As you have probably guessed, I enjoy writing, just about any subject. The Trinity is a subject that comes up from time to time, and so here I am, gladly answering a question from a reader.
I have experienced for myself people who have been raised and taught the Trinity, and believe in the Trinity. I have come across such people while engaging in my public Bible ministry when calling on people at their homes. As a child, I myself was NOT taught the Trinity from my father, a Pentecostal Preacher, and years later, after dad died, I found out that my mom believes in the Trinity, though she never mentioned such teachings that I can remember whilst dad was alive. |
| photo from: jw.org |
All of this is leading up to the following conversation with one of my readers:
Q..."Just to be clear. You do not believe in the trinity?"
A..."The only trinity I believe in is: me, myself and I... a joke I tell friends. But in all seriousness, the trinity is not taught in the Bible. My mom, who is hardcore trinity, has yet to prove to me from the Bible that the three are one. If it ain't in the Bible, I don't teach it."
I went on to explain that there are 9 main scripture that we use from the Bible when trying to reason with people who do believe in the trinity, trying to help them see what the Bible says about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that I would share with them, as this person was taught there was a Trinity, but couldn't find evidence of it within the pages of the Bible.
- Let us start with Jesus himself. Who did he say that he was?
John 10:36 - do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?+ Now... after reading this scripture, Jesus is speaking, who does HE say that he is?
- Now, let's read from the Bible who Jesus' Apostles said he was.
Matthew 16: 15,16 - 15 He said to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ,+ the Son of the living God.”+ Notice here that Jesus was asking his Apostles a direct question. What was the answer from Simon Peter?
- This next scripture is how 'Neutral people' described Jesus.
Matthew 27:54 - But when the army officer and those with him keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and the things happening, they grew very much afraid and said: “Certainly this was God’s Son.”+ This statement is coming from a Roman Army officer. Even he recognized who Jesus was. Look at the scripture again, who did this Roman Army officer say that Jesus was?
- OK... so far we have heard who Jesus himself, his Apostles and Neutral people said that he was. Now let's see what Jehovah God says about Jesus.
Matthew 3:17 - Look! Also, a voice from the heavens + said: “This is my Son,+ the beloved, whom I have approved.”+ God spoke from the heavens... How did God acknowledge Jesus? What did God call Jesus?
- Now lets move on to Jesus' enemies... Oh yes, Jesus had enemies... and let's see what they had to say as to who Jesus was.
John 5:18 - This is why the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father,+ making himself equal to God.+
This is a powerful scripture, because even the Jews at that time knew that there was no other god. Jehovah was it. That was established for them with the Mosaic law when the Ten commandments were written on stone tablets. So even these Jews knew that Jesus was not God, not equal to him.
- Lets switch our focus from Jesus to Jehovah. Let us now establish who Jehovah is.
Psalm 83:18 - 18 May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah,+
You alone are the Most High over all the earth.+Again, another powerful scripture. Why? Whose name is mentioned in this verse? And what is he establishing about his position in the scheme of things? Really ponder over this scripture, because this scripture right here is establishing who God is, and who he shares his Godship with, NO ONE! Not even his son Jesus Christ. Jehovah is establishing that NO ONE is equal to him... NO ONE.
- And just so we are clear on who alone is God, please read what Jesus had to say about his father, Jehovah.
John 14:28 - You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am.+
When you look at this scripture, notice that Jesus is talking about his father. Notice also that he has placed his Father in that 'greater' position than himself. He is not claiming to be equal to God. Jesus has established that there is one God, Jehovah, his father.
- This next scripture deals with the teachings to the Christian Congregation.
I Corinthians 11:3 - But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ;+ in turn, the head of a woman is the man;+ in turn, the head of the Christ is God.+
In teaching the congregation in Corinth, this scripture clearly lays out for us the headship arrangement. Did you notice who is the head of the Christ? Notice, the head of the woman is the man, the head of every man is the Christ, who is head of Christ? Again, not an equal positioning of Christ with God.
- The last scripture to me is equally impelling as it describes Jesus' mental attitude.
Philippians 2:6 - who, although he was existing in God’s form,+ gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.+
Here, we learn that the thought of being equal to God was never anything that Jesus considered. It says that he gave no thought that he should be equal to God. He knew the headship arrangement, believed it, taught it, as did others, teaching that there is one God.
In conclusion, with regards to a question from one of my readers: Q..."Just to be clear. You do not believe in the trinity?" I put the question to you, based on the above provided scriptures, what do you think? Is there a trinity? Is God part of a trinity?
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