The basic problem is that trinitarianism is a nonbiblical doctrine that contradicts a number of biblical teachings and many specific verses of Scripture. Moreover, the doctrine contains a number of internal contradictions. Of course, the most obvious internal contradiction is how there can be three persons of God in any meaningful sense and yet there be only one God.
Below we have compiled a number of other contradictions and problems associated with trinitarianism. This list is not exhaustive but it does give an idea of how much the doctrine deviates from the Bible.
1. Did Jesus Christ have two fathers? The Father is the Father of the Son (I John 1:3), yet the child born of Mary was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:18, 20; Luke 1:35). Which one is the true father? Some trinitarians say that the Holy Ghost was merely the Father's agent in conception - a process they compare to artificial insemination!
2. How many Spirits are there? God the Father is a Spirit (John 4:24), the Lord Jesus is a Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17), and the Holy Spirit is a Spirit by definition. Yet there is one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4).
3. If Father and Son are co-equal persons, why did Jesus pray to the Father? (Matthew 11:25). Can God pray to God?
4. Similarly, how can the Son not know as much as the Father? (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32).
5. Similarly, how can the Son not have any power except what the Father gives Him? (John 5:19, 30; 6:38).
6. Similarly, what about other verses of Scripture indicating the inequality of the Son and the Father? (John 8:42; 14:28; I Corinthians 11:3).
7. Did "God the Son" die? The Bible says the Son died (Romans 5:10). If so, can God die? Can part of God die?
8. How can there be an eternal Son when the Bible speaks of the begotten Son, clearly indicating that the Son had a beginning? (John 3:16; Hebrews 1:5-6).
9. If the Son is eternal and existed at creation, who was His mother at that time? We know the Son was made of a woman (Galatians 4:4).
10. Did "God the Son" surrender His omnipresence while on earth? If so, how could he still be God?
11. If the Son is eternal and immutable (unchangeable), how can the reign of the Son have an ending? (I Corinthians 15:24-28).
12. If in answer to questions 3 through 11 we say only the human Son of God was limited in knowledge, was limited in power, and died, then how can we speak of "God the Son"? Are there two Sons?
13. Whom do we worship and to whom do we pray? Jesus said to worship the Father (John 4:21-24), yet Stephen prayed to Jesus (Acts 7:59-60).
14. Can there be more than three persons in the Godhead? Certainly the Old Testament does not teach three but emphasizes oneness. If the New Testament adds to the Old Testament message and teaches three persons, then what is to prevent subsequent revelations of additional persons? If we apply trinitarian logic to interpret some verses of Scripture, we could teach a fourth person (Isaiah 48:16; Colossians 1:3; 2:2; I Thessalonians 3:11; James 1:27). Likewise, we could interpret some verses of Scripture to mean six more persons (Revelation 3:1; 5:6).
15. Are there three Spirits in a Christian's heart? Father, Jesus, and the Spirit all dwell within a Christian (John 14:17, 23; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 3:14-17). Yet there is one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4).
16. There is only one throne in heaven (Revelation 4:2). Who sits upon it? We know Jesus does (Revelation 1:8,18, 4:8). Where do the Father and the Holy Spirit sit?
17. If Jesus is on the throne, how can He sit on the right hand of God? (Mark 16:19). Does He sit or stand on the right hand of God? (Acts 7:55). Or is He in the Father's bosom? (John 1:18).
18. Is Jesus in the Godhead or is the Godhead in Jesus? Colossians 2:9 says the latter.
19. Given Matthew 28:19, why did the apostles consistently baptize both Jews and Gentiles using the name of Jesus, even to the extent of rebaptism? (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 22:16; I Corinthians 1:13).
20. Who raised Jesus from the dead? Did the Father (Ephesians 1:20), or Jesus (John 2:19-21), or the Spirit? (Romans 8:11).
21. If Son and Holy Ghost are co-equal persons in the Godhead, why is blasphemy of the Holy Ghost unforgivable but blasphemy of the Son is not? (Luke 12:10).
22. If the Holy Ghost is a co-equal member of the trinity, why does the Bible always speak of Him being sent from the Father or from Jesus? (John 14:26; 15:26).
23. Does the Father know something that the Holy Spirit does not know? If so, how can they be co-equal? Only the Father knows the day and hour of the Second Coming of Christ (Mark 13:32).
24. Did the trinity make the Old and New covenants? We know the LORD (Jehovah) did (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7-13). If Jehovah is a trinity then Father, Son, and Spirit all had to die to make the new covenant effective (Hebrews 9:16-17).
25. If the Spirit proceeds from the Father, is the Spirit also a son of the Father? If not, why not?
26. If the Spirit proceeds from the Son, is the Spirit the grandson of the Father? If not, why not?
Based on answers to these questions and others like them, we feel the majority of Bible believers instinctively think in Oneness terms and not in trinitarian terms. Moreover, it appears that when a person receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit he instinctively thinks in terms of Oneness belief.
Most Catholics and Protestants do not have a well developed concept of the trinity, do not know in detail what trinitarianism teaches, and cannot explain Bible passages in trinitarian terms. Today, we find a strong emphasis on trinitarianism and extremely tritheistic forms of trinitarianism primarily in some trinitarian Pentecostal groups. The apparent reason for this is that they have faced the Oneness issue, have consciously rejected Oneness, and so have gone into radical trinitarianism.
A simple question will help the trinitarian church member clarify his own beliefs. The question is: "When we see God in heaven, what will we see?" If he answers that we will see three persons with three bodies, then he is a strong, radical trinitarian. His answer indicates a pagan tritheism, not the strong monotheism of the Bible. If he answers that we will see one God with one body, then he is close to Oneness. Given this answer, it is easy to demonstrate from Revelation that the One we will see is actually Jesus Christ, for in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Conclusion
The Bible does not teach the doctrine of the trinity, and trinitarianism actually contradicts the Bible. It does not add any positive benefit to the Christian message. Without the man-made doctrine of the trinity we can still affirm the deity of Jesus, the humanity of Jesus, the virgin birth, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the atonement, justification by faith, the sole authority of Scripture, and any other doctrine that is essential to true Christianity. In fact, we enhance these doctrines when we adhere strictly to the Bible message that Jesus is the one God manifested in flesh. Adherence to Oneness does not mean a denial that God came in flesh as the Son or a denial that God fulfills the roles of Father and Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the doctrine of the trinity does detract from the important biblical themes of the oneness of God and the absolute deity of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christianity should stop using trinitarian terminology and should go back to emphasis of the basic Bible message. Most Bible believers do not think in strong trinitarian terms, so a transition away from it would not be very difficult, at least on an individual level.
On the other side, strict adherence to Oneness belief brings many blessings. It places emphasis where it should be - on the importance of biblical terminology, thought, and themes. It establishes Christianity as the true heir of Judaism and as a truly monotheistic belief. It reminds us that God our Father and Creator loved us so much He robed Himself in flesh to come as our Redeemer. It reminds us that we can receive this same Creator and Redeemer in our hearts through His Own Spirit.
Oneness magnifies Jesus Christ, exalts His name, recognizes who He really is, and acknowledges His full deity. Exalting Jesus and His name in preaching and in worship brings a mighty move of His power in blessings, deliverance, answered prayer, miracles, healing, and salvation. Wonderful things happen when someone preaches a message on the deity of Jesus, the name of Jesus, and the oneness of God, but rarely does one get inspired over a message on the trinity.
A strong belief in the oneness of God and the absolute deity of Jesus Christ is a crucial element in restoring the church to true biblical belief and apostolic power.
No comments:
Post a Comment