In the discussion of the Divinity of Christ, often called the Godhead, many argue that the Trinity is one of the most difficult notions of the Bible. Indeed, the Roman Catholic Church has said the Holy Trinity is a mystery that cannot be thoroughly understood.

The trinity is not a biblical concept at all, therefore, it cannot be a great biblical mystery. It is an concept that was brought into Christianity and placed into the arena of biblical discussion by those who wanted to make God's word support it. It does not support it.

Many point to the scripture in Genesis and attempt to show some trinity in creation, when God said let US make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion…. The logical question that is raised here is this: Who was God talking to?

First, it is worth noting that the concept of the trinity was totally unknown by the apostles; they neither raised such a concept nor indicated or suggested such a notion about God. Indeed, it is a heathen notion that was brought into Christianity by heathen believers after the apostles were dead.

The role and function of the apostles was to lay the very foundational structure for and of the church. That infrastructure that they laid was much like a constitution by which a nation develops its laws. The idea of the trinity goes against all that the Bible teaches about God--from the times of ancient Israel to the New Testament church.

Second, the trinity as a concept has a very definite time of its introduction into church catechism. And that time was after the apostles were all dead and gone. Indeed, Church Historian Williston Walker dates the idea that the Holy Ghost was different from Christ, yet was classed like him with God, from the early second century. He also says that this appears as if the Trinitarian formula was replacing the older baptism that was in Jesus name. [Acts 2:38, etc.]

In the 156 AD, Montanus advocated separating the Godhead. He claimed that God had given him a revelation that Christ was soon to come and now the Dispensation of the Spirit was at hand. It was in the second century that the doctrine of differentiating the Spirit from the Son as separate and distinct persons began to be taught and accepted by Christians.  Many noted writers denounced his teaching as the work of the devil, but when the very noted and influential lawyer, orator, and writer Tertullian of Carthage accepted his teaching, separating the persons in the Godhead, then it began to spread.

By the end of the Second century, Tertullian coined the word Trinity and it was then in theological use. Tertullian, in reality, formulated the contents of  this doctrine as well. His purpose of introducing this new doctrine was to make it simpler and more easily understand by the Latin-speaking people. Some historians say that since idol worshippers believed in many gods and practiced dipping three times in water for cleansing, these evangelists found their message was more readily accepted and. understood when brought to them in terms similar to those of their own religion.

God is saying something else in this Genesis 1:26 scripture, for He is certainly not talking about nor to any trinity. Were that the case, God would be talking to himself. What God is talking about in this scripture is working together with him in the recreation of man in His image and after his likeness; [1 Cor. 3:9] he is talking to the joint heirs with Christ, the saints and specifically his ministers who preach good tidings and the gospel of Christ. [Rom. 8:17]

Jesus promised his disciples that the work he did they would do and greater works shall they do. [John 14:12]  Those disciples had been given the power to heal the sick, raise the dead and various types of miracles long before Jesus went to Calvary. This greater work was something else beside those. And that something else was the making of man in God's image after man had gone far away from God.

When the disciples had come back from one of their evangelical outtings, and rejoiced about how Satan was subject to them at the name of Jesus, he cautioned them not to rejoice that the devils were subject to them, but rejoice because their names were written on high. Jesus saw that as the greatest miracle--the reconnecting of man to God so that man could be in the image of God again and have fellowship with him. [Lk. 10:20]

That greater work was spoken way back before human time, even as God spoke of redemption in Genesis through coats of skins as a sin covering, representing Christ. In Genesis 1:26, when God said, "Let us make man in our image and our likeness" He spoke to us, the ministers of God as if the we were already on the scene, for we were in his mind, in his Logos, His concept-before the very foundation of the world, God had chosen us in Him and spoke to us then about now.  [Eph. 1:4] God declared his plan for us as a work already done because his counsel will always stand; to him time does not matter; he sees and speaks and lives through the containers and dimensions of time. He is simply GOD! He is without limitations! And no one or no thing, only God can do and be as he is! He purposed it, he will bring it to pass; He will do it in us. It is up to us, as workers together with him now, to create man in God's image. First, we must be recreated out of the image of this world; then, by the word of God, we must recreate man in the image of God. That is what the true ministers of God do. That is why God says how beautiful are our feet that bring glad tidings of good things and preach the gospel of peace. [Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15]

Listen to Jesus: Be you perfect even as God is perfect. [Mat. 5:48] Listen to Paul: That we may grow into him. [Eph. 4:15] We are baptized into Christ and therefore we put on Christ. [Gal. 3:27] We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. [Rom. 8:17]

A major oversight of many saints is that they actually do not see who they are in Christ and the standing and power that position in Christ give them. This is the commission of God's ministers when He said preach and teach the gospel to all creatures. [Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Lk. 24:45-49]

Oh this foolishness of God! It is wiser than the wisdom of man. [1 Cor.1:18-25]  The preachers of the gospel of God's peace toward man are to build giant saints of faith, created in the image of Christ, who is God.

Jesus' disciples could not do these greater works until the church was established at Pentecost in Jerusalem. Now we are in the business of raising the spiritually dead by preaching and taking that dead and baptizing them unto Christ, by the word of God, and as they rise to the newness of life, transforming him into the express image of Christ who was God in bodily form walking the earth to do the work of redemption. [Rom. 6:4; 12:1-3]

All of this is by the simple and plain teaching of the word of God. That is why we are to, as God said in Habakkuk 2, write the vision and make it plain upon the tables that he may run that reads it. In Genesis 1, He spoke those things that were not as though they were. Furthermore, He said I will declare the end from the beginning, from ancient times, declaring the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel will stand and I will do all my pleasure. [Isa. 46:9-11; Rom. 4:17; Heb. 6:17]

We are laborers together with God in this work of the gospel. That is why this important function must be done carefully and correctly. Hence, we are to study to show ourselves approved of God. [2 Tim.2:15]

This gospel has not been committed to the angels nor has it been committed to holy men of old but to New Testament saints who know the way of God unto salvation. [1 Cor. 3] Indeed, Christ has  ascended upon high and led captivity captured and gave gifts to men, elevating man to his partner in the remaking of man in God's image for God's glory. When this glorious exercise of God's power was first manifested many thought that God had come down to earth in the likeness of men. [Acts 14:11; Eph. 4:8] He has come to earth in men: men who will do his will; men who understand who they are in Christ; men who are willing to call unto God that He may show them great and mighty things that we know not of at this time. Men who have been transformed by the renewing of their minds and are now about transforming others into the image and likeness of God. [Jer. 33:3]

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2004
The Truth of God