It is (Re)-Written: Doctrine of God ep 7/7
- Dec 10, 2023
- 14 min read
ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: - Acts 24:14
Introduction
There are many Christians today who are ostracized for their belief in One God the Father, and in His only begotten Son. It is counted a dangerous heresy to call Jesus ‘the begotten of the Father’. Why would it be that their brethren cannot see the numerous and plain evidences in the word of God concerning His personality and that of His dear Son? Simply put, these Christians camp around certain easily misunderstood 'problem' texts.
This is certainly not the correct manner of studying the Scriptures. The Bible itself reveals to us how it must be understood and interpreted:
(Isaiah 28:9 BBE) To whom will he give knowledge? and to whom will he make clear the word? Will it be to those who have newly given up milk, and who have only now been taken from the breast?
(Isaiah 28:10 KJV) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
(Isaiah 28:11 KJV) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
(Isaiah 28:13 KJV) But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
This brief passage from Isaiah reveals that we are to allow the Bible to interpret itself, "here a little and there a little" as though, the verse says, that God stammered when He spoke. The Bible is so designed as verse 9 says, so that only those diligent at heart, those who desire the word above all else, could receive the truth. And those who do not allow the Bible to interpret itself, verse 13 says that they will "go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken"
The Bible also cannot contradict itself.Consider the following verses:
(John 10:35 KJV) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
(John 10:36 KJV) Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
The Scripture cannot be broken. Therefore, if we came across an apparent contradiction in the Bible, it would only mean we have limited knowledge of what the Bible says on that topic and we then would need additional study because we have misunderstood the context of a scripture. The course of action at this point is to gather all the verses we have on a topic and compare them to see what do majority of verses say. Naturally, we will find few verses which on the surface seem to object to the majority text view, but having the majority text view will go a long way to assisting us understand what these objectionable verses mean.
With regard to the doctrine of God, the majority text view reveals that God is the father of Christ, that Jesus is the only begotten son of God and that the spirit of God is the power and presence of God and Christ. Trinitarians unfortunately camp around the few objectionable verses that on the surface seem to support their belief and clearly contradict with the majority text view as presented by this series.
First Objection: Matthew 28:19
(Matthew 28:19 KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
To many Christians this is unmistakable proof for the Trinity doctrine. Let us analyze it further...
1. A simple mention of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit does not necessarily mean the Holy Spirit is another individual from God and Christ (which is the main contention from Trinitarians). If carefully studied, lessons 5-6 never once stated that the Holy Spirit does not exist or is not a separate personality. Therefore those who see a Trinity in the above verse, are eisegetically (biasly) interpreting the verse.
2. The verse says, “In the name” and not “In the names”
3. What is this baptism that Jesus was speaking of? Was He simply giving the disciples a baptismal formula to say when baptizing converts? Or does it have a deeper meaning not apparent to the surface reader?
Having raised those issues, it is important to note the following; that never once do we find the apostles baptizing people in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. Did they forget to do this? Not likely. Again, the Bible should be understood "here a little and there a little" as Isaiah wrote. Well, consider the following verses and please note in whose name did the disciples baptise people:
(1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
(Acts 2:38 KJV) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(Acts 8:16 KJV) (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
(Acts 10:48 KJV) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
(Acts 19:5 KJV) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
(Acts 22:16 KJV) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
The reason is quite simple. First, Bible scholars generally believe that
“…in it’s original form, as witnessed by the ante-nicene (before the council of Nicea) Eusebian form, the text read ‘Make disciples in my name’” - [Donald A Hagner, World Biblical Commentary, vol 33B, pg 887]
Another scholarly witness says
“The historical riddle (the Trinity-Godhead debate) is not solved by Matthew 28:19, since according to a wide scholarly consensus, it is not an authentic saying of Jesus, not even an elaboration of a Jesus-saying on baptism” - [The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol 1, pg 585]
And another says
“Matthew 28:19 is the first non-Biblical Roman Catholic creed. The spurious Catholic text of Matthew 28:19 was invented to support the newer triune Trinity doctrine, therefore Matthew 28:19 is not the great commission of Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:19 is the great Catholic hoax…isn’t it also strange that Matthew 28:19 is missing from the old manuscripts?” - [Willistone Walker, prof. of Ecclesiastical History Yale University, A History of the Christian Church (1953), pg 95, 61]
History shows that Matthew 28:19 as it currently reads was a textual addition to the Bible. Someone might wonder, does this mean that God did not protect the Bible from corruption? No, God did protect the Bible from corruption,... hence the reason why we know of all of them in the first place. Another person might wonder why corruptions even made it into the Bible we have today. Ellen White has the following to say concerning the Bible used during Martin Luther's time:
In 1516, a year before the appearance of Luther's theses, Erasmus had published his Greek and Latin version of the New Testament. Now for the first time the Word of God was printed in the original tongue. In this work many errors of former versions were corrected, and the sense was more clearly rendered. - [Ellen White, Great Controversy pg 245]
Man has always tried to corrupt the Word of God, but God has always had the mistakes and corruptions revealed or corrected. However, even when it is a textual addition we ought to understand what it means. Name as we learned earlier can mean many things, one of the various Biblical definitions of "name" is authority. Consider the following verses:
(Acts 4:12 KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(John 5:43 KJV) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
(Philippians 2:9 KJV) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
(Philippians 2:10 KJV) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
(Philippians 2:11 KJV) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Colossians 3:17 KJV) And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
"Name" in the Bible can also mean nature, reputation and character as previously studied in this series. Taking therefore all the Biblical definitions of name, we see that Christ was giving his disciples the authority to baptize or immerse the nations [into] His Character and nature. The change of heart that makes one ‘a partaker of the divine nature’ (1 Peter 1:4) was to be accomplished in the authority (power) of Christ. In reality this means that they were to stand before the people as representatives of Christ, even as Christ came in the name of His Father and was representative of His Father.
“The disciples were to carry their work forward in Christ's name. Their every word and act was to fasten attention on His name, as possessing that vital power by which sinners may be saved. Their faith was to center in Him who is the source of mercy and power. In His name they were to present their petitions to the Father, and they would receive answer. They were to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ's name was to be their watchword, their badge of distinction, their bond of union, the authority for their course of action, and the source of their success. Nothing was to be recognized in His kingdom that did not bear His name and superscription.” - [Ellen White, Acts of Apostles, pg 28, par. 2]
This then is the true meaning of Matthew 28:19
Second Objection: 1 John 5:7
(1 John 5:7 KJV) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Yet again, many Christians camp on this one verse which to them trounces all the many others that clearly speak on the Father and Son. Consider the following quotation from a famous Christian writer:
“While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon will find them. And those who refuse to accept and obey God's word until every objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light.” - [Ellen White, Great Controversy, pg 572, par. 2]
Many people do not know that the verse in question was not even in existence in the Bible until 1500 years after Christ ascended. Scholars today likewise do not regard it an authentic part of the Bible. Visit the following link to read the comprehensive history of how the verse in question (1 John 5:7-8) was added to the Bible in 1520 ad.
How can we know this for certain from the Bible itself? Because the context of the verse is decidely non-trinitarian. Consider the following verses
(1 John 5:5 KJV) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
(1 John 5:6 KJV) This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
(1 John 5:13 KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
(1 John 5:20 KJV) 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, and eternal life.
"That we may know Him that is true" because “this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). and "We are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life," “…that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;” (1 John 1:2) because "who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Third Objection: Acts 13:33
(Acts 13:33 KJV) God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Some Christians are taught that this verse somewhat proves that the begetting of Christ occurred at the resurrection. It is true that something concerning Psalms 2:7, which speaks of the begetting of Christ, happened at the resurrection of Christ. Notice what Paul says
(Romans 1:3 KJV) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
(Romans 1:4 KJV) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection of the dead. Let us unravel the main text first
(Psalms 2:7 KJV) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
First, it is Christ speaking, saying that He will declare the decree. What is the decree? It is the LORD (Jehovah) saying to Christ ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee’. Was the declaration of Christ therefore the decree itself or as was it only a declaration of the decree? Obviously Christ did not issue the decree but was to declare that His Father had decreed.
It simply follows therefore that the declaration of the decree was done ‘with power’ at the resurrection. Christ did not become the son of God at his resurrection. Rather His resurrection declared with power that He was the son of God. Notice how Christ explained this issue to us:
(John 10:17 CEV) The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again.
(John 10:18 CEV) No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.
Christ was to receive His life from the Father at the resurrection…mirroring His first begetting and beyond all doubt therefore, powerfully proving [to the angels I might add] that Jesus is the Son of God. He had the power to break the bonds of death, but the fact that the exercise of that power rested on the command of His Father demonstrates how Jesus was raised from the dead by His Father and thereby received His life again from His Father.
