What are the reasons behind a person wrongfully rejecting the Trinity? (Trinity Christians Only)

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Because they do not understand the role of the Holy Spirit in a New Covenant believer.


Joh_3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh_3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh_3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.


Joh 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.


Heb 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
Heb 8:8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH—
Heb 8:9 NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; BECAUSE THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DISREGARDED THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
Heb 8:10 FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR MIND AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
Heb 8:11 NONE OF THEM SHALL TEACH HIS NEIGHBOR, AND NONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
Heb 8:12 FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."
Heb 8:13 In that He says, "A NEW COVENANT," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.



1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.


.

My apologies for not getting what you were saying earlier.
May you be blessed in the Lord.
 
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Bruce Leiter

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What are the motivations or reasons behind a person wrongfully rejecting the Trinity?

I am always fascinated behind the motivations behind why people believe they do. I can understand why some people might hold to various beliefs that I think are unbiblical, but when folks reject the Trinity as revealed in Scripture, I am just puzzled. Why do they do this? For there are believers who do not understand the Trinity and yet they accept it by faith it is true (even when they don’t understand it). I admire them for that. For me: I guess I was blessed by the Lord to be able to understand the Trinity right away.

People I've met who deny the Trinity do it because they want to use their reason to understand everything. They can't, therefore, accept some biblical doctrines that can't be explained logically. The problem is that we humans, like Adam and Eve, often want to be on God's level rationally.

I used to be one of those people, but God humbled me to accept the biblical mysteries as far beyond my ability to gasp them. Our minds are very puny compared to the all-powerful Creator's mind.

The kind of mentality that wants to reason everything out is similar to the Jehovah's Witnesses, who believe that God is one person with Jesus a spirit being who is not God but begotten by him and the Holy Spirit is only a power, not a Person, of God.

Similarly, the Mormons believe that God is three Persons but not one God and that we can become gods if we become good Mormons.

In all these people, reasoning about the Bible reigns supreme instead of the Scriptures being interpreted on their own assumptions. Such is the human hubris that wants to be on God's level.
 
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Andrewn

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One of my family members I grew up with believes that Christ dwells in everyone and those who behave evil in this life have not simply tapped into the Christ consciousness (as they called it).
This view is not completely without merit.

Origen of Alexandria contends that the Holy Spirit indwells only the saints. God the Father is responsible for everyone’s existence, the Word for the rational nature. Therefore, while the Father and Son are operating within all of creation, the Holy Spirit is operating within the saints.
 
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Clare73

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If this is the case, there would have never been Arianism.
Heresy demonstrates nothing regarding the truth.
Where do you see this equality clearly stated?
1) The NT shows three divine agents, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the work of salvation:
a) Father, Son and Holy Spirit at its beginning (Lk 1:35), at the inauguration of Jesus' public ministry
(Mt 3:16-17) and in the work of atonement (Heb 9:14),

b) the Holy Spirit completing the work of the Father through the Son (the work of salvation)--Ac 2:38-39; Ro 8:26; 1Co 2:4-13--vv.4-6; Eph 1:3-14--v.14, 2:13-22--v.18; 2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2),

c) the only way to enter the kingdom of the Father is through faith in the Son and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:1-15--vv.5, 15-15).

2) The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are bracketed together as the triune name (singular) of God (Mt 28:19).
a) Paul uses all three interchangeably in 1Co 12:4-6,
b) they are linked in prayer for divine blessing in 2Co 13:14,
c) they are linked in pronouncement of divine blessing in Rev 1:4-5.

3) The close connection in the NT between Father and Son, Father and Spirit, and Son and Spirit point to a co-equal relationship; i.e.,
a) "The Lord (Jesus) is the Spirit". . .the Lord (Jesus) who is the Spirit (Ro1:7, 1Co 1:3, 2Co 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2,; Php 1:2; 1Th 1:1, 3:11; 2Th 1:2, 8, 12, 2:16, 3:5; Ro 8:27; Gal 4:6; 2Co 3:16-18).
The Spirit is one with Jesus in the unity of the Godhead. The Lord (Jesus) works in men through the Spirit; i.e., the Son and Spirit are co-equal divine beings.

