搜寻结果

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 刻在石版上- 十条诫命 随着罪案和暴力事件在各国各城，甚至家庭中逐渐升级，为了确保人民生命财产的安全起见，每个人岂不应该遵守国家的法律吗？正所谓国有国法，家有家规。其实啊，上帝早在几千年前就已经把自己的律法写在石版上。而圣经说这律法是我们今时今日依然必须遵守的。 违背上帝律法的任何部分都必然招致负面的后果。更重要的是，遵守上帝律法的全部能给我们带来和平与安全。再说，我们作为基督徒，上帝把祂的律法赐给我们作为生活的指南，让我们能辨别是非对错。更何况顺从上帝的命令是爱祂的表现，也是对祂爱的回应。既然如此，我们今天就要来研究这个课题，详细地探讨一系列的问题，并认真思考上帝的十条诫命在我们生活中的定位。 1. 十条诫命真的是上帝亲自写的吗？ “耶和华在西奈山和摩西说完了话，就把两块见证的版交给他，是上帝用指头写的石版。这版是上帝的工作，字是上帝写的，刻在版上。” （出埃及记 31：18，32：16） 答：对！天上的上帝用自己的指头把十条诫命写在两块石板上。 2. 上帝对罪的定义是什么？ “凡犯罪的，就是违背律法；违背律法就是罪。” （约翰一书 3：4） 答：罪就是违背律法。耶和华的律法是全备的（诗篇 19：7），它的原则概括了人类所能犯的一切罪。诫命也涵盖了“人一切当尽的本分”（传道书 12：13）。没有任何一点是被遗漏的。 3. 上帝为什么要把十条诫命赐给我们？ “但遵守律法的，便为有福。” （箴言 29：18） 我儿，不要忘记我的法则；你心要谨守我的诫命；因为它们必将长久的日子，生命的年数与平安，加给你。（箴言 3：1，2） 答： （一）作为幸福，丰盛生活的指南。 上帝创造我们，让我们能体验喜乐、平安、长寿、满足、成就和我们内心所渴望的所有其他伟大的祝福。上帝的律法是我们生命地图的导航，引领我们走在正确的道路上，使我们找着真实又至高至上的幸福快乐。 “因为律法本是叫人知罪。” 罗马书 3：20。 “律法是罪吗？断乎不是！只是非因律法，我就不知何为罪。非律法说不可贪恋，我就不知何为情欲。” 罗马书 7：7 （二）向我们展示对与错之间的区别。上帝的律法就像一面镜子（雅各书1：23-25）。它指出了我们生活中不对的行为，就像镜子显出了我们脸上的污垢一样。唯一有可能让我们知道自己在犯罪的方法就是通过在上帝律法的镜子里仔细地检查自己的生活。活在混乱邪恶世界中的我们能在上帝的十诫中找到平安。它告诉我们该在哪里划清界线！ “耶和华又吩咐我们遵行这一切律例【诫命】。。。使我们常得好处，蒙他保全我们的生命” （申命记 6：24） “求你扶持我，我便得救，时常看重你的律例。凡偏离你律例的人，你都轻弃他们，因为他们的诡诈必归虚空。” （诗篇 119：117，118）。 （三）为了保护我们免受危险和悲剧的伤害。上帝的律法像动物园里牢固的笼子一般，保护我们免受凶猛和残暴的动物侵害。它保护我们免受谬论、杀人、崇拜偶像、偷盗以及许多其他毁灭生命、和平与幸福的罪恶之侵害。所有好的法律都是为了保护人的，而上帝的律法也不例外。 “我们若遵守他的诫命，就晓得是认识他。” （约翰一书 2：3） （四）它帮助我们认识上帝 上帝律法中永恒的原则是由创造我们的上帝在每个人本性的最深处写下的。字迹也许朦胧和不清晰，但确实存在于我们的骨子［gu3zi1] 里。上帝创造我们原是要我们的生活与这些原则一致相符。当我们无视它们时，结果必定是压力、动荡不安和悲剧。就好比无视安全驾驶的规则会导致重伤或死亡一样。 4. 上帝的律法为什么对您个人而言极为重要？ “你们既然要按这自由的律法受审判，就该照这律法说话行事。（雅各书 2：12）。 答： 因为律法的十条诫命是上帝在天上的审判标准。 5. 上帝的律法 (十条诫命）能被修改或废除吗？ “天地废去较比律法的一点一画落空还容易。” （路加福音 16：17） “我必不背弃我的约，也不改变我口中所出的。” （诗篇 89：34） “他的训词都是确实的，是永永远远坚定的 ” （诗篇 111：7，8） 答：不能。圣经无比清楚，上帝的律法是不能改变的。诫命是上帝神圣品格之原则的反映，也是祂国度的基础。只要上帝还活着，祂的律法就依然存在。 此表向我们展示了上帝和祂的律法具有完全相同的特质，揭示了十诫实际上是上帝品格的书面形式，藉着文字让我们可以更加理解上帝。若要改变上帝的律法，就得先把上帝从天国拉下来再改变祂，这当然是不可能的。耶稣以人类的形式来向我们显明律法（即圣洁生活的模式）。上帝的品格永不改变；因此，祂的律法也永远不会改变。 上帝是 律法是 良善 路加福音 18：19 提摩太前书 1：8 圣洁 以赛亚书 5：16 罗马书 7：12 完全 马太福音 5：48 诗篇 19：7 纯洁 约翰一书 3：2，3 诗篇 19：8 正直 申命记 32：4 罗马书 7：12 真实 约翰福音 3：33 诗篇 19：9 属灵 哥林多前书 10：4 罗马书 7：14 公义 耶利米书 23：6 诗篇 119：172 信实 哥林多前书 1：9 诗篇 119：86 爱 约翰一书 4：8 罗马书 13：10 永不改变 雅各书1：17 马太福音 5：18 永恒 创世纪 21：33 诗篇 111：7，8 6. 耶稣在世上时是否废除了上帝的律法？ “莫想我来要废掉律法。。。我来不是要废掉，乃是要成全。。。。就是到天地都废去了，律法的一点一画也不能废去，都要成全。” （马太福音 5：17，18） 答：确实没有！耶稣特别宣称自己不是来废掉律法，而是要成全（落实）。耶稣不但没有废除律法，反而将它放大（以赛亚书 42：21）为圣洁生活的完美指引。比如说，耶稣指出“不可杀人”也包括了不可无缘无故地向你的弟兄动怒（马太福音：21，22）或仇恨你的弟兄（约翰一书 3：15），并且对妇女动淫念也算是犯奸淫的一种（马太福音 5：27，28）。耶稣说：“你若爱我，就必遵守我的命令”（约翰福音 14：15）。 7. 有意持续违反上帝诫命的人是否能得救？ “因为罪的工价乃是死 ” （罗马书 6：23） “耶和华...除灭罪人” （以赛亚书 13：9） “因为凡遵守全律法的，只在一条上跌倒，他就是犯了众条。” (雅各书 2：10） 答：十诫引导我们过圣洁的生活。如果我们忽视其中一条诫命，就等于忽略上帝神圣蓝图中一个重要的部分。如果一条铁链中就算只有一个铁环断裂，则其整个功用将被破坏。圣经说，当我们有意违背上帝的命令时，我们就是在犯罪（雅各书4:17），因为我们拒绝了祂在我们身上的旨意。只有那些遵行祂旨意的人才能进入天国（马太福音 7：21）。当然，上帝会赦免任何真正悔改，接受基督并让祂的力量改变他们的人。 8. 遵守律法可以拯救任何人吗？ “你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是上帝所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。”（以弗所书 2：8，9） 答： 不能！答案是易懂且不容错过的。 遵守律法是无法拯救任何人的。 我们得救是本乎恩典，是上帝藉着耶稣基督赐给我们的一份免费礼物，我们要凭着信心而不是行为来接收这份礼物。 律法是一面镜子，它指出了我们生活中的罪。 就好比镜子可以向你展示脸上的污垢但却无法洗净你的脸一样。我们唯有藉着耶稣基督才能从罪中得到洁净和宽恕。 9. 那为什么律法对于改善基督徒的品格至关重要呢？ “敬畏上帝，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分” （传道书 12：13） “因为律法本是叫人知罪” （罗马书 3：20） 答：因为基督徒生活的整个模式或“所当尽的本分”都包含在上帝的律法中。例如，一个六岁的孩子自己做了一把尺，测量自己的身高，并告诉母亲他身高4米一样，我们自己的测量标准从来都是不安全可靠的。我们若不仔细监察那完美的标准，即上帝的律法的话，就无法晓得自己是不是罪人。许多人认为，即使他们不遵守律法，只要经常做好事，也能得到救恩的保障（马太福音7：21-23）。因此，他们认为自己是公义的，但事实上，他们是迷途的罪人。圣经说， “我们若遵守他的诫命，就晓得是认识他。”（约翰一书 2：3） 10. 是什么使真正悔改的基督徒能够遵循上帝的律法呢？ “我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上” （希伯来书 8：10） “我靠着那加给我力量的” （腓立比书 4：13） 上帝就差遣自己的儿子。。。使律法的义成就在我们这不随从肉体” （罗马书 8：3，4） 答：基督不仅赦免了悔改的罪人，而且还叫他们恢复上帝的形像。祂藉着亲自同在的力量使他们与祂的律法和谐一致。 “不可”这句话成为基督徒不偷盗、不说谎、不杀人等等正面的承诺，因为耶稣住在我们里面并且做主，掌管着我们生命中的一切。上帝不能改变他的道德法则，但祂能藉着耶稣去改变罪人，使我们能达到祂律法的标准。 11. 但一个基督徒如果有信心，况且活在恩典之下，岂不是可以免于遵守律法吗？ “罪必不能作你们的主，因你们不在律法之下，乃在恩典之下。这却怎么样呢？我们在恩典之下，不在律法之下，就可以犯罪吗？断乎不可！”（罗马书 6：14，15） “这样，我们因信废了律法吗？断乎不是！更是坚固律法。” （罗马书 3：31） 答：不！圣经的教导恰恰相反。恩典就好比国王或国家元首对囚犯所施予的宽恕。这个犯法者获得宽恕，并不代表他获得继续犯法的自由。获得宽恕的人，就是活在恩典之下，他会自然而然地因为感激上帝的救恩而心甘情愿地遵守祂的律法。一个拒绝遵守上帝律法，却声称自己活在恩典之下的人，实际上已严重误解了上帝恩典的意义。 12. 上帝的十条诫命是否在新约里也受到了肯定呢？ 答：是的，且非常明显。请仔细观察以下的对照。 旧约中上帝的律法 新约中上帝的律法 1. “除了我以外，你不可有别的神。” （出埃及记 20：3） “当拜主你的上帝，单要侍奉他。” (马太福音 4：10） 2. “不可为自己雕刻偶像；也不可作什么形像仿佛上天、下地和地底下、水中的百物。不可跪拜那些像；也不可侍奉它，因为我耶和华你的上帝，是忌邪的上帝。恨我的，我必追讨他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代；爱我、守我诫命的，我必向他们发慈爱，直到千代。”