What Does The Bible Say?

Mike Owens


PO Box 852
Albion Mi 49224



http://www.bcity.com/graphotech
DocGraphy@yahoo.com

I believe in the One Ever Living, Eternal God: infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible deity. This One True God has revealed Himself in separate and distinct forms as Father in authority, as Son in redemption and as the Holy Spirit in power; three separate and distinct individuals, originating from the same absolute indivisible essence.
The One True God took upon Himself the form of a man. This form has always been and will always be. He was born of the virgin Mary (or Miriam), grew up and lived His life as a righteous man, and died on the cross for our sins. This same form of a man was totally man and totally God at the same time.

The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old1 Pr 8:22

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jn 1:1

In the preceding section I looked at over sixty-five verses dealing with the implication of a Triune God. None of these verses clearly stated this to be true, but I believe any reasonable study of these verses would lead one to that conclusion. By taking each verse at face value each offers strong, reasonable evidence leading one into this belief or is forcing them to adopt some other belief lacking the strength of this evidence, where manipulation, misrepresentation and forced explanations are required to support it.

Now I will continue this study by showing verses where Christ, through direct statements, is in support of this doctrine. There are over sixty-eight verses, by far the majority (75%) coming from the book of John. If, indeed, this can be shown, then any reasonable person must choose the Triune God explanation of the evidence. I believe this can be shown.

In studying these verses, since they are direct quotes from Christ, one of several explanations must be assumed: First, Christ thought Himself a good teacher and a prophet, that He spoke in words that His listeners could easily understand. This is contradicted over and over in scripture2.But without a parable spoke He not unto them: and when they were alone, He expounded all thing to His disciples. When Christ spoke to the multitudes, He spoke in parables which then had to be explained more directly to His disciples. Further, a good teacher will never use falsehood to teach, and prophets who lied were to be stoned! Therefore, this is not a viable option.
Second, is the option that Christ thought Himself a lesser god not the God, nor equal to God. This is contradicted by scripture, and by Christ Himself. In the eighth chapter of John3, the Jewish leaders were claiming to be teh children of Abraham. Christ said since they did not hear His words, they were not Abraham's children. Then they asked Him point blank, Whom do You make Yourself out to be? Are You greater then our father Abraham, which is dead?...You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? What was His answer to this? Jesus answered,If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing: it is My Father that honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, IAM. In saying this, He not only claimed outright to be God's Son, He established His existence before Abraham, and used the name of God as His own, for this is exactly the same wording used by God when Moses asked who he should say sent him and God told him, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, IAM has sent me unto you4. This is exactly how they perceived His words too, for they tool up stones to cast at Him because He blasphemed by claiming to be God. Therefore, this is not a viable option.
Third, is the option that He spoke and taught what was true, regardless of its consequences, regardless of public opinion, regardless of the latest teachings by teh rabbis. When He spoke to the crouds, He spoke in parables and mysteries, when He spoke to His disciples He spoke directly, explaining His words to them so they would clearly understand. This is the only viable option supported by scripture, this is the only option that will be used in this study which follows.

That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends the rain on the just and the unjust. Mt 5:45

They were to be children of their Father which is in heaven. He is not talking to the crouds here, but to His disciples (5:1), teaching them not to act or react as the world does, but to imitate God. He didn't say, that you may be MY children, or for I make the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, He said your Father which is in heaven. This automatically implies a second separate and distinct individual, this implies a Triune God, and this was spoken to His disciples directly, explained to them so that they would clearly understand what it was He was saying.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. Even so, father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and He to whomever the Son will reveal Him. Mt 11:25-27

Christ had sent seventy of His disciples out to neighboring towns in two's to prepare the way for Him. They had just returned and were excited because the demons were subject to them through the name of Christ. This is in response to their excitement. Two questions need to be asked here:

1) If there is no Triune God, to whom is Christ speaking when He says I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, to Himself? Who delivered all things to Christ if there is no one else to deliver?

2) If He is not speaking to Himself, and if He must reveal God the Father to man, who is Christ to reveal if He is the only God? Doesn't this require at least one other separate and distinct individual, doesn't this require that there be a Triune God?

These are all valid and important questions which must be answered sincerely by those who do not believe in the Trinity of God.

For whoever shall do the will of the Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, an mother. Mt 12:50
Again Christ speaks of God as being His Father. If His intent is to portray God in heaven as being His Father, then He has succedded. If His intent is to only speak in terms that the people could understand and meant that He was just doing the work of God and that God was only His Father figuratively, then He has failed and this would be misleading, and that would be a lie.

For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward every man according to his works. Mt 16:27
This is a prophecy of His returning as reigning King and Judge. But first, He must die on the cross for all mankind and be resurrected on the third day. The point to be made here is this, He died as man for man, willingly giving up His life. He was raised by God5 through the Holy Spirit6. He was raised as a separate and distinct individual from God and the Holy spirit.
And He said unto them, You shall drink indeed of 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 shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father. Mt 20:23
Christ is talking to His disciples about the coming kingdom of God and who shall have what position in that kingdom. What does He say to them? (it) is not Mine to give, ...but is prepared of My Father. This was something Christ did not have authority to give, only God the Father has that authoriy. Isn't this rather misleading if Christ and God are the same individual? Doesn't this of necessity cry for at least two separate and distinct individuals? I think so.

