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返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 圣父和圣子按着祂们的形象造男造女 圣父和圣子按着祂们的形象造男造女（先祖与先知，第2章，创造） 唯独基督是天父本体的真像 [引言] 人类在外貌和品格上都赋有上帝的形象，惟有基督是天父 “本体的真像”（来1:3）; 但人类也是照着上帝的形象造的。他的性情是合乎上帝旨意的。他的心智能领会天上的事。他的爱情是纯洁的；他的食欲和情绪都受理智的支配。他既赋有上帝的形象，并完全顺从他的旨意，所以他是圣洁而幸福的。{原文第45页} [分析] 这句引言要求只有两位神性生物有相同的形象。如果上帝是三位一体，而三位按着他们的形象一同创造人类的话，那基督如何是天父本体的唯一真像呢？天父本体的另外一位真像呢？ [分析] 唯有基督是天父本体的真像，因为祂是父的独生子，承受了祂父所有的本性，形象和特性。如果圣灵也是父本体真像的另一位神性生物的话，那天父就有两位亲生儿子了。上帝生了两个儿子吗？不是的! 基督是上帝的独生子（约1:14; 3:16）。又或者基督有两位父亲吗？不可能! 天父只有一位（太23:9; 约20:17; 林前8:6; 弗4:6）。 只有一位与上帝同等 [引言] 在上帝所造地上的一切动物中，没有一种是与人同等的。所以 “耶和华上帝说：那人独居不好，我要为他造一个配偶帮助他。”（创2:18）上帝造人不是要他独居；乃是要他群居的。人若没有伴侣，则伊甸园美丽的景色和愉快的工作，就不能使人得到完全的幸福。即或有天使与他交往，也不能满足他对同情和友谊方面的愿望。他还没有一个与他性情相同的对象，和他彼此相爱。{原文第46页} [分析] 夏娃还没有从亚当身上被取出之前，没有任何活物是与亚当同等的。然后上帝造了一个与亚当性情相同，与他同等的女人。男人女人都是按着上帝和基督（上帝本体的真像）的形象造的。正如基督是从父上帝生出来的，并与上帝同等一样，照样，夏娃是从亚当出来，并与亚当同等的，她是亚当本体的真像，因为他们倆是按着上帝和祂儿子的形象造的。 [分析] 如果上帝是三位一体，而亚当夏娃是按着父，子，圣灵的形象被造的话，那上帝应该多造两个人给亚当，因为三个同等的人才能反映三位一体的形象! 基督是上帝的第二个自己 [引言] 所以上帝亲自给亚当造了一个伴侣。“为他造一个配偶帮助他，”──与他相配的一个助手──是专为作他的伴侣而造，并能彼此相亲相爱，合而为一。夏娃是由亚当的一根肋骨造成的，表明她不应作他的首脑去管辖他，也不应作他的奴隶任他践踏，乃是要以平等的地位站在亚当的身边，为他所亲爱，所保护。女人既是男人的一部分，是他骨中的骨，肉中的肉，她便是他的第二个自己；这是要说明夫妻之间应有亲爱密切的联合。“从来没有人恨恶自己的身子，总是保养顾惜。” “因此，人要离开父母，与妻子连合，二人成为一体。”（弗5:29；创2:24）{原文第46页} [分析] 亚当夏娃之间的密切联合反映出圣父圣子的密切联合。两位神性生物在品德和旨意上是一致的。基督作为上帝的儿子，并不比上帝劣等低级，而是以平等的地位站在上帝的身边。祂既从上帝而生，便是上帝的一部分，是上帝的第二个自己，正如夏娃是亚当的一部分，亚当的第二个自己一样。就如亚当夏娃之间没有小三，父子之间也没有第三位神性生物的存在了。 [分析] 如果亚当夏娃是按着三位一体之上帝的形象造的，那么婚姻就应该是三个人之间的事。"二人成为一体" 就应该是 "三人成为一体" ，这样才能贴切地反映三位一体的创造主啊! 圣父和圣子创造了两个人来反映祂们的形象，又叫两人彼此相亲相爱，合而为一，这事实足以告诉我们，有两位神性生物参与创造之工，而非三位。 感谢赞美造物主圣父和圣子两位 [引言] 如果亚当和他的伴侣能继续效忠上帝，他们就必能管理全地。管理一切生物的无限大权已经赐给他们。狮子与羔羊和平相处地围着他们嬉戏，或一同卧在他们的脚前。快乐的雀鸟毫无畏惧地在他们头上跳跃；当它们宛转清脆赞美的歌声升到造物主面前的时候，亚当和夏娃也同声应和着感谢圣父和圣子。{原文第50页} 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Father and Son Created Man and Woman in Their Divine Image FATHER AND SON CREATED MAN AND WOMAN IN THEIR DIVINE IMAGE (PP chapter 2) CHRIST ALONE IS THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD [Quote] Man was to bear God's image, both in outward resemblance and in character. CHRIST ALONE is “the express image” (Hebrews 1:3) of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will. PP 45.2 [Analysis] This quote necessitates that only two divine beings are in the exact same image. If God was a trinity and all three persons created man in their own image, then how is it that ONLY the Son of God is the express image of the Father's person? Where is the other person who is supposed to be the other express image of the Father? [Analysis] Only Christ is the express image of the Father because He is the only begotten Son who inherited His Father's features, nature and attributes. If the Holy Spirit was another divine being that is also the express image of the Father, then the Father would have had two begotten Sons! Does God have two begotten Sons? No! Christ is the ONLY begotten Son (John 1:14; 3:16) of God. Or as some suggest, does Christ have two Fathers? Never! There is only one Father in heaven, who is both Christ's Father and our Father (Matt 23:9; John 20:17; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:6)! ONLY ONE EQUAL TO GOD [Quote] Among all the creatures that God had made on the earth, there was not one equal to man. And God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Man was not made to dwell in solitude; he was to be a social being. Without companionship the beautiful scenes and delightful employments of Eden would have failed to yield perfect happiness. Even communion with angels could not have satisfied his desire for sympathy and companionship. There was none of the same nature to love and to be loved. PP 46.1 [Analysis] Before Eve was taken out of Adam, there was not one creature equal to man. Then God created a woman who had the same nature and was one equal to man. Now man and woman were made in the image of God and Christ (the express image of God). Just as Christ was begotten of the Father and was (and still is) equal to Him, so likewise Eve was begotten of Adam (or the express image of Adam) and was equal to him, because they were made in the image of God and His Son. [Analysis] If God was a trinity and the first human beings were made in the image of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then God should have made two more human beings to make a threesome of equal beings in order to reflect the image of the Trinity. CHRIST IS GOD'S SECOND SELF [Quote] God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided “an help meet for him” - a helper corresponding to him - one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it.” Ephesians 5:29. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one.” PP 46.2 [Analysis] The close union between Adam and Eve was a reflection of the close union between the Father and Son. The two divine beings are one in character and purpose. As the Son of God, Christ is not inferior to God, but He stands by God's side as an equal. Having come out of God, Christ is a part of God, He is God's second self, just as Eve was a part of Adam and was Adam's second self. That leaves no room for a third being. [Analysis] If God was a trinity and the first human beings were made in the image of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then marriage should have been between three persons instead of two. Instead of "the two shall become one," it should have been "the three shall become one." The fact that God and Christ created two human beings that reflect their image and made the two humans one in love and sympathy, tells us that two divine beings did the creating, not three as per the Trinity doctrine. PRAISE TO THE CREATOR FATHER AND SON [Quote] While they remained true to God, Adam and his companion were to bear rule over the earth. Unlimited control was given them over every living thing. The lion and the lamb sported peacefully around them or lay down together at their feet. The happy birds flitted about them without fear; and as their glad songs ascended to the praise of their Creator, Adam and Eve united with them in thanksgiving to the FATHER and the SON. PP 50.2 Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 圣经里的安息日是哪一天？ 说到安息日呢，各个教派都有各自的看法，各说纷纭。许多基督教派和天主教一样，都称安息日为星期日，基督复临安息日会则说是星期六，而另一些基督徒则说安息日是任你选择的任何一日，都可以是安息日。还有一些人则宣称，我们必须遵守月相安息日。简单来说，月相安息日（Lunar Sabbath）就是每一次月朔之后的第七日就算为安息日，再过七日之后就是第二个安息日，依此类推，直到下一次的月朔，又开始新一轮的循环。 这导致每个月的安息日都会落在不同日，这个月可能落在星期四，而下个月则可能落在星期二。那么到底哪个说法才是真理呢？圣经所谓的安息日是哪一日呢？星期六还是星期日？我们可以自由选择把安息日定在哪一日吗？还是说我们必须使用阴历来得出安息日是哪一日呢？ 今天我们就要来探讨这些问题以寻找真相，以确定我们应当遵守的是哪一日。今天我就给大家介绍五个证明安息日是星期六的理由。 五个证明安息日是星期六的理由： 第一，犹太人素来遵守星期六为安息日 这其实是非常重要的，因为犹太人从几千年以来都一直遵守着星期六，每周的第七日为安息日，从未改变。自从摩西上西奈山从上帝手中领受了十条诫命，而以色列民又从摩西手中领了上帝的律法之后，他们就一直遵守着第四条诫命的安息日，直到今日依然如此。 大家必须知道，安息日的时间段是从星期五的日落开始直到星期六的日落才结束的。因为根据圣经的说法，一日的开始和结束都是在日落。我们在圣经的开头，创世纪这本书中就首次看到了这个概念。上帝在创世的时候顺序以黑夜和白昼视为一天。 创世纪 1：5 上帝称光为昼，称暗为夜。有晚上，有早晨，这是头一日。 换句话说，以晚上作为开始，也就是日落标志着第一日的开始，而随后的日子也同样以日落作为开头和结束。这是上帝在最初所设立的原则。把一日的开始和结束定在午夜12点是人为的杰作，其实是罗马人设立的。 第二，耶稣在星期日复活 圣经里有关耶稣复活的记载能帮助我们辨认哪一日是安息日。 马可福音 16：9 在七日的第一日清早，耶稣复活了，就先向抹大拉的马利亚显现，耶稣从她身上曾赶出七个鬼。 众所周知，耶稣是在星期日复活的。因此，所谓的复活日就落在星期日，是为了纪念基督的牺牲与复活。因此，圣经里七日的第一日是指星期日。既然星期日是第一日，那么可想而知，第七日就必定是星期六了，因为圣经说，安息日是每周的第七日，也就是现今的星期六，而不是每周的第一日即星期日。 出埃及记 20：8-11 “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。” 第三，天主教把安息日从星期六改成星期日 罗马天主教曾多次公开承认他们把圣经里第七日的安息日改成第一日的星期日。其中一个例子是在天主教教义教理详解中找到。 “问：哪一日是安息日？ 答：星期六是安息日。 问：为什么要守星期日代替安息日？ 答：我们守星期日代替星期六的原因是(公元 336年)天主教在老底嘉大公会议上将星期六的神圣性转移到了星期日…… 问：为什么天主教以星期日代替星期六？ 答：教会以星期日代替星期六是因为基督在星期日从死里复活，圣灵是在星期日降到使徒身上。 问：教会借着什么权柄以星期日代替星期六？ 答：教会以星期日代替星期六是完全借着耶稣所赐她的神圣权柄而行！ （彼得•耶尔曼神父《天主教教义教理详解》第50页） 天主教宣称他们有凌驾于圣经之上的权柄，因此有权力把安息日从星期六改成星期日。但事实上没有任何人或教会有权柄改变上帝的律法，就算是天主教也没有这种权力。上帝的律法是神圣永不改变的，祂也从不曾赐给任何人权柄来改变祂的诫命。 申命记 4：2 所吩咐你们的话，你们不可加添，也不可删减，好叫你们遵守我所吩咐的，就是耶和华你们上帝的命令。 第四，星期六这一天在许多语言中被称为安息日 你知不知道星期六，在世界各地许多语言中的名称相等于安息日，词根也都源自安息日的希伯来文shabbath和希腊文Sabbaton？ 比如说在西班牙语，一周的第七日，即星期六被称为sabado，英文翻译过来就是Sabbath，安息日的意思。在俄罗斯的俄语当中，第七日则被称为Subbota，词根也同样是源于希伯来文shabbat或希腊文Sabbaton，该国守安息日的人被称为Subbotic。马来语和印尼语的第七日都被称为Sabtu，这也与马来语或印尼语的Sabat相似，就是安息日或安息的意思。 这只是许许多多例子中的几个罢了。事实上，在超过100种中古代和现代的语言中，一周的第七日的命名都与Shabbat安息日极其相似。为什么呢？难道这纯粹是巧合吗？肯定不是的！ 其中的原因很简单，由于挪亚的后裔分散在全地上，遍布各个大大小小的国度，虽然他们的语言被混乱了，以至都说不同的语言，但是他们都保存着安息日的知识，并且知道上帝的安息日是在第七日，也就是今天的星期六，因此，他们都以安息日来给第七日命名。我觉得这实在是太奇妙了！ 第五，根据现代权威词典，星期六一律被视为第七日，也是安息日 你要是到在线英文词典dictionary.com搜寻Saturday的话，这里就说，星期六，一周的第七日。同样的，你搜寻Sunday的话呢，它就会告诉你，星期日是一周的第一日。那么你要是到任何汉语词典的软件或网站去搜寻安息日，那里就会说： “《圣经》记载，上帝在六日内创造天地万物，第七日完工休息。犹太教尊这天为圣日，名叫安息日（即星期五日落到星期六日落的一昼夜时间）。这一天礼拜上帝，不做工作。基督教以星期日为安息日，又称主日。” 英文词典也一样，它说：“每周的第七日，星期六，是犹太人和一些基督徒休息和进行宗教活动的日子。这里他还引用了出埃及记20：8-11，即第四条诫命。” 但是第二个安息日的定义是“每周的第一日，星期日，大多数基督徒守这一日，以纪念基督的复活。” 这根本不是圣经的教导，而是跟从罗马天主教的传统。因为我们之前也谈过，天主教滥用自己的权柄，更改了或尝试去更改上帝的安息日，从第七日转变为第一日。 绝大多数的基督教派都说他们遵守第一日，即星期日为安息日，作为纪念基督复活的日子。但是圣经从未教导我们这样做！况且，圣经也不曾说过，第一日已经成了新的安息日，因为耶稣在那一日复活。这个论点是完完全全压根没有任何圣经根据的。 此外，安息日是不能也不可能转变为另一日的。其中一个最明显的原因是因为安息日是给我们纪念上帝的创造大工的，大家可以参考出埃及记 20：8-11。 简单来说，上帝用了六日的时间来创造天地万物和人类的始祖，因此在第七日便安息，祂就赐福予这一日，把它定为圣日，以作为人类纪念上帝伟大的创造大工的日子。倘若上帝有意要设立另一日为安息日的话，比方说星期日，那祂就必须重新创造天地万物，并在星期日安息，再把这一日定为圣日了。只要这事情一天没有发生，那么安息日依然是星期六，每周的第七日。 谈到月相安息日Lunar Sabbath呢，其中一个论点就是，既然犹太人的节期都是根据阴历的，那么安息日也必须根据阴历来设定。但是这也不是根据圣经的教导的。因为圣经里的安息日是根据七天周期的循环，而不是每个月周期的循环。 总而言之，各种证据都显示，圣经里的安息日，确实是星期六，每周的第七日。我们来简单地总结一下。根据圣经，安息日是第七日，耶稣则是在第一日复活，也就是星期日。犹太人千百年来持续遵守着安息日，而他们所遵守为安息日的日子恰恰是星期六。 星期六在许多国家的语言里都与安息日的希伯来原文Shabbat一词相同。各权威词典也告诉我们，星期六是一周的第七日。罗马天主教更承认把第七日的安息日改为第一日，这乃是一项圣经从不支持的更改行动。 说到一些人认为他们可以随意挑选任何一日作为安息日的呢，圣经说，安息日是第七日，而不是七日的任何一日。这神圣的日子是上帝所定下来的，轮不到我们自作聪明，擅自为上帝挑选日子，这样做相当于把自己当成上帝，甚至凌驾于上帝之上。 安息日这个课题其实非常的广阔高深，可以探讨的资料和经文也多不胜数。但是今天我们暂且谈到这里，我们在下一期将继续研究攸关安息日的课题，从圣经中寻找相关安息日的真理，并解开大多数基督徒对安息日所持有的迷思与误解。 愿上帝赐福每一位。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Who is the God of the Bible Who is the God of the Bible? Does the following match with our current understanding of the God of the Bible?? If yes then we're in the harmony with the scriptures and if No then it's high time to review things all over again as who the TRUE God of the Bible ?? Never forget the end time major issue will be over the issue of WORSHIP. Who do you worship? God of the Bible or some mysterious 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 entity ?? Let's see who is the God of the Bible !! 1- What important question does the Bible ask about God? Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? - We cannot of ourselves find out God. God Himself must tell us about Himself. 2- What does God say about Himself? Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. – He is a creator of infinite power. Not only is He creator but He also upholds and maintains all His creation. Isaiah 46:9, 10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure – *God is all knowing or omniscient. 3- How many true gods does the Bible reveal? Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD – God told the Israelites that He is ONE, as opposed to the heathen nations around them which worshiped multiple gods. Deuteronomy 4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.– There is none other besides Him. It is on this basis that God gave the first commandment which prohibits multiple gods. Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. 4- Who is the most qualified person to tell us about the true God? John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. – Jesus, the Son of God is the highest authority on this topic. John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. – In speaking of God Jesus tells us what He knows and has seen. That was His mission in coming down from heaven; to tell us of heavenly things. 5- According to Jesus, who is “the only true God”? John 17:1, 3 Father… And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. – The only true God, according to Jesus, is the Father. Knowing the only true God and Jesus is the key to eternal life. A correct understanding of God is an issue that affects our eternal life. 6- Who is the Lord of heaven and earth, according to Jesus? Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. – The Father is the Lord of both heaven and earth (see also Luke 10:21). 7- Who will the true worshippers worship? John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. –True worshippers worship the Father, the only true God, in spirit and in truth. 8- Who did Jesus say we should pray to? Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven … For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. – The Father’s will is done in heaven. The kingdom, power and glory belong to the Father. 9- Which is the first commandment of all? Mark 12:28-32 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this,Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he. – Knowing God is required before we can love Him. A correct knowledge of God is vital for our relationship with Him. The scribe agreed that there is only one God, and none other but He. 10- Did Jesus correct the scribe? Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. – The belief of the scribe reflects the faith of the entire Jewish nation. The Jews believed in one God only. John 8:41 Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 11- Did Jesus identify who is the one God of the Jewish nation? John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. 12- Is He the God of the Jews only? Romans 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. 13- Did the apostles of Christ teach the Gentiles the same truth about God? James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. – *James taught that there is only one God. Even the devils know that! 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. – Paul taught that there is only one God. Jesus is the only link between us and God. We can only know God through Jesus. 14- Who is this one true God? 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many,and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. – The one God is the Father. James 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Romans 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. – *The Apostles of Christ taught that the one God is only the Father. We do not read about different persons making up one God. It is simply the Father. 15- Who is the living and true God? 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. – The “living and true God” is the Father. 16- Did the early Christian church maintain this belief of the Apostles? Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 17- Who is the creator of all things? Revelation 4:9-11 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. –We saw earlier that the Lord of heaven and earth is God the Father. It is God the Father who created all things. 18- How did God the Father create all things? Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:16 For by him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,visible and invisible,whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. 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. John 1:3 All things were made by him [the Word]; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 19- Who is the head of all things? 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. – The head of Christ is God, who is His Father. 20- Does Christ have a God? 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? 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 1:17 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. 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. Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness,and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Note: This teaching was clearly revealed in the Old Testament, not just the New (see Psalm 45:7). The Father has always been, and will always be, the God of Jesus Christ our Lord. 21- Who does Christ belong to? 1 Corinthians 3:23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God‘s. 22- When we get to heaven, who are we going to serve? Revelation 21:22, 23 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. – We shall serve and worship God and the Lamb, for this is eternal life. To know them both throughout eternity will be our theme. 23- Do we wait till we get to heaven or can this fellowship begin sooner? 1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. This fellowship can begin now as we read and learn about the Father and the Son. Conclusion: We have seen that the word of God clearly tells us there is only one God. That one God is none other than the Father, not a mysterious trinity god. This one God is the source of ALL life and power. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Uriah Smith on the Trinity Uriah Smith on the Trinity More words from one of the founding members of the Seventh day Adventist Church and the truth the Adventist Church was founded on. “In 1 Cor. 15, I find that it is not the natural man that hath immortality; yet Paul assures the Romans that by patient continuance in well doing all could obtain immortality and eternal life. The doctrine called the trinity, claiming that God is without form or parts; that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the three are one person, is another. Could God be without form or parts when he “spoke unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto a friend?” [Ex. 33:11] or when the Lord said unto him, Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live? And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by; and I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen. Ex. 33:20, 22, 23. Christ is the express image of his Father's person. Heb. 1:3.” — (Uriah Smith, Review and Herald, July 10, p. 87, 1856) “To the Lamb, equally with the Father who sits upon the throne, praise is ascribed in this song of adoration. Commentators, with great unanimity, have seized upon this as proof that Christ must be coeval with the Father; for otherwise, say they, here would be worship paid to the creature which belongs only to the Creator. But this does not seem to be a necessary conclusion. The Scriptures nowhere speak of Christ as a created being, but on the contrary plainly state that he was begotten of the Father. (See remarks on Rev. 3:14, where it is shown that Christ is not a created being.) But while as the Son he does not possess a co-eternity of past existence with the Father, the beginning of his existence, as the begotten of the Father, antedates the entire work of creation, in relation to which he stands as joint creator with God. John 1:3; Heb. 1:2. Could not the Father ordain that to such a being worship should be rendered equally with himself, without its being idolatry on the part of the worshiper? He has raised him to positions which make it proper that he should be worshipped, and has even commanded that worship should be rendered him, which would not have been necessary had he been equal with the Father in eternity of existence. Christ himself declares that “as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26. The Father has “highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” Phil. 2:9. And the Father himself says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” Heb. 1:6. These testimonies show that Christ is now an object of worship equally with the Father; but they do not prove that with him he holds an eternity of past existence.” — (Uriah Smith, Daniel And The Revelation, p. 430, 1882) “God alone is without beginning. At the earliest epoch when a beginning could be,—a period so remote that to finite minds it is essentially eternity,—appeared the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. This uncreated Word was the Being, who, in the fulness of time, was made flesh, and dwelt among us. His beginning was not like that of any other being in the universe. It is set forth in the mysterious expressions, “his [God's] only begotten Son” (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9), “the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14), and, “I proceeded forth and came from God.” John 8:42. Thus it appears that by some divine impulse or process, not creation, known only to Omniscience, and possible only to Omnipotence, the Son of God appeared. And then the Holy Spirit (by an infirmity of translation called “the Holy Ghost”), the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the divine afflatus and medium of their power, representative of them both (Ps. 139:7), was in existence also.” — (Uriah Smith, Looking Unto Jesus, p. 10, 1898) “When Christ left heaven to die for a lost world, he left behind, for the time being, his immortality also. but how could that be laid aside? That it was laid aside is sure, or he could not have died; but he did die, as a whole, as a divine being, as the Son of God, not in body only, while the spirit, the divinity, lived right on; for then the world would have only a human Saviour, a human sacrifice for its sins; but the prophet says that “his soul” was made “an offering for sin.” Isa. 53:10.” — (Uriah Smith, Looking Unto Jesus, pp. 23, 24, 1898) “God The Father, And His Son Jesus Christ Titles of the Father The following titles of supremacy belong alone to Him who is from everlasting to everlasting, the only wise God: “The Eternal God.” Deut. 33:27. “Whose Name alone is Jehovah.” Ps. 83:18. “Most High God.” Mark 5:7. “The Ancient of Days.” Dan. 7:13. “God Alone.” Ps. 86:10. “Lord Alone.” Neh. 9:6. “God of Heaven.” Dan. 2:44. “The Only True God.” John 17:8. “Who Only hath Immortality.” 1 Tim. 6:16. “The King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible.” 1 Tim. 1:17. “The Only Wise God.” 1 Tim. 1:17. “Lord God Omnipotent.” Rev. 19:6. “The Blessed and only Potentate.” 1 Tim. 6:15. “Besides Me there is no God.” Isa. 44:6. “God the Father.” 1 Cor. 8:6. “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory.” Eph. 1:17. “God and Father of all, who is above all.” Eph. 4:6. “The Almighty God.” Gen. 17:1. “I Am that I Am.” Ex. 3:14. “Lord God Almighty.” Rev. 4:8. Declarations Concerning the Son He is the beginning of the creation of God. Rev. 3:14. The first born of every creature. Col. 1:15. The only begotten of the Father. John 1:18; 3:18. The Son of the Living God. Matt. 16:16. Existed before he came into the world. John 8:58; Micah 5:2; John 17:5, 24. Was made higher than the angels. Heb. 1:14. He made the world and all things. John 1:1-3; Eph. 3:3, 9. Was sent into the world by God. John 3:34. In Him dwells all the fullness of the God-head bodily. Col. 2:9. He is the resurrection and the life. John 11:25. All power is given to him in heaven and earth. Matt. 28:18. He is the appointed heir of all things. Heb. 1:2. Anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. Heb. 1:9. God has ordained him to be judge of quick and dead. Acts 17:31. Reveals his purposes through him. Rev. 1:1. The head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3. Jesus had power to lay down his life and take it again. John 10:18. He received this commandment from the Father. John 10:19. God raised him from the dead. Acts 2:24, 34; 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30, 34; 17:31; Rom. 4:24: 8:11; 1 Cor. 8:14; 15:15; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12; 1 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 1:21; Jesus says he could do nothing of himself. John 5:19. That the Father which dwelt in him did the works. John 14:10. That the Father which sent him, gave him a commandment what he should say and what he should speak. John 12:49. That he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. John 6:38. And that his doctrine was not his, but the Father's which sent him. John 7:16; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10, 24. With such inspired declarations before us, ought we to say that Jesus Christ is the Self-existent, Independent, Omniscient and Only True God; or the Son of God, begotten, upheld, exalted and glorified BY THE FATHER?” — (Uriah Smith, The Bible Students Assistant, pp. 42-45, 1858. Also found in Review and Herald, June 12, p. 27, 1860) “J. W. W. Asks: “Are we to understand that the Holy Ghost is a person, the same as the Father and the Son? Some claim that it is, others that it is not.” Ans.—The terms “Holy Ghost”, are a harsh and repulsive translation. It should be “Holy Spirit” (hagion pneuma) in every instance. This Spirit is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ; the Spirit being the same whether it is spoken of as pertaining to God or Christ. But respecting this Spirit, the Bible uses expressions which cannot be harmonized with the idea that it is a person like the Father and the Son. Rather it is shown to be a divine influence from them both, the medium which represents their presence and by which they have knowledge and power through all the universe, when not personally present. Christ is a person, now officiating as priest in the sanctuary in heaven; and yet he says that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is there in the midst. Mt. 18:20. How? Not personally, but by his Spirit. In one of Christ's discoursed (John 14-16) this Spirit is personified as “the Comforter,” and as such has the personal and relative pronouns, “he,” “him,” and “whom,” applied to it. But usually it is spoken of in a way to show that it cannot be a person, like the Father and the Son. For instance, it is often said to be “poured out” and “shed abroad.” But we never read about God or Christ being poured out or shed abroad. If it was a person, it would be nothing strange for it to appear in bodily shape; and yet when it has so appeared, that fact has been noted as peculiar. Thus Luke 3:22 says: “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him.” But the shape is not always the same; for on the day of Pentecost it assumed the form of “cloven tongues like as of fire.” Acts 2:3, 4. Again we read of “the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6. This is unquestionably simply a designation of the Holy Spirit, put in this form to signify its perfection and completeness. But it could hardly be so described if it was a person. We never read of the seven Gods or the seven Christs.” — (Uriah Smith, Review and Herald, October 28, 1890) “It may not then be out of place for us to consider for a moment what this Spirit is, what its office is, what its relation to the world and to the church, and what the Lord through this proposes to do for his people. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; it is also the Spirit of Christ. It is that divine, mysterious emanation through which they carry forward their great and infinite work. It is called the Eternal Spirit; it is a spirit that is omniscient and omnipresent; it is the spirit that moved, or brooded, upon the face of the waters in the early days when chaos reigned, and out of chaos was brought the beauty and the glory of this world. It is the agency through which life is imparted; it is the medium through which all God's blessings and graces come to his people. It is the Comforter; it is the Spirit of Truth; it is the Spirit of Hope; it is the Spirit of Glory; it is the vital connection between us and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; for the apostle tells us that if we “have not the Spirit of Christ,” we are “none of his.” It is a spirit which is tender; which can be insulted, can be grieved, can be quenched. It is the agency through which we are to be introduced, if ever we are introduced, to immortality; for Paul says that if the spirit of Him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, he shall quicken also your mortal bodies by that Spirit which dwelleth in you; that is, the Spirit of Christ. Rom. 8:11. ... You will notice in these few verses the apostle brings to view the three great agencies which are concerned in this work: God, the Father; Christ, his Son; and the Holy Spirit.” — (Uriah Smith, General Conference Daily Bulletin, March 14, 1891, pp. 146, 147) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

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

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Can Trinitarians Receive God's Seal Can Trinitarians Receive God's Seal? Is it possible for someone who worships the trinity god to receive the seal of God which we find in Revelation 7 and 14? This is a very important issue, as only those who receive God's seal in the last days will be saved. "A knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education and of all true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation. It is this alone that can make us like God in character. This is the knowledge needed by all who are working for the uplifting of their fellow men. Transformation of character, purity of life, efficiency in service, adherence to correct principles, all depend upon a right knowledge of God. This knowledge is the essential preparation both for this life and for the life to come. 'The knowledge of the Holy is understanding.' (Proverbs 9:10). Through a knowledge of Him are given unto us 'all things that pertain unto life and godliness.' (2 Peter 1:3) 'This is life eternal,' said Jesus, 'that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." (John 17:3) (E.White, Ministry of Healing, p. 409) Now many Trinitarians say it is not important to understand the God we worship, claiming that God is a 'mystery'. This is a common excuse used by those who worship the trinity, because they are unable to understand what it is they worship. But if this is the case, and we cannot know the God we worship, then that automatically means it is acceptable to worship the Roman Catholic god or the Muslim god. Because if we merely say that finite mind cannot comprehend the God we worship, and it is not important to know if God is one being or a trinity, then no proposition of "God" is to be rejected, and ALL are to be accepted as possibly valid. And once you understand this, you then begin to realize the ecumenical nature of the trinity god. And this is why we are seeing the majority of churches today involved in this ecumenical movement. They are unable to stand apart, as they all have a confused idea as to who God is. They no longer use God's Word as divine revelation and the supreme test of faith. Instead, they are led by human imagination. But those who stand by a 'thus saith the Lord' are able to stand apart from this ecumenical movement, because they recognize, through divine revelation that the god of the ecumenical movement is NOT the God of the Bible. So can someone who worships the trinity receive the seal of God? Let us look at Revelation 14 regarding this ... Revelation 7:2-3 ...'And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.' Revelation 14:1 ...'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.' We can note two clear things from these verses. The seal is the 'seal of the living God'. And what is that 'seal'? It is the name of the 'Lamb's Father'. The Lamb is Jesus Christ, so who is the Father of Jesus? It is God the Father. Take a look at the following verses. Matthew 16:16 ...'And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' John 6:69 ...'And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' John 17:1-3 ...'Father ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' 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.' So Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the Son of God the Father. And Revelation 14 confirms that the seal of God is the 'name of the Father'. Revelation doesn't say that we are sealed with the name of the 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit', or 'God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit'. It clearly confirms that we are sealed with the name of 'the Father'. And the Bible confirms that God the Father is the one true God, as we see below, not this trinity god that the churches worship. John 17:1-3 ...'Father ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 ...'For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 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.' 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.' Don't you think we should listen to the testimony of the 'Faithful Witness', Jesus Christ the Messiah? And Jesus confirms that His Father is the one true God. Not only that, Jesus says that God the Father is His God too! And Hebrews 1:9 also confirms this fact. It is interesting to note that the Jews did not worship a trinity, but knew that God the Father was their God (John 8:41). Jesus did not worship a trinity, or two other gods, but knew that His Father was the one true God (John 17:3). And the apostles did not worship a trinity, but worshipped and acknowledged God the Father as the one true God (1 Corinthians 8:6). Although they did give recognition and worship to Jesus also, being the Son of the living God. It Doesn't Matter! REALLY? There will still be many Trinitarians who claim that this just doesn't matter, that God is a 'mystery', and that we just cannot know the God we worship. But they fail to recognize Divine REVELATION. And it is just that, a REVELATION! Jesus made it clear that eternal life was based on 'knowing' God the Father and Himself. Jesus says we can 'know' God, while Trinitarians say we cannot know God. Who would you rather trust? The wisdom of the 'Faithful Witness', or the wisdom of man? Now take a look at what Jesus said to the woman at the well in John chapter 4. John 4:21-24 ...'Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.' "YOU KNOW NOT WHAT YOU WORSHIP" ... Who is that a statement to today? Trinitarians! All throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles reveal that the Father is the one true God, and it is to Him, that our allegiance and worship is due. And Jesus confirms that it the true worshippers who worship God the Father as the one true God. Which means those who worship this trinity god are not the true worshippers. And if we are not worshipping the one true God, then can we receive the seal of the living God? No, not a chance! Can a Roman Catholic who remains within Catholicism receive the seal of God? No. Why? Because they are not worshipping the one true God. And this also is the same for anyone who worships the trinity god. They are not worshipping the one true God and therefore cannot receive His seal of approval. And notice what else Revelation 14 says about those who DO receive the seal. Revelation 14:4 ...'These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God AND to the Lamb.' A woman in the Bible and prophecy is a symbol of a church. So to be 'defiled with women' means to be defiled by the fallen churches. And what does it mean to be defiled by the fallen churches? It means to be deceived by their false teachings and false worship. And the trinity teaching is a false teaching from Babylon. So to worship the trinity means you are defiled by women and cannot receive the seal of God the Father. The final controversy is over worship. And Revelation 14 reveals who it is we are to worship … The Call to Worship our Creator God Revelation 14:6-7 ...'