non-Trinitarian – Page 4 – Understanding Scripture

The Tactics of Trinitarian Ministers

By the time of Christ and His apostles, most of God’s people had become religious to the point they wouldn’t listen but the common people would: “thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Mat 11:25); “the common people heard him gladly” (Mar 12:37); “all the people were very attentive to hear him” (Luk 19:48); “all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him” (Luk 21:38); “the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (Act 13:42); “the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Act 28:28). We’re living in the day Paul said would come, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables [mythos 3454]” (2Ti 4:3-4). The tactics of Trinitarian ministers keep us trusting their religious myths, away from the truth.

Because of their education, eloquence, experience, position, and prominence, the simple and trusting listen to them, “by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom 16:18). They boast of themselves by belittling those that aren’t degreed by a seminary, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Jhn 7:15), “Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men” (Act 4:13). They gain renown by endorsements from prominent ministers, “need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?” (2Co 3:1).

They discourage us from understanding the Scriptures on our own. They prescribe systematic theological resources and “Christian” books that supposedly keep us heading in the right direction. They’ll say it’s great to study the Bible on our own but we need to stay within a Bible study group—a group of Trinitarians of course!

One of their favorite sayings to hamper us from learning the truth in the Scriptures is, “If it’s new it’s not true, and if it’s true it’s not new.” However, it’s only “new” because they haven’t been teaching it! Everything Jesus Christ taught is the truth: “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (Jhn 1:17); “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jhn 8:32); “And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?” (Jhn 8:46); “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jhn 14:6); “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (Jhn 18:37); “the truth is in Jesus” (Eph 4:21). If He taught it, then it’s true and it’s not new. What’s new is what they’ve been teaching, and if it’s new it’s not true!

They instill the fear of damnation to keep us loyal to them. They claim that the Trinitarian view of God is essential for salvation to essentially keep us from salvation. And because they don’t want it exposed for what it truly is, they declare that Trinitarianism isn’t open for discussion. Anyone even beginning to question it is in danger of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit for which they will never be forgiven.

They teach all kinds of false doctrines that confuse, distract, and waste our precious time from doing anything fruitful for God. They concocted the doctrines of “faith alone” and “total depravity” to hinder us from living righteously according to the standard Jesus Christ taught in His Sermon on the Mount. They fabricated the false disputes of Protestantism vs. Catholicism and Arminianism vs. Calvinism that have squandered unfathomable amounts of time and resources over hundreds of years.

They portray themselves as champions of the truth by disparaging all others as blatantly false. The Council of Nicaea used Arias’ views as obviously false to tout the Trinity as apparently true. Similarly, they love denouncing Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons to bolster a pristine impression of themselves. By contrasting with what’s glaringly false, they magnify themselves as supposedly true.

They intimidate us from ever leaving Trinitarianism. They claim “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us” (1Jo 2:19) is that those who left their local church never were truly saved, when it’s actually about false teachers that went out from the Jerusalem church, “certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls” (Act 15:24). Those that reject Trinitarianism are said to be going out to start a cult, or else joining with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Oneness, or Unitarians. Sadly, rather than allowing themselves to be maligned for the name of Christ, many choose to stay and protect their own.

These are just a few of the many tactics used by Trinitarian ministers to keep us loyal to them and on the broad way leading to destruction. Let’s not be taken by them and their tactics. Let’s trust in the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He that Hath an Ear, Let Him Hear

The Son of God was in complete unity with His Father as John recorded in his Gospel: “the Word was God” (1:1); “I and my Father are one” (10:30); “the Father is in me, and I in him” (10:38); “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father … I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (14:9,10); “thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee … we are one” (17:21,22). He always did the will of His Father: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” (4:34); “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (5:30); “not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (6:38); “I do always those things that please him” (8:29). And He always spoke what His Father had sent Him to speak: “he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God” (3:34); “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me” (7:16); “as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (8:28); “I speak that which I have seen with my Father” (8:38); “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (12:49); “the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself” (14:10); “I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me” (17:8).