（出埃及记 20：4-6） “小子们哪，你们要自守，远避偶像。” （约翰一书 5：21）。“我们既是上帝所生的，就不当以为上帝的神性像人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金、银、石。” （使徒行传 17：29） 3. “不可妄称耶和华你上帝的名；因为妄称耶和华名的，耶和华必不以他为无罪。” （出埃及记 20：7） “免得上帝的名和道理被人亵渎。” （提摩太前书 6：1） 4. “当记念安息日，守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是向耶和华你上帝当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜，并你城里寄居的客旅，无论何工都不可作，因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息，所以耶和华赐福与安息日，定为圣日。” （出埃及记 20：8-11） “论到第七日，有一处说：“到第七日，上帝就歇了他一切的工。”这样看来，必另有一安息日的安息，为上帝的子民存留。因为那进入安息的，乃是歇了自己的工，正如上帝歇了他的工一样。” (希伯来书 4：4，9，10） 5. “当孝敬父母，使你的日子在耶和华你上帝所赐你的地上得以长久。” （出埃及记 20：12） “当孝敬父母” （马太福音 19：19） 6. “不可杀人。” （出埃及记 20：13） “不可杀人” （罗马书 13：9） 7. “不可奸淫。” （出埃及记 20：14） “不可奸淫” （马太福音 19：18） 8. “不可偷盗。“ （出埃及记 20：15） “不可偷盗” （罗马书 13：9） 9. “不可作假见证陷害人。” （出埃及记 20：16） “不可作假见证” （罗马书 13：9） 10. “不可贪恋人的房屋；也不可贪恋人的妻子、仆婢、牛驴，并他一切所有的。” （出埃及记 20：17） “不可起贪心” （罗马书 7：7） 13. 上帝的律法和摩西的律法是否相同？ 答： 不。它们各不相同。请研究以下对比。 摩西的律法包括旧约里暂时性的律例、典章、条例、节期与一些具体的献祭方式和制度。这一切都为我们指向了基督在十字架上的牺牲。这些律例都是添上的，“等候那蒙应许的子孙来到”，也就是基督（加拉太书 3：18，19）。摩西律法中的献祭等都是指向基督的牺牲。耶稣的死终结了这些律法，但十条诫命（上帝的律法）却是永永远远坚定的（诗篇 111：8）。但以理书 9：10，11也清楚显示有两种不同的律法。 注：上帝的律法在发生罪恶之前就早已存在了。圣经说：“哪里没有律法，那里就没有过犯【罪】”（罗马书 4：15）。因此，上帝的十诫从起初就存在着。人类违背了上帝的律法（犯罪-约翰一书 3：4）。由于人类犯了罪（或违背上帝的律法），便有摩西的律法赐给了人（或“添上”-加拉太书3：16、19），直到基督降世而牺牲。当中涉及两套分开独立的律法，即上帝的律法和摩西的律法。 摩西的律法 上帝的律法 被称为“摩西律法” （路 2:22) 被称为“耶和华的律法” (以赛亚书 5：24） 被称为“那记在律法上的规条” （弗 2：15） 被称为“至尊的律法” （雅 2：8） 是摩西书上所写的 （代下 35：12） 是上帝用指头写在石版上的（出 31：18） 放在约柜旁（申 31：26） 放在约柜里（出 40：20） 在十架上废掉了（弗 2：15） 永远长存（路 16：17） 为了罪而添上的（加 3：19） 指出罪来（罗 7：7；3：20） 攻击我们，反对我们（西 2：14） 是不难守的（约一 5：3） 不论断任何人（西 2：14-16） 审判所有人（雅 2：10-12） 属肉体的（来 7：16） 属灵的（罗 7：14） 一无所成（来 7：19） 全备的（诗 19：7） 14. 魔鬼如何看待那些在生活中遵行上帝十条诫命的人呢？ “龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的儿女争战，这儿女就是那守上帝诫命，为耶稣作见证的。那时龙就站在海边的沙上。” （启示录 12：17） “圣徒的忍耐就在此，他们是守上帝诫命和耶稣真道的。” （启示录 14：12） 答：魔鬼恨恶那些维护上帝律法的人，因为律法是正当生活的一种模式。因此，他对所有高举上帝律法的人深感憎恨，这一点也不稀奇。在反对上帝圣洁标准的争战中，他甚至利用宗教领袖来否定十诫，同时又鼓吹人的传统。难怪耶稣说：“你们为什么因着你们的遗传，犯上帝的诫命呢？ ...他们将人的吩咐当作道理教导人，所以拜我也是枉然”（马太福音 15：3，9）。大卫说：“这是耶和华做工的时候，因人废了你的律法。”（诗119：126）。基督徒必须醒过来，在自己心中和生活中恢复上帝律法应有的地位。 15. 你认为基督徒必须遵守十条诫命吗？ 希望每一位都能好好思考这一题，及以上所探讨的所有问题，并向上帝做出一个重要的决定。愿我们都能决志遵行上帝的律法，活出祂的旨意来，做祂眼中看为正的事。 现在我们将继续从圣经的角度来讨论并思考一系列极具争议的思考题，看看到底真相是什么，好让我们能在这课题上获得更多知识。 思考题 1. 圣经岂不是说过律法是有瑕疵的吗？ 答： 不对，圣经上说有瑕疵的是人。英文翻译是“finding fault with them”，中文译为“所以主指责他的百姓说……”（希伯来书8：8）这说明上帝所指责的，不是祂旧约中的律法，而是旧约中的以色列民。罗马书8：3说：“律法既因肉体软弱，有所不能行的。” 它说的是同一个意思：律法是全备的，但人是有问题的，或者说是软弱有瑕疵的。所以，上帝差祂的圣子住在世人中间，藉着内住的基督“使律法的义成就在我们...身上。”（罗马书8：4） 2. 加拉太书3章13节说我们被救赎脱离律法的咒诅，这是什么意思呢？ 答：律法的咒诅是死。（罗马书6：23）基督“为人人尝了死味。”（希伯来书2：9）所以，祂救赎我们脱离了律法的咒诅（死亡），而赐给我们永生。 3. 歌罗西书2章14至17节和以弗所书2章15节岂不都说上帝的律法在十字架上终止了吗？ 答：不是，这两段经文是指律法所包含的“规条”，或者说是指摩西的仪文律法，包括规划献祭的仪式与祭司制度的条文。所有这些预指十字架的仪文与礼仪都是按着上帝的旨意所定的，在基督死在十字架上的时候就终止了。摩西的律法是“为过犯添上”的，一直到“那蒙应许的子孙来到”，而那子孙，“就是基督”（加拉太书3：16，19）。这两处经文都不可能指上帝的律法，因为保罗在十字架之后多年，依然说上帝的律法是圣洁、公义、良善的。（罗马书7：8，12） 4. 圣经说：“爱就完全了律法。”（罗马书13：10）在马太福音22章37至40节中，上帝吩咐我们要爱祂和爱人如己，并以“这两条诫命是律法和先知一切道理的总纲”这段话为总结。这些命令是不是取代了十条诫命呢？ 答：不是！十条诫命是系于这两条诫命之上的，如同十根指头系于两只手掌之上的那样，是不可分割的。爱上帝能使遵守前四条诫命成为喜悦之事，而爱人如己的精神则使遵守后六条诫命成为一种快乐。“爱”使遵守诫命变得不再是一种苦役，而成为一种喜乐，这样就完全了律法。（诗篇40：8）若真正的爱上一个人，那么，尊重对方的要求就成了一种快乐的事。耶稣说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。”（约翰福音14：15）一面说爱主，一面又不遵守主的命令，这是不可能的，因为圣经说：“我们遵守上帝的诫命，这就是爱他了，并且他的诫命不是难守的。”（约翰一书5：3）“人若说‘我认识他’，却不遵守他的诫命，便是说谎话的，真理也不在他心里了。”（约翰一书2：4） 5. 哥林多后书3章7节岂不是说刻在石头上的律法被“废掉”了吗？ 答：不是的！这段经文所说的是摩西在律法上的职事之“荣光”被废掉了，而不是律法本身被废掉了。请把哥林多后书3章3至9节再仔细地读一遍，经文所讨论的不是废除律法或是设立律法的问题，而是律法位置的变迁：从刻在石版上，迁到刻在“心版”上。在摩西的职事之下，律法写在石版上。但藉着基督在圣灵的职事下，律法便刻在人的心版上。（希伯来书8：10）学校的校规只有在进入学生的心中时，才会真正奏zou4效。基督在律法上的职事之所以有效，是因为律法转移到了基督徒的心里。这样，遵守律法便成为人生中一种喜乐和欢欣，因为基督徒对上帝与世人都付出了真爱。 6. 罗马书10章4节说“基督是律法的总结”。既作总结了，就结束了，对吗？ 答：“总结”的意思在此处是指目的或目标，它和雅各书5章11节中的“结局”一词的圣经原文相同，指的是目标。很多译本将此处译为“律法的终极是基督”或“基督乃是律法的终极”。意思是说，律法的目的是把人引向基督，使他们能因基督称义，这就是律法的终极目标或目的了。 7. 为什么会有那么多人否定上帝律法的有效性呢？ 答：“原来体贴肉体的，就是与上帝为仇，因为不服上帝的律法，也是不能服。而且属肉体的人不能得上帝的喜欢。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。” (罗马书 8：7-9） 8. 旧约时期的义人是因律法得救吗？ 答：没有任何人是靠律法得救的。历代以来凡得救的人，都是靠恩典得救。“这恩典是万古之先在基督耶稣里赐给我们的。”（提摩太后书1：9）律法只能指出罪，唯有基督才能救人。挪亚“蒙恩”；（创世记6：8）摩西“蒙恩”；（出埃及记33：17）以色列人在旷野“蒙恩”；（耶利米书33：17）亚伯、以诺、亚伯拉罕、雅各、约瑟以及旧约中许许多多其他的先贤，都是因信靠恩得救的。（希伯来书11章）他们得救是向前瞻望十字架上的基督；而我们得救是向后瞻望十字架上的基督，无论向前向后，都是靠基督得救。律法如同一面镜子，照出我们身上的“污垢”。若没有律法这面镜子，我们虽然“满身污垢”，也可能不知道自己是污秽的罪人。所以，律法是必要的。但是律法没有拯救之能力，只能指出罪来。唯有耶稣才能把人类从罪恶中拯救出来。这是永恒不变的真理，哪怕在旧约时代也是如此。（徒徒行传4：10，12；提摩太后书1：9） 9. 为什么要看重律法呢？良心不是最安全的指南吗？ 答：不是，绝对不是！圣经说，邪恶的良心、有亏的良心或污秽的良心，这些都是不安全的。“有一条路人以为正，至终成为死亡之路。”（箴言14：12）上帝说：“心中自是的，便是愚昧人。”（箴言书28：26） 在结束之前，让我们快速地过目一些测验题，测试自己是否真的明白这一课的内容和重点。 