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Utatu - The Trinity

Utangulizi

“Baba yangu ni mkuu kuliko mimi” (Yohana 14:28). “Mimi na Baba yangu tu umoja” (Yohana 10:30). “Akasema, Aba, Baba, yote yanawezekana kwako, uniondolee kikombe hiki, walakini si kama nitakavyo mimi, bali utakavyo wewe” (Marko 14:36). Je, mistari hii ya Biblia inaonekana kupingana kwako? Ikiwa Yesu, Mwana,

na Mungu, Baba, ni sawa, kama wengine wanavyohitimisha, basi kwa nini Yesu anamwita Mungu mkuu kuliko Yeye Mwenyewe? Ikiwa mtu ni sawa na mwingine, basi mtu hawezi kuwa mkubwa au mdogo. Lakini tumesoma hivi punde katika mistari hiyo hapo juu kwamba Yesu alitangaza kwamba Yeye na Baba yake walikuwa mmoja? Yesu alikuwa akisali kwa nani alipomwambia Mungu kwamba hakutaka mapenzi yake mwenyewe yafanyike bali mapenzi ya Baba yake? Ikiwa Yesu ni sawa na Baba, kwa nini anamwomba Baba afanye jambo ambalo anapaswa kuwa na uwezo wa kujifanyia? Yesu alimwomba Baba yake aondoe kikombe cha mateso kutoka kwake, lakini ikiwa tu ni mapenzi ya Mungu kufanya hivyo. Mungu katika hekima yake alikataa ombi la Mwanawe. Ikiwa Bwana Yesu Kristo alikuwa sawa na Mungu, Baba Yake, kwa nini uombe hata kidogo?

Baadhi hufundisha kwamba Yesu Kristo kweli ni Mungu, na mistari kama hii ni sehemu ya fumbo la utatu, ambalo hatuwezi kuelewa kikamilifu, na hivyo lazima tukubali kwa imani. Utatu, kulingana na dini hizi, hutangaza kwamba Yesu Kristo, Roho Mtakatifu, na Mungu wote wameunganishwa chini ya Uungu mmoja. Wanafundisha kwamba ingawa wao ni nafsi tatu tofauti, wote ni sehemu ya Mungu mmoja.

Lakini Neno la Mungu linasema nini kuhusu mafumbo kama haya? "Jitahidi kujionyesha kuwa umekubaliwa na Mungu, mtenda kazi asiye na sababu ya kutahayari, ukitumia kwa halali neno la kweli." “Kila andiko, lenye pumzi ya Mungu, lafaa kwa mafundisho, na kwa kuwaonya watu makosa yao, na kwa kuwaongoza, na kwa kuwaadibisha katika haki; ili mtu wa Mungu awe kamili, amekamilishwa apate kutenda kila tendo jema” (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16,17). “Hawa walikuwa waungwana kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa walilipokea lile neno kwa uelekevu wa moyo, wakayachunguza maandiko kila siku, kwamba mambo hayo ndivyo yalivyo” (Matendo 17:11). Kama inavyoonyeshwa na mistari hii, Biblia imetolewa kwetu na Mungu ili tuweze kupata ufahamu sahihi wa Neno lake la Kweli. Sikuzote tunapaswa kuiendea Biblia ili kujua ikiwa mambo yanayofundishwa na wengine kuhusu Mungu ni kweli kweli, na tunapaswa kuwa na mashaka makubwa juu ya madai yoyote kwamba fundisho fulani linafundishwa katika Biblia, ikiwa limegubikwa na fumbo lisiloelezeka.

Jina la Mungu

“Ili watu wajue ya kuwa wewe, ambaye jina lako peke yako ni YEHOVA, Ndiwe Uliye juu, juu ya dunia yote” ( Zaburi 83:18 ) ( NKJ ). Mungu si jina, bali ni cheo, kama vile mfalme au mkuu ni vyeo. Katika 1 Wakorintho 8:5 inasema kwamba kuna miungu mingi. Kumb. 32:9-12 inasema kwamba Yakobo hakuwa na mungu mgeni pamoja naye wakati Yehova, Mungu wa kweli, alipomwongoza. Imeandikwa juu ya Shetani katika 2 Kor. 4:4 kwamba yeye ndiye “ mungu wa ulimwengu huu. ” Biblia pia huorodhesha miungu mingine mingi sana: miungu halisi kama ilivyokuwa kwa Shetani, na wengine ambao wameumbwa na wanadamu, wakiwa wamepofushwa na mungu wa ulimwengu huu, Shetani. Tafsiri mpya zaidi kama vile New English Bible zinaonyesha ukweli huu kwa uwazi zaidi.

Mungu Mmoja wa Kweli

Mungu wetu, Yehova, ni tofauti na miungu mingine yote. Tunaambiwa katika Yohana 17:3 na Kum. 6:4 kwamba Mungu Mwenyezi ndiye Mungu mmoja wa kweli. Katika Isaya 44:8 imeandikwa, “...Ninyi ni mashahidi wangu. Je, kuna Mungu zaidi yangu? Naam, hakuna Mwamba mwingine, siujui hata mmoja.” Kutoka 1 Kor. 8:4: “Hakuna Mungu mwingine ila mmoja.” Ndiyo, Shetani anaweza kuwa mungu wa ulimwengu huu, lakini kuna Mungu mmoja tu wa kweli, ambaye jina lake ni Yehova. Watu wameamini miungu mingine iliyotengenezwa na wanadamu katika enzi zilizopita, lakini miungu hiyo imetoweka milele. Wakati fulani Wakanaani waliabudu mungu aliyeitwa Baali, lakini mungu huyo yuko wapi leo? Ameondoka, pamoja na miungu mingine yote ya uwongo ya historia.

Yehova, Yule wa Milele, anadumu milele, Hata mungu wa uwongo, Shetani, siku moja ataharibiwa na Mungu Mweza Yote kupitia Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo ( Ebr. 2:14 ). Lakini leo, watu wengi bado wanaabudu miungu mingine. Miungu hii si halisi, hata hivyo. Hazipo, isipokuwa katika akili za watu. Shetani anatumia miungu hii ya uwongo kuwazuia watu wasijifunze kuhusu Mungu wa Pekee wa Kweli na mpango wake wa wokovu kwa ulimwengu. Ipo siku inakuja ambapo Mungu atawaonyesha watu hawa kwamba miungu yao haipo, na kwamba Yeye peke yake ndiye Aliye Juu Zaidi, juu ya dunia yote.

Mtawala Mkuu

“Lakini nataka mjue ya kuwa kichwa cha kila mwanamume ni Kristo; na kichwa cha mwanamke ni mwanamume; na kichwa cha Kristo ni Mungu” (1Kor. 11:3). “Hapo ndipo ule mwisho, atakapomkabidhi Mungu Baba ufalme. . . Lakini anaposema vitu vyote vimewekwa chini yake (Mwana), ni dhahiri kwamba Yeye [Baba] hayupo, ambaye aliweka vitu vyote chini yake. Na vitu vyote vitakapotiishwa chini yake [Mwana], ndipo Mwana naye mwenyewe atakapotiishwa chini yake yeye [Mungu] aliyeweka vitu vyote chini yake, ili Mungu (Baba) awe yote katika yote” (1 Kor. 15:24-28). Mistari hii inamwonyesha Mungu Baba kuwa Mtawala Mkuu wa kila kitu, mbinguni na duniani.

Yesu Kristo

“Na Yesu alipokwisha kubatizwa mara akatoka majini, na tazama, mbingu zikamfunukia, akamwona Roho wa Mungu akishuka kama njiwa, akija juu yake; na tazama, sauti kutoka mbinguni ikisema. , Huyu ni Mwanangu, mpendwa wangu, ninayependezwa naye” (Mt. 3:16,17). Hii ni picha nzuri ya Baba na Mwanawe! Ni maneno gani makubwa ambayo mwana yeyote angeweza kutarajia kusikia kuliko kwamba baba yake amependezwa naye. Hakika Yesu, pia, lazima alijisikia furaha kubwa kusikia maneno ya Baba yake. Hakumletea aibu Baba Yake, Yehova, bali alitimiza mapenzi Yake kikamilifu alipokuwa hapa duniani. Baba yake hakujutia kamwe maneno aliyosema wakati wa ubatizo wa Yesu ya kupendezwa naye

Mwana Mpendwa.

Ilikuwa vigumu kwa wengi kukubali kwamba Yesu alikuwa Mwana wa Mungu. Wengine walimchukia Yesu na kumtendea uovu. Alidhihakiwa, alitemewa mate na kupigwa (Luka 22:63-65). Hata hivyo, wengine ambao walikuwa tayari kupata kweli, walikua wakikubali maneno ya Yesu kwamba kwa kweli Yeye alikuwa Mwana Mpendwa wa Mungu. Katika majaribu yote ambayo Yesu aliteseka kwa sababu ya madai Yake, Hakuwahi kukana hata mara moja kuwa kitu chochote kidogo kuliko Mwana wa Mungu, wala Hakuwahi kusema kwamba Yeye alikuwa chochote zaidi ya hicho, bali alitangaza, “Baba yangu ni mkuu kuliko mimi” (Yn 14) :28).

Mwana Alijaribiwa

Baada ya Bwana wetu Yesu kubatizwa, Shetani alitamani kumjaribu na kumjaribu ili Yesu ashindwe katika kusudi la wokovu ambalo Mungu alimtuma duniani. Shetani angalifurahia jambo hili kwa maana hapo angeweza kumdhihaki Mungu kwa kuonyesha kwamba alikuwa ameweka tumaini lake vibaya kwa huyu “Mwana Mpendwa” ambaye Alipendezwa naye sana. Katika Luka 4:1-13 inasema kwamba Shetani alimjaribu Yesu kwa njia mbalimbali. Yesu, akiwa mwanadamu mkamilifu, angeweza kushindwa katika majaribu hayo, na Shetani alijua hilo. Mtu mjanja kama Shetani hangeweza kamwe kupoteza muda wake kujaribu kama angejua tangu mwanzo kwamba hakuna tumaini la mpango wake kufanya kazi. Ni lazima tukumbuke kwamba Yesu alipokuja duniani, aliitwa “Adamu wa mwisho” (1 Kor. 15:45). Alizaliwa na mwanamke na akawa mwanamume mkamilifu kwa sababu alikuwa pia Mwana wa Mungu. Yesu alikuwa sawa na Adamu wa kwanza katika ukamilifu. Kama vile Adamu wa kwanza alipewa uhuru wa kuchagua na Mungu, vivyo hivyo, pia, Kristo, Adamu wa mwisho. Kuwa wakala huru wa maamuzi kunamaanisha kwamba mtu ana uhuru wa kujichagulia atakachofanya. Mungu hakutaka Adamu au Yesu amtumikie, kama dunia inavyohudumia mti, bila chaguo. Alitaka wamtumikie kwa upendo na kujitolea kwa moyo wote, na si kwa sababu ni lazima.

Adamu wa kwanza, imeandikwa, alichagua kutomtii Mungu na hivyo akashindwa kumweka Mungu mkuu zaidi katika maisha yake. Hata hivyo, Adamu wa mwisho, Bwana Yesu Kristo, hakumkosa Mungu Shetani alipomjaribu. [Imeandikwa kwamba baada ya kila jaribu, Yesu alimkemea Shetani, akisema, “Nenda nyuma yangu, Shetani; kwa maana imeandikwa, Msujudie Bwana Mungu wako, umwabudu yeye peke yake” (Luka 4:8 KJV).] Jitihada za Shetani hazikufaulu. Ushindi wa Yesu lazima ulimpa Baba yake furaha na furaha kuu.

