Here are three excellent articles by three different authors which I came across whilst surfing the Net. I am confident you will find them most edifying! (Some editing has been performed upon each of the articles) :-
Almighty means having absolute power; all-powerful; all controlling.El (God) Shaddai (Almighty).
This means that Almighty God does not need to depend on anyone for strength and energy. He is the source of power, [He is] self-sufficient. Thus, other mighty ones get their power, energy, and authority from the Almighty God. It is impossible for an Almighty God to have a God above him, otherwise the title and term is pointless.
Question: If Jesus is Almighty God, why does he have a God above him?
Jesus says in John 20:17,“Don’t hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God.”
Question: How is it possible for Jesus to have a Father and God if he is the Almighty God? While Jesus was on the cross he cried out, "My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?"
Questions:
Jesus was a mortal being and died. He ceased to exist for three days until Almighty God raised him from the dead. Jesus the Messiah is the firstborn from the dead, raised to immortality! By making Jesus the "God man," having a "double nature," the above questions are ignored. Instead, one must indulge to philosophical thinking and explanations. As someone has well stated,"The doctrine of the double nature of Christ, like that of the trinity, is a doctrine of inference. Neither doctrine is declared in any verse, nor can they be expressed in the language of scripture. Scattered verses are assembled in quasi-syllogistic form, inferences are drawn from newly-created contexts, and it is assumed that the Messiah is both a mortal man and the almighty God. I know of no allusion in the Bible to the doctrine of the Two Natures, either with or without modification."
(The Double Nature of Christ, Snedeker, 1998, pp. 6-70)
The trinitarian belief is full of contradictions when put to test in light of scripture. For example, in Rev. 1:6 we read,
He [Jesus] made us kings and priests unto his God and Father."
Question: If Jesus the Messiah, even after his resurrection, has a God and Father, how is it possible for him to be Almighty God? Trinity doctrine is not based on scripture, but is simply rooted in philosophy. Revelation chapter 3 [verses 2 and 12] ought to put the trinity assumption of the "God-man" doctrine to rest as well. Jesus repeatedly says in that chapter, "the sight of my God," "temple of my God," "name of my God," "city of my God," "from my God." While Jesus was on earth and after his resurrection, he never ceased to call God (Yahweh) his God and Father, thus he cannot be the Almighty God.
In Hebrews 1:9 it says concerning Christ,Therefore God, even your God, has anointed you."
Questions:
Questions:
Questions:
The Scriptures declare that Christ died for our sins. (1 Cor. 15:3) According to the Scriptures, the Son of God, born of a virgin, brought into existence by the power of God, being anointed with life from God, power and authority from God, died for our sins, thus giving his entire life for us. But, thanks be to God, God raised him up from the dead.The world, by accepting the pre-existent theory and the doctrine of the trinity, deny the flesh and bones [human being] that God caused to be born to be our Savior.
Today more people believe and pay tribute to and glorify and pray to a false Christ, who never did die for them, than they that accept a flesh-and-bones [human] Savior who died on a tree for our sins. The false Christ is the pre-existent Christ, the trinity Christ, the Christ that is said to be God Himself. The true Christ is the Son of the living God and the anointed of Him.
In John 6:57 we find, “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father.” Notice that the living Father sent the Son. Could one God be equal with another when one was sent of the other? Notice also Jesus said, “I live by [through] the Father.” Without the Father, Jesus never would have existed and had life. In John 7:16 Jesus said, “My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me.” If Jesus were God Himself or a part of a trinity God, how could he say,
“My doctrine is not mine”? If Jesus were equal to the Father and the doctrine he was giving was not his, does Jesus have a doctrine just as equal and powerful and strong as the doctrine of his Father? And does the Holy Spirit also have another doctrine? Would their doctrines be the same or different? Jesus gave us to know that he had nothing to do with the origin of the doctrines which he spoke. They originated with the Father, and the Son spoke the doctrines of the Father.
In John 7:28 Jesus said, “Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.” If Jesus were God Himself, would he not have had to send himself? He said, “I am not come of myself.” Friend, did you or I come of ourselves? We had nothing to do with it. We did not come into existence by our will, for we had no will, no life, no intellect, until we were born. The same is true of Christ. Jesus did not come of himself, but God sent him. If there were three equal Gods, why would one God send another one of the other two to die? If one could send one of the other two to die, would not the one that had power to send be greater?
When God spoke of Jesus in the Old Testament He said:
May God help you to believe in His Son, even as the Ethiopian eunuch, who said,
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
When the Apostolic [that is, the Oneness] movement came into the knowledge of Jesus name baptism we were taught that Matt 28:19 was explained by saying, "The name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is Jesus." The great teachers of the day, Goss, Rowe, Haywood, and many others who came up believing the trinity now taught the people that there was no trinity, but Jesus only.The oneness movement began and stuck to its guns that Jesus was still God, but not a trinity. He was God robed in flesh. Some came to know better, but most did not.When we take another look, we find that the brethren were right about there being no trinity and that Jesus name baptism was correct, but we need to review what the Apostles preached and come to present day truth.