God the Father sent His Son into this world to do and speak as He had been sent. Therefore, to be right with God we must fully submit to His Son—obey what He commanded and agree with what He taught. Our only hope is listening to God’s Son. But if we won’t listen to Him, we’re completely hopeless.

Jesus Christ concluded His Sermon on the Mount with an analogy of two men that both built houses. One house stood because its builder was wise and started with a foundation while the other collapsed because its builder was foolish and didn’t. The correlation of this story is that “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24-27). His message is clear—salvation is by obedience to Him. If we’ll obey what He taught in His Sermon we’ll be saved, but if we won’t obey Him we’ll perish. Paul and James both reiterated this, “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom 2:13), “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas 1:22). We must listen to the Son of God and do what He said to be saved.

The Son taught this about the worship of God His Father, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (Jhn 4:23-24). Because God sought true worshippers, He sent His Son to teach the truth about Him. Since His Son lived and suffered and died for the truth He was sent to teach, do we suppose God will accept anything otherwise? Why subject His Son to horrible suffering and death for that end purpose only to later fudge on it? That the Son said we MUST worship His Father in the truth He taught, then we MUST. If we can be saved with a false view of God such as the Trinity, then Christ lived and died in vain.

In the Son of God’s parable of the Sower, He is the Sower preaching the truth to people’s hearts. And He declared, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mat 13:9), “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mar 4:9; Luk 8:8). Obviously, “to hear” doesn’t mean to have sound waves vibrate over the ear drums. It’s to heed, mind, and take to heart what is heard; to submit, succumb, and surrender to it. The Son later said to all seven churches in Asia, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit [breath] saith unto the churches” (Rev 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22). Essentially, He was saying, “If you hear anything, you had better listen to what I’m telling you!”

The Son of God stated before His death, “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (Jhn 18:37), “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (NIV). And John later wrote, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth [breath], and the spirit [breath] of error” (1Jo 4:6). How do we know if we’re “of God” or not, if we belong to Him or not? It’s simple. Do we listen to His Son and His apostles or not? Those on the other side of the truth, speak against it: “spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming” (Act 13:45); “they opposed themselves, and blasphemed” (Act 18:6); “spake evil of that way before the multitude” (Act 19:9); “them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2Th 2:10); “resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2Ti 3:8); “he hath greatly withstood our words” (2Ti 4:15); “the way of truth shall be evil spoken of” (2Pe 2:2). We MUST listen to the Son of God for any hope of salvation. If we won’t listen to Him, we’re completely hopeless.

Trinitarian Discipleship Programs

Christ’s great commission is to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mat 28:19-20). In commanding us to “teach all nations” or “make disciples of all the nations” (NIV, NLT, NKJV), He left no doubt as to what we’re to be teaching them, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” But rather than teaching Christ’s commandments, Trinitarian ministers concocted their own religious discipleship programs that accomplish nothing of eternal value.

Their discipleship programs are simply doctrines and commandments of men: “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mat 15:9); “(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” (Col 2:21-22); “Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (Tit 1:14). When Paul said, “Touch not; taste not; handle not,” he was alluding to the original deception, “God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it” (Gen 3:3). Commandments of men aren’t what God commanded.

I was a Trinitarian disciple for almost 30 years until my own study of the Scriptures finally led me to the truth taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles. Although I was a disciple of Trinitarian ministers, I wasn’t a very good one because I constantly questioned and bucked their program. I was an ongoing frustration to them because of my dogged pursuit of the truth in contention with their false doctrines.

Memorizing Scripture is one of the greatest dupes Trinitarian ministers lade on their disciples. They tout it by misusing certain statements: “thou shalt meditate therein day and night” (Jos 1:8); “Thy word have I hid in mine heart” (Psa 119:11); “Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart” (Pro 7:3). Memorizing verses helps us feel as though we’re accomplishing something, while wasting our time and mental energy accomplishing virtually nothing!

