Unity / Trinity of God
The unity of God is a fundamental and cardinal first principle which has suffered attack from all sides by those who do not know him.
His unity is set forward in clear, emphatic language that defies distortion. The fact that God was one God was in sharp contrast to the beliefs of the surrounding nations.
Abraham was called out of the idolatrous city of Ur of the Chaldees, and we find from Genesis 14:22 his description of the God who had called him. He says, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth. Melchizedek who blessed Abraham uses the same words.
Moving on to Exodus we find Israel in Egypt where a multiplicity of gods was worshipped. The 10 plagues were directed against these gods to demonstrate the supremacy of the one true God. In Exodus 20 we find the fact that there is only one true God reinforced in the 10 commandments. The first of these reads "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Ex 20:2,3
In the book of Deuteronomy we have Moses recalling these great events and reinforcing this fundamental principle.
Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord, He is God; there is none else beside him ...the Lord He is God...there is none else (Deut 4:35,36,39)
Hear O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord. (Deut 6:4) These words carry the seal of authority from Jesus himself in Mark 12:29 and he calls it 'the first of all the commandments'.
This is why then we emphasise the fundamental importance of this subject.
The same truth we shall discover in the times of Israel's monarchy 400 years later. David still holds to the same conception. (II Sam 7:22), as does Solomon (I Kings 8:60)and Hezekiah (II Kings 19:15).
Nevertheless Israel, surrounded by idolatrous nations, wanted to be the same as everyone else and repeatedly degenerated into the worship of many different gods. Isaiah the prophet expostulates against this utter foolishness and in chapter 43 and 44 there are some majestic passages setting out the uniqueness of Israel's God.
Isaiah 43:10,11 There was none before God, and none to arise after him. Even God's well beloved Son could not be spoken of on an equality with God himself, but more on that another time.
Chapter 44 continues with the same theme of God's supremacy, acknowledged by all his true followers. The fact that he alone could declare the future showed his omnipotence, verse 7, and his way with Israel constituted this remarkable people his witnesses, verse 8.
"...Is there a god beside me? Yea there is no God.." How foolish then, to worship as God an image made by the smith and the carpenter, from the same materials as were used to burn for warmth, and on which to cook food.
Other refs: Is 45:5,21,22; Jer 10:2-10; Joel 2:27;
Finally we refer to Zechariah who soars into the future in his prophecy, "And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord and His name One."
From these passages it is quite clear that the Bible teaches of only one God.
All historians agree that this was the leading belief of the people. "it was the proud boast of the Jew, who among all nations of antiquity gloried in being a monotheist", ie a believer in one god. "The chosen people presented to the world the example of a pure monotheism. And in the active times which preceded and followed the birth of Christ, those Greeks and Romans who visited the Jews in their own land where they lingered at the portals of the East, and those vast numbers of proselytes whom the dispersed Jews had gathered around them in various countries were made familiar with the worship of One God and Father of all".
These then were the beliefs of people which Christ and the apostles did not attempt to alter. The one true God the OT is equally the one true God the New.
Christ reiterates the old teaching, we have already referred to Mark 12. We shall now quote the apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians in the first epistle, those who had come out from the pantheism of Greece and Rome with their multitude of absurd and imaginary deities.
... To us there is but one God, the Father... and one Lord Jesus Christ ..I Cor 8:5-6
The clear distinction in rank between God and His Son is also affirmed in the eleventh chapter
... the head of Christ is God ... I Cor 11:3
Again we find the same distinction in Timothy
There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Tim 2:5)
Finally we may refer to the 6th chapter of this epistle to notice how supremacy of God is set out
I Tim 6:14-16
Paul refers to the appearing of the Lord Jesus, the Greek is epiphaneion, meaning ?shining forth, his second coming to the earth in glory, which appearing God will show in his own times, or alternatively, its own times, ie the due and proper date for this to take place in the Divine calendar. God will bring about this manifestation, God the blessed and only Potentate, the king of kings and lord of lords. In the Psalms he is referred to as God of gods and Lord of Lords - such language brooks no equal. He only, says Paul, hath immortality or deathlessness -dwelling in light unapproachable by man, whom no man hath seen nor can see.
The Introduction Of The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Now we have outlined the simple teaching of the unity of God, that there is one God, even the Father. There is one Lord Jesus Christ, he is the son of God, he was created and had a beginning when born of the virgin Mary.