Yesu alikuwa na nguvu nyingi alipokuwa duniani; Hakuwahi kuitumia vibaya. Alijua kwamba alitumwa kufanya kazi ya Baba yake na si kazi yake mwenyewe. Hakuwa na hamu ya kuitwa Mungu, bali Mwana wa Aliye Juu Zaidi, aliyetumwa kufanya mapenzi ya Baba yake: “Kwa maana mimi nilishuka kutoka mbinguni, si kufanya mapenzi yangu mwenyewe, bali mapenzi yake aliyenipeleka” ( Yoh. Yohana 6:38). Soma 1 Yohana 4:14, Yohana 3:17 na 20:21. Katika Yohana 12:50 inasema kwamba Yesu alisema tu maneno ambayo Baba yake alimpa ayazungumze. Yohana 5:43 inatangaza kwamba Yesu alikuja katika Jina la Baba Yake. Katika Yohana 17:4 Yesu anakiri kwamba kazi aliyoifanya alipokuwa duniani haikuwa yake, bali alimaliza kazi ambayo Mungu alimpa aifanye. Alikuwa Mwana mtiifu jinsi gani! Jinsi Baba Yake alifurahishwa sana kuona Mwana Wake akitekeleza maagizo Yake kwa ajili ya wokovu wa ulimwengu kikamili hivyo, na huku akifanya hivyo, bila kuchukua utukufu kwa lolote alilofanya, bali kutoa utukufu na sifa zote kwa Mungu, Baba Yake Mwenye Thamani.

Yesu Alifundishwa Na Mungu

“Sifanyi neno kwa nafsi Yangu; lakini kama Baba alivyonifundisha, ndivyo ninavyosema.” “Naye Yesu akazidi kukua katika hekima na kimo, akimpendeza Mungu na wanadamu” (Yohana 8:28; Luka 2:52). Mistari hii inaonyesha kwamba Yesu alipokuwa duniani, akiwa Mwalimu Mkuu, Alijifunza kutoka kwa Baba Yake wa Mbinguni, na akaongezeka katika hekima kupitia ujuzi huo. Mungu, Baba yake, alikuwa na hekima na maarifa yote. Hakuna kitu ambacho angeweza kujifunza kutoka kwa mtu mwingine yeyote. Yesu hakuwa na ujuzi wa Mungu kwa sababu hakuwa sawa na Mungu. Alifundishwa na Mungu. Akiwa mwana mkamilifu, alitii mapenzi yote ya Baba yake. Waebrania 5:8 inasema kwamba hata utii wake ulijifunza kutokana na yale aliyoteseka.

Yesu hakuwahi kupita zaidi ya mafundisho ya Baba yake. Alikuwa na unyenyekevu wa kukiri Hakujua ni lini mipango yote ya Mungu ingetekelezwa. Wakati fulani Alipomaliza kuzungumza juu ya mwisho wa enzi hii na kusimamishwa kwa Ufalme wa Mungu, Alisema, “Kuhusu siku ile na saa ile hakuna aijuaye, hata malaika walio mbinguni, wala Mwana, ila Baba peke yake. ” ( Marko 13:32 ). “Mambo haya Baba ameyaweka katika uwezo wake mwenyewe” (Matendo 1:7). Je, unaweza kuwazia Yesu huyu mpole na mnyenyekevu, ambaye alikuwa akihitaji sana hekima na ujuzi wa Baba Yake, siku zote akisema Yeye alikuwa sawa na Mungu? Hapana, Yeye hakuwahi kutoa dai kama hilo.

Akihitaji Nguvu za Baba Yake

Katika kutembea kwake duniani Yesu alihitaji nguvu za Baba yake ili kumtegemeza na alitumia saa nyingi katika maombi kwa Baba yake. Katika maombi yake Yesu hakuomba mapenzi yake mwenyewe yatimizwe bali ya Baba peke yake, hata kifo cha uchungu cha msalaba, akiamini kwamba nguvu za Baba yake zingemwona hadi mwisho. Hakika, Yesu alikuwa Mwana Mpendwa wa Mungu, ambaye Baba yake alipendezwa naye sana.

Kifo Kitukufu

Yesu yamkini alitembea katika ukimya wa uchungu siku hiyo, bila uwezo wa kusimama chini ya uzito wa msalaba begani mwake. Wafuasi wake wengi walitawanyika kwa hofu huku akiongozwa hadi kifo chake. Petro, Mtume wake mpendwa, kwa kuhofia maisha yake mwenyewe, hata alikana kumjua Bwana wake. ( Marko 14:27; 66-72 ). Wote walimwacha Yesu atekeleze kazi Yake kuu ya mwisho ya kuteseka peke yake - “Alikanyaga shinikizo la divai peke yake, wala hapakuwa na mtu yeyote pamoja Naye.” Baba yake alikuwa pamoja Naye, lakini hata Yeye ilimbidi kugeuza uso wake kutoka kwa Yesu katika dakika za mwisho za maisha ili Yesu ahisi uzito kamili wa dhambi ya mwanadamu. Walimsulubisha Bwana Yesu Kristo, Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu - Mwana wa Upendo Wake. Alikufa kifo cha kiungwana, akimtumainia Mungu na Baba yake hadi mwisho ambaye alijua hatamwacha kaburini.

Yesu Ameinuliwa na Mungu

Mungu alitimiza ahadi yake kwa Mwanawe. Efe. 1:19-21 inasema kwamba Mungu hakumfufua tu Yesu kutoka kaburini bali pia alimweka kwenye mkono Wake wa kuume mbinguni. Hakuwezi kuwa na cheo chenye kuheshimiwa zaidi ya kuketi mkono wa kuume wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Kiti cha enzi kuu zaidi ni cha Baba Yake, lakini Yesu, kwa kuketi mkono Wake wa kuume, amekuwa wa pili kwa Mungu katika utukufu na nguvu. Mungu bado ni mkuu juu ya ulimwengu wote, lakini Yesu sasa ni "Mfalme na Mwokozi" (Matendo 5:30-31). Kama thawabu ya kuhakikisha kwamba mpango wa Mungu kwa ajili ya wokovu wa ulimwengu unatimizwa, Mungu ameweka “malaika wote, na mamlaka, na nguvu” chini ya udhibiti wa Yesu (1 Petro 3:22).

KULINGANISHWA KWA BABA NA MWANA

Kufikia hapa, tumejifunza kwamba Mungu ndiye Mwenyezi na Aliye Mkuu Zaidi, huku Bwana Yesu Kristo, Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu, sasa akiketi kwenye kiti cha enzi cha Baba Yake kwenye mkono Wake wa kuume, wa pili kwa Mungu katika utukufu na uweza. Kuanzia na sehemu hii ya somo, tutaorodhesha mistari mingi ya Biblia ili kuonyesha, bila shaka, kwamba Bwana Yesu Kristo kamwe haonekani kuwa sawa na Mungu, Baba Yake.

Ufafanuzi wa Kutokufa

Mtu asiyeweza kufa hategemei mtu mwingine kwa uzima, bali ana uzima ndani yake mwenyewe. Mtu ambaye hawezi kufa hawezi kuacha kuwapo kwa sababu ni ushahidi wa kifo. Hawahitaji chakula, kinywaji, au hewa ili kuwepo. Mtu asiyekufa hawezi kufa kamwe, ilhali yule anayekufa anaweza kufa na lazima apate uhai kutoka nje ya nafsi yake.

Adamu na Hawa Sio Wazima

Ingawa Adamu na Hawa walikuwa wakamilifu, maisha yao yalidumishwa kwa chakula, hewa na maji (Mwa. 1:29). Maadamu Adamu na Hawa walimtii Mungu, wangeweza kupata uzima wa milele. Lakini walionywa kwamba ikiwa wangemwasi Mungu, watakufa (Mwanzo 2:17). Baada ya kumtenda Mungu dhambi, hukumu ya kifo ilianza kutekelezwa, na wakatupwa nje ya bustani (Mwa. 3:19). Adamu na Hawa walihitaji Mungu kama chanzo chao cha uhai. Hawakuwa na uhai ndani yao wenyewe, na chanzo hicho cha uhai kilipoondolewa, walizeeka na kufa. Adamu na Hawa hawakuweza kufa.

Shetani Hawezi Kufa

Katika Ebr. 2:14 , inasema kwamba siku moja Shetani ataangamizwa. Atakufa, au atakoma, kwa sababu yeye si asiyeweza kufa, au ushahidi wa kifo.

Mungu Ana Kutokufa

Katika Yohana 5:26 imeandikwa juu ya Mungu kwamba “anao uzima ndani Yake.” Kwa maneno mengine, Mungu hahitaji chochote kuendeleza maisha Yake. Hahitaji chakula, maji, wala hewa ili kumuweka hai, kwa maana Mungu ana hali ya kutokufa. Wakati fulani hakuna mtu mwingine yeyote, ama mbinguni au duniani, aliyekuwa na kutokufa isipokuwa kwa Mungu. Mtu asiyeweza kufa hawezi kuangamizwa, kufa, au hata kuchukua uhai wake mwenyewe, kwa maana huyo hawezi kufa.

Yesu Alipewa Kutokufa na Mungu

Ikiwa Yesu Kristo alikuwa sawa na Baba Yake, kama inavyodaiwa na wengi, basi lazima bila shaka daima amekuwa asiyeweza kufa kama vile Mungu amekuwa. Mtu asiyeweza kufa hawezi kamwe kupoteza uhai, hata kwa kipindi kifupi cha wakati. Ingawa Biblia inatangaza kwamba Yesu sasa hawezi kufa, tangu Ufufuo Wake kutoka kwa wafu, haikuwa hivyo nyakati zote. Kama thawabu kwa kila jambo ambalo Yesu alifanya na kuteseka, Mungu, Baba Yake, ambaye sikuzote amekuwa asiyeweza kufa, sasa amempa Mwana Wake, Yesu, kutokufa pia kuwa thawabu kwa ajili ya dhabihu Yake kuu zaidi. Ndiyo maana imeandikwa katika Warumi 6:9 kwamba “Yesu hafi tena.” Tangu wakati huo alipopewa kutokufa, imekuwa haiwezekani kwa Yesu kufa tena. Sasa hawezi kufa kama Baba Yake. Kabla ya Yesu kupokea zawadi hii ya kutoweza kufa, iliwezekana afe.

Na alifanya hivyo tu juu ya Msalaba wa Kalvari ambapo alitoa uhai Wake mkamilifu wa kibinadamu kwa ajili ya dhambi ya ulimwengu. “Mimi ndiye aliye hai na nilikuwa nimekufa” (Ufu. 1:18). Kuna wengine wanaodai kwamba kifo si kifo kweli, na kwamba Yesu alipita tu mahali pengine pa maisha baada ya kusulubiwa. Biblia haifundishi hivyo. Warumi 14:9 KJV inasema wazi kabisa kwamba Yesu alipofufuka kutoka kwa wafu "alifufua." Alifufua nini kama hakuwa amekufa kweli? Alifufuka kutoka kwa kifo, hali ya kutokuwa na fahamu, kwa kurudi kwenye uzima. Isaya 53:7-10 husema kwamba Yesu ‘alikatiliwa mbali na nchi ya walio hai. Wakati wa kufa kwake aliacha kuishi.

Tumemwona Mungu, asiyeweza kufa sikuzote, akimpa Mwanawe kutokufa huku kwake, na tumeona kwamba Yesu Kristo kweli alikufa, akiutoa uhai Wake alipokuwa kaburini. Ikiwa Yesu hangekufa, Fidia kwa ajili ya Adamu na uzao wake haikulipwa na hakuna hata mmoja wetu ambaye angeweza kuwa na tumaini la kufufuliwa ambalo limeahidiwa waziwazi katika Neno la Mungu.