Another hoodwink is getting us on daily Bible reading plans by blended, canonical, chronological, historical, or Old and New Testament together. By immersing us into a daily reading plan, it soothes our consciences that we’re doing something of eternal value, and also keeps us from in-depth study of the Scriptures to discover the truth for ourselves. But if we really want to study, however, they direct us to their commentaries, theological works, study groups, and “Christian” books that keep us trudging down the broad way to destruction.

Memorizing verses, daily Bible reading, listening to sermons, attending Bible study groups, and reading “Christian” books are all aimed at occupying us with exactly what Christ warned against, “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24,26). Their programs simply spin our wheels hearing and hearing but not doing!

Apologetics is another huge deception of Trinitarian discipleship programs. It’s essentially training us to defend the very system that’s damning our own souls! Rather than “earnestly contend for the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jde 1:3), it’s contending for their false Trinitarian theological system. They misuse Peter’s directive, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1Pe 3:15), to convince us that we need to be trained with arguments against any objections. But Peter was quoting from Isaiah, “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread” (Isa 8:13). When we fear God in our hearts and not men, He will give us what needs to be said: “take no thought how or what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit [breath] of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Mat 10:19-20); “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist” (Luk 21:14-15); “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit [breath] by which he spake” (Act 6:10).

Trinitarian discipleship programs also include fasting, fellowshipping, giving time and money to Trinitarian ministries, husbands and wives praying together, keeping a journal, meditating, and sharing their “gospel” message with others. It’s all about keeping us busy doing anything except what Christ commanded. Rather than “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” they’re teaching them to observe their program on the broad way to destruction.

The Fallacy of the Trinity

The Greek theos for “god” is simply a position of authority, not a kind or type of being. The Father is God, not because of what He is as a being but because of His status as the highest authority over all, including over His Son Jesus Christ. That theos is a position of authority is evident by both Christ and Paul using this word for men and God within the same statement, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods [theos]? If he called them gods [theos], unto whom the word of God [theos] came” (Jhn 10:34-35), “For though there be that are called gods [theos], whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods [theos] many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God [theos], the Father” (1Co 8:6-6).

As Emperor, King, and President are titles and positions of authority, so is God. The President’s son, for example, is just as much a human being as his father yet isn’t President. Similarly, the Son of God was begotten the same kind of divine being as His Father yet isn’t God Himself. As the same kind of divine being, the Son had the ability and power in Himself to create the entire universe and all life ex nihilo—out of nothing. However, after transitioning to a human kind of being, He could work no miracles of Himself: “I cast out devils by the Spirit [breath] of God” (Mat 12:28); “The Son can do nothing of himself” (Jhn 5:19); “I can of mine own self do nothing” (Jhn 5:30); “the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (Jhn 14:10). Having been a 100% divine being, He became and forever will be a 100% human being.

Trinitarianism, however, conflates “position of authority” and “kind of being” into “God” as a singular concept, causing major problems in the incarnation. Because if God is a kind of being and the Son is God, then when becoming a human being He would have ceased to be God! Therefore, the illogical and nonsensical claim of hypostatic union had to be concocted—that He is both 100% God and 100% human at the same time. A big red flag of the fallacy of the Trinity.

Since “god” is a position of authority, then three co-equal persons are three gods. That makes sense. But Trinitarianism purports that three co-equal persons are one God. That makes no sense because it’s nonsense. Another red flag of the Trinitarian fallacy. It’s because Trinitarian ministers don’t want it exposed for what it truly is—polytheism—therefore they mask its three gods under the guise of three persons.

Because “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Jas 1:13), yet the Son was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15), Trinitarian ministers must painstakingly try to explain this away. Ultimately they contend that it wasn’t the “God” part of Him that was tempted but the human part. That makes no sense because it’s nonsense. Just another red flag that the Trinity is a fallacy.

