[brackets in scriptures are my comments to explain or add emphasis]
1. God who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. (Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.) He formed, made, and created humankind with body, soul, and spirit respectively. (God formed man (Genesis 2:7) from the dust of the ground, made him (Genesis 2:7) to breathe air which is our physical soul life, and created spirit (Genesis 2:27) within him that was specific to that individual and allowed perfect fellowship with God)
2. The “fall of man” occurred when Adam and Eve sinned and lost the spiritual connection they had with God in the beginning. This brought about the need for a redeemer to restore that spiritual connection between human and Creator. Man is born into this world incomplete with only body and soul, no spirit. When a man or woman becomes born again, they receive the gift of holy spirit and become complete, spiritually. They are once again Body + Soul + Spirit.
3. God sent His son Jesus Christ to be the payment for our sins and to restore the spiritual connection with God whereby we can receive spiritual information from God and operate the manifestations of holy spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth, fulfilled all of the Old Testament law, and performed countless signs, miracles, and wonders. He was our payment for sin and gave his life for the atonement of it, and was resurrected from the dead 3 days and 3 nights later. He was seen of over 500 people in his resurrected body and ascended into heaven. He is now exalted to the throne of grace and seated in the heavenlies at the right hand of God which is regarded the “hand of blessing” in the Bible.
4. Jesus Christ will return again to gather those who have chosen to believe the words of the Bible regarding eternal life and salvation. (Romans 10:9-10) Those who are alive will be changed instantly and those who have died will be raised again to an incorruptible body.
Who is God?
God the creator has no beginning and will have no end. He is Spirit and can only be known by The Bible (the revealed Word) and the gift that he gives, which is holy spirit at the time of salvation of the believer.
Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He had a beginning which started at the time of his conception. He was divinely conceived by God and born on this earth to Mary. He is the mediator between God and man, restoring the spiritual connection with God which was lost with Adam’s sin in Genesis.
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
This simple verse tells us a lot. First, there is only one God.
There is only one mediator – who is the man, Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that no man has seen God, yet Jesus Christ was seen of many during his ministry and again after his resurrection. (Acts 13:31)
I John 4:12 – No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us
Jesus Christ was a human man, divinely conceived by God and born to Mary. The Bible says that God is not a man so they cannot be one and the same:
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent
Jesus Christ was with God (in His foreknowledge) in the beginning. Jesus Christ the Son had a definite beginning, where God the Creator is eternal and did not have a beginning and will have no end. Christ was foreordained:
I Peter 1:19-21
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who [Christ] verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him [Christ] do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
The word foreordained is the Greek word proginosko which means “to foreknow”
This same Greek word is also used in Romans 8:29
Romans 8:28-30 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his [God’s] purpose. 29 For whom he [God] did foreknow, he [God] also did predestinate (proginosko) to be conformed to the image of his Son, [Christ] that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he [God] did predestinate, (proginosko) them he [God] also called: and whom he [God] called, them he [God] also justified: and whom he [God] justified, them he [God] also glorified.
Since God is all-knowing, Jesus Christ was with God in his foreknowledge. Ephesians 1 says that we also were foreordained like Christ
Ephesians 1:3-6 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who [God] hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he [God] hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him [God] in love: Having predestinated us (proginosko) unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
We did not exist before the world began and neither did Christ. God knew that Adam would fall and we would need a redeemer. God is omniscient and knew about Christ as well as each of us in His foreknowledge (proginosko) as noted again in II Timothy:
II Timothy 1:8-10
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given [predestinated] us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
Important Point #1: Things similar are not identical. God the creator and Jesus Christ the son have many similarities. Just as my dad and I have a lot in common (including our names, we are both called Robert Miller) but we are clearly not the same person.
Important Point #2 – Interpretation is key. The Word of God must be interpreted according to Biblical usage and understanding, and allowed to interpret itself. We are instructed to study the Bible so we can rightly divide the Word of Truth. (II Timothy 2:15)
When there is an abundance of clear verses on a subject, and only a few apparently contradictory scriptures, the many clear ones must not be subordinated or rationalized while the contradictory verses are allowed to dominate. The few must fit with the many.
The New Testament says “Son of God” 68 times, not once does it say “God the Son”
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What about the verses that seem to support the trinity doctrine?
Unclear Verse #1
I Timothy 3:16 – And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
This word God here is relevant. How did it get there? It doesn’t fit with the other 68 clear verses. It was translated from the Greek. In the Greek language, the word translated as “God” here is hos meaning “which” and changes the entire focus of the verse from Christ to the Mystery of Godliness. It was the Mystery, which is “God in Christ in us” that was manifested. Moses spoke of it, the stars prophesied of it, and Jesus Christ came to fulfill it. That is the power of this verse!