测验题 1. 十条诫命是谁写的？（1） _____ 上帝 _____ 摩西 _____ 无名氏 2. 根据圣经，罪是:（1） _____ 性格上的缺陷。 _____ 违背上帝的律法。 _____ 一切看上去不对的事。 3. 试指出下列有关上帝律法的正确说法：（4） _____ 幸福生活的完美指南。 _____ 像一面镜子指出罪来。 _____ 是个重担，压迫人。 _____ 能保护我远离邪恶。 _____ 与上帝的品格相同。 _____ 在新约中作废了。 _____ 乃是咒诅。 4. 上帝的十诫律法是:（1） _____ 仅仅为旧约时代而制定的。 _____ 被耶稣在十字架上废掉了。 _____ 绝对不变的。 5. 在审判日我要如何才能得救？（1） _____ 保持行善的记录。 _____ 我爱主，守不守十诫没有关系。 _____ 我与耶稣的爱的关系引导我顺服上帝全部的诫命。 6. 人得救是靠着:（1） _____ 遵守律法。 _____ 干犯律法。 _____ 单靠基督耶稣。 7. 真正悔改的基督徒:（1） _____ 藉着基督的能力遵守上帝的律法。 _____ 忽视上帝的律法，因为它已经被废除。 _____ 认为没有必要遵守诫命。 8. 生活在恩典之下的人:（1） _____ 就算违背十诫也不算犯罪。 _____ 无需遵守上帝的诫命。 _____ 愿意遵守上帝的诫命。 9. 爱就完全了律法，是因为:（1） _____ 爱把律法废掉了。 _____ 对上帝与世人的真爱使守律法成为一件乐事。 _____ 爱比听命更重要。 10. 摩西的律法:（1） _____ 与上帝律法相同。 _____ 是指向基督牺牲的仪文律法，在十字架上已被废掉了。 _____ 至今仍有效。 11. 遵守上帝诫命的人:（1） _____ 是律法主义者。 _____ 必为魔鬼所憎恨，因为魔鬼痛恨上帝和祂的圣诫。 _____ 可以靠守律法得救。 12. 指出下列有关基督与律法的正确说法:（4） _____ 耶稣违背了律法。 _____ 耶稣是遵守上帝律法的完美榜样。 _____ 耶稣废除了律法。 _____ 耶稣说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。” _____ 耶稣使律法为大为尊，表明律法涵盖了一切罪。 _____ 耶稣说律法是不会改变的。 总结来说，上帝的律法是祂品格的书面形式，是永不改变的。上帝的律法和摩西的律法不同。摩西的律法是指向基督的牺牲，且在十字架上已经终结了，而上帝的律法则是永永远远坚定的。遵守律法不能叫我们得救，但是它像一面镜子，能让我们知道自己的污秽和罪，使我们晓得自己需要耶稣。因为唯有因着信，靠着上帝白白赐下在耶稣里的恩典，我们才能得救。活在恩典之下的我们，更应心甘情愿，靠着耶稣在我们里面的力量遵守上帝的律法。上帝把祂的律法赐给我们作为生活的指南，让我们能辨别是非对错，使我们避免罪恶的侵害。愿我们都能活在上帝的旨意中，做上帝喜悦的儿女。愿上帝赐福于每一位，阿门。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next James White and the Trinity James White and the Trinity Adventists believe Ellen White was a prophet of God, or to use her terminology, a messenger of God. She was the lady to whom James White was married for 35 years. He ate with her, slept with her, preached with her, prayed with her, had children by her, travelled thousands and thousands of miles with her, building up Churches together, and yet she never once said to him “James, you are wrong in what you are saying about the trinity doctrine.” Not once in 35 years is there any record that she said anything about his anti-Trinitarian views, and neither is there any record of her saying anything to anyone else. And those who know of Ellen White know she was not silent when error was being taught. Now what does it tell us that in 70 years of her husband and all the other leaders and pioneers of the Church, all publishing anti-Trinitarian materials, and never once said they were wrong? James White was firmly resolved in his anti-Trinitarian belief when he became acquainted with her as Ellen Harmon in 1845. A short while before this in December 1844, she had been given her first vision which had marked her call to the prophetic office. So God had no problem with His prophet marrying a devout anti-Trinitarian either. Russell Holt did a survey on the introduction of the trinity teaching into the Adventist Church in June 1969, as part of the requirements of his studies in Adventist history for Dr Mervyn Maxwell. Russell Holt produced a term paper that had the title, “The Doctrine Of The Trinity In The Seventh Day Adventist Denomination: Its Rejection And Acceptance.” The title of this paper speaks volumes in itself considering that Russell Holt was in favour of the change to the trinity doctrine. Holt rightly says in his term paper that James White was an anti-Trinitarian to the day that he died. Note also that Holt said that James White was far from being on his own in taking this anti-Trinitarian stand, and neither was he on his own in writing and publishing anti-Trinitarian statements in the literature that came off the presses of the Adventist Church. In his term paper, Holt makes this observation about the views of other Adventist writers at the time of James White. “A survey of other Adventist writers during these years reveals, that to a man, they rejected the trinity, yet, with equal unanimity they upheld the divinity of Christ. To reject the trinity is not necessarily to strip the Saviour of His divinity.” — (Russell Holt, “The doctrine of the Trinity in the Seventh day Adventist denomination: Its rejection and acceptance.” A term paper for Dr. Mervyn Maxwell, 1969) So it is an undisputed fact that right through to his death in 1881, James White made numerous anti-Trinitarian statements and never changed his anti-Trinitarian stance even in the year of his death when he said, “The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first.” — (James White, Review and Herald, January 4, 1881, found in EGW Review and Herald Articles, vol. 1, p. 