “Satan in Heaven, before his rebellion, was a high and exalted angel, next in honor to God's dear Son. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing a powerful intellect. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. A special light beamed in his countenance, and shone around him brighter and more beautiful than around the other angels; yet Jesus, God's dear Son, had the pre-eminence over all the angelic host. He was one with the Father before the angels were created. Satan was envious of Christ, and gradually assumed command which devolved on Christ alone.” {1SP 17.1} “Was not Satan the light-bearer, the sharer of God's glory in heaven, and next to Jesus in power and majesty?” {RH, November 17, 1891 par. 3} “Sin originated with him, who, next to Christ, stood highest in the favor of God, and highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of Heaven. Before his fall, Lucifer was the covering cherub, holy and undefiled.” {4SP 316} "Christ's humiliation is not understood and not appreciated. Forty days and nights Jesus was subjected to the temptations of the enemy--the one who was once an angel next to Christ in majesty and glory in the heavenly courts. It is stated, Thou wast exalted because of thy beauty, et cetera. But he wanted to have the place of Christ, and Christ was one with the Infinite God; and because this was not accorded him, he became jealous, and he was the originator of sin.” {16MR 180.1} Let us illustrate our findings so far: God the Father – The highest Being and the great Lawgiver. The Son of God – Next in authority, the only being who was one with God. Lucifer – The third highest being, next to Christ in power, majesty, exaltation, character, honor, and glory. The above clear descriptions leave no room for a third divine being. It is overwhelmingly apparent that the third highest position in heaven was occupied by a created being. Even after the fall of Lucifer, the third highest being is identified for us: “It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel.” {DA 234} From the above plain testimonies we learn that the third highest position in heaven has ever been occupied by a created being, both before and after the fall of Lucifer. This should be plain to any clear thinking individual. This weight of evidence cannot be set aside lightly. To insist otherwise based on just one reported statement can only betray a stubborn desire to maintain a groundless theory. These plain statements are from her published works, they are not statements that were produced long after she died. These are authentic statements that she reviewed and checked and that the whole church at the time subscribed to. On the other hand, statements that only make an appearance posthumously and which clearly contradict the authentic writings must be closely examined and studied and checked against the published writings. This is the only safe way to arrive at the truth. We cannot just grab one statement because we like what it says and ignore her published writings which she tells us are the most authentic and accurate report of her beliefs and teachings. Let those who desire to obey the prophet heed this counsel is our prayer. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Father and Son Relationship and Divine Pattern Father and Son Relationship and Divine Pattern Father is the source of all things. Ephesian 4:6 – One God, and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. John 17:3 – And this is life eternal, that thee might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 2 Corinthian 1:3 – Blessed be God, even the father our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies , and the God of all comfort. 2 John 1:3 – Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the father, in truth and love. 1Timothy 6:16 – Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honoured and power everlasting. Amen. Son is the channel of all the father gives him. John 5.26 – For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the son to hath life in himself. The eternal, everlasting, immortal life. 1 John 5:11 – God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. God is the source of all life, because he has given this life to his son Jesus Christ, he can give life to others whenever he wants. John 5:21 – For as the father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. John 5: 25 –When the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall live. Not only immortal life, but all things had given to Jesus Christ. Matthew 11:27 – All things are delivered unto me of my father. John 3:35 – The Father loveth his son, and hath given all things into his hands. Philippians 2:9 – Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. 10 – That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth and things under the earth. 11—That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Matthew 28:18 – All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 1 Corinthians 15:27 – For he hath put all things under his feet. Hebrews 1:2 – Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. He is a channel by whom and through whom all things from the father flow to his creations. This is the patterns, from the beginning. Genesis 1:26 – God said, let us make man in our image and after our likeness. Ephesian 3:9 – God who created all things by Jesus Christ. Then God made man in his own image. 1 Timothy 2:13 -- Adam was first formed. Genesis 2:18 -- But God see that it is not good that the man should be alone. So the woman came forth out of man as part of his very own body. Eve was not created from nothing but was taken out from Adam’s side, his bosom, she was essentially existed in Adam, a part of him, before she was taken out. She became the express image of Adam. So also the word, Jesus is the unique son of God, begotten of the father, taken from his bosom. Genesis 3:20 – Adam named his wife, Eve because she was the mother of all living. Adam was the source, Eve was the channel, by whom, through whom Adam became the father of our race. Eve was the same substance as Adam, both equal in nature, she was just as human as he was, but Eve was begotten in a different manner than all other human births. So too the Son of God, begotten of this Father, they both have the same divine substance, both equal in nature, Christ is just as divine as his father. But the son was begotten in a different manner, back in eternity. Christ gave us his spirit, just as Adam gave Eve his rib, we are part of Christ, we partake of his divine nature, we are born again, Christ in us, we have his character. As Adam and Eve was one flesh, so also the Father and Son are one spirit. John 1:1 – In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word as God. Word = God? Word+ God? Pros ton theon, kai theos hen ho logos. With the God, and God was the Word John speaks the same way in his first epistle. 1 John 1:1—That which was from the beginning, the word of life, that eternal life which was with the father. (Pros ton Patera) The word was with the God, the only true God of whom are all things, John did not say, the word was the God. Now we use the same grammatical structure but with different subjects. In the beginning was the women, and the women was with the human, and the woman was human. Adam= Name Human= Adam and Eve # The woman Eve was human in nature, not the man in indentity, Eve was not Adam, they were 2 separate persons. 2 individual identities. The same divine, Godly nature are possessed by both the father and son. The son was not the God, but he has God’s divine nature by inheritance. Illustrations: 1. Father is the root, Jesus is the branch, we cannot see the root, but we can see the branch and the fruits beared the branch has the same nature, substance, quality as the root, the root is the source, the branch is the expression and channel from which comes more branches. 2. The mountain and the stone ( Zechariah 4:7) Zerubbabel and Joshua the Father is the mountain, Jesus is a stone from the mountain. The stone is just as old as the mountain, they have the same substance, nature, character. It is as hard and enduring as the mountain because it came out of the mountain. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next That We Might Know Him That We Might Know Him (1) Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever…” Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me”. Has anyone ever told you that God is a mystery? This idea has kept many genuine Christians from experiencing the fullness of peace, love, and transforming power that can only be found in close fellowship with their Creator. The truth is that only through the veil of human speculation and theory do we distort God into a being who cannot be understood. This study was created to simply explore what God has revealed about Himself in His Word – adding nothing to what is said, and taking nothing away. My prayer is that it will bring you into a closer and deeper relationship with your God - a God who wants to be known! Hosea 6:3 “Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD, His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.” Proverbs 2:3-5 “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” (1) God the Father What is the Father’s character like? 1 John 4:8-10 “He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” 2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.” Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:18 ‘“I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the LORD (Yahweh) Almighty.” James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” Where is the Father? Matthew 6:9 “…Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” Revelation 4:2 “…behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne...” Isaiah 37:16 “O LORD (Yahweh) of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.” How has He been revealed to us? Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Exodus 33:20 “But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live.” Hebrews 1:1-2 “God … has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds,” John 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” What has Christ revealed to us about His Father? Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.” Mark 14:36 “And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” John 3:35 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.” John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 5:19-23 “Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will…” John 5:26-27 “For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of Man.” John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 10:29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” John 14:24 “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. John 14:28 “…If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father’, for My Father is greater than I.” John 17:7 “Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.” John 17:1-3 “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Jesus declared that His Father is the only true God. Did His disciples understand His teaching? 1 Corinthians 8:6 “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.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Ephesians 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Philippians 2:11 “and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 1 Thessalonians 1:1 “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Titus 1:4 “To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.” (See also 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Philemon 1:3, and 2 John 1:3) James 3:8-9 “But no man can tame the tongue… With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have be made in the similitude of God.” Acts 17:23-25 “Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” Jude 1:1 “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called,sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ” (To be continued) That We Might Know Him (2) (2) Jesus Christ If the Father, by Christ’s own declaration, is the “only true God”, then who is Jesus? Matthew 16:15-17 “He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Simon Peter’s answer was inspired by the Father Himself – that Jesus is His Son! His answer was so powerful that Christ shortened His name to Peter, which means “a rock”, and declared that “on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Was Christ identifying Himself as God’s literal Son? We find that in the Old Testament, through King Solomon, Christ gave amazing insight into His relationship with the Father. The Spirit of Prophecy confirms that Christ is speaking of Himself in Proverbs 8:22-30, which agrees with 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30 and Luke 11:49 in declaring Christ as the “wisdom of God”. “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there:When He set a compass upon the face of the depth: When He established the clouds above: When He strengthened the fountains of the deep: When He gave to the sea His decree, that the water should not pass His commandment: When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him” This beautiful description of the companionship between the Father and Son in the days of eternity tells us that Christ indeed had a beginning to His existence. Our finite minds cannot fathom the time period when this occurred, because in reality it was before the measurement of time was established, and we may not fully understand how Christ was brought forth from His Father, but we accept our Saviour’s words by faith. It’s important to understand that Christ was not created, as angels and humans were. We know this because John 1:3 tells us that, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” He was truly begotten – brought forth from the very substance of His Father’s being. John 8:42 “Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.” John 16:27-28 “For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” John 17:8 “For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send me.” In every instance, the event of proceeding/coming forth from the Father is separated from the event of being sent into this world (conjunction noted with italics). This clarifies that Jesus was speaking of two separate events – i.e. being begotten in heaven, and being sent to earth. Through faith in Christ’s word, we understand that there was a point in the great expanse of eternity when the Father chose to bring forth a divine Son. Therefore, Christ had a beginning, while the Father did not. Does this lessen Christ’s divinity in any way? Absolutely not! John 5:26 “For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself” Colossians 1:19 “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.” Colossians 2:9 “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (deity/divinity) bodily.” ** Note that “Godhead” is the Greek word theotes (G2320), which simply means deity – the state of being God. Christ was brought forth from the very substance of the Father, the great Source of all. It pleased the Father to bring Christ into existence, giving Him the same full, divine, eternal life that He had in Himself. Just as a human father begets a human son, our divine Father begot a divine Son! John 1:1 presents this beautifully in the original Greek, with the first use of “God” actually being a definite article. If thus properly translated it would read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God.” In the beginning Christ was with His Father (the only true God), but Christ Himself was also God in nature. He was fully divine. Hebrews 1:4-5 “…as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten thee?” And again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son?” Christ is divine because He inherited His Father’s divinity! But the Father is the Source of all, without beginning, making Him the only true God. 1 Corinthians 8:6 “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.” The Father is the source, and Christ is the executing agent, or the channel, by whom the Father made all things, and by whom we are reconciled to the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Not surprisingly, Christ’s identity as God’s Son was the exact truth that Satan attacked: Matthew 4:3 “…If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Matthew 4:6 “…If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down…” Satan’s angels knew who He was as well: Mark 5:7 “And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” Luke 4:41 “And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak: for they knew that He was the Christ.” Christ’s own declaration of His identity was the reason He was persecuted: John 10:36 “Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming’, because I said, I am the Son of God?” John 19:7 “The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” Matthew 26:63 “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Luke 22:70 “Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” Matthew 27:40 “And saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Matthew 27:54 “So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” And this is, in fact, the only belief by which we are saved! John 3:16,18 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life… He who believes on Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 20:31 “But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life through His name.” John 5:25 “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and those who hear will live.” Looking back to Hebrews 1, verse 4 also explains why the Father’s name, Yahweh, can be applied to Christ in the prophecy of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days are coming” says the LORD (Yahweh), “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD (Yahweh) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Hebrews 1:4 “… as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Just as a human son inherits his father’s name, so Christ inherited His Father’s name! In verses 8 and 9 we again see that while Jesus is divine in nature, His Father is still the Head over all. Hebrews 1:8-9 “But unto the Son He saith: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.” Though Christ is divine, and has been exalted by His Father to receive worship, He also has a God – His own Father. Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, … My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” John 20:17 “Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.” Romans 15:6 “That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (See also 2 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 11:31, Colossians 1:3, and 1 Peter 1:3) Ephesians 1:17 “..that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” Revelation 1:5-6 “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him by glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 3:12 (Christ speaking) “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” In receiving the seal of God, Christ will write His Father’s name – Yahweh, upon our foreheads. Our forehead represents our knowledge of who God is. John 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” In contrast, the mark of the beast will be a counterfeit seal with the same layout as God’s seal (Rev. 3:12): name of their God, name of their city, name of their Christ (i.e. the Antichrist). Revelation 17:4-5 “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication: And on her forehead a name was written, “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” Christ came to this earth for the express purpose of revealing His Father to us, so that our God would not be a mystery! Amen! Christ never received glory unto Himself, but did all to the glory of His God and Father. His teachings consistently express that He came to this earth to reveal His Father’s love, character, and purpose to mankind, and to reconcile us to the Father through Himself. Revelation 14:1 “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads.” To undoubtedly confirm the identity of Christ, we need only to look to the Father’s affirmation of who He is. The Father, the highest authority in the universe, gave a specific message at Christ’s baptism, and again on the mount of transfiguration (Matt. 3:17, 17:5, Mark 1:11, 9:7, Luke 3:22, 9:35, 2 Peter 1:17). His message was this: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And on the mount He adds “Hear Him!” All authority that Jesus has to be the Father’s representative, and to be a sufficient sacrifice for fallen humanity, rests in this single, most important truth – that He is the beloved, divine,begotten Son of God. (To be continued) That We Might Know Him (3) (3) The Holy Spirit As we’ve discovered that the Father is the Source of all, we can also confirm with scripture that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father Himself. John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me” Genesis 1:2 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Just as the “Son OF God” implies possession (i.e. The Son belongs to the Father, He is His Son), the “Spirit OF God” does also. The Holy Spirit is exactly as the Bible describes – the Spirit OF God. It is God’s own spirit, the spirit of the Father! Matthew 10:20, “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” As a quick aside, let’s look at some other “spirits” in the Bible... Genesis 41:7-8 “…And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt…” Genesis 45:27 “And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.” Deuteronomy 2:30 “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through: for the LORD your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate…” Ezra 1:1 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom…” There are many more examples, but I think the point is clear. In no other instance would we think of someone’s spirit as being anything other than that – their own spirit, i.e. their mind, thoughts, and character. So why would we picture a separate, third being when the Bible says “the Spirit of God”? The Father is an all-powerful, omnipresent spirit-being, and therefore can be sitting on the throne of heaven in body, and yet be present on earth by His own Spirit. John 4:23-24 “…for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Christ was brought forth, however, to be the mediator between God and mankind. Thus, just as the Father wrought all of creation through His Son, He likewise sends His Spirit through His Son, to minister on our behalf, and even dwell within us! Ephesians 2:13,18 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (…) For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” In this way the Father and Son share the same Spirit, being one in character, purpose, and love for mankind. The book of John comes alive so beautifully when we understand this powerful truth. John 14:20-23 ‘“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home with him.”’ The Holy Spirit is none other than the Spirit of Christ and His Father, and we can have Their Spirit living in us! We see that the terms, “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” can be used interchangeably, because they operate as one Spirit. Romans 8:9-10 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Goddwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” However, while Christ dwelt on earth He had clothed His divinity in humanity. Having taken on human form, His Father’s Spirit was still within Him, but He could not act as the channel to bestow it upon mankind. Isaiah 42:1 “Behold, My servant whom I uphold. My elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles” Philippians 2:6-7 “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.” John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” This is why the Holy Spirit, known after Christ’s ascension as “the Comforter”, could not be given to His disciples until Pentecost. John 7:39 “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” Only once Christ returned to heaven to be glorified, and commence His work in the sanctuary as our High Priest, could He then petition His Father to send His disciples the Spirit. Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. John 14:16-20 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also.” The Comforter could not be sent until Jesus was glorified, yet Jesus said “He dwelleth with you” in present tense, but “shall be in you” in future tense. By saying “ye know Him” and “He dwelleth with you”, Christ is identifying Himself, filled with His Father’s Spirit, as the very same Comforter. Though He was currently dwelling with them in person, in the future He would be in them by the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:32-33 “This Jesus has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” The Greek word for “Comforter” is “parakletos”. John is the only author who used this term -four times in his gospel, and once in 1 John. Despite the widely held belief that the Comforter describes a third being, separate from the Father and Christ, John had actually purposed in his writings that there would be no question as to who he was referring. Unfortunately, his effort for clarity was hidden in the translation. In 1 John 2:1 he identifies exactly who he was speaking about, but this term, parakletos, was here translated as “Advocate” instead of “Comforter”. 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” OR “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have a Comforter with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Our “parakletos”, our “Comforter”, is none other than Jesus Christ! But why, then, in John 14:16 does Christ say that the Father will send another Comforter? Doesn’t this mean that it must be a separate person?” There are two Greek words which are translated as “another” – allos and heteros. While hetero means “another of a different sort” (ex. “May I try another type of apple?”), allos means “another of an identical sort” (ex. “Those green apples are delicious! May I have another?”) The word Christ used in this passage was allos. Therefore, He was not telling them that the Father would send a different Comforter, but that He would send a Comforter identical to the One who was currently with them! The Father had sent Christ as their Comforter the first time in human form, and would send Him again, in spirit form. Hebrews 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Christ alone can help us overcome worldly temptation, because He is the only divine being who has taken on our fallen human nature and triumphed over sin! We also shouldn’t take issue with the fact that while describing “the Comforter” Christ speaks of Himself in the third person, as He did this all throughout His ministry. (Matthew 13:41, 24:27,30, Mark 10:33-34, 45, Luke 17:24, 18:8, John 10:2-4, 17:1-3, etc.) Remember that 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” There is only one mediator – one intercessor. Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When we let scripture interpret scripture, who is said to make intercession for us? Romans 8:34 “Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore [Christ] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Christ Himself is that one mediator, that one intercessor between God and men. John 17:23 “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me.” Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 1 Peter 1:10-11 “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 “For “who has known the mind of the LORD that He may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” May we all pray to receive the only life-giving Spirit – the Spirit of our Saviour Himself. Revelation 3:19-20 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Christ wants to fill us with His Spirit, so that He can give us His power to overcome the temptations of this world, and live a victorious Christian life! Only through Him can we be transformed, day by day, to reflect God’s image as He does. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” John 16:13 “…when He, the Spirit, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The Father and Son are longing to come abide with you through the Spirit, to give you strength, guide you into all truth, and give you peace which surpasses all understanding. Will you let Them? Colossians 1:26-29 “Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (To be continued) That We Might Know Him (4) (4) Father & Son Here are a few more verses revealing the two divine beings: God and His Son. Proverbs 30:4 “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?” Zechariah 6:12-13 “Then speak to him, saying, Thus says the LORD (Yahweh) of hosts, saying, “Behold, the Man whose name is The BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD; yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Both = two!) Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)” Ephesians 5:5 “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” 1 Timothy 5:21 “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.” Hebrews 8:1 “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” 1 John 1:3 “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 2:22-23 “Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” Revelation 5:13 “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 6:16 “And said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” Revelation 14:4 “… These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 21:22 “And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Revelation 22:1,3 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. … And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it” Mystery Solved! 2 Peter 1:2-4 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” I truly hope you’ve been blessed by this study. In conclusion, I’d like to quote a passage from one of my favourite books, Ministry of Healing – Chapter 35, p. 409. “A True Knowledge of God” “Like our Saviour, we are in this world to do service for God. We are here to become like God in character, and by a life of service to reveal Him to the world. In order to be co-workers with God, in order to become like Him and to reveal His character, we must know Him aright. We must know Him as He reveals Himself. A knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education and all true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation. It is this alone that can make us like God in character. This is the knowledge needed by all who are working for the uplifting of their fellow men. Transformation of character, purity of life, efficiency in service, adherence to correct principles, all depend upon a right knowledge of God. This knowledge is the essential preparation both for this life and for the life to come. … “This is life eternal,” said Jesus, “that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” In the words of Paul to the church in Ephesus, “…Love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” {End} Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 耶稣如何与父原为一 耶稣如何与父原为一？ 约翰福音 5： “耶稣就对他们说：“我父作事到如今，我也作事。” （约翰福音5：17） 约翰福音10： “我若不行我父的事，你们就不必信我； 我若行了，你们纵然不信我，也当信这些事，叫你们又知道又明白父在我里面，我也在父里面。” （约翰福音10：37，38） “我与父原为一。” （30节） 通过宣称上帝是祂的父亲，耶稣清楚表明祂们是两个不同的位格。上帝是祂的父，祂是上帝的儿子，虽然彼此不同，但祂们之间存在着完全的合一。 耶稣说“父在我里面，我也在父里面”这句话时就显明了祂们之间的合一。祂们是藉着彼此在对方里面而合一的，但 这句话本身就需要澄清。祂们如何在对方里面呢？ 约翰福音12： 基督尝试做了这样的解释： “耶稣大声说：“信我的，不是信我，乃是信那差我来的。人看见我，就是看见那差我来的。” （12：44，45） 约翰福音13： “我实实在在地告诉你们，有人接待我所差遣的，就是接待我 [耶稣]；接待我，就是接待那[天父] 差遣我的。” （13：20） 约翰福音14： 你们若认识我，也就认识我的父。从今以后，你们认识他，并且已经看见他。” 腓力对他说：“求主将父显给我们看，我们就知足了。” 耶稣对他说：“腓力，我与你们同在这样长久，你还不认识我吗？人看见了我，就是看见了父，你怎么说‘将父显给我们看’呢？ 我在父里面，父在我里面，你不信吗？我对你们所说的话，不是凭着自己说的，乃是住在我里面的父作他自己的事。” （14：7-10） 在他们惛钝的理解中，基督说： 我要求父，父就另外赐给你们一位保惠师（或作“训慰师”。下同），叫他永远与你们同在，就是真理的圣灵，乃世人不能接受的。因为不见他，也不认识他；你们却认识他，因他常与你们同在，也要在你们里面。 我不撇下你们为孤儿，我必到你们这里来。”（16-18节） “到那日你们就知道我在父里面，你们在我里面，我也在你们里面。” （20节） 因此，当那从父来的保惠师来住在他们里面时，他们就知道基督在父里面，他们在基督里面，基督也在他们里面。 “耶稣回答说：“人若爱我，就必遵守我的道，我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，与他同住。” （23节） 加上门徒那时所不明白的事，当保惠师来到时，他们将会想起并明白这一切事。 “但保惠师，就是父因我的名所要差来的圣灵，他要将一切的事指教你们，并且要叫你们想起我对你们所说的一切话。” （26节） 约翰福音15： “我爱你们，正如父爱我一样，你们要常在我的爱里。你们若遵守我的命令，就常在我的爱里；正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在他的爱里。” （约翰福音15：9，10） “你们要彼此相爱，像我爱你们一样，这就是我的命令。人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个更大的。” （12，13 节） 当保惠师来到并住在他们里面时，他们就会明白上帝的爱，以及父和祂儿子之间那紧密的合一。 “但我要从父那里差保惠师来，就是从父出来真理的圣灵，他来了，就要为我作见证。” （15：26） 约翰福音16： “人要把你们赶出会堂，并且时候将到，凡杀你们的，就以为是侍奉上帝。他们这样行，是因未曾认识父，也未曾认识我。” （16：2，3） “我还有好些事要告诉你们，但你们现在担当不了（或作“不能领会”）。 只等真理的圣灵来了，他要引导你们明白（原文作“进入”）一切的真理；因为他不是凭自己说的，乃是把他所听见的都说出来，并要把将来的事告诉你们。” （12，13） “这些事，我是用比喻对你们说的；时候将到，我不再用比喻对你们说，乃要将父明明地告诉你们。” （25节） 约翰福音17 里的祷告： “从今以后，我不在世上，他们却在世上，我往你那里去。圣父啊，求你因你所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样。”（17：11） “我不但为这些人祈求，也为那些因他们的话信我的人祈求，使他们都合而为一。正如你父在我里面，我在你里面，使他们也在我们里面，叫世人可以信你差了我来。” （20，21） 在五旬节： “五旬节到了，门徒都聚集在一处。 他们就都被圣灵充满，按着圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来。” （使徒行传2：1，4） 正如基督给他们的应许，祂把保惠师赐给了他们，并清楚地向他们显明父，并为基督作见证，使他们可以更好地理解基督所说的“合一”。 接着彼得论到耶稣： “他既被上帝的右手高举（或作“他既高举在上帝的右边”），又从父受了所应许的圣灵，就把你们所看见、所听见的浇灌下来。 “故此，以色列全家当确实地知道，你们钉在十字架上的这位耶稣，上帝已经立他为主、为基督了。” （33，36节） 记得耶稣对文士说… “耶稣回答说：“第一要紧的，就是说：‘以色列啊，你要听，主我们上帝，是独一的主。你要尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力爱主你的上帝。’ 其次就是说：‘要爱人如己。’再没有比这两条诫命更大的了。” （马可福音12：29-31） 父上帝使祂儿子与祂自己同等，为天地的主。 “所以上帝将他升为至高，又赐给他那超乎万名之上的名， 叫一切在天上的、地上的和地底下的，因耶稣的名无不屈膝， 无不口称耶稣基督为主，使荣耀归与父上帝。” （腓立比书2：9-11） “他本有上帝的行像，不以自己与上帝同等为强夺的，” （腓立比书2：6） 由此，保罗写道，我们属于父和子。 “然而我们只有一位上帝，就是父，万物都本于他，我们也归于他；并有一位主，就是耶稣基督，万物都是藉着他有的，我们也是藉着他有的。” （哥林多前书8：6） “我为他们祈求。不为世人祈求，却为你所赐给我的人祈求，因他们本是你的。凡是我的都是你的，你的也是我的，并且我因他们得了荣耀。” （约翰福音17：9，10） “从今以后，我不在世上，他们却在世上，我往你那里去。圣父啊，求你因你所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样。” （11节） 我们要如何合而为一呢？当我们彼此相爱，如基督和上帝彼此相爱一样，祂们将住在我们里面。 “圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱…” （加拉太书5：22） “身体只有一个，圣灵只有一个，正如你们蒙召，同有一个指望；一主，一信，一洗，” （以弗所书4：4，5） “如果上帝的灵住在你们心里，你们就不属肉体，乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵，就不是属基督的。 基督若在你们心里，身体就因罪而死，心灵却因义而活。 然而叫耶稣从死里复活者的灵，若住在你们心里，那叫基督耶稣从死里复活的，也必藉着住在你们心里的圣灵，使你们必死的身体又活过来。” （罗马书8：9-11） 藉着一个灵，父和子住在信徒里，使我们成为一体藉着上帝的儿子得以与上帝和好。 “耶稣回答说：“人若爱我，就必遵守我的道，我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，与他同住。” （约翰福音14：23） “我们将所看见、所听见的传给你们，使你们与我们相交。我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的。” （约翰一书1：3） 愿上帝赐福每一位。