Trinitarian ministers use various statements in Scripture to proof-text that the Son is God, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jhn 1:1). But the context of “the Word was God” includes several figures of speech or metaphors. The Son of God isn’t literally “the Word” (v. 1) or “the Light” (v. 7). These are figures of speech. And just as “the light was the life” (v. 4) is a metaphor, so is “the Word was God.” The Word Himself later stated, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (14:9). And Paul wrote, “Christ, who is the image of God” (2Co 4:4), “Who is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). He represented so God perfectly that John could say that He “was God.”

Another proof-text is, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb 1:8-9). The writer of Hebrews was quoting a passage from Psalm 45:6-7, and that passage begins with “Thy throne, O God.” However, the part where God was speaking to His Son is, “God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” God wasn’t calling His Son “God” but calling Himself His Son’s God!

Finally, it’s claimed that our Savior Jesus Christ is called “God” in these places, “God my Saviour” (Lke 1:47), “God, who is the Saviour” (1Ti 4:10), “God our Saviour” (1Ti 1:1; 1Ti 2:3; Tit 1:3,2:10,3:4; Jde 1:25). But these statements are about the Father, not the Son. God the Father is our Savior by virtue of having sent His Son to save us: “there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour” (Isa 45:21), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son … that the world through him might be saved” (Jhn 3:17), “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1Jo 4:14).

Trinitarian ministers must resort to proof-texting and teaching doctrines that are illogical and nonsensical. These are simply red flags of the fallacy of the Trinity.

The God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

What God and gospel do Trinitarian ministers preach? Is it the God that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself preached? Is it the gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself preached? If it’s not, then what does that say about them? Jesus preached the truth, and anyone preaching different is wrong. Since no subjects are more important than God and the gospel, if Trinitarian ministers are wrong about what’s most important, why listen to them about anything else?

Several times Christ called Himself “the Son of God,” and twice from heaven His Father called Him “My Beloved Son.” The Son never called Himself “God” and the Father never called His Son “God.” The Son did, however, call His Father “God” and called Him the only true God, “thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent” (Jhn 17:3). Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that the Father is the only true God but preach that Christ is also God.

Christ taught that He was begotten of God: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son … the only begotten Son of God” (Jhn 3:16,18); “I proceeded forth and came from God” (Jhn 8:42); “I came out from God. I came forth from the Father” (Jhn 16:27,28). It’s His own words “begotten,” “proceeded forth,” and “came out from God” about Himself that attest to His begetting and His beginning. Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that the Son had a beginning but preach that He has always existed as God Himself.

Christ called His Father “my God” before He died, after He was resurrected, and after He was seated next to Him: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat 27:46; Mar 15:34); “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (Jhn 20:17); “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God” (Rev 3:12). Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that the Father is the Son’s God but preach that the Son is co-equal with the Father.

Christ stated that His miracles were not of Himself: “I cast out devils by the Spirit [breath] of God” (Mat 12:28); “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (Jhn 5:19); “I can of mine own self do nothing” (Jhn 5:30); “the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (Jhn 14:10). Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that Christ was given the power to work miracles but preach that His miracles were by His own power as God Himself.

In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, He said nothing of believing but everything of obeying. He began the main portion by declaring, “That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 5:20). He said that if we don’t live righteously according to the standard He taught in this Sermon, then in no case, without exception, will we enter His Kingdom. We must live righteously to be saved. And He ended His Sermon, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24,26). It’s simple—we’re saved by doing what He said but perish if we don’t. Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that we can live righteously but preach that we must only believe.

Christ preached faithfulness to Him as Lord: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant” (Mat 24:45); “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things” (Mat 25:21); “Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little” (Luk 19:17); “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luk 16:10). Trinitarian ministers, however, deny that we’re saved by faithful service to Christ as Lord, and translate the Greek noun [pistis 4102] throughout the New Testament as “faith” rather than “faithfulness” to preach salvation by faith alone.