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.' In Genesis 1, we see a statement as follows ... "And God said, let us make man in our image." ... Now Trinitarians believe this is the 'trinity' speaking. But, as we have seen from above, the Bible reveals that God is the Father. So who is speaking here? God the Father is speaking. And who is He speaking to? Well, Ephesians 3:9 and 1 Corinthians 8:6 confirms that God the Father created all things through His Son Jesus Christ. So who is God the Father speaking to? He is speaking to His Son. Now look at what King David said in 1 Chronicles 29. 1 Chronicles 29:10-11 ...'Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.' Who is the 'head above all'? ... 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.' ... So the head of ALL is GOD THE FATHER. And Jesus confirmed this Himself in Matthew 11:25 ... 'Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.' So who is the one true God, LORD and Creator of heaven and earth, whom Revelation 14 is calling with a 'LOUD CRY' to worship? It is God the Father, the one true God, the source of all life (1 Corinthians 8:6). And who's name do the end time servants of God receive? They receive the name and seal of the living God, the one true God, GOD THE FATHER. Yes, we can also give honor and worship to Jesus the Messiah, as He is the SON of the one true God, and Revelation 5:13 confirms that for all eternity, God the Father and 'the Lamb' (Christ) are to be worshipped. But all the honor that Christ receives is for the 'GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER'. Philippians 2:11 ...'And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' So our worship primarily is to go to God the Father, as He is Head of all, God of all and the source of all life. But those who worship the false trinity god of Babylon are not worshipping the one true God of the Bible, and therefore CANNOT receive the seal of God. Friends, this is so important. Our eternal lives depend on this. If you are someone who still believes in and worships the trinity, then I urge you to study this for yourself and find the truth. Do you want to receive the seal of God? Then worship the one true God, the Father. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Revelation Warning 1-10 REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 1 of 10) WHO IS THE GOD IN REVELATION 14? In Revelation 14:6-7 we find an important end time message and it reads, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to HIM; for the hour of HIS judgment is come; and worship HIM that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” So who is this God that the angel is lovingly warning the world to turn to and worship? Notice that this message references God as Him. So who is He? In John 4, we have an interesting conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. The Samaritan woman asked Jesus concerning the place where God is to be worshiped. And listen to how Jesus replies: “Ye worship ye KNOW not what; we KNOW what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) Let me just pause there for a moment. Jesus tells the woman that she doesn’t know what or who she worships. But He says, we, speaking of the Jewish nation, know what we worship. And look at how Jesus responds to one of the scribes in Mark 12. Jesus was asked the question, Which is the first commandment? Look at how Jesus responds: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is ONE LORD. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:29-30) And the scribe says, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth, for there is ONE GOD, and there is NONE OTHER BUT HE.” (Mark 12:32) That’s interesting. Let us go back to the woman at the well. Jesus continues to reveal the truth to the woman. He says, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship THE FATHER in spirit and in truth; for the FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM. God is a Spirit; and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23,24) So who is the God which we are called to give glory to and to worship in Revelation 14? Who is the God that created heaven and earth? Let’s look at some more Bible verses. In John 17, while praying to the Father, Jesus said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:1-3) John said in 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know HIM that is TRUE, and we are in HIM that is TRUE, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God [speaking of the Father], and eternal life.” Now notice what the apostle Paul confirms in 1 Cor 8:4-6. And do not miss this. He said, “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols,we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is NONE OTHER GOD BUT ONE. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 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.” Can you see who the NONE OTHER GOD BUT ONE is? It’s the Father according to Paul. Paul says again in Phil 2:11, “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of GOD THE FATHER.” So who is He that is to receive our worship and to receive glory that the angel in Revelation 14 calls for? It is God the Father, the one true God according to Jesus and the apostles. Just look through the writings of the apostles and you will see them refer time and time again to the one true God as being the Father. Paul says, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” (Rom 1:7-8) James says, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” (James 1:1) Peter says, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2) John says, “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.” (2 John 1:3) REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 2 of 10) DOES GENESIS 1 SHOW A PLURAL GOD? Now many Trinitarians will be saying, “Ah! That’s all very well. But in Genesis 1:26, it refers to God as 'us', showing a plural God. And Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, showing a plural God. And 1 John 5:7 says, ‘There are THREE that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one’--again showing a plural God made up of three beings.” This is the common stance of Trinitarians. So let us deal with each of these points. In Genesis 1:26, we read, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” Now this is a lot more simple than many take it to read. The question is, Who is God and who is the “us”? Well, we have already established who God is, and we will further cement this truth later on. God is the Father. But did the Father create this world on His own? No, clearly not. So who did He create this world with? Let’s use Scripture to answer this. In Ephesians 3:9 we read, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in GOD, WHO CREATED ALL THINGS BY JESUS CHRIST.” And for those who accept Ellen White’s writings as inspired, take a look at what she said: “After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the FATHER and SON carried out THEIR purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in THEIR own image. They had wrought TOGETHER in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. And now GOD SAYS TO HIS SON, ‘Let US make man in our image.’ “ (Lift Him Up, 47) So who is the God that is speaking? It is God the Father. And who is He speaking to? His Son Jesus. This is the “us” in Genesis 1:26. It is the Father and the Son, and through the Father’s own divine Spirit, which He shares with His Son, which I will show you from Scripture later, they created this world together. “Ah!” I hear some Trinitarians say, “But the Hebrew word for God in Genesis 1 is Elohim, and that means a plural of persons.” Well, let’s look at another verse in the Bible, that uses the word Elohim. In Exodus 7:1 when God is speaking to Moses, He tells Moses that he will be a god unto Pharaoh. And the Hebrew word for god in this verse is exactly the same as the one used in Genesis 1, Elohim. So was God telling Moses that he was going to appear as three persons before Pharaoh? No, of course not. So what was God telling Moses when He said Moses was going to be an Elohim to Pharaoh? God was simply saying that Moses would appear great before Pharaoh. And this is what Elohim means. It is not a plurality of persons, but a plurality of majesty, a position of greatness. This is how Moses was to appear to Pharaoh. And this is also why Elohim is used for God the Father in Genesis 1. It is telling us of the Father’s greatness and majesty. Just look how David spoke of this in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13. “Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation, and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God [Elohim] of Israel our Father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” Can you see the plural of majesty proclaimed of God the Father here? This is why He is called Elohim in Genesis 1. It is not saying God is made up of three beings. It is saying He has a position of great majesty. And the fact that Moses was also to appear as an Elohim to Pharaoh proves this. REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 3 of 10) DOES MATTHEW 28:19 AND 1 JOHN 5:7 SHOW A PLURAL GOD? Now let us deal with Matthew 28:19 and 1 John 5:7. In Matt 28:19, we read, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” And in 1 John 5:7, we read, “For there are three that bear record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.” Now I’m not going to make any case here about the validity of those verses, even though there is strong evidence that they are added verses, as the majority of people just will not accept this. But if you would like to look into this, then please visit www.trinitytruth.org/matthew28_19addedtext.html and www.trinitytruth.org/was1john5_7addedtext.html for more information. So here let us deal with these verses as if they are inspired. Now the first important point to note is, that neither of these verses mentions the word God. So what does that mean? It means that neither of these verses are telling us who God is. Now something else you can do is go and look up the phrases God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the Bible and see if you can find them. And I will tell you now that you won’t find those phrases once in the Bible. Why? Because the Bible tells us that the one true God is the Father. An important point to note regarding Matt 28:19 is the fact that if it is inspired, then none of the disciples did what Jesus supposedly commanded here, because not one baptism mentioned in the New Testament was performed in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They were all done in the name of Jesus alone, as you can see in Acts 2:38; 8:12,16; 10:48; 19:5; 22:16; Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27. And the important point regarding 1 John 5:7 is that according to Jesus in John 8:16-18, there are not three that bear witness but only two, Himself and God the Father. "I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." (John 8:18) So the question remains, Who are these “three” mentioned in Matt 28:19 and 1 John 5:7? What should a good Bible student do? Go to the Bible, and let the scriptures interpret themselves. So let us do just that. REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 4 of 10) WHO IS THE FATHER? In Matt 11:25, we read, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” So Jesus confirms that the Father is Lord of heaven and earth, the One to whom the angel of Rev 14 is pointing us to. In John 17:1-3, we read Jesus saying, “Father… this is life eternal, that they might know THEE THE ONLY TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” So Jesus confirms that the Father is the only one true God. In John 20:17, we read, “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.” So Jesus confirms here that God is both His Father and God, and our Father and God. In 1 Cor 8:6, we read, “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.” So Paul confirms that the Father is the one God of all. These and many other Bible verses confirm that the Father is the one and only true God, Lord of heaven and earth. (See Eph 1:17, Rom 1:7-8, 1 Thess 1:9-10, 2 John 1:3, Acts 4:24-30, John 4:22-24, Phil 2:11) REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 5 of 10) WHO IS THE SON [WORD]? John 1:14 says, “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.” In 1 John 1:3, we read, “And truly our fellowship is with the FATHER, and with HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.” In Matt 16:15-17, we read, “He [Jesus] saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My FATHER which is in heaven.” Rom 8:3 says, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD SENDING HIS OWN SON in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Now look at what God the Father says Himself on the Mount of Transfiguration as Peter was speaking. “While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON: hear him.” (Luke 9:34-35) These and many other Bible verses (such as John 3:16; 1 Thess 1:9-10; John 20:17; 1 John 5:20; 2 John 1:3) that show that the Son or Word is Jesus Christ, the Son of the one true God the Father. Now many Trinitarians will say, Yes, that’s what I believe. I believe Jesus is the Son of God, but many fail to realize that the Trinity god teaching says Jesus is God Himself, and not the literal Son of God. And yes, we will deal with John 1 a little later. “...the father-son image cannot be literally applied to the divine Father-Son relationship within the Godhead. The Son is NOT the natural, literal Son of the Father. The term ‘Son’ is used metaphorically when applied to the Godhead.” (Angel Manuel Rodriguez [Seventh-day Adventist theologian and “director” of the Adventist BRI -Biblical Research Institute], Adventist World November 2015, p. 42) As you can see from this quote, the Trinity doctrine teaches that Jesus is only the Son in a symbolic way, not the real Son of God. It teaches that Jesus never had a beginning, and has always existed alongside the Father. If this is true, then Jesus cannot be the true Son of God. And yet the Bible revealed Him as just that, the real, true, literal Son of God the Father. 