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next EGW Quotes on Holy Spirit Who or What is the Holy Spirit? “The HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT of CHRIST, which is sent to all men to give them sufficiency,” — (E.G. White, 14MR 84.3) “We want the HOLY SPIRIT, which is JESUS CHRIST.” — (E.G. White, Lt66, April 10, 1894) “but it is the leaven of the SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, which is sent down from heaven, called the HOLY GHOST,” — (E.G. White, Ms36-1891) There is no mistaking that Ellen White says the HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT OF CHRIST. What many fail to understand is that the “Spirit of Christ” can function like a person separate to Himself so it is like it is “another” person, though not a literal person of course. So we do have a heavenly Trio, but NOT a heavenly Trinity! That is twice we have just proven that Ellen White said the SPIRIT OF CHRIST is the third in the Heavenly Trio with unmistakable confirmation. But let's prove it three more times, not that it should be necessary. Ellen White also wrote in the quote, “The COMFORTER that CHRIST PROMISED TO SEND after He ascended to heaven.” The COMFORTER of course is the HOLY SPIRIT which is third in the Heavenly Trio. So whose Spirit does Ellen White say Christ sent? “We cannot be with CHRIST in person, as were His first disciples, but HE HAS SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT to guide us into all truth, [John 16:13 quoted]” — (E.G. White, Ms30, June 18, 1900) One more time: “CHRIST came to our world, but the world could not endure His purity. He has gone to His Father, but HE HAS SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT to REPRESENT HIM in the world till He shall come again.” — (E.G. White, Ms1, Jan 11, 1897) Thus Christ sent HIS SPIRIT. It was not Christ physically but HIS Spirit which can function like a person though is not a literal person of course. So His Spirit is like “ANOTHER” person and why she wrote Heavenly Trio! Therefore, it should also require no explanation that the Comforter is not Christ physically but His Spirit. “This refers to the omnipresence of the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, called the COMFORTER.” — (E.G. White, 14MR 179.2) So the Spirit that was sent to be our Comforter and is the third in Heavenly Trio is the SPIRIT OF CHRIST. Why would we expect anything else since she wrote: “We want the HOLY SPIRIT, which is JESUS CHRIST.” — (E.G. White, Lt66, April 10, 1894) And last, Ellen white wrote “THREE GREAT POWERS—the FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.” We know the Father and Son are great powers, and since Ellen White wrote the HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, who do you think the third great power is? There is only one possible answer. “CHRIST has given HIS SPIRIT as a divine POWER.” — (E.G. White, RH, Nov 19, 1908) Trinitarians conclude that the third power is another being. But there is NO other POWER in you apart from CHRIST ABIDING IN YOUR HEART by His Holy Spirit in you! “There is NO POWER in you APART from CHRIST, but it is your privilege to have CHRIST ABIDING IN YOUR HEART by faith, and He can overcome sin in you,” — (E.G. White, OHC, 76.5) How easily we can be deceived if we do not let SOP explain SOP and just assume with a Trinitarian mindset as so many do. So she was not saying that there is a third god as per the satanic doctrine of the Trinity at all. NOTE: God raised the Adventist Church as non-Trinitarian. The Trinity doctrine was slowly brought into the Adventist Church long AFTER the death of Ellen White and the pioneers by a suspected Jesuit who is also a known Freemason. The idea of the Holy Spirit as another being was Satan's idea so he could get worship for his creation. The real truth is that the “Holy Spirit” is the power and presence of God and of Christ which can function independently of themselves like a third (but not a literal third) and is how “They” represent “Themselves” where they are not personally present. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 圣经中的心和灵 圣经中的心和灵 心和灵的经文 创世纪41:7-8 这法老醒了，不料是个梦。到了早晨，法老灵里不安。 出埃及记 6:9 摩西将这话告诉以色列的孩子们，只是他们因被残酷的奴役和灵里的痛苦，不肯听从摩西。 出埃及记 28:3 你又要吩咐一切心中有智慧的，就是我用智慧的灵所充满的，可以给亚伦做衣服，使他分别为圣，可以给我供祭司的职分。 出埃及记 31:3 我也以上帝的灵充满了他，使他有智慧，能理解，有知识，能做各样的工艺。 出埃及记 35:21 凡心里受感和灵里乐意的，都拿耶和华的奉献来，用以做会幕和其中一切的使用，又用以做圣衣。 民数记 5:14 她丈夫被嫉恨的灵所附，他因妻子嫉恨，她也被玷污了；或者她丈夫被嫉恨的灵所附，他因妻子嫉恨，而她并没有被玷污。 申命记 2:30 但希实本王西宏不容我们从他那里经过；因为耶和华你的神使他的灵刚硬，他的心顽梗，为要将他交在你手中，像今日一样。 申命记 34:9 嫩的儿子约书亚，因为摩西曾给他按手，就被智慧的灵充满，以色列人便听从他，照着耶和华吩咐摩西的行了。 撒母耳记上 1:15 哈拿回答说：我主啊，不是这样。我是灵里愁苦的妇人，清酒浓酒都没有喝，而是将我的魂倾倒在耶和华面前。 撒母耳记上 16:14 但耶和华的灵离开了扫罗，就有一个邪灵从耶和华那里来搅扰他。 历代志上 5:26 因此，以色列的上帝激动亚述王普勒和亚述王提革拉毗尼色的灵，他们就把流便人、迦得人、玛拿西半支派的人掳到哈腊、哈博、哈拉与歌散河边，直到今日还在那里。 历代志下 36:22 波斯王居鲁士第一年，耶和华为要成就借耶利米口所说的话，就激动波斯王居鲁士的灵，使他下诏通告全国，说： 约伯记 21:4 我岂是向人诉冤？若是诉冤，我的灵为何不焦虑呢？ 诗篇 32:2 凡灵里没有诡诈、耶和华不算为有罪的，这人是有福的。 诗篇 51:12 将你救恩之乐恢复与我，用你乐意的灵托住我。 诗篇 77:3 我想到上帝，就烦燥不安；我沉吟悲伤，灵便发昏。 诗篇 106:33 是因他们惹动他的灵，以致他以嘴唇说了急躁的话。 诗篇 142:3 我的灵在我里面发昏的时候，你知道我的道路。在我行的路上，敌人为我暗设网罗。 诗篇 143:4 所以，我的灵在我里面发昏；我的心在我里面凄惨。 箴言 18:14 人有疾病，灵能忍耐；但灵若受伤，谁能承受呢？ 传道书 1:17 我又专心认识智慧、狂妄和愚昧，乃知这也使灵忧愁。 传道书 2:11 后来，我察看我手所经营的一切事和我劳碌所成的功。谁知都是虚空，使灵忧愁；在日光之下毫无益处。 传道书 2:17 所以，我恨恶生命；因为在日光之下所行的事我都以为烦恼，都是虚空，使灵忧愁。 以赛亚书 29:24 灵里偏离的必得明白；发怨言的必学道理。 以赛亚书 54:6 耶和华召你，如召被离弃、灵里忧伤的妇人，就是幼年所娶被弃的妻。这是你上帝所说的。 以赛亚书 61:3 赐华美与锡安悲哀的人，代替灰尘；喜乐油代替悲哀；赞美衣代替沉重的灵；使他们称为公义树，是耶和华所栽的，叫他得荣耀。 以赛亚书 63:10 他们竟悖逆，使主的圣灵忧伤。他就转作他们的仇敌，亲自攻击他们。 以赛亚书 65:14 看哪，我的仆人们因心中高兴歌唱，你们却因心中忧愁哀哭，又因灵里忧伤哀号。 以西结书 18:31 你们要将所犯的一切罪过抛弃，你们要造一个新心和新灵。以色列家啊，你们为什么死亡呢？ 以西结书 36:26 我也要赐给你们一个新心，将新灵放在你们里面，又从你们的肉体中除掉石心，给你们肉心。 但以理书 2:1 尼布甲尼撒在位第二年，他做了梦，灵里烦乱，不能睡觉。 但以理书 2:3 王对他们说：我做了一梦，灵里烦乱，要知道这是什么梦。 但以理书 7:15 我但以理的灵在我里面愁烦，我脑中的异象使我惊惶。 何西阿书 4:12 我的民求问木偶，以为木杖能指示他们；因为他们淫乱的灵使他们失迷，他们就行淫不顺从上帝， 哈该书 1:14 耶和华激动犹大省长撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯的灵和约撒答的儿子大祭司约书亚的灵，并剩下一切百姓的灵，他们就来为万军之耶和华他们上帝的殿做工。 撒迦利亚书 12:10 我必将恩典和恳求的灵浇灌大卫家，和耶路撒冷的居民。他们必仰望我，就是他们所扎的；必为我悲哀，如丧他的独生子，又为我愁苦，如丧他的长子。 玛拉基书 2:15 虽然上帝有余剩的灵能造多人，他不是单造一人吗？为何只造一人呢？他是要得虔诚的种子。所以当谨守你们的灵，谁也不可以诡诈待他幼年的妻。 玛拉基书 2:16 耶和华以色列的上帝说：休妻的事和以衣服遮掩强暴的人，都是我所恨恶的。所以当留意你们的灵，不可行诡诈。这是万军之耶和华说的。 诗篇 51:11 不要丢弃我，使我离开你的面；不要从我收回你的圣灵。 诗篇 139:7 我往哪里去躲避你的灵？我往哪里逃躲避你的面？ 哥林多前书 2:11 除了在人里头的灵，谁知道人的事？像这样，除了上帝的灵，也没有人知道上帝的事。 马太福音 3:16 耶稣受了浸，随即从水里上来。天忽然为他开了，他就看见上帝的灵仿佛一只鸽子降下，落在他身上。 马太福音 5:3 灵里贫穷的人有福了，因为天国是他们的。 马太福音 26:41 警醒祷告，免得你们入了试探；你们的灵确实愿意，肉体却软弱了。 马可福音 2:8 耶稣灵里深深地叹息，说：这世代为什么求迹象呢？我实在告诉你们，没有迹象给这世代看。 马可福音 8:12 耶稣灵里看出他们里面这样议论，立刻对他们说：你们心里为什么这样议论呢？ 马可福音 9:17 众人中间有一个人回答说：师傅，我带了我的儿子到你这里来，他被哑巴的灵附着。 路加福音 1:47 我灵以上帝我的救主为乐； 路加福音 1:80 那孩子渐渐长大，灵里刚强，住在旷野，直到他显明给以色列的日子。 路加福音 2:40 孩子渐渐长大，强健起来，充满智慧，又有上帝的恩在他身上。 路加福音 4:18 主的灵在我身上，因为他膏我，叫我传福音给贫穷的人；他差我医好伤心的人，宣告被掳的得释放，瞎眼的得看见，叫那受压制的得自由， 路加福音 9:55 耶稣却转身责备他们，说：你们的灵如何，你们并不知道。 路加福音10:21 正当那时，耶稣灵里欢乐，说：父啊，天地的主，我感谢你！因为你将这些事向智慧、精明的人就隐藏起来，向婴孩就显露出来。父啊！是的，因这在你眼中看为好。 约翰福音11:33 耶稣看见她哭，并看见与她同来的犹太人也哭，他就灵里悲叹，又忧愁， 约翰福音13:21 耶稣说了这话，灵里忧愁，就明说：我实实在在地告诉你们，你们中间有一个人要出卖我了。 使徒行传2:4 他们就都被圣灵充满，按着圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来。 使徒行传11:12 圣灵吩咐我和他们同去，不要疑惑。此外，同着我去的，还有这六位弟兄；我们都进了那人的家。 使徒行传16:7 他们来到每西亚，试着要往庇推尼去，圣灵却不许。 使徒行传17:16 保罗在雅典等候他们的时候，看见满城都是偶像，他的灵就在里面搅动； 使徒行传18:5 西拉和提摩太从马其顿来的时候，保罗灵里迫切，向犹太人证明耶稣是基督。 使徒行传18:25 这人已经在主的道路上受了指教，灵里火热，殷勤地将主的事讲论、教导人；但他只知道约翰的浸礼。 使徒行传19:21 这些事完了，保罗心里定意，经过了马其顿、亚该亚，就往耶路撒冷去。又说：“我到了那里以后，也必须往罗马去看看。” 罗马书1:4 按圣洁的灵说，借着从死里复活，以大能显明是上帝的儿子。 罗马书7:6 但我们既然在捆我们的律法上死了，现在就脱离了律法，叫我们服侍，要按着灵的新样式，不按着字句的旧样式。 罗马书8:4 使律法的义成就在我们这不随从肉体、只随从圣灵的人身上。 罗马书8:11 然而，叫耶稣从死里复活者的灵若住在你们里面，那叫基督从死里复活的，也必借着住在你们里面他的灵，使你们必死的身体又活过来。 罗马书8:14 因为凡被上帝的灵引导的，他们就是上帝的儿子。 罗马书8:15 你们所受的，不是奴仆的灵，仍旧害怕；但你们所受的，是得儿子名分的圣灵，因此我们呼叫：阿爸！父！ 罗马书8:26 照样，我们的软弱有圣灵帮助；我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息为我们代求。 歌林多前书2:10 但是上帝借着他的圣灵向我们启示了，因为圣灵鉴察万事，就是上帝深奥的事。 歌林多前书2:12 我们所领受的，并不是这世界的灵，而是从上帝来的灵，叫我们能知道那些上帝白白赐给我们的事。 歌林多前书2:14 然而，属肉体的人不接受神圣灵的事，反倒以为愚拙，并且不能知道，因为这些事唯有属灵的人才能辨别。 歌林多前书4:21 你们愿意怎么样呢？是愿意我带着杖到你们那里去呢？还是要我存慈爱，温柔的灵去呢？ 歌林多前书5:3 我身体的确不在你们那里，但灵却在你们那里，好像我亲自与你们同在，已经判断了行这事的人。 歌林多前书5:4 你们聚会的时候，我的灵也同在；奉我们主耶稣基督的名，并靠我们主耶稣基督的权能， 歌林多前书5:5 要把这样的人交给撒但，败坏他的肉体，使他的灵在主耶稣的日子可以得救。 歌林多前书6:17 但与主联合的，便是与主成为一灵。 歌林多前书7:40 然而按我的意见，若她安于现状更有福。我想我也有上帝的灵。 歌林多前书12:3 所以我要你们明白，借着上帝的灵说话的，没有说耶稣是可咒诅的；但若不是借着圣灵，也没有能说耶稣是主的。 歌林多前书16:18 他们叫我和你们的灵都快活。所以，这样的人，你们要认可。 哥林多后书3:3 你们明显是基督的信，借着我们的侍奉写成的。不是用墨写的，乃是用永生上帝的灵写的；不是写在石版上，乃是写在心的肉版上。 哥林多后书3:18 我们众人既然敞着脸，像从镜子里观看主的荣耀，就变成主的形象，荣上加荣，如同从主的灵变成的。 哥林多后书4:13 但我们既有信心，正如经上记着说：“我因信，所以如此说话。”我们也信，所以也说话。 哥林多后书7:1 蒙爱的人啊，我们既有这些应许，就当洁净自己，除去肉体和灵里一切的污秽，借着敬畏上帝，成就圣洁。 哥林多后书7:13 因此，我们因你们的安慰得了安慰；并且因你们众人使提多灵里畅快欢喜，我们就更加欢喜了。 哥林多后书11:4 假如有人来另传一个耶稣，不是我们所传过的；或者你们另接受一个灵，不是你们所受过的；或者另得一个福音，不是你们所得过的；你们容忍他也就罢了。 哥林多后书12:18 假如有人来另传一个耶稣，不是我们所传过的；或者你们另接受一个灵，不是你们所受过的；或者另得一个福音，不是你们所得过的；你们容忍他也就罢了。 以弗所书3:2 我只要问你们这一件事：你们领受了圣灵，是借着行律法呢？还是借着听从信心呢？ 以弗所书5:22，23 但圣灵所结的果子，就是爱、喜乐、和平、恒久忍耐、温和、良善、信心、温柔、节制。这样的事没有律法禁止。 加拉太书6:1 弟兄们，若有人被过犯所胜，你们属灵的人就当用温柔的灵把他挽回过来；又应当自己小心，恐怕你们也被引诱。 以弗所书1:13 你们听了真理的话语，就是那叫你们得救的福音之后，也信靠了他，相信他之后，就受了所应许的圣灵为印记。 以弗所书2:2 那时，你们在其中行事为人，随从这世界的风俗，顺服空中掌权的首领，就是现今在悖逆之子中运行的那灵。 以弗所书3:5 这奥秘在以前的时代没有叫人的儿子们知道，像如今借着圣灵启示他的众圣使徒和众先知一样。 以弗所书4:3 用和平彼此联络，竭力保守圣灵的合一。 以弗所书4:4 身体只有一个，圣灵只有一个，正如你们蒙召同有一个盼望。 以弗所书4:23 要将你们思想中的灵改换一新， 以弗所书4:30 不要叫上帝的圣灵担忧；你们是受了他的印记，直到得赎的日子来到。 歌罗西书2:5 我肉体虽与你们相离，灵却与你们同在，见你们循规蹈矩，在基督里的信心也坚固，我就欢喜了。 帖撒罗尼迦前书5:23 愿那平安的上帝亲自使你们全然成圣；我祷告上帝，愿你们的灵、魂、身体得蒙保守，在我们主耶稣基督到来的时候，完全无可指责。 帖撒罗尼迦后书2:8 那时这罪恶的人必显露出来。主要用他口中的灵烧灭他，用他到来的荣光毁灭他。 帖撒罗尼迦后书2:13 主所爱的弟兄们哪，我们本该常为你们感谢上帝；因为上帝从起初拣选了你们，使你们借圣灵成圣，相信真理，能以得救。 提摩太后书1:7 因为上帝赐给我们，不是惧怕的灵，而是大能、爱、思想健全的灵。 提摩太后书4:22 愿主耶稣基督与你的灵同在。愿恩典与你同在。阿们。 彼得前书1:2 就是照父上帝的预知被拣选，借着圣灵得成圣洁，以致顺服耶稣基督，又蒙他血所洒的人。愿恩典、平安多多地加给你们。 彼得前书1:11 就是考察在他们心里基督的灵，预先证明基督受苦难，后来被荣耀，是指着什么时候，并怎样的时候。 约翰一书4:1 蒙爱的人，一切的灵，你们不可都信，总要试验那些灵是出于上帝的不是，因为世上有许多假先知已经出来了。 启示录1:10 当主的日子我在圣灵里，听见在我后面有大声音如吹号说： 启示录4:2 我立刻在灵里，见有一个宝座安置在天上，又有一位坐在宝座上。 启示录17:3 我在灵里，他带我到旷野去，我就看见一个女人骑在朱红色的兽上；那兽有七头十角，遍体有亵渎的名字。 启示录21:10 在灵里，他带我到一座高大的山，将那由上帝那里从天而降的大城，圣城耶路撒冷指示我。 注意保罗怎么明白以赛亚论到上帝的灵的这句话。 以赛亚书40:13 谁曾指示耶和华的灵，或作他的谋士指教他呢？ 罗马书11:34 谁知道主的思想？谁作过他的谋士呢？ 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next What Did Moses Tell the Hebrews about the God They Worshipped What did Moses tell the Hebrews about the God they worshipped? Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deut. 6:4,5) Our former Trinitarian brethren claim that this "one Lord" is the Trinity God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost). If this true then the Hebrews should have understood this truth about the God they worshipped. Let's see if the Trinitarians are correct. "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." (Mark 12:28-30) Jesus quoted Deut. 6:4,5. Notice how the scribe replied to Jesus: "And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said THE TRUTH: for there is ONE GOD; and there is NONE OTHER BUT HE: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." (Mark 12:32,33) Now notice how Jesus replied to the scribe: "And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, THOU ART NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD. And no man after that durst ask him any question." (v. 34) And who was the "one God" that the Hebrews acknowledged and worshipped? "...we have one Father, even God." (John 8:41) What did the disciples of Christ believe about God? "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." (1 Cor. 8:6) "ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:6) And in the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi said this too: "Have we not all ONE FATHER? hath not ONE GOD created us?..." (Mal. 2:10) So what is the correct understanding of Deut. 6:4 according to this exchange between Christ and the scribe? That the "one God" is God the Father, not a Trinity. The Hebrews did not have a Trinity God. They had the knowledge of the true God! Ellen G. White wrote this: "The Hebrews were the only nation favored with a knowledge of the true God..." (5T 196) And what did Moses know about Christ? "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." (John 5:46) Jesus here basically said that He and Moses believed the same thing. So what did Jesus say in this chapter? Let me share with you something that startles a trinitarian... "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:26) "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5:43) What? Jesus said the Father gave Him life and He came in His Father's name! Now what kind of life did the Father give to His Son? Trinitarians claim that this was referring to His human life, but WAIT! Let's read the context, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (John 5:22-27) Does this sound like the human life? It's nowhere even in the context. It is eternal life that the Father gave to His Son. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4) "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5:11) The truth is what the Bible declares about God the Father and Jesus is His Son. This knowledge is LIFE ETERNAL. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee THE ONLY TRUE GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Who is the Comforter According to the Bible Who is the Comforter According to the Bible? John 14:16-28 tells us many times that the Comforter is Christ by His Spirit, but the moment Jesus says “another Comforter,” most become blind to the fact He is referring to Himself by His Spirit despite His clear words that follow. The Greek word for another is “allos,” which means another of the exact same kind and hence means another as the same kind as Christ. Jesus was present with His disciples in physical form but after His ascension He comes back in another form, that is, by His Spirit. Hence the “another” is His Spirit. Because Christ's Spirit can function independently of Himself, it is like His Spirit is “another.” And because it is His Spirit, it is “another” of the same kind. If the Comforter was someone different, then John would have used the word “heteros,” meaning another of a different kind. Easy to understand once you know. Most also fail to notice that Jesus often speaks of Himself in the third person as He has in this passage. See John 17:1-3 for one such example. Compare “heteros” with “allos” HELPS Word-studies © 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc. G2087 héteros – another (of a different kind). 2087 /héteros (“another but distinct in kind”) stands in contrast to 243 /állos (“another of the same kind”). 2087 /héteros (“another of a different quality”) emphasizes it is qualitatively different from its counterpart (comparison). [2087 (héteros) sometimes refers to “another” of a different class group or type (as in Plato; Oxy. papyri).] G243 állos (a primitive word) – another of the same kind; another of a similar type. In v. 16 Jesus says He will send “another” Comforter but leaves no doubt as to who He meant in v. 18. In unmistakable words Jesus says “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” This “other Comforter” is none other than Christ Himself in another form (Spirit form). He is not seen (physically) as He was when He was here on earth. He is removed from the eye of sense, but He is still with us in Spirit. The Comforter is referred to as the Spirit of truth in v. 17, which is Christ. Ten verses earlier Jesus says, “I am the truth” (v. 6) and by His Spirit, He is the “Spirit of truth.” In v. 17 we also see that the Comforter is someone whom the world cannot receive because it does not know Him. But Christ tells His disciples that they know the Comforter for He is dwelling with them. The only one with them is Christ! In verse 19 Christ says that in a while the world seeth me no more referring to His death and resurrection, so in v. 18 and 19 Christ is saying that though He is leaving, He will not leave them Comfortless and is going to come back to them. So the disciples knew it was Christ who was going to return to them as their Comforter, but did not understand how. So Judas, not Iscariot, asks Christ how is He going to manifest Himself to them as the Comforter and not unto the world? (v. 22) How did the disciples understand “another Comforter?” Did they understand that Christ was talking about someone else? No! This Judas understood perfectly that it was Christ who was coming back to them and not someone else. Notice that his question is not “WHO” but “HOW?” So he was not wondering “who” but “how” Christ was going to manifest Himself to them as their Comforter. The answer is: by His Spirit, which is something they did not yet understand. In John 16:7 Jesus says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” So how is it that the Comforter who was yet to be sent to them was dwelling with them in John 14? In John 7:39 we find “But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” If the Holy Spirit was another being as per the trinity doctrine, it would not be dependent on Christ returning to the Father and being glorified before it could be given. The Holy Spirit could not be given until Christ was glorified as this is how Christ returns as another, that is, by His Holy Spirit. John 14:23 above says “we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” That is, both the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. This is not a separate person of the Godhead who is being sent, it is the very life of God coming to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Who is more qualified to comfort us other than someone who has lived and suffered as one of us and knows what it is like to be tempted? How precious is it to have both the Father and Son? How many times did Jesus say that He will be our Comforter in John 14? [Parentheses are added] 1. John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth [Jesus is the truth and by His Spirit He is the Spirit of truth]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwelleth with you [Christ is the only one with them], and shall be in you [by His Spirit as the Comforter].” 2. John 14:18 “I [Jesus] will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” 3. John 14:20 “At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you [by His Spirit as the Comforter].” 4. John 14:21 “He that has my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [by His Spirit as the Comforter].” 5. John 14:22 “Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that you [Jesus] will manifest thyself unto us [as the Comforter], and not unto the world?” 6. John 14:23 “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we [Jesus and His Father] will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” 7. John 14:28 “You heard me say, I [Jesus] am going away and I am coming back to you [by His Spirit as the Comforter].” Note also that the Greek word “paraklētos” is used 5 times in Scripture and refers to Christ. It is used four times in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7 and is translated as “Comforter,” and it is used once in 1 John 2:1 where it is translated as “advocate.” 