b) The Father who will send the Spirit (Jn 14:26), as it was the Father who sent the Son (Jn 5:23, 36).
The Father will send the Spirit "in my name," as Jesus' deputy, doing Jesus' will, acting as his representative and with his authority (Jn 14:26).
As Jesus came in his Father's name (Jn 5:43), acting as his Father's agent, speaking the Father's words (Jn 12:49-50, 14:24), doing the Father's works (Jn 4:34, 5:36, 10:25; 17:4) and bearing witness throughout to the One who sent him,
so would the Spirit come in Jesus' name, to act in the world as the agent and witness of Jesus (Jn 15:26).
It is the Son who will send the Spirit "from the Father" (Jn 15:26).
As the Father sent the Spirit into the world, so the Son will send the Spirit into the world (Jn 16:7).
So the Spirit is sent by the Son as well as the Father.

c) The Son is subject to the Father (for the Son is sent by the Father in the Father's name--Jn 5:23, 36, 43).
The Spirit is subject to the Father (for the Spirit is sent by the Father in the Son's name--Jn 14:26).
The Spirit is subject to the Son as well as the Father (for the Spirit is sent by the Son as well as the Father--Jn 15:26, 16:7, 14:26).

d) So Jesus shows three distinct and separate persons in revealing the mystery of the Trinity--the heart of the Christian faith in God.
That mystery is three separate and distinct Persons, and one God--the Son doing the will of the Father, and the Spirit doing the will of the Father and the Son.

e) The NT throughout presents the Son and Holy Spirit as divine agents, co-equal with the Father, but distinct, separate and personal (possessing personhood). Nowhere does the NT give us to understand that they are not divine, or are of an inferior nature to the Father.
 
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The Father enables everyone to come to him either through trust in Yeshua or by some other means that they become to trust in G-d directly and then trust Yeshua. One worships G-d by living as he wills. One does not need doctrines which are statements after the fact. It is g-d's love that brings people to him. Not statements of doctrine.
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And what God wills is part of the doctrine of Christian faith.
That God loves is part of the doctrine of Christian faith, etc., etc.
 
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Paul fisher

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What are the motivations or reasons behind a person wrongfully rejecting the Trinity?

I am always fascinated behind the motivations behind why people believe they do. I can understand why some people might hold to various beliefs that I think are unbiblical, but when folks reject the Trinity as revealed in Scripture, I am just puzzled. Why do they do this? For there are believers who do not understand the Trinity and yet they accept it by faith it is true (even when they don’t understand it). I admire them for that. For me: I guess I was blessed by the Lord to be able to understand the Trinity right away.
Hello
I assume you mean why do people reject an equal Trinity(Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are all three the one true God)
I would give you two possible reasons

1) Plain statements of Christ in the Gospels:
The Father is the one true God(John17:3)
The Father is greater than I (John14:28)
The Father is greater than all(John10:29)

2)
In over four decades of going to various Trinitarian denominational churches, I have never once heard any minister plainly state from the pulpit: 'Christ is the one true God'

So, many will just accept Christ's plain statements on the matter and the fact the ministers do not tell them otherwise
 
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Hello
I assume you mean why do people reject an equal Trinity(Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are all three the one true God)
I would give you two possible reasons

1) Plain statements of Christ in the Gospels:
The Father is the one true God(John17:3)
The Father is greater than I (John14:28)
The Father is greater than all(John10:29)

2)
In over four decades of going to various Trinitarian denominational churches, I have never once heard any minister plainly state from the pulpit: 'Christ is the one true God'

So, many will just accept Christ's plain statements on the matter and the fact the ministers do not tell them otherwise

Jesus is called the true God and eternal life according to 1 John 5:20. In the beginning of the gospel of John, we learn that: The Word WAS God and the Word was WITH God (John 1:1). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and He is called God (John 1:1).

As for Jesus saying the Father is greater than Him:

Well, I see that as the hierarchy of the Trinity or Godhead. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are co-equally God in substance as one spirit being. They are not separate persons from each other (suggesting that they are three separate gods), but they are distinct persons with different roles or functions as described in Scripture.
 
