The Oneness of God – These Three are One

Painfully aware of the lies and distortions and wresting of scripture in these days the Spirit spoke expressly of (1 Tim.4:1) and particularly regarding the person of Jesus Christ (1 Jn.2:18-29, 4:1-6); knowing also that any reexamining and proving of traditional doctrine will bring curses and slander upon us from those unstable in heart while outwardly appearing righteous, who seek the praise of the Reformers and their peers more than the praise of God; we by the infinite mercy of God alone trust to arrive at the truth and commit to our Faithful Creator the keeping of our souls by faith alone; who left us promise of guidance by his Spirit into all truth and away from those who would deceive. We hope by God’s grace to dissolve some doubts and confusion regarding the Trinity. We recognize that all mystery will not be fully fathomed but trust to proceed a bit further to worship him in spirit and truth with the understanding. May his name alone be hallowed through his only Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction Jn.17:1 Father…  (v3) this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 1 Cor.8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (v32) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: (v34) Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God 1 Tim.2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;  It would seem like a simple doctrine that to believe that there is only one true God when considering the verses above as well as many more just like them. The conclusion that there is one God and that he is one person- (unitarian) is something that Jews believe, Muslims believe, many naming the name of Christ claim to believe, and practically anyone left who believes in a God of some sort or other. It would seem easy to prove that the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament likewise believed God was a singular being and uni-personal or Unitarian (in contrast to Trinitarian). The prophets thundering out with divinely granted authority “Thus saith the LORD”! As Moses to Pharaoh “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go” (Ex.5:1) “Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord” (7:17). Prophets after Moses referring to this time- “… Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?” (1 Sam.2:27) Nathan spake to David “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul” (2 Sam.12:7).  We appear to always see God or the LORD speaking of himself in singular personal pronouns- I, me, myself, mine. He reveals himself to Moses at the bush as “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex.3:14). Also the prophets and teachers in scripture refer to God in the singular- he, himself, his, him. Thus the Jews following the Old Testament scriptures did not know of a Trinity. It would seem apparent as well that the revelation that there is one God; and there is none other but he, would be what the heavens declare while speaking of his glory; the firmament showing his handywork (Psa.19:1) Paul tells us that the invisible things of God, namely his eternal power and Godhead are manifest in all men, clearly seen from what he has made. That the creation itself giving understanding of him so that all men are without excuse (Rom.1:19-20).  So what is the problem? Why do Christians insist that Jesus Christ is God also with the Father? Wouldn’t this introduce 2 unitarian Gods? Wasn’t Jesus just a man anyway? The Jewish people, God’s people; to whom were committed the oracles of God (Rom.3:2) would have had the correct theology right? Jesus said of the Jews “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 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.” (Jn.4:22-24) Paul said of the Jew that to him “pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises” (Rom.9:4).  The problem is that Paul also said in the next verse (v5) -“whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Paul is opening mysteries in the New Testament. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim.3:16). This is also what John stated concerning the coming of Christ to the Jewish people “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (Jn.1:10-13) John continues- “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”(v14) So this Jesus Christ came in the flesh (1 Jn.4:1-3). And he is called God over all (Ro.9:5), God manifested in flesh (1 Tim.3:16), God with us (Matt.1:23), even himself declaring that before Abraham was “I am” (Jn.8:58). John 1:14 told us that the Word was made flesh and was the only begotten of the Father. Who was this Word that gave men power to become sons of God, and by whom the world was made? And not only the world but “without him was not any thing made that was made” (1:3). Verse 1 declares “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  So now we see where the many debates and schisms are introduced. How do we account for One God alone and yet Jesus is plainly declared to be God? The Trinitarians would say ‘The one God is not Unitarian- or a single person, but Trinitarian- that is the one God is 3 persons’. Unitarians would take other forms- declaring that Jesus is either just a man- the Messiah or he is a preexistent created angel who became a man. Others who want to adhere to the deity of the Lord Jesus will defend that Jesus is indeed God and that he is the One Unitarian God who became a man. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus is the express image of the person of the Father.  Now all of these competing theologies will battle over multiple verses in divers manners and sundry ways about the most vehemently contested doctrine in the history of the world- Who is Jesus Christ? Whom say ye that I am? (Mt.16:15) And indeed it is no small thing for this is eternal life- to know who Jesus is! “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (Jn 8:23-4) Jesus said again when praying to the Father “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jn.17:3)  So believing the right thing about Jesus Christ will determine your eternity. It is not surprising that the old serpent which is the Devil and Satan would present false Christs (Mt.24:24) and false prophets preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor.11:4) and would be in fact antichrist. Consider the mighty apostles warning- “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 Jn. 4:1-3)   Now deniers of Christ as divine will strive using verses teaching the Oneness of God and conclude that since God is one person Christ cannot be God as another person. Or those trying to hold onto the teaching of Christ as divine but who deny a trinity of persons in the one true God (the Trinitarian position), they will claim that Jesus is God as a man or in the flesh. Therefore to them any verses revealing the 2 persons of the Father and the Son are explained as Jesus the man is speaking as a man-the Son, when in reference to God- the Father. Such as his prayers in “the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death” (Heb.5:7) Was God praying to God? No they say, along with Trinitarians and Unitarian deniers of Christ’s divinity that he is praying as a man dependent upon God. So which view of Jesus Christ is consistent with scripture?

John 17  This passage of scripture is one of the main battlefields for all positions. Consider for a moment these passages: v1-5 “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” • The Unitarian deniers of Christ’s divinity will argue for their position like this- ‘Clearly the Father is the ONLY true God v3 (since God is only 1 person). So Jesus is NOT God. Jesus himself said there is only One God in Mark 12:29. He denied that he was God in Mt.19:17. Jesus is the Messiah- and a man only, the Son of man. Where verse 5 seems to show Christ as a person before he existed in flesh it is more easily understood to mean that Jesus is saying ‘The glory that you have laid up for me from the beginning- my glory; glory intended for me, glory I had from the foundation of the world- give it to me now O Father’ Just like the promised glory of Christians such as treasures in heaven (Mt.6:20). Or as John 17:20-22 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” It is the same thing! The glory Jesus gave us before we were born. So Jesus is not claiming he existed before the world was- only that in the mind or heart of God he existed as a plan’ • The Unitarian confessors of the deity of the Lord Jesus will argue basically identically for verse 5. But they will say that Jesus the man is praying and did not previously exist as a man before God became flesh at the virgin birth. And so the “I” in verse 5 is the person Jesus the man. And there was no “I” with the Father before the world was, there was simply the foreordained plan in the heart and mind of God • Arians (Watchtower) who deny the deity of Christ accept his preexistence as an angel or the first creature God created, so they could allow for a preexistence of Jesus here- but not as eternal or “from everlasting” as declared in Mic.5:2 (compare Matt.2:6); but rather having a beginning of days (Heb.7:3) as a creature of God the Creator.  So both Unitarian groups have Jesus as a plan in the foreknowledge of God and not a person here. They are saying the glory is with the Father and not the person Jesus. But, if he is saying ‘glorify me with the glory reserved for me by your foreknowledge from the beginning’ then we have utter nonsense in the context. Because the glory was the presence of the Father- “glorify thou me with thine own self”. So you have the Father’s glory with Him is actually the Father himself. The glory of the Father is the Father Himself. If the Unitarian interpretation is used then you have Jesus saying that the glory- which is the Father himself- was with the Father. So the Father was with the Father? ‘Glorify me with yourself which was with you’? Jesus would not have said 'glorify me with the glory I had when I didn't exist'. We could not say 'glorify me with the glory I had (not have) with you before the world was'. If God created all things by his Son Jesus Christ, then he was a person before the worlds were framed (Eph.3:9, Col.1:16, Heb.1:2). Therefore the Trinitarians will win this battleground over the Unitarians; save the Arians (who have trouble with Isa.42:8, 48:11)- Jesus was a person with the Father before the world was. “I had with thee before the world was”- if he had this glory with the Father then HE was WITH the Father. The Unitarian affirmer of Jesus’ Deity would actually have Jesus as 2 persons (I am’s); Jesus the man and God- (or maybe three in this passage Jn.8:16-8 otherwise you have 2 persons just as Jn.17:5 both in the beginning). John 1  This portion will be possibly the most hotly contested battleground. We have cited the controversial passages above. But to review again: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men…10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” • What do the Unitarian deniers of Christ teach here? The same method of John 17:5 is applied here; that the Word is a non-personal abstraction, a plan. As an analogy we might say ‘this house was once only in the mind of the architect’; we might even say ‘she was in the mind of the architect’. It would be a fallacy of equivocation to speak of the physical house as literally in the architects head rather than the abstract idea or blueprint of the house was the focus of the architects mind. So in this way Jesus was God’s preexisting divine purpose or blueprint for salvation. And so God’s plan- his Word- is personified; a reification such as Wisdom in Proverbs 8. We don’t imagine Wisdom as a divine female person in the Godhead (‘she’ v2-3, 4:5-9). We don’t think ‘mother nature’ is a female deity; this is just a literary tool. Notice John doesn’t say ‘in the beginning was the Son and the Son was with the Father’. If ‘God the Father’ was with ‘God the Son’ then we have 2 Gods- and we know God is one. Plus the Son said that the Father was the only God (Jn.17:3). What John is expressing here is “In the beginning God had a plan and that plan was within God’s heart and was itself ‘God’ ” — that is, God in His self-revelation” As God thinks in his heart so is he (Prov.23:7). This is all the apostle is expressing. • Your Unitarian confessors of the deity of the Lord Jesus will argue in the same way because they cannot have Jesus as a person with the Father before the incarnation or else their doctrine fails. The difference however is that they will say that Jesus was the Only true God before he became a man. Any distinction of persons that we find in scripture is only related to the man Jesus and God the Father. Such a distinction did not exist before the incarnation. Sonship means incarnation- God became the man Jesus. • The Watchtower Arians will say that Jesus the Word was indeed with the Father as “a god”; that is a created deity not the true uni-personal God. • Trinitarians will say ‘in the beginning was Jesus and Jesus was with the Father and Jesus was in his nature God in the same way as the Father’. They will stress that in the beginning the Word, Jesus already WAS. And that he was WITH the Father in a relationship. And to avoid contradiction and nonsense they will say ‘the Word WAS God’ cannot mean the Son was his own Father or the Son was the Trinity. Therefore the Word was as to his nature God just as the Father. Both divine persons sharing the same nature eternally existing with the Spirit as the divine being- God the trinity.  We have here also the Trinitarians being more consistent to the scripture at least in regard to the Word being the person of Jesus Christ and dwelling with the Father in the beginning of the creation. The Arian Watchtower follower’s conclusion, that the Word is a person but cannot be the Father and so must be a god and not the God, is based upon the same conception that God is uni-personal and not tri-personal. An assumption that must be first proved before it can be used to shoehorn their interpretation into all the passages that do not say what they teach. Likewise the Unitarian deniers wrest the scripture to mean what it clearly does not say in order to hold to the view that God is Unitarian and not Trinitarian. But clearly the Word is a person with the Father just as John 17:5; and all things were made by him and not without him (1:3-4, 10 etc.). He then became flesh in John 1:14. He was with the Father and was manifested unto the apostles.  1 Jn.1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of 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, and was manifested unto us;) Who then is this Word? V3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth… (v17) grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. His name is called The Word of God (Rev.19:13); and he is one of the three that bear record in heaven (1 Jn.5:7). So Jesus Christ his Son is the Word who was with the Father before the world was and he was God. This is simply what the scriptures declare. You must let them say what they say and this is plainly what they say.

Philippians 2 Next we come to another hotly contested battlefield. This passage in addition to being theologically important also has translation significance playing into the debate. Let’s consider the passages from 3 leading translations: KJV 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. NASB Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. RSV Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  Translators will tell us that the Greek translated “robbery” in the KJV and “a thing to be grasped” in the NASB and RSV would carry the 2 possible meanings expressed in these bible versions. One idea is that Jesus did not consider equality with God to be robbery as in the KJV, meaning it was not seizing or taking something that was not his; a usurpation. In other words, Christ Jesus considered himself equal with God.  The newer translations (NASB, RSV) render it using the other meaning- that Jesus did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped or clutched onto or retained as a prize. They would say that the context demands that it mean he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped or held onto but rather he gave it up temporarily as an act of humility since humbling ourselves is the context. They would contend that the KJV reading indicates Jesus asserts his right as equal with God which would not be conducive to the text teaching humility.  Some problems with the newer translations are that Jesus did not give up equality with God when he became a man (Jn.5:18); he only lived as a man in the flesh dependent upon the Father as his God and not utilizing his full divinity. The KJV here does not conflict with the context anymore than John 13 where Christ declares that he is superior to the disciples as their Lord and Master yet he washes their feet as their servant (Jn.13:3-17). The deniers of Christ’s deity prefer the newer translations because it assists them in denying Christ’s deity. They can claim that Jesus was content with the glory he had as God’s first creature and did not prize God’s glory or equality with God as a prideful usurper such as Lucifer who coveted or grasped for God’s glory (Isa.14). They would say that Jesus did not grasp for equality with God because he was humble and content with his position in creation in contrast to Lucifer or Adam (ye shall be as gods). The KJV is the superior translation here contextually (compare with John 13) and in exalting Christ. • The Unitarian deniers of Christ who deny his preexistence and any incarnation might say ‘Paul here is not making what would be his only allusion to Jesus having been alive before his birth. Nor is he ascribing to Christ the title of Christ or Messiah given at his birth to an eternity past. Instead he is contrasting Jesus the last Adam with the first son of God Adam (Lk.3:38)- Adam being created in the image or form of God and tempted of the devil grasped at God’s glory desiring to be as gods (Gen.3:5) and sinning in pride; whereas Jesus the 2nd man did not fall into this temptation (Mt.4:8-10). Furthermore Jesus was not exalted in the resurrection to a position he had given up in an incarnation but to a position he had never previously held. Paul is teaching a simple mind of humility not some complex imagining of ourselves as eternal divine beings about to surrender Godhood in order to come to the earth as men to understand humility. Paul doesn’t introduce here some illogical conception of a Trinity while simply trying to teach humility.’ • Unitarian affirmers of Christ’s deity would also not see 2 persons coexisting before the incarnation here. They would follow likewise with the previous interpretation of the passage as referring to Jesus earthy ministry. Explaining the passage to mean that Jesus was equal with God because he was God as a man but became a servant unto death. • Arians would acknowledge his preexistence but would prefer a translation obscuring the fact of Christ being equal with God.  Here again when you allow the text to speak it tells us that Christ Jesus considered himself equal WITH God- indicating 2 persons, one equal with the other. And that Christ willingly incarnated himself; that is “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men”. It would be nonsense to say that he made himself in the likeness of men while he was a man; or that he became like a man while he actually was a man. So the passage is teaching that Christ in an act of humility became a man- ‘took part of flesh and blood’ (Heb.2:14) ‘made a little lower than the angels’ (Heb.2:9) ‘took on him the seed of Abraham’ (Heb.2:16); ‘concerning the flesh Christ came’ (Rom.9:5) and was ‘made of the seed of David according to the flesh’ (Rom.1:3) and had a ‘body prepared for him’ (Heb.10:5) and so for our sakes he became poor (2 Cor.8:9). And his obedience took him to the death of the cross to pay for sins and taste death for every man (1 Cor.15:3, Heb.2:9). Therefore God the Father (Phil.2:11) with whom Christ considered himself equal before his incarnation (who was the express image of his own person Heb.1:3), highly exalted this man Jesus in the flesh of his resurrected body to his own right hand. This Lamb appearing as it had been slain which John saw in heaven (Rev.5:5-13) was worthy of glory, so God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth (Phil.2:9-10).  So the Trinitarian view is the only one which allows for 2 persons that preexist Jesus coming in the flesh (1 Jn.4:2, 5:6), to be with each other and the one equal with the other.

