Jesus told His disciples to preach His Gospel freely to all the world. The Apostles gave us the salvation formula in the book of Acts. Those who hear and believe the message are to repent of their sins, being baptized into His Name.
Only those who will endure unto the end will be saved. No person is able to work themselves into salvation, nor must a person speak in unknown tongues to be saved. Easy believism also is a falsehood and a lie. We all must apply the whole word of God to be saved. The tribulation is just around the corner, even as all the signs of it (read Ezekiel 38-39, Matthew 24, Mark 13 and the book of Revelations) are all here. The truth will set a person free from sin and Satan, giving spiritual fruits which include peace, love and joy everlasting.
This topic is never resolved if it was in the Bible it would be no issue!
This thread flagged as cultic Mormon spam.
Let the reader beware!
God is a mystery. We are unable, at this time, to understand much about Him. We know His attributes and His title (Creator) but for anyone to definitively put God in a bottle or book is impossible. It isn’t necessary to believe or not believe in Trinitarism for Salvation, so it really isn’t important.
I didn't know that, all this time, I had thought that you were a Mormon.
“Some use this portion of Scripture to accuse those of us who embrace the Apostles’ One God Monotheistic Doctrine,”
I can’t help but to notice that the author of this OP is, in fact, a member of the LDS... and the LDS is entirely polytheistic, not monotheistic, and they do not teach that the holy scripture is, in fact, accurate. They believe the BOM is more accurate. The reason why the Trinity is so clear in scripture is because the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are defined as separate persons, doing different works in the plan of salvation (The Father elects, the Son redeems, the Holy Spirit applies), and even communing one with another, yet all as just ONE single God.
This article is sloppy, rambling, and embarrassing to post, and doesn’t even attempt to face down what we Christians actually teach, just thumping the chest and making assertions, all for nothing. But, it is typical of the opponents of the holy trinity and scripture.
You can have the holy spirit of God. You can believe in Jesus. You can love God with all your heart soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself....but by golly if you don't swear allegiance to a man-mad creed there are some who try to convince you you're not a Christian....amazing. :-)
One problem with modalism is the Baptism of the Lord. It would seem that a sort of misleading display is going on when there’s a voice calling IHS “my ... son” and the Holy Spirit descending “like a dove.” I would be interested in the modalist account of this. Three different manifestations at the same time giving the impression of three “actors,” but it’s not really three at all? It seems almost deceptive.
And I always wonder what people think of the word “person” in trinitarian discussions. “Hypostasis” strikes me as marginally clearer.
And as GPH suggests, the article is a kind of confusion of authorities and their interpretation. It startled me to see a quote from the (pseudo-) Athanasian creed, but not set apart by quotes or identified.
I suppose that modern non-trinitarians know as little about 1.7k years of the discussion as trinitarians know about them.
An arrogant screed without substance, posted by a fake “pastor” who does not understand or believe in the Great Commission.
Be for the creation who does God love and who does he talk to?
You are? When did this happen?
Do not be deceived! Here are three verses that declare and identify the triune nature of God. First, God refers to himself as plural. Second, Jesus refers to himself and his father as plural. Third, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as another advocate in addition to himself.
Genesis 1:26 NIV
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
John 14:23 NIV
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 14:16-17 NIV
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Deuteronomy 6:5
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
The three-fold mention of the Divine names, and the plural number of the [Hebrew] word translated God [Elohim], seem plainly to intimate a Trinity of persons, even in this express declaration of the unity of the Godhead.
Also Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”
And Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us.”
>sigh<
>rolls eyes<
Okay. Let’s make this simple people. This is Torah 101 class (five books of Moses for all you out there in Rio Linda) that’s still as valid today as it was before this universe and the Earth were made and will be after the universe is long gone.
The Shema is recited by Jews every day around the globe three times a day (evening, morning, and afternoon), before going to sleep, and right before death.
What is the Shema you ask?
Please break out your Torah or Tanach (the Bible) and turn to Deuteronomy 6:4 which says the following.
“Shema Yisrael Adonai Elokenu Adonai Echad.”
