Print Page | Add To Favorites | Close Window | Send To A Friend | Save This Page
FAQ # 134
QUESTION 134 : Where did you get this Trinitarian terminology (Trinity) from
if not the Bible and if not from resorting to history, as you have testified
you have not done?
Tom's reply:-
Bible
As a matter of fact, the word Bible
is in the Bible. The word "Bible" is merely an anglicized version
of the Greek word "biblos" which is found 16 times in
14 verses, and its plural "biblion" beginning with Matthew 1:1
is found 30 times in 27 passages in the New Testament. Webster's- "Bible...
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin biblia,
from Greek, plural of biblion book, diminutive of byblos
papyrus, book, from Byblos." Therefore, to say "Bible"
isn't in the Bible is simply a false and misleading statement. Additionally
such a statement is akin to denying and disallowing that the scriptures
were commissioned to be written to, which would necessarily require it
being translated into, all the peoples of all languages of the world.
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great
multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty
thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God OMNIPOTENT (G#3841 pantokrator) reigneth.
Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and
which is to come, the Almighty (S#3841. pantokrator, the
all-ruling, i.e. God as absolute and universal sovereign: --Almighty,
Omnipotent.).
Saying "omnipotence" isn't
in the bible is like saying, "brings" or "comes" is
not in the Bible. The word "Omnipotent" is very clearly in the
bible, and "Omnipotence" is merely a form of the word "omnipotent."
Also, the definition of "omnipotence" is stated in scripture.
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power (exousia) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Oneness
God is called "One" 45
times in the Bible and "Holy One" 48 times in the Bible.
Webster's- "Oneness... the
quality or state or fact of being one…
The word "Oneness" is
merely a derivative of the word "One" which the Bible clearly
declares God to be in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, even relegating such
a statement to the first commandment-
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the
commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Not just "one" God, but
the Lord our God is ONE LORD. There is only ONE LORD-
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
1 Cor 8:6 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.
Jesus commended Thomas for not making
a distinction between the two-
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My
Lord AND my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou
hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
1 Cor 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether
in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 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.
7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge...
Jesus said, John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Pentecostal
This experience are as follows,
1 Cor 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and
forbid not (double negative) to speak with tongues.
1 Cor 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it
be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one
interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church;
AND LET HIM SPEAK to himself, and to God.
Jesus took this concept one step
further, making worshipping "in Spirit" imperative-
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST WORSHIP
HIM IN SPIRIT AND in truth.
In the book of Acts we find that
Peter had this to say- Acts 2:33 Therefore
being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the
Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth THIS, WHICH YE
NOW SEE AND HEAR.
In the book of Acts, the same gift
of the Holy Ghost, and the same "which ye now see and hear"
is being manifested-
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed
were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles
also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 FOR THEY HEARD THEM speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
have received the Holy Ghost AS WELL AS WE?
The word "Pentecostal"
has merely come to mean those who have gone back to [believing] a purely
and clearly biblically stated doctrine of receiving the Gift of the Holy
Ghost in the same manner in which it was first shed on the day of Pentecost,
which is with speaking in tongues [God choose this particular day because
years before on this day God gave the children of Israel the Law through
Moses. He later prophesied that he would do the same thing in our hearts
(Due 30:6, Eze 36:27). He in fact did that on the day of Pentecost for
the first time, evidence by manifestations. Since we know that a person
cannot wait until the next day of Pentecost or that God would do this
only on that day, those who experience it are called Pentecostals, in
reference to the Biblical term Pentecost – Acts 2. You could say Pentecostal
is like a connotation of Pentecost; Pentecost being the day and
Pentecostals being those descendants of the Acts 2 day of Pentecost experience.
Similar to how Yahovah-Shalom is a connotation of Yahovah. But were does
Trinity comes from? Which Bible word or meaning is it derived from? None!].