And call no man your Father upon earth for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Mt 23:9
The primary reference here is to the two seats of honor7 held by the leaders of the Sanhedrin. The prince of the Sanhedrin would sit in the midst of two rows of seats occupied by the rest of the members of the Sanhedrin. To his right sat a person called Father, to his left one called Sage, these were very important seats of power, for these two men advised him of all legal matters concerning the Nation. But I believe it had a second, more serious meaning then this8. The word for father not only means to beget someone, but it also means to originate something, to be the head over something, to stand in the place of God. This father is a priest to a god and stands as the head of the whole assembly of followers of that god, but it is not the God.

But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Mt 24:36 (see Mk 13:32)
This is in reference to the end of this age when Christ returns to establish His kingdom here on earth and to gather His Church together to rule with Him9. As God, Christ was and is all knowing, but when He was here on earth as Christ He set aside His Godhood to become as we are and the only part of His God qualities He used is that which is available to us through the Holy Spirit.
Here is a prime example of that, Christ clearly states that He did not have certain knowledge of what would happen in the future or when10, but My Father only. This verse requires two things to be true if it is to be accurate:
First, Christ could not have been all knowing at this time as He definitely would have been if He had not set aside His God qualities.
Second, there must be at least one other member of the Godhead who had this knowledge that He was refering to here.

If either of these things are not true, then the Bible is in error, and therefore can not be the inspired word of God. If both of these things are not true, then Christ is a liar, and can not be God. Both of these possibilities are unthinkable.

He went away again the second time and prayed, O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done. Mt 26:42
This is in the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before His crucifixion. If at no other time in His life, at this moment Christ is totally man, with all the doubts, all the frailties, all the weaknesses, all the fears man possesses. He is desperately feeling the pressure and the burden of the cross and at this moment He is looking for a possible way out, yet still willing to do the total will of God. Need I ask the obvious question here? O My Father...Your will be done, who is Christ praying to? If the answer is anything except to God, then there is something wrong with this verse, for it implies a second separate and distinct individual (with a will of His own) involved.

Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Mt 28:19
This is the Great Commission. We are to make disciples out of the peoples of all nations and we are to do it in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Baptism signifies a full consecration of the person to the service and honor of that Being in whose name they are being baptized. This consecration can not be made to a created being, therefore this verse does not talk of created beings, but of The Creator, God. This consecration can not be made to a specific quality or attribute; therefore this verse does not talk of the different manifestations or offices of God, but of the Being of God. What then is this name?
Many would have us believe that this name is Jesus, but that is not what this verse is saying. It is not a specific name that is of importance here, it is the authority behind that name that is stressed. It is He who has the power and the ability to accomplish His will who we are praying to: YHVH, the self-exisent One, 'Elohim the God that created everything we see, 'Adonai, the Lord of lords and King of kings, Ruler of all the universe; 'ehad, the God of unity. It is through this authority that we pray, the actual formula is unimportant. Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the authority of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Mk 8:38

This is, of course, an end-time prophecy. Whoever is ashamed of Me now, who is Me but the Son of Man, I will be ashamed of him when I come in My Father's glory. It is hard to conceive of someone coming in another's glory without there actually being another someone. Another someone demands a Triune God.

For all these things do the natoions of the world seek: and your Father knows that you have need of these things.
Lk 12:30
This comes from the Sermon on the Mount where Christ was teaching His disciples about Christian living and prayer. Do not be a hypocrite like the world when you worship God, but be true in your spirit like Me. No true Christian will argue that Christ is, was and always will be God, He was God born in the flesh. Yet here He refers to God in the second person: your Father knows, not I know.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. Lk 23:46
No greater testimony can be given by Christ to the Trinity then this statement right here. Throughout history man has vigilantly stood by a loved one's side at the moment of death to witness their last words. So much emphasis is placed on a dying man's last words that men have been convicted and executed on the words of a dying man. Here, in extreme agony and pain, suffering the very worst man had to offer, carrying the sins of the entire world upon His back, lost in despair and grief and feeling separated from God the Father, Christ utters His last words: Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.
If Christ thought Himself a good teacher and a prophet, speaking in words that His listeners could easily understand, then surely His dying words uttered under such extreme conditions would not have reflected this coddling.
If Christ thought Himself a lesser god and not the God, nor equal to God, then He would not have committed Himself to God, but rested on His own merits.
But, if He spoke and taught what was true, regardless of its consequences, regardless of public opinion, regardless of the latest teachings by the rabbis, then He was totally justified by these last words and definitely teaching a Triune Godhead.

And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high. Lk 24:49
The promise of My Father that Christ is talking about here is the Holy Spirit11. Only two things need to be pointed out here to demonstrate the teaching of the Trinity:

Christ said I send the promise, He did not send Himself, He did not send an angel, He sent the promise.
Christ said the promise was from God My Father. There are three separate and distinct individuals mentioned here: God the Father, who had a promise to send; God the Son, who sent the promise; and God the Holy Spirit who was the promise.

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