The Trinity  It would appear in our study that the Trinitarian position fits the scriptures we have examined better, but how is the doctrine of the Trinity derived from the matrix of scripture? We see numerous scriptures demonstrating that there are three persons who are identified as God implicitly by attributes and explicitly by declaration. We will look at some of these. But basically the doctrine of the Trinity is the attempt to reconcile the scriptures showing that there is ONE God and there are THREE persons identified as God. There are no real analogies that will suffice (Isa.46:5), the closest possibly being Time, where it would be perhaps difficult to imagine time without either past or present or future. But we can to some degree imagine eternity, God’s state, being the present (I AM) without past and future. It is not superfluous that we find the Seraphim and the 4 beasts crying Holy, Holy, Holy, day and night (Isa.6:3, Rv.4:8). Some will deny this clear truth (that these three are one) and embrace willful ignorance as the alternative while believing physicists when they declare and demonstrate that light is both a particle and a wave. They have no unification between general relativity and quantum mechanics but believe them both, but not religious mysteries. Before we charge God with error and contradiction perhaps we should humbly admit his thoughts are higher than ours. Let us look at some passages uniting these three persons: 1 Jn.5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. Matt.28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 2 Cor.13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God Matt.3:16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Tit.3:4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; Heb.9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Rom.1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Rom.5:5-6  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom.8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom.15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; Acts 10:38 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. 1 Cor.12:3-6 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 1 Pt.1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. We see a distinction between these three: 1 Jn.5:7 For there are three… Jn.8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. (v29) And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (v42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. (v54) Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Jn.14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (v23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (v26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Jn.15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (v9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you…(v26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Jn.16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (v14-15) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (v23) And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (v28) I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. Jn.17:3 …the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (v4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (v11)… I come to thee. Holy Father… (v21) That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Others point out actions that indicate in one sense these three are not the same person: “(1) One divine person loves another, John 3:35. (2) One person dwells in another, John 14:10, 11. (3) One person inflicts suffering on another, Isa.53:6-10, Zech. 13:7. (4) One person knows another, Matt. 11:27. (5) One person addresses another, Heb. 1:8. (6) One person is the way to another, John 14:6. (7) One person speaks of another, Luke 3:22. (8) One person glorifies another, John 17:5. (9) One person confers with another, Gen. 1:26; 11:7. (10) One person plans with another, Isa. 9:6. (11) One person sends another, John 14:26. (12) One person rewards another, Phil. 2:5–11; Heb. 2:9.” And so on.

The Holy Ghost The Spirit of God is the Holy Ghost John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 16:6-7 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. Is God’s Presence: Psa.51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 104:29-30 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. Ezek.39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God. The Spirit of God is a person because personal pronouns, functions and attributes are applied to him: Rom.8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 1 Cor.12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Acts 21:11 …Thus saith the Holy Ghost Heb.3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith… 1 Ki.22:24 …Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee? Ezek.11:5 And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord… Acts 2:4 …the Spirit gave them utterance. 1 Cor.2:13 …we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Jn.14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things… 1 Tim.4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly… Rev.2:11,17,29, 3:6,13,22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches Rev.14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 10:19-20 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 2 Cor.13:14 …the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Eph.4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Acts 13:2-4 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them… So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost… Rom.15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren… for the love of the Spirit… Isa.63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit… The Holy Ghost is God because divine attributes are shown to be his: Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? …why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Mk.3:28-9  Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. Mt.12:31-2 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Heb.9:14 … the eternal Spirit

Omniscience- 1 Cor.2:10-11 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God… even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Rom.8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 1 Sam.16:7… for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. Jer. 17:10 I the LORD search the heart… Psa.139:2… thou understandest my thought afar off. Omnipotence- Psalm.104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. Zech.4:6 … Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Gen.1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Job 33:4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Omnipresence- Psa.139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Rom.8:26-7 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ  We have already touched upon the fact of the divinity of Christ, and we will search the Eternal Person of Jesus Christ more. We cannot exhaust the verses testifying to Christ’s deity here, but for the moment consider these scriptures: 1 Tim. 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…  Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Col. 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Hebrews 1:8 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. Philip. 2:6-7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 1 Cor. 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; John 1:1,14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Hebrews 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. (Christ can do anything) Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. -Psalm 90:2 … even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Omniscience- John 14:14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. Rev.2:23 … all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. With Jer.17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. And with 2 Chr.6:30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) Rom.8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Regarding the mind of the Spirit 1 Cor.2:10… the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God) Col.2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Omnipotence- John 14:1 … ye believe in God, believe also in me. v14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. Col.1:16-17 … all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist Hebrews 1:8-12 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. [9] Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. [10] And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: [11] They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; [12] And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. 1 Pt.3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Rev. 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Hebrews 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Omnipresence- Matt.18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 28:20 … lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world Rom.8:9-10 … Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin Gal.4:6 …God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Jn.3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Eph.3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith… 2 Cor.13:5 Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

God the Father Of course we will not exhaust this topic here and no one much will contend for this point- that the Father is God, but let us consider these scriptures: Mal.2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? Jn.8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. (v54) Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Jn.20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Rom.1:7… Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (15:6) That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor.8:6 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. 2 Cor.1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Gal.1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) Eph.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Phil.2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Col.1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I The.1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 The.2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 1 Tim.1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Tim.1:2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord Phm.3  Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jam.3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 1 Pt.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 2 Pt.1:7 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 2 Jn.3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Jd.1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Rv.1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Omniscience- Psa.139:1-4 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done… Psa.147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Job 37:16 … the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? Ezk.11:5… Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. Isa.48:5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee… Prv.15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Isa.46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Eph.1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Rom.11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Omnipotence- Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Rev. 19:6 Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Isaiah 14:24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Isa.48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

Omnipresence- Psa.139:8-10 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; Psa.90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Isa.57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity… Jer.23:23-4 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. Mt.23:21-2 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Jn.8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. With Matt.6:9 Our Father which art in heaven Jn 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. The Economical Trinity A survey of the scriptures makes it quickly and easily apparent that there is One God and there are three persons who are all equally the same God. The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three that are one. When studying and musing of God’s nature and meditating upon his self revelation in the holy scriptures we can see that in some sense God is three and in some sense he is One; this is plain. What might not be so plain is how these truths fit together. To summarize this truth we will say “There is one God manifesting himself to us in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost”. Traditionally many have stated the doctrine of the Trinity as “There is one God who eternally exists in three persons, namely the Father, Son and Holy Ghost”. Teachers of the scriptures have developed this truth – that there are three and that these three are one- into creeds and confessions crafted in such ways as to avoid error. The Athanasian Creed is one such development which would be a safe position to start in fearing God’s words. Consider it here in part:     That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.  When we say there are three we must admit that they are not the same one in one sense else we conclude contradictions about God. And so in the sense that the Father is the Father, in that sense he is not the Son else what would Father and Son mean? Likewise with the Spirit- he cannot be the Son and/or the Father in the same sense. Yet in the sense that they are one they share something common- Eternality, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Immutability and Godhead- these are the nature of God’s being, his ontology. (Here are lists of some attributes- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attributes_of_God_in_Christianity; https://www.theopedia.com/list-of-gods-known-attributes; )  The term “The Economical Trinity” is employed to explain how the Son is greater than the Spirit in that he sends the Spirit and the Father greater than the Son (Jn.14:28) in that he sends the Son because as Jesus states in John 13:16- “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” And again in John 16:7 “if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” Again Jesus says in John 8:16 “I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me” and 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” And again in 6:38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” Now it is understood by the Trinitarian teachers of scripture that the sending of the Spirit by the Son or of the Son by the Father does not imply a disunity of will. But that these three are one in will.  How do we find the Father sending the Son and the Son sending the Spirit yet they are equal? There can be no contradiction (He.7:7, 6:18, Tit.1:2) and so in what sense can the Son be greater than the Spirit in that he sends him but yet be equal to him? And how is he then less than the Father who sends him and yet equal to him? The “Economic Trinity” is formulated to contrast with the “Immanent” or “Ontological Trinity”. The economy of God is related to God operating within history where the ontology or being of God is related to his eternal state outside of and before all time. The economy of God would be relative to creation and redemption where the ontology or being of God is relative to himself.  The economic trinity would be useful to help understand the operation of God within time relative to creation and redemption. But to avoid error these concepts must be rightly divided from God’s ontology- inhabiting eternity from everlasting to everlasting. Also necessary to avoid errors of having the Son eternally subject and subordinate to the Father is to understand the incarnation and Christ humbling himself and subjecting himself to the will of the Father as a man in the flesh. We will cover this also. Likewise having the Spirit subordinate to the Father and the Son eternally would be problematic introducing a ‘lesser’ person as God ever subordinate to the Son and the Father. One final concept to introduce before we explore the “ontological trinity” is the concept of God’s immutability; that is the unchanging and eternal nature of God.

Consider these scriptures: Immutibility- Mal.3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Jam.1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Heb.13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb.1:11-12 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Psa.102:12 But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. (v27) But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Ex.3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 1 Chr.16:34 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Psa.9:7…But the Lord shall endure for ever

Eternality- Gen.21:33 …the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. Psa.102:24 …thy years are throughout all generations. Dt.33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms… Psa.41:13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. Psa.90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 93:2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. 103:17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him… 106:48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting… Isa.40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Isa.57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy… Isa.63:16 …thy name is from everlasting. Jer.31:3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Hab.1:12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One?... 1 Tim.1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.  So again the scriptures are clear and plain that God does not change and is from everlasting to everlasting; that is eternal. His “his eternal power and Godhead” (Rom.1:20) are clearly revealed from creation and no one can deny this. The difficulties are now more easily seen. Does the economic trinity necessarily indicate a change in God from the ontological trinity? What many people do at this juncture is to project onto God’s ontology functions of God’s economy. They want to avoid having a change in God and many of them end up with no discernible distinction between the economic trinity and the ontological trinity. In Trinitarian teaching the Son became subordinate to the Father willingly and the Spirit likewise to the Son and Father in the economic trinity; then this would necessarily have taken place within time. That is the Son from a position of equal to but not subordinate to the Father at one point in time willingly subjected himself to the Father; and likewise did the Spirit. This does not conflict with the idea of God’s eternal purpose, only indicating when it was manifested in time. The problem then arises that it would appear the distinctions of persons within the Trinity itself are only distinctions that are made within time and space- that is within creation. And so, we are left wondering what God’s ontological nature looks like or if it can even be conceived or only glimpsed by deducing what it cannot be.