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.” So let us look at the Biblical evidence for Jesus being the literal begotten Son of God the Father before He came to this earth. Now to begin with, let us establish an important Biblical principle that we should all heed. Apart from some prophetic writings, God’s word is to be taken literally as it reads. For instance, in John 3:16 and Rom 8:3, which says that “God GAVE His only begotten Son” and that “God [was] SENDING His own Son.” Now for God to give His Son and to be able to send His own Son, what does God the Father need to have to be able to give and send? He needs to have a Son in the first place. This is basic logic and this is how we are to take God’s word literally as it reads. So let us look at some Bible verses concerning this. In Micah 5:2, we are given a prophecy of Jesus coming to this earth. Look at what it says, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; WHOSE GOINGS FORTH have been from of old, from everlasting.” Now if you look at the original Hebrew word for “goings forth”, you will see it means literally “go out from or proceed from.” So this prophecy is confirming that Jesus came out of or proceeded from something some time in eternity past. Now look at what it says in Prov 8, speaking of wisdom, which it is well-accepted that this is speaking of Jesus Christ. But just to confirm, the apostle Paul also confirms in 1 Cor 1:24 that Christ is the wisdom of God. "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." Prov 8:23-25 says, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I WAS BROUGHT FORTH; when there were no fountains abounding with water. BEFORE the mountains were settled, BEFORE the hills WAS I BROUGHT FORTH.” And for those who accept Ellen White’s writings as inspired, look at what she said regarding Proverbs 8. “Through Solomon, CHRIST DECLARED… When there were no depths, I WAS BROUGHT FORTH; when there were no fountains abounding with water. BEFORE the mountains were settled, BEFORE the hills, WAS I BROUGHT FORTH.” (ST Aug 29, 1900.14) So Christ revealed through Solomon and Micah that before anything was made by God the Father some time in eternity past, Christ came forth from the Father as a true Son. Now did Jesus confirm this at all in the New Testament? Yes He did. In John 16:27-28, we read, “For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I CAME OUT FROM GOD. I CAME FORTH FROM THE FATHER, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” And in John 17:7-8, we read, “Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I CAME OUT FROM THEE, and they have believed that THOU DIDST SEND ME.” So Jesus confirms Himself that He came out of God. But some say that Jesus here is just confirming that He came from God to this earth. But no. Look at the clear order these verses are confirming. He says He came forth from the Father AND then came into this world, speaking of two separate events. In Prov 30:4, we also read, “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, AND WHAT IS HIS SON’S NAME, if thou canst tell?” So the Bible does confirm clearly that Jesus came forth from the Father some time in eternity past as the true Son, and that people knew God had a Son even before Jesus came to earth. Just look at what King Nebuchadnezzar said regarding the fourth person in the fiery furnace. Dan 3:25 “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like THE SON OF GOD.” Again, for those who believe Ellen White’s writings are inspired, look at what she said in Desire of Ages,p. 51. She said, “The dedication of the FIRST-BORN had its origin in the earliest times. God had promised to give the FIRST-BORN OF HEAVEN to save the sinner.” Now did you know that God the Father spoke audibly twice to the people in the New Testament? And what did He choose to say on both occasions? In Matt 3:17, He said, “This is MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well pleased.” And in Luke 9:35, He said, “This is MY BELOVED SON, hear Him.” Now God could have said anything, yet He chose to confirm both times that Jesus is in fact His beloved Son. And if we say that Jesus isn’t really God’s literal son like the Trinity god doctrine teaches, then we are saying that God the Father is a liar. REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 6 of 10) DOES JOHN 1:1 SHOW THAT JESUS IS GOD? Ah! I hear Trinitarians say, “But Jesus is called God in John 1 and Hebrews 1, so He must be God Himself and not the literal Son of God.” Well, let’s take a look at those verses. In John 1:1-2 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God.” Now a couple things to note concerning this. We have already shown that Jesus is the literal Son of God, begotten of God the Father some time in eternity past. So with Jesus being God’s own Son, what does that make Jesus by nature? God. Because He shares the same nature as His Father which is the God nature. Just like I have a son, and being human myself, my son must also be human. This is why John says Jesus is God in John 1, because He is the literal Son of God and shares the same nature as His Father. Now note that John says “In the beginning.” So the question is, the beginning of what? Eternity does not have a beginning, does it? So why would John say Christ was with God in the beginning? Well, where else in the Bible do we find the words “In the beginning” but the creation of this world in Genesis 1. So John here is simply confirming that Jesus was with God at the beginning of this world, showing that Jesus is truly the Son of God from eternity past. Also in the original Greek for John 1, we find the word that has been missed out which transformed these verses. This word has been missed out of the English translations. In the Greek, the verse reads as follows: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with [THE] God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” So the Greek says, in the beginning, Christ was with THE God. And we know from John 17:3, 1 Cor 8:6, and other verses, that God the Father is THE one true God. And it is He whom Jesus was with, His Father, THE one true God. REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 7 of 10) A video study by end-times-prophecy.org . Transcribed by Felix Liew. DOES HEBREWS 1:8 SHOW THAT JESUS IS GOD? Now let’s look at Hebrews 1. This one is interesting, because what Trinitarians do, is pick out one little verse and separate it from the context. So let’s look at the verse that is used, and look at the proper context. In Heb 1:8, we read, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” So Trinitarians look at this single verse, and say, “See, Jesus is God.” But now let’s look at the proper context. Heb 1:1-9 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person… Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath BY INHERITANCE obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I will be to Him a FATHER, and He shall be to me a SON? And again, when He bringeth in the FIRSTBEGOTTEN INTO THE WORLD, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto THE SON He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, EVEN THY GOD, hath ANOINTED THEE with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Wow! What a difference it makes to read something in context! Hebrews 1 clearly confirms Jesus to be the literal Son of God, not the one true God Himself. There are so many confirmations in these verses. It says, “God has spoken to us BY HIS SON” whom He has “APPOINTED Heir of all things,” “BY WHOM also God made the worlds.” Jesus has “BY INHERITANCE obtained a better name.” It says, “To which of the angels did God say, THOU ART MY SON, this day have I BEGOTTEN THEE? …I will be to Him a Father, and He … MY SON.” And it says, “God bringeth the FIRST BEGOTTEN into the world.” So why is Jesus called God? The same as why He is called God in John 1. Being the Son of the one true God the Father, Jesus shares the same divine “God nature” as the Father. But Jesus is not the one true God Himself, because as it says in Heb 1:9, “therefore God, even THY GOD, hath anointed thee.” So Jesus has a God Himself, and that is His Father. Look at what Paul confirms in 1 Cor 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.” God the Father is the head of Christ, which is why Jesus said to Mary at the tomb, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to MY GOD, and YOUR GOD.” (John 20:17) And this is confirmed also in Eph 1:17. We read, “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.” The knowledge of who? God the Father. Now look at what 1 Tim 2:5 says, “For there is ONE GOD, AND one mediator BETWEEN GOD and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Again, this is basic logic. If Jesus is the mediator between the one God and men, then Jesus cannot be the one God Himself, as we have confirmed, the Father is the one true God. (John 17:3; 1 Cor 8:6) So when we compare scripture with scripture using context, rather than picking the odd verse here and there, we can see that Jesus is not the one true God Himself. He is the literal Son of the one true God, the Father. REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 8 of 10) A video study by end-times-prophecy.org . Transcribed by Felix Liew. DOES ISAIAH 9:6 SHOW THAT JESUS IS THE FATHER? But Jesus is called the “Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6, isn’t He? Well, let’s look at the verse. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name SHALL BE called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9:6) Now what people do again is take one verse on its own and disconnect it from the rest of scripture and build a doctrine on one or two verses. Now does this verse say Jesus IS the Everlasting Father? No, it doesn’t. It says He SHALL BE CALLED the Everlasting Father, pointing to a future event. And what event would that be? Let us look at another Bible verse to help us. In Heb 5:8-10, we read, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” Now when did Christ become the Author of salvation? At the cross. So what event is Isaiah 9:6 pointing to, saying Jesus SHALL BE called the Everlasting Father? The cross. And this is right. Jesus has become our Father of everlasting life. And He became that at the cross. But this in no way makes Him God the Father. The rest of the Bible is very clear on that. (In Rev 21:7, Jesus promises that "he that overcometh shall inherit all things...he SHALL BE my son." So Jesus shall be a father to those who overcome by His Spirit, as He Himself overcame by His Father's Spirit.) REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 9 of 10) WHO (OR WHAT) IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? Something that I have already mentioned is that you won’t find a single verse in the Bible that says “God the Holy Spirit.” What you will find time and time again is the phrase “the Spirit OF God” or “God’s Spirit” or even “the Spirit OF Christ.” Now Hebrew and Greek meaning for “spirit” in the Bible is “breath” or “mind.” So let’s quickly look at Genesis 1 with this meaning in mind. We read, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit OF God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen 1:1-2) So the translation from the original Hebrew is “the breath, mind, [or even] power OF GOD” moved upon the face of the waters. We have already found out that the God here is speaking of the Father. So does this Spirit OF God sound like a third separate being as the Trinity teaches? No, not at all. Now I’m not saying at all that the Holy Spirit is just a mere “force” or “wind,” because no one can understand the exact nature of the Holy Spirit. But we have to accept that the original meaning of the word “Spirit” does not reveal it as a third separate equal being like the Father and Son, as the Trinity doctrine teaches. So let us look at the rest of the Bible and see if we can further confirm this. In Revelation chapter 5, John is given a vision of the full Godhead. And look what he sees. Rev 5:1-7 “And I saw in the right hand of HIM that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. …And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a LAMB as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.” So John sees the complete Godhead here. And does he see three separate beings? No, he only sees TWO beings, God the Father on the throne, and Jesus as the Lamb in the midst of the throne. And what does Jesus have Himself? He has the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. John sees the Holy Spirit as being a part of Jesus Himself. Let’s look at a picture representation of this. Here, you can see Christ as represented by a lamb. And look at what Christ has. He has these horns and eyes, which are the Spirit of God. This is the Holy Spirit, which is part of Christ’s own being. Can you see this? This is what God revealed to John in vision, and we can see this earlier in Revelation 2. In Revelation chapter 1:12-16, we read, “And I turned to see the voice THAT SPAKE with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto THE SON OF MAN… And he had in his right hand seven stars.” So the One who is speaking to John is Christ. Then in Revelation 2:1-7, we read, “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things SAITH HE that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks… He that hath an ear, let him hear what THE SPIRIT saith unto the churches.” So who is the One walking amongst and speaking to the churches? It is Christ. And He is confirming here that He is the Holy Spirit speaking to the churches. In Revelation 3:1, we read, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things SAITH HE that HATH THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, and the seven stars.” So let us look at other Bible verses to confirm this. What did Jesus say in Matthew 18:20? We read, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” So Jesus is confirming that He will be the One among us. (Exodus 33:14 “My presence will be with you.”) Now look at what Jesus says in John 14 regarding the Comforter. “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: BUT YE KNOW HIM; FOR HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I IN YOU.” (John 14:16-20) Is Jesus talking of three God beings here? No, He is confirming that it is God the Father in Him, through God’s own Spirit, and Christ in us Himself. Ah! I hear Trinitarians say, “Jesus referred to the Comforter as He, as a third person, and that it is ANOTHER Comforter.” Well, let’s look at this. Did you know that Jesus referred to HIMSELF in the “third person”? Look at what He said while praying to the Father in John 17:1-2. He said, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given HIM power over all flesh, that HE should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given HIM.” So does Jesus speaking of the Comforter as “He” prove anything regarding a so-called “third being”? No, not at all. Jesus is showing here in John 17 that He was in fact speaking of HIMSELF. Look, in John 14:21, we read, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest MYSELF to him.” Now the Greek word for Comforter is Parakletos. Now if we look at another Bible verse which uses Parakletos, we can see who this Parakletos is. In 1 John 2:1, we read, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate [Parakletos] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” So Jesus is our Parakletos, our Comforter. Look at what Peter reveals in Acts 2:32-33. We read, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having RECEIVED OF THE FATHER THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY GHOST, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” So Jesus received the Holy Spirit from God the Father. Now look at what we read in John 20. After Jesus had ascended to God the Father just as He told Mary at the tomb He was going to do, He comes back and appears to the disciples. John 20:19-22, we read, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you… And when he had said this, HE BREATHED ON THEM, and saith unto them, RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST.” Wow, this is so clear! Jesus is the One with the Holy Spirit, which He has received from God the Father, because it is the Spirit of God. And so the Holy Spirit is the presence and power of Christ which He received from God the Father. And Paul also confirmed that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ in three separate Bible verses. Let’s take a look. In Gal 4:6, he said, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the SPIRIT OF HIS SON into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” In 2 Cor 3:17, he said, “Now THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” And in Phil 1:19, he said, “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST.” This is such a beautiful truth, friends. The Holy Spirit is not some third being who we do not know. The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ. It is the presence and power of God the Father manifested through His Son. It is Christ who dwells in our hearts. (Eph 3:17 “That CHRIST may dwell in your hearts by faith.”) It is Christ who lives in us. (Gal 2:20 “I live, yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME.”) And it is Christ in us, that Spirit which gives us life. (Rom 8:10-11 “And if CHRIST BE IN YOU, the body is dead… but THE SPIRIT is life.”) “We want the Holy Spirit, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST.” (E.G. White, Letter 66, April 10, 1894) And yes, the Holy Spirit can be lied to, which is lying to God, as Peter confirms in Acts 5:3,4. "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, ... thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." And yes, the Holy Spirit speaks and comforts and instructs us. (Acts 8:29 “The Spirit SAID unto Philip.”) That’s because it is God the Father’s own divine Spirit, which He shares with His Son Jesus as we have clearly shown from Scripture. (Eze 36:27 “I will put MY SPIRIT within you.”) So if we lie to the Spirit, we are of course lying to God Himself, because it is His own Spirit. And as we have shown through Scripture, the Spirit who speaks to us, and comforts us, and lives in us, is Christ Himself. (Rev 3:1,6 “These things saith HE [Jesus] that hath the seven Spirits of God… hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”) Again, for those who accept Ellen White’s writings as inspired, take a look at the following quote. She said, “Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus; then He would look to His Father, and appear to be pleading with Him. A light would come FROM THE FATHER TO THE SON AND FROM THE SON TO THE PRAYING COMPANY. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come FROM THE FATHER TO THE SON, AND FROM THE SON IT WAVED OVER THE PEOPLE BEFORE THE THRONE… Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray, ‘My Father, GIVE US THY SPIRIT.’ Then Jesus would BREATHE UPON THEM THE HOLY GHOST. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace.” (E.G White, Early Writings, p.54-55) She also said, “It is not safe to catch the spirit of another. We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ.” (EG White, Letter 66, April 10, 1894) “The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be.” (EG White, 8MR, p.49) “Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The HOLY SPIRIT IS HIMSELF divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by HIS HOLY SPIRIT, as the Omnipresent.” (E.G. White, 14MR, p.23) These are just a handful of the many quotes which reveal that the Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ, not some other third god being that we do not know. And for those who hold on to the couple of “third person” quotes from sister White, please have a read in this web-page explaining this. http://www.end-times-prophecy.org/third-person-godhead.html . REVELATION WARNING: TURN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD (Part 10 of 10) CONCLUSION So, who are the three from Matthew 28:19 and 1 John 5:7? We have proved from the Bible that the Father is God the Father, the one true God. The Son or Word is Jesus Christ, the literal Son of God the Father. And the Holy Spirit is the Father’s own divine Spirit which He has given to His Son, and is the presence and power of God the Father manifested through His Son Jesus Christ. These three is not the Trinity. It is God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and God’s own divine Spirit which He shares with His Son. WHO ARE THE “THREE”? 1.GOD the Father 2.Jesus Christ the Son of GOD 3.The Spirit of GOD, through His Son Jesus. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? “So why is this important? Does it really matter?” Many Trinitarians say. Well, to start with, any tradition that is in error must be discarded, and truth must be embraced. As the Bible says, it isn’t tradition that makes us free, but rather “the TRUTH shall make you free.” (John 8:32) But Jesus said, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt 15:9) We really don’t want to be worshiping Jesus in vain, due to following the traditions of men. And this Trinity god tradition is based more on mythology than Bible truth, and has come into the churches through the mother of harlots, Roman Catholicism. This mysterious three in one God does not come from the Bible. It comes from pagan traditions which is why you see three in one gods throughout many pagan religions. Even educated Roman Catholics have admitted that the Trinity is not in the Bible. “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.” (Graham Greene*, Life Magazine, 30 Oct. 1950, p.51) *Greene is a celebrated Catholic author. And this Trinity god teaching is the central doctrine of false religions, just as this quote shows: “The mystery of the most holy Trinity is the CENTRAL mystery of Christian faith and life… It is therefore the SOURCE of all the other mysteries of faith.” (Catholic Catechism, no. 234) “No doctrine is more fundamental or more emphasized in Freemasonry than that of the Trinity.” ( www.masonicworld.com ) The Trinity god is a strange god. We were warned about serving strange gods in the Bible. In Joshua 24:20, we read, “If ye forsake the LORD [singular], and serve STRANGE GODS [plural], then HE will turn and do you hurt, and consume you.” It is a very serious matter friends, which is why the angel in Revelation 14:6-7 is warning the world to turn to the Lord of heaven and earth. The one true God who Jesus revealed is His Father. Do you really think we serve a God who play acts, because that is what the Trinity god is, a god that plays the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And what is role playing? It is acting. And what is acting? It is lying. So the Trinity god is a god that doesn’t even keep its own law. How ridiculous is that? Not only that, the Trinity doctrine rejects the real Father and Son relationship between God the Father and His literal Son. And what does the Bible say this is? 1 John 2:22-23 says “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.” And Jude warned about certain men who would creep into our churches. Look at Jude 1:4 “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.” The Trinity is an antichrist teaching from Babylon, which denies the only Lord God, our heavenly Father, and His Son, a false god that the Bible never speaks of. Revelation, however, reveals there will only be TWO divine beings who will be worshiped for all eternity. We read in Rev 5:13, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER AND EVER.” Revelation also reveals there will only be TWO divine beings on the throne for all eternity. We read in Rev 21:1 and 22:1,3, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…” “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB… And there shall be no more curse: but THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB shall be in it.” But look at what Satan wanted to do. We read in Isaiah 14:13-14, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH.” So the Bible reveals that there are only TWO on the throne, the Father and Son. And Satan said he would ascend to God’s throne and be like the Most High, which would then make THREE beings. Wow! Friends, it’s time to heed the warning of the angel in Revelation 14 and worship the one true God of heaven and earth, the Father. It’s time to “turn and serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” (1 Thess 1:9-10) It’s time to stop depending on your church leader for truth and start studying for yourself, as great deception has come and is still to come through the churches. May God help us all. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next The argument with Genesis 1 The argument with Genesis 1 The argument with Genesis 1:26 is that the Hebrew word “Elohim” for God is plural and so this must mean that God is 3 beings. It is further argued that since the pronoun “us” is used in Genesis 1:26 that this also confirms that God must be 3 and that 3 beings did the creating. Did anyone ever stop to think that “us” could be just the Father and Son? The Greek word for God is “Theos” while the Hebrew word is “Elohim.” Note that the Greek word “Theos” is singular and “only” the Hebrew word for God is plural. This is because the Hebrew people pluralized nouns to denote greatness and this is called a “Plural of majesty.” They did this to express that God is great, not that God is more than one. Below is one dictionary that not only explains the truth but also informs us that no intelligent scholar uses this false argument anymore because the truth is so easily seen and the deception exposed. Hence no one uses this argument anymore unless they are ignorant and deceived. “Elohim is the plural of Eloah ... 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) How many beings does the Bible say were involved in creation? 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 also say God created all things by His Son. So who is speaking in Genesis 1:26 and who is He speaking to according to these verses? God 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. How many beings does SOP say were involved in creation? “The Father and the Son engaged in the mighty, wondrous work they had contemplated, of creating the world. ... After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image. They had wrought together in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. 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) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next John N. Loughborough on the Trinity John N. Loughborough on the Trinity These are the words of one of the founding members of the Seventh day Adventist Church and the truth the Adventist Church was founded on. “BRO. WHITE: The following questions I would like to have you give, or send, to Bro. Loughborough for explanation. W. W. Giles. Toledo, Ohio. QUESTION 1. What serious objection is there to the doctrine of the Trinity? ANSWER. There are many objections which we might urge, but on account of our limited space we shall reduce them to the three following: 1. It is contrary to common sense. 2. It is contrary to scripture. 3. Its origin is Pagan and fabulous. These positions we will remark upon briefly in their order. 1. It is not very consonant with common sense to talk of three being one, and one being three. Or as some express it, calling God “the Triune God,” or “the three-one-God.” If Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are each God, it would be three Gods; for three times one is not one, but three. There is a sense in which they are one, but not one person, as claimed by Trinitarians. 2. It is contrary to Scripture. Almost any portion of the New Testament we may open which has occasion to speak of the Father and Son, represents them as two distinct persons. The seventeenth chapter of John is alone sufficient to refute the doctrine of the Trinity. Over forty times in that one chapter Christ speaks of his Father as a person distinct from himself. His Father was in heaven and he upon earth. The Father had sent him. Given to him those that believed. He was then to go to the Father. And in this very testimony he shows us in what consists the oneness of the Father and Son. It is the same as the oneness of the members of Christ's church. “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” Of one heart and one mind. Of one purpose in all the plan devised for man's salvation. Read the seventeenth chapter of John, and see if it does not completely upset the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. It will not do to substitute the human nature of Christ (according to Trinitarians) as the Mediator; for Clarke says, “Human blood can no more appease God than swine's blood.” Com. on 2 Sam. 21:10. 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. Read carefully the following texts, comparing them with the idea that Christ is the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Supreme, and only self-existent God: John 14:28; 17:3; 3:16; 5:19, 26; 11:15; 20:19; 8:50; 6:38; Mark 8:32; Luke 6:12; 22:69; 24:29; Matt. 3:17; 27:46; Gal. 3:20; 1 John 2:1; Rev. 5:7; Acts 17:31. Also see Matt. 11:25, 27; Luke 1:32; 22:42; John 3:35, 36; 5:19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26; 6:40; 8:35, 36; 14:13; 1 Cor. 15:28, &c. The word Trinity nowhere occurs in the Scriptures. The principal text supposed to teach it is 1 John 5:7, which is an interpolation. Clarke says, “Out of one hundred and thirteen manuscripts, the text is wanting in one hundred and twelve. It occurs in no MS. before the tenth century. And the first place the text occurs in Greek, is in the Greek translation of the acts of the Council of Lateran, held A. D. 1215.”—Com. on 1 John 5, and remarks at close of chap. 3. Its origin is pagan and fabulous. Instead of pointing us to scripture for proof of the trinity, we are pointed to the trident of the Persians, with the assertion that “by this they designed to teach the idea of a trinity, and if they had the doctrine of the trinity, they must have received it by tradition from the people of God. But this is all assumed, for 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.”(Discussion between Summerbell and Flood on Trinity, p. 38) Milman says the idea of the Trident is fabulous. (Hist. Christianity, p. 34) This doctrine of the trinity was brought into the church about the same time with image worship, and keeping the day of the sun, and is but Persian doctrine remodeled. It occupied about three hundred years from its introduction to bring the doctrine to what it is now. It was commenced about 325 A. D., and was not completed till 681. See Milman's Gibbon's Rome, vol. 4, p. 422. It was adopted in Spain in 589, in England in 596, in Africa in 534.—Gib. vol. 4, pp. 114, 345; Milner, vol. 1, p. 519.” — (J.N. Loughborough, Review and Herald, November 5, 1861) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next The Truth of the Trinity [ trinitytruth.org ] 27-42 (total 42 parts) Is the Father greater than Jesus? What did Jesus mean when He said “my Father is greater than I” considering Paul also said that Jesus is equal with God? There is no contradiction in Scripture, so how do we reconcile these verses below? John 14:28 “You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” 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.” Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” The Greek word (theotes) for Godhead in Colossians 2:9 means the divine nature. Thus the fullness of the divine nature of God dwells in His Son Jesus Christ. And the word “form” in Philippians 2:6 means “shape/nature,” and so Paul is saying that the way Christ is equal with His Father is in “nature” which He inherited being His Son. The word “greater” in John 14:28 refers to position in the same way it does with a human father and son as well as a husband and wife. 1 Corinthians 11:3 states that the head of the woman is man. But does this mean the husband is a superior being to his wife? The answer is an obvious no. She is a human being just as the man is and so they are equal in nature. The husband is greater than his wife only by position. The same applies to a father and son. The father is greater because he was first being the father, and the same applies to our Heavenly Father and His Son. The Father is greater in position in that He was first, but not greater in nature or form as Philippians 2:6 states. For Adventists: “The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first.” — (James White, RH, Jan 4, 1881). “While both are of the same nature, the Father is first in point of time. He is also greater in that he had no beginning, while Christ's personality had a beginning.” — (E.J. Waggoner, ST, April 8, 1889) So we observe the same concept of being equal in nature, but Christ submitted Himself to the Father as He was greater in that He was first being His Father. We find in these verses the principle of headship and submission established by God as displayed in both marriage and the Godhead. These principles also reveal that God and Christ are a real Father and Son. As Waggoner, James White and Scripture reveals, Christ came after the Father being the Son. However, we also find that the Father has “given” His Son all power and placed everything into His hands. Thus Christ has been given an “exalted position” and has been “made equal” by His Father in power and authority also. But while the Father has made His Son equal, His Father is still greater than Him, and He still submits to His Father. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18. And John wrote “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.” John 3:35 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.” — (E.G. White, 8T 268.3). The Trinity doctrine claims the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are 3 co-equal, co-eternal God's. But Ellen White says Christ was MADE EQUAL with His Father and by His Father as Scripture also reveals, again proving this doctrine from Satan a lie. Adam and Eve (man and woman) in fact is a small scale example of the Father and Son. Consider 1 Corinthians 11:3 and the following on Biblical headship. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” Ephesians 5:22-24 The divine pattern of Biblical headship defined by the Father and Son reveals important principles. For example, in the same way God is the head of Christ, the husband is the head of his wife, and in like manner, Christ is the head of the Church. And while Adam was made from the dust of the earth, Eve came out of Adam from a rib. There is no logical reason for God to do it this way other than to show us that one being can come out of another and still have the same nature. Thus the example is given of how Christ came out of the Father and has His same divine nature. This also reveals why women's ordination is wrong. For example, the trinity doctrine claims there are three co-equal beings and that any one of the three could have played the role of the Son and died for us. So the trinity doctrine allows for the changing of roles, and by its principle, any in the above table could change roles. Hence man and woman switching roles in the leadership of the Church is no less error than Christ being subject to the Church, or husbands submitting to their wives, or even for the Son of God being head of His Father. They all break the divine pattern laid down by God. Switching any of the above roles changes the order established by God in the example of the Father and His Son. So the Trinitarian view does not follow the divine pattern and heavenly example and has many problems. For example, if the Holy Spirit was a third being, then where does it fit into God's divine pattern? 