Vitu vyote ni vya Baba - KUPITIA Mwana

“Lakini kwetu sisi Mungu ni mmoja tu, aliye Baba, ambaye vitu vyote vimetoka kwake, nasi tunaishi kwake; na Bwana mmoja Yesu Kristo, ambaye kwake vitu vyote vimekuwapo, nasi kwa yeye yeye” (1Kor. 8:6). Jinsi aya hii inavyopendeza mtu anapoitafakari. Vitu vyote, kutia ndani wokovu wetu, vilitoka kwa Mungu Baba, “ambaye vitu vyote vimetoka kwake.” (Soma pia Isaya 60:16; Hosea 13:4; Isaya 43:3, 11 .) Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe duniani, ambaye “kupitia yeye” mpango wa Mungu wa kuwaokoa wanadamu ungetimizwa. Mstari huu unaonyesha wazi kwamba Yesu hakuanzisha mpango wa Mungu wa wokovu, bali alitekeleza ili kukamilisha Upatanisho mkuu kwa ajili ya Baba yake alipopaza sauti, “Imekwisha.” ( Yohana 19:30 )

“Yeye Mungu amemtukuza kwa mkono wake wa kuume, awe Mkuu na Mwokozi, awape Israeli toba na msamaha wa dhambi” (Matendo 5:31). “Na sisi tumeona na kushuhudia ya kuwa Baba alimtuma Mwana kuwa Mwokozi wa ulimwengu.” ( 1 Yohana 4:14 ). “Kwa maana kuna Mungu mmoja na mpatanishi kati ya Mungu na wanadamu ni mmoja, Mwanadamu Kristo Yesu, ambaye alijitoa mwenyewe kuwa ukombozi kwa ajili ya wote...” (1 Timotheo 2:5, 6)

Mistari iliyo hapo juu inaonyesha bila shaka, kwamba Yesu Kristo si sawa na Mungu, bali alitumwa na Mungu kuwa Mwokozi wetu. Yesu alifaulu kutekeleza mpango mkuu wa Baba yake wa Wokovu na matokeo yake ameinuliwa na Mungu kuwa Mkuu na pia Mwokozi. Kama 1 Tim. 2:5 inaonyesha, Yesu anaitwa Mpatanishi wetu. Alifanya upatanishi kwa ajili yetu pale Kalvari. Katika 1 Yohana 2:1 anaitwa Mtetezi wetu (anayesimama kando). Msamaha na toba kwa ajili ya dhambi ni kupitia Yesu pekee. Hii ndiyo sababu tunapoomba kwa Baba, ni lazima tuombe kupitia, au katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo. Dhabihu yake kwa niaba yetu hutuwezesha kufika “kwa ujasiri kwenye kiti cha enzi cha neema” tunapomkaribia Mungu katika maombi.

Mkono Wa Mungu

“BWANA ameweka wazi mkono wake mtakatifu machoni pa mataifa yote; na ncha zote za dunia zitauona wokovu wa Mungu wetu” (Isaya 52:10). “Nani ameamini taarifa yetu? na mkono wa Bwana umefunuliwa kwa nani?" ( Isaya 53:1 - linganisha Yohana 12:38 ). “Mkono wake (Yesu) ulimletea wokovu – Mkombozi atakuja Sayuni, na kwa hao walio katika Yakobo wageukao kutoka katika makosa, asema Bwana” (Isaya 59:16-20). Mkono wa Bwana katika mistari hii unarejelea Mwana Mpendwa wa Mungu. Mistari hiyo ni mifano ya jinsi vitu vyote ni vya Mungu lakini kupitia Yesu Kristo, mkono wa Yehova, mfano unaofaa kwa Yesu. Mkono halisi wa mtu hauendi zaidi ya maagizo aliyopewa. Mungu alitoa amri, Yesu alizitimiza. Hii inaonyesha tofauti ya wazi kati ya Mungu, kama Baba, na Bwana Yesu Kristo, kama Mwana mtiifu wa Mungu.

“Paulo, Mtume wa Kristo Yesu kwa amri ya Mungu Mwokozi wetu, na Bwana Yesu Kristo, tumaini letu” (1 Tim. 1:1). Tena, katika mstari huu tunaona tofauti ya wazi kati ya Mungu, Baba, na Yesu Kristo, Mwanawe. Wokovu unaonekana ukitoka kwa Mungu, lakini tumaini la wokovu huo linaonekana kuwa linakuja kupitia Bwana Yesu Kristo. Kwa mateso na kifo chake, Bwana Yesu Kristo alitekeleza mpango wa wokovu wa Baba yake kikamilifu.

Aya Zinazotumika Kuunga Mkono Utatu

Katika sehemu hii ya somo letu tutawasilisha baadhi ya mistari ya Biblia inayotumiwa na Waumini Utatu katika jaribio lao la kuthibitisha kwamba Yesu Kristo ni sawa na Mungu. Tutanukuu kutoka katika tafsiri kadhaa za Biblia zinazoonyesha dai hili kuwa na makosa. Tafsiri za Biblia ambazo tutatumia katika somo hili tunahisi ndizo zenye maana karibu zaidi na hati za kale zaidi za Biblia za Kigiriki. Kabla ya kuanza somo hili, ni vyema kwanza kujifunza kidogo historia inayozunguka Biblia ya King James (KJV) ambayo ilichapishwa mwaka wa 1611 BK na inachukuliwa kuwa mamlaka katika tafsiri za Biblia na wengi. Toleo la King James lina makosa mengi ambayo yanasahihishwa na baadhi ya matoleo ya kisasa zaidi ya Biblia.

Watu wengi labda hawajui kwamba KJV haikutafsiriwa kutoka kwa maandishi ya kale ya Kigiriki. Badala yake, ni masahihisho ya Biblia ya Askofu na ililinganishwa tu na hati za Kigiriki. Wakati Biblia hii ilipochapishwa, kulikuwa na hati nane tu za Kigiriki zinazojulikana za kuilinganisha nazo. Hakuna hata moja kati ya hizi nane iliyorudi nyuma zaidi ya karne ya kumi BK Leo, kuna mamia ya hati za kuchora, ya zamani zaidi ambayo inarudi nyuma hadi karne ya nne AD Nakala tatu kuu zaidi kati ya hizi ni Sinaitic, Vatikani. na Mwaleksandria. Biblia za kisasa kama vile Moffatt na Emphatic Diaglott zilitumia hati za kale zaidi za Kigiriki zilipotafsiri Maandiko. Kwa sababu hii, tutatumia sana tafsiri hizi bora katika somo letu. Tutalinganisha tafsiri hizi mpya na sahihi zaidi na KJV ili kuonyesha mahali ilipo makosa. Pia tutalinganisha mistari mingi kutoka katika vitabu mbalimbali vya Biblia ili kutoa maoni yanayopatana ya Neno la Mungu. Kwa kulinganisha mistari ya Biblia, tunaweza kuwa na uhakika wa kupatana katika Neno kamili la Mungu la Kweli.

Maandiko Yakilinganishwa

"Hapo mwanzo kulikuwako Neno, naye Neno alikuwako kwa Mungu, naye Neno alikuwa Mungu" (Yohana 1:1 - KJV). Neno, kama lilivyotumiwa katika mstari huu, hurejelea kuwapo kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo kama Logos, au Neno la Mungu. Tutaona kwamba maneno ya Yohana 1:1 kama yanavyotolewa katika Biblia ya King James yana makosa. The Emphatic Diaglott hutafsiri maandishi ya Kigiriki kwa njia hii: “Hapo mwanzo kulikuwako Logos, na Logos alikuwa pamoja na Mungu, na Logosi alikuwa mungu.” Hapa Yesu anasemwa kuwa mungu katika maana ya kuwa shujaa au shujaa hodari.

Maneno "Hapo mwanzo" pia yanavutia sana. Biblia inasema kwa uthabiti kwamba Mungu, Yehova, hakuwa na mwanzo. Yeye ni “tangu milele hata milele” (Soma Zab. 90:2; 106:48). Hii ina maana kwamba Yohana 1:1 haiwezi kurejelea mwanzo wa Mungu, bali ni mwanzo wa kitu kingine, yaani mwanzo wa kazi za Mungu za uumbaji. Neno alikuwako kwa Mungu hapo mwanzo. Kwa kweli, Biblia inafundisha kwamba kabla ya kitu kingine chochote kuumbwa, Mungu ‘alimleta’ kwanza ( Met. 8:22-24 ) Mwana wake wa Pekee anayeitwa Logos au Neno. Ingawa Mungu hakuwa na mwanzo, Mwanawe alikuwa na mwanzo. Mwana wa Mungu alikuwa “mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kila kiumbe” (Wakolosai 1:15).

Mzaliwa wa Kwanza

Yesu anaitwa “Mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kila kiumbe” (Wakolosai 1:15). “Nami nitamfanya, mzaliwa wangu wa kwanza, kuwa juu kuliko wafalme wa dunia” (Zaburi 89:27). Yesu, “Amina,” anasemwa hapa kuwa “mwanzo wa uumbaji wa Mungu.” ( Ufunuo 3:14 ). Anaitwa “Mwana pekee” (Yohana 1:18). Mistari hii inathibitisha kwamba Yesu alikuwa na mwanzo. Neno baba lina maana ya mtoa uzima. Neno mwana maana yake ni mtu anayepokea uzima, au mzao. Yesu, Mwana, alipokea uzima kutoka kwa Baba yake.

Mambo Yote kupitia Mwana

Biblia inasema kwamba katika mwanzo wa uumbaji, baada ya Mwana wake kuzaliwa, Mwana kisha aliumba kila kitu kingine (Wakolosai 1:15-18). Vitu vyote vilifanyika kupitia Mwana (Yohana 1:3). Ulimwengu uliumbwa na Yeye (Yohana 1:3, 10), na ilikuwa kupitia Mwanawe kwamba Mungu aliumba ulimwengu (Ebr.1:2) na vyote vilivyokuwa ndani yake.

Umoja wa Baba na Mwana

“Mimi na Baba yangu tu umoja” (Yohana 10:30). Kwa kusoma mistari yote katika muktadha huu, inaweza kuonekana kwa urahisi kwamba Yesu alimaanisha kwamba Yeye na Baba yake walikuwa na nia moja na kusudi moja. Katika Yohana 17:11 Yesu aonyesha hili kwa uwazi sana alipokuwa akisali kwa Mungu na Baba Yake kuhusu wanafunzi Wake: “Baba Mtakatifu, uwalinde kwa jina lako mwenyewe hao ulionipa, ili wawe kitu kimoja kama sisi.” Katika Yohana 17:22, 23 tunasoma, “Nami utukufu ulionipa nimewapa wao; ili wawe na umoja kama sisi tulivyo umoja; mimi ndani yao, nawe ndani yangu, ili wawe wamekamilika katika umoja.” Katika mistari hii tunaona kanisa likiwa moja kwa njia sawa na kwamba Yesu ni mmoja na Mungu, Baba yake. Kanisa ni moja kwa sababu Kristo yumo ndani ya kanisa jinsi Mungu alivyo ndani ya Kristo. Wao ni Mwili mmoja unaofanyizwa na viungo vingi na Kristo akiwa kichwa, wakiwa wamoja katika upendo, umoja, na kusudi. Ingawa Kristo yuko Kanisani, sisi si Yesu kihalisi zaidi ya vile Mungu katika Kristo anavyomfanya Yesu kuwa Mungu.

“Aliyeniona mimi amemwona Baba” (Yohana 14:9). Ni lazima mstari huo upatane na mistari mingine ya Biblia kama vile Yohana 1:18, inayosema kwamba “hakuna mtu ambaye amemwona Mungu.” Dokezo la maana ya kweli linaweza kupatikana katika kauli ya Yesu mwenyewe. Yesu hapa anazungumza na Filipo na kumwambia kwamba haiwezekani kumwona Mungu ambaye ni Kiumbe cha Roho. Kupitia Yesu, Mungu alijidhihirisha Mwenyewe. “Kama baba, kama mwana” ni methali inayojulikana sana. Yesu alionyesha kikamilifu Mungu na mapenzi yake Matakatifu. Hivyo, kumjua Yesu ni kumjua Mungu.

MIMI NIKO

“Yesu akawaambia, Amin, amin, nawaambia, Kabla Ibrahimu hajakuwako, mimi niko” (Yohana 8:58). Katika Kutoka 3:14 Yehova anatumia “MIMI NIKO” kama cheo chake. Kwa kuwa Yesu alisema pia, “Kabla Abrahamu hajakuwako, mimi niko,” wengine wanahisi kwamba ni lazima Yesu na Baba wawe Mungu mmoja. Hata hivyo, Yesu alikuwa akisema tu kwamba alikuwako mbinguni kabla ya Abrahamu kuzaliwa. Tafsiri ya Moffatt yatoa tafsiri sahihi zaidi, “Amin, amin, nawaambia,” akasema Yesu, “nimekuwako kabla ya Ibrahimu kuzaliwa.” Kwa kweli Yesu alikuwepo kabla ya Abrahamu kuzaliwa, akiwa Logos, Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu.

Sawa na Baba?