Trinitarian ministers transgress what the Son of God Himself taught about God, and what the Savior Himself taught about salvation. John wrote, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (2Jn 1:9). The view of God and the gospel preached by Trinitarian ministers transgresses the doctrine of Christ—He didn’t teach them. And according to John, whoever transgresses what Jesus Christ taught doesn’t have God.

The litmus test of any minister is if they preach the same God and gospel that Jesus Christ Himself preached. Trinitarian ministers, however, preach a different God and gospel, and therefore don’t have God. If they don’t have God, why listen to them?

The Gospel of Christ

When Paul began his letter to the Romans, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (1:16), he didn’t mean the gospel about Christ but the gospel Christ Himself preached as evident by how he ended his letter, “the preaching of Jesus Christ” (16:25). The true gospel message, the message that saves, is the message the Savior Himself preached. Paul’s entire letter of Romans is defining and explaining the gospel Christ preached. Salvation or eternal life isn’t according to our beliefs but according to our actions, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds [actions]: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” (2:6-7). “I know thy works [actions]” (Rev 2:2,9,13,19,3:1,8,15), “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work [actions] shall be” (Rev 22:12).

Jesus Christ preached, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Mat 5:17), “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mat 7:12). That “this is” the law and the prophets is that this one commandment of doing good is the satisfying of all that was required in the law and the prophets. With regards to the requirements of the Old Covenant law, there’s a distinction between the moral and the formal, the righteous and the ritualistic. There’s no change in what’s morally and righteously required of God’s people from the Old Covenant to the New—Christ preached the same righteous standard. What changed is the formal and ritualistic from which Christ set us free, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Gal 5:1).

In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, He said nothing of believing but everything of obeying. He began the main portion by declaring, “That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 5:20). If we don’t live righteously according to the standard He taught in this Sermon, then in no case, without exceptions, will we enter His Kingdom. Toward the end of His Sermon, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [anomia 458]” (Mat 7:23), “you lawbreakers!” (NET), “you who practice lawlessness!” (NKJV). The Greek anomia is contempt, transgression, or violation of law. And He ended His Sermon with, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24,26). It’s simple—if we do what He commanded we’ll be saved, but if we don’t we won’t be, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them … But he that heareth, and doeth not” (Luk 6:46,47,49).

Jesus Christ preached that we must fulfil the righteousness of the law: “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Mat 5:17); “That except your righteousness” (5:20); “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (6:33); “this is the law and the prophets” (7:12). And this was Paul’s gospel: “Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law … if it fulfil the law” (Rom 2:26-27); “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (8:4); “for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law … love is the fulfilling of the law” (13:8,10).

Jesus Christ preached faithfulness to Him as Lord: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant” (Mat 24:45); “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things” (Mat 25:21); “Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little” (Luk 19:17); “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luk 16:10). And He preached that unfaithful servants will perish, “The lord of that servant … shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites” (Mat 24:50,51), “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness” (Mat 25:30). But to convey a different gospel message, throughout the New Testament the Greek noun [pistis 4102] and verb [pisteuo 4100] have been translated as “faith” and “believe” respectively, rather than “faithfulness” and “trust.” But Abraham isn’t our example of faith but of faithfulness: “because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Gen 22:18); “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws” (Gen 26:5); “So then they which be of faith [faithfulness] are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Gal 3:9). Furthermore, not even once were the early Christians called “believers,” but translations have been fudged to read that way: “All the believers were together” (Act 2:44 NIV); “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32); “And all the believers used to meet together” (5:12).

The gospel of Christ is obedience to Him: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel” (Rom 10:16); “that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Th 1:8); “he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb 5:9).

How to Perform that which is Good

There has been an ongoing debate whether Romans 7:7-25 is Paul’s former life under the law, or his present struggle as a Christian. It’s actually neither, but his former life without God’s breath in his heart because in the next chapter he used pneuma for “breath” 22 times!

