Is God One, or a Trinity?
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Is God One, or a Trinity?
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We are here today to expound that God is One, but not in the way Trinitarians would have us believe.
The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, “God,” p. 568
Sermon Notes
Speakers Notes:
M.Kasperson Sermon “Is our God One or a Trinity?” 6/18/16
We believe the Trinity is false, but how do we know the Trinity is false and heresy???
Let’s start with some basic facts on how the trinity came about
First the council of Nicene set in place the doctrine of the trinity in 325 AD and from that point disagreement and conflict and death came upon many believing Christians, why???
Well let me give some detail
First: the emperor who presided over it was Constantine and the one who ran the council
Constantine, was a sun worshiper and not a Christian and was a murderer having both his son and wife murdered. And as was the custom of influential people of the time was only baptized on his deathbed, not in a transformative process as us.
Second: There weren’t any real agreements of doctrine it was more of a political or decision to resolve conflict. The resulting doctrine of the trinity led to much disagreement between Christians and Christians were killing each other.
With all the conflict it had to be re-convened again in 381AD after Constantine’s death by Emperor Theodosius the Great who had no theological background of his own and put in place a dogma a set of principles that silenced any debate. He also put in charge archbishop Gregory of Nazianus to preside over the second council to determine the nature of God but he ran into great disagreement with the Bishops and later withdrew out of illness. Then a non-Christian Necratarius was appointed.
According to the ( The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, “God,” p. 568).
The teaching of the three Cappadocian theologians “made it possible for the Council of Constantinople (381) to affirm the divinity of the Holy Spirit, which up to that point had nowhere been clearly stated, not even in Scripture”
With all this contention a Trinity Doctrine was issued and became a central tenant of the Catholic church more for political and stability reasons practical to the establishing the emperor and the church
And, Decrees were issued that all those who accepted the Trinity were declared Catholic which means part of the church body, all those who didn’t accept the doctrine of the trinity were declared “foolish Madmen” and Branded with the ignoramus name “heretics” and not allowed to be part of the Catholic body. The first punishment was chastisement the second punishment was to be decided.
Also, even today modern theological researchers have concluded that there is grounds or theological logic for any of the decisions made in both councils.
The conclusion is that the Trinity Doctrine came as a result of a 300-year process of theological exploration or in plain terms a 300-year trial and error process.
We are here today to expound that God is one but not in the way the Trinitarians would have us believe
THE ONENESS OF GOD
IT IS THE FATHER WHO IS THE ARCHITECT BUT IT IS THE SON WHO IS THE BUILDER
John 10:30 I and My Father are one.
John 14:8-9 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
John 17:11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
How are God the Father and Jesus the Son, one? (not equally one as the Trinitarians say) They are different beings. Jesus said that his Father was greater. So they are not one in the sense that is taught by the doctrine of the Trinity. They are one in the same way that we are to be one with them and with each other, as is shown by John 17:20-23.
John 17:20-23 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
We know that the Father and the Son are one in character, in love and in spirit. They are also one in how they accomplish all things. A few examples are that they work together
(1) in Creation,
(2) in the Resurrections,
(3) in Judgment,
(4) in Redemption/Salvation
(5) in The Kingdom.
We will look at verses that show us how they work together in these areas.
*FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTURE!*
1 COR 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
The word “of” is translated from the Greek word, “ex,” sometimes spelled “ek.”
Online Bible Lexicon: “a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; ; preposition.”
The word “through” is translated from the Greek word “dia.”
Online Bible Lexicon: “a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act;”
In the KJV it is translated as “by.” Note the definition uses the word channel but we could also use the word conduit.
In all that the Father and Son do, it is OF the Father and THROUGH the Son.
- THE CREATION IS OF THE FATHER AND THROUGH THE SON
Creation is of the Father because it is of his will. But he did it through His Son.
In Revelation, chapters 4 & 5, we see the throne room of God. In chapter 5, Jesus the Lamb comes before the Father but we are introduced to the Father’s throne room in chapter 4. In chapter 4, the four living creatures and twenty four elders praise the Father. They say that he created all things.
REV 4:9-11 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."
HEB 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, :2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through [Greek: dia] whom also He made the worlds;
JOHN 1:1-3, In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. :2 He was in the beginning with God. :3 All things were made through [Greek: dia] Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
COL 1:15-16 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. :16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through [Greek: dia] Him and for Him.
We can see that the Father created and made all things through Jesus Christ
- THE RESURRECTION IS OF THE FATHER AND THROUGH THE SON
ROMANS 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
JOHN 6:37-40 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. :38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. :39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. :40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
So you can see that the resurrection is of the Father and THROUGH the Son
- THE JUDGMENT IS OF THE FATHER AND THROUGH THE SON
1 PETER 1:17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
JOHN 5:22-23 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, :23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
The Greek word for “judges” is krino and is broad in its meaning. It can mean: to judge, to pronounce sentence or to execute that sentence, including doing the punishing if the sentence calls for punishment. Only by context can one know which of those is meant by krino. It can mean just one of those things or all of them. God the Father does not judge in the sense that He does not pronounce the sentence but the Son makes all judgments by the guidelines established by His Father.
Act 17:30-31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, :31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
Acts 10:42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
- REDEMPTION AND SALVATION ARE OF THE FATHER AND THROUGH THE SON
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. :17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through [Greek: dia] Him might be saved.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through [Greek: dia] Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Jesus is the conduit or channel through which God’s redemption and salvation flow to us and he is the conduit or channel through which we can go to our Father.
So salvation is of the Father through his son Jesus Christ
- THE KINGDOM IS OF THE FATHER AND THROUGH THE SON
Matt 26:29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.
Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Matt 20:23 So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."
Dan 7:13-14 I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. :14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
Eph 5:5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
John 14:19-24 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. :20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. :21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." :22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" :23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. :24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.”
THE FATHER AND JESUS ARE ONE BECAUSE JESUS ALWAYS FOLLOWS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FATHER, WHOM HE ALSO CALLED “MY GOD.” JESUS SAID THAT HE COULD DO NOTHING WITHOUT THE FATHER AND ALSO SAID THAT WE CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT THE SON.
John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Brethern, we understand this relationship as a loving Father and his Son being ONE!
We are being called to be one with them in a loving God Family! In light of this truth the
concept of the trinity falls apart and with Christ’s return fall from human thought and
take its place on the scrap heap of other false and erroneous human beliefs.