STILL ON TRINITY

TRINITY: STILL DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

The following is the comment posted on the article “TRINITY: DOES IT MAKE SENSE” by Mick Alexander, a visitor from Brisbane:

“Gen. 1:1 tells us that God created: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’

 “But Job 33:4 tells us that the Spirit created: ‘The Spirit of God has made me.’

 “Then Col 1:16, speaking about Jesus says that He created all things: ‘For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth.’

 “So, because God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus all created they must all be God as only God can create. Only the Trinity can account for this.

“This is only one example of many verses which can only be explained through the doctrine of the Trinity.

“By the way, the word "God" in Hebrew is plural.

God bless,

Mick

Let us answer his questions.

 

NOT ONLY THAT “ONLY GOD CAN CREATE,” BUT ALSO THAT “THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD THAT CREATED ALL THINGS”

In the comment that Mick Alexander posted, he quoted Genesis 1:1 that says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Because of this, in the later part of his comment he concluded that “Only God can create.”

It is true that only God can create the heavens and the earth, but this is only half of the truth that the Bible teaches regarding the Lord God that created the heavens and the earth. The Bible clearly states not only that “only God can create the heavens and the earth,” but also God is alone in creating the heavens and the earth, in creating all things:

“This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,” (Isaiah 44:24 NIV)

The Lord God Himself said, “I am the Lord who made all things, WHO ALONE stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth BY MYSELF.” The Bible also clearly teaches that “no one helped Him” in creating all things, in creating the heavens and the earth:

"I am the LORD, your savior; I am the one who created you. I am the LORD, the Creator of all things. I alone stretched out the heavens; when I made the earth, no one helped me.” (Isaiah 44:24 TEV)

God Himself said. “I am the LORD, the Creator of all things…when I made the earth, NO ONE HELPED ME.”

Thus, Mick’s conclusion that “So, because God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus all created they must all be God (sic) as only God can create. Only the Trinity can account for this” contradicts the teachings of the Bible. Another verse of the Bible which this conclusion contradicts is Isaiah 45:18:

“For this is what the LORD says-- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited-- he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18 NIV)

Thus, in saying that “God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus…they must all be God (sic, “Gods” is much appropriate)” contradicts what God Himself said that “He  who created the heavens, HE IS GOD…I am the LORD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER.” In New English Translation, this is how this version of the Bible translated Isaiah 45:18:

“For this is what the Lord says, the one who created the sky - he is the true od, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited - "I am the Lord, I have no peer.” (Isaiah 45:18 New English Translation)

God said, “I am the Lord, I HAVE NO PEER.” Also in Isaiah 45:21, the Lord God said “there is none but Me”:

“Declare what is to be, present it-- let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.” (Isaiah 45:21 NIV)

Who is the God that created all things and no one else besides Him? This is what is written in Malachi 2:10:

“Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” (Malachi 2:10 NIV)

The testimony of the Bible is very clear: “ONE GOD CREATED US” – THE FATHER. This is also what the apostles of the Lord teach:

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live...” (I Corinthians 8:6 NIV)

Therefore: (1) the belief about the triune God contradicts the teachings of the Bible that there is only one true God and no one lse besides Him; (2) the belief that the Holy Spirit is God and Jesus, the Son, is laso God, contradicts the teachings of the Bible that there is only one true God, the Father alone; and (3) the belief that aside from the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus are also Creators contradicts the teachings of the Bible that there is only One God who alone created the heavens and the earth.

ON JOB 33:4

Does Job 33:4 proves that the Holy Spirit is God and the Creator (or Co-Creator)? Let us first quote the said verse:

“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4 NIV)

These are the words of Elihu, and no where in this verse that says that the Holy Spirit is God or the Holy Spirit is the Creator of heaven and earth, the creator of every thing.

Why is it wrong to understand and conclude that these words of Elihu meant that the Holy Spirit is God? Because it is clearly written in the Bible that there is only one God, the Fathe:

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:1,3 NIV

Why are we sure that these words of Elihu does not also meant that the Holy Spirit is the Creator who created us? Because the Bible clearly teaches that the Father is the one God that created us:

“Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” (Malachi 2:10 NIV)

Why did Elihu said that “the Spirit of God has made me”?

“The Spirit of God made me what I am, the breath of God Almighty gave me life!” (Job 33:4-5 The Message)

When Elihu said that “the Spirit of God has made me,” what he meant is that “the Spirit of God MADE ME WHAT I AM.”

Thus, Job 33:4 does not say that the Holy Spirit is God and the Creator of the heaven and the earth. The Bible will never teach that the Holy Spirit is God because it is clearly written in the Bible that the Father is the only true God.

