A Personal Reflection on the Trinity and Salvation

[mikesw]

Here's what the scriptures say about the antichrist?

I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. [1 John 2:21-23]

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. [1 John 4:2,3]

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. [2 John 1:7]

I don't see where being an antichrist has any bearing on whether one believes in the Trinity, a Triune God, or Jesus is deity.

I could only guess why you saw this as a reflection of your situation. No. What I was saying is that false messiahs would actually be pretentious in claiming to be the Messiah in defiance of the divine Son. So they would demonstrate the deceiving spirit and show the highest arrogance and self-exaltation. They would be exalting themselves against the divine Son who is of the Godhead. They would hardly be distinguished from Jesus if Jesus were just a man.

 

[Runningman]

I sure I'm a Christian and in line with all that Gods word tell us.

This is something I said to someone else, but it seemed like it was received well and I hope you, and anyone else who reads it, does as well.

This isn't a jab at all and I hope you all don't continue to take it this way. I really want you all to be better. However, as difficult as it is to hear, I don't mind letting you know because you need to be told. The doctrine of the trinity is a textbook example of eisegesis. That's not good.

Why? Because the Trinity is neither explicitly defined or directly stated in any single Biblical passage. Instead, various verses are collected from different books from a variety of unrelated contexts, put together and interpreted to to mean God is three persons when the Bible never actually describes God as three persons to begin with.

So what is eisegesis? Eisegesis is reading one's own ideas into a text instead of drawing meaning from the text. For example, if you start with the idea that "God is triune" (something the Bible doesn't say) and then you search for verses to support that belief, then you are engaging in the dictionary definition of eisegesis.

Exegesis is drawing out the intended meaning from a text based on its context, language, audience, and purpose. This is why we study the Bible so that we can accurately explain what it says, oftentimes not even needing to do anything more than simply quote a verse where the author represented an idea the way they wanted it represented in plain language.

So Unitarians practice exegesis because we take Biblical statements in their plain, direct sense without interpreting what they say. See the difference between what you all do and what Unitarians do?

The Bible clearly declares the Father is the only true God (John 17:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6) and we are quoting this directly from the Bible, not a later commentator like you do for your beliefs. The Bible is also consistent about the Father being the only true God (Deut. 6:4, John 20:17, 1 Timothy 2:5)

So the difference between the way you explain your god and the way we explain God is that we actually use the words and language the authors of the Bible used by simply quoting what they said. I hope that helps.

 

[Runningman]

So in reality your saying Unitarians misinterpret the bible. Thanks for the heads up.

Actual fact, that even the expressions that Jesus used indicate His deity. One of the most important of these was, “But I say to you.”

This was introduced in connection with a quotation from the Old Testament Scriptures. In effect, He was saying, “Moses said that, but I say this to you.” He was implicitly claiming the right or authority to supplement what they had learned from Moses, the one they regarded as having been God’s special spokesperson.

Take a look at the way Jesus reported these statements. He did not use the customary prophetic introduction, “The Word of the Lord came to me, saying …” Rather, he simply said, “I say to you.” He did not claim to be reporting the message God had revealed to him. He was claiming that his words were God’s words.

That's Right...Jesus is God.

Sorry, this made me chuckle. You think Jesus saying “I say to you..." means he is God? Sometimes I like to let the egg sit on peoples' faces for a bit before I tell them that others in the Bibles said the exact same thing.

 

[Runningman]

So you study Scientologists and Mormons and Unitarians then give advice on how to study the Bible? Good luck with that.

Read this...
In Genesis 1:1, the plural noun “Elohim” (“God”) is joined with the singular verb “created”: “In the beginning, [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” The pattern is repeated in Genesis 1:27: “So [Elohim] created man in his own image, in the image of [Elohim] he created him; male and female he created them.”

It's in the video by Nabeel Qureshi above. Genesis 1:1 provides the first and fundamental building block of trinitarian theology.

Hebrew grammar rejects the idea of numerical plurality in elohim (whenever it denotes one God) and is proved especially by its being almost invariably joined with a singular attribute, i.e., elohim refers to a singular individual (a He, or Him, or His). Keep reading past Genesis 1. God is a singular He, Him, His, I, and never a they or them in all of scripture. Elohim isn't about numerical plurality, but rather intensity and amplification when it refers to God. It's a bit like saying God with a lot of extra intensity behind it, it's used of individual humans as well. What's your workaround for that?

Genesis 1
27So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.