2 does not = 3 and neither does 3 = 1. Was Jesus Omniscient and Omnipotent on Earth? We find in John 21:17 Peter saying to Christ, “you know all things.” So how are we to understand Jesus saying, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:32 . Compare with Matthew 24:36 . So here we have a problem because Jesus is confessing to not knowing something. And Scripture also says, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52 . How do you increase in wisdom when you know all things? And “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8. Was Jesus limited by the human body prepared for Him and had to learn things just as we do? So what did Peter mean? Was He right? Because Jesus did not contradict Him. Or is there some way that Jesus could effectively know anything He needed? We find the answer in many Scriptures such as John 14:26 “the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,” Does this mean we could literally know all things? Can the human mind even contain all the infinite knowledge of God? The point to be made here is there is nothing that the Spirit of God could not teach or reveal to us or His Son. The Father knows all things and so Christ could know whatever was required through the power of the Holy Spirit whether it be the thoughts of others or any knowledge that is required according to the will of God. And it does not stop with the omniscience of the Spirit of God but also His power. In Matthew 12:22-32 we find Jesus casting out a demon. The Pharisees claimed He did it by the power of the devil. But Jesus being fully man said He did it by the Spirit of God. He then informs them that they can speak against the Son of man and be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Why? Because verse 28 says He did this by the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember that Jesus was the Word made flesh and was fully man. The Pharisees were not insulting the Son of man but the Spirit of God by whose power the demon was cast out and hence were blaspheming the Holy Spirit by attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. In any case, Jesus would not be casting out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit unless He had given up His omnipotence for a time now would He? Jesus said “I can of mine own self do nothing.” John 5:30 Note that Matthew 12:22-32 reveals that the unpardonable sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Some Trinitarians who do not understand this conclude that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could be sharing truth on this topic which is clearly not so. But what about Trinitarians? Could they in fact be guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? What if the “Spirit of God” is the “Spirit OF God” just as the Bible states, and not something called “god the holy spirit” which the Bible never says? 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 it is a creation of Satan, who would Trinitarians be attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to? They would inadvertently be attributing the work of the Spirit of God to Satan which is in fact the unpardonable sin! You cannot afford to get this wrong. For Adventists: “What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is willfully attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit.” — (E.G. White, 5T 634.1, 1889) The Bible reveals a handful of times that the miracles Christ performed while here on earth were done by His Father in heaven. John 11:40-41 indicates it was through His Father that Lazarus was raised. Every great miracle that Jesus did was done in a similar manner by His disciples or Old Testament prophets including walking on water and raising the dead. ( Matthew 14:29 ; John 14:12 ; Acts 20:9-10 ; 1 Kings 17:22 ). This is not a sign they had all power but a sign that God was with them as He was with His Son. After He healed the paralytic man, the crowd, “marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.” Matthew 9:8. Peter explains, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38. Jesus also explains, “The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14:10 For Adventists: “All the miracles of Christ performed for the afflicted and suffering were, by the power of God, through the ministration of angels.” — (E.G. White, RH, Jan 21, 1873) So Scripture reveals that Christ only knew what He had learned as a man and what His Father revealed to Him through His Spirit. Since our Father in Heaven knows all things, then Christ could also effectively know all things “if” the Spirit of God revealed it to Him. Thus if Jesus did not know the hour of His return it could only be because His Father had not revealed this to Him, and we are not told the reason why this was the case. Scripture shows that Jesus knew the thoughts of others but to be consistent with other Scripture, it had to be through the Holy Spirit. Peter, Elisha and Daniel all had the thoughts of others revealed to them by God also. ( Acts 5:1-4 ; 2 Kings 5:25-27 ; Daniel 2:28-30 ) Some will respond that Jesus did not know in His human nature but knew in His divine nature as the trinity teaches that there is one person subsisting in two natures. Jesus cannot have two minds, one that knew something and another that did not. Unless of course you want to make the absurd claim that mind and body are not correlated. Why is it so hard to accept and understand that the disciples and many others have done all the same miracles that Jesus did by the power of the Holy Spirit ( Romans 15:9 ), and so when Jesus came as a man that He did them the same way? It seems most refuse to accept that their Lord and Saviour gave up a lot when he came as a man, and cannot stand the thought that for a while He was not omnipresent, omniscience and omnipotent. Though most accept Christ gave up His omnipresence, but only because they have no choice as there is no avoiding this fact. However, how many have stopped to consider the incredible love of their Saviour here in that temporarily laying aside these things made an even far greater sacrifice that could have been disastrous in cosmic proportions. Jesus even had to give up His dignity and have dirty diapers changed! By accepting the facts of Scripture, one does not have to go looking for ways of explaining away other Scriptures that show one is in error. We need to be able to harmonize all Scripture and realize that when we have to start trying to jam a square peg into a round hole then we have something wrong. Paul in Philippians 2:5-9 speaks of the sacrifice and humility of Christ in regards to what He gave up coming as a man, even to the point of death, and that we should have the same mind and attitude as Him. The Greek text says He had the form or nature of God but emptied Himself, meaning He laid aside those divine attributes that prevented Him from living and dying as one of us. In having the same form and nature of God, He would never have been tired or suffered pain and other things that go with being in human form. Jesus had everything including immortality, and yet He willingly gave it up sacrificing all for us. But then He made an even greater sacrifice, giving up immortality, He died as a man by one of the most agonizing and drawn out deaths you could possibly imagine. When people refuse to acknowledge what Christ did give up, they also fail to acknowledge the magnitude and the depth of the sacrifice He really did make for us and how it demonstrates the immeasurable love that He and His Father have for us. So what did Jesus get back when He returned to the Father? The fact is we are not specifically told. But we know He got back His omnipresence through the Holy Spirit as our Comforter. For example, Jesus said “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20. We also know that Jesus retained the scars in His hands, feet and side ( John 20:25-27 ). We assume He got back everything but we will have to wait until we see Him to find out just how great a sacrifice He and His Father really made in their incredible love for us. Here is one more example to consider that many have overlooked. Revelation 1:1 states, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” This revelation was given to Jesus Christ by God. Why would Christ need His Father to reveal these things to Him if He knew all things? See also Gill's Commentary on John 10:30 in relation to Mark 13:32. This also reveals that Jesus cannot be the one true God the Father as the trinity doctrine claims. Was Jesus always Immortal? The Trinity doctrine teaches that Jesus Christ is co-equal with His Father in every way. Thus it is claimed that since the Father cannot die, then His Son cannot die either. But the Bible says there is only One person who cannot die and He is God the Father. The Bible says when Jesus appears that He will show, “who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16. This can only be our Heavenly Father for He is the One whom “No man hath seen... at any time.” John 1:18. The Father is the one “who alone has immortality.” Yet we know that one day we will “put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:53 So when the Bible says the Father “alone has immortality” it must mean immortality in an absolute and unlimited sense. The Bible reveals that the Father is the only One who cannot die under any circumstances. Jesus was made subject to death and “died for our sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. Man can die, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:20. Angels can die, “everlasting fire,” is “prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41. God said to Satan, “I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee... and never shalt thou be any more.” Ezekiel 28:18-19. So it is true that the Father is the only person who cannot die under any circumstances, which excludes His Son who tasted “death for every man” Hebrews 2:9. So Christ was not immortal when He was here and the primary reason for Him becoming a human was so that He could die for our sins. The Son of God suffered a real death for our sins. ( Isaiah 53:6 and 1 John 2:2 ). Others claim that Christ came down from heaven and inhabited a human body and only the human body died while the divine being from heaven remained alive. By this we would have to conclude that there was only a human sacrifice made for our redemption. It is unbiblical to say that a human sacrifice is sufficient to redeem mankind or that only half of Christ died. If Christ only pretended to die it takes away the necessity of Him becoming a man and He could have done that without becoming one. The author of Hebrews says He “was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” Hebrews 2:9. Christ Himself made it clear to John that He was dead. Jesus said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18. Jesus Christ really “died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3 For Adventists: “He humbled himself, and took mortality upon him. As a member of the human family, he was mortal.” — (E.G. White, RH, Sept 4, 1900) Early church error Probably the most widely held Christian view of God is the Trinity doctrine which has its origins in the Church of Rome and the council of Nicea. This belief teaches that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God and yet there are not three gods but one God. But the question remains: Is this view found in Scripture? The most commonly accessed Encyclopedia on the Internet is Wikipedia . So a “consensus of Modern exegetes” tell us that both the Old and New Testaments do not explicitly contain the doctrine of the trinity. It came into Christendom from another source outside of Scripture. The Encyclopedia Britannica basically says the same thing as the Wikipedia. Both tell us that the idea of the trinity came after Scripture and from sources outside of Scripture. The Oxford Companion to the Bible says it “cannot be clearly detected within the confines of the canon”? Is that a nice way of saying that the Bible does not teach the doctrine of trinity? The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia and the Encarta Encyclopedia says the doctrine of the trinity is not explicitly taught in the New Testament. Can we base our faith purely on inference alone? If it is a fundamental doctrine in Christianity, it should surely have enough evidence to have become a doctrine! Another two from Encyclopedia of Religion and the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology . If the Bible does not teach this doctrine then where did it come from? And last the International Standard Bible Dictionary . I will leave the reader to define the word “allusion.” Getting to the source of the trinity doctrine. Let's go to the authority which states that it is the source of the idea being the Roman Catholic Church and see if their definition has any Biblical basis. This Roman Catholic source is clear as to the origin of the trinity doctrine. Scripture does not present the idea of the trinity doctrine. It came after the canon of Scripture was closed and was developed in the 4th and 5th centuries. The New Catholic Encyclopedia puts it this way. So do we have one God in three parts, or three gods in one? Is Jesus God the Father? Jesus said that He was not the Father more than 80 times. While remaining one in purpose, Jesus and the Father are clearly two separate and distinct beings as previously seen. 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 persons, or Jesus was an expert ventriloquist. 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) From the title below to the conclusion on this page contains the many arguments that are used to try and prove Jesus is God the Father. Seventh day Adventists should keep the above two quotes in mind while reading the remainder of this page as they apply to every remaining title. Ellen White states many times in many ways that Jesus is not God the Father. Is Jesus the Everlasting Father? The answer lies in the correct Hebrew translation. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible explains, “The Chaldee renders this expression, 'The man abiding forever.' The Vulgate, 'The Father of the future age.' Lowth, 'The Father of the everlasting age.' Literally, it is the Father of eternity.” Thus in the Hebrew text, the phrase is literally “the Father of eternity,” not “the everlasting Father.” And so Isaiah 9:6 is not saying Christ is the Father but He is the Father of all time to come. Young's Literal Translation and the Darby Bible are two of very few that translated it correctly. “For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 YLT “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 Darby Jesus created all things and so in like manner He is also the Father of creation ( Hebrews 1:2 ; John 1:3 ; Colossians 1:16-17 ). It is also interesting to note that the Greek Septuagint that Jesus and the apostles quoted from does not contain this phrase. So how did this phrase that was wrongly translated by most find its way into the Hebrew Bible? “For a Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us, whose government is upon His shoulder; and His name is called the Messenger of great counsel; for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to Him.” Isaiah 9:6 Septuagint The Greek Old Testament the Septuagint that Christ quoted from reveals what Isaiah 9:6 most likely originally said. It was translated by 70-72 Jewish scholars around 300-200 BC and hence came from the most ancient and reliable manuscripts available. The Hebrew Old Testament however was established by the Massoretes in the 6th century AD. It is known that many textual corruptions and additions crept into the Hebrew text between the 6th and 7th centuries. So where did this additional text in Isaiah 9:6 come from that was not even translated correctly by most modern translators? The one thing that no one can deny is that only one of these translations can be correct. But which one? The Septuagint that came from the oldest manuscripts. Or the later that has known corruptions that crept in between the 6th and 7th centuries. I and My Father are One? In John 10:30, Christ proclaimed, “I and my Father are one.” This would have to be the most misquoted and misunderstood verse used by Trinitarians today. Many conclude that this means Jesus and the Father are the same being as per the Trinity doctrine. And yet this verse should never be misunderstood as Jesus explained exactly what he meant later on in John. So this is a perfect example of how so many Trinitarians have been indoctrinated with preconceived ideas. Some of the confusion regarding the number of beings in the Godhead comes from a misunderstanding of the word “one.” Simply put, “one” in the Bible does not always mean numerical quantity. Depending on the Scripture, “one” often means unity. We see this principle established very early in Scripture. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. “One flesh” here does not mean that a married couple melt into one human after their wedding, but rather they are to be united into one family. Romans 12:5 says, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” So does that make us all one single Christian? You would have to say yes if you follow the Trinitarian formula! The Jewish leaders were outraged by this statement from Jesus in John 10:30 and sought to execute Him because they thought Jesus was claiming equality with God. “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” John 10:33. Three verses on we find Jesus clarifies and said that His claim was to be the Son of God. “Say you of him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” John 10:36 Thus Jesus did not mean He was the same person as He clarified and because the Father is a distinct person from the Son, and the Son a distinct person from the Father. As Gill's Commentary on John 10:30 states, this is further shown from the use of the verb plural, “I and my Father” εσμεν, “we are one.” In any case, we do not have to speculate what Jesus meant when He said He and His Father are one, because the words of Christ later in the book of John reveal exactly what He meant. Christ meant one in unity as He prayed that His disciples might be one in the same way He and His Father are one. This prayer did not contemplate one disciple with twelve heads, but twelve disciples working together in unity. “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:” John 17:22 “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we are.” John 17:11 John 14:11 is also often misquoted to imply that the Father and Son are the same one God, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me;” Based on that faulty understanding, I am not sure how one would explain that we are also in Him and He in us. “At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” John 14:20. “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us:” John 17:21 And since the Trinity doctrine teaches 3 co-equal beings, then according to this doctrine, John 10:30 should have said, “I and my Father and the Holy Spirit are one.” But not so. There are three entities in the Godhead but only two literal beings. 