ON COLOSSIANS 1:16

Mick says that Colossians teaches that Christ Jesus created all things. Let us first see what is written in this verse:

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” (Colosas 1:16 NIV)

For Mick, the phrase “For by him all things were created” means that Jesus Crist “created all things.” However, no where in the verse that says that Christ is God and “he created everything.” The Greek Text of the verse never said that Christ is God, that Christ is the Creator of everything, and that He made everything:

    

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Take note that what the NIV translated as “For by him” is “hoti en auto” in the Greek Text. The literal translation of “hoti en auto” is “For in him.” This is the reason why there are versions of the Bible that traslated Colossians 1:16 as “For in him” like the American Standard Version:

“For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him.” (Colosas 1:16 ASV)

What does “for in him were all things created” means? According to the last part of the verse, “all things have been created through him, and unto him.” Take note that colossians 1:16 also mentioned that “all things have been created through him” which is "ta panta di' autou" in Greek.

“Through him” is “dia auto” in Greek. According to the book Learn to Read Greek New Testament, p. 116, when the Greek “dia” followed by a gentive case (“autou” is in genetive case), it can be translated as “by” (however, the word “through” is more appropriate) but it means “intermediary.” This word means “mediator” according to Merriam dictionary, p. 266. Indeed, Christ is the mediator between the one true God and man:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5 NIV)

Even Bible Scholars attest to this. This is what the book Bible knowledge Commentary states:

    

“The third characteristic of Christ is that by Him all things were created. In fact all things were created by Him (‎di' ‎‎autou‎, instrumental Cause) and for Him (‎eis ‎‎auton‎, final Cause), and in Him (‎en ‎‎auto‎-) they hold together (He is the constituting or conserving Cause). Christ is not only the One through whom all things came to be, but also the One by whom they continue to exist. Two other New Testament verses parallel this description of Christ: "Through Him all things were made" (John 1:3), and Christ the Son is the One "through whom [the Father] made the universe" (Heb 1:2). The Father, then, is the ultimate Source (efficient Cause), and the Son is the mediating Cause of the world.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries.)

Thus,  Colossians 1:16 does not teach that Christ created all things, but that “all things were made through Him and for Him” that Christ will mediate them to God as the mediator between God and man.

MULTIPLE VERSES OF THE BIBLE THAT PROVE

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY?

It is true that Trinitarians used many verses of the Bible to prove that “Trinity” is biblical (e.g. Genesis 1:26, Matthew 28:19, and I John 5:7). However, careful study of these verses will show you that nowhere in those verses you could read “Trinity” and “Triune God,” that there are God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and that there are three persons in one God.

Also, no matter how many verses they will use to prove that there are three persons in one God, how could they reconcile the belief in Triune God with multiple verses of the Bible that say that there is only one true God, the Father and no one else besides Him.

THE WORD “GOD” IN HEBREW

Lastly, Mick says “By the way, the word "God" in Hebrew is plural.” So, following what Mick said, because the Hebrew word for “God” is plural, thus it should be translated as “Gods.”

The plural form of the Hebrew word for God, does not prove that there are three persons in one God, because for the Trinitarians, God is only one in three persons. If you say plural, it’s not one God in three persons, but more than one God.

The Hebrew words for God are “El,” “Eli,” and “Eloah.” Another Hebrew word for God is “Elohim” which is plural in form. However, although “Elohim” is plural in form, it does not mean that there is more than one God or there are three persons in one God. Take note of what the Bible says in Isaiah 45:18 and 21-22:

“For this manner says Yahweh who created the heavens, the Elohim who formed the earth and made it, who established it and created it not a waste, who formed it to be inhabited. I am Yahweh and there is no one else.

“Declare you, and bring it forth, yes let them take counsel together: who has showed this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Have not I, Yahweh? And there is no Elohim else besides me, a just El and a Savior; there is no one besides me. Look to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am El, there is no one else” (Isaiah 45:18 and 21-22 Bethel Edition)

Although the Hebrew word “Elohim” is plural in form, but the Bible attests that “Elohim” is “a just El,” He is Yahweh, and “no Elohim besides Him.” He is “El” (God) and there is no one else. If “Elohim” is only one true God, and no one else besides Him, why is “Elohim” plural in form?

“The form Elohim, when used of the God of Israel, is a plural of majesty.  The Israelites, however, used Elohim for their one and only God, who excludes all other genuine deities.  He is seen as the creator God endowed with all-embracing power, the ruler of absolute will.”(New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5.  Nihil Obstat: John P. Whalen, M. A., STD. Censor Deputatos; Imprimatur: Patrick A. O’Boyle, D. D.)

The Hebrew word “Elohim” is plural in form, but not because it’s plural in number, but because it’s “a plural of majesty.” The Israelites used “Elohim” for their one and only God. Because of this fact, Bible scholars admit that the use of the plural “Elohim” cannot be cited in support if the trinity doctrine”.

“…In view of this, the use of the plural “Elohim,” when referring to Jehovah, cannot be cited in support of the trinity doctrine. Furthermore, when trinitarians, who oppose polytheism, argue that “Elohim,” when referring to the true God, signifies the numerical plural ‘gods,’ they make themselves polytheists, contrary to the definition of their trinity doctrine that there are three persons in one God, not three gods.” [Aid to Bible Understanding (USA: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1971), p. 514]

Conclusion

In light of these facts, we can boldly say that Trinity still does not make sense.