Labda mojawapo ya tafsiri mbaya zaidi zinazotolewa kwa ajili ya mstari wowote wa Biblia na Biblia ya King James inapatikana katika Wafilipi 2:5, 6 ambapo tunasoma, “Iweni na nia iyo hiyo ndani yenu ambayo ilikuwamo pia ndani ya Kristo Yesu; Mungu hakuona kuwa sawa na Mungu kuwa wizi.” Tafsiri ya Biblia ya Moffatt na nyingine nyingi husahihisha mstari huu ili kusoma kwa usahihi zaidi kwamba Yesu “Mtendeane ninyi kwa ninyi kwa roho ile ile mnayopitia katika Kristo Yesu. Ingawa alikuwa mungu kwa asili, hakunyakua usawa na Mungu bali alijifanya kuwa mtupu kwa kuchukua asili ya mtumwa.” La, Yesu hakujaribu kamwe kunyakua haki ya Mungu ya kuwa Mtawala Mkuu Zaidi kama vile Shetani alivyofanya ( Isaya 14:13 ), lakini kinyume chake, Alijiondoa Mwenyewe kabisa au kujiondoa Mwenyewe cheo Chake cha juu akiwa Mwana wa kiroho wa Mungu kwa kuwa mwili na damu ( 1 Tim. 2:5). Kwa kutumia tafsiri sahihi ya Fil. 2:5, 6 , ubishi wote unaowezekana unafutwa, huku Biblia ikiwa inapatana kikamili na kupatana nayo yenyewe.

Tatu Hiyo Bear Record

“Kwa maana wako watatu washuhudiao mbinguni, Baba, na Neno, na Roho Mtakatifu, na watatu hawa ni umoja. Na wako watatu washuhudiao katika nchi, Roho, na maji, na damu; na watatu hawa hupatana katika umoja” (Yohana 5:7-8). Imethibitishwa bila shaka na wasomi wakuu wa Biblia na watafsiri kwamba maneno yaliyopigiwa mstari katika mistari iliyo hapo juu ni ya uwongo, na hivyo si sehemu ya Neno Takatifu la Mungu. Reference Bible ya Scofield inakubali jambo hilo inaposema, “Inakubalika kwa ujumla kwamba mstari wa saba hauna mamlaka halisi na umetiwa ndani.” Sehemu hiyo ya mstari huu imeachwa na tafsiri zote za kisasa. Kitabu cha Hudson Greek and English Concordance chasema juu ya 1 Yohana 5:7 , “Maneno hayo hayapatikani katika hati-mkono ya Kigiriki kabla ya karne ya 15 au 16...” Hakuna jambo lingine linalohitaji kuandikwa hapa kuhusu mstari huu, isipokuwa labda mawazo ya Dk. C. Tischendoff. ambayo tunapatana nayo kikamilifu: “Kwamba nyongeza hii ya uwongo iendelee kuchapishwa kama sehemu ya Waraka ninaouona kuwa uasherati.” Mojawapo ya tafsiri bora zaidi za 1 Yohana 5:6-8 inapatikana, tena katika tafsiri ya Moffatt: “Yesu Kristo, Yeye ndiye aliyekuja kwa maji, na damu, na Roho, si kwa maji pekee, bali kwa maji na damu. Roho ndiye shahidi wa hili, maana Roho ndiye kweli. mashahidi ni watatu, Roho, na maji, na damu, na hao watatu wapatana.”

Kiti chako cha Enzi Ee Mungu

“Lakini kwa Mwana asema, Kiti chako cha enzi, Ee Mungu, ni cha milele na milele; fimbo ya ufalme wako ni fimbo ya haki” (Ebr. 1:8-9 - KJV). Diaglott hutafsiri hivi, “Lakini kwa Mwana, ‘Kiti chako cha enzi, Ee Mungu, ni cha milele na fimbo ya unyoofu ni fimbo ya Ufalme Wako. ... kwa hiyo, Mungu wako amekupaka mafuta ya furaha kupita washirika wako. '” Baba amemweka Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo kama Shujaa Wake Mwenye Nguvu (maana nyingine ya Mungu katika Kigiriki) juu ya Ufalme Wake katika enzi ya Milenia inayokuja. Mistari hiyo inaonyesha kwamba Mungu anazungumza nasi “kupitia Mwana wake,” ambayo ina maana kwamba Yesu ni wakala anayetenda kazi wa Mungu ili kutimiza amri zote za Mungu. Mungu pia amemweka Mwanawe kuwa “mrithi wa vitu vyote.”

( Ebr.1:2 ) Ikiwa Mwana angekuwa sawa na Mungu, Hangewekwa rasmi kuwa mrithi au kitu kingine chochote, kwa kuwa vitu vyote vingekuwa vya Yesu sawa na Baba. Mwana wa Mungu anaonekana “akifanywa kuwa bora zaidi kuliko malaika, kwa kuwa Amepata kwa urithi jina lililo bora zaidi kuliko wao.” (Ebr.1:4). Yesu alirithi jina bora zaidi; Mungu, hata hivyo, hawezi kurithi chochote kwa sababu Yeye daima amekuwa Mkuu juu ya yote.

Mungu Ajidhihirisha katika Mwili

“Na bila shaka siri ya utauwa ni kuu: Mungu alidhihirishwa katika mwili, akahesabiwa haki katika Roho, akaonekana na malaika, akahubiriwa katika mataifa, akaaminiwa katika ulimwengu, akachukuliwa juu katika utukufu” (1 Tim. 3:16) - KJV). Kabla ya kuendelea, hebu tusome tafsiri ya Moffatt ya aya hii kwa ufafanuzi bora zaidi wa maana yake ya kweli: “Na ni nani asiyekubali ukweli wa kimungu wa dini yetu una uzito gani?

Huyo ndiye ‘aliyedhihirishwa katika mwili, akathibitishwa na Roho, akaonekana na malaika, akahubiriwa katika mataifa, akaaminiwa katika ulimwengu wote, akachukuliwa juu hata kwenye utukufu.’” Ni ukweli wa dini yetu unaosemwa katika mstari huu, na si fumbo la utatu. Mungu kweli "alidhihirishwa katika mwili", kama KJV inavyosema kwa kuwa Mungu alijulikana kwa wengine kupitia Kristo. Alidhihirishwa kwa njia ya Kristo kwa njia sawa na kwamba baba yeyote anajulishwa kwa wengine kupitia matendo na utu wa mwana mtiifu. Kama msemo unavyosema, "Kama baba ... kama mwana" kamwe haimaanishi kuwa mwana ni kitu kingine chochote isipokuwa mwana.

Katika 2 Kor. 4:11 tunapata mfano mzuri wa matumizi ya Biblia kwa neno wazi. Hapa tunaona maisha ya Yesu yakidhihirishwa ndani ya Mitume. Mitume, kwa kuishi kupatana na mafundisho ya Kristo, na kutiwa nguvu na Roho Mtakatifu, kwa hakika walidhihirisha maisha ya Kristo katika miili yao ya kufa. Pia ni kwa namna hii ambapo Yesu alimdhihirisha Baba yake. “Hakuna mwanadamu ambaye amemwona Mungu wakati wowote; Mwana pekee aliye katika kifua cha Baba, huyu ndiye aliyemfunua” (Yohana 1:18). Aya hii inapatana kikamilifu na yale ambayo tumeonyesha hadi sasa. Inaonyesha wazi jinsi Mungu alivyodhihirishwa kupitia Kristo. Yesu alimtangaza Mungu kupitia matendo na utu wake mwenyewe ambao ulikuwa unapatana kikamili na sifa za Mungu na zilikuwa tunda la Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu ( 1 Yohana 4:12 ).

"Mola Wangu, na Mungu Wangu"

“Tomaso akajibu, akamwambia, Bwana wangu na Mungu wangu. ( Yohana 20:28 ). Ili kupata ufahamu unaofaa wa mstari huu, ni lazima tukumbuke Yohana 1:1. Tulipotazama Yohana 1:1 , tulijifunza kupitia Emphatic Diaglott kwamba Yesu Kristo ni mungu, shujaa au shujaa hodari. Lakini Yesu si Mungu Mkuu Zaidi.

“Watanitazama Mimi Waliomchoma”

“Nami nitamimina juu ya nyumba ya Daudi, na juu ya wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, roho ya neema na dua; nao watanitazama mimi niliyemchoma; mwana, naye atakuwa na uchungu kwa ajili yake, kama vile mtu aliye na uchungu kwa ajili ya mzaliwa wake wa kwanza” (Zek. 12:10 - KJV). Waumini Utatu wanadai kwamba kwa kuwa Mungu anazungumza katika unabii huu, na kwa kuwa anaonekana kusema kwamba ni Yeye atakayechomwa msalabani, kwa hiyo Yesu Kristo ni Mungu. Tafadhali angalia, hata hivyo, kwamba katika KJV ya mstari huu, Mungu kwanza anamrejelea yule aliyesulubiwa kama “mimi”, au yeye mwenyewe, na kisha anazungumza juu ya yule yule aliyechomwa kama “yeye.” Kauli kama hiyo ni mkanganyiko. Tatizo hili linatatuliwa kwa urahisi na tafsiri ya Moffatt ya hati za kale za Kigiriki isemayo, “Lakini nitawamwagia watu wa nyumba ya Daudi na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu roho ya tamaa na kuomba; watamtazama yeye waliyemchoma na kumlilia kwa uchungu, kama vile mtu anavyomlilia mwanawe wa pekee” (Zek. 12:10). Katika tafsiri hii sahihi, Yesu ndiye anayeonekana akitobolewa, badala ya Mungu, anayezungumza. Maandishi ya Kiyahudi ya Wamasora, ambayo ni Agano la Kale yanayotumiwa na Wayahudi wengi, yanatumia pia neno “yeye” yanaporejelea mtu anayetobolewa.

Yesu, Kutoka Milele?

“Lakini wewe, Bethlehemu Efrata, uliye mdogo kuwa miongoni mwa maelfu ya Yuda, lakini kwako atanitokea yeye atakayekuwa mtawala katika Israeli; ambaye matokeo yake yamekuwa tangu zamani za kale, tangu milele” (Mika 5:2 – KJV). Mstari huu ni unabii wa Yesu ambaye anaonekana kuwepo tangu milele. Wanautatu wanatumia andiko hili kama uthibitisho kwamba Yesu ni sawa na Mungu na hana mwanzo. Hata hivyo, kulingana na Maandiko ya Kimasora ya Kiyahudi, hatupati neno “milele” kama lilivyotumiwa na Mfalme Yakobo katika mstari huo. Andiko la Kimasora la Kiyahudi linasema kwamba Masihi alikuwepo “tangu zamani za kale, tangu siku za kale.”

Moffatt, Revised Standard, na tafsiri nyinginezo nyingi zinapatana kikamilifu na maandishi ya Kimasora katika ufasiri wake wa mstari huu. Tunaamini Maandiko mengi yaliyotolewa katika somo hili juu ya Mwenyezi Mungu na Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo, yamekusadikisha kwamba kwa hakika kuna Mungu Mmoja, Baba, na Bwana Mmoja, Yesu Kristo, ambaye kupitia kwake Yeye alitimiza yote, kama Mtume Paulo anasema waziwazi katika 1 Kor. 8:6 na Efe. 4:5, 6.

“Mnasema Mimi ni Nani?”

Wakati huu wa sasa kuna mamilioni wanaodai jina la Kristo ambao wanaamini kwa uthabiti mambo mengi kumhusu Yesu, yaani, Alikuwa ni udhihirisho wa kibinadamu wa Malaika Mkuu Mikaeli; ndugu wa kiroho wa Lusifa; kiumbe aliyezaliwa milele asiyeumbwa, sehemu ya Uungu wa Utatu; mmoja kati ya walimu na manabii wengi wazuri. Utambulisho wa kweli wa Yesu ulikuwa ni jambo la kuhangaishwa sana alipowauliza wanafunzi Wake wateule, "Ninyi mwasema mimi ni nani?" Jibu lilikuwa wazi na rahisi: “Wewe ndiwe Masihi, Mwana wa Mungu” ( Mt. 16:16 ). Juu ya ufunuo huo kanisa lilipaswa kuanzishwa (mst. 18). Tahadhari yapasa kutumiwa tunapofafanua maana ya cheo Mwana wa Mungu. Adoni (bwana wangu, Zab. 110:1) kamwe haimaanishi Mungu, bali daima mkuu zaidi ya Mungu, ambaye ni Adonai.