The Trinitarian Error Let us adopt the same spirit of humility as here- “I don't pretend fully to explain how these things are and I am sensible a hundred other objections may be made and puzzling doubts and questions raised that I can't solve. I am far from pretending to explaining the Trinity so as to render it no longer a mystery. I think it to be the highest and deepest of all Divine mysteries still, notwithstanding anything that I have said or conceived about it. I don't intend to explain the Trinity. But Scripture with reason may lead to say something further of it than has been wont to be said, tho there are still left many things pertaining to it incomprehensible.”- Jonathon Edwards Essay on the Trinity  At this point we want to pay very careful attention to the scriptures regarding the Trinity and see that they are economical only and not ontological. And confusion arises from trying to conceptualize God in his economic revelation to us and projecting this into his eternal state. Let us take note of these scriptures and see that they are only understandable within the economic trinity in space and time (creation) and when applied to God’s ontological eternal state perplexity overtakes the mind. 1 Pt.1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1 Jn.5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. Matt.3:16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Jn.8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (v42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Jn.14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (v23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (v26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Jn.15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Jn.16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (v14-15) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (v23) And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (v28) I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. Jn.17:3 …the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (v4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (v11)… I come to thee. Holy Father… Jn.3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

We can see that the distinctions made between the persons of the Trinity are relative to space and time. Notice the baptism of Christ you have the Father in heaven the Son in the body of his flesh on earth and the Spirit descending in a bodily shape (Lk.3:22) like a dove from heaven to earth. Now this does not contradict that these three are Eternal, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Immutably the same God, but it along with the other scriptures we will examine show the Trinity distinguished strictly within time and space as the economic trinity. Again, these distinctions do not limit God. For example, the fact that there are three in heaven- the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost- does not mean these three are not the same omnipresent God. We cannot contradict what we have already established. But we cannot understand ‘proceeding from’, ‘come unto you’, ‘go away’, ‘I come to thee’, ‘came forth from’ nor any similar phrase apart from time and space. ‘Proceeding from’ cannot be conceptualized apart from location and time. It would not make sense to project into eternity past the concepts in John 15:26. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” We have the Son who came down from above, returning to the Father in heaven and sending the Spirit who proceeds from the Father, to the believers on earth. It would not be prudent to try to understand the Spirit proceeding from the Father in eternity past anymore than trying to make sense of the Son sending the Spirit from all eternity. We do not have the Son forever coming from the Father or forever returning to the Father. The same phrase is used by the Son in John 8:29, that he “proceeded forth and came from God” and that “he sent me”. These only make sense in time and space as God reveals himself to us. This mistake is made in the Westminster Confession-“the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.” This would cause us to wrongly conceptualize eternal space and time within which to conceive and thereby limit God with misunderstanding. Nor can we assume God using figures of speech or analogies or anthropomorphisms would lead us into confusion and not into worship in spirit and truth with understanding. More fitting would be God commanding to abstain from speaking of things that are not lawful for a man to utter. The secret things belong unto the Lord and we would be instructed to not exercise ourselves in great matters or in things too high for us. Trinitarians are trying to balance the economic trinity understanding where their roles are subordinate and dependent (although ‘the divine persons of the Trinity act with one will’) with the ontological or immanent trinity where there is ‘equal divinity, majesty, and authority to all three persons; no subordination in authority, none is before or after another-no hierarchical ordering and none is greater, or less than another (no subordination in being or nature).’ Sometimes the result is no difference between the economical and ontological trinity and perplexity distressing the minds of the worshippers. Related is the question of subordinate roles in the economic trinity. They will declare “the Father and the Son are equal in power, glory, and being, nevertheless there is an economic subordination of the Son to the Father”. But the question must be asked if the subordination could have been the opposite? Another will say “So, clearly we see differences in function and roles. The Father sends, directs, and predestines. The Son does the will of the Father, becomes flesh, and accomplishes redemption. The Holy Spirit indwells and sanctifies the Church. Without these distinctions there can't be any distinctions between the persons of the Trinity, and if there are no distinctions, there is no Trinity. The Son voluntarily subjected Himself to the will of the Father and is doing the Father's will. If there is no difference in roles among them, there can be no distinction between them. It is only by recognizing and accepting the difference of roles that we can acknowledge the Trinity at all.” But could the Son or Spirit have sent the Father? Or could the Spirit have become flesh and accomplished the will of the Father? We will pick this up again when discussing the Immanent Trinity.

Let us revisit the verses we started with which clearly show the preexistent Christ with the Father. John 17  v1-5 “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”  When we examine these passages we see that Jesus was with the Father before the world was. And also he was temporarily not with the Father in this same sense while he was praying. He is requesting glory which he had- past tense. And it is glory he had in the past with the Father before the world was. So clearly this is economical in nature because it is within time and space that it is expressed and understood. You could not say that he is referring to his position in the ontological trinity before the world was for in Trinitarian teaching he never changed ontologically and is always with the Father. He was not with the Father the way he was before- therefore this is economical and not ontological in nature for he is omnipresent in his being. Philippians 2 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Here again we see Christ taking thought of his equality with the Father and willingly choosing to make himself of no reputation and being made in the likeness of men. These again are only sensible in time and space. Christ taking consideration of his glory and voluntarily choosing to condescend and take human nature is an action of thought within time. Being in the form of God (which we will address in more detail) likewise is understood within space. We cannot extract from these passages thoughts of Christ ‘eternally making himself of no reputation’. John 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men…10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  Here John tells us that in the beginning, that would be the beginning of creation, the Word was. The Word which is Jesus Christ already was, he already existed in the beginning before anything else was for all things were made by him and for him. He is the “beginning of the creation” (Rv.3:14); the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega (Rv.1:8,11,17). The beginning of the creation does not mean he himself was the first creation of God as the blasphemers declare. But that as Colossians 1:16-17 states “by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” So if he is the beginning then he is also the ending. This is nonsense if it means the first creation of God. So he is the beginning- that is all things were created by him; and he is the ending- that is all things are created for him. The context here is the beginning of time and space- creation. Christ himself is from everlasting- Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Compare Mat.2:5-6) And so he has no beginning of days (Heb.7:3). So this Word (Jesus) was with the Father (God) in the same way as John 17:5- in an economical sense within time; for verse 14 tells us that this same Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Or he “was with the Father, and was manifested unto us”(1 Jn.1:1). In that he was made flesh he was not with the Father glorified but rather he was “God with us” (Mt.1:23). Again ‘with the Father’ is understood in the same way that he was not with the Father on earth- within time and space when he was ‘with us’. Let us quickly bring our minds back to the omnipresence the Father and Son share (Jn.8:29). We are not saying contrary to what we already saw in scripture regarding the omnipresence of the Father, Son and Spirit. Rather in the economic trinity understanding within time and space, the Word was with God and then the Word was made flesh and was in the world with us and in that sense not with the Father. Consider Jesus prayer again in John 17- (v11)” And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father” (v13) “And now come I to thee”. Therefore John 1:1 is a statement regarding the economical trinity and not the ontological trinity.