The Bible was translated from what are referred to as “Critical Greek Texts” which were then written into English and other languages by the translators for the common people to understand. The text that the King James Bible was translated from is the Stephens Text which contains the error replacing “which” with “God.”
The word “which” (hos in the Greek) is represented by letters similar to our English letters oc (hos = ὅς) By adding a different line over the two letters it means “God” (ho in the Greek) instead of which, hence the error. (God = ός) The Greek word for “The God” is Ho Theos which is spelled as (θεός or θε-ός) which as you can see ends with similar lettering but not identical to the above. (references: hos, ho theos)
Here are some other translations of the same verse that were done properly:
I Timothy 3:16 – Aramaic Bible in Plain English (Translated from Aramaic)
And this Mystery of Righteousness is truly great, which (hos) was revealed in the flesh and was justified in The Spirit; He appeared to Angels and was preached among the Gentiles; He was trusted in the world and he ascended into glory.
I Timothy 3:16 – Douay-Rheims Bible (translated from Latin Vulgate into English)
And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which (hos) was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary (link)
“..He who (so the oldest manuscripts and versions read for ‘God’) was manifested in (the) flesh (He who) was justified in the Spirit,”
Pulpit Commentary
“..It can only be Christ. The mystery of the whole Old Testament, that which was wrapped in types and hidden under veils, was Christ (Colossians 1:27). Moses spake of him, the Psalms speak of him, the prophets speak of him; but all of them spake darkly. But in the gospel “the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3) is revealed. Christ is the Mystery of Christianity. It is, therefore, no difficult step to pass from “the mystery” to “Christ,” and to supply the word “Christ” as the antecedent to “who.” Was manifested (ἐφανερώθη); a word frequently applied to Christ..”
The verse should read as follows:
I Timothy 3:16 According to Biblical usage – And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: which was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
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Unclear verse #2
Hebrews 1:8-9 – 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. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
This is a reference to Psalm 45:6 where the word “God” refers to a man rather than God Himself.
Psalm 45:5-7 – Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. 6 Thy throne, O God, [referring to the King] is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
In order to understand this more clearly let’s look at other similar verses:
In Exodus, Jehovah called Moses a “god”
Exodus 7:1 – And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
The Judges were also commonly referred to as “gods”
Exodus 22:28 – Thou shalt not revile [criticize harshly] the gods [judges] nor curse the ruler of thy people.
(This cannot be talking about pagan “gods” as verse 20 prohibits serving false gods:
Exodus 22:20 – He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.)
The Children of the Most High are referred to as gods:
Psalm 82:6 – I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
In verse 8, this refers to the responsible leader who is to judge the earth
Psalm 82:8 – Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
Certainly God is not saying that Moses, the Judges, and the Children of God are literally God. That would make no sense at all as we know these individuals as well as ourselves did not create the universe. The same goes for the reference to Jesus Christ in Hebrews 1. It is a common eastern orientalism denoting the highest respect for a position or a ruler, not a designation of diety.
It is also common for people to refer to a king or a man of God as “Lord”
In Genesis 8:12, Sarah refers to Abraham as “my Lord” and so on.
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Unclear verse #3
John 20:28-29 – And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The phrase “My Lord and my God” is a figure of speech hendiadys which literally means “one by means of two.” Whenever two words are used but only one is intended, it is this figure of speech that is employed. (others)
The first word expresses the idea, then the second word exemplifies it to the highest degree!
We would understand his statement in our western culture as: “My Godly Lord!” The word Lord describes Jesus and the word Godly exemplifies it to the superlative degree.
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Unclear verse #4
Isaiah 9:6 – 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, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Note that the name “Jesus Christ” is not used in this verse, nor the context. It does appear to refer to him however. If it indeed does refer to Jesus Christ, then it is the meaning of his name, and not his literal title that is noted here. “His name shall be called” denotes that is the meaning of Christ’s name. He is not any of those things but that is what his name represents.
Isaiah 9:6 in The Masoretic (Hebrew) text reads: “Wonderful in counsel is God the mighty, the everlasting Father, the ruler of peace”
Isaiah 9:6 in The Septuagint (Greek) reads: “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”
That gives you a greater understanding of this verse. It is simply private interpretation of the scripture to say anything else.