Roho Mtakatifu

Pengine mojawapo ya somo lisiloeleweka sana katika dini ya Kikristo ni lile la Roho Mtakatifu. Ili kupata maana halisi ya Roho Mtakatifu, ni lazima tupate muktadha wa kweli ambamo neno hili linatumika na pia kuoanisha maana yake katika Biblia nzima. Neno la Kiingereza roho kwa kawaida hutafsiriwa kutoka kwa maneno ya Kiebrania (ruach) na Kigiriki (pneuma) yanayomaanisha: upepo, au pumzi, na kwa maana zilizopanuliwa: nguvu muhimu au utendaji. Mfano wa neno la Kiebrania lililotafsiriwa kuwa upepo unapatikana katika Zekaria 2:6: “...Ikimbieni nchi ya kaskazini, asema BWANA; kwa maana nimekutandaza kama pepo nne (ruach) za mbinguni...” Katika Ayubu 41:16 unapatikana mfano wa neno hilohilo lililotafsiriwa kuwa hewa: “Kimoja kipo karibu na kingine hata hakuna hewa (ruach) wanaweza kuingia kati yao.”

Biblia inapozungumza juu ya Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu, inazungumza juu ya nguvu ya utendaji isiyoonekana ya Mungu au nguvu zake. Hakuna maelezo ya Biblia yanayoonyesha kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu, ingawa ni sehemu kubwa ya Mungu na Bwana Yesu Kristo ni nani hivi kwamba tunaweza “kumhuzunisha Roho Mtakatifu” au roho ya Mungu na Mwana wake. .

Katika Waamuzi 14:5, 6, tunasoma: “Ndipo Samsoni...akafika katika mashamba ya mizabibu ya Timna, na tazama, mwana-simba akamnguruma, na Roho wa BWANA akamjilia kwa nguvu, naye akararua. simba akagawanyika…”

Katika Agano Jipya, pneuma inatafsiriwa kama Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu katika Warumi 15:18, 19 NIV: “Mimi sitathubutu kusema lolote isipokuwa yale ambayo Kristo ametimiza kupitia mimi katika kuwaongoza Mataifa wamtii Mungu kwa maneno yangu na zikifanyika kwa nguvu za ishara na miujiza, kwa nguvu za Roho” (pneuma).

Maandiko ya Agano Jipya yanafunua Roho wa Mungu kama nguvu ya Mungu. Malaika alimwambia Mariamu kuhusu ujauzito wake ujao, “Roho Mtakatifu atakujilia juu yako na nguvu zake Aliye Juu Zaidi zitakufunika kama kivuli...” ( Luka 1:35; pia Luka 24:49; Yoh. .

Baadhi ya mistari ya Biblia pia inazungumza kuhusu Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu kama tabia ya Mungu, ama ndani Yake au kwa wengine. Tabia hii inaweza kuchukua sura ya hekima, ufahamu, maarifa, shauri, ukweli, ahadi, n.k. Kutoka 1 Wakorintho 2:12: “Basi sisi hatukuipokea roho ya dunia, bali Roho atokaye kwa Mungu ili tuweze kuelewa karama tulizopewa na Mungu.” Tazama pia Isaya 11:2; Yohana 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 17:17; Mwanzo 22:16-18.

Ni wazi kwamba Roho Mtakatifu si mtu tofauti bali ni nguvu za Mungu Mwenyewe zinazoakisi utu wa Yehova na wote wanaoonyesha sifa Zake.

Makato, kwa utafiti wa kweli na hoja za kimantiki, ni kwamba hakuna kabisa ushahidi au uthibitisho kwamba kuna Utatu. Ushahidi, kwa kweli, unathibitisha kinyume. Baba ni Yehova, Mbuni wa Ulimwengu. Mwanawe wa Pekee ni Bwana Yesu Kristo. Roho Mtakatifu ni nguvu za Mungu; Nguvu yake ya utendaji, si mtu aliyejitenga Naye. Tunaambiwa tusizimishe Roho Mtakatifu. Tazama 1 Thes. 5:19. Mtu hawezi kumzima mtu.

Nukuu mbalimbali kutoka kwa Vyanzo vya Kikristo

Akitoa maelezo juu ya hali ya mambo katika Kanisa la mapema, H. G Wells aandika hivi: “Tutaona sasa jinsi Jumuiya ya Wakristo ilivyosambaratishwa na mabishano juu ya Utatu. Hakuna uthibitisho wa wazi kwamba mitume wa Yesu walifurahia hilo mafundisho." (Muhtasari wa Historia, uk. 421)

Newton (Asili ya Utatu na Utatu) anamnukuu Profesa Sayce (Mihadhara ya Gifford na Mihadhara ya Hibbert) kama ifuatavyo: "Madai ya nadharia ya kitheolojia ya Kikristo kwa mafundisho ya Kimisri ya kale sio ya kushangaza zaidi kuliko fundisho la Utatu. iliyotumiwa na wanatheolojia wa Kikristo kukutana nasi tena katika maandishi na mafunjo ya Misri."

"Pauline Kristo ambaye anatimiza kazi ya wokovu ni utu ambaye ni binadamu na nguvu zaidi ya binadamu, si Mungu, lakini Mwana wa Mungu. Hapa wazo, ambayo ilikuwa kuendeleza baadaye ya muungano wa asili mbili, si sasa. ” (Maurice Goguel, Yesu na chimbuko la Ukristo, Harper, 1960) “Kuhusu Agano Jipya, mtu haoni ndani yake fundisho halisi la Utatu (Bernard Lohse, A Short History of Christian Doctrine)

Edward Gibbon anasema katika utangulizi wa Historia ya Ukristo: "Ikiwa Upagani ulitekwa na Ukristo, ni kweli vile vile kwamba Ukristo ulipotoshwa na Upagani. Uungu safi wa Wakristo wa kwanza ulibadilishwa na Kanisa la Roma kuwa fundisho lisiloweza kueleweka. Nyingi za mafundisho ya kipagani, yaliyobuniwa na Wamisri na kupendekezwa na Plato, yalibaki kuwa yenye kustahili kuaminiwa.” (Gibbon ni mwanahistoria wa mwanahistoria. Hangezungumza hivyo moja kwa moja bila msingi thabiti wa tathmini yake.)

"Yesu hatambuliwi kuwa rahisi [kabisa] na Mungu, kwa kuwa Wakristo wa mapema hawakuweza kuchanganya Yesu na Mungu Baba." (Howard Marshall, “Jesus as Lord: The Development of the Concept,” katika Eschatology in the New Testament, Hendrickson, p. 144).

The Catholic Encyclopedia: "... hakuna mahali popote katika Agano la Kale ambapo tunapata dalili yoyote ya wazi ya Nafsi ya Tatu. Inatajwa mara nyingi juu ya Roho wa Bwana, lakini hakuna chochote kinachoonyesha kwamba Roho alitazamwa kuwa tofauti na Yahweh. Mwenyewe siku zote neno hilo hutumika kuashiria Mungu anayezingatiwa katika kazi Yake, iwe katika ulimwengu au katika nafsi ya mwanadamu."

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: “Mafundisho ya Logos na Utatu yalipata umbo lao kutoka kwa Mababa wa Kigiriki, ambao waliathiriwa sana, moja kwa moja au kwa njia isiyo ya moja kwa moja, na falsafa ya Plato. chanzo hakiwezi kukanushwa."

The Encyclopedia Americana: “Imani ya Utatu ya karne ya nne haikuonyesha kwa usahihi fundisho la mapema la Kikristo kuhusu asili ya Mungu; ilikuwa, kinyume chake, kupotoka kutoka kwa fundisho hilo.” Kamusi ya Maarifa ya Kidini: "Wengi husema kwamba Utatu ni ufisadi uliokopwa kutoka kwa dini za kipagani, na kupandikizwa kwenye imani ya Kikristo."

Kanisa la Karne Chache za Kwanza: "Fundisho la Utatu lilikuwa la malezi ya polepole na ya kuchelewa kwa kulinganisha. Lilipata chanzo cha kigeni kabisa kutoka kwa Maandiko ya Kiyahudi na ya Kikristo. Lilikua, na kupandikizwa kwenye Ukristo; kupitia mikono ya Mababa wa Plato.” The New Encyclopedia Britannica: “Wala neno Utatu, wala fundisho lililo wazi kama hilo,

inaonekana katika Agano Jipya, wala Yesu na wafuasi wake hawakukusudia kupinga Shema katika Agano la Kale: 'Sikieni 0 Israeli; YHWH Mungu wetu ni Bwana mmoja’ (Kum. 6:4). Fundisho hilo lilikua polepole kwa karne kadhaa na kupitia mabishano mengi ... Kufikia mwisho wa karne ya 4 fundisho la Utatu lilichukua kwa kiasi kikubwa umbo ambalo limedumisha tangu wakati huo." (1976, Micropedia, Vol.X, p. 126). Muhtasari wa Historia ya Dogma: "Mafundisho ya kanisa yalijikita katika udongo wa Ugiriki [mawazo ya kipagani ya Kigiriki]. Hivyo, ikawa siri kwa Wakristo walio wengi.”

The Illustrated Bible Dictionary: "Neno Utatu halipatikani katika Biblia ... halikupata nafasi rasmi katika teolojia ya kanisa hadi karne ya 4."

Kamusi Mpya ya Kimataifa ya Theolojia ya Agano Jipya: "Agano Jipya halina fundisho lililoendelezwa la Utatu."

The Encyclopedia Americana: “Ukristo ulitokana na Dini ya Kiyahudi, na Dini ya Kiyahudi ilikuwa ya Waunitariani kabisa [ikiamini kwamba Mungu ni mtu mmoja]. Njia iliyotoka Yerusalemu hadi Nisea haikuwa njia iliyonyooka. asili ya Mungu ilikuwa, kinyume chake, kupotoka kutoka kwa mafundisho haya." (1956, Buku la XXVII, uku. 294L) The Encyclopedia of Religion: “Wanatheolojia wanakubali kwamba Agano Jipya halina fundisho la wazi la Utatu.

The Nouveau Dictionary Universel: “Utatu wa Plato, ambao wenyewe ni mpangilio upya wa utatu wa zamani ulioanzia kwa watu wa awali, waonekana kuwa utatu wa kifalsafa wenye akili timamu wa sifa ambazo zilitokeza imani tatu au nafsi za kimungu zinazofundishwa na makanisa ya Kikristo . . . Dhana ya mwanafalsafa huyu Mgiriki [Plato, karne ya nne KK] ya utatu wa kimungu yaweza kupatikana katika dini zote za kale [za kipagani]." (Paris, 1865-1870, iliyohaririwa na M. Lachatre, Vol. 2, p. 1467)

Kamusi ya Biblia ya John L. Mckenzie, SJ: “Utatu wa watu ndani ya umoja wa asili hufafanuliwa kwa maneno ya ‘mtu’ na ‘asili’ ambayo ni maneno ya falsafa ya Kigiriki; kwa kweli maneno hayo hayapatikani katika Biblia. Ufafanuzi wa Utatu ulitokana na mabishano marefu ambapo maneno haya na mengine kama vile 'asili' na 'kitu' yalitumiwa kimakosa kwa Mungu na wanatheolojia fulani." (New York, 1965, ukurasa wa 899)

New Catholic Encyclopedia: “Usemi wa ‘Mungu mmoja katika nafsi tatu’ haukuthibitishwa kithabiti, bila shaka haukuingizwa kikamili katika maisha ya Kikristo na dai lao la imani, kabla ya mwisho wa karne ya 4. Lakini ni kanuni hii haswa ambayo ina dai la kwanza la cheo “fundisho la Utatu.” Miongoni mwa Mababa wa Kitume, hapakuwa na kitu hata kidogo kinachokaribia mawazo au mtazamo kama huo." (1967, Juzuu ya XIV, uk. 299)

Mwanafunzi wa kimsingi wa kiinjilisti John MacArthur anasema kwa usahihi: “Hakuna kitu kama ‘Mwana wa milele’ katika Biblia” (ona Commentary on Hebrews, sura ya 1). MacArthur anakubaliana hapa na mfafanuzi maarufu Adam Clark, ambaye aliamini kwamba dhana ya “Mwana mzaliwa wa milele,” msingi wa kanuni za imani za kimapokeo, haikuwa tu haina maana bali ni hatari. Mwanatheolojia mwenye utaratibu anayejulikana ulimwenguni kote wa Fuller Seminary, Dk. Colin Brown asema kwa usahihi: “Ni kosa la kawaida lakini la hakimiliki kusoma Yohana 1:1 kana kwamba ilisema 'Hapo mwanzo alikuwa Mwana....'” (Kut. Ukaguzi, 7, 1991)

Maandiko ya Maandiko yanayopinga Utatu

Maandiko yanatuhimiza ‘tuhakikishe mambo yote na kushikamana sana na lililo jema. Tunatumai kuwa utakubali changamoto.

