Pod prep: 1-18-19
Is The God Family A Closed Triad ?
IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A 'HE' IN THE SENSE OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE GODHEAD ?
This world believes that the Holy Spirit is a person. One of the justifications for such a belief is found in verses that use the pronoun 'He' for the Holy Spirit. No doubt the Holy Spirit is a fabulous form of God's power. The Spirit of God is a powerful and intelligent force in the universe. Some use verses in John chapters 14, 15 and 16 for proof that the Holy Spirit is a person. Let us look at one such example.
John 14:17 NKJV 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
In Greek language ( as with Romance Languages like French, Italian and Spanish ) nouns have gender. As a grammatical tool, they are designated as masculine, feminine or neuter. For example, el libro, in Spanish, means book and carries the masculine article or pronoun el. Books are of course neither male or female. Some foreign languages assign gender pronouns to non-living things. Studying the Greek, for instance, the word for the 'Spirit' in Romans 8:14-17 is translated as 'itself' by some English translators.
Romans 8:14-16 KJV 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
However some translators decide to translate the same word as Himself rather than itself. It is a translation issue and not a proof of person hood in the sense of a Godhead. Yet we should notice that the very next verse after referring to the Spirit as itself, Paul refers to believers as children of God. We are destined to born into the family of God. Wow!
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
In these three chapters of John, Christ many times referred to the Spirit as 'the Comforter'. The masculine pronoun 'he' is used in reference to the word 'Comforter' ( parakletos). This is a result of the grammatical structure of the Greek language in which the New Testament was written. Gender is not being assigned to the Holy Spirit but only to the word Holy Spirit; merely the word used to describe it.
CHRIST AND PAUL DO NOT SUPPORT THE TRINITY
Nominal Christianity views the God head as a closed triad. It is like a closed triangle of three beings which has a pagan origin. This triad is originally from the first society to be defiant toward God, ancient Babylon. Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz were the original legends upon which the trinity doctrine is based. God clearly saw that this newest empire, after the flood, needed weakening or greater evil would result.
Genesis 11:5-6 NKJV 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
God knew the power of Nimrod would be used for evil. Jesus does not support the trinity either. Note His comment regarding the God family:
John 10:29-30 NKJV 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."
Jesus said that He and the Father are one. What about the Holy Spirit? Why is it left out of this declaration? The Holy Spirit is clearly therefore a fabulous tool of the God Family. But Christ did not say that I and the Father and the Holy Spirit are one. Jesus and the Father are unified in thought and purpose.
John 10:29-30 NKJV 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."
Christ is the spokesperson and executor of the God Family which now includes only Father and Son or Father and Spokesperson ( the word). We are as of now only begotten but not yet born into the family. Further Paul, addressing his epistles to the churches recognized only the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:2-3 NKJV 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Clearly the Apostle Paul also does not perceive the Holy Spirit as an equal member of the God family.
BELIEVERS ARE DESTINED TO BE BORN INTO THE VERY FAMILY OF GOD
The trinity does not exist therefore God's Family is not limited to just those three personages. God's vast plan includes adding many Sons. We have free moral agency and the hurdle of Satan's influence to overcome and learn to make the right choices. God with the power of His Spirit will help us. The spirit in man impregnated by the Spirit of God is forming in us the nucleus of future Sons' of God.
Hebrews 2:2-3 NKJV 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
Paul pleads with us believers to not neglect so GREAT A SALVATION. Believers should not make decisions which will lead them away from God. We must keep our eyes on the goal which is Son ship in the Family of God. If you have a congregation that is supportive, do not move away to an area without a body of believers to provide spiritually help and support. Also it is not wise to marry someone who is not a believer because they will try and pull you back into the general society of this world. Paul goes further and says:
Hebrews 2:5-7 NKJV 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.
2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Mankind is very weak now, and fallible, so it is said 'What is man that thou are mindful of him'. The answer is that we are the potential Sons of God. People are more important to God than would seem necessary considering our fallible state. Paul explains that in the future we will rule the spiritual world under God the Father and Jesus of course, because we will be part of the Family of God. Paul goes further and explains:
Hebrews 2:8 NKJV 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
Paul is saying what a bright future we believers have if we remain faithful until the end. The God Family is not closed or limited to three beings. It never was. This idea was inherited from the pagan world. The Apostle John reveals our fate is to be able to be face to face with God. Wow!
1 John 3:1-3 NKJV 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Moses could not look upon God's face because he was human. Once we are 'baby Gods' in the family we will be able to see Christ as He is because we will be like him . Incredible! Paul describes resurrected believers in such incredible language as well.
1 Corinthians 15:52-53 NKJV 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption , and this mortal must put on immortality.
Paul goes further and explains that all creation is waiting on the sons of God. It is an ultimately important project for the universe.
Romans 8:16-22 NKJV 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Our destiny is to become like Christ, a son of God.
Romans 8:29 NKJV 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The God Family is predestined to be opened to many at the second coming of Christ. It is not limited by a triad.
