the Word was God – Understanding Scripture

The Doctrine of Christ

The apostle 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” (2Jo 1:9). The Trinitarian view of God transgresses the doctrine of Christ—it’s not what He taught. And according to John, whoever transgresses what Jesus Christ taught doesn’t have God.

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 the Son of God Himself using this word for both 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). Furthermore, theos is grammatically singular or plural depending on the number of persons as Christ used it here. A plurality of persons is multiple gods—three persons can’t be one God either grammatically or logically. And Jesus affirmed what Moses said about God, “The Lord [kyrios] our God is one Lord [kyrios]” (Mar 12:29). The Greek kyrios is a “lord,” “master,” or “ruler.” Since God is one Lord or Ruler, then God is not three co-equal Rulers.

The doctrine of Christ is 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). Since theos isn’t a kind of being but a position of authority, then the Son was begotten as the same kind of divine being but always under the authority of His Father God. In the incarnation, He came down from heaven and transitioned to a human kind of being through the virgin birth while continuing to be the Son of God.

Jesus claimed of Himself: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten [monogenes] Son” (Jhn 3:16); “he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten [monogenes] Son of God” (Jhn 3:18); “I proceeded forth and came from God” (Jhn 8:42); “I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world” (Jhn 16:27-28). It’s His own words “begotten,” “proceeded forth,” and “came out from God” that attest to His begetting and His beginning. But since God has no beginning, Trinitarianism can’t embrace His literal begetting, therefore make the nonsensical claim that He is eternally begotten or generated. Many modern Bible versions take this a step further in obscuring the concept of begetting entirely by rendering the Greek monogenes as “only” or “one and only,” making Him say something different than what He said.

Several times Jesus 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, “You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jhn 17:3). And the apostle Paul affirmed the same, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1Co 8:6).

The doctrine of Christ is that His Father is His God as He called Him 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).

Many times the apostles called the Father, Jesus Christ’s God: “God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 15:6); “And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1Co 3:23); “the head of Christ is God” (1Co 11:3); “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Co 11:31); “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:3); “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory” (Eph 1:17); “God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Col 1:3); “therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb 1:9); “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Pe 1:3). The statement “God the Father” appears several times in the Scriptures but the Trinitarian statements “God the Son” and “God the Holy Spirit” aren’t found even once. There are over 50 verses that identify the Father as God: Jhn 1:18, 5:18, 6:27,46, 13:3, 16:27, 20:17; Act 2:33; Rom 1:7, 15:6; 1Co 1:3, 8:6, 15:24; 2Co 1:2-3, 11:31; Gal 1:1,3-4, 4:6; Eph 1:2-3,17, 4:6, 5:20, 6:23; Phl 1:2, 2:11, 4:20; Col 1:2-3, 3:17; 1Th 1:1,3, 3:11,13; 2Th 1:1-2, 2:16; 1Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:3; Heb 12:7; Jas 1:27, 3:9; 1Pe 1:2-3; 2Pe 1:17; 2Jo 1:3; Jde 1:1; Rev 1:6.

The belief and confession of the apostles and early church was that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat 16:16); “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (Jhn 20:31); “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Act 8:37); “he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Act 9:20); “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us” (2Co 1:19); “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God” (1Jo 4:15); “he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (1Jo 5:5). The Trinitarian confession “God the Son,” however, denies that He is the Son of God because He can’t be both. If He is God’s Son, He can’t be God. But if He is God, He can’t be God’s Son. Defining Him as “God the Son” denies Him as the Son of God—the very confession of salvation.

John wrote repeatedly that eternal life is through the Son of God: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life” (Jhn 3:36); “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jhn 17:1-3); “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (Jhn 20:31); “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1Jo 5:11-12); “even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1Jo 5:20).

Jesus said that the throne on which He sits is His Father’s and that He is sitting with Him, “set down with my Father in his throne” (Rev 3:21). When speaking of Him sitting with God, He is always said to be seated at God’s right hand and never that God is seated at His left: “Sit thou at my right hand” (Psa 110:1); “the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power” (Mat 26:64); “by the right hand of God exalted” (Act 2:33); “even at the right hand of God” (Rom 8:34); “Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col 3:1); “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3); “who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb 8:1); “sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb 10:12); “set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2); “on the right hand of God” (1Pe 3:22).

The main statement used to claim that Jesus Himself is God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” (Jhn 1:1-2). But twice John said He was “with God.” How can He be with Him and also be Him? Since John later wrote, “the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father” (1Jo 1:1-2), then “with God” corresponds to “with the Father.” 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 said He was “the image of God” (2Co 4:4), “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). He represented God so perfectly that John could say He “was God” in metaphorical equivalence.

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (Jhn 1:18); “Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape” (Jhn 5:37); “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father” (Jhn 6:46); “whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1Ti 6:16); “No man hath seen God at any time” (1Jo 4:12). Nobody but the Son of God has seen God because He was with God. And who knows God better than His only begotten Son? Furthermore, Jesus Christ is the arbiter of 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). What He said about God and about Himself is the final word.