Mathayo 3:16, 17; Yohana 8:18, 42; Wakolosai 1:13;

Mathayo 8:29; Yohana 10:15, 36; 1 Wathesalonike.1:9-10;

Mathayo 11:27; Yohana 11:4 1; Timotheo 2:5;

Mathayo 12:18; Yohana 12:49, 50; Waebrania 1:2;

Mathayo 14:33; Yohana 14:13, 23, 28; Waebrania 2:9;

Mathayo 16:13-17; Yohana 16:17; Waebrania 4:14;

Mathayo 17:5; Yohana 17:1-26 ;Waebrania 5:7, 8;

Mathayo 27:54; Yohana 20:17, 30-31; 1 Petro 1:3;

Marko 5:7; Matendo 2:22-24; 32-33; 2 Petro 1:17;

Marko 15:39; Matendo 3:13, 26; 1 Yohana 1:3;

Luka 1:32, 35; Matendo 9:20; 1 Yohana 2:22;

Luka 8:28; Warumi 1:1-4; 1 Yohana 3:23;

Luka 9:35; Warumi 5:10; 1 Yohana 4:10;

Luka 10:22; Warumi 8:29; 1 Yohana 4:14, 15;

Yohana 1:12-18; 1 Wakorintho 11:3; 1 Yohana 5:11, 12;

Yohana 1:34, 49; 1 Wakorintho 15:26-28; 2 Yohana 1:9;

Yohana 3:16;2 Wakorintho 1:19-20; Ufunuo 2:18;

Yohana 5:19-23, 37; Wagalatia 4:4;

Yohana 6:35-40; Wafilipi 2:9-11;

Mtume Paulo alitupa ushauri mzuri katika 1 Thes. 5:21 : “Thibisheni mambo yote; lishikeni lililo jema.” Kisha katika Matendo 17:11 Mtume anatoa maneno ya pongezi kwa Wayahudi wa Beroya kwa sababu hawakukubali tu maneno yake bila kuangalia kama yalikuwa mafundisho yenye uzima: “Hawa walikuwa waungwana kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa walipokea. lile neno kwa uelekevu wa moyo, akayachunguza maandiko kila siku, kwamba mambo hayo ndivyo yalivyo.” Itachukua jitihada na wakati fulani kufanya hivyo, lakini inafaa sana na itatoa baraka nyingi kwa mwanafunzi wa kweli wa Neno la Mungu, ikiweka msingi thabiti wa imani ya Kikristo ya mtu. Tukifanya hivi, basi sisi pia tunaweza kusema pamoja na Mtume Paulo: “Walakini sioni haya, kwa sababu namjua yeye niliyemwamini, na kusadiki ya kwamba aweza kukilinda kile nilichomwekea amana kwa siku ile. .” ( 2 Tim.1:12 )

Kijitabu hiki kina baadhi tu ya kweli zinazofundishwa katika Biblia. Wote wanaotamani ujuzi sahihi juu ya Muumba wetu na Mipango Yake inayokaziwa katika Mwana Wake Mpendwa, wanatiwa moyo kuchunguza Neno kwa uangalifu na kujifunza jinsi linavyopatana na kueleweka kikweli.

Introduction

“My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto you, take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). Do these Bible verses seem contradictory to you? If Jesus, the Son,

and God, the Father, are equal, as some conclude, then why does Jesus call God greater than Himself? If one is equal to another, then one cannot be greater or lesser. Yet we just read in the above verses that Jesus declared that He and His Father were one? Who was Jesus praying to when He told God that He did not want His own will to be done but rather His Father’s will? If Jesus is co-equal with the Father, why does He ask the Father to do something He should be able to do for Himself? Jesus asked His Father to take away the cup of suffering from Him, but only if it was God’s will to do so. God in His wisdom refused His Son’s request. If the Lord Jesus Christ was equal with God, His Father, why pray at all?

Some teach that Jesus Christ is really God, and verses such as these are part of the mystery of the trinity, which we cannot fully understand, and so must accept by faith. The Trinity, according to these religions, declares that Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and God are all united under one Godhead. They teach that though they are three separate persons, they are all part of the one God.

But what does God’s Word say about supposed mysteries such as this one? “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” “All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16,17). “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). As shown by these verses, the Bible is given to us by God so that we can come to a correct understanding of His Word of Truth. We should always go to the Bible to find out if the things taught by others about God are really true, and we should have grave doubts about any claims that a certain doctrine is taught in the Bible, if it is shrouded in unexplainable mystery.

The Name of God

“That men may know that you, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, are the most high over all the earth” (Psalms 83:18) (NKJ). God is not a name, but rather a title, just as king or prince is titles. In 1 Corinthians 8:5 it says that there are many gods. Deut. 32:9-12 says that Jacob had no strange god with him when Jehovah, the true God, led him. It is written of Satan in 2 Cor. 4:4 that he is the “god of this world.” The Bible also lists a great many other gods: real ones as in the case of Satan, and others who have been created by men, blinded by this world’s god, Satan. Newer translations such as the New English Bible more clearly show this truth.

The One True God

Our God, Jehovah, is different from all other gods. We are told in John 17:3 and Deut. 6:4 that God Almighty is the one true God. In Isaiah 44:8 it is written, “...You are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no other Rock, I know not any.” From 1 Cor. 8:4: “There is no other God but one.” Yes, Satan may be the god of this world, but there is only one true God, whose name is Jehovah. People have believed in other man-made gods in ages past, but these gods are gone forever. The Canaanites once worshipped a god called Baal, but where is this god today? He is gone, along with all the other false gods of history.

Jehovah, the Eternal One, remains forever, Even the false god, Satan, will one day be destroyed by God Almighty through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 2:14). But today, many people still worship other gods. These gods are not real, however. They do not exist, except in people’s minds. Satan uses these false gods to keep people from learning about the One True God and His plan of salvation for the world. There is a day coming when God will show these people that their gods don’t exist, and that He alone is the Most High over all the earth.

The Supreme Ruler

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:3). “Then comes the end, when He [Christ] shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father . . . But when He says all things are put under Him (the Son), it is manifest that He [the Father] is excepted, which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him [the Son], then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him [God] that put all things under Him, that God (the Father) may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:24-28). These verses show God the Father to be Supreme Ruler over everything, both in heaven and on earth.

Jesus Christ

“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went straightway out of the water and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased’” (Matt. 3:16,17). What a beautiful picture of the Father and His Son this is! What greater words could any son hope to hear than that his father is well pleased with him. Surely Jesus, too, must have felt great joy in hearing His Father’s words. He brought no shame to His Father, Jehovah, but carried out His will perfectly while here on earth. His Father never regretted the words He spoke at Jesus’ baptism of being well pleased with His

Beloved Son.

It was hard for many to accept that Jesus was the Son of God. Some hated Jesus and treated him wickedly. He was mocked, spit upon and beaten (Luke 22:63-65). Others, however, who were more open to the truth, grew to accept Jesus’ statement that He truly was God’s Beloved Son. Through all the trials that Jesus suffered because of His claims, He never once denied being anything less than God’s Son, nor did He ever say that He was anything more than that, but declared, “My Father is greater than I” (Jn 14:28).

The Son Tempted

After our Lord Jesus was baptized, Satan desired to tempt and try Him so that Jesus would fail in the purpose of salvation for which God sent Him to earth. Satan would have rejoiced in this for then he could mock God by showing He had misplaced His trust in this “well Beloved Son” in whom He was well pleased. In Luke 4:1-13 it says that Satan tempted Jesus in various ways. Jesus, as a perfect human being, could have failed in these tests, and Satan knew it. One as wily as Satan would never have wasted his time trying if he knew from the beginning that there was no hope of his plan working. We must remember that when Jesus came to earth, He was called the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). He was born of a woman and grew into a perfect man because He was also the Son of God. Jesus was identical to the first Adam in perfection. As the first Adam was given free moral agency by God, so, too, was Christ, the last Adam. To be a free moral agent means that one has freedom to choose for oneself what he or she will do. God did not want either Adam or Jesus to serve Him, as the earth serves the tree, with no choice. He wanted them to serve Him out of whole-hearted love and devotion, and not because they must.

The first Adam, it is written, chose to disobey God and thus failed to put God supreme in his life. However, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not fail God when Satan tempted him. [It is written that after every temptation, Jesus rebuked Satan, saying, “get behind me, Satan; for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8 KJV).] Satan’s efforts failed. Jesus’ victory must have given His Father great pleasure and joy.

Jesus had great power while on earth; He never once abused it. He knew that He was sent to do His Father’s work and not His own. He had no desire to be called God, but rather the Son of the Most High, sent to do His Father’s will: “For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me” (John 6:38). Read 1 John 4:14, John 3:17 and 20:21. In John 12:50 it says that Jesus only spoke the words which His Father gave Him to speak. John 5:43 declares that Jesus came in His Father’s Name. In John 17:4 Jesus admits that the work He did while on earth was not His own, but rather He finished the work which God gave Him to do. What an obedient Son He was! How well pleased His Father was to see His Son carry out His instructions for the salvation of the world so perfectly, and while doing so, taking no credit for anything He did, but giving all glory and praise to God, His Precious Father.

Jesus Taught By God

“I do nothing of Myself; but as my Father has taught Me, I speak these things.” “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (John 8:28; Luke 2:52). These verses show that while Jesus was on earth, as the Great Teacher, He learned from His Heavenly Father, and increased in wisdom through this knowledge. God, His Father, had all wisdom and knowledge. There is nothing He could ever learn from anyone else. Jesus did not have God’s knowledge because He was not co-equal with God. He was taught of God. As a perfect son, He obeyed all His Father’s will. Hebrews 5:8 says that even His obedience was learned from what He suffered.

Jesus never went beyond His Father’s teachings. He had the humility to admit He didn’t know when all God’s plans were to be carried out. Once when He had finished talking about the end of this age and the establishment of God’s Kingdom, He said, “Of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). “These things the Father has put in His own power” (Acts 1:7). Can you imagine this meek and humble Jesus, who was in such need of His Father’s wisdom and knowledge, ever saying He was equal to God? No, He never made such a claim.

In Need of His Father’s Strength

In His earthly walk Jesus needed His Father’s strength to support Him and spent hours in prayer to His Father. In His prayers Jesus never asked for His own will to be done but the Father’s alone, even to the painful death of the cross, believing that His Father’s strength would see Him through to the end. Indeed, Jesus was God’s Beloved Son, in whom His Father was well pleased.

A Noble Death

Jesus probably walked in painful silence that day, hardly able to stand beneath the weight of the cross on His shoulder. Many of His followers scattered in fear as He was led to His death. Peter, His beloved Apostle, in fear for his own life, even denied knowing his Master. (Mark 14:27; 66-72). All left Jesus to carry out His last great task of suffering alone - “He trod the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with Him.” His Father was with Him, but even He had to turn His face from Jesus in the final moments of life for Jesus to feel the full weight of man’s sin. They crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of God – the Son of His Love. He died a noble death, trusting to the end in His God and Father whom He knew would not leave Him in the grave.

Jesus Exalted By God

God kept His promise to His Son. Eph. 1:19-21 says that God not only resurrected Jesus from the grave but also set Him at His own right hand in heaven. There can be no more honored position than to sit at the right hand of Almighty God. The supreme throne belongs to His Father, but Jesus, by sitting at His right hand, has become second to God in glory and power. God is still supreme over the universe, but Jesus is now “Prince and Savior” (Acts 5:30-31). As a reward for seeing to it that God’s plan for the salvation of the world were carried out, God has put all “angels, and authorities, and powers” under Jesus’ control (1 Peter 3:22).

A COMPARISON OF FATHER AND SON

Thus far, we have learned that God is the Almighty and Supreme One, while the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son, now sits on His Father’s throne at His right hand, second to God in glory and power. Starting with this section of the study, we will list many Bible verses to show, beyond a doubt, that the Lord Jesus Christ is never seen as co-equal with God, His Father.

