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CHAPTER TEN - PART TWOTHOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODSThe Scriptures- "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them... Thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise... All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction... that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God... Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things..." -2 Timothy 3:13- 4:5. As was noted in the quote from Colliers' Encyclopedia (Quote # 10.1) one problem with the Trinity, from its inception into Christianity, has been the subordination of the Son to the Father. To apparently resolve this issue Trinitarians merely developed extra- Biblical terminology and merged philosophy with scripture. Subordinationism is the belief that the person of the Son is in subjection to, and inferior to, the person of the Father. The problem with subordinationism is the definition of God. God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), all-present (omnipresent), and eternal. If the Son is subservient to the Father, then it cannot be said that He is omnipotent. If certain information is withheld from the Son, He cannot be said to be omniscient, and etc. As can be seen by the above quotes, modern Trinitarians hold the belief that three separate individuals in the Godhead each hold claim to the title "God", not just collectively, but also individually. Question # 10.9 - Do the Scriptures bear witness to this perfect "equality of persons" in the Godhead, or do they prove that those who believe the Son is separate in person must accept the Son as being inferior (a semi-God, or junior God) to God the Father? Question # 10.10 - IF THE SON IS A SEPARATE PERSON FROM THE FATHER, IS HE OMNIPOTENT? Answered Jesus... "I can of mine own self do nothing..." -John 5:30. "...My Father is greater than I" -John 14:28. Question # 10.11 - IF THE SON IS A SEPARATE PERSON FROM THE FATHER, IS HE OMNISCIENT? "...Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" -Mark 13:32. Question # 10.12 - IF THE SON IS A SEPARATE PERSON FROM THE FATHER, IS HE OMNIPRESENT? "...Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him" -John 11:14-15. Question # 10.13 - IF THE SON IS A SEPARATE PERSON FROM THE FATHER, IS/WAS HE ETERNAL? "For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee"-Hebrews 1:5. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son..." -John 3:16. If the above scriptures show God the Father, and Jesus, the Son of God, to be separate persons, then Jesus does not fit the description of God! And that is the fatal shortcoming of the Trinity dogma. For Jesus said- "...If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins" -John 8:24. Jesus Christ is not the ultimate head of the Trinitarian Christian Church! ("Christ...is the head of all principality and power" -Col.2:8-10). Neither do Trinitarians see the Father when they look upon Jesus ("...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father..." -John 14:9). In lip service they profess to believe in His deity, but in their hearts, He is something less than God Almighty. On the other hand the Bible does teach that- JESUS IS OMNIPOTENT- "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" -Matthew 28:18. JESUS IS OMNISCIENT- "...Lord, thou knowest all things..."-John 16:30, 21:17. JESUS IS OMNIPRESENT- "...Christ...that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things" -Ephesians 4:7,10. "...Christ...filleth all in all" -Ephesians 1:20.23. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" -Matthew 18:20. JESUS IS ETERNAL- ...Verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am" -John 8:58. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" -Heb. 13:8. After reading the previous verses, we can come to only one conclusion- Jesus, the Son of God, is composed of two complete, though contrasting, natures: humanity and Deity (the one Almighty God). Question # 10.14 - Do the scriptures teach that Jesus is both God and the flesh and bone Son of Man? "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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" -Isaiah 9:6. "Jesus...said...destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up... He spake of the temple of His body." -John 2:19,21. Together with- ...Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father..." -Rom. 6:4. "I Jesus...am the root and the offspring..." -Revelation 22:16. "...God was manifest in the flesh..." -1 Timothy 3:16. "In the beginning was the Word, and...the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..." -John 1:1,14. Trinity, Holy Trinity, Divine Trinity, Triune Three-in-one, Three-of-one "God the Son", "God the Holy Ghost" Separate Persons, Separate Egos, Separate Individuals, etc. Divine Plurality, Divine Individuality, Divine Unity "Mystery Above Reason" If you desire to profess a purely scriptural doctrine of the Godhead, you must discard these words and/or phrases! Compare this reliance on unscriptural terminology with a truly Biblical alternative- Question # 10.15 - In contrast to the Trinity dogma, ask yourself, does the Oneness doctrine rely upon philosophical speculation, or extra-biblical terminology to express it's doctrine? Or, does the doctrine of the Oneness of God rely solely, and totally upon the faithfulness of the literally stated Word of God? 1) One and only one God. "...God is one" -Galatians 3:20. "For there is one God..." -1 Timothy 2:5. 2) God is a (one) Spirit. "God is a Spirit..." -John 4:24. "There is...one Spirit..." -Ephesians 4:4. 3) God was manifest in the flesh. "...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" -1 Timothy 3:16. 4) This manifestation was called the Son of God. "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name...God with us" -Matthew 1:23. "...Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest..." -Luke 1:31-32. 5) This manifestation of God in the flesh was not just a member of the Godhead, rather all the fullness of the Godhead dwelled in Him, and we are COMPLETE in Him. "I Jesus...I am the root and the offspring..." -Revelation 22:16. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy...and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him..." -Colossians 2:8-10. Conclusion- "Jesus...both Lord and Christ" -Acts 2:36. "...All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him" -John 5:23. "...Before Abraham was, I am" -John 8:58. "...If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins" -John 8:24. "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God" -John 20:28. End of Chapter Ten, Part Two. Please Continue with Chapter Eleven Bibliography for The Commandments of God, and the Traditions of Men Bible Study Tom Raddatz
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