God's power is spoken of as his spirit, or sometimes the Holy Spirit. The personage of God the Holy Ghost" does not exist in the Bible, neither can we find the phrase "god the Son". Instead we find that the spirit was operative upon Mary, which was the reason why the child to be born was called the Son of God.
We will look in much more detail at the Spirit and the Son of God on another occasion, God willing, but for now we ask you to contrast these simple ideas with the articles of religion of the church of England which requires faith in the Holy Trinity.
"There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or passions; of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost".
The Westminster Confession of Faith reads
"In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power and eternity; God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten not proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.
Before attempting to reason further from the scriptures we wish to consider the origin of the mysterious doctrine of the Trinity.
We repeat, it has no foundation in the Bible. Pick up a concordance and in vain you will search for such a word.
The sacred writers, be it the Apostles, Moses, the prophets or the words of Jesus himself contain no trace of a trinity, blessed trinity or a holy trinity at all.
When then did the idea of a Trinity come along?
The worship of a trinity is a Pagan superstition.
We quote from one writer who says "The Papacy has in some of its churchses as for instance, in the monastery of the so called trinitarians of Madrid, an image of the triune god, with three heads on one body. The Babylonians had something of the same. Mr Layard in his last work has given a specimen of such a triune divinity, worshipped in ancient Assyria."
Other examples can be given to prove that the doctrine of the trinity was part of the idolatrous worship of ancient nations. It was adopted from paganism into an apostate Christian church.
They had their trinities in ancient Egypt. Osiris, Isis and Horus. They divided their god Horus into 3 parts or persons:
Horus - the King
Horus - Ra
Horus - the Scarabaeus
and other of their gods in a similar manner
So we see that Moses who was the scripture says, learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, would be conversant with such things, but against such discredited gods he teaches Israel that the Lord our God is one Lord.
In India we find in the earlier Hindu mythology, that of the "Vedas" about 1000BC, the chief gods were:
Agni - ie Fire, presiding over the earth
Indra - the Firmament, presiding over the mid-air
Surya - The Sun. presiding over the Heavens
These three are asserted over and over again to be forms of One God.
The word for prayer is "brahm" and a prayer-bearer (or priest) is a "brahman". Gradually we understand, the idea of prayer became personified until Brahma became the chief god in the Hindu pantheon. The 'trimurti' or trinity was then:
Brahma - the creative power
Vishnu - the preserving power
Siva - the transforming power
Thus the powers developed into a trinity of Gods
Plato, the philosopher of Athens in the fourth century BC (360) was the connecting link between the mystic philosophy of the Egyptians, and that of his successor Philo. After studying under Socrates, in Greece, he travelled to Egypt, where he became imbued with Oriental allegorical practice. He adopted the Egyptian idea of the threefold existence:
The first cause (Agathon - ?)
The reason (Logos)
The soul, or spirit of the Universe
After his death his disciples personified these three principles as three gods united with each other.
Now here is the starting point for the corruption of Christianity.
As the historian Gibbon said with a sneer, The Greek philosopher, Plato, marvellously anticipated one of the most surprising discoveries of the Christian revelation" while Augustine tells us in his confessions that he found the true doctrine concerning the Logos in a Latin translation of some Platonic writings which the providence of God 'had thrown in his way'. Speaking of those ancient philosophers who were particularly admired by the later Platonists, he says: "If these men could revive and live over again their lives with us, with the change of few words and sentences they would become Christians, as very many Platonists of our own time have done."
The doctrine of the young church in about AD120 is contained in what is known as the Apostles Creed which runs as follows: I believe in God the Father Almighty: Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; **; the third day he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.
**he descended into hell
Those who know the Creed well will have noticed that one clause was omitted, namely, He descended into hell, which is not found in the Nicene Creed; the reason for its omission being that is it is tautological and a late interpolation. In Bible language when you have said Jesus Christ was buried you have in effect said, He descended into hell, but with that exception we believe the Creed is perfectly acceptable.
As we see there is absolutely no idea of a Trinity, and not only is it true that the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, it should also be noted that is does not appear in Christian literature until the end of the second century.
The word to express the idea developed gradually as the doctrine itself evolved. The first mention of a word at all similar is made by Theophilus, bishop of Antioch around AD 170 who says, "In like manner also the three days which were before the luminaries, are types of the Triados (or Trias) of God and His word, and His wisdom". Obviously this is far removed from any doctrine of the Trinity, this is merely a comparison of certain phases of creation with certain phases or attributes of God.