We [Apostolics] as a movement now know Jesus is NOT God, but the Son of God as the Apostles preached.
I suggest you go back and review what the Apostles preached in Acts Chapters 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 17. You will see they preached Jesus is that man ordained of God to die, be buried, and whom God raised from the dead, whom God anointed, empowered, glorified and exalted to be the judge of the living and the dead. In the book of Acts we have the Apostles preaching the Gospel with absolute clarity. Hear how they preached:
Never once did any of the Apostles preach or intimate that Jesus was God, a god or a demigod. They preached Jesus, the man of God's approval.
1) Jesus is not the Almighty God
Trinitarian belief is that Jesus is the Almighty God. Throughout scripture God (Yahweh) is called Almighty God. In the book of Job it mentions Yahweh as the Almighty thirty-one times. Nowhere in scripture is Jesus ever called Almighty God.
This means that Almighty God does not need to depend on anyone for strength and energy. He is the source of power, [He is] self-sufficient. Thus, other mighty ones get their power, energy, and authority from the Almighty God. It is impossible for an Almighty God to have a God above him, otherwise the title and term is pointless.
Question: If Jesus is Almighty God, why does he have a God above him?
Jesus says in John 20:17,“Don’t hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God.”
Question: How is it possible for Jesus to have a Father and God if he is the Almighty God? While Jesus was on the cross he cried out, "My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?"
Questions:
- If Jesus is the Almighty God who is self-sufficient, as well as all-powerful, why is he crying to another God?
- Is the Almighty God praying to Himself?
Jesus was a mortal being and died. He ceased to exist for three days until Almighty God raised him from the dead. Jesus the Messiah is the firstborn from the dead, raised to immortality! By making Jesus the "God man," having a "double nature," the above questions are ignored. Instead, one must indulge to philosophical thinking and explanations. As someone has well stated,"The doctrine of the double nature of Christ, like that of the trinity, is a doctrine of inference. Neither doctrine is declared in any verse, nor can they be expressed in the language of scripture. Scattered verses are assembled in quasi-syllogistic form, inferences are drawn from newly-created contexts, and it is assumed that the Messiah is both a mortal man and the almighty God. I know of no allusion in the Bible to the doctrine of the Two Natures, either with or without modification."
(The Double Nature of Christ, Snedeker, 1998, pp. 6-70)
The trinitarian belief is full of contradictions when put to test in light of scripture. For example, in Rev. 1:6 we read,
He [Jesus] made us kings and priests unto his God and Father."
Question: If Jesus the Messiah, even after his resurrection, has a God and Father, how is it possible for him to be Almighty God? Trinity doctrine is not based on scripture, but is simply rooted in philosophy. Revelation chapter 3 [verses 2 and 12] ought to put the trinity assumption of the "God-man" doctrine to rest as well. Jesus repeatedly says in that chapter, "the sight of my God," "temple of my God," "name of my God," "city of my God," "from my God." While Jesus was on earth and after his resurrection, he never ceased to call God (Yahweh) his God and Father, thus he cannot be the Almighty God.
In Hebrews 1:9 it says concerning Christ,Therefore God, even your God, has anointed you."
Questions:
- Who is greater in in authority; the one who anoints or the one being anointed?
- Is God anointing Himself?
- Can Almighty God be given anything He doesn't already possess?
Questions:
- Who gave Jesus this authority?
- Does Almighty God who has all authority have to give Himself authority?
Questions:
- If Jesus the Messiah is the Almighty God, can he be exalted to a superior position than what he already owns?
- Can Almighty God be given a name that he doesn't already possess?
No other God and Savior
In Isaiah it says,You are My witnesses, says YAHWEH; and My servant whom I have elected; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed; nor shall any be after Me. I, I am YAHWEH; and there is no Savior besides Me. (Isa. 43:10-11) What Yahweh is talking about is that there are no man-made gods that could rival Him or equal His power. The scripture always says Yahweh is the only Savior and God. And we see in scripture that God has used men to be saviors and as God.
Examples:
Magistrates are called God because God (Yahweh) has given them authority.
The Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, a person's agent is regarded as the person himself. ...
Yahweh is the only true God as Jesus stated in John 17:3, And this is everlasting life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
A point well made is that - "The Father the PRINCIPAL, the Son the AGENT."
[The PRINCIPAL: The ultimate Savior and God is Yahweh. He is the only Almighty God.
Jesus His human Son, is YAHWEH's AGENT.]
