“Christianity”—Or the Bible?

Next Part The Trinity—Conceived in Philosophy

Now let’s look at a short overview of how philosophers and theologians disregarded biblical teaching and authority. It is important to note that the term “Christianity” used in the bullet points below refers to established orthodoxy as recognized in the Roman Empire, as opposed to the teachings of Christ and His apostles:

Christianity came to accept that the Father was directly involved as the Creator, rather than creating through Christ. The Bible clearly states that Christ (the Word) created all things (John 1:1-14; Col. 1:13-17).

Christianity came to accept that the Father was the God or Lord of the Old Testament. But the Bible shows that this personage was actually Christ (I Cor. 10:1-4).

Christianity believed that many people had spoken with the Father (during the Old Testament era). Yet, Christ declared that no man had seen or heard God the Father (John 5:37). And, because the Father was unknown to the world, one of the purposes of Christ’s coming was to reveal Him (John 1:18, Luke 10:22).

Christianity believes that the Father and the Son are “one” by some form of a mystical hypostasis. However, the Bible says the Father and Son are “one” in the same sense that the Church (Greek: the “called out ones”) are “one” in the spirit of unity and purpose (John 17:11).

Christianity accepted the premise of Judaism concerning monotheism—that God was one being. Yet, two distinct God Beings are identified in the prologue of the book of John (1:1-2). Likewise, Genesis 1:26 records a conversation between these two God Beings. Notice: “LetUs make man in Our image…” Here, the term “God” derives from the Hebrew Elohim (a plural term—actually a collective noun—similar to kingdom, family or church). Although there is one God Kingdom or Family, Scripture reveals that it currently consists of two Beings.

The Jewish doctrine of monotheism derives from their misunderstanding of Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord.” This passage is more accurately translated “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is Lord alone (or Lord only).” The verse is not talking about God as one Being—is not addressing the nature of God—but rather was instruction to Israel to not listen to other gods, but to listen to the true God alone—only! The context of Deuteronomy 6:4 is that it is found immediately after the Ten Commandments were reviewed by Moses to establish both the requirements and the authority of the true God. (A later chapter will discuss this more thoroughly.)

Rather than the God Family being a closed loop trinity, as accepted by Christianity, this Family is set to expand through the many begotten sons of God yet to be born into it (John 1:11-12; Rom. 8:14, 19; I John 3:1-2). A later chapter will also cover in greater detail the awesome potential of human beings.

Although Orthodox Christianity can and often does contradict the Bible, the Bible does not contradict itself.

Philosophy—The Pillar of Orthodox Christianity

The story of how the trinity became an accepted doctrine among professing Christians is revealing. The Nicene Council of A.D. 325 was the pivotal event that marked its acceptance. Two opposing theologies, or factions, took part in this historic controversy.

Rather than treating God’s Word as direct instruction from the Almighty, the Orthodox Christian movement came to use the Bible to allegorically explain pre-conceived philosophies: “The Old Testament, allegorically explained, became the substitute for the outgrown mythology; intellectual activity revived; the new facts gained predominant influence in philosophy, and in turn were shaped according to its canons” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 6, p. 284).

The result was that the Bible’s literal meaning was dismissed—reduced to a mere starting point for allegorical interpretation: “As in philosophy, so now in theology, the easiest solution of the problem was the denial of one of its factors: and successively these efforts were made, until a solution was found in the doctrine of the Trinity, which satisfied both terms of the equation and became the fundamental creed of the Church” (Ibid.).

The Christian movement hailed the trinity as a solution to various contradictions in their understanding. It seemed to satisfy the requirement of monotheism while acknowledging that Christ was God in the flesh. Notice: “Its moulds of thought are those of Greek philosophy, and into these were run the Jewish teachings. We have thus a peculiar combination—the religious doctrines of the Bible, as culminating in the person of Jesus, run through the forms of an alien philosophy” (Ibid.). (Monotheism, a principle of Judaism, contributed to the Jewish establishment rejecting Christ during His earthly ministry.)

The next quote offers more early insight into the origin of the trinity. The doctrine of the trinity is “not primarily ethical nor even religious, but it is metaphysical. What is the ontological relationship between these three factors [Father, Son and Spirit]? The answer is given in the Nicene formula, which is characteristically Greek” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 6, p. 284).

Notice that the above statement acknowledges that the trinity was “not primarily ethical nor even religious.” At best, it essentially categorizes this doctrine as an unnecessary metaphysical appendage or afterthought!

Now consider a similar—and unusual—admission by Catholic scholars: “We must be willing to admit that should the doctrine of the Trinity have to be dropped as false, the major part of religious literature could well remain virtually unchanged…the Christian idea of the incarnation would not have to change at all if there were no Trinity” (The Trinity, Rahner et al., pp.10-11).

In light of this, one must question why the trinity was elevated to such a position of importance in the first place. Its place or “necessity” was under question from the beginning, even by those who imported it into the church. By contrast, we will learn later in the book that the nature of the true God does directly have a bearing on a host of biblical doctrines.