1 John 2:1 “if any man sin, we have an advocate [paraklētos] (Comforter) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” [Parentheses are added] Thus Jesus Christ is both our “Comforter” and “advocate.” The Comforter is not another being but Christ Himself by His Spirit. Who but Christ who has been tempted and suffered as us, and lived as one of us is more qualified to Comfort us? How blessed we are to have our Saviour in us as our Comforter! Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 路锡甫想作神圣议会的第三位成员 路锡甫想作神圣议会的第三位成员 （先祖与先知，第一章） 这道就是上帝的独生子基督，他与永生之父“原为一”──性质相同，品格相同，意志相同──惟有他能参与上帝的一切谋划和旨意。 天父借着他的儿子创造了天上一切的生灵。 ...但是，上帝所膏的圣子乃是 “上帝本体的真像，” 又是 “上帝荣耀所发的光辉，” “常用他权能的命令托住万有，” 并在万有之上执掌至尊的王权。 评语: 唯有基督能参与祂父亲的一切谋划和旨意。神圣议会只有两位成员----父和子。父借着祂儿子创造天上一切的生灵。所以基督在万有受造物之上执掌至尊王权，惟基督并不在父神上帝之上。 路锡甫渐渐地放纵他那自高自大的欲望。经上说：“你因美丽心中高傲，又因荣光败坏智慧。”“你心里曾说，……我要高举我的宝座在上帝众星以上；……我要与至上者同等。”（结28:17；赛14:13,14）虽然他所有的荣耀都是从上帝而来，这个大能的天使却认为是出于自己。他的地位虽然高过一切的天使，但他却不知足，并擅敢贪图创造主所独有的尊荣。他所追求的，不是使一切受造之物，以敬爱并效忠上帝为至上，乃是使他们事奉并服从他自己。这个高贵的天使贪图无穷之父所赋予他儿子的荣耀，并希冀基督所有的特权。 于是天庭的完全和睦被破坏了。那些主张应当以上帝的荣耀为至上的天使，看到路锡甫所怀以事奉自己来代替事奉创造主的心，不禁起了惶恐的感觉。众天使在天上的议会中恳切地规劝路锡甫。上帝的儿子向他说明创造主的伟大、良善和公正、以及他律法的神圣和永不改变的本质。天上的秩序原是上帝亲自建立的；所以路锡甫偏离这秩序，就是侮辱了他的创造主，并自取败亡。但是这出于无限怜爱的警告，反而引起了抗拒的心理。路锡甫放任自己妒忌基督的心，故越来越顽梗了。 这个高贵的天使居心抗拒上帝儿子的至尊权威，借以否定创造主的智慧和慈爱。这个才智仅次于基督而超于上帝众军之上的天使，竟倾其全力以求达到这个目的。但那甘愿将自由意志赐给一切受造之物的上帝，不忍见任何天使听从叛逆势力的诡辩而不加以提防。在大争战展开之前，上帝要向全天庭清楚地说明他的旨意，因为他的智慧和良善乃是他们一切喜乐的泉源。 宇宙的大君招集了天上的全军到他面前，为要当着他们宣布他儿子的真正地位，并说明他和一切受造之物的关系。上帝的儿子是与父同坐宝座的，所以自有永有，亘古常在者的荣耀乃是父子所共有的。千千万万的圣天使集合在宝座四围，聚成广大无数的会众，其中地位最高的天使，都以仆役的身份在上帝圣颜的光照之下欢喜快乐。于是上帝当着天上的会众声明，惟有他的独生子基督能完全参与他的谋划，惟有基督有权执行他大能的旨意。上帝的儿子曾在创造天上众军的事上成全了父的旨意，所以他们应当敬拜服从基督，象敬拜服从上帝一样。而且基督还要在创造地球和其上居民的事上施展他的权能。但在这一切事上，他并不会违反上帝的计划去追求自己的权柄或尊荣，却要高举上帝的荣耀，并执行他慈爱的旨意。 众天使欣然承认基督的至尊权威，并俯伏在他面前，向他倾露他们的挚爱和崇敬。路锡甫与他们一同跪拜，但他心里却在进行着一种奇特而剧烈的争战。真理、正义和忠信，正在与嫉妒的心理发生冲突。圣天使的影响似乎一时克制了他。当赞美的声音出自千万天使的口，以嘹亮的音调洋溢天庭时，他那邪恶的心意似乎被征服了，一种莫可言宣的爱感动了他整个的身心。他便和一班无罪的敬拜者，一同向父与子倾露爱心，但不久他又因自己的荣耀而满心骄傲。贪图高位的欲望死灰复燃，妒忌基督的心又发作起来了。路锡甫不感戴上帝所赐给他的尊荣，他不以之为上帝特别的恩赐，所以也不感激创造他的主。他却因自己的荣光和高位而骄傲，并希冀与上帝同等。路锡甫固然是天上众军所爱戴所尊敬的，众天使乐意执行他的命令，而且他赋有超过他们的智慧和荣耀，然而上帝的儿子既与父有相同的能力和权柄，自比他更高了。基督得以参与天父的谋略，而路锡甫却不能这样与上帝的旨意有分，这个大能的天使怀疑说：“基督凭什么居首位？他为什么比路锡甫享有更大的尊荣？" {怀着，«先祖与先知»，原文第34-36页} 评语: 宇宙中只有另一个生灵欲参与神圣父子的计划和旨意，那就是一位名叫路锡甫的高傲天使。就是他要神圣议会添加第三位成员! 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next The Truth of the Trinity [ trinitytruth.org ] 1-13 (total 42 parts) Is the Trinity Doctrine True or False? Trinitytruth.org Introduction The word trinity is derived from the Latin word trinitas, which came from the Platonic term trias meaning three. Thus it is philosophical in origin. The word trinity was introduced by Tertullian (160-225 AD) who was a pagan turned Catholic theologian and one of the early Church fathers who wrote in the early third century to define the teaching concerning the Godhead. His conclusion was that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were one substance, but not one in person. He also did not see the Son as being co-eternal with the Father. There are many unanswered questions about the trinity doctrine and the most obvious is where in the Bible is it explained? Scholars throughout history have acknowledged that it is not found in the Bible. Many will respond that the trinity doctrine is found in 1 John 5:7. But the italicized part of this verse that says, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” does not exist in the earliest manuscripts! The Origin of the Trinity Doctrine It was about a century after Tertullian when Arianism began causing so many disputes that Constantine convened the first ecumenical Council in Church history to settle them. Arius was an elder in the Alexandrian Church in the early fourth century that taught Christ truly is the begotten Son of God and why God is called His Father to state the obvious. A real Father and Son in other words. Opposing the teachings of Arius was Athanasius, a deacon also from Alexandria. His view was an early form of Trinitarianism where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are said to be all the same one god but distinct from each other making it impossible for them to be a real Father and Son. His view was a further but worsening change to what Tertullian believed with the Holy Spirit not yet claimed to be a literal being. That came later. Mainstream history states Arius taught Christ was created, but the Church burnt what Arius believed and some historians claim they altered records and falsely rumoured that he taught Christ was created in order to discredit him. The Catholic Church is known for creating false historical records to their interpretation of events to hide the real truth at times. Consider the following for instance. The view of Athanasius was highly influenced by Origen who was a Greek philosopher and theologian who reinterpreted Christian doctrine through the philosophy of Neoplatonism. His work was later condemned as unorthodox. Origen taught the doctrine of Purgatory, transubstantiation, transmigration and reincarnation of the soul, the Holy Spirit was a feminine force, Jesus was only a created being, there would be no physical resurrection, the creation account in Genesis is a fictitious story and is known to have publicly castrated himself based on Matthew 19. Arius on the other hand was a pupil of Lucian of Antioch. Lucian was responsible for the work that gave us what is known as the Textus Receptus which was completed by Erasmus, and is what gave us the trusted New Testament of the KJV Bible. These and other facts reveal that Athanasius was influenced by Greek philosophy and that Arius probably taught Biblical truth despite mainstream history. Some believe Constantine was the first Christian Roman Emperor, but he was actually a sun worshiper who was baptized on his deathbed. During his reign he had his eldest son and his wife murdered. His belief at best was a blend of paganism and Christianity for political purposes, and so he neither cared nor really understood this dispute, but was just eager to bring the controversy to a close and keep unity in his empire. When the bishops gathered at Nicea on May 20, 325 AD to resolve the crisis, very few shared Athanasius's view of Christ as most held a position midway between Athanasius and Arius. The religious debates lasted two months before the Council rejected the minority view of Arius, but having no alternative, Constantine approved the view of Athanasius, which was also a minority view. And so the Church was left supporting a belief held by only a minority of those attending. The Encyclopedia Britannica states: “Constantine himself presided, actively guiding the discussions, and personally proposed ... the crucial formula expressing the relation of Christ to God in the creed issued by the council ... Overawed by the emperor, the bishops, with two exceptions only, signed the creed, many of them much against their inclination.” — (1971 edition, Vol. 6, “Constantine,” p. 386) Horrific religious persecution followed the decision made by Constantine who was essentially a pagan Emperor who imposed an invented creed never preached by Jesus. Constantine exiled those who refused to accept the creed as well as the bishops who signed the creed but refused to join in condemnation of Arius. He also ordered all copies of the Thalia to be burned, which was the book in which Arius expressed his teachings. But several years later Constantine became lenient toward those he condemned and exiled at the council and allowed them to return. In AD 335, they brought accusations against Athanasius and so now Constantine had Athanasius banished! This was not about Biblical truth. As a pagan sun worshipper , Constantine also enforced the first Sunday law just four years earlier and hence played a major role in bringing two pagan traditions into the Church. It was four hundred years after the cross when they formulated this creed that never existed beforehand, and so the Apostles and the early Church could never have taught it either. See Encyclopedia Britannica and historical quotes . Many of the Bishops who formulated the doctrine of the Trinity were steeped in Greek and Platonic philosophy, which influenced their religious views. In fact the language they used in defining the trinity is taken directly from Platonic and Greek philosophy. The Platonic term trias, meaning three, was Latinized as trinitas, which gave us the English word trinity which is neither biblical nor Christian. As Bible scholars John McClintock and James Strong (wrote the famous Strong's Concordance) explain, “Towards the end of the 1st century, and during the 2nd, many learned men came over both from Judaism and paganism to Christianity. These brought with them into the Christian schools of theology their Platonic ideas and phraseology.” — (Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, 1891, Vol. 10, “Trinity,” p. 553) So the Trinity was not derived from scripture, but was conceived in philosophy. Greek philosophers were greatly influenced by Plato (427-347 BC) who was considered the greatest of all Greek philosophers. Plato was ingrained with Trinitarian thought and knew that all the ancient religions had triad deities, and so he desired to come up with a better definition to define God above all the deities of Greek mythology. Plato's definition of God was, (1) The “first God,” who was the Supreme Being in the universe; (2) the “second God,” whom Plato described as the “soul of the universe”; and (3) the “third God,” defined as the “spirit.” The Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria (15 BC-AD 50) who followed Greek philosophy was influenced by Plato's version and saw God as, (1) Father, who created all things (Philo named him “the Demiurge”), (2) Mother, who was Knowledge the Maker possessed and (3) the Beloved Son was the world. Supposedly the union of demiurge and knowledge produced man's world. This esoteric type of thinking is what led to the birth and development of the trinity. Notice how these quotes document a belief in a divine Trinity in many regions and religions of the ancient world and that the origin of the conception is entirely pagan. Egyptologist Arthur Weigall summed up the influence of ancient beliefs on the adoption of the trinity doctrine by the Catholic Church in this excerpt from his book Paganism in Our Christianity . And so the Council of Nicea did not end the controversy and the bishops went on teaching as they had before, and the Arian crisis continued for another sixty years. Athanasius was exiled no fewer than five times and it was very difficult to make his creed stick. The ongoing disputes were violent and bloody at times. Noted historian Will Durant writes, “Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years (342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome.” — (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 4: The Age of Faith, 1950, p. 8). So Christians fought and slaughtered one another over their differing views of God. So after Constantine's death in 337 AD, disputes continued. Constantine's son Constantius II favoured the Arians and set out to reverse the Nicene Creed. Constantius used his power to exile bishops adhering to the Nicene Creed and especially Athanasius who fled to Rome. The debates resulted in numerous councils. Among them the Council of Sardica in 343 AD, the Council of Sirmium in 358 AD and the double Council of Rimini and Seleucia in 359 AD, and no fewer than fourteen further creed formulas between 340 and 360 AD. After Constantius' death in 361 AD, his successor Julian, who was a devotee of Rome's pagan gods, declared that he would no longer favor one Church faction over another and allowed all exiled bishops to return, which resulted in further increasing dissension among Christians. Disputes eventually became over the nature of the Holy Spirit. So 44 years after Constantine's death in May 381 AD, Emperor Theodosius, baptized only a year earlier, convened the Council of Constantinople to resolve them. Theodosius favoured the Nicene Creed and so after his arrival in Constantinople he expelled the bishop Demophilus, and surrendered the Churches there to Gregory of Nazianzus who was the leader of a small Nicene community there and one of three men that became known as “the three Cappadocians.” These three men had an agenda at this council which was for the first time to push the idea of the Holy Spirit as a literal being. Gregory was recently appointed as archbishop of Constantinople, but due to illness, Nectarius, an elderly city senator had to take over the role of archbishop and presided over the council. And so Nectarius was baptized for the job and the Trinitarian view on the Holy Spirit was governed by someone with little or no knowledge of theology! What resulted became known as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed where they now decided that the Holy Spirit was a literal being. Any who disagreed were in accordance with the edicts of the emperor and Church authorities branded heretics and dealt with accordingly. This final teaching on the nature of God is what became the trinity as it is generally understood today. It was not decided so much from Scripture but from Greek philosophy, much bloodshed and whoever held the most power. See the pagan origins of the trinity doctrine for detailed information. So in short, when Babylon was conquered, most of the Babylonian Priests took their pagan teachings to Alexandria which resulted in the school of Alexandria. The Alexandrines incorporated Greek Pagan philosophical beliefs from Plato's teachings into Christianity (Neoplatonism), and interpreted much of the Bible allegorically. Lucian rejected this system entirely and propounded a system of literal interpretation that dominated the Eastern Church for a long period. Thus Origen taught the allegorical method of explanation of Scripture that Athanasius and the three Cappadocians learned from, which was influenced by Plato and strong pagan theological speculations, which gave us the trinity doctrine. “The Alexandria catechetical school, which revered Clement of Alexandria and Origen, the greatest theologian of the Greek Church, as its heads, applied the allegorical method to the explanation of Scripture. Its thought was influenced by Plato: its strong point was [pagan] theological speculations. Athanasius and the three Cappadocians [the men whose Trinitarian views were adopted by the Catholic Church at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople] had been included among its members.” — (Hubert Jedin, Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: an Historical Outline, 1960, p. 28) What is the Trinity Doctrine? The doctrine of the trinity as taught by most Churches states that there are three co-equal (equal in every respect), co-eternal (the same age), omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful) gods, who are not three gods, but one god. By the words of the Athanasian Creed it is, “the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three gods but one God.” The Athanasian Creed (Roman Catholic Creed) says that the one God is three divine personalities in one indivisible substance or essence. It is the one indivisible nature part which is a problem because it is maintained that this constitutes the one God being 1+1+1=One! That is, the Father is God, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three gods but one God, and that is the Trinity! You do not have to be very smart to realise that this makes no sense at all. Therefore, those teaching this doctrine tag it with the word mystery, stating that you will never be able to understand it so just accept it. They may also say, just because it is Catholic it does not mean it is wrong. So in one way or another Satan has tricked people into believing this falsehood without checking it out for themselves. There is in fact not one Scripture in the Bible that literally states the Holy Spirit is God, not one! And you will later discover that there is also not one valid Scripture that says all three are one. Some Churches differ on some points from orthodoxy, but regarding the basic premise being the one God is three gods in one, it is exactly the same as the Athanasian Creed. This is the creed upon which the Roman Catholic faith is built. We also find that the word “Trinity” originated from Tertullian around 200 AD who did not even state the immanent trinity as known today, the 3 in 1 god came from Athanasius in 325 AD, and the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being came from three Cappadocians in 381 AD. Hence the word “Trinity” and this doctrine cannot be found anywhere in the Scriptures. It was patched together by Catholic theologians hundreds of years after the death of the apostles and long after the completion of the Bible. Instead, Trinitarianism comes from the allegorical ideas of the Alexandrines and is a mixture of Greek and Roman philosophies that are loosely based on a handful of Bible verses snatched out of context or interpolated into the text. Thus the Trinity is a manmade doctrine that borrows heavily from paganism and Greek philosophy and was developed long after the Scriptures were completed. Therefore, this doctrine could never have come from Scripture anyway and has to be taught alongside the Bible. And so if you had never heard of it, you would never come up with it yourself from just reading the Bible alone. As a result, you will also find that eisegesis has to be used to convince others of this doctrine. It was after God confused the languages at Babel that the sun began to be worshipped in three stages as three gods. That is, the rising sun was god, the midday sun was god, the setting sun was god, and yet there were not three gods but one god! In other words, 1+1+1=One! This is the absolute origin of the three in one trinity doctrine. Knowing who we worship is the key to eternal life, so if God was truly a trinity, you can be sure there would be unmistakable Scriptures saying so, but there is none. Thus the Doctrine of the Trinity, or Tritheism is a heresy that proceeds from Romanism and tantamount to Sunday Worship. An Abomination before God. It is a doctrine that emanates straight from the dunghill of Roman decretals. It is philosophy, vain deceit and man's tradition. It denies Jesus, preaches another Jesus, another spirit and another Gospel. Colossians 2:8-10 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-14 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Peter 2:1-2 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” What does the Bible teach? There is no mystery with the Biblical view of the Godhead which reveals there is but one true God the Father who is a literal Father, one Lord Jesus Christ being His literal Son, and one Holy Spirit being the presence and power of God and not a separate being with a separate consciousness. As one Christian author wrote. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, not a son by creation as were the angels, nor a son by adoption as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's person that is equal in authority and divine perfection. Thus we have “God the Father,” (who is Christ's father) the “Son of God,” (who is God's Son) and the “Spirit of God,” which is His Spirit just as Scripture keeps telling us over and over again. The Bible does not say “god the son” or “god the spirit.” Below Paul lists seven distinct things showing that they are all separate and that one is not the other. Hence the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct entities of which one is not and cannot be the other. Parentheses are added. “There is one body, and one Spirit [Holy Spirit], even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord [Jesus Christ], one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 Implications of the Trinity Ever since the death of Jesus, our adversary has tried to pervert what Christ accomplished in His incarnation (meaning in our Saviour's life and death). And since Satan can do nothing about what Christ actually did achieve, he does the next best thing which is to promote the belief that the divine Son of God did not actually die at Calvary. I have heard Pastors preach that God sent Himself to die on the cross since the trinity teaches all three are the one god. But this leads to another problem because God cannot die. So it is claimed that Jesus had two natures, a divine nature and a human nature and only the human nature died. But to say that the divine Son of God could not die is as far from the teachings of the Bible as darkness is from light. So we would ask the Trinitarian to which of the two natures are we indebted to for redemption? The answer is the divine one who died and shed His blood for us. It should be obvious that if only the human nature died, our Redeemer was only human and the divine Son of God took no part in the work of redemption for He could neither suffer nor die. Satan also aims to pervert how much it cost God in sacrificing His Son. The Father supposedly never risked anything by giving up His Son, for they claim that Christ could not have possibly sinned. Therefore nothing was at stake. If only human nature suffered and died as the trinity doctrine teaches, then the divine Christ remained unscathed. And since God cannot die, Christ would never have been able to die under any circumstance. Yet Jesus said, “I am He that liveth, and was dead.” Revelation 1:18 Almost all Christians state that, “Jesus is the Son of God,” but there are different meanings attached to these words. The sad reality is that most professed Christians do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God if they subscribe to their denominational statements of belief. Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus is the Son of God, but when asked to explain, say that Jesus was the first angel that God created and was no different from Lucifer or the other angels. Roman Catholics say that Jesus is the Son of God, but when they are asked to explain say there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and yet there are not three gods but one God. Others claim Jesus is a co-eternal companion of God whom God declared to be His Son, even though He is not really His Son, while Unitarians claim Jesus did not exist before His incarnation. And yet others will tell you that Jesus became the Son of God when He was born in Bethlehem and was not the Son of God in any other sense. Every one of these explanations has the exact same serious problem which is not by chance. They all deny that Jesus is the literal Son of God in some way which is exactly what Satan wants. The trinity doctrine says there are: 3 beings who are co-eternal 3 beings who are all immortal 3 beings who are all powerful, all knowing etc. 3 beings who are worthy of worship and praise 3 beings each acting a different role So if all three members of the Godhead are co-eternal, then there was “never” a time that they did not exist, and they all must be the same infinite age. If this is true, then the titles which they possess merely reflect the roles taken to act out the plan of redemption. They cannot then be taken in a literal sense. For example, the Son of God then is not really God's Son, He is the member of the Godhead playing the role of the Son. Yet Scripture teaches us over and over again that God gave His Son, but the trinity doctrine tells us that Jesus was not really God's Son, He was the member of the Godhead playing the role of the Son. The Trinitarian typically claims that Jesus was referred to as God's Son because of His birth in Bethlehem. But the Bible states that Jesus was brought forth before all things were created. So if Jesus has “always” existed then it is impossible for Him to be the Son of God. And if Christ is not a literal Son, then God cannot be a literal Father either. And so the trinity doctrine destroys the personality of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And since this doctrine denies the Father and Son, which it also does by teaching the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are the same one God, then this is a denial of both the Father and the Son in more ways than one which 1 John 2:22-23 states is antichrist. Notice that John says nothing about denying the Holy Spirit. Thus more than 100 verses that state Jesus is the Son of God apparently do not really mean what they say at all. Do you know of any other doctrine that has to explain away so many clear Scriptures? If you accept the Trinity doctrine, then Jesus cannot be the Son of God. And if you do not accept Jesus as being the Son of God, then you cannot have eternal life! With these facts in mind, consider the following Scriptures very carefully and ask yourself does this affect your eternal life by denying who the Father and Son truly are. And considering the trinity doctrine is from Satan, it is not hard to see what his plan is if your eyes are wide open. “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 2:22-23 “And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 “He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36 “But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.” John 20:31 So most important of all is this doctrine can be a salvation issue which I would have never imagined until I studied this topic in depth and realized all the implications. And what about the Holy Spirit. If the trinity doctrine is wrong, then the Holy Spirit is really a creation of Satan rather than the Spirit of the Father and Son. And if this third being is a creation of Satan, who would we be giving our adoration to? Whose Spirit would we have? As the above verses state, knowing exactly who the Father and Son are is the key to eternal life. But understanding the identity of the Holy Spirit is also something you cannot afford to get wrong. One might ask why the Bible never tells us to “pray to” or “worship” the Holy Spirit if it is a third co-equal being as the trinity doctrine claims. We are told to pray “for” the Spirit, but never “to” the Spirit. Yet as the trinity doctrine takes a stronger hold on the Church, some are beginning to do just that contrary to the teachings of Scripture. And if you think that Satan is not leading Christians to pray to the Holy Spirit, then watch this 35 second YouTube video clip. Close the window to return to this page. Notice that he says “god the spirit” which is a Catholic Trinitarian phrase and hence is never found in the Bible which uses the phrase “Spirit of God” which has a totally different meaning. Who would be the four highest beings in Heaven before the fall of man (before sin) if the Holy Spirit was a third co-equal being as per the Trinity doctrine? It would be the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and Lucifer. Who is it that wants to be like the most High and be worshipped and prayed to as God? ( Isaiah 14:12-14 ) What if the Holy Spirit was not a third literal being. Who would then be the third highest being? Lucifer! So if the Holy Spirit is not a third literal being, a separate God, then who would be answering our prayers if we prayed to the “Spirit”? Who would be setting himself up as a third “God” worthy of praise and worship? Has Satan succeeded in accomplishing his goal of being included as a deity? If we now believe the Holy Spirit can be worshipped and prayed to just like the Father and the Son, who actually receives our worship? If the Holy Spirit is not a third being then whose spirit would we have according to our belief and who would we be giving our adoration to? For Adventists: Before sin — “Among the inhabitants of heaven, Satan, next to Christ, was at one time most honored of God, and highest in power and glory.” — (E.G. White, ST, July 23, 1902). The Spirit of Prophecy confirms that Satan did use to be the third highest being in Heaven. Not a third being called the Holy Spirit as the Trinity doctrine claims. Since the trinity doctrine claims Jesus is also the one God, an Adventist author from the 1800's wrote, “To believe that doctrine, when reading the scripture we must believe that God sent Himself into the world, died to reconcile the world to Himself, raised Himself from the dead, ascended to Himself in heaven, pleads before Himself in heaven to reconcile the world to Himself, and is the only mediator between man and Himself… We must believe also that in the garden God prayed to Himself, if it were possible, to let the cup pass from Himself, and a thousand other such absurdities.” — (J.N. Loughborough) Some of those other absurdities it teaches is that Jesus is the immortal God but died, is the invisible God but was seen, is the omnipotent God but was strengthened by an angel, is the omniscient God but did not know the day of his return, is as great as His Father but His Father is greater than He, is equal with the Father and yet He is the Father, is the Son but the same age as the Father, is the Son who has a Father and the God who has no Father, is the begotten Son and the unbegotten God, is very God and very man, came out from Himself, prayed to Himself, gave power to Himself, thanked Himself, bore witness of Himself, went back to Himself, sits at the right hand of Himself, is His own Father and His own Son, left Heaven and yet was there all the time. There are many things which are hard to understand in the Bible, but you can be sure that God never expects us to believe impossibilities. Over and over again you hear it said that the Gospel is so simple a child can understand it. And I agree. But how can that be the case with the teaching of the trinity? Not only do children not understand it, but our best theologians cannot even explain it. However, the thought that God sent His Son to this earth to die for you and me is easy to comprehend when we believe the simple Bible statement that Jesus is truly the Son of God! Not one of three mysterious beings making up “one God.” How can you possibly believe that Jesus is NOT the begotten Son of the eternal Father and then share John 3:16 with others in the hope of inviting them to take part in eternal salvation. Doesn't John 3:16 become a lie the moment you deny He is a Son? A metaphor did not send a metaphor to save us. A Father sent us His Son to save us. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 2 John 1:3 “Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” What is Satan’s Counterfeit for the Godhead? Satan is the great deceiver and his greatest tool is deception. So Satan has counterfeited all things of God to take people away from the truth and lead them into false worship thinking it is from God when it is from Satan. For example. God has true prophets while Satan has false prophets. ( 2 Peter 2:1 , Matthew 24:24 , 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ) God has true teachers while Satan has false teachers. Jesus is the light of the world and Satan appears as an angel of light. God has true apostles and Satan has false apostles. God gives the true gift of speaking in tongues which is known languages while Satan has false tongues that you do not understand and false interpretations that you have no way of verifying. God has a special day of rest and worship which is a sign that it is God we worship, and Satan instituted a counterfeit day that came from sun and Satan worship. And of course there is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. But what is Satan's counterfeit? The next page of this site reveals that the trinity doctrine also came from sun and Satan worship and the number 666! So which is the counterfeit? The view which acknowledges there is a real Father and Son just as the Bible literally tells us over a hundred times, or the three in one God they call a mystery which says they are not a real Father and Son and are just role playing which the Bible never even hints of. How many stop to think that Satan would create a doctrine that would destroy the personality of the Father and Son? And would that doctrine make sense or be nonsense coming from our adversary? God is not the author of confusion and mystery doctrines, Satan is. And not forgetting the implications of the Holy Spirit. If you get this wrong, you could inadvertently give your adoration to Satan, or even worse, your worship to Satan! This is the worst counterfeit of all that affects the true worship of God and His Son. Is the Trinity doctrine Antichrist? The four verses below are the only Scriptures in the entire Bible which use the word antichrist. Note that those who John called antichrist were part of his Church but apostatized and went out on their own (see green highlighted text) and hence were in the world in his lifetime (see blue highlighted text). Thus these people John called antichrist used to be with him as professed Christians but began teaching something that was wrong. So what error did they teach that caused John to call them antichrist? (see yellow highlighted text) The trinity doctrine claims it was the one God playing the role of the Son who died on the cross and hence denies the literal Son of God came in the flesh and died on the cross. Denying Jesus is the Son of God also means God cannot be a Father and so it denies both the Father and Son. Note carefully 1 John 2:22-23. 1 John 2:18-19 “it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” 1 John 2:22-23 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same has not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 4:3 “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 2 John 1:7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” At the Protestant Reformation the Papacy was first identified as the first beast of Revelation 13 and is synonymous with what John called antichrist. The Catholic Church responded with the Counter Reformation where they commissioned two Jesuits to manufacture false doctrine to take the focus off them being identified as antichrist. (See who is the antichrist and Futurism Bible Prophecy for detailed information) This is where the false idea of a one man antichrist originated which Scripture never teaches. Considering what John wrote on antichrist, it becomes obvious that the way the Papacy denies the Father and Son is by their creation of the doctrine of the trinity which has corrupted almost all of Christendom. Many believe their faith is well grounded in the doctrine of the trinity, yet this teaching is the foundational teaching of antichrist which makes it impossible to build on the true rock—Christ the Son of the living God. The Handbook for Today's Catholic, page 11 says, “The mystery of the trinity is the central doctrine of the Catholic faith.” The antichrist power has built on the premise that Jesus is not the literal Son of God, thus denying the Father and Son relationship. God's true Church will build on the foundation that Peter declared in Matthew 16:13-18 : “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God ... and upon this rock I will build my Church.” To believe the trinity teaching is actually to be walking in the footsteps of the antichrist power. And since the Trinity doctrine teaches 3 co-equal beings, then why did John fail to include denying the Holy Spirit if it were really a third co-equal being? The answer is simple. Because the Holy Spirit is not a third being but a third entity being their Holy Spirit. As John also said, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 For Adventists: What teaching is antichrist? “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. . . . He who denies the personality of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, is denying God and Christ.” — (E.G. White, RH, March 8, 1906, p. 9) And what doctrine denies the personality of God and His Son which is denying God and Christ? Her husband explains, “Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away [with] the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ,” — (James White, RH, Dec 11, 1855, p. 85) Only two beings alone as John taught, “The Father and the Son alone are to be exalted.” — (E.G. White, YI, July 7, 1898) Why is the Trinity a Salvation Issue? Those who have not studied the doctrine of the trinity never see it as a salvation issue because they do not understand exactly what it entails and the many implications. And so most typically have no idea that this is actually the biggest and worst deception of all that is also related to the mark of the beast and the Sabbath day . Remember that the trinity doctrine teaches a 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 god. That is, 3 gods that are co-equal, co-eternal that are not 3 gods but 1 god. 1+1+1=One. Three gods that have supposedly always existed and hence have no beginning. So how can Jesus be a literal Son if He has always existed alongside the Father? And how can the Father be a Father if Jesus is not really His Son? Hence the trinity doctrine and other similar beliefs like Unitarians deny that Jesus is the literal Son of God in one way or another. If you do not confess Jesus is the Son of God then you are separated from God. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:15. And again, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:5 And if you deny Jesus is the Son of God and that God gave His literal Son then you make God a liar and you do not have eternal life. “He that believeth on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believeth not God has made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life.” 1 John 5:10-12 “But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.” John 20:31 And so Scripture tells us that it is only by acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God that we can be saved and have access to the Father. And if you deny Jesus is the literal Son of God, then it is also impossible for God to be a literal Father. So it denies both the Father and the Son which is what John called antichrist as it opposes Christ being the true and literal Son of God. It denies that it was the literal Son of God that came in the flesh and died on the cross. The Bible reveals over and over again that they are a real Father and Son. But the trinity doctrine says no. Some today including Adventist Pastors when asked is Jesus the Son of God reply, No! They say He is just the one God playing the role of the Son. Yet nowhere is there even so much as a hint in Scripture that they are just role playing or are not really a Father and Son. God brought forth a Son whom He loves very much and Satan is working very hard to hide this fact. And if the Trinity doctrine is wrong, then the Holy Spirit is really a creation of Satan rather than the Spirit of the Father and Son. Does it matter if we give our adoration to a creation of Satan rather than the Spirit of the Father and Son? The answer is obvious. Scripture says Satan wants to be worshipped like the most high God. Has he succeeded in accomplishing his goal of being included as a deity? More and more today are praying and worshipping the Holy Spirit which the Bible never tells us to do. If the Holy Spirit is not a third being then whose spirit would we have according to our belief and who would we be giving our adoration to? And if we believe the Holy Spirit can be worshipped and prayed to just like the Father and the Son, who receives our worship? It goes to Satan! Do you think the Father and Son will mind? I would hope it requires no explanation. Revelation 13:17 states, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Did you notice that it is three things? It is not just the mark of the beast, but also the name and the number of his name which is 666. The pagan origins of the trinity reveals that 666 comes from the trinity doctrine and sun and Satan worship! The question was asked in the Catholic Catechism, “What is Sunday...” The answer was that Sunday “is a day dedicated by the Apostles to the honor of the most holy Trinity.” — (RH, vol. 5, no. 24, p. 86) An interesting statement considering “Sunday worship” and the “Trinity doctrine” both came from sun and Satan worship in Babylon, and they were both brought into Christendom by the Catholic Church whom God calls Babylon! They are also both about who we worship which Revelation 13 and 14 reveals is exactly what the mark of the beast issue is all about. So do we worship the one true God on His Holy day or the pagan Catholic 3 in 1 god? And what about the Seal of God. Which God do we need to be sealed by? The one true God the Father or the pagan Catholic 3 in 1 god. This would certainly explain why Revelation reveals so many will still be deceived and perish in the end. For Adventists: Considering “Sunday worship” and the “Trinity doctrine” were both brought into Christendom by the beast (Papacy), then consider the following. “The third angel's message has been sent forth to the world, warning men against receiving the mark of the beast or of his image in their foreheads or in their hands. To receive this mark means to come to the same decision as the beast has done, and to advocate the same ideas, in direct opposition to the word of God.” — (E.G. White, RH, July 13, 1897) E.G. White says there is still more to be revealed. “The light that we have upon the third angel's message is the true light. The mark of the beast is exactly what it has been proclaimed to be. Not all in regard to this matter is yet understood nor will it be understood until the unrolling of the scroll,” — (E.G. White, 6T 17.1, 1900) Christ was the Son of God before coming to earth. “Christ was the only begotten Son of God, and Lucifer, that glorious angel, got up a warfare over the matter, until he had to be thrust down to the earth.” — (E.G. White, Ms86, Aug 21, 1910) Satan hates the Son of God and wants us to deny Him and not just for his own gratification. Once you fully understand this topic you will have no trouble seeing that the trinity doctrine is the work of Satan through the Catholic Church for the purpose of stealing your salvation. Is it any wonder Satan has so many workers trying to keep Christians trapped in this satanic doctrine. It is not only the worst possible deception, but is also his greatest end time deception related to the mark of the beast. The following is primarily for Adventists but is also suitable for others with the truth on the Sabbath. Why do most churches believe in the Trinity doctrine? It is the same reason that most Churches worship on Sunday instead of the Seventh day Sabbath. Hundreds of denominations now know that the Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday just before the dark ages, which was a 1260 year period where the Papal Church ruled as Church and State and persecuted Christians they called heretics. This included Sabbath keepers who would rather obey God than man. With the arrival of the printing press in the 15th century and the resulting explosion of Bibles it became very apparent that the Catholic Church was a power identified in Scripture. “John Wycliffe, William Tyndale (translated the Bible - Tyndale Bible), Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, John Wesley, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.” — (Michael de Semlyen, All Roads Lead to Rome, Dorchestor House Publications, p. 205, 1991) This knowledge resulted in the Protestant Reformation as many realized the Catholic Church was the antichrist power. The true Sabbath was almost totally persecuted out of existence by this time and so all the new Churches that resulted from the Protestant Reformation continued keeping Sunday in ignorance and why it has such a stronghold today. But it was not just Sunday keeping that came out of the Protestant Reformation but also the Trinity doctrine. Constantine played a role in both in fact. He instituted the first Sunday law in 321 AD and the Trinity in 325 AD in the council of Nicea. Just four years apart and both from the same sun worshipping Emperor and both originated from sun worship. And hence both the Trinity doctrine and Sunday worship originated from sun and Satan worship in Babylon and were brought into Christendom by the Catholic Church whom God calls Babylon. Sun-day is Satan's counterfeit for the true Sabbath and the Trinity doctrine is Satan's counterfeit for the Godhead. “As fundamental errors, we might class with this counterfeit sabbath other errors which Protestants have brought away from the Catholic church, such as sprinkling for baptism, the trinity,” — (J.S. White, RH, September 12, 1854, p. 36) We find this question in the Catholic Catechism, “What is Sunday...” There answer is that Sunday “is a day dedicated by the Apostles to the honor of the most holy Trinity.” — (RH, vol. 5, no. 24, p. 86) Thus both these doctrines are closely related with the exact same origin. So when the Protestant Reformation began, all the new Protestant Churches continued with Sunday worship and the Trinity doctrine in ignorance, and very few have questioned either. As a result, most Churches now keep Sunday and believe in the Trinity doctrine, and anyone who tries to share either of these truths is looked upon as a heretic rather than a person who has studied and found the truth. The Adventist Church was the first mainstream Church to have the truth on both the Sabbath and the Trinity doctrine. But after all the early pioneers had died, a suspected Jesuit infiltrated the Church and slowly brought the Trinity doctrine in by searching for quotes from a so called prophet called Ellen White which could be easily misinterpreted unless you looked at what else she wrote. As a result, Adventists today think she became a Trinitarian because of her use of the phrases third person, heavenly trio and calling the Holy Spirit a person. But she was in fact referring to the Holy Spirit of Christ and not a third being. There is a growing count of over 550 Sabbath keeping denominations now but most are still trapped in Trinitarianism. Note the following two quotes from the Catholic Church who state that neither is based on the Bible. “Most Christians assume that Sunday is the biblically approved day of worship. The Catholic Church protests that it transferred Christian worship from the biblical Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday, and that to try to argue that the change was made in the Bible is both dishonest and a denial of Catholic authority. If Protestantism wants to base its teachings only on the Bible, it should worship on Saturday.” — (Rome's Challenge, immaculateheart.com/maryonline , Dec 2003) “Our opponents sometimes claim that no belief should be held dogmatically which is not explicitly stated in scripture ... But the Protestant Churches have themselves accepted such dogmas, as the Trinity, for which there is no such precise authority in the Gospels,” — (Assumption of Mary, Life magazine, Oct 30, 1950, p. 51) Did the Apostles believe in the Trinity? By now the answer to this question should be obvious but let's answer it anyway. The word “Trinity” originated from Tertullian who was a pagan turned Catholic theologian around 200 AD. This word can have no relationship with Scripture as it comes from the Platonic term “trias” which is philosophical in origin, and the Bible does not teach Greek philosophy. It is significant to note that Tertullian did not teach the Holy Spirit as a third being and he never taught the 3 in 1 god as the Trinity doctrine does today. So we know this doctrine developed in stages and could not have existed before 200 AD. It was about 225 years “after” the death of the Apostles that the Nicene Council (325 AD) under the pressure of Emperor Constantine ruled in favour of Athanasius. The proponents were Arius who believed the Father and Son were two distinct beings, and Athanasius who argued a 3 in 1 god. Most Arians dared not challenge Constantine by refusing to sign the creed but Arius did and was exiled. However, Constantine later changed his mind in favour of Arius and allowed him to return. But Arius was killed on the way which Scholars suspect Athanasius arranged. In any case, it was now Athanasius who was exiled. The chosen view changed back and forth for decades with the governing view being based on who was in power at the time and their preference. It was about 280 years “after” the death of the Apostles in 381 AD when the Holy Spirit was officially declared as a third being. The Trinity doctrine was now fully established as we know it today. The noted Trinitarian historian Adolph Harnack observed that up to 325 AD the majority of Christians insisted the Holy Spirit was not a third being. So neither the Apostles nor their associates who survived them, nor their descendants (the so called early Church Fathers) believed in the trinity. So the Trinity doctrine is a manmade doctrine from the Catholic Church which was formed in two parts. The first part was made up in 325 AD which states it is a 3 in 1 god. The second and final part was made up in 381 AD. This final part states that the Holy Spirit is a third being. Many people reject the 3 in 1 god part of this manmade doctrine but still accept the Holy Spirit part and yet both parts were made up by the Papacy. If you are going to be silly enough to believe in their manmade doctrine, then you either accept both parts or reject both parts. How can you be half Trinitarian and half non-Trinitarian? The battle over the different views went on for decades according to the politics of the Empire with more than a dozen councils held to try and solve the disputes. Whenever the Arians were dominant, they persecuted the Trinitarians, and when the Trinitarians were dominant, they persecuted the Arians. Blood literally flowed in the streets. By the 8th century, Arianism was almost eradicated. The Trinitarians proved to be more efficient in killing the Arians than the Arians in killing them. Had the Arians been more successful in killing, then the Trinity doctrine would probably not exist today. The final outcome was not the result of rational debate and pious scholarship, but power, politics and the shedding of blood. So did the Apostles believe in the Trinity? How could they have. It is impossible for the Apostles to have believed or written about this manmade doctrine that did not exist for more than three lifetimes “after” their death. So if you think that Scripture shows a 3 in 1 god and the Holy Spirit to be another being, think again. It is just a wrong idea you have been indoctrinated with as the Apostles could never have written about something that did not even exist in their time. You will soon see the real truth on the Holy Spirit and the deceptions exposed. The truth is much better than the lie. How Many Beings in the Godhead? There can be no doubt that there are three entities in the Godhead, but since Scripture reveals the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and Son, how many literal beings are there? Remember that the trinity doctrine teaches three “co-equal” beings that are supposedly three gods that are one god which does not make sense I know, but nothing from Satan does. In the following verse we find every possible being is mentioned to clarify that only the Father knows the day and the hour. If the Holy Spirit was a third being it would have also been mentioned which would be more relevant than the angels! “But of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:32 How many beings is our fellowship with? “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 — Answer:2 How many beings does one deny to be called antichrist? Why is the Holy Spirit excluded? “He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 2:22-23 — Answer:2 How many beings were being denied by ungodly men and is this consistent with what John said above? “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4 — Answer:2 How many beings does John say we need to know to have eternal life? “And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 — Answer:2 How many beings can see the Father including Himself? “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [Jesus] who is from God; He has seen the Father.” John 6:46 — Answer:2 How many beings can reveal the Father and Son? “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22 — Answer:2 How many beings can be hated? “He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.” John 15:23-24 — Answer:2 How many beings are involved in our mediation? The trinity doctrine makes the Holy Spirit a mediator but Scripture says no! “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5 — Answer:2 How many beings are on and by the throne all throughout Revelation? “And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Revelation 7:10 — Answer:2 How many beings are in Heaven? “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Acts 7:56 — Answer:2 How many beings are we heirs with? “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17 — Answer:2 How many divine beings bear witness of Christ? “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” John 8:18 — Answer:2 How many divine beings do we believe in? “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.” John 14:1— Answer:2 How many beings are involved in creation? “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Ephesians 3:9 — Answer:2 How many divine beings are in the kingdom of heaven? “For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:5 — Answer:2 How many beings do we honour? “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which has sent him.” John 5:23 — Answer:2 How many beings do we serve? “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” James 1:1 — Answer:2 How many beings does Paul send greetings from in every letter he wrote? Peter has done the same. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 1:3, 2 Peter 1:2 — Answer:2 And finally, how many beings are in the Godhead? “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.” 1 Corinthians 8:6 — Answer:2 The following two verses are used by Trinitarians to try and prove that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God. But how many beings are described in both verses? Two! According to the trinity teaching, the first verse should have said, “he who has seen me has seen the Father and the Holy Spirit.” And the second should have said, “I and my Father and the Holy Spirit are one.” But no, there are always only two beings revealed all throughout Scripture. How many beings? “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has seen the Father; and how sayest you then, Show us the Father?” John 14:9 — Answer:2 How many beings? “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30 — Answer:2 For Adventists: How many beings are to be exalted? “The Father and the Son alone are to be exalted.” — (E.G. White, YI, July 7, 1898) — Answer:2 How many beings know what the souls of men have cost? “God and Christ alone know what the souls of men have cost.” — (E.G. White, ST, Jan 13, 1909) — Answer:2 How many beings in the Counsels of God? “Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, and in purpose,—the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” — (E.G. White, GC, 493.1) — Answer:2 How many beings involved in the work of creation? “The Father and the Son rested after Their work of Creation.” — (E.G. White, MS 25, p. 3, 1898) — Answer:2 The answer is two every time and yet according to the trinity doctrine it should have been three “co-equal beings” and yet the Holy Spirit is excluded every time. And if the Holy Spirit was a god, then it would have been called “god the spirit,” not the “Spirit of God.” Scripture speaks only of honoring and worshiping the Father and Son. Nowhere does it even hint that we are to worship the Holy Spirit. All these verses and more reveal the Holy Spirit is not a literal being. In fact some of these Scriptures prove that it is an impossibility for the Holy Spirit to be a literal third being which is a belief that originated and was enforced by death by Emperor Theodosius 348 years after the cross. Hence the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being could never have come from Scripture as this was a manmade idea more than 250 years “after” the Bible was written. So while there are three entities, there are only two literal beings. The Holy Spirit is the mind, power and personal presence of God. Names for the Godhead compared There are many names and phrases associated with the trinity doctrine but none are Biblical and hence none of them exist in Scripture. Below are phrases found in Scripture for the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit compared to Trinitarian phrases. The Trinitarian will argue that while the word Trinity is not in the Bible, the doctrine is. But you will soon find that there is nothing but straw man arguments, and that this doctrine is just as absent as any of these manmade Trinitarian words. One God or Three? For more than 3,000 years, Jews have repeated Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” This sacred passage is called the Shema (pronounced shaw-mah and is named after the Hebrew for its first word) and has been held in high esteem and memorized by devout Jews for centuries. Trinitarians who believe there are 3 gods say, if the Bible says there is only one God then all three must be one, and yet others say if there is only one God, then how can God be composed of three beings? If Christians could only accept the simple words of Scripture instead of reading into it and trying to make Scripture say something it does not say. When Moses said, “The Lord our God is one,” Israel was surrounded by polytheistic nations that worshiped many gods. In Deuteronomy chapter 6, Moses exhorts Israel to hear God and to keep His Commandments. And what Commandment was the most broken in Old Testament times? Idolatry! Polytheism is seen rampant all through the Old Testament and hence God constantly rebuking Israel for idolatry. They worshipped many false Gods including the sun and the moon as male and female deities. As a result, every devout Jew recites the Shema twice every day, and still do to this very day to keep up the great ancient national protest against the polytheisms and pantheisms of the heathen world. It is the great utterance of the national faith in One Jehovah! What many fail to recognise is that to the Jews, there is only one God, and the Spirit of God is just that, not a separate being or god. The Jews were God's chosen people and God raised the Jewish nation as non-Trinitarian which has never changed. Trinitarians often try and use the language of the Jews to prove the Trinity doctrine and yet the people that this language belongs to were never Trinitarians! The Scriptures below reveal there is but one God. “Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” Malachi 2:10 In the passage of Mark 12:28-34, “one of the scribes came” to Jesus and “asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?” (v. 28) “Jesus answered, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart...” (v. 29, 30) Note Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4. “The scribe said unto him, Well, Master, you have said the truth: for THERE IS ONE GOD; and there is none other but he:” (v. 32) How did Jesus respond to the Scribe? Did He tell Him that he was wrong? To the contrary, “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly (wisely), he said unto him, You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (v. 34) “Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” Romans 3:30 “You believest that there is one God; you doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19. These devils are fallen angels who knew God and His Son. So they know “there is one God” and they know that Jesus is the “Son of God,” and not the one true God. “they cried out, saying, What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God?” Matthew 8:29 “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.” 1 Timothy 1:17 Note: The following Scriptures also state that there is one God. But does the Bible include Jesus as the one God as the trinity doctrine claims, or is there one God “and” also one Lord Jesus Christ meaning they are two separate beings? “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord [Jesus], one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5 “And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4 “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.” 1 Corinthians 8:6 So Paul, John and Jude state that the Father is the only true God while excluding Jesus Christ revealing that He is not the Father and separate from the one true God the Father. So the only contradiction would be a belief in the trinity. Since the Trinity doctrine teaches a three in one God, then Trinitarians use the corresponding phrases “God the Father,” “God the Son” and “God the Spirit.” They call all three gods. But since the Bible says there is only one God, then Trinitarians have to say that all three are one God. If this were true, then indeed the Bible would use these phrases and call them all God. So is it true? Does the Bible say this? No! If there really were three God's then the Bible would use these phrases. But it doesn't because there isn't. The Bible means what it says and says what it means! It says there is only one God being “God the Father” and so the Father is the only one called God. The phrases “God the Son” and “God the Spirit” do not exist anywhere in Scripture, not even once! These phrases originated from the Catholic Church and were made up to match the doctrine they created. The Bible uses the phrase “Son of God” because that is who He is. And it uses “Spirit of God” or “Spirit of the Father” as that is what it is. So why are Trinitarians using made up phrases that have an entirely different meaning and hence are not found in the Bible? If you are using the Catholic phrases “God the Son” or “God the Spirit,” that never originated from Scripture, then you are following the Papal Church and antichrist, not the inspired words of God. For Adventists: “The divine nature in the person of Christ was not transformed in human nature and the human nature of the Son of man was not changed into the divine nature, but they were mysteriously blended in the Saviour of men. He was not the Father but in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” — (E.G. White, Lt8a, July 7, 1890) “The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty, yet Christ and the Father are one.” — (E.G. White, Ms140, 1903) “The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purpose, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are one.” — (E.G. White, 8T 269.4, 1904) Since the Trinity is not found in the Bible as many scholars and theologians admit, then those teaching it have to use the following steps to try and prove that it does. Firstly, it is said that the Bible says the Father is God, (True) and that Jesus is called God by His Father, (True) and that the Bible says the Holy Spirit is God, (Not True). More on this later. Secondly, it is then said that since all three are called God, (Not True) and Deuteronomy 6:4 says there is one God, “therefore” all three must be one! You will note that this is not a “Thus saith the Lord” and is the type of assumption that allows you to make Scripture say anything you desire. This is called red fire engine logic. That is, fire engines are red, my car is red, therefore my car is a fire engine! To assume something as important as who the Father and Son are like this that Scripture does not actually say is foolishness. If God wanted us to believe He was a Trinity, He would tell us in clear plain words. There is no Scripture that specifically states the Holy Spirit is God so once again this is erroneously assumed. And thirdly, while the one true God calls His Son God, Paul, John and Jude in the Scriptures given above unmistakably exclude Christ from being the one God. So we are back to there being just the one true God the Father just as Deuteronomy 6:4 states, and just as the Jewish nation believed when they wrote these words, and as they still believe today. True Christianity originated from Judaism, not Catholic paganism. You cannot argue the doctrine of the Trinity from the words of the Jews who wrote them when they never believed in it. Most of the Bible was written by the Jews who never believed or taught the Trinity doctrine and still do not today. And Jesus of course was a Jew as were His disciples. How do you teach the Trinity doctrine from the Bible when it is a non-Trinitarian book? The apostle John for instance could never have been teaching the Comforter and Spirit of truth is another being as the Jews have never taught or believed that ever. So the Bible had non-Trinitarian authors. Christians have been indoctrinated with many nice sounding erroneous ideas to make them think the doctrine is in the Bible when in fact it cannot be. We also know the Bible is a non-Trinitarian book as the word Trinity did not exist until about 200 A.D. at which point the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being and the 3 in 1 still did not exist. The fully developed trinity doctrine did not exist until 381 A.D. So it is impossible for any of the Bible authors to have written about something that did not exist in their lifetime. In a discussion between Summerbell and Flood on Trinity, p. 38, in regards to the trinity he says, “it is certain that the Jewish church held to no such doctrine. Says Mr. Summerbell, “A friend of mine who was present in a New York synagogue, asked the Rabbi for an explanation of the word 'Elohim'. A Trinitarian clergyman who stood by, replied, 'Why, that has reference to the three persons in the Trinity,' when a Jew stepped forward and said he must not mention that word again, or they would have to compel him to leave the house; for it was not permitted to mention the name of any strange god in the synagogue.” Strange god indeed. I worship the one true God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Not some 1 in 3 god that came from sun and Satan worship! “And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 Does Elohim prove a Trinity? Some claim that because the word most often used for God in the Hebrew Bible is Elohim (plural for El), then the one true God must be a trinity. But this is just another deception or ignorance. The fact is that the word Elohim is used for the true God, false gods, supernatural spirits (angels) and even human leaders such as kings and judges. Thus the word Elohim can and is used to refer to a single person, and when it does, linguists call it a “plural intensive” or “plural of majesty” which denotes greatness. The Hebrew people pluralized nouns when they desired to express greatness or majesty as they did with God. So when Elohim is used of the one true God, it is called a “plural of majesty” which denotes the greatness of God, not number. This was “only” done by the Hebrew people so in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Septuagint, which Jesus and the apostles quoted) where Elohim refers to the true God, the word Theos is used which is not plural but singular. The same applies to the New Testament where Theos is the Greek equivalent to Elohim and once again it is not plural but singular. For example. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4 in Mark 12:29 . The word Theos for God in this verse is singular, not plural. If Elohim was really a plurality of the one true God, then the New Testament writers would have used the plural of Theos also when referring to God. Instead they used the singular form every single time. And yet the plural form is used eight times in the New Testament referring to men or false gods. (John 10:34-35; Acts 7:40, 14:11, 19:26; 1 Corinthians 8:5; Galatians 4:8). I trust that no one will say that God is a trinity in the Hebrew language while being one God in the Greek language. Note the examples below. The Hebrew morphology codes [ncmpa] used with Elohim below are Noun Common, Masculine, Plural and Absolute, while the Greek morphology codes [N-NSM] used with Theos are Noun, Nominative, Singular and Masculine. Every occurrence of the word Theos for God is always singular in the Greek Old and New Testaments. Genesis 1:1 Hebrew — “In the beginning, God [ אלהים ĕlôhîym 430 [ncmpa] p=Plural] created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 Greek — “In the beginning, God [ θεος theos 2316 [N-NSM] s=Singular] made the heavens and the earth.” And what about Moses, was he a trinity to Pharaoh? Obviously not. “And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made you a god [Elohim] to Pharaoh.” Exodus 7:1. Here Elohim refers to one person and so it is a “Plural of Majesty” and therefore denotes greatness. So this verse simply means that God would make Moses appear great in the eyes of Pharaoh. For example. “And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.” Exodus 11:3. The word Elohim in the KJV Bible has also been translated to the words “great” and “mighty” due to its meaning. Below are some dictionary definitions from scholars concerning the usage of Elohim as a “plural intensive,” or as many prefer, “plural of majesty” (a pluralis excellentice) or “plentitude of might.” “Elohim is a plural form which is often used in Hebrew to denote plentitude of might.” — (Hertz, The Pentateuch & Haftorahs) “The form of the word, Elohim, is plural. The Hebrews pluralized nouns to express greatness or majesty.” — (Flanders, Cresson; Introduction to the Bible) “The Hebrew noun Elohim is plural but the verb is singular, a normal usage in the OT when reference is to the one true God. This use of the plural expresses intensification rather than number and has been called the plural of majesty, or of potentiality.” — (New International Version Study Bible, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985, p. 6) “This word [elohim], which is generally viewed as the plural of eloah [Strong's #433], is found far more frequently in Scripture than either el or eloah for the true God. The plural ending is usually described as a plural of majesty and not intended as a true plural when used of God. This is seen in the fact that the noun elohim is consistently used with singular verb forms and with adjectives and pronouns in the singular.” — (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Vol. 1, 1980, p. 44) “The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it referred to the trinity of persons in the Godhead hardly finds now a supporter among scholars. It is either what grammarians call the plural of majesty, or it denotes the fullness of divine strength, the sum of the powers displayed by God. Jehovah denotes specifically the one true God, whose people the Jews were, and who made them the guardians of his truth.” — (Smith's Bible Dictionary) So why does the fanciful idea that Elohim refers to a trinity