Examples:
- And when the children of Israel cried unto YAHWEH, YAHWEH raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.(Judges 3:9)
- But when the children of Israel cried unto YAHWEH, YAHWEH raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab. (Judges 3:15)
- And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God. (Ex. 4:16)
- And YAHWEH said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. (Ex. 7:1)
- Yahweh is King of eternity, but He let Solomon be a King on his throne.
- Then Solomon sat on the throne of YAHWEH as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. (1 Chron. 29:23)
Magistrates are called God because God (Yahweh) has given them authority.
The Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, a person's agent is regarded as the person himself. ...
Yahweh is the only true God as Jesus stated in John 17:3, And this is everlasting life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
A point well made is that - "The Father the PRINCIPAL, the Son the AGENT."
[The PRINCIPAL: The ultimate Savior and God is Yahweh. He is the only Almighty God.
Jesus His human Son, is YAHWEH's AGENT.]
2) Truly The Son of God
Who is Jesus of Nazareth? When he walked upon this earth over nineteen hundred years ago he asked his disciples: “Whom do men say that I, the Son of man am?” They answered that some declared him to be John the Baptist, while others claimed that he was Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He said to his disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Matt. 16:15). Here we find the correct answer as to whom Jesus is. The man who knows and believes this and can give this answer from the depth of his heart in spirit and in truth is blessed. He has had revelation from heaven through the word of truth. Hear the answer of truth!
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
Unless we come without any strings attached, without any wresting or twisting of these words, and believe them just as they are stated, we cannot know the living God. Neither do we understand His plan of salvation.“Thou art the Christ,” means, “Thou art the Anointed One.” Now those who contend that Jesus was God Himself or the High God; can never believe that Jesus was the Anointed One. Why? Those who advocate that Jesus is God Himself claim there is a triune God and therefore Jesus is equal to and co-existent with God the Father.
In Acts 10:38 we find these words: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” Let us think honestly and clearly before God. If Jesus were God Himself or [person] of a trinity Godhead, equal and co-existent with two other [persons] in a Godhead of three, it would be impossible for him to be anointed by any one of the other two. That would make one of them greater than he. The Bible clearly states that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” If God had not anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power, could he ever have accomplished anything worthy of mention? How many sins could he have forgiven? How many sick could he have healed? Could he have raised the dead?
You see, Jesus was not God, but was the Son of God and was dependent upon his Father. (John 5:19-21) Now hear the Word of God. It may change your theology; it may destroy what you have believed for years; but it is the truth.
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
Unless we come without any strings attached, without any wresting or twisting of these words, and believe them just as they are stated, we cannot know the living God. Neither do we understand His plan of salvation.“Thou art the Christ,” means, “Thou art the Anointed One.” Now those who contend that Jesus was God Himself or the High God; can never believe that Jesus was the Anointed One. Why? Those who advocate that Jesus is God Himself claim there is a triune God and therefore Jesus is equal to and co-existent with God the Father.
In Acts 10:38 we find these words: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” Let us think honestly and clearly before God. If Jesus were God Himself or [person] of a trinity Godhead, equal and co-existent with two other [persons] in a Godhead of three, it would be impossible for him to be anointed by any one of the other two. That would make one of them greater than he. The Bible clearly states that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” If God had not anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power, could he ever have accomplished anything worthy of mention? How many sins could he have forgiven? How many sick could he have healed? Could he have raised the dead?
You see, Jesus was not God, but was the Son of God and was dependent upon his Father. (John 5:19-21) Now hear the Word of God. It may change your theology; it may destroy what you have believed for years; but it is the truth.
- John 5:19 states, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” Look closely at this for a moment. If Jesus were God Himself, or even equal with God, then Jesus could do nothing of himself and neither could God. Someone will say that he can do what he sees the Father do. That is true. Jesus can do what he sees his Father do, but if they are equal, God must also see His father act before He is able to do His wonderful acts. God has no father. Even a child prejudiced to the teachings of men can see the error in this line of thought.
- John 5:20 states, “The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” Now if Jesus were God Himself, or equal with God, and had been with God from all eternity, would God have to show him the works that He did? Friends, the doctrines of the trinity and of the pre-existence are doctrines of the devils that are to destroy men’s faith in the true God and in Jesus His Son.
- In John 5:26 and 27, we read, “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” Now you either believe this or you deny it. Notice, the Father has life in Himself. God only has immortality, but how did Jesus get life? The Father gave it to him, both natural life through birth, and immortality through a resurrection. If Jesus were God Himself or equal with God, God could not give him life, for he would already have it even as the Father has it . Then again, how did Jesus get his authority to execute judgment? Hear again the Word of God. God gave it to him. Could Jesus be as great as the Father, if the Father is the one who anointed him with power and gave him life and gave him his authority? The only reason Jesus has the authority he now has is because God gave it to him.