In chapter 7, he quoted the Tenth Commandment he was guilty of breaking, “I had not known lust [epithymia 1939], except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet [epithymeo 1937]” (v. 7), then five verses in a row he referred to it simply as “the commandment” (vs. 9,10,11,12,13). He said repeatedly that he wanted to do good, “what I would” (v. 15), “perform that which is good” (v. 18), “the good that I would” (v. 19), “when I would do good” (v. 21). However, the evil of coveting and lusting that he didn’t want to do, he was doing, “that which I do I allow not … but what I hate, that do I” (v. 15), “I do that which I would not” (v. 16), “the evil which I would not, that I do” (v. 19), “I do that I would not” (v. 20).

Except for the two “positive” commands “Remember the sabbath day … Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exo 20:8,12), the Ten Commandments are “negative” prohibitions: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (v. 3); “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (v. 4); “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain” (v. 7); “Thou shalt not kill” (v. 13); “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (v. 14); “Thou shalt not steal” (v. 15); “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (v. 16); “Thou shalt not covet” (v. 17). But Jesus taught that all of the “Thou shalt nots” are kept by two “Thou shalts,” “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mar 12:29-30,31). Paul wasn’t doing the good “Thou shalts” because he was doing the evil of the “Thou shalt nots.”

His members, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (vs. 22-23), were his eyes for lust and his hands for getting what he coveted. This is the evil that Jesus taught against, “That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after [epithymeo 1937] her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Mat 5:28-30).

But Jesus also taught us to do the good: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Mat 5:44), “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Mat 7:12), “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luk 6:31), “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again” (Luk 6:35). When Paul said “how to perform that which is good I find not,” he meant that without God’s breath in him, he couldn’t find how to perform the good of doing to his enemy as he would want done to him. This is the litmus test of salvation—do we sincerely love as ourselves, our enemies and those that mistreat us? God’s children do as He does, “Love your enemies … That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Mat 5:44,45), “The Spirit [breath] itself beareth witness with our spirit [breath], that we are the children of God” (Rom 8:16).

Those “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [breath]” (Rom 8:1,4), are those who walk after God’s breath in their hearts. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself … Walk in the Spirit [breath], and ye shall not fulfil the lust [epithymia 1939] of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth [epithymeo 1937] against the Spirit [breath], and the Spirit [breath] against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal 5:14,16-17). That we “cannot do the things that ye would” is that we cannot the “thou shalts” without God’s breath. By the “thou shalt nots,” the law manifested or revealed the works of the flesh, “But if ye be led of the Spirit [breath], ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness …” (Gal 5:18-19). But there are no “thou shalt nots” against the fruit of the breath, “But the fruit of the Spirit [breath] is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith [faithfulness], Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). Do the “thou shalts” and we won’t be doing the rest.

How do we NOT walk after the flesh? By walking after the breath. When we do the good by God’s breath in our hearts, we won’t “fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

The Tri-Part Beast

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (Rev 13:1). In this vision, John stood on the shoreline in Judea looking toward the west across the Mediterranean—the “great sea” (Dan 7:2). It was westward in Rome where this beast arose, “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority” (Rev 13:2). It’s three different kinds of beasts yet one beast—a tri-part beast. And since the dragon gave this beast his power, therefore either of them are worshipped the same, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast” (Rev 13:4). And we were told earlier that the dragon is the devil, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Rev 12:9). Therefore, worship of this beast is worship of the devil.

Daniel wrote, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan 12:8-10). The wise will understand and John gave that understanding, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev 13:18).

“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev 13:17). There are three either/or equivalents: the mark or the name or the number. Since the number of the name “Trinity” is tri- or three, therefore to “count the number” would be to count the three digits in “six hundred threescore and six.” And since an entity is a being, then a three-part being is a tri-entity or a trinity. If the beast is in fact the tri-part God of the Trinity, then its seven heads would be the seven main Trinitarian organizations: Roman Catholic Church, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, and Baptist. Therefore, “the name of blasphemy” upon each of its seven heads is the name “Trinity” upon these seven religious groups.