244) “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30 The Father and the Son were one in man's creation, and in his redemption. Said the Father to the Son, “Let us make man in our image.” And the triumphant song of jubilee in which the redeemed take part, is unto “Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever.Jesus prayed that his disciples might be one as he was one with his Father. This prayer did not contemplate one disciple with twelve heads, but twelve disciples, made one in object and effort in the cause of their master. Neither are the Father and the Son parts of the “three-one God.” They are two distinct beings, yet one in the design and accomplishment of redemption. The redeemed, from the first who shares in the great redemption, to the last, all ascribe the honor, and glory, and praise, of their salvation, to both God and the Lamb.” — (James White, Life Incidents, 1868, p. 343) “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for THE faith which was once delivered unto the saints...” (Jude 3, 4) ...The exhortation to contend for the faith delivered to the saints, is to us alone. And it is very important for us to know what for and how to contend. In the 4th verse he gives us the reason why we should contend for THE faith, a particular faith; “for there are certain men,” or a certain class who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ... The way spiritualizers have disposed of or denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is first using the old unscriptural Trinitarian creed, viz., that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, though they have not one passage to support it, while we have plain scripture testimony in abundance that he is the Son of the eternal God.” — (James White, The Day Star, January 24, 1846) “Paul affirms of the Son of God that he was in the form of God, and that he was equal with God. 'Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God.' Phil. 2:6. The reason why it is not robbery for the Son to be equal with the Father is the fact that he is equal... The inexplicable Trinity that makes the Godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough; but that ultra Unitarianism that makes Christ inferior to the Father is worse. Did God say to an inferior, “Let us make man in our image?” — (James White, Review and Herald, November 29, 1877) “The Most Holy, containing the Ark of the ten commandments, was then opened for our Great High Priest to enter to make atonement for the cleansing of the Sanctuary. If we take the liberty to say there is not a literal Ark, containing the ten commandments in heaven, we may go only a step further and deny the literal City, and the literal Son of God. Certainly, Adventists should not choose the spiritual view, rather than the one we have presented. We see no middle ground to be taken.” — (James White, Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, June 9, 1851, The Parable – Matthew XXV, 1-12) “We are told by those who teach the abolition of the Father's law, that the commandments of God mentioned in the New Testament, are not the ten, but the requirements of the gospel, such as repentance, faith, baptism and the Lord's supper. But as these, and every other requirement peculiar to the gospel, are all embraced in the faith of Jesus, it is evident that the commandments of God are not the sayings of Christ and his apostles. To assert that the sayings of the Son and his apostles are the commandments of the Father, is as wide from the truth as the old trinitarian absurdity that Jesus Christ is the very and Eternal God. And as the faith of Jesus embraces every requirement peculiar to the gospel, it necessarily follows that the commandments of God, mentioned by the third angel, embrace only the ten precepts of the Father's immutable law which are not peculiar to any one dispensation, but common to all.” — (James White, Review and Herald, August 5, 1852, p. 52) “Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and of sprinkling or pouring instead of being “buried with Christ in baptism,” “planted in the likeness of his death:” but we pass from these fables to notice one that is held sacred by nearly all professed Christians, both Catholic and Protestant. It is, The change of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment from the seventh to the first day of the week.” — (James White, Review and Herald, December 