Why I am a 'non-trinitarian' Seventh-Day Adventist (Part 1)
Monday, February 27, 2012
I am Seventh-Day Adventist, but I do not believe in the "trinity" because in my understanding, just as the Adventist pioneers believed, the Bible does not say that God is a "trinity". In this post, and subsequent two posts, I will post my thoughts on what the Bible says who God is.
Firstly, I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). But what does the Bible say who God is? A trinity? The following Bible verses show who God is.
Consider the following verses:
John 17:1-3 (NIV)
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”Notice what our Lord Jesus says who the true God is in
verse 3). Clearly it is the Father.
1 Corinthians 8:6 (KJV)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”Again the Apostle Paul is clearly saying that the Father is
the only God and Jesus is our Lord.
1 John 5:20 (KJV)
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
Notice what John is saying of the true God. Who is the true God and eternal life mentioned in this verse? Clearly, it is the Father.
This theme of who God is constantly shown to light in the Bible. The following is a book by book presentation of verses which show who God is, in addition to the three verses given above.
From the Book of John
John 1:18 (KJV)
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” The Bible is saying that no man has seen God, but God has revealed himself through Jesus.
John 20: 17 (NIV)
“Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Notice “My God”. Why does our Lord Jesus have a God?
From the Book of 1 John
1 John 4:1-3 (Who is the anti-christ?)
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that
does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”
1 John 4:12 (No one has seen God)
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
1 John 4:15 (What are we to confess?)
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.”
1 John 5:20 (Who is the true God and eternal life mentioned in this verse?)
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
From the Book of 2 John
2 John 1:3 (Notice God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ)
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.”
From the Book of Jude
Jude 1:4 (KJV) (Notice that certain men “deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ”)
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
From the Book of Revelation
Rev 1:1 (Notice the opening of the Book of Revelation)
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.”
Rev 3:12 – (Notice “My God”. Why does Jesus have a God?)
“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.”
Rev 4 and Rev 5 (Notice the “One who sits on the throne”, the Lamb who opens the scroll which is in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Notice what Rev 5:13 says
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
Rev 7:10-17 (Notice “Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb”. Notice also God is on the throne and the Lamb is in the midst of the throne).
And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Rev 22:1 (notice the throne of God and the Lamb)
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb”
6 comments:
Greetings Bennett Kankuzi
It is with great joy to discover these wondrous posts written by you. It is so wonderful when one lets the Scriptures speak for themselves, whereby one can clearly see that the doctrine of the trinity is simply not biblical!!
I would like to leave you with the following links which I hope will encourage you:
www.21stcr.org
www.christianmonotheism.com
Also please allow me to make the following comments about your posts.
Although I totally agree with you about the erroneous doctrine of the trinity;
Jesus however was not the 'creator' - he did not literally exist before he was born!
Jesus (like all things foreordained by GOD)
'pre-existed' so to speak, in GOD's counsel and foreknowledge; and came into existence at his virginal conception in the womb of Mary his mother; compare:
1 Peter 1.20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Jesus was foreordained but did not actually exist until his conception!
Therefore, here are some points concerning your posts :-
1) The Greek word used in John 20.17 does not mean 'return'! Therefore the NIV translation of
John 20.17 is incorrect.
The Greek word means to ascend therefore John 20.17 is speaking of Jesus ascending to his/our GOD and Father;
i.e. KJV: Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them,
I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
2) Concerning Isaiah 9.6, please see:
See also Concerning Isaiah 9:6
3) Concerning John 1.1 - This verse doesn't mentioned Jesus at all!! Rather it is about
the word of GOD through which all things came into existence e.g.
Psalm 33.6 By the word of YAHWEH were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. ... 9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
John is stating the very same thing. The new revelation however is the fact that (John 1.14); that same word of GOD became flesh resulting in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of GOD. Jesus, therefore, is what the word of GOD became! The word of GOD made flesh!
(See also Concerning John 1:1)
4) Concerning Colossians Chapter 1, Hebrews 1, and Phil. 2.6; as well as more detail concerning the above points,
please Bennett, prayerfully have a read of the following booklet:
Who Is Jesus? A Plea for a Return to Belief in Jesus the Messiah
I am confident that you will find it illuminating.
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
The Human Jesus
@ Adam Pastor - Thanks a lot for your comment. But how do you explain John 17:5, John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2, Proverbs 8:22-32 etc I find that these verses clearly demonstrate that Christ existed 'physically' well before his virgin birth through Mary.
John 17:5 is talking about Jesus's pre-existence alongside the true God in the heart of God as his plan. Similar to Christians in 2 Tim. 1:9 and Eph. 1:4. They can pray to God to have him restore him to the glory they had with him before the world was. John 1:3 and Hebrews 1:2 are talking about the new creation. Proverbs 8:22-23 is personifying wisdom.
Great work Bennett,
I cannot believe that so many have been deceived by this pagan trinity doctrine that came from sun and Satan worship.
Here is one verse that proves the Holy Spirit cannot be a separate being. If the Holy Spirit was truly a separate being co-equal with the Father and Son as the trinity doctrine claims, then it would be a third being that could reveal the Father and Son, but scripture reveals there are only two literal beings and not a third. “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22
Here are some great pages to support what you have written here.
Page 1. Is the Trinity Biblical
Page 2. The Pagan Origins of the Trinity
Page 3. How the SDA Church got changed to the Trinity
It would be a blessing to see the Seventh Day Adventist Church return to the truth God gave the early pioneers but that may not happen till the very end.
Keep up the great work.
Great to see a well written expose on our historical Adventist beliefs.
Thanks.
Great to see a well written expose on our historical Adventist beliefs.
Thanks.
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