Dear friends and readers,
Once in a while a subject matter has such relevance that it requires a two part article. This is one of those times. Now most of you reading this will simply raise an eyebrow because THE TRINITY is such a very basic Biblical doctrine that only cults dare to deny it.
As early as the time Jesus walked the earth and a bit later in the first century, He, the Apostles Paul and Peter plus John warned that not everyone in "the church" would be who they claimed to be. They all urged caution where false doctrine and false teachers would be concerned throughout the centuries. Remember as we document what the Bible actually says that it also tells us about false prophets (Matthew 24:24) "For false christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect". Admittedly here Jesus is speaking about a future time during the seven years of tribulation.
However in Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 Jesus is speaking to the church in general for all future generations; "BEWARE of false prophets who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" Then in 2 Corinthians 11:13 through 15 the Apostle Paul tells us something that should cause a spiritual chill to run up and down every single believers neck! " For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light, Therefore it is no great thing if his (satans) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works". Then the icing on the old "false theological" cake in 2 Peter 2:1 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you (future tense---as in at this very moment---my emphasis added), who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction".
After last weeks article I received lot's of nice comments (thank you one and all for that), but as is generally the case when writing about what the Bible ACTUALLY says, I also received a few negative comments ranging from a polite "the Trinity is a made up doctrine of men" to "Rance you are a liar and deceiver for teaching about the Trinity". Fortunately I am not thinned skinned nor have I ever been. Then came the cherry on top of the parfait of false doctrine; "The Trinity is a joke"! I frankly fear for these people, not only for their false teachers but also for those who have decided to follow the teachings of men rather what the Bible actually says.
Last weeks article highlighted about 40 scriptures regarding the Trinity and there are more! I will begin today with just two and both are directed to folks who have been deceived by false teachers who claim that Jesus is a created being or that He is not in anyway God; 1) . Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 (speaking about the coming of Messiah Jesus) "For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, Prince of Peace".
2). Jesus Christ, speaking in the book of Revelation chapter 1 verse 8 "I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, "says the Lord" Who is and who was and who is to come, the ALMIGHTY"! Then He completes the Bible in chapter 22 of Revelation by confirming "I Am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last----I Am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star "!
OK, so Jesus is proclaimed clearly in scripture to be 1). MIGHTY GOD 2). EVERLASTING FATHER 3). THE ALMIGHTY. 4). The First and the Last 5). The Alpha and the Omega 6). The Root and the Offspring of David 7). The Bright and Morning Star. Why is that not crystal clear?
And lest we forget our Bible 101, how about John chapter 1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word (pay particular attention here please) "WAS GOD"! He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made. In Him was the life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it-------And the Word became flesh and dwelt (Tabernacled) among us, and we beheld His glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth".
Before launching into the subject again allow me to offer yet another scripture---a very serious warning; 2 Timothy 4:3. The Apostle Paul is instructing his protege, a young pastor by the name of Timothy, "For the time will come when they (folks within the church) will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers; And they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables".
So what is the end game for false teachers? Money? Fame? Power? Reputation? Generally these types are very charismatic leaders of powerful personality who teach just enough truth that it masks their otherwise deadly Biblical errors. One of the greatest of those is that the TRINITY is a false doctrine. And why would they want to do that? Because their own best bud is none other than satan who comes as an angel of light. If satan can use these false teachers to turn believers aside from the truth he has gained a sort of victory by taking gullible and in most cases innocent believers and downsizing in their minds exactly who and what God really is.
In reality more than 60 Biblical scriptures mention the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As I mentioned in my last article, this is ONE GOD displaying Himself in three different personalities. Please check out the following scriptures for yourselves; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 4:4-6, 2:18, 3:11-17, 5:18-20 Titus 3:4-6, John 3:34-35, 14:26, 15:26, 16:13-15, Roman 14:17, 18 15:13-17 15:30, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 17-19, 12:4-6, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 3:4-6, Galatians 2:21, 3:2, 4:6, Colossians 1:6-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 4:2-8, 5:18-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 3:23-24, 4:13-14, and Jude 20-21.
Want more? For those who claim that the Trinity is a made up doctrine by men? Would that included Jesus Himself? All His chosen Apostles, Or just about all of the New Testament writers? All of the following church leaders defended the doctrine of the Trinity long before 300 A.D.
A.D. 96 CLEMENT, the third Bishop of Rome.
A.D. 90-100 The teachings of all of the Twelve Apostles (referred to early on as the "DIDACHE". A treatise from the first century, the first line of which is "The teachings of the Lord to the gentiles (or nations) by the Twelve Apostles".
A.D. 90? IGNATIUS, Bishop of Antioch.
A.D. 155 JUSTIN MARTYR, a great Christian writer.
A.D. 168 THEOPHILUS, The sixth Bishop of Antioch.
A.D. 177 ATHENAGORAS, a famed theologian
A.D. 180 IRENAEUS, Bishop of Lyons.
A.D. 197 TERTULLIAN, a famed early church leader.
A.D. 264 GREGORY THAUMATURGUS, another famed early church leader.