It was some 30 years later that Tertullian introduced the word 'Trinitas', which was common in the writings of the philosophers. However neither Tertullian, nor Clement AD215, nor Origen AD230, were Trinitarians. Origen writes 'The Father is alone God, and greater than him who was sent.' It is not until the fourth century that the Trinitarians are in the ascendent.
Dean Milman also writes of this same period that:
The Trinitarians presented a ridiculous spectacle in arguing how three could only be one, and one could truly be three each and all co-equal and co-eternal. Comedians were presenting burlesuqes of the controversy on the stage at Alexandria in Egypt. Thus the whole foolery of a son being the same age as his father was held up to ridicule, and religion was brought into contempt.
Those who denied the doctrine were called Arians
In 325AD Constantine called a council. There, with much disputation, by a majority votethe nucleus of the Nicene Creed was formulated. "I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Begotten of His Father - so far so good but now we start to see the embelishments - before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made.....And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son....
By AD381 Theodosius, the Emperor of Rome commanded all to bow the knee to this mystery of mysteries. Gibbon observes:
"Theodosius declared his resolution of expelling, from all churches in his dominions, the bishops and clergy who should obstinately refuse to believe, or at least to profess, the doctrine of the Council of Nice. His lieutenant Saport was armed with the ample powers of a general law, a special commission, and a military force.... In the space of 15 years, Theodosian promulgated at least 15 severe edicts against the heretics; more especially against those who rejected the doctrine of the Trinity; and to deprive them of every hope of escape, he sternly enacted that, if any laws or rescripts should be alleged in their favour, the judges should consider them as the illegal productions of either fraud or forgery.
Finally in about the 5th century the Athenasian creed was produced, which perhaps above all other defines the doctrine of the Trinity. It goes like this:
The Catholick 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 Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son: and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal: The Son eternal: and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. As there are not three incomprehensibles: nor three uncreated: but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet there are not three Almighties: but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three gods: but one God.....And in this Trinity none is afore, or other after: none is greater or less than other: But the whole Persons are co-eternal, together: and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved: must think thus of the Trinity.
Chronology of the doctrine of the Trinity
| AD1 | Monotheism the boast and glory of the Jews. (Note Jews never charged Jesus of the Apostles with originating any new theory about the God-head) |
| 29 | "The first commandment is 'The Lord our God is one Lord'" - Jesus |
| 32 | "I ascend unto your Father and my Father, your God and my God" - Jesus |
| 57 | "To us there is but One God, the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ" - Paul |
| 120 | "I believe in God the Father Almighty..and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit" - Apostles Creed |
| 150 | Platonic teaching corrupts Christian simplicity - Justin Martyr |
| 170 | 'Trias' first occurs in Christian literature - Theophilus, bishop of Antioch |
| 200 | 'Trinitas' first used by Tertullian |
| 230 | Prayers not to be offered to Christ - Origen |
| 260 | Father, Son and Holy Spirit three names for the same God - Sabellius |
| 300 | No trinitarian form of prayer yet known to the Church |
| 310 | "Christ never calls himself God" - Lactantius |
| 320 | "Christ teaches us to call his Father 'The True God' and to worship Him - Eusebius |
| 325 | Christ ' God of God: very God of very God' - Nicene Council |
| 350 | Great conflicts in the church about the doctrine of the Trinity |
| 370 | The finishing touch to the doctrine of "three persons in one God" given by the Council of Constantinople |
| 381 | The emperor Theodosius threatens to punish all who will not believe in and worship the Trinity. (From this date Arianism declines) |
| 451 | The doctrine of the two natures of Christ an established dogma |
| 529 | Doxology ordered to be sung in all churches |
| 666 | Clergy commanded to commit to memory the Athenasian creed |
We opened by quoting the words of God through Jeremiah, "Thus saith the Lord.... let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth and understandeth Me."
Frankly which can you understand, the simple teaching concerning the unity and the attributes of God or the doctrine of the Trinity. Can you understand a God that is three and yet one, and one and yet three? Can you understand a Son who existed before he was born? Can you understand a Son who is as old as his Father? Can you understand the incomprehensible?
Now as our topic for study is so considerable and so important we are reserving a consideration of the Biblical usage of the word 'spirit' and Holy Spirit and the question of whether Jesus had any existence before his birth for future occasions. We can then decide whether either could be the member of a trinity.