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Clare73

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Hello
I assume you mean why do people reject an equal Trinity(Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are all three the one true God)
I would give you two possible reasons
1) Plain statements of Christ in the Gospels:
The Father is the one true God(John17:3)
The Father is greater than I (John14:28)
The Father is greater than all(John10:29)
Yes, there is only one God, one true God.
But there are many things that Christ himself did not present, because there was no basis for it:
remission of sin through faith in his person and atoning work;
salvation/justification by faith apart from works;
the law not being given for righteousness, but rather to reveal sin;
condemnation of all mankind by Adam's sin (Romans 5:18);
imputation of Christ's righteousness (Romans 5:18-19) through faith apart from works
(Romans 4:5), etc., etc., etc.

Likewise, the NT presents more than Christ revealed regarding the Trinity.

1) The NT shows three divine agents, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the work of salvation:
a) Father, Son and Holy Spirit at its beginning (Lk 1:35),
at the inauguration of Jesus' public ministry (Mt 3:16-17) and
in the work of atonement/salvation (Heb 9:14),

b) the Holy Spirit completing the work of the Father through the Son (the work of salvation)--Ac 2:38-39; Ro 8:26; 1Co 2:4-13--vv.4-6; Eph 1:3-14--v.14, 2:13-22--v.18; 2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2),

c) the only way to enter the kingdom of the Father (salvation) is through faith in the Son and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:1-15--vv.5, 15).

2) The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are bracketed together as the triune name (singular) of God (Mt 28:19).
a) Paul uses all three interchangeably in 1Co 12:4-6,
b) they are linked in prayer for divine blessing in 2Co 13:14,
c) they are linked in pronouncement of divine blessing in Rev 1:4-5.

3) The close connection in the NT between Father and Son, Father and Spirit, and Son and Spirit point to a co-equal relationship; i.e.,
a) "The Lord (Jesus) is the Spirit". . .the Lord (Jesus) who is the Spirit (Ro1:7, 1Co 1:3, 2Co 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2,; Php 1:2; 1Th 1:1, 3:11; 2Th 1:2, 8, 12, 2:16, 3:5; Ro 8:27; Gal 4:6; 2Co 3:16-18).
The Spirit is one with Jesus in the unity of the Godhead. The Lord (Jesus) works in men through the Spirit; i.e., the Son and Spirit are co-equal divine beings.

b) The Father who will send the Spirit (Jn 14:26), as it was the Father who sent the Son (Jn 5:23, 36).
The Father will send the Spirit "in my name," as Jesus' deputy, doing Jesus' will, acting as his representative and with his authority (Jn 14:26).
As Jesus came in his Father's name (Jn 5:43), acting as his Father's agent, speaking the Father's words (Jn 12:49-50, 14:24), doing the Father's works (Jn 4:34, 5:36, 10:25; 17:4) and bearing witness throughout to the One who sent him,
so would the Spirit come in Jesus' name, to act in the world as the agent and witness of Jesus (Jn 15:26).
It is the Son who will send the Spirit "from the Father" (Jn 15:26).
As the Father sent the Spirit into the world, so the Son will send the Spirit into the world (Jn 16:7).
So the Spirit is sent by the Son as well as the Father.

c) The Son is subject to the Father (for the Son is sent by the Father in the Father's name--Jn 5:23, 36, 43).
The Spirit is subject to the Father (for the Spirit is sent by the Father in the Son's name--Jn 14:26).
The Spirit is subject to the Son as well as the Father (for the Spirit is sent by the Son as well as the Father--Jn 15:26, 16:7, 14:26).

d) So Jesus shows three distinct and separate persons in revealing the mystery of the Trinity--the heart of the Christian faith in God.
That mystery is three separate and distinct Persons, and one God--the Son doing the will of the Father, and the Spirit doing the will of the Father and the Son.

e) The NT throughout presents the Son and Holy Spirit as divine agents, co-equal with the Father, but distinct, separate and personal (possessing personhood). Nowhere does the NT give us to understand that they are not divine, or are of an inferior nature to the Father.
2) In over four decades of going to various Trinitarian denominational churches, I have never once heard any minister plainly state from the pulpit: 'Christ is the one true God'

So, many will just accept Christ's plain statements on the matter and the fact the ministers do not tell them otherwise
 
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Butch5

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Jesus is called the true God and eternal life according to 1 John 5:20. In the beginning of the gospel of John, we learn that: The Word WAS God and the Word was WITH God (John 1:1). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and He is called God (John 1:1).