- In John 5:30 Jesus repeats again, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” Could Jesus do anything of himself alone? He said he could of his own self do nothing.
The disciples of Christ knew full well that Jesus was not God, neither any part of a trinity Godhead, but was the Son of God, begotten by the Spirit and power of God according to the Scriptures born of the virgin Mary. Born – really born – not incarnated, but born! [begotten!]
...
The Scriptures declare that Christ died for our sins. (1 Cor. 15:3) According to the Scriptures, the Son of God, born of a virgin, brought into existence by the power of God, being anointed with life from God, power and authority from God, died for our sins, thus giving his entire life for us. But, thanks be to God, God raised him up from the dead.The world, by accepting the pre-existent theory and the doctrine of the trinity, deny the flesh and bones [human being] that God caused to be born to be our Savior.
...
Today more people believe and pay tribute to and glorify and pray to a false Christ, who never did die for them, than they that accept a flesh-and-bones [human] Savior who died on a tree for our sins. The false Christ is the pre-existent Christ, the trinity Christ, the Christ that is said to be God Himself. The true Christ is the Son of the living God and the anointed of Him.
In John 6:57 we find, “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father.” Notice that the living Father sent the Son. Could one God be equal with another when one was sent of the other? Notice also Jesus said, “I live by [through] the Father.” Without the Father, Jesus never would have existed and had life. In John 7:16 Jesus said, “My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me.” If Jesus were God Himself or a part of a trinity God, how could he say,
“My doctrine is not mine”? If Jesus were equal to the Father and the doctrine he was giving was not his, does Jesus have a doctrine just as equal and powerful and strong as the doctrine of his Father? And does the Holy Spirit also have another doctrine? Would their doctrines be the same or different? Jesus gave us to know that he had nothing to do with the origin of the doctrines which he spoke. They originated with the Father, and the Son spoke the doctrines of the Father.
In John 7:28 Jesus said, “Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.” If Jesus were God Himself, would he not have had to send himself? He said, “I am not come of myself.” Friend, did you or I come of ourselves? We had nothing to do with it. We did not come into existence by our will, for we had no will, no life, no intellect, until we were born. The same is true of Christ. Jesus did not come of himself, but God sent him. If there were three equal Gods, why would one God send another one of the other two to die? If one could send one of the other two to die, would not the one that had power to send be greater?
When God spoke of Jesus in the Old Testament He said:
- Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
- Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Jesus spoke Gods words that he himself gave to him.
- 1 Chronicles 22:10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
...
May God help you to believe in His Son, even as the Ethiopian eunuch, who said,
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
- 1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,
God dwelleth in him, and he in God. - 1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
- 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
- 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
3) Apostolic Revelation?
When the Apostolic [that is, the Oneness] movement came into the knowledge of Jesus name baptism we were taught that Matt 28:19 was explained by saying, "The name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is Jesus." The great teachers of the day, Goss, Rowe, Haywood, and many others who came up believing the trinity now taught the people that there was no trinity, but Jesus only.The oneness movement began and stuck to its guns that Jesus was still God, but not a trinity. He was God robed in flesh. Some came to know better, but most did not.When we take another look, we find that the brethren were right about there being no trinity and that Jesus name baptism was correct, but we need to review what the Apostles preached and come to present day truth.
We [Apostolics] as a movement now know Jesus is NOT God, but the Son of God as the Apostles preached.
Oneness is just another form of Trinity.
Instead of Jesus being the 2nd person of the Trinity, the Oneness brethren have Jesus being the 2nd office or manifestation of God. That is NOT what the Apostles preached. [In fact, neither notion is what the Apostles preached.] I suggest you go back and review what the Apostles preached in Acts Chapters 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 17. You will see they preached Jesus is that man ordained of God to die, be buried, and whom God raised from the dead, whom God anointed, empowered, glorified and exalted to be the judge of the living and the dead. In the book of Acts we have the Apostles preaching the Gospel with absolute clarity. Hear how they preached:
- Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you Acts 2:22
- This Jesus hath God raised up, Acts 2:32
- God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:36
- The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son [Servant] Jesus; Acts 3:13
- Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (God); And he (God) shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Acts 3:19-20
- By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.Acts 4:10
- How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him Acts 10:38
- Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Acts 10:40
- Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: Acts 13:33
- But God raised him from the dead: Acts 13:40
- God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Acts 13:33 - But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Acts 13:37
- Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: Acts 13:38
- Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:31
Never once did any of the Apostles preach or intimate that Jesus was God, a god or a demigod. They preached Jesus, the man of God's approval.
But, since then theologians of Christianity have distorted the Gospel once delivered to the saints. But, we who love truth thank God from the heart He has restored the truth of the knowledge of the Son of God to we who by our Lord Jesus do trust in the Living God who raises the dead. Hallelujah.
When will my Apostolic Oneness brethren wake up?
