Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tribulation
"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain." C.S. Lewis
The Apostle Paul was not a Trinitarian
Paul, the most prolific New Testament writer, gave honor to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in the introductory salutation of every one of his epistles. However, he did not mention the Holy Spirit. Why would he not honor the third person of the Trinitarian Godhead?
It is interesting to note that when he does include a third name it is not the Holy Spirit. Consider:
1Ti 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels,.....
If the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, why are angles mentioned in the place of it.
One can only conclude that Paul was not a Trinitarian.
It is interesting to note that when he does include a third name it is not the Holy Spirit. Consider:
1Ti 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels,.....
If the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, why are angles mentioned in the place of it.
One can only conclude that Paul was not a Trinitarian.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Only True God
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
These are Jesus’ words. He was speaking to his Father and called Him the only true God. How then can Christ be God?
These are Jesus’ words. He was speaking to his Father and called Him the only true God. How then can Christ be God?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Power on Earth
In Matthew chapter 9 we see a story of a man sick of the palsy brought before Jesus. Jesus said to him, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” (v. 2) The scribes got upset and considered this blasphemy. (v. 3) But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking said to them, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” (v. 6)
The Greek word for power, as in “power on earth” above, is expisoa. Thayer (1), and Strong (2)both say this Greek word means: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; leave or permission.
It can be seen from the above definition of the Greek word expisoa, that although the word means “power of choice” there’s a strong sense of having “leave or permission”. In other words, this power of choice is delegated (3).
Delegated from whom? Leave or permission from whom? The answer can be found in verse 8, “and the multitudes having seen, wondered, and glorified God, who did give such power to men.” This power came from God!
If then, according to the doctrine of the deity of Christ, Jesus is co-equal with the Father, why did the power to forgive sins need to be delegated to him from God?
The answer can be found in verse 8. God gave “such power to men.” Jesus, although the Son of God, was a man and only a man. (See Rom 5:15, 1 Tim. 2:5,)
Reference:
(1) Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D., The New Thayer’s Greek - English
Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers,
1981) p. 225
(2) God’s Word for Windows, Strong’s # 1849
(3) W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, JR., Vine’s
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Atlanta: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1985), p. 479
The Greek word for power, as in “power on earth” above, is expisoa. Thayer (1), and Strong (2)both say this Greek word means: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; leave or permission.
It can be seen from the above definition of the Greek word expisoa, that although the word means “power of choice” there’s a strong sense of having “leave or permission”. In other words, this power of choice is delegated (3).
Delegated from whom? Leave or permission from whom? The answer can be found in verse 8, “and the multitudes having seen, wondered, and glorified God, who did give such power to men.” This power came from God!
If then, according to the doctrine of the deity of Christ, Jesus is co-equal with the Father, why did the power to forgive sins need to be delegated to him from God?
The answer can be found in verse 8. God gave “such power to men.” Jesus, although the Son of God, was a man and only a man. (See Rom 5:15, 1 Tim. 2:5,)
Reference:
(1) Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D., The New Thayer’s Greek - English
Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers,
1981) p. 225
(2) God’s Word for Windows, Strong’s # 1849
(3) W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, JR., Vine’s
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Atlanta: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1985), p. 479
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Creeds and the Deity of Christ
As alluded to in the Nicene Creed, and stated in the Athanasian Creed, “in this Trinity none is afore, or after other: none is greater, or less than another.” If then this is true, that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are co-equal, “none is greater, or less than another,” why does Jesus say, “the Father is greater than I?” Consider:
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
If Jesus is co-equal with the Father, then why did he need to be taught by his Father? Consider:
John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
These two passages are just the beginning of problems found in scripture with the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ as defined in the Creeds. In fact, for every so called “proof” text for the Trinity or the deity of Christ, there is a simple and reasonable way of looking at them that does not require the Trinity or the deity of Christ.
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