As for Jesus saying the Father is greater than Him:

Well, I see that as the hierarchy of the Trinity or Godhead. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are co-equally God in substance as one spirit being. They are not separate persons from each other (suggesting that they are three separate gods), but they are distinct persons with different roles or functions as described in Scripture.
1 John 5:20 is saying that God is the true one, not Christ.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(Jn. 17:3 KJV)
 
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Clare73

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1 John 5:20 is saying that God is the true one, not Christ.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(Jn. 17:3 KJV)
Yes, the only true God is three persons in the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
 
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1 John 5:20 is saying that God is the true one, not Christ.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(Jn. 17:3 KJV)

1 John 5:20 says, “...even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

The word “This” refers back to Jesus Christ in being the true God. It's basic grammar.

John 17:3 can be read one of two ways. Either interpretation is not a contradiction of the Trinity or any other verse in the Bible.

Interpretation #1:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee [you, Father,] the only true God [the Godhead or the Trinity, which would include the Holy Spirit], and Jesus Christ [the Son], whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3).

The words in blue within brackets is my commentary to the text.

Interpretation #2:

While Jesus walked the earth, he took off the outward robes of deity and put on the robes of a servant. (Phil 2:6-8 + John 13:3-20) Jesus on earth was still "very God" or the "only true God" but he took on a new role of a servant where all His efforts was to direct people to the Father as God and not to Himself. He humbled Himself, avoiding the glory of being God on earth and directing it to the Father alone. In the midst of Jesus' final prayer in the garden just prior to his arrest, we see that such submission was not merely a show while in the presence of man, but a true to the heart submission to the Father. Jesus was not denying he was the "only true God", but was praising the Father as such. the very next words after this verse are: "I glorified Thee on the earth ... now glorify me". Jesus would not sing his own praises!

Side Note:

Now, I do believe Jesus did allude to His deity many times (Whereby the Jews wanted to kill him over it), but He did not make an open show of his power as God (with Him taking all the credit all the time).

Source used for interpretation #2:
Trinity proof texts: John 17:3
(Note: I may agree with the part of the article I quoted, but that does not mean I may agree with the author or with what the website has to say on everything).
 
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Butch5

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1 John 5:20 says, “...even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

The word “This” refers back to Jesus Christ in being the true God.

John 17:3 can be read one of two ways. Either interpretation is not a contradiction of the Trinity or any other verse in the Bible.

Interpretation #1:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee [you, Father,] the only true God [the Godhead or the Trinity, which would include the Holy Spirit], and Jesus Christ [the Son], whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3).

The words in blue within brackets is my commentary to the text.

Interpretation #2:

While Jesus walked the earth, he took off the outward robes of deity and put on the robes of a servant. (Phil 2:6-8 + John 13:3-20) Jesus on earth was still "very God" or the "only true God" but he took on a new role of a servant where all His efforts was to direct people to the Father as God and not to Himself. He humbled Himself, avoiding the glory of being God on earth and directing it to the Father alone. In the midst of Jesus' final prayer in the garden just prior to his arrest, we see that such submission was not merely a show while in the presence of man, but a true to the heart submission to the Father. Jesus was not denying he was the "only true God", but was praising the Father as such. the very next words after this verse are: "I glorified Thee on the earth ... now glorify me". Jesus would not sing his own praises!

Side Note:

Now, I do believe Jesus did allude to His deity many times (Whereby the Jews wanted to kill him over it), but He did not make an open show of his power as God (with Him taking all the credit all the time).

Source used for interpretation #2:
Trinity proof texts: John 17:3
(Note: I may agree with the part of the article I quoted, but that does not mean I may agree with the author or with what the website has to say on everything).

No interpretation needed. Jesus told you who it is.
 
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No interpretation needed. Jesus told you who it is.

But like all verses in the Bible, they must be read in view of other verses and logic. For example: We know that the word “all” does not mean “all” in every occurance in the Bible. So we cannot use absolutes always when we read Scripture. 1 John 5:20 says Jesus is also the true God and everlasting life. So you cannot have two true Gods when the Bible teaches there is only one God. So in order to avoid a contradiction: We have to accept the truth that God is a Trinity as 1 John 5:7 KJB plainly teaches.
 