Eternal Generation  We must also ask whether ‘begotten’ is a word applicable and understandable in eternity. Is the Son eternally begotten? Or is this applying the truths regarding the economical trinity onto the ontology of God? The Westminster Confession states “the Son is eternally begotten of the Father”. Trinitarians have developed the phrases ‘eternal generation’ and ‘eternally begotten’ to explain the relationship of Father and Son in the ontology of God trying to limit any change in God relative to his economy. It is argued that these relations are the only ways to distinguish the divine persons; but they appear to only make sense to us in the economic trinity. To have the eternal Father and Son relationship is to avoid any arbitrary distinctions they say; to avoid a voluntarism error where God could ‘change’ if he so willed; e.g. the Father could not have been the Son or the Spirit if he had so chosen. So to try to eternalize these distinctions of persons and avoid arbitrary roles it is stated that ‘eternal generation’ is the Son’s ontological relationship with the Father. But in the economy of God could the Spirit and the Son have sent the Father? Our inability to understand these things are attributed to the inexhaustible mystery of the Trinity.  But is it valid to appeal to mystery here? Surely God is infinitely higher than man in every respect and we must tread fearfully upon this holy ground. If we do not fear and dread the damnation of hell seeking to understand the Almighty properly can we be truly said to understand Him? (Prv.9:10, Heb.11:6) And not rather to be intruding into those things that we have not seen, vainly puffed up in our fleshly minds. If our hearts do not tremble at every word here then proceed no further. 1 Jn.2:22-3, Matt.11:27 There is no place for ambition or self will or vain glory here for we are treading on holy ground.  Father implies Son. There can be no Father without a Son. Trinitarians will say ‘it is the causal relation between God the Father and God the Son that ensures their equality’ and ‘the eternal impartation of life to the Son’ is indicated in John 5:26 which states “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself”.  Many Trinitarians understand the verse like this- ‘The Father and Son possess “life in himself” in distinct ways. The Son possesses this “life in himself” that has been “given” to him while the Father possesses “life in himself” that was not given. How did the Son receive “life in himself”? The Father “begat” the Son- the Father, life in himself (unbegotten), not from the Son, the Son, life in himself, but from the Father (eternally begotten).’ They would continue ‘The eternal generation of the Son is defined as an eternal personal act of the Father, wherein, by necessity of nature, not by choice of will, He generates the person (not the essence) of the Son, by communicating to Him the whole indivisible substance of the Godhead, without division, alienation, or change’ So we are told that this is an ‘eternal act’, ‘eternally generating the person of the Son’, ‘eternal impartation of life’ as the ‘eternal causal relation’ between the Father and Son. Again we are forced to ask whether these phrases are unequally combining temporal meanings to eternal categories and confusing the economical trinity with God’s ontology. An ‘act’ or a ‘cause’ requires time to understand. To ‘impart’ and to ‘begat’ and ‘generate’ are words understood within time. How does ‘life in himself’ have meaning apart from spatial considerations when God is omnipresent and his life would be everywhere he is? It doesn’t seem even possible to conceive of these things with our finite minds much less speak of them. Does the Father have a different nature of person then- a necessity of nature to generate and the Son have a necessary nature of person that is to be generated? Does the Father eternally causing the Son indicate equality between them? If the effect depends upon the cause then are the independent and the dependent equal? Are we to understand the giver of life as equal to the receiver of life simply because they both have the same life? It is true that a human father and son are equally human having the same life although honour is required by the son of the father that is not required in the inverse. “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master” (Mal.1:6) “Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother” (Dt.27:16) Hebrews 7:7 says “without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better”. Would giving life be more blessed than receiving life? Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Ac.20:35). Are the Trinitarians forced to logically conclude that the Father is eternally more blessed than the Son ontologically even though they would deny it? Could the Son have been honoured by the Father in the redemptive arrangement or economy of God? Again these things might make sense in the economy of God in time but not in his ontology in his eternal state.  God’s thoughts are high (Isa.55:9) and cannot be attained (Ps.131:1, 139:6) apart from what the Holy Ghost reveals to us. (1 Cor.2:10) So are we being led by John 5:26 and the economic trinity scriptures already examined into combining these temporal words (sensible only within time) with eternal thoughts? Let’s examine John 5:25-7:  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For 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. These are verses within time and space creation. Consider- ‘the hour coming’, ‘the dead hearing’, the Father ‘giving authority to execute judgment’ to the Son “because he is the Son of man”. None of this can be from an eternal perspective outside of time. So why does the Father “giving” life to the Son have to be ‘eternally generating the Son’? Giving involves time; ‘eternally gave’ is equivalent to ‘eternal beginning’, it does not make sense. It seems like more perplexity has been generated by wrongly combining time and eternity than understanding with which we worship God; “sing ye praises with understanding” (Psa.47:7). How can we say Amen to what we understand not? (1 Cor.14:16) Let us not stumble and then claim divine mysteries as the Romanish worshippers do with their iniquitous mysteries.   Some have objected that the idea of ‘eternal generation’ suggests the very error it tries to defend against. It lends itself to an ontological dependency or subordination of the Son to the Father. It doesn’t comport with glorious equality of the Spirit to the Son or the Spirit and Son to the Father. When we examine scriptures relating to the Father and Son’s relationship it seems to be strictly economic in nature; consider these verses: Mt. 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Lk.10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Jn.3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Jn.5:19-20 … The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For 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. Jn.8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. Jn.17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: He.1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 2 Pt.1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 1 Jn.4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Eternal Sonship or Incarnation Sonship God is the Father. And Father is generally understood as the begetter, the generator of life (Prv.23:22, Lv.18:11). God is the creator of all men in his own image and we are called the “offspring of God” (Acts17:26-9). He is the “Father of spirits” (Heb.12:9) “the God of the spirits of all flesh” (Num.16:22). “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?” (Mal.2:10) The first man Adam likewise was called the son of God (Lk.3:38, 1 Cor.15:45-7) In this also the heavenly hosts are ‘sons of God’ (Job 1:6,2:1, 38:7)  But next God is the Father of the nation of Israel. “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” (Ho.11:1) Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn (Ex.4:22). Moses reminded Israel “is not he thy father” “the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. (Dt.32:6, 18) Again, David- Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. (1 Chr.29:10) So also Isaiah “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (64:8). Jesus reminded the Jews that their Father who was in heaven (Mt.6:1,9) would supply their needs according to his covenant with them in contrast to the Gentiles- “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things”(Mt.6:32).  Christians are sons of God in the new birth by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pt.1:3) and as John states “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God…” (1 Jn.3:1-2) And also Paul “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal.4:6) And so Jesus instructs the apostles “For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Mt.10:20) But as a Jewish man according the flesh (Mt.1:1) Jesus addresses God along with the Jewish people as “our Father” (Mt.6:9). Again before the disciples were born again (Jn.20:22) Jesus told Mary “go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (Jn.20:17). Jesus was speaking as a Jewish man in covenant with God just as any other Jewish man speaking to other Jewish men, his ‘brethren’ whose Father was God. “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”(Mt.23:9) “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mt.7:11) Again “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”(Lk.11:13) “…it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk.12:32). Notice that they are born after the flesh as Jewish people and as children of Abraham so God is their Father in this one strictly limited sense. Jesus in fact calls them evil. He told Nicodemus that they must be born again- not of the flesh but of the Spirit. Being descendants of Abraham was not enough (Jn.3:3-7). Jesus told the Jews in John 8:37 “I know that ye are Abraham's seed” and they declared “We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” (v41) John the Baptist knew they were prone to trust in their heritage for salvation and exhorted them “begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father” (Lk.3:8)  Paul understanding this distinction knew that the Jews (pre-crucifixion) were children of God but needed to be born of the Spirit (post-resurrection). Consider his words in Gal.4:1-5-“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”  Although the Jews were children they were under the law (4:1), the schoolmaster (Gal.3:24) under tutors and governors (v2) in bondage (v3) Christ came to redeem the Jewish people from under the law so they could receive the Spirit of adoption (Ro.8:15) and be born again. This is exactly what happened to them; after his resurrection Jesus “breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” (Jn.20:22). He gave them power to become the sons of God after another sense. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn.1:12). This new birth followed the resurrection of Christ where he became the firstborn from the dead among many brethren- Rom.8:29, Col.1:18, Rev.1:5. So the Jews were ‘sons of God’ in a covenantal relationship with Abraham. God was their Father in this sense- the faith of Abraham (Rom.4:16). In other words not just physical descendants of Abraham were considered faithful. Of those whom Christ said “I know that ye are Abraham's seed” he said also to them “Ye are of your father the devil” (Jn.8:37,44). But in this strict sense Jesus was a son of God as a Jew exactly as his faithful Jewish brethren (‘our Father’, ‘your Father’)- a son of Abraham (Mt.1:1, Lk.3:34). However, Jesus was the Only Begotten Son of God. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (Jn.1:14) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn.3:16). He is the Only Son of God in a unique way that none other can lay claim to. We see the scriptures use this phrase in reference to Isaac in Heb.11:17- “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son”. Although Abraham begat Ishmael by Hagar and other sons by Keturah, Isaac was his only son with Sarah and the son of promise. We must consider how scripture defines begotten. Let’s look at a few verses here: Gen.5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: Num.11:12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them.. Jdg.8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: Job 38:28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? Begotten in the physical sense appears to mean to conceive, to give life to. To begat or generate: Gen.5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: Gen.6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Gen.10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Gen.17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Gen.25:19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: Num.1:20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers… Jer.16:13 For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land; Mt.1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. It is used this way regarding spiritual life as in the new birth. Believers are begotten or given life: 1 Pt.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Jn.5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. Jn.3:6-7 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 1 Cor.4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. So, begotten in scripture means to generate or give life to. So how is Jesus (who is eternally without beginning) the only Son whom the Father begat or gave life to? Or in what sense is he the Only Begotten (Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved-Mk.12:6). The scriptures tell us in Psalm 2:7 “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” This is referenced in Hebrews 1:5. This seems very plain that Christ was begotten in some sense on a specific day- “this day”. At the least begotten is associated with time. Many of those who hold to the eternal generation of the Son or at least to eternal Sonship will say that the passage does not mean what it plainly says. They might say something like: • ‘the begetting spoken of in Psalm 2 and Hebrews 1 is not an event that takes place in time. Even though at first glance Scripture seems to employ terminology with temporal overtones ("this day have I begotten thee"), the context of Psa. 2:7 seems clearly to be a reference to the eternal decree of God. It is reasonable to conclude that the begetting spoken of there is also something that pertains to eternity rather than a point in time. The temporal language should therefore be understood as figurative, not literal.’  So, we have an eternal decree eternally declaring an eternal generation shrouded in figuratively temporal language. Again this is confusing time and eternity. Besides calling us to doubt what the verse clearly states, it is interpreted to us as the resurrection of Christ by Paul in Ac.13:33- “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.” This would not require an “eternal decree” in declaring; consider Romans 1:3-4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: This would match the verses teaching that Jesus Christ is the first begotten from the dead (not the only begotten). Consider these passages: Col.1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Rom.8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Rev.1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood  So Christ is the first begotten or firstborn among many brethren (not the only begotten)- that is believers in Christ (many brethren) who are begotten again (born again- Jn.3:6, 7:39) by the resurrection of Christ (1 Pt.1:3, Gal.4:6, 1 Jn.3:1-2 etc.), these believers will likewise be raised again from the dead (1 Cor.15, 1 Th.4). Christ was begotten from the dead and is the first begotten from the dead (no more to die again) raised incorruptible.  So the meaning of ‘begotten’ is understood within time (this day) as it is commonly used in scripture. But Christ is called the Only Begotten Son before he is called the firstborn from the dead.  John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And v18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Also 1 Jn.4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”  The first time the phrase occurs is in John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” If we consider that the Word was made flesh, Christ is the only begotten Son related to his incarnation. Regardless of whether you interpret ‘only begotten’ to mean ‘eternally generated unique Son’ you have to say that God prepared his body (Heb.10:5) and there was no other virgin birth (incarnation) besides Christ’s and no other person is “God with us” in the flesh. So he has to be the only begotten Son in reference to his incarnation- even if you reject that interpretation of the phrase “only begotten”.  And when comparing Jesus with the first man Adam (1 Co.15:45) we find Adam called the son of God in Lk.3:38; and this is referencing him as a natural man formed of the earth (1 Co.15:46-7) from which God made his body (Gen.2:7, 3:19). But let us not forget the first man is created by the 2nd man; for the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Cor.15:47)  But in reference to Jesus’ body of flesh, God the Father would have given him to have life in himself (Jn.5:26). Jesus said “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” (Jn.6:57)  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Col.1:19) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Col.2:9) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Heb.10:5). How did God prepare his body; or as Mary asked “How shall this be”? Luke 1:30-5 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Matt.1:20-3 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  Christ was “made of a woman” (Gal.4:4); being conceived in her by the power of the Spirit of God. So in this sense (again, even if you think ‘only begotten’ holds another meaning) Christ is the only begotten Son of God by the power of the Spirit of God. This is exactly what David was foretold regarding the Christ, that “of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne” (Ac.2:30). Jesus would receive the throne of David- King of the Jews. “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” (Jn.1:49) Consider the promise here: 1 Chr.17:11-15 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. 1 Chr.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. 2 Sam.7:12-4 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. Isa.9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David… Heb.1:5… I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son  These prophecies are of a joint union of humanity and divinity associated with the incarnation. Notice the connection “shall be called the Son”, “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”, “shall bring forth a son”, “he shall be to me a Son”, “therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”- why? Because “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee”. Also of the fruit of David’s loins “thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons”, “made of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Rom.1:3), shall be given “the throne of his father David” and “he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne”. But God would be his Father and he would be God’s Son. Out of Bethlehem the city of David would come the one from everlasting. “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (Jn.7:42) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Mic.5:2) And his throne shall be forever. Some will reason fairly that ‘according to the flesh he is the son of David and not therefore the Son of God’. But again in truth you must confess that the incarnation would indeed make God the father of his body and thus of the man Christ Jesus. If God said “I will be his father” it would seem that he wasn’t before that point. These verses would mean either God would be his Father in the sense of the resurrection and would “raise up Christ to sit on his throne”. Or that he would be his Father already but would just be called the Son at the incarnation- that is a recognizing as such; or finally the incarnation Sonship interpretation that Son means incarnation. The other passages do not indicate God would be ‘called’ his father in the sense of people recognizing it. And the revelation of him as the Son was primarily after his ministry began and not at the incarnation (Mt.3:17, 16:16-7, Jn.1:33-4); this context is the incarnation.  It seems the incarnation would be in view here and not the resurrection in that he is also called the son of David before he rose again the third day and that prophecy is related to Christ as the Son of David and the Son of God. Again, God said “he shall be my son” which is very persuasive when compared with Luke 1:30-5 where Christ would be called the Son of God because of the incarnation. Pointing to incarnation Sonship is this parallelism “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”. The incarnation Sonship interpretation is indicated also in that as his Father God would “stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” and “settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever”. God declaring “I will establish his kingdom” along with “I will be his father, and he shall be my son” signifying the exaltation of Christ from him making himself of no reputation. Luke 1:32 connects his right to heir of the throne of David was his incarnation. To say God was his Father was to make himself equal with God (Jn.5:18).  Some may contend that the Father did not begat the man Christ Jesus but the Holy Ghost did. But when the bible says “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created” (Ps.104:30) or “The spirit of God hath made me” (Job 33:4) do we not attribute this to the will of the Father? The Lord sends his Spirit or pours out his Spirit and so the operation of the Spirit is by the direction of the same God who worketh all in all. And so if the Father is the begetter of the man Jesus Christ by his Spirit then where are the bible verses teaching us this if they are not the ones we just examined that teach that very fact? Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum. ‘Eternal generation’ is without understanding for it mingles time and eternity. ‘Begotten’ means to give life to or generate and only makes sense within time and space. If we consider ‘begotten’ as in ‘first begotten’ means ‘give life to’ in the resurrection then Christ is declared to be the Son of God being the first born from the dead. “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Ac.2:24) It was not possible because although the wages of sin is death (Ro.6:23) he was only in the “likeness of sinful flesh” “yet without sin” (Ro.8:3, He.4:15). Christ did not become the resurrection and the life after his resurrection, he rose again because he is the resurrection and the life (Jn.11:25-6), the Prince of Life (Ac.3:15). His resurrection is associated with new birth from the dead within time- “this day”. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead (1 Co.15:21). We also considered that Jesus is the only begotten Son in a literal sense being the only one virgin born conceived by the power of God and given life to the body he was prepared for a sacrifice for our sins. Son appears to mean a manifestation of God in the flesh (express image of the Father-Heb.1:3, it pleased the Father that in him should all the fulness of the Godhead dwell bodily - Col.1:19,2:9). Let us consider John’s teaching on denying the Sonship of Christ: Jn.1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 1 Jn.2:22-3 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 1 Jn.1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of 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, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (v7)… the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 Jn.4:2-3 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (v15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 Jn.5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (v5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 2 Jn.7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  From John’s warnings we can draw out that we are to believe and confess that Jesus the preexistent one from the beginning with the Father (was with God and was God) was made flesh, or came in the flesh and was seen, felt and handled by the apostles. Not simply that there was a human called Jesus of Nazareth, but that he came from the Father in heaven and already was in the beginning, and came in the flesh. Jesus Christ came in flesh and blood. This is to confess and believe on the Son of God. That he was manifested unto us in the flesh and is the Christ. This is the same thing John confessed at the beginning- John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Believing on the Son appears to mean believing that ‘Jesus Christ that Word of life with the Father, who was himself God, came in the flesh- became a real flesh and blood man’. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God is to confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; and concerning his flesh he was made of the seed of David (Rom.1:3). Having been made in the likeness of sinful flesh and made of a woman God sent his only begotten Son into the world (Rom.8:3, Gal.4:4, 1 Jn.4:9). This agrees to the confession of Peter in Mt.16:16 which is the foundational revelation of the church “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And again in John 6:69 “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Martha confessed this “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (Jn.11:27) This is what the high priest demanded to know from Jesus own lips “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” (Mt.26:63) “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mk.14:61) In confessing that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God, he confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Whoso can see and confess this revelation they are of God and have received this revelation of the Father (Mt.11:27, 16:17, 1 Jn.4:3). He or she may not understand the ontological nature of God or the economic trinity, but they understand that he who was with the Father who had no beginning was made flesh and dwelt among men. Consider as well that Christ or Messiah means anointed one. “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” (Jn.1:41) “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ” (Jn.4:25) “this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (4:42) Compare Acts 4:26 “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ” with Psalm 2:2 “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed”. Although as “Christ, the chosen of God” (Lk.23:35) he was born Christ- “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”, he was anointed with the Holy Ghost upon his baptism. Acts 10:38 “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 4:27 “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed” Psa.45:7 (with Heb.1:9) “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” ‘Thy fellows’ would place this in the days of his flesh when he was among his brethren (Jn.20:27, Heb.2:17). “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ”- Acts 2:36  Notice Jesus said of this scripture- “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;” (Isa.61:1) when “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee” (Lk.4:14) “he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Lk.4:21) In that he was made Christ or the anointed, he was anointed with the Holy Ghost after his baptism (Mt.3:16, Lk.3:21-2, Jn.1:32-3). This therefore occurred after he was manifested unto us. Thus being Christ was associated with him being a man; a descendent of David to sit on his throne. Mt.1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (v16) And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Mt.2:4-5 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, Lk.24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? V46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: Jn.7:41-2 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? Ac.2:30-1 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (v36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Ac.17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Dan.7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven… And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. With Mt.26:63-4 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.  And truly if “God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him” (Jn.3:34) then this must be signifying his earthly ministry where he as a man who had humbled himself and made himself of no reputation, must be given the Spirit. Here also we see Jesus called the Christ (anointed) before he was actually anointed with the Holy Ghost (in this sense- 1 Sam.16:1, 6) and went about ministering in the power of the Spirit. He was born Christ and king of the Jews: Lk.2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Mt.2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Mt.2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. Mt.22:42 What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. (Mk.12:35) When we consider what father and son mean relative to each other we know fathers begat and sons are begotten (Gen.5:4). Fathers bless the sons (Gen.9:1, 27:7, 34, 28:1, 48:15) as the less are blessed of the better (Heb.7:7). Sons are taught and instructed of their fathers (Prv.1:8, 5:1, 6:20, 13:1). The glory of children are their fathers (Prv.17:6). Sons honour their fathers (Mal.1:6, Dt.5:16, Ex.20:12). The sons are blessed because of their fathers (Ezk.14:16, 18, 20). The common understanding was that fathers would not be subject to sons (Mt.22:41-6, Mk.12:37). Sons inherit the riches of the fathers (Nu.27:7-8, Dt.21:16, Job 42:15, Prv.19:14). Fathers in terms of imparting life, wisdom, riches and blessing to the sons are greater than the sons. The father son relationship is created by God to reveal this relationship in the economic trinity but when applied to God’s eternity ontologically we create confusion- confusion that is honorifically called ‘a mystery’. It seems arbitrary to say that God creates fathers and sons but that nothing regarding this relationship is beneficial to help us understand the relationship of God the Father and the Son of the Father (2 Jn.3). Except however the giving of and partaking of the same life- and even here not to be understood in temporal terms, but rather eternal generation. But the subordination of the Son to the Father is seen in multiple passages and is consistent with the relationships between earthly fathers and sons in scripture. From Christ’s glorified position at the right hand of the Father (even in the idea ‘at the right hand of’): 1 Cor.15:28 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. Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus… Rev.1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass… Rev.2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. Rev.3:12 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: and I will write upon him my new name. (thou art my God from my mother's belly- Ps.22:10) Dan.7:12-13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. In his earthly ministry: Jn.3:34-5 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Jn.5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (v22) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (v26-7) For 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. (v30) I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (v43) I am come in my Father's name… 6:27 …which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (v37) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me… (v38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (v57) As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 8:16 …I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. (v28-9) …I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (v42) …I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (v25) …the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 12:49-50 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. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (v24) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. (v28) …If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. (v31) …the Father gave me commandment… 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  It would be more confusion to add an eternal element to these things. Judge in yourselves, would it make sense to say ‘the Father eternally gives the Son the Spirit without measure’? Or for Jesus to say ‘I eternally seek not mine own will but the will of my Father’? Or again ‘I eternally do nothing of myself’? ‘The Father eternally gives me a commandment which I eternally keep’? Nay, rather these serve only to confound. The scriptures “are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.” (Prv.8:9) The reason for developing the economical trinity doctrine is because of these truths we are meditating in. And the reason various functions of the economical trinity are applied (mistakenly) by our beloved brethren to the ontological trinity is to avoid any necessary change in God who changeth not- but the folly is making change eternal (eternally giving life to and generating the Son, and the Son eternally receiving life from the Father- implying in other words, eternally transitioning from a point of not having life to receiving it or being given it; again it is confusion). God is; God is not becoming. And his manifesting himself in the economic trinity does not constitute a change in the nature of God, it represents the manifestation of his eternal purpose within the created limitations of time and space.

