Today's very important
blog will take some time and careful reading. It is an essential read and one
that needs to be shared. I invite you to
read right through to the end. For the
past little while, the idea of the doctrine of the Trinity has come up. First, the word "trinity" is not
once mentioned in the Bible, and was not specifically taught by Jesus or the
apostles in the way it is being taught today, so this is a very difficult
doctrine to understand, and we must be very careful how we approach it and come
to terms with it. This blog has come
after many difficult hours of reading, researching, and earnest prayer to
ensure the Scriptures are presented correctly.
I do not make any pretence of understanding the Trinity any more than
most people, but I'd like to provide another aspect of it that is perhaps
neglected.
Recently I read a book
warning of the dangers of the growing problem of apostasy that has arisen
through the Emerging Church. The author
was thorough in his treatment of Scripture, but when he discussed the Trinity,
I had a few misgivings. The way he
presented it is so often the only way the Trinity is presented, failing to
emphasize the deity and pre-eminence of Jesus and that Jesus and God are one
and the same. The way it is taught is
that God is really three distinct persons, which presents a view of comparisons
and degrees of differences, while often neglecting to explain how they all
agree as one God. I know there are many
verses in the Bible that would seem to indicate they are separate and apart
from each other, such as the many verses that seem to differentiate God from
Jesus and the Holy Spirit as another separate divine being. But there are also many verses to indicate
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit function as one complete God. These verses are not often mentioned, which
by their omission, can almost seem to strip Jesus of His deity. This is what I have found most disturbing in
the way the Trinity is so often presented.
It becomes very confusing and we begin to think of Jesus more in human
and not divine terms. Perhaps this has
to do with His willingness to submit all things to the Father during His
earthly ministry. We think of submission
and obedience as a weakness and therefore we might think that He is not as
great as His Father. Yet, if He is demonstrating
His love through weakness, willingness and obedience, would these not also be
the exact same characteristics of God and the Holy Spirit?
Let's take a look at some
important Scriptures to try and balance out the Scriptures and come to a better
understanding of God. To begin, there
are many references to the names of God including the ones we are most familiar
with -- God, the Father, Jesus His Son, the Holy Ghost and the Holy
Spirit. God has so many additional names
and so many different characteristics, it would take a separate book to record
them all. Perhaps we can come to a
better understanding of the Trinity as one God if we think of the Father, Jesus
and the Holy Spirit in terms of His unchanging nature. God has stated in His Word that He changes
not:
Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to
day, and for ever.
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Of particular note is that
the words "the Lord" are used 6,005 times in the Old Testament, and
642 times in the New Testament. Jesus
and God are both "the Lord."
If we think of God as three separate persons, it becomes impossible to
try and decide which one is "the Lord."
In the Old Testament God
is referred to as the Redeemer, a name we think of when we think of Jesus as
Savior:
Job 19:25 For I
know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon
the earth:
Psa 19:14 Let
the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy
sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Isa 44:24 Thus
saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the
LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that
spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; Isa 54:8
In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with
everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
It is interesting to note
that Job had this assurance that he knew his Redeemer lives. How could he possibly know this? By being in the presence of God, and being
delivered out of his trials, He recognized his true Redeemer. God is as much a Redeemer as Jesus. He redeemed the children of Israel from
Pharaoh and his armies. In fact we see
God as Redeemer throughout much of the Old Testament, so it is not a new
attribute given to Jesus, because God changes not.
God claims He is the only
God:
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for
the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Yet, Jesus claimed
equality with God:
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Jesus took the name of God
that was revealed to Moses in the burning bush in Exodus 3:14 - “I AM.”
Jesus applied it to Himself in John 8:58: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am."
In John 5:18, Jesus
claimed to be equal with God:
John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to
kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God
was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus said in John 10:30
I and my Father are one.
Similar to Job's
recognition of God as his redeemer, Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, called
Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Isaiah said that the
coming Messiah would be God:
Isaiah 9:6 For
unto us a Child [referring to His humanity] is born, unto us a Son is given;
and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God [referring to His deity], Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
God the Father called
Jesus “God.” Hebrews 1:8 says, “But to
the Son He [God the Father] says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a
scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.’” (quote from
Psalm 45:6-7)
Here are some more verses
saying that Jesus is also God:
Titus 2:13 "Our great God and Saviour, Jesus
Christ."
John 1:1 & 14 "In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God and the Word was God... and the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us..."
2 Peter 1:1 "Our God and Saviour, Jesus
Christ."
Heb. 1:8 "But of the Son He (the Father) says,
"Thy throne O God is forever and ever."
In Isaiah 43:11 God says,
"I, even I, am the Lord and there is
no Saviour besides Me", and yet Titus 1:3 & Matt. 1:21 says,
"Christ Jesus" is "our Saviour." So Jesus has to be God if
only God is our Saviour.
In Isaiah 9:6 speaks of
the coming Messiah/Jesus..."For a
child will be born...His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
Matt. 1:21-23 calls Jesus
"Immanuel, which translated means "God with us."
Thomas, one of the twelve
disciples, called Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Jesus created all things
as God:
Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he
that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without
him was not any thing made that was made.
He forgave sins: The Pharisees rebuked Jesus for calling
Himself God because He claimed equality with God in being able to forgive sins.
Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto
the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.Mar 2:6 But there were
certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,Mar 2:7
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?Mar
2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned
within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your
hearts?Mar 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy
sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?Mar 2:10
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)Mar 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise,
and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
One of the strongest
passages of Scripture showing Jesus and God are the same person comes from
Jesus own words:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known
my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the
Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long
time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the
Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of
myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Another interesting
passage is found in I John 4:15:
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the
Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Both Jesus and God dwell
in us - are there two distinct Gods?
Here are some more
interesting Scriptures:
Col 2:9 For in him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality and power:
Jesus is over all and He
is the Head of the Church:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Eph. 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him
that filleth all in all.
Jesus is given all power
and authority:
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
There is no other name
greater than Jesus in heaven and earth:
Eph 1:21 Far
above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that
is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Php 2:9
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name:
There are many more
Scriptures to share, but let's think about the impact Jesus has had and
continues to have on people. If He were
lesser than God, could He speak with such authority? Could He freely and unashamedly forgive
sins? Could He call Himself God, or the
Almighty (Rev. 1:8)? Why would people in
Jesus time be "astonished" at His teaching and miracles? Take note of anyone who has ever encountered
Jesus, both Scripturally, and today, even your own life and testimony. For me, it was a life-changing revelation of
who God really is in the form of Jesus the Lord. I no longer saw Him as three separate and
distinct persons, but the one and only true God of the Bible. Scripture then began to make sense to me
since I was no longer compartmentalizing Him.
Every revelation of God is consistent with His singular character. He changes not. To teach or believe otherwise would not be
consistent with Holy Spirit revelation and Truth.
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