Trinitarian ministers, on the other hand, disagree with the Son of God about God! Disagreeing with Him about anything is alarming enough but our view of God is most important. If they’re wrong about what’s greatest, what about everything else? How can these highly educated ministers with Masters and even Doctorate degrees be wrong about the most crucial subject of all? Could it just be an honest mistake, or is something else going on? If they’re sincerely wrong, then all they need to do is start teaching it right. But if they’re knowingly transgressing the doctrine of Christ, then according to John they don’t have God. And if they won’t listen to Him, why listen to them?

Who is the Father? Who is the Son?

God’s Son never called Himself “God” and God never called His Son “God.” He called Himself the Son of God, and God called Him “My beloved Son” at His baptism and transfiguration. Furthermore, the Son called His Father “God” and “the only true God” (Jhn 17:3). He also called Him “My God” while on the cross (Mat 27:46; Mar 15:34), after His resurrection (Jhn 20:17), and after His seating next to Him in heaven (Rev 3:12). The Father and the Son are in complete agreement and unity about each other. What they said is the final word. Who dare say otherwise?

Christ’s apostles taught that the Father is Jesus Christ’s God: “God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 15:6); “Christ is God’s” (1Co 3:23); “the head of Christ is God” (1Co 11:3); “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Co 1:3); “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Co 11:31; Eph 1:3; Col 1:3; 1Pe 1:3); “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory” (Eph 1:17). They never called Christ “God.” The “Word was God” (Jhn 1:1) is simply a metaphor—Christ visibly represented the invisible God, “Christ, who is the image of God” (2Co 4:4), “Who is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). When Thomas declared, “My Lord and my God” (Jhn 20:28), he was affirming Christ as his Lord and Christ’s God as his God just as he was told, “go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (Jhn 20:17). And “God our Saviour” (1Ti 1:1,2:3; Tit 1:3,2:10,3:4) is the Father, not the Son, “God our Saviour, and the Lord Jesus Christ … God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Ti 1:1,2). Finally, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God … therefore God, even thy God” (Heb 1:9), is what the Son’s God on the throne said to the Son.

The Greek theos for “god” is a position, role, or title of authority, not a kind of being. The Father is God because of His status as the highest authority over all, including over His Son Jesus Christ. That theos isn’t a type of being is inferred by Christ using it for both human beings and for God Himself, “I said, Ye are gods [theos 2316]? If he called them gods [theos 2316], unto whom the word of God [theos 2316] came” (Jhn 10:34-35). Paul also used this word for angels, humans, and the Father, “that are called gods [theos 2316], whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods [theos 2316] many, and lords [kyrios 2962] many,) But to us there is but one God [theos 2316], the Father” (1Co 8:5-6). It’s simply a title of the being.

That the Son is not God doesn’t deny His divinity as a being, just like the President’s son is not President doesn’t deny his humanity as a being. Christ claimed to have been begotten of God, “his only begotten Son … the only begotten Son of God” (Jhn 3:16,18). He was begotten the same kind of divine being as His Father with the ability to create the entire universe. In the incarnation, He relinquished His divine being to become a human being, dependent upon His Father to work miracles.

After His death, burial, and resurrection, His Father gave Him authority over heaven and earth: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Mat 28:18); “As thou hast given him power over all flesh” (Jhn 17:2); “For he hath put all things under his feet” (1Co 15:27); “angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (1Pe 3:22). However, the Father didn’t put Himself under His Son—He is the exception, “he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1Co 15:27,28).

Furthermore, there is no third person. The first occurrence of the Hebrew ruwach, “And the Spirit [ruwach 7307] of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2), wasn’t a person flying over the water like superman! God was blowing His breath across the surface of the waters. The second, “in the cool [ruwach 7307] of the day” (Gen 3:8), “breezes were blowing” (NLT), “the evening breeze” (CSB), “the breezy time of the day” (NET), “at the breeze of the day” (YLT). The Greek equivalent of ruwach is pneuma, where our English “pneumonia,” “pneumology,” and “pneumatics” are derived—all involving air. Its verb form pneo means “to blow” as Jesus Himself used it, “The wind [pneuma 4151] bloweth [pneo 4154]” (Jhn 3:8). And Jesus illustrated pneuma as breath by breathing, “he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [pneuma 4151]” (Jhn 20:22). Finally, when Christ spoke of the holy breath as though a person, He said He was speaking figuratively, “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs” (Jhn 16:25), “figures of speech” (NET), “speaking figuratively” (NIV), “figurative language” (NKJV).

Nobody but the Son has seen God, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (Jhn 1:18). He declared the truth about God. And who knows God better than His Son? How can highly educated ministers be wrong about the most important subject of all? And if they’re wrong about what’s most important, why listen to them?

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.