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) “Christ prayed that his followers might be one as he and the Father were one.” — (E.G. White, RH, May 29, 1888) He that has seen Me has seen the Father In John 14:9 Jesus said “He that has seen me has seen the Father.” Did Christ mean He was the Father or that He was “the express image of His Father,” and so has the same nature, attributes and glory? In other words, he that sees one, sees the other: Below are comments from two theologians. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible on John 14:9 says: “ He that hath seen me; not with the eyes of his body, but with the eyes of his understanding; he that has beheld the perfections of the Godhead in me: Hath seen the Father; the perfections which are in him also; for the same that are in me are in him, and the same that are in him are in me: I am the very IMAGE of him, and am possessed of the same nature, attributes, and glory, that he is; so that he that sees the one, sees the other:” Christ is the express image of His Father. 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible on 2 Corinthians 4:4 says: “ Who is the image of God - Christ is called the image of God: (1) In respect to his divine nature, his exact resemblance to God in his divine attributes and perfections; see Col_1:15; and Heb_1:3; and, (2) In his moral attributes as Mediator, as showing forth the glory of the Father to people. He “resembles” God, and in him we see the divine glory and perfections embodied, and shine forth. It is from his “resemblance” to God in all respects that he is called his image; and it is through him that the divine perfections are made known to people. It is an object of special dislike and hatred to Satan that the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on people, and fill their hearts. Satan hates that image; he hates that people should become like God; and he hates all that has a resemblance to the great and glorious Yahweh.” Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” A son is to a greater or less degree a reproduction of his father. He has to some extent the features and personal characteristics of his father. Not perfectly of course 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. Thus Jesus was saying He is the express image of His Father and has the same nature, attributes and glory. Christ could not have meant literally of course as Scripture informs us that, “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 For Adventists: “Christ emphatically impressed on the disciples the fact that they could see the Father by faith only. God cannot be seen in external form by any human being. Christ alone can represent the Father to humanity; [John 14:9 quoted]” — (E.G. White, RH, Oct 19, 1897) According to the trinity teaching, this verse should have said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father and the Holy Spirit.” But again, not so. While there are three entities in the Godhead, there are only two literal beings. The third is their Spirit. Did Thomas believe that Jesus was the Father? John 20:28 says, “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” One can really only speculate as to why Thomas said what he did, but being dubbed “doubting” Thomas, it would be understandable if his statement was one made in a moment of shock and disbelief. Thomas was a Jew and may have been using a mode of expression common to the Old Testament in which accredited representatives of God are referred to as “God.” The Hebrew word for God is “elohim” and can refer to any of the following for example: Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions a) rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power: b) divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels. So Thomas was not calling Jesus God in the Trinitarian sense but was probably addressing Him as one who reflected divine power and majesty or a ruler. If this was not the case, then the following is the most probable reason for what Thomas said. Staying within the bounds of proper grammar we find that two different individuals are being addressed in the expression “ο κυριος μου και ο θεος μου - My Lord and my God.” However, the expression “ειπεν αυτω - said unto him” means only one person is being spoken to. So while trusting the grammar, we need to find an interpretation which does not violate it. This can be done if we understand that while Thomas spoke these words to Jesus, he was addressing both Jesus and the Father who is in Jesus. The actual context supports this understanding which is found by looking at the last known conversation Jesus had with doubting Thomas and Phillip. John 14:5-10 “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither you goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 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? Believest you 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.” In the presence of Thomas, Phillip tells Jesus that seeing the Father is enough for him. Jesus responds to Thomas and Phillip saying that to see Him (Jesus) is to see the Father because the Father is in Him. But Thomas still did not understand. The next known conversation Thomas had with Jesus is the passage of John 20:28. Thomas now understands that the Father works through Jesus, even raising Jesus from the dead, and thus to see Jesus is to see the Father, hence the exclamation cry from Thomas, “my lord (i.e. Jesus) and my God (i.e. the Father).” Thomas did not address Jesus as his “Lord and God.” We also know that it is not possible for doubting Thomas to be declaring Jesus is the one God from the following. A few verses earlier John records that the risen Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and told her, “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.” John 20:17 Jesus said His God is His Father and that His God is also Mary's God. Did Jesus tell Mary that He was her God? To the contrary, Jesus was very specific in stating that His God was also her God. And since the risen Jesus called the Father “My God,” how can Jesus be God if He has a God? Indeed John could not have meant that Thomas was calling Jesus “my God” in the Trinitarian sense when John had just recorded that Jesus called the Father “My God.” Thomas could not be calling Jesus God because John just wrote that Jesus ascended to the same God Mary and Thomas both have. And further, only one verse after the confession of Thomas, John concludes by writing, “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed … but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” John 20:30-31 John did not write “that you may believe that Jesus was God.” If that were so, it would have been far greater for John to proclaim that Jesus is God rather than that He is the Son of God. Can God only forgive sins? The deception of some Trinitarians is easily seen when their focus is on the words of a Pharisee while being blind to the words of Christ Himself. Some claim that Jesus is the Father because these Pharisees said that God only can forgive sins. Mark 2:7 “Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” But these Pharisees whom Christ said will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:13) did not know or accept that Jesus was the Son of God who had been given authority by His Father to do so. Three verses later Jesus tells us that He has been given authority to forgive sins. Mark 2:10 “But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins.” And not just power to forgive sins. Jesus also said “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18. And John wrote “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.” John 3:35 Note that “all authority” and “all power” is “given” to the Son! If the Son is God as the Father is God, and the Son is almighty as the Father is, then how can the Son be “given” anything if He is God? How can God be “given” that which He has always possessed? God does not depend on anyone or anything so that it has to be “given” to Him. But we do see that Jesus had to be “given” all things into His hand just as Jesus was given authority to forgive sins by His Father. Should we worship God alone? Some claim that Matthew 4:10 says that God alone should be worshipped, and since Jesus is worshipped, they say the Son must be the Father. Matthew 4:10 “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, andhim only shall you serve.” When Jesus said, “for it is written,” He was quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 from the Septuagint (LXX) which says, “You shall fear the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve;” Deuteronomy 6:13 LXX The first thing to note is that technically, these verses do not say to “worship God alone.” These verses say that God only should you serve. However, there is an element of worship to the word serve in this verse. In any case, since Jesus taught that we should serve others, this is obviously not what He was saying. And since the Father commanded worship of His Son, that cannot be what He was saying either. “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” Hebrews 1:6 And not forgetting that Philippians 2:5-6 states that Jesus is “equal” with His Father in nature and hence is fully divine, and so of course He is worthy of worship! Jesus also said, “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 So what then was Jesus saying to Satan that so many have misunderstood? It is not hard to work out. In Matthew 4:10 Jesus said, “for it is written.” So Jesus is referring to an example of something in the Old Testament Scriptures. To find the answer, all we have to do is look at what Jesus was referring to which will apply to what He was telling Satan. Note the reference. Deuteronomy 6:13-15 “You shall fear the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve; and you shall cleave to Him, and by His name you shall swear. Go not after other gods, of the gods of the nations round about you, for the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God, lest the Lord your God be very angry with you, and destroy you from off the face of the earth.” The issue could not be more obvious. It was about “idolatry” which is false worship as in worshipping false gods. To worship Christ and serve Him is not idolatry. Isaiah 14:12-14 tells us that Satan wanted to be worshipped like the most high God. Satan wanted Jesus to fall down and worship him as a god and so Jesus quoted Old Testament Scripture to him that says you should not worship or “go after other gods.” So the words of Christ have to be taken in the context of what He was quoting. So often Christians neglect the context of a passage and apply specific words in a way that was never intended. Thus we are to worship God, not false gods, and so this does not exclude the worship of His Son who is equal with His Father. And we are to serve God, not false gods, and so this does not exclude serving Christ. Did Jesus raise Himself from the Dead? Those who say Jesus must be God based on John 10:18 where they claim Christ raised Himself from the dead have failed to notice that Scripture at least 22 times states that His Father raised Him from the dead. The Greek word “exousia” translated “power” in the KJV means “authority,” “jurisdiction,” liberty,” power,” “right,” and “strength” and should have been translated as “authority” as has the NIV and more than 20 other translations. “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 10:18 KJV “No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:18 NIV Correctly translated this verse takes on a whole new meaning with no apparent contradiction as all the following state it was God who raised His Son from the dead. Note that most verses are truncated. Acts 2:24 “Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death:”Acts 2:32 “This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” Acts 3:15 “And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead;”Acts 4:10 “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead,”Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree.”Acts 10:40 “Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly;”Acts 13:30 “But God raised him from the dead:”Acts 13:33 “God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus again;”Acts 13:34 “And as concerning that He raised him up from the dead,”Acts 13:37 “But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.”Acts 17:31 “He has given assurance unto all men, in that He has raised him from the dead.”Romans 4:24 “if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;”Romans 6:4 “Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,”Romans 10:9 “believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.”1 Corinthians 6:14 “And God has both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us”1 Corinthians 15:15 “we have testified of God that He raised up Christ:”2 Corinthians 4:14 “He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus,”Galatians 1:1 “by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;”Ephesians 1:20 “Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead,”Colossians 2:12 “through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead.”1 Thessalonians 1:10 “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead,”1 Peter 1:21 “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead,” Does Isaiah 43:11 or Hosea 13: 4 prove Jesus is God? Since these two verses say that there is no saviour but God and verses like 1 John 4:14 say that Jesus is our Saviour, then the argument is that Jesus must be the one God. But this argument does not hold water and is clutching at straws. Isaiah 43:11 “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no saviour.” Hosea 13:4 “But I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me.” The Hebrew word translated “saviour” in these verses is most commonly translated as “save,” “saved” and is also translated as “deliverer” and “delivered.” In Moses' day God saved His people from the power of Egypt, and in Isaiah's day He saved them from the power of Assyria. There was no one else who could save and deliverer them from these powers and so they had no other saviour but God as the context clearly reveals. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible explains Isaiah 43, “This chapter ... refers mainly to the promised deliverance from Babylon. The people of God are still contemplated by the prophet as suffering the evils of their long and painful captivity, and his object is to comfort them with the assurances of deliverance.” And of course Hosea 13:4 refers to when God “saved” and “delivered” His people from the Egyptians. So Jesus is our Saviour of course. But the context of God being the saviour of His people in these verses is about saving them from captivity from Babylon and Egypt. Not saving them from their sin as Christ has done for us. Before Abraham was I am Another verse brought into question is John 8:58 . Note that the words “I am” also mean “I exist.” Some claim that Christ was declaring Himself to be God in John 8:58 because He used the words “I am.” This is erroneously based on the words “I am” being a reference to Exodus 3:14 . From this they draw the conclusion that Christ was alluding to a divine name and thereby telling the Jews that He was God. Trinitarians further try and support their claim by saying this is why the Jews picked up stones to kill Him. But this was due to many things Jesus said to them throughout John chapter 8 that slowly brought them to anger. The final straw being Jesus claiming seniority over Abraham who they said was their father. So Jesus claimed greater authority than the patriarch and hence was also claiming to be greater than them. The phrase “I am” in John 8:58 comes from two Greek words “egō” and “eimi.” The Strong's Definitions are:“ egō : “I” (only expressed when emphatic): - I, me.”