11, 1855, p. 85) “We have not as much sympathy with Unitarians that deny the divinity of Christ, as with Trinitarians who hold that the Son is the eternal Father, and talk so mistily about the three-one God. Give the Master all that divinity with which the Holy Scriptures clothe him. ...” — (James and Ellen White's – Western Tour, Review and Herald, June 6, 1871) “The “mystery of iniquity” began to work in the church in Paul's day. It finally crowded out the simplicity of the gospel, and corrupted the doctrine of Christ, and the church went into the wilderness. Martin Luther, and other reformers, arose in the strength of God, and with the Word and Spirit, made mighty strides in the Reformation. The greatest fault we can find in the Reformation is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of Papacy behind, such as natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sunday-keeping, the church would now be free from her unscriptural errors.” — (James White, Review and Herald, February 7, 1856, p. 148) “With this view of the subject [that Christ is the very Son of God] there are meaning and force to language which speaks of the Father and the Son. But to say that Jesus Christ “is the very and eternal God,” makes him his own son, and his own father, and that he came from himself, and went to himself.” — (James White, Review & Herald, June 6, 1871) Below James White informs us that the non-Trinitarian view held by his wife is found in her testimonies which were given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Prophecy), and hence were a God given Pillar of our Faith. He says that Trinitarians will needless to say not agree with the God given non-Trinitarian truth and thus condemn her testimonies. “We invite all to compare the testimonies of the Holy Spirit through Mrs. W., with the word of God. And in this we do not invite you to compare them with your creed. That is quite another thing. The trinitarian may compare them with his creed, and because they do not agree with it, condemn them. The observer of Sunday, or the man who holds eternal torment an important truth, and the minister that sprinkles infants, may each condemn the testimonies' of Mrs. W. because they do not agree with their peculiar views. And a hundred more, each holding different views, may come to the same conclusion. But their genuineness can never be tested in this way.” — (James White, Review and Herald, June 13, 1871) Sunday worship and the doctrine of the trinity are both counterfeits from the Catholic Church. “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, the consciousness of the dead and eternal life in misery. The mass who have held these fundamental errors, have doubtless done it ignorantly; but can it be supposed that the church of Christ will carry along with her these errors till the judgment scenes burst upon the world? We think not.” — (James White, Review and Herald, September 12, 1854, p. 36) 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

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

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 耶稣是保惠师（启示录3章20节 -在门外叩门） 耶稣是保惠师（启示录3章20节 -在门外叩门） 启示录3：20 看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我，一同坐席。 要常常喜乐。不可忘记你有一位保惠师，就是基督所差来的圣灵。你永不会孤单。你若听受那现在向你说话的声音，你若毫不迟疑地应答那敲你心门的声音，说：“主耶稣啊，请进来，让我与祢祢与我一同坐席。”那位自天而来的贵宾就必进来。当这全能神圣的质素与你同在时，就有平安与安息。复临信徒家庭 350.3 "众教会为何如此软弱多病甚至濒临崩溃的原因，在于仇敌带进了令人沮丧的影响，加在颤抖的生灵身上。他（撒但）企图掩盖真理，不让他们看见耶稣就是保惠师，是那责备人，警戒人，和劝勉人说"这是正路，要行在其间"的一位。" （评论与通讯，1890年8月26日，第10段） "你们要时时儆醒，常常祈求，使你们能逃避這一切要来的事，得以站立在人子面前。"（路21:36）各人都需要渴慕生命之粮和生命之水。这个时候，是我们该在上帝面前谦卑心灵，并恳切寻求祂的时候。许多人正期待基督实现成为他们个人救主的愿望。基督正在叩门，在他们的心门外叩门。他们是否愿意让祂进来作尊贵的嘉宾，还是要被日常琐碎事务所缠累，而让神所赋予他们的思维变得肤浅和狭隘呢？他们是否会让自己因过度饮食，醉酒，和今生的思虑而被压倒，变得精疲力尽呢？"--（怀爱伦著，圣经回响，1896年5月4日） 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 对上帝的认识 认识上帝 箴言2:5 -- “你就明白敬畏耶和华，得以认识上帝。” 彼得后书1:2-3 -- “愿恩惠、平安因你们认识上帝和我们主耶稣，多多地加给你们。3上帝的神能已经将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们，皆因我们认识那用自己荣耀和美德召我们的主。” 以弗所书1:17-18 -- “求我们主耶稣基督的上帝，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。” 18 并且照明你们心中的眼睛，使你们知道他的恩召有何等指望，他在圣徒中得的基业有何等丰盛的荣耀。” 哥林多前书12:8-- “这人蒙圣灵赐他智慧的言语，那人也蒙这位圣灵赐他知识的言语。” 上帝不是奥秘。对你敬拜的对象有清楚和全面的认识是相当重要的。 何西阿书4:1-2 -- “以色列人哪，你们当听耶和华的话。耶和华与这地的居民争辩，因这地上无诚实、无良善、无人认识上帝。”2 但起假誓、不践前言、杀害、偷盗、奸淫、行强暴、杀人流血，接连不断。” 何西阿书4:6 -- “我的民因无知识而灭亡。你弃掉知识，我也必弃掉你，使你不再给我作祭司。你既忘了你上帝的律法，我也必忘记你的儿女。” 谁是我们敬拜的对象呢? 我们会在新天新地敬拜三位一体神吗? 不是的。我们会敬拜那天上的父就是耶和华, 和 “那羔羊” 就是耶稣基督。” 