understanding the Trinity
It's all about God's Love for You

Copyright 2013 by H. D. Shively

Why Understanding the Trinity is so Important

An acquaintance of mine was recounting his experience at a forum where people were given the opportunity to question a Muslim Iman. I was told with amusement that when he asked the Iman if he believed in the Trinity; “He became so upset he almost shook the podium.”

“I don’t blame him,” I responded much to the other man’s surprise. “To his mind you were asking him if he was a polytheist.” That would be a great blasphemy to a Muslim.

The man I was talking to looked shocked. Apparently it had never occurred to him that Muslims, and also Jews for that matter, believe Christians are polytheists because of the Trinity doctrine. I personally was told by a Jew that I worshipped three gods and a Muslim told me I was a polytheist. This was before I could explain the doctrine from the scriptures.

The majority of misunderstandings arise from the wording of the definitions; “God eternally exists as three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.” Christians need to understand that when we use the word “God,” to the Jewish and Muslim mind they think we are referring to God the Father. Therefore they believe we are saying that the Father is three persons, or more than one, and that is polytheism. Any Trinitarian theologian will tell you that there is no plurality in God the Father.

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Understanding the Trinity

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ISBN-13: 978-1978167643

Table of Contents

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Is Jesus God? Understanding the Deity of Jesus Christ 		A careful examination of the New Testament will show that when the word “God” is used, the authors are referring to God the Father. The word “Lord” is used to designate the Messiah Jesus. A similar effort must be made to affirm the singularity of God the Father in order to remove the barriers that hinder Christians from reaching Jews and Muslims with the gospel.

Christians are not polytheists. When the scriptures are the sole source of our definitions of the Three, the fact is assured for our benefit, and the benefit of all those we have alienated; those precious souls that Jesus gave His life to save. Therefore, a proper understanding of the Trinity is essential. And when we have a thorough understanding of how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are revealed in the Word of God, then we will understand Jesus’ divinity, how the Three are unified, and how it all relates to the salvation that Jesus came to give mankind.

My book, “Understanding the Trinity from the Scriptures – It’s all about God’s Love for You,” is an easy to understand explanation of the Three that hopefully will clarify any misunderstandings and lead others into the salvation that is only found in the Messiah Jesus.

Sample - Chapter Eight - How to Receive the Gift of Eternal Life

Introduction

Sample Chapter
Chapter One
One that is Three

Chapter Two
The Omnipresent, Majestic God the Father

Chapter Three
God's Holy Spirit

Chapter Four
The Son of God:The Last Adam

Chapter Five
The Omnipresent God and the Cross

Chapter six
Jesus Christ: The Image of God

Chapter seven
The Firstborn Son:Firstborn of Many Brethren

My Manner of Teaching -
Excerpt from the Introduction to "Understanding the Trinity from the Scriptures"

I believe in communicating the Word of God very simply. In the beginning God planted a beautiful garden, put His children in it and then kicked back to watch them play and enjoy what He had given them. They only had one commandment to obey then; they were told not to eat the fruit of a particular tree or they would die. The first theologian was right there on the scene to contradict God’s simple instruction with “That’s not what He meant” - And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: For God knows that in the day you eat it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:4, 5).

God’s commandment was disobeyed. Suddenly everything went from simple to complicated and the peaceful life God had originally planned for His children was cruelly violated.

There are a lot of theologians out there who, whether they realize it or not, are emulating that first theologian’s technique. I have noticed that some who have been schooled in a particular theology and parts of it do not line up with the whole of what the Scriptures are actually saying, can use an elaborate thesis as a means of decoying the student into a particular religious philosophy. God’s Word is written very simply. The teachers He appointed to pen His Words by His Spirit did not overwhelm us with complicated explanations, but wrote simply and to the point. We can wrestle with the Word when conviction or some other excuse compels us to try and rearrange what God is actually saying, but we do so to our detriment.

When studying the Scriptures the context must always be consider as well as any relating texts. The Jews practiced the technique of “Scripture linking.” They would take a keyword, then search other texts to see how the same word was used as a means of enlightening the particular passage they were studying. Also the technique of linking Scriptures together as a means of illuminating the meaning of a subject is illustrated for us in the Word as an effective means of teaching Scripture. The writer of Hebrews effectively links a series of different verses from the Old Testament together from verses five through thirteen as the finale of chapter one. The Apostle Paul actually “talks” with the Word in Romans three, verses ten through eighteen, where he eloquently links Scriptures and parts of Scriptures together to paint a word picture of the wicked. This technique for study is criticized by some, even though the Word gives us a clear model for its value and use.

The Bible is like a treasure chest filled with jewels. Each Scripture is a rare gem of God’s truth. A good teacher of God’s Word is like a fine jeweller. Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, the jeweller sets each jewel in its proper order to create the finished work; like a beautiful necklace, the jewels of Scripture should stand out on their own. The setting that the jeweller creates should accent and enhance, but never overwhelm or detract from the beauty of the jewels. The Scriptures have been designed to interpret themselves; the light of each jewel illuminates the other. If a doctrine is correct, then all the other jewels will relate to each other in perfect harmony. In this study I have tried to be a good jeweller and keep the setting of my own words at a minimum.

Also, I would like everyone to know that I have not been indoctrinated into anybody's particular denominational theology, therefore this is an objective study that is based thoroughly upon the Word of God. I believe that if a doctrine cannot be taught exclusively from the Word of God, then we have no business teaching it as the Word of God.
        I give God all the glory for this work and I praise Him for the beauty His Word contains.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16