Does the Bible REALLY support the idea of the "Trinity"
,or that Jesus is GOD???
Read on...The TRUTH IS SHOCKING!!!
From Genesis to Revelation Jesus is revealed AS God Himself...and the trinity IS true, though the word is never mentioned in scripture... I will demonstrate.
(All verses are taken from the King James Version, a universally recognized standard)
In Genesis 1:1 The word for God is "Elohim" in the Hebrew the "-im" suffix on the end denotes a plurality as it does with Cherub/Cherubim, Seraph/Seraphim, and Nephil/Nephilim (In Genesis Ch. 6)...
Also later in the Creation account (Gen. 1:26) God says "Let US make man in OUR image." note now the plurality is shown in the original language, AND in the English.
These ideas are paralleled in the New Testament in John 1:1-5, I John 5:7,8 where it says...
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
(John 1:1-5)
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three ARE one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three AGREE in one."
(1 John 5:7-8)
Please note the contrast between these vs. 7 & 8... Some people will say, "when Jesus said 'I and the Father are one' this refers not to essence, but rather to agreement" ... IF that were true this passage would NOT show the contrast, "ARE one" with "AGREE in one" By showing both usages it eliminate any refutation of the Trinity
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Then we have the word of the prophet Isaiah..."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, Counsellor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6)
Note: while this passage is usually quoted around Christmas, the definite article "THE" is usually glossed over, and it's importance is missed. "THE" meaning the unique, solitary, and definitive GOD, as opposed to being merely "one of many"
Additionally Abraham (who is called the 'friend' of God, received revelation from God directly...and has this to say...while his words apply to Isaac's question, they are also prophetic...
"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."
(Genesis 22:8)
Note, that Abraham did NOT say "provide FOR himself", but rather "provide HIMSELF"
(if he only meant 'for himself' it would have been very easy to say so, unless he meant something more significant)
The idea that Abraham meant something more significant is borne out by the fact that when scholars search out the PLACE of Isaac being offered, we discover that though the names for that place change, today we KNOW that place by the name CALVARY.
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Ironically enough when we are in danger of missing the importance of something Jesus says, it is the Pharisees who come to our rescue, making sure that we, as gentiles, do not miss the subtleties that would have been obvious to one better educated in the Hebrew law...I will demonstrate...
"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 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."
(John 5:17-18)
I needn't comment here, as this passage explains itself...
This is again related by John in his gospel...
"And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 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. "
(John 5:16-18)
"When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 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? 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? 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,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion."
(Mark 2:5-12)
Please, note these things...
1. The observers immediately understood that forgiving sins was the prerogative of God alone, as seen in their rhetorical question:
"who can forgive sins but God only?"
2. If any present had any doubt whether Jesus had this right, He addressed the doubt, and then performed a miraculous healing to prove his authority for doing so.
3. The observers got the point, gave God the glory, and commented on the singularity of the the event by saying, "We never saw it on this fashion."
When Jesus was on trial these event occurred...
"But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy."
(Matthew 26:63-65)
If Jesus merely meant "Son of God" as some use the phrase to mean 'we are all God's children' then even the Pharisees would've been included in this, and no blasphemy would have occurred...
If Jesus meant that He was the Messiah (and we assume that the Messiah was NOT God...then the many evidences Jesus had provided would have been enough to show he WAS IN FACT the Messiah, but NOT God, and STILL no blasphemy, would have occurred...
If, However, AS Messiah Jesus, WAS GOD... and his proof was NOT accepted by the Pharisees, THEN and only then is a perceived blasphemy present... This rejection is seen in the following passage...
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also."
(John 8:12-19)
Note, that rejection of Jesus' "witness of HIMSELF" is the same as rejecting the Father who sent HIM... because "the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."
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Furthermore we see that Jesus name will be exalted even above God's own name...
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above EVERY name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:9-11)
If Jesus was only a created being...
(which John 1:1-5 refutes, because it says "all things were created by him (the word), and without him was not ANYTHING made that was made)
...Then this would be blasphemy of the same sort that condemned Lucifer (who aspired to be exalted above God) UNLESS Jesus IS God...
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When we read the book of Revelation It OPENS with THESE words...
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him..."
(Revelation 1:1)
The revelation of WHO? Jesus.
That WHO gave to him?? God.
Okay then we move on...
Everywhere in scripture we see the name "Alpha and Omega" (or in the Old Testament the "Aleph and the Tau") It ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS...REFERS JEHOVAH GOD...
Yet in the opening verses of Revelation (of whom???) Jesus identifies HIMSELF as...
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea."
(Revelation 1:8-11)
AND AGAIN...
"And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:"
(Revelation 22:8-18)
Note that he is both "Root" and "Offspring of David" (both before, and as prophesied born of David's Line, by Mary, and will possess the throne of his 'father' David (Luke1:32))...
And in case there is ANY doubt left...
He says it again later with some VERY IMPORTANT DETAILS INCLUDED
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
(Revelation 1:17-18)
"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;"
(Revelation 2:8)
My final 'argument',
Since The Alpha and Omega, The First and the Last IS Almighty God...when was He ever "Dead" and then "Alive" again???? This is ONLY, ONLY, ONLY possible If JESUS IS JEHOVAH.
While it may be somewhat confusing to our human minds how God is Father, Son, AND Holy Spirit...it is important to take the scripture as our authority, and not our own reasoning.
We do not fully understand how electrons are conducted along a copper wire, and engage a tungsten filament in a vacuumed light bulb, to produce light (which is itself a mystery since it is both particle (as it affects matter), and wave (as it travels), and within white light are contained all the colors of the rainbow, but if we refuse to exercise faith enough to turn on the switch until we "understand" these mysteries, we will forever sit in darkness, and cannot avail ourselves of God's mercy and grace, except and only by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
THE SHOCKING TRUTH IS...SURPRISE!!!
...JESUS CHRIST ACTUALLY IS GOD...
DAN BROWN NEVER TOLD YOU THAT , DID HE ???
AREN'T YOU SHOCKED???