启示录7:9-10 -- “此后，我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝，10 大声喊着说：“愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的上帝，也归与羔羊。” 启示录 20:6 -- “在头一次复活有份的有福了、圣洁了，第二次的死在他们身上没有权柄。他们必作上帝和基督的祭司，并要与基督一同作王一千年。” 启示录21:1-- “我又看见一个新天新地，因为先前的天地已经过去了，海也不再有了。” 2 我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由上帝那里从天而降，预备好了，就如新妇装饰整齐，等候丈夫。” 3 我听见有大声音从宝座出来说：“看哪，上帝的帐幕在人间。他要与人同住，他们要作他的子民； 上帝要亲自与他们同在，作他们的上帝。4 上帝要擦去他们一切的眼泪，不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭号、疼痛，因为以前的事都过去了。”5 坐宝座的说：“看哪，我将一切都更新了。”又说：“你要写上，因这些话是可信的，是真实的。” 22 我未见城内有殿，因主上帝全能者和羔羊为城的殿。” 23 那城内又不用日月光照，因有上帝的荣耀光照，又有羔羊为城的灯。” 启示录22:1, 3 -- “天使又指示我在城内街道当中一道生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从上帝和羔羊的宝座流出来。” 3 以后再没有咒诅。在城里有上帝和羔羊的宝座，他的仆人都要侍奉他。” 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 耶稣有一位上帝-耶和华，天父上帝 耶稣有一位上帝 -- 耶和华, 天父上帝 哥林多前书8章6节- 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。 启示录3章12节- 得胜的，我要叫他在我上帝殿中作柱子，他也必不再从那里出去。我又要将我上帝的名和我上帝城的名（这城就是从天上、从我 上帝那里降下来的新耶路撒冷），并我的新名，都写在他上面。 哥林多前书15章28节- 万物既服了他(上帝)，那时，子(耶稣)也要自己服那叫万物服他(上帝)的，叫上帝在万物之上，为万物之主。 以弗所书4章6节- 一上帝，就是众人的父，超乎众人之上，贯乎众人之中，也住在众人之内。 约翰福音20章17节- 耶稣说：“不要摸我，因为我还没有升上去见我的父。你往我弟兄那里去，告诉他们说：我要升上去见我的父，也是你们的父；见我的上帝，也是你们的上帝。” 以弗所书1章3节- 愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父上帝，他在基督里曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气。 哥林多后书11章31节- 那永远可称颂之主耶稣的父上帝知道我不说谎。 彼得前书1章3节- 愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父上帝，他曾照自己的大怜悯，藉耶稣基督从死里复活，重生了我们，叫我们有活泼的盼望, 约翰福音17章3节- 认识你独一的真神，并且认识你所差来的耶稣基督，这就是永生。 以弗所书1章17节- 求我们主耶稣基督的上帝，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。 哥林多前书11章3节- 我愿意你们知道，基督是各人的头，男人是女人的头，上帝是基督的头。 罗马书15章6节- 一心一口荣耀上帝、我们主耶稣基督的父。 约翰福音12章44-45节- 耶稣大声说：“信我的，不是信我，乃是信那差我来的。45 人看见我，就是看见那差我来的。” 约翰福音20章31节- 但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是上帝的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。 约翰福音20章21-22节- 耶稣又对他们说：“愿你们平安！父怎样差遣了我，我也照样差遣你们。” 22 说了这话，就向他们吹一口气，说：“你们受圣灵。” 约翰福音14章10节- 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。 约翰福音14章24节- 不爱我的人就不遵守我的道；你们所听见的道不是我的，乃是差我来之父的道。 马太福音27章46节- 约在申初，耶稣大声喊着说：“以利，以利！拉马撒巴各大尼？”就是说：“我的上帝，我的上帝！为什么离弃我？” 启示录3章5节- 凡得胜的，必这样穿白衣，我也必不从生命册上涂抹他的名，且要在我父面前和我父众使者面前认他的名。 “人子耶稣基督不是主神全能者，但基督和父是合而为一的。”——（怀爱伦著，《文稿140》，1903年） “祂【基督】不是父，但神本性一切的丰盛，都有形有体的居住在祂里面。”——怀爱伦著，《信函8a》1890年7月7日 “上帝为基督的父；基督乃上帝的儿子。基督已蒙赐与崇高之位。祂得以与父同等，上帝所有的旨意没有不显明给祂儿子的。”——怀爱伦著，《教会证言》卷八，原文第268页。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Is Jesus Christ GOD (Short version) 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 “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.” — (E.G. White, 8T 268.3) “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,” — (E.G. White, Ms140, Sept, 1903) “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) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Jesus has a God- Jehovah, God the Father Jesus has a God – Jehovah, God the Father 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. Revelation 3:12 - 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. 1 Corinthians 15:28 - And when all things shall be subdued unto him (God), then shall the Son (Jesus) also himself be subject unto him (God) that put all things under him (Jesus), that God may be all in all. Ephesians 4:6 - One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. John 20:17 - 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. Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 2 Corinthians 11:31 - The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 1 Peter 1:3 - 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, John 17:3 - And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Ephesians 1:17 - 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: 1 Corinthians 11:3 - But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Romans 15:6 - That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 12:44-45 - Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. John 20:31 - But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:21-22 - Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: John 14:10 - Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. John 14:24 - He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. Matthew 27:46 - 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? Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. “The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty,” — Ellen White, Manuscript 140, September 27, 1903 “He [Christ] was not the Father but in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” — Ellen White, Letter 8a, July 7, 1890 “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.” — Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 268.3 Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next We Need to Realise That if God is Trinity We need to realize that IF God is a Trinity, THEN ... 1. Jesus is not the literal son of God, the Father. 2. The Holy Spirit is not God’s (the Father’s) spirit with which He is everywhere present but a third, separate person of the Godhead. 3. Jesus should have called the Holy Spirit His Father because the Bible clearly teaches that it was the Holy Spirit that overshadowed Mary. (Luke 1:35) 4. Jesus never really died because God cannot die (He is immortal—1. Tim. 6:16). a) And because of it, He has never really paid the price for us and the atonement was not complete. b) He had a part of Himself that was conscious after His death, founding the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. 5. Jesus was never tempted here on earth because the Bible says “God cannot be tempted with evil” (James 1:13). 6. We have a Comforter (the Holy Spirit who is a separate Being, other than Christ) who was never a human being, was never tempted and tried as we are and never suffered death for us. 7. At the new birth, we will possess the Holy Spirit’s life (who was never a human Being and never conquered sin). This life is not a victorious life and there is no union of humanity and divinity in it. 8. We could never really study our Bibles without theological education because it is hard to know when God speaks in a literal and when in a metaphorical sense. (He calls Jesus His Son but in reality He is not.) 9. We have 2 Mediators and 2 Intercessors: Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 10. Jesus is removed from being our Comforter, and the 3rd Person of the Godhead takes His place thus causing us to look apart from Jesus in another direction. (Read what Ellen White said in Review and Herald, August 26,1890, par. 10) The Glorification of Christ ~ by Nader Mansour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VHmDVKquxU&t=1s Who or What is the Holy Spirit ? ~ New gods ~ by Nader Mansour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSGXRSvSKKQ Who Do You Worship ? ~ by Nader Mansour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJnDa_crKrs&t=1s ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

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

All trinity studies Previous Download Next General Info on 1 John 5 7 This is general info on 1 John 5:7. Does 1 John 5:7-8 Have Added Text? Some person or persons in centuries past were so zealous to find support for their belief in the Trinity that they literally added it. There are numerous Scholars in fact that inform us that this passage has a spurious comment which has been added. The textual Scholar Bart Ehrman described this forgery as follows: “…this represents the most obvious instance of a theologically motivated corruption in the entire manuscript tradition of the New Testament.” Thus the scholarly consensus is that this passage is a Latin corruption that found its way into a Greek manuscript at an early date while being absent from the THOUSANDS of other manuscripts. This addition is so famous and hence so well known that it has even been given its own name and is called the “Comma Johanneum.” Comma means a short clause. Modern Bible translations come from two manuscripts called the Codex Sinaiticus, which has more edits than any other manuscript in Biblical history (14800 edits), and the Codex Vaticanus which comes from the Vatican. These two manuscripts do NOT contain the Comma Johanneum and why this added text is not found in modern Bible translations other than the NKJV where it was added only to match the KJV. The King James New Testament on the other hand was compiled from over 5000 copies of copies of the original manuscripts which have long since perished. Now please take careful note that this added text was found in only ONE of the 5000 plus manuscripts. THAT MEANS ADDED! And so there is not one major theologian that does not acknowledge this fact. And yet considering all the irrefutable facts, it is amazing that there are still some who go into denial rather than acknowledge this well-known corruption that is so famous that it