THE PERSON OF GOD

By Bruce Shaulis

 Have you ever wondered how God could be three SEPARATE PERSONS but ONE GOD? Have you ever found the explanation in the bible? Of course not, because as anyone will tell you, the doctrine of the trinity was not taught directly by Jesus or His disciples and therefore is NOT TAUGHT in the bible. Yet our leaders demand that we accept by faith something that they admit we CANNOT understand and that was NEVER taught in Christendom until 325ad at the Council of Nicaea. It was introduced by a Pagan turned Christian named Constantine who was the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Paganism taught that their gods were a Trinity so you can see why Constantine would opt to interject this doctrine into the Christian church. The Roman Empire had become very unstable because of the strain between the Pagans and the Christians and Constantine knew that just as Jesus taught, a kingdom divided will surely fall. It didn't hurt that his mother was a Christian either. So his answer was to incorporate pagan practices and beliefs into Christianity. Practices such as Christmas which was named from the first church mass for Christ. Easter that was coupled with the Pagan Holiday for Ashtarte also called the goddess EASTER. Many other of our 'Christian' traditions can be traced back to Pagan traditions. Just as we hear today about the philosophy that is so prevalent that says we should find areas that we can agree on for the sake of unity so Constantine did by combining Christian and Pagan traditions.

     Today scholars tell us that the Trinity is a Great mystery that cannot be understood but must be believed in by faith. But who are we having faith in; Jesus or our Christian leaders? Since Paul told the Galatians in Chapter one of the same book starting at verse 8; 

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that which we HAVE PREACHED unto you, let him be accursed.

Paul felt so strongly about this that he stated this twice in the same chapter to get his point across. So Paul taught that we should not accept ANY doctrine that wasn't taught by the Apostles REGARDLESS of WHERE it originates. I feel the Trinity Doctrine falls into this category so I choose to believe by faith ONLY what Jesus and His Disciples CLEARLY taught by studying the scriptures THEY wrote. 

     The following is a short synopsis of my findings from scripture on the subject of the PERSON OF GOD. 

THE FATHER

If the Holy Father and Jesus, His Son are two SEPARATE PERSONS, How could the FATHER be IN JESUS as Jesus said in JOHN 14:10 &11?

 Believest thou not that I am IN THE FATHER, and the FATHER IN ME? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the FATHER THAT DWELLETH IN ME, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I AM IN THE FATHER, and THE FATHER IN ME: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Out of the mouth of Jesus we are instructed that the Father dwelt in the body of the Son. If you say that He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, then you are saying that the Holy Spirit is the Father which would be correct according to scripture because Luke tells us that the Holy Ghost and the power of the highest overshadowed Mary and she conceived the physical body of Jesus in her womb making the Holy Ghost His Father. Colossians tells us that all of the fullness of the Godhead lived bodily in Jesus Christ. COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it pleased the FATHER that in him (JESUS) should all fulness dwell; (Father, Son and Holy Ghost)

If God is TRULY ONE LORD (being) as the bible proclaims then what Jesus said makes total sense. Jesus said in John 4 that GOD IS A SPIRIT. If the Father is GOD and the Holy Spirit is GOD, the scripture clearly teaches that Jesus proclaimed that they both dwelt in His body. ALL OF THEM TOGETHER (COLOSSIANS 1:9 For in him (Jesus) dwelleth ALL THE FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily.. This is why the NAME of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit has to be JESUS and this is why they are ONE PERSON and not three PERSONS.

HEBREWS 1:3 ….Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his PERSON (singular).

THE SPIRIT

GALATIANS 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The spirit of the Son of God must CLEARLY be the Holy Spirit because Jesus is PERFECT and there is only ONE HOLY SPIRIT.

JOHN 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, and shall be IN YOU.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU.
Jesus makes a CLEAR and SIMPLE statement here that is hard to misunderstand when He tells His disciples that the COMFORTER who was DWELLING WITH them would be IN THEM. He then makes the statement that should end ALL debate when He said, “I WILL COME TO YOU.” A clear indication that Jesus' Spirit is the Holy Spirit whom the Father had promised would come and dwell in those who believe.

Many people use the argument that God would not pray to Himself. Why wouldn't He? If He was to keep all of the commandments without sin it was required that He must demonstrate love for God with all of His heart, mind, soul and strength and that He love His neighbor as Himself. If Jesus did not keep this commandment that He called the GREATEST COMMANDMENT, He would have been a sinner and could not even save Himself from death.

Others argue that the Holy Spirit was given to Jesus on the Jordan where John baptized Him and the Spirit came down on Him like a dove. John clearly defines this experience as THE SIGN that was given to HIM to know who the Son of God was.

JOHN 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom THOU SHALT SEE the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I SAW AND BARE RECORD that this is the Son of God.

In conclusion then, it is clearly taught in scripture by JESUS HIMSELF and HIS APOSTLES that the Father and the Holy Ghost (which is the fullness of the Godhead) lived BODILY in JESUS CHRIST.

As Isaiah prophesied in chapter 9 verse 6 For unto us a CHILD IS BORN, unto us A SON is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, COUNSELLER (Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth), The MIGHTY GOD, The EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace.

JESUS IS;

The Son

The Counseller (Holy Spirit)

The Mighty God

The Everlasting Father 

REVELATION 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.