A Definition of Immortality

One who is immortal does not rely on anyone else for life, but has life in himself. One who is immortal cannot cease to exist because they are death-proof. They do not need food, drink, or air to exist. One who is immortal can never die, while one who is mortal can die and must have life sustained from outside of himself.

Adam and Eve Not Immortal

Though Adam and Eve were perfect, their life was sustained by food, air and water (Gen. 1:29). As long as Adam and Eve obeyed God, they could have everlasting life. But they were warned that if they disobeyed God, they would die (Gen. 2:17). After they sinned against God, the sentence of death began to be carried out, and they were thrust out of the Garden (Gen. 3:19). Adam and Eve needed God as their source of life. They did not have life in themselves, and when that source of life was taken away, they grew old and died. Adam and Eve were not immortal.

Satan Not Immortal

In Heb. 2:14, it says that Satan will one day be destroyed. He will die, or cease to exist, because he is not immortal, or death-proof.

God Has Immortality

In John 5:26 it is written of God that He “hath life in Himself.” In other words, God needs nothing to sustain His life. He does not need food, water, or air to keep Him alive, for God has immortality. At one time no one else, either in heaven or on earth, had immortality except for God. One who is immortal cannot be destroyed, die, or even take one’s own life, for that one is deathless.

Jesus Given Immortality by God

If Jesus Christ were equal with His Father, as claimed by many, then He must surely have always been immortal as God has been. One who is immortal can never lose life, even for a short period of time. Though the Bible declares that Jesus is now immortal, since His Resurrection from the dead, this was not always the case. As a reward for everything that Jesus did and suffered, God, His Father, who has always been immortal, has now given to His Son, Jesus, immortality also as a reward for His supreme sacrifice. This is why it is written in Romans 6:9 that “Jesus dies no more.” From that moment when He was given immortality, it has become impossible for Jesus to ever die again. He is now immortal like His Father. Before Jesus received this gift of immortality, it was possible for him to die.

And He did just that on Calvary’s Cross where He offered His perfect human life for the world’s sin. “I am He that lives and was dead” (Rev. 1:18). There are some who claim that death isn’t really death, and that Jesus simply passed into another place of life after he was crucified. The Bible does not teach this. Romans 14:9 KJV says very clearly that when Jesus rose from the dead He “revived.” What did He revive from if He was not really dead? He revived from death, a state of unconsciousness, by coming back to life. Isaiah 53:7-10 says that Jesus was “cut off out of the land of the living.” At his death He ceased to live.

We have seen God, always immortal, giving this same immortality to His Son, and we have seen that Jesus Christ did indeed die, giving up His life while He was in the grave. If Jesus did not die, the Ransom for Adam and his posterity was not paid and none of us could ever have a hope of being resurrected which is so clearly promised in God’s Word.

All Things are of the Father - THROUGH the Son

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by Him” (1 Cor. 8:6 KJV). How beautiful this verse is as one contemplates it. All things, including our salvation, originated with God the Father, “of whom are all things.” (Read also Isaiah 60:16; Hosea 13:4; Isaiah 43:3,11.) God sent His Son to earth, “by whom” God’s plan for the salvation of mankind was to be carried out. This verse clearly shows that Jesus did not originate God’s plan of salvation, but instead carried out to completion the great Atonement for His Father when He cried out, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

“Him has God exalted to His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14). “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6).

The above verses show beyond a doubt, that Jesus Christ is not equal with God, but rather was sent by God to be our Savior. Jesus succeeded in carrying out His Father’s great plan of Salvation and as a result has been exalted by God to be Prince as well as Savior. As 1 Tim. 2:5 points out, Jesus is called our Mediator. He mediated for us at Calvary. In 1 John 2:1 He is called our Advocate (one who stands beside). Forgiveness and repentance for sins are only through Jesus. This is why when we pray to the Father, we must pray through, or in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrifice on our behalf makes it possible for us to come “boldly to the throne of grace” as we approach God in prayer.

The Arm Of God

“The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10). “Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1 - compare John 12:38). “His (God’s) arm (Jesus) brought salvation unto him - And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them in Jacob that turn from transgression, says the Lord” (Isaiah 59:16-20). The arm of the Lord in these verses refers to God’s Beloved Son. These verses are examples of how all things are of God but by Jesus Christ, the arm of Jehovah, a fitting symbol for Jesus. A man’s literal arm never goes beyond the instructions given it. God issued the commands, Jesus fulfilled them. This shows a clear distinction between God, as Father, and The Lord Jesus Christ, as God’s subservient Son.

“Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope” (1 Tim. 1:1). Again, in this verse we see a clear distinction between God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, His Son. Salvation is seen originating with God, but the hope of that salvation is seen as coming through the Lord Jesus Christ. By His suffering and death, the Lord Jesus Christ carried out His Father’s plan of salvation perfectly.

Verses Used To Support the Trinity

In this section of our study we will present some Bible verses used by Trinitarians in their attempt to prove that Jesus Christ is equal with God. We will quote from several translations of the Bible showing this claim to be in error. The Bible translations that we will use in this study we feel are the closest in meaning to the most ancient Greek Bible manuscripts. Before starting this study, it is best to first learn a little of the history surrounding the King James Bible (KJV) which was printed in 1611 A.D. and is considered the authority in Bible translations by many. The King James Version contains considerable errors which are corrected by some of the more modern versions of the Bible.

Many people are perhaps not aware that the KJV was not translated from the ancient Greek manuscripts. Rather, it is a revision of the Bishop’s Bible and was only compared with the Greek manuscripts. When this Bible was put into print, there were only eight known Greek manuscripts with which to compare it. None of these eight went back further than the tenth century A.D. Today, there are hundreds of manuscripts to draw upon, the oldest of which goes all the way back to the fourth century A.D. The three oldest of these manuscripts are the Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrian. Modern Bibles such as Moffatt and the Emphatic Diaglott used the most ancient Greek manuscripts when they translated Scripture. For this reason, we will make extensive use of these better translations in our study. We will compare these newer, more accurate translations with the KJV to show where it is in error. We will also compare many verses from various books of the Bible to give a harmonious view of God’s Word. By comparing Bible verses, we can be assured of harmony in God’s complete Word of Truth.

Scriptures Compared

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 - KJV). The Word, as used in this verse, refers to the pre-existence of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Logos, or Word of God. We will see that the wording of John 1:1 as presented by the King James Bible is in error. The Emphatic Diaglott renders the Greek text in this way: “In a beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with the God, and a god was the Logos.” Jesus is here spoken of as being a god in the sense of being a mighty one or a mighty warrior.

The phrase “In a beginning” is also very interesting. The Bible strongly states that God, Jehovah, had no beginning. He is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Read Psa. 90:2; 106:48). This means that John 1:1 cannot refer to the beginning of God, but rather a beginning of something else, namely the beginning of God’s works of creation. The Word was in this beginning with God. In fact, the Bible teaches that before anything else was created, God first “brought forth” (Prov. 8:22-24) His Only Begotten Son, called the Logos or Word. Though God had no beginning, His Son did. God’s Son was the “firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15).

The Firstborn

Jesus is called the “Firstborn of every creature” (Colossians1:15). ”Also I will make him, my firstborn, higher than the kings of earth” (Psalm 89:27). Jesus, “the Amen,” is here spoken of as being “the beginning of the creation of God.” (Revelation 3:14). He is called “the only begotten Son” (John 1:18). These verses prove that Jesus had a beginning. The word father means life-giver. The word son means one who receives life, or a descendent. Jesus, the Son, received life from His Father.

All Things through the Son

The Bible states that in the beginning of creation, after His Son was brought forth, the Son then created everything else (Colossians 1:15-18). All things came into existence through the Son (John 1:3). The world was made by Him (John 1:3, 10), and it was through His Son that God made the universe (Heb.1:2) and all that was in it.

The Oneness of Father and Son

“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). By reading all of the verses in this context, it can easily be seen that Jesus meant that He and His Father were one in mind and purpose. In John 17:11 Jesus shows this very clearly while praying to His God and Father about His disciples: “Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given me, that they may be one as we are.” In John 17:22, 23 we read, “And the glory which you gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and You in me, that they may be made perfect in one.” In these verses we see the church being one in the same way that Jesus is one with God, His Father. The church is one because Christ is in the church in the same way that God is in Christ. They are one Body made up of many members with Christ as the head, being one in love, unity, and purpose. Though Christ is in the Church, we are not literally Jesus any more than God in Christ makes Jesus God.

“He that has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). This verse must be harmonized with other Bible verses such as John 1:18, which says that “no man has seen God.” The clue to the true meaning can be found in Jesus’ own statement. Jesus is here talking to Philip and telling him that it is impossible to see God who is a Spirit Being. Through Jesus, God manifested Himself. “Like father, like son” is a well-known proverb. Jesus perfectly reflected God and His Holy will. Thus, to know Jesus is to know God.

I AM

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). In Exodus 3:14 Jehovah uses “I AM” as His title. Since Jesus also said, “Before Abraham was, I am,” some feel that Jesus and the Father must be one God. However, Jesus was simply saying that He had existed in heaven before Abraham was born. Moffatt’s translation gives a more accurate translation, “Truly, truly, I tell you,” said Jesus, “I have existed before Abraham was born.” Jesus did indeed exist before Abraham was born, as the Logos, the Only Begotten Son of God.

Equal with the Father?

Perhaps one of the worst translations offered for any Bible verse by the King James Bible is found in Philippians 2:5, 6 where we read, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” The Moffatt Bible translation and many others correct this verse to more properly read that Jesus “Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus. Though He was divine by nature, He did not snatch at equality with God but emptied Himself by taking the nature of a servant.” No, Jesus never tried to usurp God’s right as Supreme Ruler as Satan did (Isaiah 14:13), but on the contrary, He emptied Himself completely or divested Himself of His high position as God’s spiritual Son by becoming flesh and blood (1 Tim. 2:5). By using a proper translation of Phil. 2:5, 6, all possible contradiction is erased, with the Bible being in full agreement and harmony with itself.

Three That Bear Record

“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 the earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (John 5:7-8). It has been proven beyond a doubt by leading Bible scholars and translators that the underlined words in the above verses are spurious, and thus are not part of God’s most Holy Word. Scofield’s Reference Bible admits this fact when it states, “It is generally agreed that verse seven has no real authority and has been inserted.” That part of this verse has been omitted by all modern translations. Hudson’s Greek and English Concordance says of 1 John 5:7, “The words are found in no Greek manuscript before the 15th or 16th century...” Nothing else need be written here about this verse, except perhaps Dr. C. Tischendoff’s thoughts with which we are in full agreement: “That this spurious addition should continue to be published as part of the Epistle I regard as an impiety.” One of the best translations of 1 John 5:6-8 is found, again in the Moffatt translation: “Jesus Christ, He it is who came by water, blood, and Spirit - not by water alone, but by the water and the blood. The Spirit is the witness to this, for the Spirit is truth. The witnesses are three, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three of them are in accord.”

Thy Throne O God

“But unto the Son He says, ‘Thy throne O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom’” (Heb. 1:8-9 - KJV). The Diaglott renders this, “But to the Son, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for the age and the sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom. ...therefore, thy God anointed thee with the oil of exultation beyond Thy associates. ’” The Father has placed His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ as His Mighty Warrior (another meaning for God in the Greek) over His Kingdom in the coming Millennial age. These verses show that God speaks to us “by his Son,” which means Jesus is God’s active agent to fulfill all God‘s commands. God has also appointed His Son “heir of all things.”

(Heb.1:2) If the Son was equal to God, He would not be appointed an heir or anything else, since all things would belong to Jesus equally with the Father. God’s Son is seen being made “so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” (Heb.1:4). Jesus inherited a more excellent name; God, however, cannot inherit anything because He has always been Supreme over all.

God Manifest in the Flesh

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: 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 Tim. 3:16 - KJV). Before continuing, let us read the Moffatt translation of this verse for a better definition of its true meaning: “And who does not admit how profound is the divine truth of our religion?