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But like all verses in the Bible, they must be read in view of other verses and logic. For example: We know that the word “all” does not mean “all” in every occurance in the Bible. So we cannot use absolutes always when we read Scripture. 1 John 5:20 says Jesus is also the true God and everlasting life. So you cannot have two true Gods when the Bible teaches there is only one God. So in order to avoid a contradiction: We have to accept the truth that God is a Trinity as 1 John 5:7 KJB plainly teaches.

All does mean all. It never means anything less or it's not all. Why don't you believe the Bible? Jesus told you who the one true God and eternal life is. There's nothing ambiguous about what He said. It's crystal clear. Why don't you believe it?
 
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All does mean all. It never means anything less or it's not all. Why don't you believe the Bible? Jesus told you who the one true God and eternal life is. There's nothing ambiguous about what He said. It's crystal clear. Why don't you believe it?

Well, sometimes the word “all” can mean “all,” but this is not always the case. I think most students of God's Word would know this kind of basic thing.

Okay. Let me give you a few examples:

“Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” (Matthew 3:5-6).​

Do you really believe ALL (every man, woman, and child) in Judaea (Judah) were literally baptized by John the baptist?

John 8:2 says,
“...and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.”​

Did all people on the planet sit down before Jesus whereby He taught them? No. Of course not.

“Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.” (Acts of the Apostles 21:28).​

Was he referring to all men everywhere in the most literalist sense... meaning every person on the planet?
 
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Well, sometimes the word “all” can mean “all,” but this is not always the case. I think most students of God's Word would know this kind of basic thing.

Okay. Let me give you a few examples:

“Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” (Matthew 3:5-6).​

Do you really believe ALL (every man, woman, and child) in Judaea (Judah) were literally baptized by John the baptist?

John 8:2 says,
“...and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.”​

Did all people on the planet sit down before Jesus whereby He taught them? No. Of course not.

“Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.” (Acts of the Apostles 21:28).​

Was he referring to all men everywhere in the most literalist sense... meaning every person on the planet?

Are you familiar with general statements and figures of speech? Obviously it's hyperbole. Since when do we change the meanings of words based on how they're used? If someone standing in line says, this line is taking forever, and then they are done in half an hour does forever now mean a half hour? If all doesn't mean all, then how many does it mean, 2, 45, 110? How many? If someone told you to take all of the apples off of the table how many are you going to leave? I've seen this argument made so many times and it's embarrassing to see Christians make. As Christians we really do need to apply some critical thinking.

But, you didn't answer my question, why don't you believe the Bible?

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 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. 8:4-6 KJV)
 
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In a sense we can say there are two ways a person can fall into heresy:

1. Unintentionally by misunderstanding a key point of Christian doctrine, they are not intending to hold to a heretical opinion. This is called "material heresy", the material of the opinion is in error, though the person holding to it is unaware that it is in error.

2. Intentionally by rejection of orthodox Christian doctrine. Such a person intends to teach contrary to the historic and orthodox Christian position, because they believe the orthodox position to be in error. This is what is known as "formal heresy", the person advocating the heretical opinion knowingly does so.

As such reasons for rejecting the Trinity or holding to a non-Trinitarian opinion can very. There are a lot of Christians who believe in the Trinity but whose view of the Trinity is actually non-Trinitarian, to no fault of their own.

Also, the doctrine of the Trinity is not inherently obvious. It's not as though the Scriptures ever come close to spelling it out for us. Instead it took several centuries of the Church actively engaging with Scripture and addressing a number of major Christological controversies to finally reach the mature Trinitarianism of the late 4th century. Much of our Trinitarian language was coined and honed in those ancient theological controversies. Trinitarianism is biblical, because it is the only view that can honestly engage with what Scripture says and reach the other side with a coherent statement about the relationships between Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit while maintaining the perfect Divine Unity of God. The result is not an obvious theological position, and it is anything but intuitive. It is in many ways paradoxical and in some sense offensive to reason.

The doctrine of the Trinity is big theology, it's the kind of thing in Christian theology that demands pastors and teachers be solid theologians, but also that they teach solid theology to their congregations.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Are you familiar with general statements and figures of speech? Obviously it's hyperbole. Since when do we change the meanings of words based on how they're used? If someone standing in line says, this line is taking forever, and then they are done in half an hour does forever now mean a half hour? If all doesn't mean all, then how many does it mean, 2, 45, 110? How many? If someone told you to take all of the apples off of the table how many are you going to leave? I've seen this argument made so many times and it's embarrassing to see Christians make. As Christians we really do need to apply some critical thinking.

