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Understanding The Holy Trinity
By Everest Alexander The Hebrew word 'Elohiym' is the most commonly translated word for God in the Old Testament and is the plural form of the word "Eloah".
Being plural obviously means that it's referring to more than one. Yet, at the same time its only referring to ONE GOD, not two or three... Just one God! This being so and the scriptures plainly says there is only one God. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD," (Deut.6:4) Then it's reasonable to deduce that if He's referred to in the plural but He's only ONE BEING, His fundamental structure must be inherently plural, i.e. He is one corporate Entity comprising different persons!
Sounds reasonable but do the Holy Scriptures (God's revelation of Himself) support this? Can we reference this "composite structure" from the Bible? Let's check it out and see.
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
"There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, The Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one." (1st John 5:7)
Phil. 2:11 declares that the Father is God; "to the glory of God the Father.
"Heb. 1:8 declares that the Son is God, "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever"
Acts 5:3, 4 declare that the Holy Spirit is God, "why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost" " thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."
Yet the scriptures boldly declare that there is only ONE GOD (Mk 12:29, 32)
God is one Corporate Entity comprised of and eternally existing as three distinct persons! The Father, The Word and The Holy Spirit! The bible refers to this as the Godhead! (Acts 17:29) We, Christians say the "Holy Trinity."
Even though the word "Trinity" is not found in scripture the Doctrine of the Trinity is found from Genesis to Revelation!
If the Doctrine of The Trinity is not true then what will you do with 1st John 5:7? Throw it out of the Bible?
Of course, you can always choose to believe the corrupted versions that have taken this verse out in an attempt to attack the deity of Jesus Christ!
And whom was God speaking with in Genesis when He said "Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness?" God obviously has a plural nature, that's why He made man with a plural nature like Himself.
Man is spirit, soul and body - God is Father, Word and Holy Spirit. Like Father, like son! If we are made in HIS image and we are tri-partite in nature then isn't it reasonable to deduce that He is tri-partite in nature also, Three in One and One in Three?
There is a little known verse in the book of Isaiah that sheds some light on this issue. Isaiah 48:16 says, "Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me."
First, let's establish who is speaking. The person speaking is clearly claiming divinity when he says, "from the time that it was, there am I." The phrase, "there am I" in reference to "the beginning" says that this person is Eternal in nature and of course, only God is Eternal.
So, God is speaking but in the last phrase He says, "the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me." If God is not a Trinity then my friends you have yourselves the puzzle of the ages because the only way this verse makes sense is if God The Word is saying that God The Father and God The Holy Spirit sent Him to be the Savior of the world, which is exactly what He's saying.
It's very clear because first, the speaker identified Himself as God; next he said that God AND God's Spirit had sent Him. Notice carefully, He made God and His Spirit Equals when He said He was sent by BOTH of them together (equally).
In effect the Speaker is saying, I am God; the Lord is God and the Spirit is God; referring to God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, respectively.
My friends, if you truthfully look for the Doctrine of the Trinity I believe you will find it throughout both the Old and New Testaments!
In my 15 years of being a Bible Teacher I've found that sooner or later truth becomes obvious to those who sincerely seek it!
Everest John Alexander is a Minister/Writer/Entrepreneur in public ministry for over 15 years, Pastoring for 4 years.
He's married with two kids and has written five books published online at: www.CheapChristianebooks.com. His informative & exciting articles can be read at www.FireAndHammer.ORG.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com