Itt is He who was ‘manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on throughout the world, taken up to glory.’” It is the truth of our religion that is spoken of in this verse, and not a mystery of the trinity. God was indeed “manifest in the flesh”, as the KJV states in that God was made known to others through Christ. He was manifested through Christ in the same way that any father is made known to others through the actions and personality of an obedient son. As the saying goes, “Like father...like son” never means that a son is anything other than a son.

In 2 Cor. 4:11 we find a good example of the Bible usage for the word manifest. Here we see the life of Jesus being made manifest in the Apostles. The Apostles, by living in harmony with Christ’s teachings, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, did indeed manifest Christ’s life in their own mortal flesh. It is also in this manner that Jesus manifested His Father. “No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him” (John 1:18). This verse is in full harmony with what we have thus far shown. It clearly shows how God was manifest through Christ. Jesus declared God through His own actions and personality which were in full harmony with God’s attributes and were the fruitage of God’s Holy Spirit (1 John 4:12).

“My Lord, and My God”

“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28). To gain a proper understanding of this verse, we must keep John 1:1 in mind. When we looked at John 1:1, we learned through the Emphatic Diaglott that Jesus Christ is a god, a mighty one or a mighty warrior. But Jesus is not the Supreme God.

“They Shall Look Upon Me Whom They Pierced”

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10 - KJV). Trinitarians claim that since God is speaking in this prophecy, and since He seems to be saying that it is He who will be pierced on the cross, that therefore Jesus Christ is God. Please notice, however, that in the KJV of this verse, God first refers to the one crucified as “me”, or himself, and then speaks of the same one who is pierced as “him.” Such a statement is a contradiction. This problem is easily solved by the Moffatt translation of the ancient Greek manuscripts which reads, “But I will pour out a spirit of yearning and entreaty upon David’s house and the dwellers of Jerusalem; they shall look at him whom they stabbed and lament for him bitterly, as a man laments for his only son” (Zech. 12:10). In this accurate translation, Jesus is the one seen being pierced, rather than God, who is speaking. The Jewish Masoretic text, which is the Old Testament used by many Jewish people, also uses the word “him” when referring to the one being pierced.

Jesus, From Everlasting?

“But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2 - KJV). This verse is a prophecy of Jesus who is seen existing from everlasting. Trinitarians use this text as proof that Jesus is equal with God and had no beginning. According to the Jewish Masoretic Scriptures, however, we do not find the word “everlasting” as used by the King James in the verse. The Jewish Masoretic Text says that the Messiah existed “from of old, from ancient days.”

The Moffatt, Revised Standard, and many others translations are in full agreement with the Masoretic text in its interpretation of this verse. We trust the numerous Scriptures presented in this study on the Almighty God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, have convinced you that there is indeed One God, the Father, and One Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom He accomplished all, as the Apostle Paul clearly states in 1 Cor. 8:6 and Eph. 4:5, 6.

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”

At the present time there are millions claiming the name of Christ who firmly believe many things about Jesus, i.e., He was the human manifestation of the Archangel Michael; the spirit brother of Lucifer; an eternally begotten uncreated being, part of a Triune Godhead; one among many good teachers and prophets. Jesus’ true identity was a matter of the greatest concern when He asked His chosen disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" The answer was clear and simple: “You are the Messiah, the Son of God” (Matt. 16:16). On that revelation the church was to be founded (v. 18). Caution should be exercised when defining the meaning of the title Son of God. Adoni (my lord, Ps. 110:1) never means God, but always a superior other than God, who is Adonai.

The Holy Spirit

Probably one of the least understood subjects in the Christian religion is that of the Holy Spirit. To get the real meaning of the Holy Spirit, we must obtain the true context in which the term is used and also harmonize its meaning throughout the Bible. The English word spirit is usually translated from the Hebrew (ruach) and Greek (pneuma) words meaning: wind, or breath, and by extended meanings: vital or active force. An example of the Hebrew word translated as wind is found in Zechariah 2:6: “...Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds (ruach) of the heavens...” In Job 41:16 is found an example of the same word translated as air: “One is so near to another that no air (ruach) can come between them.”

When the Bible speaks of God’s Holy Spirit, it speaks of God’s invisible active force or power. There is no Bible description which indicates that the Holy Spirit is a person, although it is so much a part of who God and the Lord Jesus Christ are that we are able to “grieve the Holy Spirit” or the spirit of God and His Son.

In Judges 14:5, 6, we read: “Then Samson...came to the vineyards of Timnah and behold, a young lion roared against him, and the Spirit (ruach) of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion asunder...”

In the New Testament, pneuma is translated as God’s Holy Spirit in Romans 15:18, 19 NIV: “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit” (pneuma).

The New Testament texts reveal God’s Spirit as the power of God. The Angel told Mary of her upcoming pregnancy, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you...” (Luke 1:35; also Luke 24:49; John 20:22, 23).

Some Bible verses also speak of God’s Holy Spirit as being the disposition of God, either in Himself or in others. This disposition can take the form of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, truth, promise, etc. From 1 Corinthians 2:12: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” See also Isaiah 11:2; John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 17:17; Genesis 22:16-18.

It is apparent that the Holy Spirit is not a separate person but the power of God Himself which reflects the personality of Jehovah and all who display His attributes.

The deduction, by factual research and logical reasoning, is that there is absolutely no evidence or proof that there is a Trinity. The evidence, in fact, proves the opposite. The Father is Jehovah, the Designer of the Universe. His Only Begotten Son is The Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is God’s power; His active force, not a person separate from Him. We are told not to quench the Holy Spirit. See 1 Thess. 5:19. One cannot quench a person.

Various Quotations from Christian Sources

Commenting on the state of affairs in the early Church, H. G Wells writes: "We shall see presently how, later on, all Christendom was torn apart by disputes about the Trinity. There is no clear evidence that the apostles of Jesus entertained that doctrine." (Outline of History, p. 421)

Newton (Origin of Triads and Trinities) quotes Professor Sayce (Gifford Lectures and Hibbert Lectures) as follows: "The indebt-edness of Christian theological theory to ancient Egyptian dogma is nowhere more striking than in the doctrine of the Trinity. The very same terms used of it by Christian theologians meet us again in the inscriptions and papyri of Egypt."

"The Pauline Christ who accomplishes the work of salvation is a personality who is both human and superhuman, not God, but the Son of God. Here the idea, which was to develop later of the union of the two natures, is not present.” (Maurice Goguel, Jesus and the origins of Christianity, Harper, 1960) "As far as the New Testament is concerned, one does not find in it an actual doctrine of the Trinity." (Bernard Lohse, A Short History of Christian Doctrine)

Edward Gibbon says in the preface to History of Christianity: "if Paganism was conquered by Christianity, it is equally true that Christianity was corrupted by Paganism. The pure deism of the first Christians was changed by the Church of Rome into the incom-prehensible dogma of the Trinity. Many of the pagan tenets, invented by the Egyptians and idealized by Plato, were retained as being worthy of belief." (Gibbon is a historian's historian. He would not speak so forthrightly without a firm basis for his evaluation.)

"Jesus is never identified simpliciter [absolutely] with God, since the early Christians were not likely to confuse Jesus with God the Father." (Howard Marshall, "Jesus as Lord: The Development of the Concept," in Eschatology in the New Testament, Hendrickson, p. 144).

The Catholic Encyclopedia: "...nowhere in the Old Testament do we find any clear indication of a Third Person. Mention is often made of the Spirit of the Lord, but there is nothing to show that the Spirit was viewed as distinct from Yahweh Himself. The term is always employed to signify God considered in His working, whether in the universe or in the soul of man."

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: "The doctrines of the Logos and the Trinity received their shape from Greek Fathers, who were much influenced, directly or indirectly, by the Platonic philosophy. That errors and corruptions crept into the church from this source cannot be denied."

The Encyclopedia Americana: "Fourth-century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching." Dictionary of Religious Knowledge: "Many say that the Trinity is a corruption borrowed from the heathen religions, and ingrafted on the Christian faith."

The Church of the First Few Centuries: "The Doctrine of the Trinity was of gradual and comparatively late formation. It had its origin in a source entirely foreign from that of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. It grew up, and was ingrafted on Christianity, through the hands of the Platonizing Fathers." The New Encyclopedia Britannica: "Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such,

appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: 'Hear 0 Israel; YHWH our God is one Lord' (Deut. 6:4). The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies ... By the end of the 4th century the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since." (1976, Micropedia, Vol.X, p. 126) Outlines of the History of Dogma: "Church doctrine became rooted in the soil of Hellenism [pagan Greek thought]. Thereby, it became a mystery to the great majority of Christians."

The Illustrated Bible Dictionary: "The word Trinity is not found in the Bible ... It did not find a place formally in the theology of the church till the 4th century."

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology: "The New Testament does not contain the developed doctrine of the Trinity."

The Encyclopedia Americana: "Christianity derived from Judaism, and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road that led from Jerusalem to Nicaea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth-century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching." (1956, Vol. XXVII, p. 294L) The Encyclopedia of Religion: “Theologians agree that the New Testament does not contain an explicit doctrine of the Trinity."

The Nouveau Dictionary Universel: "The Platonic Trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave rise to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches ... This Greek philosopher's [Plato, fourth century BCE] conception of the divine trinity can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions." (Paris, 1865-1870, edited by M. Lachatre, Vol. 2, p. 1467)

Dictionary of the Bible by John L. Mckenzie, S.J: "The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of 'person' and 'nature' which are Greek philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The Trinitarian definitions arose out of long controversies in which these terms and others such as 'essence' and 'substance' were erroneously applied to God by some theologians." (New York, 1965, p. 899)

The New Catholic Encyclopedia: "The formulation 'one God in three persons' was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formula that has first claim to the title “the Trinitarian dogma.” Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective." (1967, Vol. XIV, p. 299)

Evangelical fundamentalist John MacArthur rightly says: “There is no such thing as ‘the eternal Son’ in the Bible” (see his Commentary on Hebrews, ch. 1). MacArthur agrees here with famed commentator Adam Clark, who believed that the concept of the “eternally begotten Son,” central to traditional creeds, was not only meaningless but dangerous. A world-known systematic theologian of Fuller Seminary, Dr. Colin Brown says correctly: “It is a common but patent error to read John 1:1 as if it said ‘In the beginning was the Son....’” (Ex Auditu, 7, 1991)

Scripture Texts that Challenge the Trinity

The Scriptures admonish us to “prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.” We hope that you accept the challenge.

Matthew 3:16, 17; John 8:18, 42; Colossians 1:13;

Matthew 8:29; John 10:15, 36; 1 Thess.1:9-10;

Matthew 11:27; John 11:4 1; Timothy 2:5;

Matthew 12:18; John 12:49, 50; Hebrews 1:2;

Matthew 14:33; John 14:13, 23, 28; Hebrews 2:9;

Matthew 16:13-17; John 16:17; Hebrews 4:14;

Matthew 17:5; John 17:1-26 ;Hebrews 5:7, 8;

Matthew 27:54; John 20:17, 30-31; 1 Peter 1:3;

Mark 5:7; Acts 2:22-24; 32-33; 2 Peter 1:17;

Mark 15:39; Acts 3:13, 26; 1 John 1:3;

Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 9:20; 1 John 2:22;

Luke 8:28; Romans 1:1-4; 1 John 3:23;

Luke 9:35; Romans 5:10; 1 John 4:10;

Luke 10:22; Romans 8:29; 1 John 4:14, 15;

John 1:12-18; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 John 5:11, 12;

John 1:34, 49; 1 Corinthians 15:26-28; 2 John 1:9;

John 3:16 ;2 Corinthians 1:19-20; Revelation 2:18;

John 5:19-23, 37; Galatians 4:4;

John 6:35-40; Philippians 2:9-11;

The Apostle Paul gave us good advice in 1 Thess. 5:21: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Then in Acts 17:11 the Apostle offers words of commendation to the Jews at Berea because they didn’t just accept his words without checking to see if they were sound teachings: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” It will take some effort and time to do this, but it is well worth it and will yield great blessings to a true student of God’s Word, establishing a solid foundation for one’s Christian faith. If we do this, then we, too, can say with the Apostle Paul: “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (II Tim.1:12)

This booklet contains only some of the truths taught in the Bible. All who desire an accurate knowledge of our Creator and His Plans as centered in His Beloved Son, are encouraged to carefully examine the Word and learn how harmonious and comprehensive it truly is.

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