January 18

TRINITY “?”

-How are we to understand Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Are there three Gods? Are there three separate beings that all make up one God? Is there a “so-called” trinity? Here is a big clue … THE WORD "TRINITY" IS NOT TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE! As a matter of fact, it did not find a place formally in the theology of the church until the 4^th century. The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics records: At first the Christian Faith was not Trinitarian … It was not so in the apostolic and sub-apostolic ages, as reflected in the New Testament and other early Christian writings. So where did it come from a why did it surface? THE TEACHING OF A “SO-CALLED” TRINITY WAS BIRTHED OUT OF THE CARNAL MINDS OF MEN, ATTEMPTING TO TAKE THINGS THAT ARE SPIRITUAL AND TO CONVERT THEM INTO THE REALM OF INTELLECT AND THEOLOGY! It is imperative that we understand that that which is spiritual CANNOT be converted into intellect. We must grasp the things of the Spirit in the Spirit and by the Spirit. Let us also remember that the NATURAL MAN cannot discern, understand, or perceive the spiritual things of the Kingdom of God, even though he thinks he does. Bible college and theology will not teach you about the true God. It will only teach you its watered down version of God, leaving you with many traditions and doctrines of men THAT MUST THEN BE UNLEARNED! So … Is there one God or three Gods? Let us look to the words of Jesus.

-Mark 12:29 states, … And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; THE LORD YOUR GOD IS ONE LORD: … Well … That did not take long. We are told straight from the lips of Jesus that God is ONE GOD! So how are we to understand the scriptures when they speak of this one God as a Father, a Son, and a Spirit? It is actually very simple. There is one God Who has manifested Himself as a Father, a Son, and a Spirit. He has manifested Himself in three ways, but that does not mean that this one God is made up of three separate beings. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three separate beings Who all make up one God, but rather, they are three different manifestations of the same God.

-To further clarify this simple point, think of your life and the different ways in which you are manifested to others. Someone who is married and has children is a … :

1. Father to their children

2. Son to their father

3. Husband to their wife

-A person whose life is distributed in this manner is not made up of three different people, but is one person who is distributed in three different ways. In the same sense, God is to be seen as a Father, Who is a Spirit, and Who was manifested in the flesh. The true reality and identity of God is actually very simple, but has been greatly complicated by the traditions and doctrines of men. Let God reveal this simple truth to you. Remember when Philip asked Jesus about the Father? Jesus replied and said, ... Have I been so long time with you, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He that has SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER; and how do you say then, show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that DWELLS IN ME, HE DOES THE WORKS!!!

( John 14:9,10 )

-HEAR, O CHILD OF GOD; THE LORD YOUR GOD IS ONE LORD!-