#1: The Trinity is taught in the New Testament (written all in that first century);
#2: The early church fathers taught it in the first, second, third, etc. centuries.
#3: Just because some of the 4th century councils addressed the Trinity in response to heresies that cropped up doesn't = "add-on" doctrine.
I mean, what I said above about the Trinity could be also said about the canonization of the Bible:
#1: The inspiration of NT content is taught in the New Testament (written all in that first century);
#2: The early church fathers taught that various NT gospels & epistles were inspired in the first, second, third, etc. centuries.
#3: Just because a 4th century council addressed the Biblical canon in response to competing claims of other works doesn't = these books were suddenly -- and with a degree of so-called tardiness -- recognized as having been inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Those who make these claims haven't studied the NT well enough; what the early church fathers wrote about both the Trinity and the Bible; etc.
Both are parallel considerations...and anybody making the claim that the Trinity is a late "add-on" is likewise making a claim that most Christian teachings and the Bible itself is a late "add-on" as well.
Not even close!
Let's start with what Jesus taught:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
No entity called "the holy spirit" is called or listed as "God". A following verse makes it clear who "God" is:
Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Father and son.
Let's look at the words of Jesus:
Joh 10:30 I and My Father are one."
Here was a prime opportunity to teach. Yet Jesus failed to mention that an entity called "the holy spirit" was one with them also.
Mat 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
Wait...wouldn't that "person" named "the holy spirit" KNOW the son and the father also? Again, why does Jesus NOT mention this "person"?
Joh_20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' "
No mention of the holy spirit being another part of "God".
Rev_3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
What? He will confess our names before the FATHER and his ANGELS but NOT a person called "the holy spirit". What gives?? The angels are more important than this supposed 3rd person in the Godhead? Amazing.
There are DOZENS of more scriptures where Jesus describes the relationship, in heaven, between he and the father. But in all those he never mentions the same type of relationship with a person named "the holy spirit".
Mat 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Whoops...Jesus forgot to tell us about the "person" named the holy spirit in heaven again!
How about John?
2Jn 1:3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
No greetings from the holy spirit??
How about Paul? In every letter that Paul wrote he acknowledged two persons, the father and Christ:
Rom_1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co_1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Co_1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph_1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Php_1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col_1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th_1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th_1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th_1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Ti_1:2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Phm_1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
IF the holy spirit is a co-equal member of the Godhead then why does Paul not show the proper respect and include it in his greetings?
Well all these people are rude. I'm sure that if we can look into the Godhead in heaven we'll see this person called "the holy spirit"...right?
Dan 7:13 "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.
Dan 7:14 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.
Silly Daniel... he doesn't mention the holy spirit being up there in heaven with the father and son.
Well let's look at the Godhead again:
Rev_22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb
Wait...no throne for the person "holy spirit"...the separate and co-equal "holy spirit" gets NO THRONE???? How can that be?
Rev_22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
There it is again..stupid bible forgot to give a throne to the separate and co-equal holy spirit person.
No, scriptural evidence is clear. The holy spirit is never given the status of the father or the son, not even by the father or the son. I've literally only scratched the surface of the scriptures that show this time after time after time.
And that's not to mention the physical evidence:
Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
What "things made" could show the structure of Godhead?
How about...people? After all we're made in the image of God...right?
Two sexes, man and woman.
We all have: 2 eyes. 2 ears. 2 hands. 2 ears. 2 lungs. 2 breasts. 2 testicles (men). 2 ovaries (women). 2 kidneys. 2 legs. 2 arms. 2 legs. 2 brain halves. 2 nostrils. 2 lips. Our bodies SCREAM two.
Two are joined in marriage. Two become one:
Mat_19:5 and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH' ?
Mat_19:6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
No, it's overwhelmingly, absolutely two, not three.
I am totally guessing that DouglasKC's church teaches ‘soul’ sleep until all are resurrected from these earthly graves. I do know the mother church taught that, totally disregarding the Old and the New testament that time and again instructs that when this flesh body dies the soul and spirit intellect returns to the Maker that sent it.
This would explain why the Spirit of God, Holy Spirit would not be recognized as the ‘Comforter’ given us just prior to Christ returning to heaven. I am reminded of what Christ told His disciples regarding leavening.
My thoughts are as well drawn to the book of Ecclesiastes describing the flesh body and the soul/spirit intellect of the children...