The Greek mysterion in “MYSTERY [mysterion 3466], BABYLON THE GREAT” (Rev 17:5), means “hidden.” Hidden within Babylon past is Babylon present, “the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (v. 8), “it once was, now is not, and yet will come” (NIV). Three beasts from the past form again into one great fourth beast, “And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another” (Dan 7:3), “The first was like a lion” (v. 4), “a second, like to a bear” (v. 5), “another, like a leopard” (v. 6), “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast” (v. 7), “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth” (v. 23). This fourth beast is what John saw rise from Rome that would be the former three but in one. Hidden within three kingdoms of the past is the fourth kingdom of today.

This tri-part beast came up from the abyss, “the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit [abyssos 12]” (Rev 11:7), “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit [abyssos 12]” (Rev 17:8). And that’s where the devil will be cast during the Millennium, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [abyssos 12] and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit [abyssos 12]” (Rev 20:1-3). The source of this beast is the devil from the abyss.

God’s people worshipped beasts in the past, “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom 1:23). And the beast itself is a trinity, “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.” It’s extremely fast like a leopard that can’t be outrun, extremely strong like a bear that can’t be fought, and its roar is extremely fierce like a lion that can’t be faced. It can only be overcome by the Lord.

Just what is the terrifying roar of this beast? Its cry is manifold: even questioning the doctrine of the Trinity is the danger of blasphemy against the Spirit for which there will never be forgiveness; if we deny it, we’ll be shamed, labeled a heretic, and deemed as never truly saved; we can’t understand the Scriptures on our own; anything disagreeing with it is new, and if it’s new it’s not true. Its roar tests us—whether we fear it, or fear God. Will we listen to the doctrines of men, or the doctrine of Christ, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (Jhn 18:37 NIV)?

What about those who never heard?

One of the most difficult questions for Christians to answer is the destiny of those who die without having heard the gospel. This is a big problem because we recognize that it’s beyond unjust for anyone having never had the opportunity for salvation to be tortured alive in fire eternally. How can a loving God create multitudes of eternal beings, then allow them to suffer eternally having never had hope? It’s not fair and it’s not love.

This question, however, isn’t a problem once we accept the reality that man isn’t an eternal being but a physical being that is either given eternal life or else is annihilated. We recognize that animals pass from existence when they die—dogs don’t go to heaven. And we don’t think of any unjustness done to them in existing for a short time then passing from existence. Why not the same with humans? What would be unjust with God allowing humans to live, then never live again? For them to not exist, come into existence, then no longer exist?

Now, this isn’t degrading humanity, created in the image of God, down to that of animals. It’s recognizing the truth taught in Scripture: “Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish … Like sheep they are laid in the grave … Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Psa 49:14, 12, 20); “that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast” (Ecc 3:18-19); “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption” (2Pe 2:12).

Paul taught repeatedly in Romans that the knowledge of sin came by the law and that God doesn’t impute sin to those who didn’t have its knowledge: “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law” (2:12); “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (3:20); “for where no law is, there is no transgression” (4:15); “sin is not imputed when there is no law” (5:13); “I had not known sin, but by the law” (7:7); “For without the law sin was dead” (7:8).

When Paul said “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2Co 5:19), he was teaching that while God was working His plan of salvation throughout history to reconcile the world to Himself through Christ, He wasn’t imputing anyone’s sins to them. This is what he also taught to the Romans, “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression” (Rom 5:13-14). All of humanity dies because of Adam’s sin. And although everyone also sins, God doesn’t impute their sins to them if they haven’t sinned the same way as Adam under a direct commandment from God, “had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression” (Rom 5:15). They simply died and will never live again. They were without law, therefore they perished without law, “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law” (Rom 2:12).

