35. St. Paul's Opinion of the Trinity

The Subservient Christ

Is it possible that the majority of theologians do not want to change their doctrine now simply because if they do, they would need to admit that they were wrong for the last 1600 years?

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn (highest (firstborn) in rank not firstborn in time) among many brethren. Rom. 8:29.  

Jehovah knew beforehand and He predestined us to become like His Son so that Christ could be ranked the highest among his brothers.  Christ is ranked the first with us, He is the head of our type of being, but He is not ranked in the same category as his Father.

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, ... and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3.  If Jehovah is the head of Christ how can anyone, that knows the Bible, believe that Christ and Jehovah are equal?

Now when all things are made subject to Him (Jehovah), then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him (Jehovah) who put all things under Him (Christ), that God may be all in all. 1 Cor. 15:28.  Surely the equality of the Father and the Son are forever dismissed in this one verse alone.

Paul insists on a difference between the Father and the Son. He said we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Rom. 8:17.  Jehovah does not inherit anything, because all things are His, but we (humans) are joint inheritors with Christ, therefore this verse tells us that Christ is not God, but rather one of the inheritors.

Paul continues, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom. Eph. 1:17.  Jehovah is also the God of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and so we see that Christ is not equal to the Father.

Philippians 2:6-9

Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant (slave), and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. Phil. 2:6-9.

In the Greek text, the word used for Christ’s life is, subsisting; this word in no way implies equality with the Father.  In fact, it is a negative word that implies poverty, "just getting by". Is this a picture of our God?

Notice, also, that being in the form of God means having a likeness to the nature of God. Certainly, the Son of God would have the nature of His father.  This, however, does not necessitate equality between the two.

He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.  TCEV has translated Phil. 2:6 like this, But he (Christ) did not try to remain equal with God.  Then, admitting that that was wrong, as a footnote they wrote, that the word, remain, could also be translated, become.  

Consequently, there is no strength in the argument for a Trinity in this verse.  If we accept the word, become, this verse would read like this, He did not try to become equal (He did not try to snatch equality) with God.  From that translation, we must understand that Christ never was, nor is, equal with Jehovah!

For these same words, the NIV has written Christ did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.  In Greek the word grasped is, snatched.  A person does not snatch something he already has.  This certainly does not say that Christ was God, it does say that Christ did not grasp for the position of equality with God.  As we recall, that was a sin that Satan was guilty of, and we see what happened to him.

God gave Him the name which is above every name.  If Jehovah gave His Son a name which is above every other name, that tells us that there was a time when Christ did not have that name of superiority, and so there is no claim for equality with Jehovah or eternality for the Son.

Paul Continues

Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh. 1 Tim. 3:16.  This is among the Trinitarians favourite verse to prove the doctrine of the Trinity.  However, before we, who hold the opposing argument, admit defeat, we must point out that in the Greek translation it does not say, God was manifested in the flesh, it says, great is the mystery of the piety who was manifested in the flesh.  For the word, mystery, use the word, unveiling or revelation.  

When we stop to look at Christ’s life we agree that it is a great revelation that a person living in human flesh could live a life of such piety.  In the Greek text, this verse does not say that Christ was God; it says that Christ lived a life of piety and the revealing of that piety was great.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim. 1:17.  

Here is a good example of how easily, and how grossly wrong, theology can turn if the writer insists on inserting his own theology into a verse of scripture. The late Dr McGee wrote, Paul simply couldn’t go any further without sounding out this tremendous doxology. Who is “the King eternal”? He is the Lord Jesus Christ. And who is the Lord Jesus? He is “the only wise God.” Don’t tell me that Paul did not teach that the Lord Jesus was God. Paul considered Him to be God manifest in the flesh, and here he gives this wonderful testimony to that.

If Mr McGee had not been so insistent on seeing evidence of the Trinity, even where it is not to be found, he would have seen the obvious.  This verse of scripture does not even mention Jesus Christ.  It is a phrase of praise to God the Father.  Anyone reading McGee’s opinion, without thinking too much about it, will accept it as proof of the doctrine of the Trinity, which it is not!

Matthew Henry, about 350 years ago, in his Bible commentary, clarifying the same verse, says nothing about the Trinity.  He attributes all praise to God, the Father, where it belongs. Looking at the difference in emphases that these two teachers place on the Trinity, we sense that the false doctrine of the Trinity has grown stronger even within the last three and a half centuries.

Lavoisier explains how a teaching like the Trinity can get started and how it grows.  He wrote, suppositions handed down from one age to another acquire additional weight from the authorities by which they are supported, till at last they are received, even by men of genius, as fundamental truths.

It should be emphasized that the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is, in its entirety, highly Hebraic. In spite of the fact that portions of the New Testament was communicated in Greek, the background is thoroughly Hebrew. The writers are Hebrew, the culture is Hebrew, the religion is Hebrew, the traditions are Hebrew, and the concepts are Hebrew. It is impossible to believe that Hebrew men, with a background in the Hebrew religion, would unanimously have put forward a doctrine such as the trinity! It is impossible to imagine Saint Paul, a Pharisee, preaching that God was actually three persons. Preposterous!   Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus, David Bivin and Roy Blizzard

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.  Noting the Greek translation again, we see that this verse does not say that our great God will be appearing.  It writes, expecting the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God and Saviour of us Christ Jesus. http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/tit2.pdf. 

It says that the glory of our great God will be appearing; who is the glory of God except for Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God? According to this verse, it is Christ that will be appearing when He returns to set up His kingdom, not Jehovah.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. 1:3.  Here, Paul again makes a distinction between the Father and the Son.  Our peace comes from Jehovah and from His Son, and the two are not the same, or Paul would not have mentioned them separately.