The Incarnation The question we must now ask is whether Jesus Christ is God the Word come in the flesh or the God the Son come in the flesh. Thus far in our examination of Sonship we find many reasons to conclude Son is a dependent and subordinate position in the economic trinity and speaking particularly of Christ humbling himself taking on the form of a man. Not conclusions from carnal considerations of fathers and sons of our earthly experience, but from scripture. Our beloved Eternal Sonship brethren do not hold to their position without warrant. They have good reasons which should be carefully examined. Perhaps the strongest argument would be that Christ is called the Son and referred to as the Son and God likewise as the Father before Christ came in the flesh. Consider these verses: Heb.1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Col.1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son (v16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 1 Jn.1:2 (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, and was manifested unto us;) 1 Jn.3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Jn.16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. Jn.17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

 These are reasonable assumptions our eternal Sonship brethren advance when considering these passages of scripture. Their argument seems valid and reverent. They consider that there are three- these three are the Father the Son and Holy Spirit- they are eternally one being- God does not change- therefore Christ as the Son is eternally the Son and God is eternally his Father. Neither would they consider the economical trinity a change in the ontological trinity. Thus far we have evaluated that the economic trinity can account for the distinction of persons in the One God. And we have mused of the error of projecting this revelation (of the Godhead within time and space) of the economic trinity into eternity; that is God’s ontological state- for there is no eternity that is not simply God himself.  We have no quarrel with these scriptures that clearly declare Jesus Christ to be the Son before his incarnation. And we are content to accept whatsoever the Lord doth reveal, since our thoughts cannot ascend into heaven and bring understanding down from above. We gladly submit our hearts longing to see his face content to see his back parts as his glory passeth by (Ex.33:22-3). But the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever (Dt.29:29). Let us not therefore put a veil over our eyes in the reading of the scripture; but with open face beholding the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ. And so let us reason with what the scripture saith; line upon line and precept upon precept.  Consider Christ’s words “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (Jn.6:61-2). Let us not stumble here as many of his disciples who went back and walked no more with him. Was our Lord declaring himself to be a Son of man in heaven before he descended to us? Vastly the multitudes hold that he was not a human man in heaven in the flesh. If there is someone who believes this, I know not any. We know that is first which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual. The flesh is from the first man Adam and is earthy howbeit the second man is the resurrected man who is the Lord from heaven. He became the Son of man when he was made of a woman (Gen.3:15), made under the law in the fullness of time (Gal.4:4). In what way can Christ say that the Son of man was in heaven before he became a man? Truly in only one way- that he is the same person. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (Jn.6:51) “This is that bread which came down from heaven…”(v58) His flesh didn’t come down from heaven rather his body was prepared in Mary (Heb.10:5, Gal.4:4, Lk.1:31, Mt.1:20). This second physical man is the same person as the Lord from heaven (1 Cor.15:47) who created the first physical man. The mind that was in Christ Jesus (Phil.2:5-6) was the mind he had in heaven with God considering himself equal with God before he was named Jesus (Mt.1:21, 25, Lk.2:21), for the name Jesus was for the man Christ Jesus the son of David (Mt.1:1). It is associated with the days of his flesh as Jesus of Nazareth (Mt.21:11, Mk.10:47, 16:6, Jn.18:7-8, Ac.2:22, 3:6, 10:38, 22:8). Jesus was the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua (Ac.7:45, Heb.4:8) and other men were called Jesus in the bible days (Col.4:11, Ac.13:6). The person of Christ is the same whether referring to when he came in the flesh or before the days of his flesh.  In John 3:13 Jesus declares “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” How was the son of man in heaven? His flesh is not omnipresent therefore his person is. The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (Rv.13:8) but yet his flesh did not exist until he was made in the likeness of man- yet he is the same person. The same Son in whom we have redemption through his blood who is the firstborn from the dead is the same person who created all things (Col.1:13-18). He did not have flesh and blood when he created the heavens, could not die and thus rise again yet is he the same person- “he that liveth, and was dead” made the worlds (Rv.1:18, He.1:2). Notice Heb.1:2-3 “his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds… when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”. His Son was “appointed heir”- this would point to his humbled state; as would his purging of our sins. The same person by whom the worlds were created died on the cross. Not 2 persons- the man Jesus and God the Son. Not the man Jesus who did not preexist and God the Father who did. Not joining created flesh with eternal Spirit into a new substance which can never be joined- in that the divine nature of God can never become physical substance (flesh and bone)-i.e. the eternal cannot become the created. (Despite the transubstantiation blasphemy of the Papists no such mystery occurs save in the delusions of their iniquitous mass where the created purportedly becomes the eternal, which is rather more akin to occult pantheism.) But the man Jesus Christ is the same person he was before he was a man; the same person yesterday, to day, and forever (Heb.13:8)- even if he was not named Jesus Christ in the beginning. (Lk.2:21, Mt.1:20-1) “I” is singular when speaking of Jesus Christ the Son before and after he came in the flesh.  If we take 1 Jn.3:8 and interpret ‘manifested’ to mean in the flesh or the incarnation it would certainly fit. But when we look at John 1:31 and other scriptures it seems to fit even better that this is a reference to him being manifested publicly to Israel as the Christ (which of course means he must be manifest in the flesh). Consider this verse- “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” (Jn.1:31-4) Notice that John connected him being manifest to Israel with his baptism and his being anointed with the Spirit. “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” The Son of God is manifested to Israel by the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Again “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”(Mt.3:16-17) The apostle said “beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (Jn.1:14) and this would have been after he was manifest to Israel. It was after the voice of the Father fell from heaven (which would be for their sakes-Jn.12:30) declaring “This is my beloved Son” that John would have declared “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of 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, and was manifested unto us;)”(1 Jn.1:1-2) Indeed him being manifest unto them was when they could handle him and look upon him. And indeed he was manifest to destroy the works of the devil, for Peter declared “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 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. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.” (Ac.10:37-41)   What would you think if I advanced an argument like this: ‘Jesus was a human man in heaven before he came to the earth because he called himself the Son of man before he was sent and before when he was in heaven. Therefore Jesus is eternally the human man for he preexisted with the Father in heaven from where he was sent. This is indeed a mystery and we should not try to refute it with carnal reasoning’. Can we appeal to a mystery where no mystery exists simply to avoid anyone examining our claims? We might say after the manner of men ‘He was my dad’s friend before I was born’ and obviously not mean he was our father before we were born. Or someone might say ‘I grew up with the President’ while obviously he was not the President as a child. In the same way Abraham was actually called Abram and not Abraham when he “obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Heb.11:8) Or David was the Lord's anointed before he was actually anointed- (1 Sam.16:1,6,12-13)  Christ is one single person who is a complete man and completely eternal God no mixture of natures. This is indeed a mystery; and great is the mystery of godliness- God was manifest in the flesh! (1 Tim.3:17) As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. (Ecc.11:5) May our hearts be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ (Col.2:2).  The same person who was limited in the flesh was unlimited in the Spirit. The same person who said “not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mk.14:36) said again “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world” (Jn.18:37). The same one who “in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared” was the same person who said “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (Jn.11:25-6). Whether he was dead (Rev.1:18) he was eternal life with the Father before the world was (1 Jn.1:2, Jn.17:5). He that cried “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mk.15:34) said also “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (Jn.10:17-8). He was the same person in death that he was before he came down from above. He that descended first into the lower parts of the earth is the same he that also ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. (Eph.4:9-10).  Our Eternal Sonship brethren are quick to point out that Christ was sent from heaven (which we will also address), but let us consider when Christ says “the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Mt.18:11) they would have to conclude the Son of man came from heaven. However he was not the Son of man in heaven before he came in the flesh, but he is the same person. Again the Lord said “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mt.20:28) How is ‘the Son of man Lord also of the sabbath’ (Lk.6:5) unless the Son of man is the Lord from heaven?  The conclusion is that to have Christ called the Son of God before the incarnation does not definitively prove he was the Son of God before the incarnation any more than him called the Son of man before the incarnation proves that he was a human before the incarnation; however it does demonstrate that he is the same person.  We can understand the phrase “with the Father” also in this manner. The Father was understood to be the Father by the Jews and Samaritans before the revelation of the Son. Consider these verses: Jn.4:21-3 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  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. Mt.5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (v45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (v32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Lk.11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Jn.8:41 …Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jn.20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.  John 1:14 & 18 and Eternal Sonship  Many Eternal Sonship advocates will refer to John 1:14 and 18 as proving almost as standalone texts their doctrine. Let us look at v 14 first and see if it as clear as they see it: V14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  Some have declared this verse along with John 17:5 are ‘mathematically forceful’ in their conclusion. They see the chain of their argument proceeding like this- Jesus is the only begotten of the Father and as the only begotten he has glory peculiar to himself. And he had this glory with the Father before the world was; therefore he was the glorified only begotten Son of God before the world was. The problem here is with the premise that the glory Jesus had before the world is the same glory as the only begotten of the Father. Clearly however the glory as the only begotten Son is glory the disciples saw. John declares plainly “we beheld his glory”. They saw his glory manifested forth in Cana (Jn.2:11). They saw him glorified in the raising again of Lazarus (Jn.11:4). He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (2 Pt.1:17) They even saw him glorified in his resurrection (Jn.7:39, 12:16, 23-4) where he was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father (Rom.6:4). But they did not see him glorified with the Father as before the world was. But Jesus prayed that they would see him in this glory- “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (Jn.17:24). John 1:14 is his own glory which they beheld, and John 17:5 is his Father's glory which he prayed for them to behold- “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.”(Lk.9:26) What about v18? No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. It is explained to us that the Son “is” in the bosom of the Father and this means he is eternally in his bosom. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the same yesterday today and forever- (Heb.11:6, 13:8). The scriptures show us that the ‘bosom’ is used of a place of dependence and loving nurture as the “mothers’ bosom” (Lam.2:12) or also the heart (Ps.35:13, Ecc.7:9). Literally it is used as in to hug; to hold to ones bosom is to embrace (Jn.13:23, 1 Ki.1:2, Mic.7:15, Song.2:6, Prv.5:20); it is an expression of love and protection close to the heart (Rt.4:16, 1 Ki.3:20, 17:19). When Moses spake to the LORD of the burden of all the people of Israel he said “Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child”. The nurse cherisheth and nurtures her child and layeth it in her bosom (1 Th.2:7, Rt.4:16). Notice Nathans word unto David- “But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.” Again the bosom was an exalted place of nourishment and loving comfort. Isa.40:11 “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Used figuratively of Abrahams bosom in Luke 16:22-3 as an exalted place of nurture and comfort for the faithful (Gal.3:9, Ro.4:16). “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth…” (Jn.5:19-20) In scripture therefore, someone resting in another’s bosom is being exalted in a loving state of nurture and blessing as in the bosom of a nursing mother. Notice John laid on Jesus bosom and not the reverse- “Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (Jn.13:23). The scriptures also speak of ‘nursing fathers’ (Nu.11:12)- “kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers” (Isa.49:23). It is used as a closeness between husband and wife in Dt.28:54- “the wife of his bosom” and v56 “the husband of her bosom”. But when used in connection with ‘begotten children’ it is as of a nurturer. This only makes sense in John 1:18 as the economic trinity. Consider this:  God glorified his Son, highly exalted him giving him a name which above every name, received him up into glory at his own right hand, put all things under his feet, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool (Jn.17:1, Ac.3:13, Phil.2:9, 1 Tim.3:16, Eph.1:20-21, Heb.10:13). And this Son of man (Jn.5:27) shall come again in the glory of his Father (Mt.16:27, Mk.8:38) and receive for himself a kingdom. Consider Daniel 7:13-14:  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (see also Mt.26:64)  If we think of the Son of man being given all these things because the Father loveth the Son (is in the bosom of the Father) and hath given all things into his hand (Jn.3:35); because Christ is God’s and the head of Christ is God (1 Cor.3:23, 11:3, Ac.4:26), then we can understand how he nurtured the Son in his bosom and exalted him for he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that 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. (1 Co.15:27-8) Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Rv.5:12) These things make sense of the economic trinity in space and time where the man Christ Jesus (Rom.5:15, 1 Tim.2:5) was nurtured and made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they and was appointed heir of all things (Heb.1:2-4). Let us hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him, let us know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Ac.2:22,36) And he will remain in the Father’s bosom glorified with him forevermore. But how in an ontological trinity, can the Son ever be in a state of loving and nurturing dependence in the Father and not be less than the one blessing him upon whom he depends for anything- without all contradiction? Sent from Heaven Another series of scriptures used to teach the eternal Sonship of Christ are those where it is interpreted that the Son was sent from heaven and therefore his Sonship preceded his incarnation. Let us consider some of these passages: Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. -Note that he was sent from the far country (Lk.20:9) dwelling in the same abode as his son and did not become the Son after he was sent. Rom.8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (v32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 1 Jn.4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Gal.4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? So the proponents of eternal Sonship will affirm that the Son was sent from heaven and cite these verses as strong examples. But simply applying this logic to other servants who were sent in the same manner it could not mean this. Consider the parable in Mark 12 in its context (v1-7): And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.  And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.  And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.  But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.'  No one reasoning in scripture would conclude from reading this that the servants were sent from heaven as though they resided there. “Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:” (Lk.11:49) Jesus being the wisdom of God (1 Cor.1:24). No Christian that I have ever heard concluded that John the Baptist preexisted in heaven before he was sent and he was sent from God. (Simply put we are all in Adam who was the first man and of the earth- and that is not first which is spiritual or from heaven but the earthy- 1 Cor.15:45-9, v22 Rom.5:12. We are to be born again not for the third time- Jn.3:3-7) “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” (Jn.1:6) But he was sent to bear witness of Christ (v8) and said “I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” (v33) The scriptures are very plain here, as Christ himself states in his most intimate prayer to the Father recorded “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” (Jn.17:18) And again “Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Jn. 20:21). This is because “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Jn.17:14). Clearly he is speaking of his humbled incarnate flesh and blood where he took part of the same (Heb.2:17) and was made like unto his brethren (Heb.2:14). These men which “thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me” (Jn.17:6) and Christ would send them into the world. He had sent them previously. Apostle means ‘one sent’. Consider these verses: Matt.10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (v5) These twelve Jesus sent forth… Lk.9:1-2 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Lk.10:1 After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come (v17) And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. Notice they were sent after they were empowered but they are empowered because they need power. We see the same thing when Jesus commissioned the 12 after his resurrection to bear witness of the resurrection: Jn.20:21-2 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (This would be the indwelling of the Spirit- next we see the out pouring of the Spirit.) Lk.24:45-9 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. We see the same thing with Christ in his condescension- he is anointed (Christ means anointed) with the Holy Ghost and with power (Ac.10:38)- because as a man in the flesh (“anointed Jesus of Nazareth”) and humbled (Phil.2:7-8), he needs power: Lk.4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Jn.3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. We know “The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him” (Jn.13:16) and so in that the Son was sent he was sent as a servant after he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant” (Phil.2:7); made in the likeness of sinful flesh, made of a woman God sent his only begotten Son into the world (Rom.8:3, Gal.4:4, 1 Jn.4:9). Jesus said “my Father is greater than I” (Jn.14:28). In that he was sent he “speaketh the words of God” (Jn.3:34) and ‘to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work’ (4:34). As being sent Jesus said “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (5:30) Again “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (6:30) Jesus was sent and “seeketh his glory that sent him” (7:18) “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 problem is that in heaven before Jesus Christ came in the flesh he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. If he was sent from heaven then the Father is greater than him in heaven before he made himself of no reputation. He was sent to do the Fathers will and seek his glory and could of himself do nothing- before he came in the flesh. This is the problem of having the Son less than the Father and dependent upon him from eternity. Again not conducive to the ontological trinity which they seek to divide rightly from the economical trinity. Christ was sent into the world in the same way that he sends his disciples into the world: Mk.16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Matt.20:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?  What did the Jews of Jesus time understand about Christ? What did Christ the Son of God mean to them? Did they think Jesus was claiming to be the eternal Son and 2nd person of the ontological trinity? They had very strong ideas about the Messiah -strong enough to immediately put to death anyone claiming the title. Most Trinitarians will acknowledge that the Trinity is predominantly a New Testament revelation and so the Jews would not think Son of God meant 2nd person of the ontological trinity. Mt.26:63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Lk.22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth. Clearly declaring himself to be the Son of Man who is to be served forever (a form of worship-Ex.20:5, Dt.6:13, Mt.4:10, Lk.4:8) in Daniel 7:13-14; I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.  The Eternal Sonship brethren will contend ‘when Jesus was called "Son of God," it was understood categorically by all as a title of deity, making Him equal with God and (more significantly) of the same essence as the Father. That is precisely why the Jewish leaders regarded the title "Son of God" as high blasphemy. If Jesus' sonship signifies His deity and utter equality with the Father, it cannot be a title that pertains only to His incarnation. In fact, the main gist of what is meant by "sonship" (and certainly this would include Jesus' divine essence) must pertain to the eternal attributes of Christ, not merely the humanity He assumed.’ But again considering what we have looked at already the Jewish people knew the Messiah would be his Son whom the kings of the earth would kiss (Ps.2:12) which can be a form of worship (Job 31:27, Hos.13:2). They should have known as Paul declared that his Sonship was on the one hand was a product of is resurrection- Psa.2:7 & Acts13:33. And they knew that his Sonship was a product of his incarnation; as we saw in 1 Chr.17:11-15, 1 Chr.22:10 , 2 Sam.7:12-4, Isa.9:6-7. That he was from everlasting (Mic.5:2) and should have known although they erred in the scripture, that the Son of David was his Lord- Psa.110:1, Matt.22:42-46. But did they think when Christ said that God was his Father that he was that he was claiming to be one of the persons of the eternal Trinity? I trow not. Again, even those holding to the eternal Sonship would admit that this was a New Testament revelation, the doctrine of the trinity was revealed at the incarnation of Christ and so the Jews who persecuted Jesus knew not of the trinity. So they would not have understood this interpretation of ‘Son of God’ therefore would not have been executing him for this claim. They would have known that the Son, the Messiah was God, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father. Psa.45:6-7 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.  Therefore my brethren when we read the encounter in John 5:18 where “the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” they were not seeking to kill him because they thought he was declaring himself to be the eternal Son and 2nd person of the ontological or economic trinity. For again simply stated they had no knowledge of this. They would have understood however that the Christ was God in the flesh, Immanuel. Isa.7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. His equality with God in their understanding was based upon his incarnation as God (the one God- Dt.6:4) with us. But the fact is they were confused about the person of Christ (Mt.22:46) for the veil was upon their hearts (2 Cor.3:13-15, 4:6). Mt. 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Lk. 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. There was indeed a veil over the reading of the old testament (2 Cor.3:14-6, Rom.16:25-6).

