30 Trinitarian Errors Page 2

8 - "Jesus is GOD, because he is "not of this world""

The truth is:

The word world (Old Greek kosmos) has various meanings in the Bible. It can refer to the physical, material world (the earth) as well as to a sinful society that has fallen away from GOD and thus encompasses everything that contradicts GOD's will. When Jesus says that he is not of this world, he is referring to a person's inner spiritual disposition, not to an extraterrestrial location. A worldly person thinks and acts predominantly according to the flesh, while spiritual people behave in accordance with the nature and will of their Creator. Jesus had a pure heart and always acted spiritually, or divinely (Matthew 16,23). GOD's kingdom and the world are two opposing realms that are incompatible with one another. Jesus' statement that he is not of this world expresses his belonging to GOD, thereby simultaneously distinguishing himself from the sinful world. Regarding his disciples, Jesus also says that they are not of this world (John 15,19 / John 17,14). After Jesus cleansed them through his word, they too no longer belonged to the world, but—just like Jesus—to GOD (John 15,3 / Ephesians 5,26). GOD did not send Jesus from heaven to earth, but into the world—that is, to people who did not know GOD (John 3,16-17 / John 12,46 / John 18,37). Likewise, Jesus sends his disciples into the world to proclaim the good news to them, so that they might turn from the world—that is, from the influence of Satan—to GOD (John 17,18 / John 20,21 / Acts 26,17-18).

see commentary on...

John 8,23:

ye are of this world; I am not of this world

John 16,28:

I leave the world, and go to the Father

________________________________

9 - "Jesus is GOD, because he cals himself "good""

The truth is:

In Mark 10,18, Jesus says that no one is good (Old Greek: kalos) except GOD. In John 10,11, Jesus calls himself the good Shepherd (Old Greek: kalos poimēn). This fact does not make Jesus GOD. Jesus explains that only GOD is good in the absolute sense, since He is the source of love and all goodness. Nevertheless, people are also described as good (kalos) (Matthew 12,35). That Jesus is the good Shepherd expresses that he practices law and justice and always has the well-being of His sheep in mind (Jeremia 3,15). In doing so, Jesus simultaneously distinguishes himself from the Pharisees, who only sought their own advantage and were truly indifferent to the well-being of others.

see commentary on...

John 10,11-15:

I am the good shepherd

________________________________

10 - "Jesus is GOD, because he shares the same titles with GOD"

The truth is:

There are several terms in the Bible that are used for both GOD and Jesus. Since GOD saves through Jesus (Jude 1,25) and judges (Romans 2,16), both are called Savior (Hoshea 13,4 / 2nd Peter 3,18) and Judge (Hebrews 12,23 / 2nd Timothy 4,1 / Acts 17,31). GOD is light. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus also refers to his disciples as such (Matthew 5,14 / John 8,12 / 1st John 1,5). The term shepherd is also used for both GOD (Psalm 23,1) and for human shepherds like Jesus (Ezekiel 34,23-24 / John 10,11) and elders of the church (Acts 20,28). The title King of Kings and Lord of Lords is also used for GOD the Father (1st Timothy 6,15), for Jesus (Revelation 17,4 / Revelation 19,16), and for other people such as Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (Ezekiel 26,7 / Daniel 2,37), and the Medo-Persian king Artaxerxes (Ezra 7,12). In Nebuchadnezzar's case, it was even GOD himself who bestowed this title upon him.

In several places in the Bible, GOD is called Holy (1st Samuel 2,2 / Isaiah 30,15) and True (Romans 3,4 / 1 John 5,20). Believers are also called to be holy (1st Peter 1,15 f.) and truthful (Ephesians 4,15), although only GOD is holy in the absolute sense. To live a holy life means to follow GOD's commandments and avoid sin. To be truthful means to speak the truth and at the same time resist lies and hypocrisy (Psalm 15,2 f.). Jesus proved himself to be both: holy and blameless, as well as truthful and without deceit (1st Peter 2,22). Unlike many scribes, Jesus always taught people GOD's Word and His will according to the truth. In doing so, Jesus showed no favoritism (Mark 12,14). This makes Jesus the ideal judge before GOD. Therefore, this is the appropriate title of honor for the Son of GOD.

The title First and Last, which both GOD and Jesus bear, expresses the uniqueness of a person in relation to a particular matter. In five of the seven verses, there is a supplement to the sentence that further describes the meaning of the title or specifies in what respect GOD and Jesus are First and Last, or unique. While this title, in the case of GOD, refers to His uniqueness as GOD and Creator as well as His omnipotence (Isaiah 44,6 / Isaiah 48,12 / Revelation 1,8 / Revelation 21,6 f.), in the case of Jesus it refers to His resurrection (Revelation 2,8). It states that Jesus is the only human being who was dead and raised (by GOD) to immortal life, and that only He alone received the authority (from GOD) to raise the rest of the dead.