hardly find a supporter among scholars now? Because the truth is impossible to avoid and you would only end up looking very foolish and deceived if you use this to try and prove a lie. Below is the Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions for the word Elohim. When Elohim refers to one that is great, it is called plural intensive which is the singular meaning. But when the noun is actually plural, it translates to plural such as gods. And when the noun is actually singular, it translates to plural intensive - singular meaning such as God who is one but is also great. This is called “plural intensive” which is also called a “plural of majesty.” Highlighting is added. BDB Definition: 1) (plural) 1a) rulers, judges 1b) divine ones 1c) angels 1d) gods 2) (plural intensive - singular meaning) 2a) god, goddess 2b) godlike one 2c) works or special possessions of God 2d) the (true) God 2e) God So when you hear the argument that Elohim means God must be a trinity, then understand that there is either deliberate deception or total ignorance and such a person cannot be trusted. Sadly, Adventist Pastor Doug Batchelor used this argument to try and prove the Trinity doctrine. Watch this short video for the truth on the meaning of Elohim . As for Genesis 1:26, the pronouns are plural in the Hebrew text so it is translated, “God said, let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.” Trinitarians claim that since Elohim is plural, and the pronouns are plural, God must be more than one. But Elohim refers to the one true God which only leaves the question of who is “us” in this verse. Scripture does not leave us guessing. Ephesians 3:9 says, “God, ... created all things by Jesus Christ:” God in this verse is obviously someone other than Jesus Christ, and Hebrews 1:2 and John 1:3 says God created all things by His Son. So who is speaking in Genesis 1:26 and who is He speaking to? God the Father said to His Son, “let US make man in OUR image.” Christ is “the express image” of the Father, so anyone created in the Father's image is also created in His Son's image. For Adventists: “The Father and the Son engaged in the mighty, wondrous work they had contemplated, of creating the world. ... And now God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image. [Genesis 1:26 quoted]” — (E.G. White, 1SP, 24.1,2). Please watch this 12 second YouTube video clip and see who the President of the SDA Church says did the creating and ask yourself has the Church become deceived on the Godhead. Close the window to return to this page. Note that President Ted Wilson also confirms that the Adventist Church teaches the three in one god just as the Catholic Church does. Does John 1:1 say Jesus is God? John 1:1 says, “(a) In the beginning was the Word, (b) and the Word was with [the] God, (c) and the Word was God.” That this Divine Word is none other than Jesus Christ is shown by verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:1a says the Word was in the beginning, but the beginning of what? It has to be the beginning of something. Was it the beginning of this world? Was it the beginning of the creation of the angels? Whichever beginning you place it at, it has to be the beginning of something. Many Trinitarians use this to say that Christ has always been, and had no beginning. But that is not what the verse says. God had no beginning! Also the Word with has to mean something. The Word was “with” God. They cannot be the same being, or one could not be with the other. As John 1:2 NIV says, “He [Jesus] was with God in the beginning.” The proper rendering of John 1:1 into English from the original Koine Greek text continues to be a source of vigorous debate among Bible translators, and especially the phrase the Word was God (c). The first verse of John's Gospel says that God's Son Christ Jesus, being referred to as the Word here, was with God in the beginning, (a+b). John 1:1b does not say that the Messiah is God but was with “the” God. It is important to note that the word “the” exists in the Greek text and was left out by translators as they probably thought it read wrong, but it is correct and has purpose. Here is the original Greek text for (1b). και and 2532 CONJ ο the 3588 T-NSM λογος Word 3056 N-NSM ην was 2258 V-IXI-3S προς with 4314 PREP τον the 3588 T-ASM θεον God 2316 N-ASM The phrase “the God” identifies the one true God the Father in this verse and so the word “the” is important. While Jesus is called God in this verse, there is a clear distinction between Him and “the” God whom He was with. The God whom Jesus was with is “the” God the Father. Jesus was not the same God He was with but rather Jesus was God in the sense of being divine just like His Father, as being the Son, He inherits the characteristics of His Father. The Father is God and so His Son is God by nature just as any human by inheritance possesses the very nature and form of humanity. One can better understand John 1:1 by using the same grammatical structure but with different subjects such as Adam and Eve for example. “In the beginning was the woman, and the woman was with [the] human, and the woman was human.” Adam is “the human” and the woman is Eve, but Eve is also human by nature but Eve is not “the human” in identity. They are two separate persons. Look at this again with this perspective in mind. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the Deity, and the Word was Deity.” The Word, the Son was with the supreme Deity the Father, and the Word was Deity in nature. But the Son was not “the” Deity, the Son was not “the” Father, yet the Son has the Father's divine nature by inheritance. The Word has the same God quality, the same divine nature and the same God-ness as His Father. Thus Jesus was with God in the beginning, but He is not “the” God the Father but God by inheritance and nature being the Son. He is God because He is the Son of God. It is that simple. In Hebrews 1:1-9 we note that the speaker is God the Father and that He is addressing His Son and calling Him God. Verse 2 says that Christ was “appointed heir” of all things. An heir of course is someone who receives an inheritance from someone. In this case Christ the Son received an inheritance from His Father. But what did He receive? His name, His authority and His power! In other words, Jesus being the one and only begotten Son of the living God received by virtue of His birth all of the attributes that His Father possessed. Verse 4 says, “Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Verse 8 says that this more excellent name is the name “God,” which was given by the Father to His Son. “Unto the Son He [God] saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.” And so this name “He has by inheritance.” It is not a name that was bestowed but a name that was inherited from His Father. So Christ not only inherited His name but other things as well. Name means authority ( Mark 11:9 , John 5:43 ), and it also means character and nature ( Exodus 33:18-19 , Exodus 34:5-6 ). The name Adam means human for example. When people have children, they not only inherit the name of their parents but they also inherit the nature of the parents, which of course is human nature. In like manner, Jesus inherited the same name as His Father, just as a child inherits the name of the parents, and He also inherits the nature of His Father, which is His divine nature. Christ also inherits His Father's life. “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26 . And if Jesus had always existed alongside the Father as the Trinity doctrine claims, then God could not have given life to His Son as He would have always had life. But Scripture reveals this is impossible. So Christ inherited not only the name of His Father, and the nature of His Father but also the very life of the Father. In other words, Christ inherited the very same attributes and nature as His Father. That is why Christ has a more excellent name than the angels. He has the divine nature of the Father as He comes from the Father and so is equal and fully divine as the Father. Some seem to favour a belief in Trinitarianism because they feel Jesus should be exactly the same as His Father in every single way in order for Him to be called God. But do your offspring have to be exactly the same as you in age and authority etc. to be 100% human? I would hate to think that for my son to be fully human that he had to be like me in every way. Let's cover one more time why Jesus is called God by simple points since this is such a huge stumbling block for many. Are you human by nature? — Yes. Are your children human by nature? — Yes. Do your children inherit your human nature? — Yes. Do your children inherit their father's name? — Yes. Is the Father God by nature? — Yes. Is His Son God by nature? — Yes. Did Jesus inherit His Father's name? — Yes. Did Jesus inherit His Fathers God nature? — Yes Why would we expect anything else? Jesus inherited His Father's name and God nature because He is God's Son! The same applies to people. So basically, there is “one” God. Jesus is “not” the God, He is the Son of God. He carries the “name” of God by virtue of His “inheritance.” And because He is the Son of God, He is “equal” with God. For Adventists: Ellen G. White endorsed the following. Sentences have been placed on separate lines for easier reading. “This name was not given to Christ in consequence of some great achievement, but it is His by right of inheritance. Speaking of the power and greatness of Christ, the writer to the Hebrews says that He is made so much better than the angels, because “He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Heb. 1:4. A son always rightfully takes the name of the father; and Christ, as “the only begotten Son of God,” has rightfully the same name. A son, also, is, to a greater or less degree, a reproduction of the father; he has, to some extent, the features and personal characteristics of his father; not perfectly, because there is no perfect reproduction among mankind.But there is no imperfection in God, or in any of His works; and so Christ is the “express image” of the Father's person. Heb. 1:3. As the Son of the self-existent God, he has by nature all the attributes of Deity. It is true that there are many sons of God; but Christ is the “only begotten Son of God,” and therefore the Son of God in a sense in which no other being ever was, or ever can be. The angels are sons of God, as was Adam (Job 38:7; Luke 3:38), by creation; Christians are the sons of God by adoption (Rom. 8:14,15); but Christ is the Son of God by birth. The writer to the Hebrews further shows that the position of the Son of God is not one to which Christ has been elevated, but that it is one which He has by right.” — (E.J. Waggoner, CAHR, p. 11-12) Is Jesus God? The word God is used in two different ways in Scripture. Firstly, the word “God” is used to refer to the Supreme Being of the universe who is the ultimate source of all things. Every time the Bible refers to the one true God, it is referring to this supreme being who is the one that was before all else and from whom all life ultimately came. In this sense no one else is God. But the word God is also used to refer to someone who possesses the attributes of divinity, or the characteristics of God. Many times the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the begotten Son of the one true God the Father, and being the Son, He possesses the same attributes and characteristics as His Father. It is an obvious fact that every son inherits the nature of his father. And since Christ came out of the Father, He is of the very substance of His Father and hence has the same God nature of His Father as He possesses by birth all the attributes and characteristics of His Father. In fact, Hebrews 1:3 says He is the “express image of His person.” A son also and always rightfully takes the name of the father and so Christ as the only begotten Son of God has rightfully the same name. Note that Hebrews 1:1-9 says that Jesus is an heir who has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels and that name is God! So Jesus inherited His Father's name, character and divine nature in the same way a human son inherits the human nature and name of his parents. So Jesus is God because He is the Son of God. But He is not and cannot be “God the Father.” He is the “Son of God” just as the Bible so plainly states more than one hundred times. He is God's literal Son. To say that Jesus is God the Father is to say that the “Son is the Father” which means the Son is not really a Son and the Father is not really a Father. Or to put it another way, to say that Jesus is the Father because He has the same God nature as His Father is no different to saying that since my Father is Human and I am Human, therefore I must be my father! This is not good logic or theology and suddenly hundreds of Scriptures supposedly would no longer mean what they say at all. The truth is that Scripture means what it says and says what it means. God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. The Bible never calls Jesus “God the Son” as Trinitarians do and with very good reason. It is always the “Son of God” because that is who He is. Satan's plan is for us to deny the Father and Son as this is what John called antichrist. 1 John 2:22-23 . He does not care if our belief is Trinitarian, Unitarian or other. As long as it denies Jesus is the literal Son of God which also denies God is a Father. Confessing Jesus is the Son of God is our only means to the Father and to deny this has eternal consequences. In conclusion, Jesus is not “a” God or “the” God but God only by nature through inheritance being the Son. Jesus is a divine being but He is not the supreme being. The Father is the supreme being and the source of all things and the life of the Father flows through the Son and out to all. Jesus is the channel through which all things come and why the Father has given all things into His hands. Only the Father is described as the one “of whom are all things.” He is the great Source of all. Jesus is not another source “of whom are all things.” That would make Him another God. Rather Jesus is described as the one “by whom are all things.” The Father has given Christ authority to rule over all things but this does not include the Father Himself. The Father is greater in authority and always will be. God the Father is the source of all things including His Son. Thus all things proceed from the Father; including Christ Himself, but it has pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell (Colossians 1:19). So when we say “Jesus is God,” we have to be careful to state exactly what we mean. Christ is a divine being, but not the supreme being. When we speak of the Supreme Being there is only one such person and it is not Jesus. So there is but “one” God. Jesus is “not” God, He is the Son of God. He carries the “name” of God by virtue of His “inheritance.” And because He is the Son of God, He is “equal” with God. “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.” 1 Corinthians 8:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:6 For Adventists: “God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son.” — (E.G. White, 8T 268.3) “Only one being in the universe besides the Father bears the name of God, and that is His Son, Jesus Christ.” — (J.E. White, Coming King, p. 33) “He [Christ] was not the Father but in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” — (E.G. White, Lt8a, July 7, 1890) “The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty, yet Christ and the Father are one.” — (E.G. White, Ms140, 1903) “The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purpose, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are one.” — (E.G. White, 8T 269.4, 1904) The Bible physically separates the Father and the Son repeatedly. While Christ was on earth, He referred to, “My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32. He always directed His prayers heavenward to the Father and stated that the Father had His own individual will, “Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22:42. “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Luke 23:46. Then after He died and rose again, He ascended to “the right hand of God.” Romans 8:34. Only God knows the hour of His son's return. “But of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:32. John frequently addresses the Father and Son as separate entities. “Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3. As did Paul, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” 1 Timothy 2:5 and “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.” 1 Corinthians 8:6. And Stephen, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,” Acts 7:55. These and many others prove the Father has a separate presence. Not only do we have dozens of Scriptures that reveal Jesus is not the one true God and is clearly separate, how does one say Jesus is the one God when no man has seen God? “No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:12. Only Christ has seen the only true God the Father. “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [Jesus] who is from God; He has seen the Father.” John 6:46 In fact Jesus said that He was not the Father more than 80 times. While always remaining one in purpose, Jesus and the Father are clearly separate and distinct beings. And on more than one occasion, the Father spoke to Jesus from heaven. “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'.” Matthew 3:17. Either Jesus and the Father are two separate individual beings or Jesus was an expert ventriloquist. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top