(Romans 4:24 KJV) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
(Romans 8:11 KJV) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Kindly refer to lesson four for a detailed explanation on why Hebrews1:4-6 proves that the decree was before the declaration, ‘…in the days of eternity’ (Micah 5:2).
There is more to this point, as Psalms 2:7 has three different fulfilments. More on this in an upcoming addendum document.
We must learn to properly study Scripture and let it interpret itself. Concerning the thief on the cross for example, it is written of Christ’s words “…Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Well, are we believe that just men go to heaven at death? No. why not? Because the majority of Bible texts on the topic of life after death say something completely different to the plain reading of this one text. All the other verses on the topic paint a different picture. And, in further examination, we realize that this verse reads thus because of a mistake of translation (the interference of men in the Word of God). Such is the case with the textual objections to the Biblical doctrine of God. In the words of that famous writer, God has left hooks for doubters to hang their doubt, and in the words of Isaiah, God spoke, as it were, with stammering speech so that those who are not honest inquirers might stumble and fall backwards “…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” (2 Thessalonians 2: 10-11 KJV)
The Trinity denies the Father and the Son by turning their relation into a metaphor in a non-Biblical and irrational attempt to make them equal. God and Christ are not one God, they are not equal in personality, they are however equal in nature. They are one in spirit, heart, purpose but not in person. While denying equating the personalities of God and Christ (by means of differentiating the personalities of God, Christ and Spirit) the Trinity doctrine at the same time seeks to make them equal in person (by stating that these three are one God)...and this illogical and unBiblical cognitive dissonance is presented to believers as the mystery of God. Again the quote from Isaac Newtons treatise against the Trinity:
“The human race is prone to mysteries, and holds nothing so holy and perfect as that which cannot be understood, and for that reason to like best what they understand least. Truth is ever to be found in simplicity and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things” - [Isaac Newton, Traite sur la trinite (written in French to avoid detection and persecution)]
1. After all these studies, is it clear that the Trinity doctrine colors the way people read the Bible? giving them wrong principles of reading and interpretation? How do the following quotations assist your answer?
“I was forbidden to talk with Dr. Kellogg on this subject, because it is not a subject to be talked about. And I was instructed that certain sentiments in Living Temple were the Alpha of a long list of deceptive theories.” - [Ellen White, Sermons and Talks vol 1, pg 343, par. 4]
“So many fall into the eisegesis trap with Genesis 1:2. It is not only a false method of study, but gives a totally wrong picture, as you saw in a previous chapter when Jim jumped on the words “tormented for ever and ever.”” - [Margaretha Tierney, Removing the Pillar, pg 55]
2. Consider the following quotations and deduce relevant points to this lesson
“The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ, and the Saviour desired to fix the faith of His followers on the word. When His visible presence should be withdrawn, the word must be their source of power. Like their Master, they were to live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4.” - [Ellen White, Desire of Ages, pg 390, par. 3]
“While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20. While He delegates His power to inferior ministers, His energizing presence is still with His church” - [Ellen White, Desire of Ages, pg 166, par. 2]
“In the Bible every duty is made plain. Every lesson given is comprehensible. Every lesson reveals to us the Father and the Son.” - {Ellen White, Testimonies vol 8, pg 157, par. 2]
“"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." 1 John 2:22, 23. Spiritualism, by denying Christ, denies both the Father and the Son, and the Bible pronounces it the manifestation of antichrist” - [Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pg 686, par. 1]
“The way spiritualizers have disposed of or denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is first using the old unscriptural Trinitarian creed, viz., that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, though they have not one passage to support it, while we have plain scripture testimony in abundance that he is the Son of the eternal God.” {James White, The Day Star, January 24, 1846}
“What a contradiction of terms is found in the language of [the] Trinitarian creed: “In unity of this head are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” There are many things that are mysterious, written in the word of God, but we may safely presume the Lord never calls upon us to believe impossibilities. But creeds often do.” {A. J. Dennis, Signs of the Times, May 22, 1879}
“As before remarked, the great mistake of Trinitarians, in arguing this subject, is this: they make no distinction between a denial of a trinity and a denial of the divinity of Christ. They see only the two extremes, between which the truth lies; and take every expression referring to the pre-existence of Christ as evidence of a trinity. The Scriptures abundantly teach the pre-existence of Christ and his divinity; but they are entirely silent in regard to a trinity.” - [John H Waggonner, The Atonement, pg 173]
NEXT: ADDENDUM
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