All these titles are to be understood in an absolute sense when referring to GOD, but in a subordinate sense when referring to Jesus. GOD the Father is the supreme authority. This means that there is no one who is above GOD or possesses greater power than He. GOD, the Most High, made His human Son Jesus His supreme representative (1st Corinthians 15,27 f. / Philippians 2,9-11) and gave Him all authority (Matthew 28,18 / John 3,35). Jesus is above all people and, since His resurrection, even above the angels of GOD (Hebrews 2,7). Therefore, the fact that GOD and Jesus bear the same titles does not mean that Jesus is GOD.

see commentary on...

Luke 1,46 f.:

And my spirit hath rejoiced in GOD my Saviour

John 10,11-15:

I am the good shepherd

Titus 2,13:

our great GOD and Saviour Jesus Christ

2nd Peter 1,1:

of our GOD and Saviour Jesus Christ

Revelation 1,17 f.:

I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One

Revelation 3,7:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David

________________________________

11 - "Jesus is GOD, because he is called "the Spirit"

The truth is:

In John 4,24, Jesus explains that GOD is spirit (Old Greek: pneuma). The word pneuma is also used for the Holy Spirit. Unlike us humans, who are made of flesh and blood, GOD is invisible and immaterial (Romans 1,20). Angels are also described as spirits (pneuma) (Hebrews 1,14). In several places in the New Testament, we read that believers are also spirits (pneuma) (John 3,6 / 1st Corinthians 6,17). This clarifies that not every spiritual being is GOD. Jesus himself is repeatedly referred to as the spirit (pneuma) (1st Corinthians 15,47 / Revelation 2,7 + 17 + 29 / Revelation 3,6 + 13 + 22). Jesus even uses the word spirit (pneuma) to describe his own words. In 1st Corinthians 15,45, Paul explains that Jesus, the last Adam, became (Old Greek: egeneto) a life-giving Spirit, just as the first man, Adam, became (egeneto) a living soul. The context makes it clear that this statement refers to Jesus' resurrection. This contradicts the idea that Jesus was already spirit before his birth. From 1st Corinthians 15,46 f., it is evident that Paul applies the word spirit to the new, glorified body of Jesus. Believers, too, will one day be resurrected with a spiritual body of glory (1st Corinthians 15,45), like the angels (Matthew 22,30) and like the Son of GOD (Philippians 3,20 f.). 2nd Corinthians 3,17 f. does not state that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are identical, as the two are universally distinguished. Furthermore, this would contradict the Trinitarian creed, according to which Jesus and the Holy Spirit are different divine persons.

see commentary on...

Genesis 1,2:

and the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the waters

Job 33,4:

The Spirit of GOD has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life

Isaiah 48,16:

And now the Lord and His Spirit have sent me

2nd Corinthians 3,17 f.:

Now the Lord is the Spirit

Revelation 2,7:

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches

________________________________

12 - "Jesus is GOD, because he is the "firstborn""

The truth is:

The fact that Jesus is called the firstborn (Old Greek: prōtotokos) has nothing to do with Jesus' nature or his supposed pre-existence. This term is used throughout the Bible to refer to people. Besides Jesus, Israel (Genesis 4,22), King David (Psalm 89,28), and all believers (James 1,18 / Hebrews 12,23 / Revelation 14,4) are also called firstborn. The firstborn of a family had the privilege of inheriting before all other children. He had a higher position than his siblings and precedence over them. The firstborn son of a king was considered his heir to the throne. GOD has made Jesus the supreme king on earth. It is Jesus' position as the supreme human ruler, as well as his pioneering role (Romans 8,29), that distinguishes him from his brothers; not his nature.

That Jesus is the firstborn of all creation clearly expresses that Jesus himself is part of creation. Furthermore, the word prōtotokos implies a beginning. This contradicts the idea that Jesus existed before he was begotten by the Father. The word “before” (all creation), as it appears in some translations, does not occur in the original text. If Jesus were GOD, it would be unnecessary to emphasize that he existed before all creation, since GOD is without beginning. Jesus has precedence over all other believers in two respects: First, GOD made him alone Lord and Judge over all of His creation (Acts 2,36). Second, Jesus is the first person whom GOD raised from the dead to immortal life. Because Jesus fulfilled GOD's will, he received the privilege of being the first to rise from the dead before all the saints. All others were to follow him at his second coming. If Jesus were GOD and therefore Creator, it would be unnecessary to write that he is the beginning of everything.

see commentary on...