Were the Jews ignorantly worshipping the Trinity? John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (v32) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: (v34) Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God Deut.6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Zech.14:9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. “Under the Old Testament the Church of God was not told near so much about the Trinity as they are now. But what the New Testament has revealed, tho it has more opened to our view the nature of God, yet it has increased the number of visible mysteries and they thus appear to us exceeding wonderful and incomprehensible.”- Jonathon Edwards Essay on the Trinity  So we come back to our initial inquiry here from a slightly different angle. We initially asked whether there is one God and this led us into the discussion of whether the one God is tri-personal or uni-personal- a Trinitarian or a Unitarian God. We now will inquire regarding what the Jewish people believed or thought regarding God’s revelation of himself. Did they understand God to be a single person or a trinity? Time would fail us to consider the thousands of references to God in the Old Testament with the personal singular pronouns “I, me, him, thou, thee, thy, my, his… etc.” I don’t think anyone would seriously contend that the people of Israel and the prophets considered God to be a single person based upon the limited revelation they received. But there are allusions to the trinity we will consider also. Of all the instances in the Old Testament of God revealed as a single person, we will only consider a few here: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob We see God revealing himself as a single person to Abram in Gen.12:1-2 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: (v7) And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.” In 13:14-17 “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” In 15:1 “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” 17:1-2 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.  And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” (also 17:6-8, 16, 19) Again in 22:15-17 “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;” It is interesting that the messenger of the LORD the Angel that appeared to Abraham here in chapter 22 and 16:7-13 to Hagar spoke as the LORD. That notwithstanding it would seem as though Abraham would have understood God to be a single person. There is not a clear revelation of a trinity of persons in the one God although a clear allusion to God manifesting himself in an image as the angel of his presence (Isa.63:9).  Likewise did the LORD appear to Isaac as a single person in Gen.26:2-4 “And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;” and v24-5 “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.”  Also unto Jacob in 28:12-16 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed… And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.  And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. Again in 31:13 “I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.” And so it would be clear that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob worshipped God with the understanding that he was one person.  Moses When God appeared first unto Moses in Exodus 3 he reveals himself very clearly and strongly as a single person. Consider verse 6 “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” And very powerfully here in v13-5 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.  And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Again in 6:2-3 “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” 7:5 “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” In the giving of the ten commandments (20:2-3) “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (v5) “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God”.  Again we see God manifesting himself to Moses visibly in an image and form in the bush (the angel of the LORD appeared unto him- 3:2-6) to Israel in the pillar of the cloud (14:19) unto the Egyptians (v24). In 24:9-11 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:  And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. Ex.32:24 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. Ex.33:20-23 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. They understood God to be manifested in the tabernacle (Ex.25:22, Lv.16:2) and also that he was in heaven. We see time and again God interacting with his people in Moses’ day among them. But we cannot see where they think of God as a trinity of persons but rather as a single person. David  When David rose up in Israel against Goliath he declared “I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand…” (1 Sam.17:45-6) When God gave promise to David that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne (Ac.2:30), David received this word with meekness and sat before the LORD and declared in prayer “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Sa.7:22) “For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God…” (v27-8). It would appear that David understood God to be a single person. But David prophesied things that he did not understand concerning the Messiah who “shall proceed out of thy bowels” (v12). Remember Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Christ posed a question to his adversaries which they could not answer concerning this verse. Here is the exchange in Matthew 22:42-6 “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”

Isaiah In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (6:1) …one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (v3) Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (v5) Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. (v8) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (41:10) I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (42:8) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: (43:3) Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? (v10-13) I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. (v15) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. (44:6) Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. (v8) I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (v22) I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (45:5-7) I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. (v12) For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. (v18) Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (v21-3) To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? (46:5) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (v9-10)  The Trinity in the Old Testament  There are multitudes of more examples all through the Old Testament canon of God clearly and distinctly revealing himself as a single person. So we would be safe to conclude that they did not understand God as a trinity. Although there was revelation of God as a trinity in the Old Testament scripture; we will consider these as well. But the word ‘God’ does not ever seem to clearly indicate ‘the trinity’ nor a non-personal ‘divine essence’ (discuss Jn1:1) but always a person (an ‘I’).  The trinity would be a New Testament revelation primarily which was alluded to in the Old Testament with the messianic prophecies. Notably Isaiah 9:6, Psalm 45:6-7, 110:1, Mic.5:2, Isa.48:17, 6:8, Gen 1:26, 11:6-7 ‘us’. But we will consider next that God appeared visibly unto his people which would place into the minds of the faithful that his presence can be in heaven on a throne in a visible image (1 Ki.22:19, 2 Chr.18:18, Isa.6:1-5) or shape (Jn.5:37) as well as appearing in the earth visibly in the form of a man.