Translation into English:
“Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”
Jews have told the world over and over and over and over and over and over again (and over again) that there is only one God and he is non-corporeal, can never be corporeal and thus not a man or woman nor male or female on any level. He is above time and space yet He is closer than any of us can even begin to imagine.
Any time you see a phrase in the Tanach like ‘the outstretched arm of God’ or ‘God walked in the Garden’ are simply anthropomorphisms of His interactions within this level of reality.
He is unique and cannot be divide into three parts or 10 or a seemingly infinite amount. It can not be done nor will it ever be done. The closest he comes to being anything in this universe is spirit.
This is backed up by the Christian’s replacement Tanach (the New Testament) in John 4:24 which says...
“God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
It’s very difficult to understand this oneness unless you have died, gone to Heaven and have been in His presence, and then were resuscitated back to life, or did an Aliyat Nefesh (soul travel) to Heaven while meditating or asleep, or have simply stepped into His presence fully conscious at His initiative.
Many Jews have suffered and died for not stepping away from this very simple but very powerful line of God’s own words.
The biggest lie told by the Adversary is that man (individually or collectively) can be God. If any Messiah shows up claiming to be such you know you have the wrong one because the real deal is going to say he isn’t. The Rev. Jim Jones and Obama are the Left’s messiahs and look how well they’ve done.
And it’s never kosher to deify a rabbi no matter how great he is even if he has overcome death. Overcoming death is not a qualifier to becoming God. When you receive eternal life (after being ‘saved’) does that mean you are God? Absolutely not.
People ask me about the passage in the ninth chapter of the Isaiah the (Jewish) Prophet, verse 6 which reads...
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
The Messiah will have the problems of Israel on his shoulders because he’ll be in charge. He will be called those names that are listed. Who is calling him those names? God or mankind? Mankind of course!
Even the Lubavitcher Rebbe (aka Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson) was deified and called Messiah by about fifty percent of his followers because how well he knew the Tanach and the small miracles he performed. Even his die-hard followers still insist he’ll re-incarnate soon.
The rabbis say a messiah shows up in every generation but doesn’t make his presence known unless Israel merits it. Will it happen in our time? I hope so just so he can teach the world he isn’t God so this debate can be over and done with for good. People can then quit tying themselves up in knots with doctrines not in line with His words or the interpretation of it handed down since Moses.
If you want to study the Shema more in depth just go ogle it.
Sound as well as BIBLICAL doctrine. Something Jesus, Himself taught, as did His Apostles and disciples after Him.
Wait a sec...YOU ARE a Christian minister with over twenty years of experience or is it the author you posted from???
THE ATHANASIAN CREED
Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith:
Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father: another of the Son: and another of the Holy Spirit.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is: such is the Son: and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father uncreated: the Son uncreated: and the Holy Spirit uncreated.
The Father incomprehensible: the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.
The Father eternal: the Son eternal: and the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.
And also there are not three uncreated: nor three incomprehensibles, but one uncreated: and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty: the Son Almighty: and the Holy Spirit Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties: but one Almighty.
So the Father is God: the Son is God: and the Holy Spirit is God.
And yet they are not three Gods: but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord: the Son Lord: and the Holy Spirit Lord.
And yet not three Lords: but one Lord:
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord:
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion: to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created: but begotten.
The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten: but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers: one Son, not three Sons: one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after another: none is greater, or less than another.
But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.
So that in all things, as aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess: that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.
God, of the Substance of the Father; begotten before the worlds: and Man, of the Substance of His Mother, born into the world.
Perfect God: and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
Equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead: and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood.
Who although He be God and Man; yet He is not two, but one Christ.
One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by taking of the Manhood into God.
One altogether; not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ;
Who suffered for our salvation: descended into hell: rose again the third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty.
From whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies;
And shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting: and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he can not be saved.
I am not even sure how i view the trinity, but i do agree that the teaching is man made because the word is not there.
Although it is not as noticeable as the man made Sunday Sabbath and the collecting of tithes it is still adding to the word of God.
In Deuteronomy 4:19 and Malachi 1:11 God evidently sees it differently.
So, does my going to heaven depend on what I believe regarding the Trinity, or in Whom I believe???