 

[FreeInChrist]

Ah, so you don't understand sin sacrifices. Animal sacrifices were being used for the forgiveness of sins. How much more can a sinless man forgive sins if animal sacrifices were doing it?

You trinitarians take a lot of heat for rejecting the sin sacrifice of Jesus. Tell me, do you believe the immortal God died for your sins or a mortal man?

I believe Jesus died and was crucified and SHED HIS BLOOD for the sins of those who truly know who he is/was. Actually I stated that wrongly, because even demons know who He was... so it was for those who have an unwavering belief/faith in Jesus the Christ.

There is no Trinitarian that I have ever heard/read rejected/rejects the sacrifice of Jesus.

 

[Hosanna]

Hebrew grammar rejects the idea of numerical plurality in elohim (whenever it denotes one God) and is proved especially by its being almost invariably joined with a singular attribute, i.e., elohim refers to a singular individual (a He, or Him, or His). Keep reading past Genesis 1. God is a singular He, Him, His, I, and never a they or them in all of scripture. Elohim isn't about numerical plurality, but rather intensity and amplification when it refers to God. It's a bit like saying God with a lot of extra intensity behind it, it's used of individual humans as well. What's your workaround for that?

Genesis 1
27So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.

Not buying it. False doctrine like Unitarianism, that refers to teachings that are considered to deviate from the established, fundamental truths and core tenets of faith in God. True Christians use it to describe teachings that contradict or distort the clear message of the Bible called Trinitarianism.

It's a spinoff of the true and clear massage of the bible, that Jesus is God.

Trinitarianism is the central Christian doctrine that God is one God, existing as three co-equal, co-eternal persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

There is only one God, this single being is made up of three distinct but inseparable divine persons. Trinitarianism is one of the defining tenets of Christianity.

 

[amazing grace]

I could only guess why you saw this as a reflection of your situation. No. What I was saying is that false messiahs would actually be pretentious in claiming to be the Messiah in defiance of the divine Son. So they would demonstrate the deceiving spirit and show the highest arrogance and self-exaltation. They would be exalting themselves against the divine Son who is of the Godhead. They would hardly be distinguished from Jesus if Jesus were just a man.

Interesting point. You had quoted John 3:16
For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.

Imagine how pretentious it would be for someone who is only as a creation in the world claiming that that others just have to believe in a man rather than in God. It is when men claim to be the Messiah instead of the divine Son that they demonstrate the anti-Christ spirit and the highest arrogance and self-exaltation.

Although I admit I did read it wrong and yes, I did take it to heart - not just for myself but for all who believe that God the Father is the only true God. We usually are accused of being the antichrist . . . so I do apologize.

Exactly why the Jewish leaders did not believe he was the Christ - no matter how many times he told them who he was. There have been many false prophets who have into the world; some even claiming to be Christ and there will be more.

BUT the spirit of antichrist is one who does not confess that Jesus has come in flesh. . . .

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ...

 

[Runningman]

Not buying it. False doctrine like Unitarianism, that refers to teachings that are considered to deviate from the established, fundamental truths and core tenets of faith in God. True Christians use it to describe teachings that contradict or distort the clear message of the Bible called Trinitarianism.

It's a spinoff of the true and clear massage of the bible, that Jesus is God.

Trinitarianism is the central Christian doctrine that God is one God, existing as three co-equal, co-eternal persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

There is only one God, this single being is made up of three distinct but inseparable divine persons. Trinitarianism is one of the defining tenets of Christianity.

I wasn't asking you if you buy it or not. I was telling you how it is.

Here's a little homework assignment for you to prove my point. Find even one reference to God being a they or them and maybe your assertions will have some credibility. Good luck.

 

[Runningman]

I believe Jesus died and was crucified and SHED HIS BLOOD for the sins of those who truly know who he is/was. Actually I stated that wrongly, because even demons know who He was... so it was for those who have an unwavering belief/faith in Jesus the Christ.

There is no Trinitarian that I have ever heard/read rejected/rejects the sacrifice of Jesus.

Every trinitarian I have met wholly rejects the sacrifice of Jesus without really fulling realizing it until I have pointed it out. Some have seemed to smile and nod once they were made aware of it. I hope you aren't one of them.

So you can't have it both ways. Jesus can't be inseparable union of 100% man and 100% God and still die. This is precisely why there is no record of Jesus doing anything in the period between his death and resurrection, because he was dead. His body, soul, and spirit were sacrificed because he isn't God.

1 Peter 3
18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit

Isaiah 53
10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him
and to cause Him to suffer;
and when His soul is made a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,
and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.