So, Who do you think among men invented the supposed "false doctrine" of the Trinity? Was it Jesus Christ, His Twelve Apostles or that rascal THEOPHILUS? Please give me a break here! This entire "no Trinity" falsehood belies thousands of years of church history, perhaps millions of dedicated pastors and church leaders and need I remind, untold thousands upon thousands of Christians, many of whom chose to forfeit their lives rather than deny one single word of who Christ really is. Martyrs for their faith, one and all. Did you know that estimates range into the many thousands for Martyrs created just during the years of the Roman Empire? Who among us would tell even one of those people who believed in the Trinity of God that they were wrong?
So who is Jesus in relation to God the Father?
Jesus forgave sin Mark 2:5-12, Luke 5:21.
Jesus accepted worship AS GOD and claimed to deserve the same honor as the Father, Matthew 14:33, 28:17, 18, John 5:22, 23, 9:38, 17:5.
Jesus claimed to be the DIVINE son of God, a title the Jews rightly understood to be a claim to equality with God. John 5:17-18, 10:30-33, 19:7.
Compare the following:
TRAITS OF GOD TRAITS OF JESUS
---------------------- ------------------------
Creation is the work of His hands Creation is the work of His hands.
alone. Genesis 1:1 Psalm 102:25
Isaiah 44:24 John 1:3, Col. 1:16
Hebrews 1:2.10
The First and the Last. Isaiah 44:6 The First and the Last. Rev. 1:17
Rev. 22:13
Lord of Lords. Deut. 10:17, Psalm 136:3 Lord of Lords. 1 Tim. 6:15
Rev. 17:14, 19:16
Unchanging and Eternal. Psalm 90:2 Unchanging and Eternal.
102:26, 27, Malachi 3:6 Heb. 1:11, 12, 13:8.
Jn. 8:58, Col. 1:17
Judge of all people. Gen. 18:25, Judge of all people. Jn. 5:22
Acts 17:31
Psalm 94:2, 96:13, 98:9 2 Cor. 5:10, 2 Tim. 4:1
Only Savior; No other God can save. Savior of the world. No salvation
apart from Him
Isaiah 43:11, 45:21, 22, Hosea 13:4. Him. Jn. 4:42, Acts 4:12
Titus 2:13, 1 Jn. 4:14
Redeems a people from sin for His Redeems for Himself a people
of sin. Titus 2:14
own possession. Exodus 19:5, Psalm 130:7,8
Ezekiel 37:23
Hears and answers prayers of those who Hears and answers prayers
call upon Him. Psalm 86:5-8, Isaiah 55:6,7, Jn. 14:14, Romans 10:12,13
Jeremiah 33:3, Joel 2:32. 1 Cor. 1:2, 2 Cor. 12:8, 9.
Only God has Divine Glory. Isaiah 45:11-13 48:11-12 Jesus has Divine Glory. Jn. 17:5.
Worshipped by Angels. Psalm 97:7 Worshipped by Angels.
Hebrews 1:6
Still have doubts that Jesus is God?
One God, all in all, Father Son and Holy Spirit. And speaking of the Holy Spirit; Acts chapter 5:3-4, "But Peter said to Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the HOLY SPIRIT? You have not lied to men but to GOD!" Holy Spirit=GOD, Jesus=GOD, Father =GOD. One God all in all, demonstrating Himself in three different and distinct personalities.
This doctrine of the TRINITY has been confirmed over and over ever since the church was first created; First century, the APOSTLES CREED, A.D. 325 the NICENE CREED, A.D. 400, the ATHANASIAN CREED, A.D. 451 the CHALCEDONIAN CREED.
All three, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are described in the Bible in the following passages in exactly the same terminology; ETERNAL, CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, OMNIPRESENT (capable of being all places at once). OMNISCIENT (Knows all things), WILLS AND ACTS SUPERNATURALLY, GIVES LIFE, STRENGTHENS BELIEVERS.
The FATHER; Romans 16:26,27, Psalm 100:3, Jeremiah 23:24, 1 John 3:20, Ephesians 1:5, Genesis 1:11-31, John 5:21.
JESUS THE SON; Revelation 1:17, Colossians 1:16, Ephesians 1:23, John 21:17, Matthew 8:3, John 1:4, 5:21, Philippians 4:14.
The HOLY SPIRIT; Hebrews 9:14, Psalm 104:30, Psalm 139:7, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Romans 8:10,11, John 3:8. Ephesians 3:16.
Jesus Himself, His Apostles and many church leaders up to 168 A.D referred to the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit as God. The Bishop of Antioch in Syria, a man named THEOPHILUS first coined the actual term TRINITY to describe God in the year 168 A.D. He did so in his work "The REFUTATION OF AUTOLYCUS". He merely confirmed in a single word what had been believed and taught since Jesus resurrection from the dead.
The anti Trinity people out there have clearly not done their homework but instead foist upon unsuspecting Christians, a doctrinally deficient idea that has absolutely zero Biblical support.
This is exactly the reason that the Epistle of James (3:1) clearly says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement". Frankly, as a pastor that scripture scares the bejeebers out of me because I know that when my time comes I will not only be responsible for how I lived my own life but also for what I taught to the people Jesus entrusted into my care.
The Trinity is clearly spelled out in scripture but always remember that means "One God in three persons". Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear O Israel; The LORD our GOD is one LORD"!
I hope that brings some clarity to the issue,
ONCE AND FOR ALL!
God bless,
Pastor Rance.