But you said before that all means all. Obviously you are changing your tune now.

But, you didn't answer my question, why don't you believe the Bible?

Your projecting false conclusions. I believe the Bible just fine.
Why don't you believe 1 John 5:7 (KJB)?
Oh, I know why? It does not align with your beliefs.
Yes, I am aware of people who reject the KJB as the pure Word of God, but that does not change the truth of 1 John 5:7.

You said:
4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 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. 8:4-6 KJV)

Well, I believe 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 just fine. Verse 3 is referring to the triune God (When we take into account the whole counsel of God's Word). Verse 6 is saying there is only one unique person of the triune Godhead who is God the Father. But you must understand that Jesus said He and the Father are one (John 10:30), just as three bear record in Heaven and are one (1 John 5:7). Jesus also said to be the true God, too (See again: 1 John 5:20). The Word is Jesus who was made flesh (John 1:14). The Word (Jesus) is said to be God and the Word was said to be with God (the Father) (See: John 1:1). Both are God. So unless you believe in worshiping two gods, I choose to believe in worshiping God who is one (who is triune) as Scripture plainly teaches (1 John 5:7).

Unitarians and or Binitarians make the error that God is only one person when they read passages like 1 Corinthians 8:4-6. However, the true Trinitarian has no problem reading verses like 1 Corinthians 8:6 because they realize that there are three distinct persons in the triune Godhead and sometimes Scripture focuses on that one person within the Trinity.

Side Note:

Binitarians believe in worshipping two gods. In Binitarianism: Jesus is a created demi-god, and that the Holy Spirit is either an impersonal force, or that the name: “Holy Spirit” is just a secret name for God the Father. So they believe in two and not in the triune Godhead or Trinity.

Side Note:

Also, the apostle Paul did not speak always in absolutes. He spoke in a way that was poetic to make a larger spiritual point. When you read 1 Corinthians 8, his point was about eating food sacrificed to idols. For if we are to take Paul literally in everything that he said, we would have to conclude that he contradicted himself on many occasions; Especially when it came to his teaching on grace and works (Compare Ephesians 2:8-9 with Titus 1:16).
 
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In a sense we can say there are two ways a person can fall into heresy:

1. Unintentionally by misunderstanding a key point of Christian doctrine, they are not intending to hold to a heretical opinion. This is called "material heresy", the material of the opinion is in error, though the person holding to it is unaware that it is in error.

2. Intentionally by rejection of orthodox Christian doctrine. Such a person intends to teach contrary to the historic and orthodox Christian position, because they believe the orthodox position to be in error. This is what is known as "formal heresy", the person advocating the heretical opinion knowingly does so.

As such reasons for rejecting the Trinity or holding to a non-Trinitarian opinion can very. There are a lot of Christians who believe in the Trinity but whose view of the Trinity is actually non-Trinitarian, to no fault of their own.

Also, the doctrine of the Trinity is not inherently obvious. It's not as though the Scriptures ever come close to spelling it out for us. Instead it took several centuries of the Church actively engaging with Scripture and addressing a number of major Christological controversies to finally reach the mature Trinitarianism of the late 4th century. Much of our Trinitarian language was coined and honed in those ancient theological controversies. Trinitarianism is biblical, because it is the only view that can honestly engage with what Scripture says and reach the other side with a coherent statement about the relationships between Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit while maintaining the perfect Divine Unity of God. The result is not an obvious theological position, and it is anything but intuitive. It is in many ways paradoxical and in some sense offensive to reason.

The doctrine of the Trinity is big theology, it's the kind of thing in Christian theology that demands pastors and teachers be solid theologians, but also that they teach solid theology to their congregations.

-CryptoLutheran

Thank you for your input. My experience is different involving the Trinity. I learned of the word through a church service, but I learned more about it briefly via by Chick Publications back in the 90's. In 2010, when I rededicated my life to Christ, I took the Bible more seriously and I studied the topic of the Trinity in depth; By doing so, it only solidified my belief in the Trinity. I also debated with Non-Trinitarians over the years and I know many of their so called proof texts. But we cannot base truth on always isolating a verse at the expense of other ones. For me: I believe the Trinity because it is supported by what my Bible says. The Bible for me is the bottom line on the truth of the Trinity.
 
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