“ eimi: I exist (used only when emphatic): - am, have been, X it is I, was.” How would you expect Jesus to respond to this comment? “Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” John 8:57 Not knowing Jesus existed before Abraham, the Pharisees are saying how could you have seen Abraham because you are not yet 50 years old. Since the Greek words for “I am” also mean I exist or existed, what is the obvious translation and response from Christ who existed before Abraham? “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58Or “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I existed.” John 8:58 Both are valid translations and the majority of Bible translations agree with the last one in fact with good reason! So “I exist”, “I have been” and “I was” are other possible translations which have all been used by various Bible translators for John 8:58 as well as elsewhere in the KJV. For example: ego eimi has been translated to “I was” in Luke 19:22 “You knewest that I was (ego eimi) an austere man,” These words formed a phrase that was in very common use by Jews and Christians and in New Testament Scriptures in the first century. It was not the name of any deity, be it the God of the Bible or any other god. It was never understood by Jews or Christians as declaring one to be God. If it were understood that way, you can be certain that the Jews would have never applied it to themselves as they did so frequently! In the following examples Peter, Paul, Gabriel and Zacharias all said, “I am” (ego eimi). But none of them were claiming to be God. Luke 1:18 “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am (ego eimi) an old man,” Luke 1:19 “And the angel answering said unto him, I am (ego eimi) Gabriel,” John 1:27 “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am (ego eimi) not worthy to unloose.” Acts 10:21 “Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am (ego eimi) he whom you seek:” Acts 21:39 “Paul said, I am (ego eimi) a man which am a Jew of Tarsus,” And the blind man also identifies himself by saying, I am. John 9:9 “Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am (ego eimi) he.” None of the Jews saw this man as declaring himself to be God either. Here are all the other verses where Jesus said ego eimi in the Gospels. Not one can be understood as Jesus claiming to be God. Matthew 24:5, Mark 13:6, Luke 21:8 “I am Christ”, John 8:24, 28, 13:19, 18:5, 6, 8, “I am he (Jesus),” Matthew 20:15 “I am good,” Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always,” Mark 14:62 “Jesus said I am (the Son of God),” Luke 22:27 “I am among you as one who serveth,” Luke 22:70 “You say that I am (the Son of God),” John 6:35, 48, 51 “I am the bread of life,” John 7:34, 12:26, 17:24, 14:3 “Where I am,” John 8:12 “I am the light of the world,” John 8:18 “I am the one that bear witness,” John 8:23 “I am from above,” and “I am not of this world,” John 10:7, 9 “I am the door,” John 10:11, 14 “I am the good shepherd,” John 11:25 “I am the resurrection,” John 14:6 “I am the way,” John 15:1, 5 “I am the true vine,” John 17:14, 16 “I am not of the world,” John 18:37 “Thou sayest that I am a king.” At the end of Christ's ministry when news of Him had spread far and wide, who did the Jews understand Christ to be saying He was and what was the charge they brought against Him? Matthew 26:63 “the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.” Matthew 27:40, 43 “If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” Mark 14:61 “Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am [ego eimi]:” Mark 15:39 “when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.” Luke 22:67, 70 “Are you the Christ? tell us. ... 70 Then said they all, Are you then the Son of God? And he said unto them, You say that I am [ego eimi].” John 19:7 “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Twice in the verses above Jesus responded, “I am” (ego eimi) and yet He was not saying He was God but confirming that He was the Son of God. The Jews clearly never understood Jesus to be declaring Himself God. The outrage would have been heard far and wide if He had. There is no record anywhere in the entire New Testament of anyone even asking Him if He was God. So how could the Jews have seen Him to be saying He was God in John 8:58? It is also notable that the words “I AM THAT I AM” in Exodus 3:14 have been variously understood for centuries. The Vulgate translates it as “I am who am.” The Septuagint to “I am he who exists.” The Targum of Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum paraphrase the words as “He who spake, and the world was; who spake, and all things existed.” The original words literally signify, “I will be what I will be.” A comparison of Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58 using the Greek Old Testament the Septuagint, reveals that God said, “I am the being (ego eimi ho ohn),” and Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am (prin abraam genesthai ego eimi).” So the divine name is actually “The being (ho ohn)”, not “I am (ego eimi).” This is further proven by the end of Exodus 3:14 which says “The being (ho ohn) has sent me to you.” It does not say “I am (ego eimi) has sent me to you.” No matter how it is translated into English, “ho ohn” is not the same as “ego eimi.” So there is no connection between “I AM” in Exodus and “I am” in John. In no way does John 8:58 equate Jesus to God except by biased inference based on weak translation and bad grammar. Below are a few examples of how John 8:58 should have been translated. There are in fact over forty translations that translated this correctly. See the meaning of I am in John 8:58 for detailed information and more translations. “The absolute truth is that I was in existence before Abraham was ever born!” — (The Living Bible)“Jesus answered, before Abraham existed, I existed.” — (The Clarified New Testament)“In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “before Abraham existed I was.” — (Twentieth Century New Testament)“Jesus answered, “The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!” — (New Living Translation)“Jesus said to them, I am telling the truth: I was alive before Abraham was born!” — (International Bible Translators) The Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End Some believe that the words Alpha and Omega found in Revelation 1:8 , 11 ; 21:6 and 22:13 means that Christ is without beginning or end but it does not say that. It says that Christ is the beginning and end of something. Not only that, but a beginning is the origin of something and an end is the termination of something. Since when does “always” have a beginning and what good is eternal life if it has an end? Many Christians have the wrong concept of the word beginning in Scripture. Remember that God had no beginning and has always existed. The “Alpha” is the “first” letter of the Greek Alphabet and hence is the “beginning” of the Alphabet, and “Omega” is the “last” letter of the Greek Alphabet and hence is the “end” of the Alphabet. So these terms are simply referring to the beginning and to the end of something, but what? Let's not make any assumptions and look at what Scripture does say and what these words meant to the Jews. Note that every single verse with a reference to the Alpha and Omega without fail follows a reference to the second coming of Christ and the “end” of the world. This is not a coincidence. Christ created this world and brought about its beginning, and He will be there in its end at His second coming and will bring about its destruction. Thus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last as He states in Revelation 22:13 . All three phrases mean the same thing. In Revelation 1:17-18 we find, “I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” Who is the Alpha and Omega (the first and the last) that was dead and is alive for evermore? It is Christ. Note also that Revelation 21:1-8 and 22:12-14 while speaking of the end immediately reveal that those who keep the Commandments get to eat of the tree of life, and that the sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters and liars perish. Note how Revelation 21:7 references Revelation 2:7, which in turn references Revelation 22:14 in regards to those who get to eat from the tree of life, which are those who keep the Commandments of God. So we find a reference to the end of this world and the second coming of Christ before the words in question while directly after these words are two more things that happen directly after the end. That is too much evidence to be coincidental. And since we are at the end of the Bible and dealing with the end, then that is why these verses only refer to the “end.” So if the “end” is referring to the end of this world than the “beginning” obviously refers to the beginning of this world, which we find in the beginning of the Bible such as Genesis 1:1 and references to the first chapter of Genesis. So everything we have seen so far reveals that these verses are referring to the second coming of Christ and the end of this world where the faithful who kept the Commandments of God get to eat from the tree of life while others perish. Note Clarke's Commentary on Revelation 1:8 and how these words were used and understood by the Jews. Did they see these words to mean that Christ has always existed and is God? This of course would also contradict Proverbs 8 that says Christ was brought forth and so would not be possible anyway. So as the Jews understood on the meaning of these words, from the beginning and first book of the Bible to the end and lastbook of the Bible, Jesus encompasses all things. Thus the Jews who actually knew the meaning of these words disagree with the claim made by Trinitarians. The beginning and the end referred to in these passages is the beginning of this created world by Christ, while the end is the second coming of Christ and the end of this world when a New Heaven and Earth are created. Christ brought about the beginning of this world and He also brings about its end. Barnes Commentary on Revelation 22:13 also confirms what Scripture reveals in this respect. Considering these verses in Revelation that state the beginning and the end are referring to the creating and beginning of this world, consider now Genesis 1:1 , Proverbs 8:23 , John 1:1-3 , Ephesians 3:9 and Hebrews 1:10 . Thus all references to the beginning in this context is consistent throughout Scripture and further supports the meaning of the words Alpha and Omega. For Adventists: “Christ says, “I am the true witness. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” — (E.G. White, 1SAT, 231.3) “even from Genesis to Revelation. Christ is the Alpha, the first link, and the Omega, the last link, of the gospel chain, which is welded in Revelation.” — (E.G. White, 10MR 171.1) “He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” — (E.G. White, 1888, 783.2) “And so the statement that He is the beginning or head of the creation of God means that in Him creation had its beginning; that, as He Himself says, He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Rev. 21:6; 22:13. He is the source whence all things have their origin.” — (E.J. Waggoner, CAHR, p. 20, 1890) Conclusion Many are confused and do not know who they are worshipping or who abides in them. Is it a three in one god or a real Father and Son? And is the Holy Spirit God the Spirit or the Spirit of God through whom the Son comes to us? Jesus included Himself when He said, “we know what we worship” John 4:22. He then explained who He worships. He said, “the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” Jesus worships His Father along with all “true worshipers” John 4:23. Jesus worships His Father because His Father is His God. Jesus said to Mary after His resurrection, “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.” John 20:17. Jesus told His disciples that His God is the same God as their God. He also explained who this God is being the Father. He told the disciples that His Father is also our Father, and His God is also our God. Many are clearly confused. You often hear, “We thank you O Father for coming down and dying for our sins.” And then you hear people closing the prayer “in Jesus name.” Does it make sense to pray to Jesus in His own name? He is our mediator, and He told us to pray to the Father in Jesus' name ( Luke 11:2 ; John 16:23 ; Ephesians 5:20 ). You hear people pray to the Father and end with, “in your name.” The Bible says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. We are to pray to God, the Father, in the name of our mediator Christ Jesus. It would appear that people who confuse the Biblical distinctions and positions of the Father and Son do not know who they are worshiping and hence are not worshiping in spirit and in truth. The Bible states many times that Jesus is the literal Son of God. But the trinity doctrine says no, they are just role playing. And so the personality of the Father and Son is destroyed. God is no longer a real Father and Christ is no longer a real Son. This is Satan's plan to have Christians deny the Father and Son and to obtain the worship he has always desired. It is Christ who Comforts us and both He and His Father make their abode in us through His Spirit. John 14:16-23 . So is the trinity doctrine true or false? The testimony of Scripture is that there is but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ and their Holy Spirit being the presence and power of God. The Father and Son not only created us, but loved us and devised an amazing plan to save a lost world from sin to restore us to His presence in paradise. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next What did the People Who Created the Trinity Doctrine Believe What did the People Who Created the Trinity Doctrine Believe? Starting with who created the Trinity doctrine… ATHANASIUS brought in the 3 in 1 idea in 325 AD long after the Bible was written. And what is now known as the THREE CAPPADOCIANS brought in the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being in 381 AD also long after the Bible was written. ATHANASIUS and the THREE CAPPADOCIANS came from the Alexandria catechetical school, which revered ORIGEN who applied the ALLEGORICAL method of explaining Scripture, which was influenced by Plato and its strong point was PAGAN. “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) The pagan idea of the 3 in 1 god from ATHANASIUS resulted from studying the works of ORIGEN. “That being said, Athanasius is applying these standard arguments to a more highly developed NEO-PLATONIST PHILOSOPHY and a more cultural diverse society than any previous theologian had faced. Still, the INFLUENCE OF ORIGEN is felt throughout the work, particularly in Athanasius' opening statements about the existence (or rather, non-existence) of evil and the refutation of various dualistic cosmologies.” — (Jonathan Shelley, Critique of Athanasius Two Books against the Heathens) So what did ORIGEN teach and believe whose teachings educated ATHANASIUS? Origen wrote, “Could any man of sound judgment suppose that the first, second, and third days (of creation) had an evening and a morning, when there were as yet no sun or moon or stars? Could anyone be so unintelligent as to think that God made a paradise somewhere in the east and planted it with trees, like a farmer, or that in that paradise he put a tree of life, a tree you could see and know with your senses, a tree you could derive life from by eating its fruit with the teeth in your head? When the Bible says that God used to walk in paradise in the evening or that Adam hid behind a tree, no one, I think, will question that these are ONLY FICTITIOUS STORIES of things that NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED, and that figuratively they refer to certain mysteries.” — (Tadros Y. Malaty, Before Origen, p. 134) Origen also “believed the Holy Spirit was a feminine force, that Jesus was only a created being and Gnosticism taught that Jesus became Christ at his baptism but that he was never God. He was a just a good man with very high morals. He believed in the doctrine of Purgatory, transubstantiation, transmigration of the soul and reincarnation of the soul. He doubted the temptations of Jesus in Scripture and claimed they could have never happened. The Scriptures were not literal. Genesis 1-3 was a myth, not historical or literal, as there was no actual person named “Adam.” Based upon Matthew 19, a TRUE MAN OF GOD SHOULD BE CASTRATED, WHICH HE DID TO HIMSELF. He taught eternal life was not a gift, instead one must grab hold of it and retain it. Christ enters no man until they mentally grasp the understanding of the consummation of the ages. He taught there would be no physical resurrection of the believers.” — (See Dr. Ken Matto, Origen's Gnostic Belief System) Origen's beliefs clearly indicate that he was a Gnostic Greek Philosopher and not a true child of God. It is these insane beliefs that brought about the Trinity doctrine! The above is very brief information to prove a point. There is an abundance of history and evidence that reveals the Doctrine of the Trinity emanates straight from the dunghill of Roman decretals. Its origin is pagan and from Satan so he could achieve worship and have us deny Jesus is the literal Son of God, thus preventing entrance into the kingdom. It is philosophy, vain deceit and man's tradition. It denies Jesus, preaches another Jesus, another spirit and another Gospel. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top