“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Mat 11:21), “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here” (Mat 12:41). Jesus taught that had God sent someone to preach to the people of Tyre and Sidon they would have repented. But of course, the obvious question is why didn’t He? Why send Jonah to Nineveh but nobody to them? If God had sent preachers throughout history to every people, then the world wouldn’t have been in darkness but in light—and a world full of light wouldn’t have crucified the Light of the world: “That was the true Light” (Jhn 1:9); “that light is come into the world” (Jhn 3:19); “I am the light of the world” (Jhn 9:5); “I am come a light into the world” (Jhn 12:46); “for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1Co 2:8).

There are three possible destinies of people: (1) they never lived under God’s law, they die and will never live again; (2) they lived under God’s law and kept its righteousness, they will live again in the resurrection of the righteous and never die again; (3) they lived under God’s law but didn’t keep its righteousness, they will live again in the resurrection of the unrighteous to be judged, punished, die a second time, and annihilated in the lake of fire. The conclusion is that those who never heard perished when they died and will never live again. Hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ is our only hope for eternal life.

On Which Side of the Jordan Will We Die?

The apostle Peter, the first to preach to the Gentiles penned his second letter to them, “to them that have obtained like precious faith [faithfulness] with us” (2Pe 1:1). And Jude, whose letter was patterned after Peter’s reminded them, “earnestly contend for the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints [separated] … I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed [trusted] not” (Jde 1:3, 5). God separated His people from all others—saving them from Egypt and giving precious faithfulness to them to inherit the land. However, most of them died on the wrong side of the Jordan River.

Paul revealed that Abraham’s two sons were prophetic allegorically of the Old and New Covenants, “Abraham had two sons … Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants … For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth [corresponds] to Jerusalem which now is” (Gal 4:22, 24-25). The events with God’s people from Egypt to Jerusalem correspond as examples of our salvation in Christ, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted … Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition” (1Co 10:6, 11), “lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [distrust]” (Heb 4:11).

The Lord saved His people out of Egypt to receive their land inheritance and inhabit Jerusalem on the other side of the River. However, most of them died on the wrong side, “But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness” (Num 14:32). The warning is to us, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1Co 10:12), “whose carcases fell in the wilderness” (Heb 3:17), “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [distrust]” (Heb 4:11). He intended for them to settle in the land, not come short of it, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Heb 4:1).

They came short because their hearts were hardened through continual sinning, “Harden not your hearts” (Heb 3:8, 15), “lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (v. 13), “was it not with them that had sinned” (v. 17). And Paul listed several of their sins: “not lust after evil things” (1Co 10:6), “Neither be ye idolaters” (v. 7), “Neither let us commit fornication” (v. 8), “Neither let us tempt Christ” (v. 9), “Neither murmur ye” (v. 10).

Murmuring and complaining was the most frequent sin: “And the people murmured against Moses” (Exo 15:24); “the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him” (Exo 16:8); “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel” (Exo 16:12); “the people murmured against Moses” (Exo 17:3); “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron” (Num 14:2); “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me” (Num 14:27); “all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron” (Num 16:41); “take away their murmurings from me” (Num 17:10); “ye murmured in your tents” (Deu 1:27); “But murmured in their tents” (Psa 106:25); “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured” (1Co 10:10).

They tempted God several times as they traveled across the desert toward the land, “they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exo 17:7), and God forgave them. However, their hearts continued to be hardened until they had tempted Him too many times, “have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice” (Num 14:22). It came to the point where God swore in His anger that they would not enter the land but die, “I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die” (Num 14:35); “And the LORD’S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware” (Num 32:10); “And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware” (Deu 1:34); “Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest” (Psa 95:11); “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (Heb 3:11), “As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest” (Heb 4:3).

They are examples to us, “Now these things were our examples … Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples” (1Co 10:6, 11), “lest any man fall after the same example” (Heb 4:11). We must fear the same fate of not entering but dying on this side of the Jordan, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Heb 4:1). God is merciful and forgiving. But if we keep sinning and hardening our hearts, there will come a point when He swears we won’t enter and there will never be hope for us again—we will not enter our inheritance but die on this side of the Jordan.