What does this early first century instruction manual teach us about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit? What can we learn about the Trinity from its pages? How does it compare with Scripture and post-Biblical orthodoxy? This article provides the answers to theses and other important questions.
Jesus' preexistence is a must for the deity of Christ and Trinity doctrines. A critical look at the Greek and Jewish views of preexistence reveals which is in line with the Bible.
Does the title Spirit of Christ in 1 Peter 1:11 mean that Jesus preexisted? An examination of the context of the passage, as well as Peter's Christology, will help us understand the meaning of the phrase.
Christians who believe Jesus is God will readily acknowledge that he is also the prophet of God. But are these two beliefs compatible? Can God also be the prophet of God? An explanation of what the word prophet means and an examination of how it is used in Scripture will provide us with the answer.What is a Prophet?In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for prophet is transliterated as nabi, which comes from a root word that means ‘“to bubble forth’ like a fountain.” Hence, it…
Many scholars consider Paul's letter to the church in Rome to be his greatest doctrinal treatise. It is no wonder that Trinitarians search its pages for proof of the dual natures of Christ and, by implication, the doctrine of the Trinity. One passage that is often presented as textual evidence is found in chapter 1:Romans 1:1-4 (NASB) Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy…
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes to Gentile believers (who were being persuaded to be circumcised according to the law) about what it means to be children and heirs of God. In chapter four, the apostle writes: Galatians 4:1-7 (NASB) Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So…
The God of Our Fathers When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, He referred to Himself as the God of your fathers,[1] more specifically, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Exodus 3:6 (NASB) He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (emphasis added) Moses later related that God manifested miracles so that the…
Isaiah chapter 53 is perhaps the most poignant passage the prophet from 8th century BC ever penned. It is also the most familiar among Christians for it portrays the coming Messiah as one who, although "he had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth,"[1] would suffer greatly for the sins of man. The beloved passage, which begins in the preceding chapter, is the fourth of Isaiah's Servant Songs.[2] In this post, we will examine who the prophet says the Messiah is…
There are many examples in Scripture of what scholars consider to be the earliest creeds, that is, concise statements of faith. For example, Moses taught the Jews that God is one:Deuteronomy 6:4 (NASB) "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!This foundational creed is known as the Shema because the first word of the creed in Hebrew is shema (or shama), which means to hear. Jesus adhered to this creed and said that to love this singular God was the foremost…
There is a misconception among many Christians that the reason Jesus was arrested, put on trial, and crucified was because he claimed to be God. One pastor writes: [Jesus] died because he acted like the incarnate Son of God, spoke like the incarnate Son of God, and did not deny the accusation when the world hated him for being the incarnate Son of God.[1] Passages such as John 5:18, 8:58-59, and 10:30-33 fuel this speculation thanks to the Platonically-inspired Church Fathers who read Scripture through…