Colossians 1,15-20:

He is the image of the invisible GOD

Hebrews 1,1-12:

when GOD brings his firstborn into the world

________________________________

13 - "Jesus is GOD, because he "dwells" in the believers"

The truth is:

There are several Bible passages that speak of GOD being in Christ (John 14,10 / 2nd Corinthians 5,19). Elsewhere it says that Christ dwells in believers (Galatians 2,20 / Colossians 1,27). This mutual indwelling (a Semitic expression) between GOD and Jesus, or between Jesus and believers, expresses a spiritual unity based on faithfulness and obedience. To be in Christ means to keep GOD's commandments and to live as Jesus lived. Because Jesus obeyed the Father's commandments, he was in the Father and the Father in him; that is, they were united (John 15,9 f.). If we obey Jesus' commandments, then we also remain in him and he in us; that is, we remain united (John 15,7 / 1st John 2,3-6). In this way, we can enter into an intimate relationship with GOD and Jesus, as if we were living together in the same house and sharing a life together (John 14,23). Being in Christ does not mean that we are GOD or Christ. The fact that GOD was in Christ and Christ is in us does not mean that Jesus is GOD; especially since Jesus spoke even before his glorification of his disciples remaining in him and he in his disciples (John 15,1-8). Therefore, this cannot be taken literally. It says that in Adam all die (1st Corinthians 15,22). No one would therefore claim that Adam is not human. Paul explains that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3,17). Being in Christ means fully identifying with Jesus, or becoming one with him, as if Jesus himself were acting through us; just as Jesus made himself one with the Father, as if the Father himself were acting through Christ (2nd Corinthians 5,19 f.).

GOD dwelt and worked through His Holy Spirit in Christ. Since Jesus and the Father are of one mind, Christ now also dwells and works in a figurative sense through the Holy Spirit in believers. This does not mean that Jesus as a person literally dwells in us. Jesus is the example to which all Christians should become like. However, it is the Holy Spirit of the Father, whom Jesus poured out on his disciples at Pentecost, who brings about this inner transformation; not Jesus. Unlike Jesus, the Holy Spirit can dwell in any number of people (Numbers 11,17 / 1st Corinthians 6,19). Moreover, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are nowhere equated, but are clearly distinguished from one another. The Holy Spirit embodies the personal presence of Christ in the life of every believer (John 14,18-21 / Galatians 2,20 / Colossians 1,27). He takes over the role that Jesus previously held while he was with his disciples. This consists of teaching, guiding, reminding, and glorifying Jesus among believers (John 14,26 / John 15,26 / John 16,13). The goal of faith is complete spiritual unity between GOD, Jesus, and all Christians (John 17,11 + 21 + 26).

see commentary on...

John 14,23:

we will come to them and make our home with them

John 16,13-15:

He (the Holy Spirit) will not speak on his own (...) it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you

2nd Corinthians 3,17 f.:

Now the Lord is the Spirit

2nd Corinthians 5,19:

that GOD was in Christ reconciling the world to himself

________________________________

14 - "Jesus is GOD, because "the fullness of GOD" dwells in him"

The truth is:

The fullness of GOD (Old Greek: plērōma) dwelling in Jesus refers neither to Jesus’s nature nor to GOD’s attributes (omnipotence, omniscience, creative power, etc.). In fact, this expression refers simply to the love with which Jesus was filled. It is said that GOD pours His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5,5). GOD’s Spirit grants people wisdom, prophetic gifts, and the ability to perform supernatural miracles. Yet His primary task is to help us know GOD—that is, to understand His will and to love one another. GOD already worked through His Spirit in the Old Testament, though to a limited extent. In Jesus, however—whom GOD appointed as the Savior of humanity—the Holy Spirit worked without restriction (John 3,34). Therefore, Jesus knew the Father better than any other human being before Him (John 6,46). To love means to know GOD. To know GOD means to have eternal life (John 17,3). Paul writes that all believers are to be filled with the fullness of GOD (plērōma), that is, to perfect love, such as Jesus posesses (Ephesians 3,19). This clarifies that the fullness of GOD and divinity do not mean the same thing. Peter writes that believers are partakers of the divine nature (Old Greek: physis) (2nd Peter 1,4). This does not mean that Christians are equal to GOD; rather, it clearly refers to the divine character—or the holy way of life befitting a child of GOD. If Jesus were GOD, the statement that GOD caused the fullness of GOD to dwell in Jesus would be nonsensical, since GOD logically possesses a divine nature.

see commentary on...

Colossians 1,15-20:

For GOD was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him

________________________________

15 - "Jesus is called "GOD" in the Bible"

The truth is:

The term GOD (Old Greek: theos) is used over 500 times in the New Testament, exclusively for GOD the Father. Passages in which Jesus is portrayed as GOD are based either on a mistranslation (Isaiah 9,5 / John 1,18 / Acts 20,28 / Romans 9,5 / 1st Timothy 3,16 / Titus 2,13 / 2nd Peter 1,1) or a misunderstanding of the text (John 20,28 / Philippians 2,6 / 1st John 5,20). Depending on the translation, the aforementioned biblical passages are rendered differently. In the vast majority of cases, these are biased interpretations of individual statements based on preconceived Trinitarian doctrine. An unbiased reading, consideration of the respective context, careful word analysis and comparison of different translations can help to arrive at the correct (non-trinitarian) understanding of the Bible, which corresponds to the original apostolic tradition.