has even been given its own name! The English King James Bible translated in 1611 AD retains this Trinitarian forgery, but none of our modern translations have it except the NKJV where it was added to match the KJV. The King James Version reads as follows, “For there are three that bear record IN HEAVEN, THE FATHER, THE WORD, AND THE HOLY GHOST: AND THESE THREE ARE ONE. 8 AND THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR WITNESS IN EARTH, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” 1 John 5:7-8 Thus the words in CAPS are found in the KJV, NKJV but are missing from almost every other translation. Thomas Nelson and Sons Catholic Commentary, 1951, page 1186 states, “It is now generally held that this passage, called the Gomma Johanneum, is a gloss that crept into the text of the Old Latin and Vulgate at an early date, but found its way into the Greek text only in the 15th and 16th centuries.” Here is how 1 John 5:7-8 reads from the NIV and most other Bible translations. “For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” Erasmus did not include the infamous Comma Johanneum of 1 John 5:7-8 in either his 1516 or 1519 editions of his Greek New Testament but made its way into his third edition in 1522 because of pressure from the Catholic Church. After his first edition appeared in 1516, there arose such a furor over the absence of the Comma that Erasmus needed to defend himself. He argued that he did not put in the Comma Trinitarian formula because he found no Greek manuscripts that included it. Once one was produced called the Codex 61, that was written by one Roy or Froy at Oxford in c. 1520, he reluctantly agreed to include it in his subsequent editions. Erasmus probably altered the text because of politico-theologico-economic concerns. He did not want his reputation ruined, nor his Novum Instrumentum to go unsold. Thus it passed into the Stephanus Greek New Testament in 1551 (first New Testament in verses), which came to be called the Textus Receptus, and became the basis for the Geneva Bible New Testament in 1557 and the Authorized King James Version in 1611. Note the image of the Codex 61 with the added words underlined in red. “The passage as given in the KJV is in no Greek MS earlier than the 15th and 16th centuries. The disputed words found their way into the KJV by way of the Greek text of Erasmus (see Vol. V, p. 141). It is said that Erasmus offered to include the disputed words in his Greek Testament if he were shown even one Greek MS that contained them. A library in Dublin produced such a MS (known as 34), and Erasmus included the passage in his text. It is now believed that the later editions of the Vulgate acquired the passage by the mistake of a scribe who included an exegetical marginal comment in the Bible text that he was copying. The disputed words have been widely used in support of the doctrine of the Trinity, but, in view of such overwhelming evidence against their authenticity, their support is valueless and should not be used. In spite of their appearance in the Vulgate A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture freely admits regarding these words: “It is now generally held that this passage, called the Comma Johanneum, is a gloss that crept into the text of the Old Latin and Vulgate at an early date, but found its way into the Greek text only in the 15th and 16th centuries” (Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1951, p. 1186).” — (The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 675) The Seventh day Adventist Biblical Research Institute also admits this text in 1 John 5:7 is added. So their final conclusion and advice to Seventh day Adventists was “...you should NOT use this text.” So the SDA BRI and the SDA Bible Commentary both acknowledge this text is added and say it should not be used, and yet you constantly see Adventists and their key organizations using this verse anyway. So Seventh day Adventists are not following their own advice. “I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible; yet when copies of it were few, learned men had in some instances changed the words, thinking that they were making it more plain, when in reality they were mystifying that which was plain, by causing it to lean to their established views, which were governed by tradition.” — (E.G. White, EW, 220.2) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top