The Angel of his presence & Anthropomorphisms Bernard Ramm quoting Seisenberger says..."We must not be offended by anthropomorphic expressions, which seem to us out of keeping with our conception of God. It is with a well-considered design that the holy Scripture speaks of God as of a being resembling man, and ascribes to Him a face, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet and the sense of smell and hearing. This is done out of consideration of man's power of comprehension; and the same is the case when the Bible represents God as loving or hating, as jealous, angry, glad, or filled with regret, dispositions which apply to God not per affectum but per effectum… Moreover we must not forget that man is made in the image and likeness of God, and that therefore in the divine Being there must be something analogous to the qualities of men…” (Protestant Biblical Interpretation pg.100-101).  Ramm warns "The interpreter who is aware of this anthropomorphic character of the Divine revelation will not be guilty of grotesque forms of literal exegesis. More than one unlettered person and cultist has taken the anthropomorphisms of the Scriptures literally and has so thought of God as possessing a body." (Pg.101) The danger here is in misinterpreting the scripture to strip God of his omnipresence and transcendence and confine and limit him to time and space in a body eternally. We would also warn against stripping the scripture of its clear and literal meaning in cases where it does clearly reveal God appearing in a bodily shape (Jn.5:37) before the incarnation. Genesis 3 for example invites the understanding of God appearing in a theophany. Adam and Eve “heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God” (v8). They hid from his presence walking in the garden. This should be understood as it is stated not be wrested from its clear meaning and made into clay moldable into whatsoever the reader desires. Many wearing the robes of scholarship enlarging the borders of their garments make all such passages metaphors and allegories and figures of speech so as not to appear unscientific to an adulterous and sinful generation.  While we spoke earlier of the Holy Spirit as being the presence of God we would clarify that the manifestation of the Spirit was invisible. At times the presence of the LORD was visible as a cloud of glory (Ex.34:5, 40:34-8, Lv.16:2, 2 Chr.5:14- also the bodily shape like a dove- Lk.3:22) and we point this out to contrast it with the Angel of his presence which was the visible presence of the LORD in the form of a man, that is an angel (Rev.21:17). That is there were times when the LORD appeared visibly in the form of a man (theophany)- Gen.18:1-2, Exodus 24:9-10, 33:19-23, Num.12:8, 2 Chr.18:18, Isa.6:1-5. When the visible presence of the LORD was with the people of God (in contrast to on his throne in heaven- Mt.23:22, Dan.7:9, 11, Rev.5:6-7) it is a reference to the Angel of his presence, which is to say the visible image of his person. God very clearly and very deliberately revealed himself in a form or image of a man (that is of the Angel) to Moses. “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” (Ex.33:18-23) Clearly these passages attribute divine characteristics to the particular Angel of his presence- Gen. 16:7, 10;18:1, 13; 21:17; Zech.2:1, 12:8; Gen.31:11-13, 32:24-30, 48:16; Mal.3:1; Ex.23:20-21; Isa.63:9-10; Jud.13:18; 2 Sam.24:16-17; Ac.27:23; Gal.4:14.  We would likewise understand the emotions listed above “when the Bible represents God as loving or hating, as jealous, angry, glad, or filled with regret, dispositions” as God responding and reacting to men (exactly as when he answers prayer) within time and space. This necessitates God manifesting himself within our dimensions in order that he respond to us whether in judgment or love. This would not mean God changed from eternally unmoving in thought or purpose outside of and before all creation; but that in some way He interjects himself in the fulness of his divinity into creation to fully interact with us. God humbles himself to behold the things in heaven (Ps.113:6). And there are numerous passages revealing God’s manifesting of himself in a particular space at a particular time in a bodily shape or form (Jn.5:37). Gabriel stands in his presence (Lk.1:19) always beholding his face (Mt.18:10) presumably upon his throne mentioned in Mt.5:34, 23:22, Rv.7:15, 4:2-5,11, 5:6-7, 6:16, 8:3, 12:5, Dan.7:9, 13, Isa.6:1 etc. which is located in heaven (in the Fathers house or temple Rv.16:17, 11:19, Jn.14:2, Heb.8:2, 5, 9:11, 24, Psa.11:4)- 1 Ki.22:19, 1 Kings 8:32 (also v34-36,39,43,45,49), Dt.26:15, Job 22:12, Psa.11:4, 102:19, Dan.2:28, Mt. 3:17,6:9, Mk.16:19, Ac.2:33, 7:55, Eph.1:21, Col.3:1, Heb.8:1. These are not metaphors.  The revealing of two images or forms of God as revealed by Daniel in chapter 7 and John in Revelation 4 and 5 force upon us the idea that the Father and the Son both appear in bodily shapes within created time and space (our image and our likeness- Gen.1:26 unified shape- notice the singular). The Son being the man in the flesh who “was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mk.16:19). When examining the throne of God (singular) in Revelation (not the throne of David Psa.89, Isa.9:7, Ac.2:34-5- not yet at least-1 Chr.29:23, 28:5) we find what appears to be the two images converging back into one (our image) and the Son is glorified with the Father himself and seated as the brightness of his glory (Rv.21:23), and the express image of his person (Heb.1:3) as with the glory he had with the Father before the world was (Jn.17:5). Notice the Son appearing “in the midst of the throne” (Rv.3:21, 5:6, 7:17). Where in the beginning of Revelation “one sat on the throne” (4:2) in the end it is called “the throne of God and of the Lamb”, singular. (Rv.21:5-7, 22:1, 3) The form of God in the person of Jesus Christ was separated from him that sat upon the throne during the incarnation before his ascension back up into heaven to sit down at the “right hand of God”. In this sense Jesus was the Lord from heaven who came in the flesh (again, we have already established the omnipresence of Christ). Notice John is abundantly clear that Jesus came down from heaven from the Father and returned- Jn.3:13, 31, 6:33, 38-42, 50-51, 57-8, 8:14, 23, 42, 13:1, 16:5, 27-8, 17:5, 8, 11, 13. Since Christ is eternal, omnipresent and transcends creation/time and space, he moves through time and space in an image or form through which he manifests himself to his creation. Likewise with the Father who remained in heaven on the throne, the angels beholding his face (Mt.18:10) seeing his shape as Daniel (Ch.7) and John (Rv.4-5) both witnessed. This separation of Jesus, the form of God from the right hand of the glory of God during the incarnation (and the return of Christ and millennial reign 1 Cor.15:23-28- although re-converging back at the white throne judgment forever Rv.20:11, 21:22-3, 22:1 that God may be all in all) appears to be what the death of man typifies when the soul and body separate (both are images Gen.35:18, 1 Ki.17:21-2, Rv.6:9-11, Lk.16:19-31) until the resurrection when they rejoin in the glory of Christ (2 Thes.2:14, 1:10, Jn.17:10, 22, 1 Pt.5:1, 10, 2 Tim.2:10). Right hand of God  The term ‘right hand of God’ would cause our minds to think of 2 thrones, one of the Father and one of the Son as we would in these passages- 1 Ki.2:19, 22:19, Mt.20:21-3. But we only find a singular throne (not thrones) of God (not David) throughout the scripture- Job 26:9, Psa.9:4, 7, 11:4, 45:6, 47:8, 93:2, 103:19, Isa.6:1, Lam.5:19, Dan.7:9, Heb.4:16, 8:1, 12:2, Rv.1:4, 3:21, 4:2-10, 5:1, 6-7, 11, 13, 6:16, 7:9-17, 8:3, 12:5, 14:3, 5, 16:17, 19:4-5, 20:11, 21:5, 22:1, 3. This fact only leads us to conclude that the term ‘right hand’ is a metaphor for a place or position of honor and glory and strength. This is exactly how it is used dozens of places in scripture (notably in Psalms, as in 110:1)- Ex.15:6, 12, Dt.33:2, Ps.16:8, 11, 17:7, 18:35, 20:6, 21:8, 26:10, 44:3, 45:4, 48:10, 60:5, 63:8, 73:26, 77:10, 78:54, 80:15, 17, 89:13, 25, 42, 91:7, 98:1, 108:6, 109:6, 31, 110:1, 5, 118:15-6, 121:5, 138:7, 139:10, 144:8, 11, Prv.3:16, Ecc.10:2, Isa.41:10, 13, 44:20, 45:1, 48:13, 62:8, 63:12, Lam.2:3-4, Hab. 2:16, Mt.26:64, Lk.22:69, Ac.2:25, 5:31. Therefore we conclude that when Jesus sat down at the right hand of the throne of God he sat in the singular throne of God glorified with the glory of the Father- Mt.22:44, Mk.12:36, 16:19, Lk.20:42, Ac.2:34, 7:55-6, Rom.8:34, Eph.1:20, Col.3:1, Heb.1:3, 13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1 Pt.3:22. The “glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof”- Rv.21:23 The Son is glorified with the Father’s glory (Mt.16:27, Mk.8:38, Lk.9:26).  There is also a sense in which the ‘throne of God’ is a reference to heaven, the location of his actual throne (Isa.66:1, Mt.5:34, 23:22). We see this also when Christ reigns from Jerusalem upon the throne of David as king of Israel (and king over the whole earth- Zech.14:9, Psa.2:6-12)- At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: (Jer.3:17) It is in this sense that we will reign with Christ according to his promise in Rev.3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. We will sit in his glory reigning with him- 1 Thess.2:12, 2 Thess.2:14, 2 Tim.2:10, Heb.2:10, 1 Pt.5:1, 4, 10, Mt.19:28, Rev.2:26-29, 20:6, Lk.19:17, Dan.7:27 etc.

Image, Likeness and Similitude Again, being soundly warned against ideas of God in a form or image for fear of heresy imagining God within creation permanently bound for his existence where in his eternal state there is no space or time or shape or forms- only eternal spirit, which we would wholly and heartily agree, let us not dismiss clear and very distinct texts of scripture revealing God manifesting himself in a bodily shape (as R.A. Torrey would agree- ‘What the Bible Teaches’ pg.293-4). Kenneth Wuest in expositing the Greek text of Phil.2:6-7 (‘Word Studies in the Greek New Testament’) writing on the word ‘form’ as in the form of God, states the word “has no reference to the shape of any physical object” (pg.62) Quoting Vincent he proceeds “We must here dismiss from our minds the idea of shape. The word is used in its philosophic sense, to denote that expression of being which carries in itself the distinctive nature and character of the being to whom it pertains, and is thus permanently identified with that nature and character.” Wuest sums up his discussion of the word ‘form’ writing that it “refers to that outward expression which a person gives of his inmost nature”. He gives the example of a tennis player having ‘excellent form’ which is to mean the “outward expression he gave of his inward ability”. This of course concludes from the passage that Christ in the form of God as an outward expression of the nature of God (fulness of the Godhead) would be expressed within time and space (outward expression). In contrast, Christ took upon him the form of a servant. This would mean in his actions such as in John 13 outwardly expressed in the “form of a servant”. But we have the same issue in explaining how this ‘form of God’ was outwardly expressed. We say in an image visible to the angels on a throne in magnificently terrible glory just as in contrast in his condescension to the likeness of men and form of a servant to be visible to humanity in his obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. The outward expression is from a visible source, why not a likeness and form or similitude of a man? Do we eliminate the “throne of God” in dismissing a shape of a man? I trow not. If we compare the usage of the words image, likeness, form, and similitude in scripture we can get a clearer picture. The passage at the focus of this discussion is this:  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Gen.1:26-7 see also 5:3, 9:6) Besides ‘us’ and ‘our’ pointing to the triune revelation of God, here we could say that man bears the image of God in how he rules or has dominion over creation (in knowledge, righteousness and holiness- Eph.4:23-4, Col.3:10). Indeed, that thought is contained in the context of image and likeness, but it makes no sense without the physical shape of man exercising this dominion (or playing tennis) outwardly. They cannot be separated no matter how intensely our scholarly brethren try to cautiously deliver us from the thought. The scripture appears to abandon this concern. Look in these passages (the vast majority in scripture) how image means physical shape- Gen.31:19, 34, Ex.20:4, 34:13, Lv.26:1, 30, Num.33:52,  Dt.4:16, 23, 25, 5:8, 7:5, 25, 9:12, 12:3, 16:22, 27:15, Jdg.17:3-4, 18:14-31, 1 Sam.19:16, 2 Ki.10:26-7, 2 Chr.3:10, 14:3, 5, 2 Chr.34:3-7, Job 4:16, Ps.97:7, 106:19, Isa.30:22, 40:19-20, 42:8, 17, 44:9-10, 15, 17, Ezk.8:3, 5, 12, 16:17, 23:14, Dan.2:31-35, 3:1-3, Mt.22:20, Mk.12:16, Lk.20:24, Ac.19:35, Rom.1:23, 1 Cor. 15:49, Heb.10:1, Rv.13:15, etc.  Same thing with the word likeness- Gen.5:1, 3, Ex.20:4, Dt.4:16-8, 23, 25, Dt.5:8, Isa.40:18, Ezk.1:5, 10, 13, 16, 22, 26, 28, 8:2, 10:1, 10, 21-2, Ac.14:11. Again similitude is seen as outward shape- Nu.12:8, Dt.4:12, 15, 16, 2 Chr.4:3, Ps.106:20, Dan.10:16, Ho.12:10, Jam.3:9. When “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground” (Gen.2:7-8) it was his bodily shape as were the animals (v19). In 1 Sam.28:14 it was a reference to the outward appearance as are these- 2 Chr.4:7, Job 4:16, 26:5, 33:6, 90:2, 94:9, Isa.44:10, 52:14, 53: 2, Ezk.8:3, 10, 10:8, Dan.2:31, 3:25, Mk.16:12, Rom.9:20.  We conclude that not only are these words usually used in reference to outward appearance, even when they are referencing actions, they need a physical shape through which the outward expression can be observed. Reciprocally would just the physical shape not carry the expression of its abilities without action. Both are needed.

The Immanent Trinity and the Divine Nature  Another traditional formulation of the immanent trinity is that it is not different than the economic trinity. That there is eternal subordination of the Son and Spirit to the Father as a necessary truth. ‘We cannot divorce the revelation of the economic trinity from the ontological trinity’ they believe, as if the only way to distinguish between the Father and Son is by the Fathers authority over him. ‘If Father Son and Spirit are not distinguished (in the immanent and essential trinity) by subordination as seen in the economic trinity then their roles are not eternal and necessary and a form of modalism emerges where each person is in every way identical thus indistinguishable. Nothing can be rightly cited which distinguishes them- thus for the Father to be truly the Father then he must be the eternal Father and likewise Christ his eternal Son; thus eternal subordinationism is necessary and essential. It is inconceivable to distinguish the Father and Son without the Son’s subordination, it is everywhere in scripture. It is not a subordination of essence but of person. Roles of authority do not make a difference in nature- such as husband and wife and so likewise in the ontological trinity.’ They would point to, as evidence, the Father’s supreme role in salvation in eternity past. That the whole history of salvation is wholly the authority of the Father. The Father chose and foreordained us in Christ before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1:2, Eph. 1:4-5, 3:11. And it was his eternal purpose not the Son’s implying that the Father does not need the Son to work, he can act unilaterally (although the Son cannot); yet works through the Son and Spirit the way he might work through us. (for more on this see this- http://henrycenter.tiu.edu/2008/10/trinity-debate-ware-grudem-vs-mccall-yandell/ ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySFrG3mOp5o) We see arising yet again the previous error where the revelation of the economic trinity within time and space is exported and imposed into eternity where there is no time nor space. To purpose something would involve time. To have an eternal purpose would not- notice he had an eternal purpose which 'he purposed in Christ Jesus' (Eph.3:11). This leads to a conclusion of an eternal purpose being manifested (purposed) in time in the person of Christ, the Word of God. But what way could there be subordination in eternity where there is no action or movement of thought? Even a mutual agreement of subordination among the members of the trinity it would involve time. ‘So then what eternal difference is there between the 3?’ they will retort. ‘How is this not modalism if there is nothing distinguishing the persons only names?’ Maybe this is where they are hasty of spirit and should humbly acquiesce in divine mystery. Perhaps we should be content to accept that God’s ontology is beyond our grasp (Dt.29:29). Yet instead of being patient in spirit they confidently proceed to force time and eternity together in the Godhead shoehorning conclusions of a trinity closer to tri-theism and rife with contradiction they call divine mystery. They use analogies where an employer has authority over an employee while they equally are human. Or more to the point an earthly father and son (which as we before concluded- the less is blessed of the better- Heb.7:7 and it is more blessed to give than receive- Ac.20:35). But can we conclude that the class of all humans constitute a single being because they all partake of the same essence? The bible does not use the word ‘God’ in the same way we use ‘mankind’. But the eternal subordinationist sees the Godhead more like “members of the same family”. Some exceed scripture and teach a grotesque ‘social trinity’ as “a divine, transcendent society or community of three fully personal and fully divine entities”. They prefer to speak of a “generic oneness” of the three persons, rather than of a numerical oneness—which, they suggest, could lead to modalism.” Some even teaching God (they) are 3 persons with independent bodies, souls, and spirits on the planet heaven (see Finis Jennings Dake).  The combining of the economic and immanent trinity is where confusion descends like a thick fog. These excesses invite contradictions and limitations upon God such that the Son has all power but not all authority and only uses his power to execute the Fathers will. Because the Son must be sent and be incarnate and the Father cannot be and therefore the Son is omnipotent but the Father has all authority; authority that the Son and Spirit do not have. Or that the Spirit is eternally subject to the Son- but the Son became subject to the Spirit in the incarnation. They might say in response to this that the Father could have become incarnate and subject to the Son but this would be confusion and God is not the author of confusion so he really couldn’t have. Neither could the Son have sent the Father to do his will which indicates an ontological subordination. Plus if the Son’s submission to the Spirit is because of the incarnation then why couldn’t it be so with the Father’s authority? Also if the Son is God as to his person and he is not the Father, and the Father is God to his person and he is not the Son, then the conclusion of 2 Gods is forceful. But to avoid that conclusion it is added that they are equally one God only in essence which makes the word God mean ‘they’ (of the divine community) instead of the biblical usage of ‘I’ and the word God would also mean ‘attributes of divine essence’ or a non-personal definition. Why wouldn’t the Son and the Spirit be more of God (the family) than the Father as persons not essence? God is One, He is unique—there is no God like Him, and He is numerically one (singular personal pronouns are inescapable when using bible language). Yet with this excessive pressing towards tri-theism the word ‘God’ may well mean ‘we’ and ‘they’ instead of ‘I’ and ‘me’ in words that man’s wisdom teacheth and not that the Holy Ghost teacheth in scripture. When scripture speaks of “the only true God” (Jn.17:3) we are not instructed to think of a social trinity or ‘they’ or a ‘community’. When we are instructed to “know that I am God” (Ps.46:10) we understand God to mean a single person there and not “members of the same family”.  But a peculiar fear of modalism over tri-theism drives them away from the oneness of God by defining it into something more palatable to them. They emphasize the Threeness of God over his Oneness and conceive of “a mutual indwelling of the persons, an eternal coinherence.” “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (Jn.14:10-11, 10:38) in the same way that “they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (Jn.17:21). “The Father, Son, and Spirit are not eternally “with” or alongside each other, but eternally “in” one another. “The three persons are in one another and reciprocally interpenetrate, interpermeate, each other.” “There is an eternal intercommunion and interaction of being in the Godhead, so that each person coinheres in the others, and the others in each.” This describes an intimacy far beyond anything we can know, an indwelling “beyond all human experience and reality.” “This mysterious in-ness or oneness relation in the divine life, says Plantinga, is short of personal identity [modalism], but much closer than mere common membership in a class [tritheism].” “There is in the divine life a mysterious, primordial in-ness or oneness relation.”- (http://aicbsmc.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/7/8/10780938/__the_trinity_and_scripture_macleod.pdf)  Almost cemented into their thinking are ideas of time and space which they eternalize in the Godhead and call mysteries when encountering contradiction. Each is ‘eternally in one another, intercommunicating and interacting’. This sounds closer to 3 separate formless spirit beings existing together in eternalized time. Each time you conclude 3 gods they assert that they are one God almost like sleight of hand magic. To ‘interact’ and ‘communicate’ involves series of thoughts moving in time, so since this is before time began they conclude it is an idea ‘far beyond our experience or anything we can know’ i.e. a mystery…again.  The texts they use to prove this are referring to the incarnation where Christ being the express image of the Father in flesh as a man (thou art my God from my mother's belly- Ps.22:10), dwelt in the Father and the Father in him such as we experience in salvation (Jn.17:11, 16, 18, 21-23). Him in us involves location at a particular instant, just as in the incarnation. But in his incarnation the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him by the Fathers pleasure (Col.1:19, 2:9) and he was so much the express image of the Father’s person (Heb.1:3) that when you saw Christ you saw the Father (not Jesus’ human form, but the words and works). “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (Jn.14:7-10) The words and works that Jesus did in the Fathers name demonstrated to Israel with no uncertainty that he was in deed both Lord and Christ (Mt.11:4-5, Jn.10:25, 32-38, 15:24, 17:4). These are economic trinity verses not ontological.