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Unclear verse #5
John 1:1-5 – In the beginning was the Word, [logos] and the Word [logos] was with God, and the Word [logos] was God. 2 The same [word, logos] was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; [God] and without him [God] was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him [God] was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Verses 1 and 2 have been wrongly interpreted by many churches to say that “in the beginning was God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Ghost. All three were with God, and all three were God” Clearly these verses do not explicitly say that. They say “The Word.”
Who or what is the Word? The Greek word logos (pronounces low-gaws) literally means “Word.” The book of Genesis clearly states “In the Beginning God…” God alone was from the beginning. How does God who is spirit (John 4:24) communicate his Word (logos) with man who is flesh? God manifests himself to man in three ways: 1. By his gift of holy spirit which is given to born again believers 2. By his only begotten son, Jesus Christ 3. By His revealed Word, both written and spoken.
Just as God brought his word forth a burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3) He brought His word forth in the Bible for us by inspiration to the holy men who wrote it by revelation (II Peter 1:21) and He also brings it forth by the spoken Word in our day and time (John 15:3)
When John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” that means that the Word was with God in his foreknowledge. God is omniscient, knowing all things. From the beginning He knew he would reveal His Word to man. His Word was with him from the beginning of mankind. This “beginning” cannot be referring to God since he is eternal, he had no beginning and will have no end. It is only from “the beginning” in the sense that God has always had it with him.
To interpret this verse as saying Jesus Christ was with God in the beginning is merely private interpretation (which II Peter 1:20 warns us against) Jesus Christ did not exist until he was divinely conceived and born to Mary in Bethlehem in the year 3 BC.
Jesus Christ was “with God” only in God’s foreknowledge. God knew that man would sin and would need a redeemer. He had already planned to bring forth His Son to restore the spiritual connection given to Adam that would be lost by sin.
John 1:2 says: The same was with God in the beginning. Following the grammatical sentence structure, we know that “The same” refers again to the revealed Word which was with God in his foreknowledge. Verse 2 is a repetition of verse 1. Why repeat it? Whenever a phrase or concept is repeated it is to establish that truth in the mind of the reader. It would be the same as writing it in all caps or putting an exclamation point at the end! God wants us to pay close attention.
Also worth noting is the preposition “with” that precedes “God” in John 1:1. The Greek word from which it was translated is pros which means “together with, yet having distinct independence” which further establishes that the revealed, spoken, & written Word was with God, yet distinctly independent of Him.
John 1:1 and 2 should be understood as follows:
In the beginning was the Word [God] and the [revealed] Word was with [pros] God [with Him in His foreknowledge, yet independent of Him] and the Word was God. The same [revealed Word] was in the beginning with [pros] God.
Or to state verse 2 another way “The same [the written Word (the Bible) and the Word in the flesh which is Jesus Christ] was in the beginning with God [in His foreknowledge]”
Verse 3 continues this pattern
John 1:3 – All things were made by him [God] and without him [God] was not any thing made that was made.
“Him” in this verse is the pronoun autou which refers back to the closest preceding noun in the sentence, which is “God” in verse 2.
Also interestingly, the word “all” may have one of two meanings in the Greek from which it was translated: 1. All with distinction or 2. All without exception. In this verse it is the latter, all things without exception were made by God.
The words “not anything” means “not even one” further reiterating that all things were created by the one true God without any exceptions, not even one.
I John 1:4-5 – in Him [God] was life; and the light was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (also see I John 1:5 “God is light…”)
The words “life” and “light” are respectively referring to eternal life through salvation, and God’s gift of holy spirit to man, which Jesus Christ came to make available.
This understanding fits perfectly with these other verses which employ the word logos
Psalm 107:20 – He [God] sent His Word [logos, by way of the prophets] and healed them
John 5:38 – And ye have not his [God’s] word [logos] abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. [referring to the son, Jesus Christ whom God had sent]
John 1:14 – The Word [logos] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Again, this verse reiterates the sonship of Jesus Christ and the fatherhood of God the creator. Jesus Christ was the “word (logos) made flesh” and dwelled on earth until his resurrection and ascension into heaven to sit on the right hand of God. [I Peter 3:22, Mark 16:19] He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning him and the subject of the written Word of God. The fulfillment of these prophecies is what made Jesus Christ the “word made flesh” since he brought it forth into reality in that day and time.
We have seen 5 of some of the most common justification verses for the Trinity and applied biblical research tools to find out what they really mean. When the Word is rightly divided it fits together perfectly with the other 68 verses on the subject!
John 20 tells us why the Word of God was written and why this study is important:
John 20:31 – But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
That is the purpose that Christ came, to redeem us and give us everlasting life!
God Bless You!