Here is Pentecost in scripture:
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and
it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost, and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue
will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause
the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:
This event was a fulfillment of
the law being written on the heart, as was prophesied by God to His people-
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house
of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of
Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them,
saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their
God, and they shall be my people.
This is exactly what God does when
He gives the baptism of the Holy Ghost-
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as
ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered
by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living
God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect.
Apostolic
This is another word that is merely
derived from a biblical word- Apostle. The word is used to differentiate
those who follow in the Apostle's doctrine; from those who don't, which
we are warned there will be-
2 Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother
that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received
of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not
ourselves disorderly among you;
The LORD adds to the church those that follow in the Apostle's doctrine-
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers...
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved.
To not follow in the Apostles (Apostolic)
example is to lose one's soul-
1 Tim 1:3 As I besought thee... that thou mightest charge
some that they teach no other doctrine,
Phil 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be
thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal
even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the
same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk
so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you
even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose
glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
[Saying apostolic doctrine instead
of “Apostles’ Doctrine,” as stated in scripture, is like saying Biblical
term instead of Bible terminology. Or, the Spirit of the Lord instead
of God’s Spirit. Same thing though stated slightly different. No such
occurrences in scripture with Trinity.]
Incarnation
Here is a word that simply symbolizes
a CLEARLY AND SPECIFICALLY STATED scriptural doctrine-
Webster's- "in·car·na·tion... 1 a (1) : the embodiment of a deity or spirit
in some earthly form (2) capitalized : the union of divinity
with humanity in Jesus Christ."
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth.
Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary:
for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know
not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore
also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God.
This is a clearly stated Biblical
doctrine that needs NO extra-biblical interpretations to defend, define
or declare. I have not put any words in God's mouth in which to state
it. [The word incarnation is simply the English word for this biblically
stated doctrine; as the term “Annunciation” is used to describe the angel Gabriel's announcement to
the Virgin Mary of the Incarnation - The act of announcing. This was and is not the case with the Trinity!]
Trinity
Then we come to the words that are
used to defend, define and declare the Trinity doctrine. Trinity, holy Trinity, Divine Trinity, Triune, Three-in-one,
Three-of-one, God-the-Son, God-the-Holy-Ghost, Separate Persons, Separate
Egos, Separate Individualities, Divine Plurality, Divine Individuality,
Divine Unity, Mystery-above-reason, Eternal Son.
Philosophers who were specifically
and deliberately attempting to reconcile pagan polytheistic thought with
the Bible- introduced the terminology, and the concept of Trinity itself,
to Christianity. This is a clearly documented, verifiable historic fact.
"The first Christian to use Greek philosophy in the service
of the Christian faith WAS JUSTIN MARTYR (martyred c. 162-168)...
this was carried on in the Greek speaking world by Clement Of Alexandria
(c. 150-c. 215), a persuasive Christian Humanist, and by the greatest
of the Alexandrian Christian teachers, Origen (c.184-254)... The Greek philosophical theology that developed during the Trinitarian
controversies over the relationships among the persons of the
Godhead, which were settled at the ecumenical councils of Nicea (325)
and Constantinople (381), owed
a great deal to Origen... Its greatest representatives on the
orthodox side were the three
Christian Platonist theologians of Cappadocia, Basil of Caesarea
(c. 330-379), Gregory of Nazianus (c. 330-390), and Basil's brother Gregory
of Nyssa (died 394)...Each of the great Christian
Platonists understood Platonism and applied it to the understanding of
his faith in his own individual way; and of no one of them
was this more true than of Augustine... In his anthropology, Augustine was firmly Platonist... In his theology, insofar
as Augustine's thought about
God was Platonic, he conformed fairly closely to the general
pattern of Christian Platonism... Perhaps the
most distinctive influence of Plotinian Neoplatonism on his thinking about
God was in his Trinitarian theology..." -Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 4, page 542-543.
{Source: Tom R.}
Go to top of Page | Get the Book | Buy it here or here or here or here | More FAQ's