Edwards  Jonathon Edwards postulates that God’s full knowledge of himself is an instance of himself which is beloved to him (the only begotten Son). If God is love (1 Jn.4:8,16- he must love someone) he must not just have an idea of love such as I might have of a man for his wife or child, rather he must have an instance of love, a perfect idea of it that a man would experience for his own wife and child. This perfect idea of love is an actual instance of love. In like manner God having a perfect idea of himself (which is Spirit) the idea, containing all the fulness of God would be an instance of himself and the object of his love (the Spirit himself is that love). Consider Edwards explanation in his unpublished essay on the Trinity here: “The reflection as we reflect on our own minds carries something of imperfection in it. However, if God beholds Himself so as thence to have delight and joy in Himself He must become his own object. There must be a duplicity. There is God and the idea of God, if it be proper to call a conception of that that is purely spiritual an idea. If a man could have an absolutely perfect idea of all that passed in his mind, all the series of ideas and exercises in every respect perfect as to order, degree, circumstance and for any particular space of time past, suppose the last hour, he would really to all intents and purpose be over again what he was that last hour. And if it were possible for a man by reflection perfectly to contemplate all that is in his own mind in an hour, as it is and at the same time that it is there in its first and direct existence; if a man, that is, had a perfect reflex or contemplative idea of every thought at the same moment or moments that that thought was and of every exercise at and during the same time that that exercise was, and so through a whole hour, a man would really be two during that time, he would be indeed double, he would be twice at once. The idea he has of himself would be himself again. Note, by having a reflex or contemplative idea of what passes in our own minds I don't mean consciousness only. There is a great difference between a man's having a view of himself, reflex or contemplative idea of himself so as to delight in his own beauty or excellency, and a mere direct consciousness. Or if we mean by consciousness of what is in our own minds anything besides the mere simple existence in our minds of what is there, it is nothing but a power by reflection to view or contemplate what passes. Therefore as God with perfect clearness, fullness and strength, understands Himself, views His own essence (in which there is no distinction of substance and act but which is wholly substance and wholly act), that idea which God hath of Himself is absolutely Himself. This representation of the Divine nature and essence is the Divine nature and essence again: so that by God's thinking of the Deity must certainly be generated. Hereby there is another person begotten, there is another Infinite Eternal Almighty and most holy and the same God, the very same Divine nature. And this Person is the second person in the Trinity, the Only Begotten and dearly Beloved Son of God; He is the eternal, necessary, perfect, substantial and personal idea which God hath of Himself; and that it is so seems to me to be abundantly confirmed by the Word of God. Nothing can more agree with the account the Scripture gives us of the Son of God, His being in the form of God and His express and perfect image and representation: (II Cor. 4:4) "Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Who is the image of God should shine unto them." (Phil. 2:6) "Who being in the form of God." (Col. 1:15) "Who is the image of the invisible God." (Heb. 1:3) "Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” Van Til Van Til and the Trinity: The Centrality of the Christian View of God in the Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til By Colin D. Smith: “In his An Introduction to Systematic Theology, Van Til makes the following statement: … It is sometimes asserted that we can prove to men that we are not asserting anything that they ought to consider irrational, inasmuch as we say that God is one in essence and three in person. We therefore claim that we have not asserted unity and trinity of exactly the same thing. Yet this is not the whole truth of the matter. We do assert that God, that is, the whole Godhead, is one person. The assertion that “the whole Godhead is one person” naturally caused quite a stir that continues to linger to this day. Gordon Clark called the statement a “departure from the faith of the universal church,” and John Robbins referred to it as “a radically new heresy.” At face value this assessment appears to be correct, since the orthodox formulation of the Trinity states that God is one being consisting of three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, not one person consisting of three persons, which appears to be a contradiction. To understand what Van Til meant by this, however, requires more than just a superficial reading of the statement. It requires that we dig a little deeper into how Van Til understood the Trinity, and particularly how the Trinity functioned within the context of his apologetic method… If Van Til’s doctrine of the Trinity is, at its foundation, in agreement with Scripture and the historical creeds and confessions of the Christian faith, what did he mean by saying that God is both “three persons and one person”? This is the appropriate question to ask: instead of accusing Van Til of contradiction, or of unorthodoxy, one needs to understand what he meant by the terms he uses. As Frame correctly points out, it is not a logical contradiction to say that God is three persons, and God is one person, if the word “person” is being used in different ways. While such equivocation is not to be encouraged, especially in theological discourse, it is legitimate, as long as the different meanings are made clear. Certainly, Van Til is not the easiest of philosophers or theologians to read, and his thoughts are not always most lucidly expressed, especially for those not well versed in philosophical terms. However, they are not so far beyond understanding that a little effort cannot reap rewards. The issue that Van Til was addressing was not so much to do with the nature of the being of God, but whether God Himself is personal. In other words, is the being of God a person? Christians recognize that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each persons in the truest sense of the word, but when Christians speak of God, are they still referring to a personal being, or can God only be spoken of as personal in relation to each member of the Trinity? Van Til’s answer to this is yes: the being of God is as much a personal being as each person of the Trinity of which He consists. The divine essence is not just an impersonal abstraction. Scripture often speaks of God behaving in such a way as to indicate full personality, particularly in the Old Testament, where there are very few explicit references to God as a triune being. While one may consider such passages to be just short-hand for speaking of one (or all) of the persons of the Trinity, it must still be said that God in those passages is ultimate personality. Frame illustrates this discussion with the example of a dog. When one speaks of the essence of the dog, one can refer to the dog’s “doghood.” However, you cannot tie a leash to “doghood” and take it for a walk: it is an impersonal abstraction. The question is then whether God is a similar kind of abstraction for the Trinity, and Van Til’s answer is no. God is as ultimately personal as each person of the Trinity. In this sense, God is both one person (i.e., a personal being), and three persons (i.e., three separate persons within the one being that is God).” ( http://www.colindsmith.com/papers/Van%20Til%20and%20the%20Trinity.pdf )  God is not fully comprehensible to us in our dimensional limitations therefore we will expect to encounter apparent contradictions from the bible; we must humbly accept this fact. Let us continually remind ourselves of this prayer:  Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. (Ps.131:1-2)  Van Til’s essential thought here is that were the persons of the trinity related by an impersonal divine essence then non-personalism would be ultimate. Rationality and morality are irreducibly personal. (I would add also that rationality reduces to consciousness- I am. Not in a Cartesian sense beginning with man, but rather in God as its source.“I am” - law of identity, etc.) Thus Van Til concludes any ultimate unity in the Godhead must be a personal unity; which is to say in some sense God must be numerically one person even if we also claim he is three persons. This is not a contradiction but a paradox in that he is not asserting the unity and trinity of exactly the same thing. Somehow the three persons must exist in such intimate interdependence that it may be truly said that these three are one person.  Brant Bosserman- adds another thought here concerning the economic trinity. God relates contextually to the world through the person of the Son. God the Father relates to the Son through the person of the Holy Spirit. Bossman argues that only a trinity of persons can be fully self contained where each person is related to the other person through another divine person. This points to the ultimate personalism Van Til sees and a rational understanding of why there must be three. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3YzTnXWRP0  around 16.min in) Thus the economic trinity is not an arbitrary and unnecessary redundancy of persons, but how God rationally relates and is revealed to us restrained only by his own nature, which is personal. In a similar way as the Spirit tries men’s hearts in the world, we see ‘the seven Spirits of God’ analogous to light through a prism shining 7 colors of the rainbow; (Isa.11:1-2, Rv.1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6, Zech.3:8-9, 4:10, 2 Chr.16:9); the entire meaning behind the number seven. We have seen that the economic trinity is easily established in scripture. But what about the ontological trinity? Is it God who was manifested or the idea God has of himself or are these one in the same? Is there no ontological or immanent trinity and God spoke the form or image of himself (the idea he has of himself) and thereby within creation was another which is himself; and thus WAS in the beginning? Or was this other person God’s idea of himself in eternity past which was himself doubled in the immanent trinity in eternity past (which is only so from our perspective- in eternity there is just present and no past)?  Edwards introduces an idea where in terms of the Father and Son (God and his Word), stripping away all conception of time and space, the Father eternally has a full and complete idea of himself which encompasses all of himself in fulness and which would be himself (Spirit- Jn.4:24) and yet another. They “shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him” (Zech.12:10). Perhaps a weakness in Edwards’ reasoning here is that God always had “perfect clearness, fullness and strength” of idea for all his creation before he spoke it into existence, but it could not be said to exist (save in God’s mind). Therefore God’s idea of himself would not demand the existence of himself again thus double and twice at once. The object apprehended by the mind (God) with the act of apprehending (God’s complete idea of himself) would not somehow be the same through any philosophical necessity. Nor should we introduce an infinite regress, where God's full and complete idea of himself involves his thinking of himself, and generating a person who likewise has a full and complete idea of himself thinking of himself and generating another, ad infinitum. God thinking outside of time would entail every possible thought continually present (not moving as a series of cogitations) with him without ambiguity or vagueness. But would it be necessary for God’s eternal idea of himself to be another person, i.e. Jesus, even the express image of the Father? Perhaps not by philosophical machinations but we can deduce from scripture that if Jesus is the express image of the person of the Father and the Word with God, then God’s Word (I AM) being a manifestation of himself (within time and space) would in one sense be another person (with God) and yet be himself (was God). As God thinks in his heart so is he (Prov.23:7). But if God (who is love) loves himself, then he has an idea of himself, i.e. what he thinks of himself in his heart which is the object of his love. In this way God’s love of the idea of himself is love of himself; the Spirit being the love thereof or the person whereby the Person of God relates to the person of his Word.  From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Mt.12:34) so God spoke and thereby the Word (the wisdom of God- 1 Cor.1:24) was manifested in a form and image of the invisible God (what God wanted revealed about himself, thus it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell- Col.1:19); which very act of speaking was by itself the beginning of time and space (needed to contain the form of God). That eternal idea God has of himself which he loves which is abundantly in his heart was uttered (the Word)- I AM THAT I AM (Exod.3:14) who was indeed himself thus began the beginning. Not the beginning of Christ who is himself eternal God in very person and express image of the Father. But in that he is the beginning of the creation, the manifestation of himself was the cause of time and space and thereby everything was created by him and for him, for God to reveal himself. This manifestation of God out of eternity which he inhabiteth being set up from everlasting from the beginning (Prv.8:23) is itself the beginning and therefore in the beginning WAS the Word (Jn.1:1 I am). Again, this would not constitute the beginning of Christ anymore than when he came in the flesh would, rather his goings forth were from everlasting (Mic.5:2). Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth (Psalm 113:6) and condescends to his creation. This condescending to an image or form while being the beginning of time and space was just the beginning of the vessel through which God would create and reveal his fulness to creation. Just as he repeated this manifestation in the flesh for redemption; indeed Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, which is to say God was manifested in the flesh.