Belief #2. The Godhead

Seventh-day Adventists believe in one God comprised of three co-eternal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who work together in unity. This belief, known as the Trinity, is rooted deeply in Scripture even though the term "Trinity" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible.
  • Biblical Insights on the Trinity: - The Bible illustrates the Trinity through various scripture passages, like the baptism of Jesus where all three members were present and active.
  • God the Father: - God the Father is seen as the supreme overseer and sustainer of life. He led the creation of the world through the Son and loves humanity with an everlasting love, demonstrated by sending Jesus for our salvation.
  • God the Son: - God the Son, Jesus Christ, is our Saviour. He became human to connect with us, offering His life for our redemption. He continues to be our advocate and friend.
  • God the Holy Spirit: - The Holy Spirit is our guide and comforter, leading us into truth and helping us to live righteous lives. He works within us to fulfil God's purpose.
  • The Working of the Trinity: - The Trinity operates like a unified team with a common mission of salvation, each member fulfilling distinct roles. God the Father provides love and mercy, God the Son offers grace and redemption, and God the Holy Spirit renews and guides us towards eternal life.
This doctrine illustrates God's infinite love and desire for us to experience salvation through an intimately connected divine relationship.
 
Why do we now adopt the word "trinity" when it is based entirely on the traditions and precepts of men?

A SDA person commented negatively on my best preacher Pastor Randy Skeete
so I had to reply to this "triangle god" in his mock.

I agree that the word "trinity" should not be used in SDA circles, but now its a part of our creed?

I was also interested in the 23 minute sermon of Pastor Skeete about the Surrender process.

The sermon took me 4 hours to watch and discuss, so I invite you all into the real topic study that exposes my own personal experience in surrender and what this means.

Both threads are listed on the same link: https://spiritualsprings.proboards.com/thread/116/surrender-god-sermon-pastor-skeete
 
They are BOTH against the Bible.
You did NOT read the link did you?


JEHOVAH’S inspired written Word, the Bible, tells us that “God is love.” It says not merely that love is one of his many admirable qualities but that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) It is his dominant quality, his most important one. Jehovah does not just possess love—he is the personification of it. How wonderful it is to know that the Creator of the universe and of all living things is a God of love! Everything he does is guided by that quality.




Rob: How quick to add Creator of angels so Jehovah can love them.





Question: How can Jehovah demonstrate love and loving while alone?
Answer: Your JW GOD can't.

Must get lonely being all alone?

Ge 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

What is this saying? Why is Jehovah doing this?

Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

A JW bible uses "Godship rather than Godhead" whatever that means?

What is GOD telling us about God? There is duality of powers !

You do not accept this do you? I pity you, like the Muslim, with only an Allah
like the Jew with only a YHWH.

And with you scribes you translate poorly

Ps 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Terrible translation

Ge 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

Better translation

Here is the meaning of this Hebrew word

Ps 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the"bad-translators"

Ge 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an good-translator

Sometimes / often Hebrew words have opposite meanings in their context, Something a translator never tells you

Now here is an interesting verse

Isa 28:14 ¶ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye "bad -translating" men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

SO some scribes interpret the torah badly on purpose

What is Jesus answer to these people

Mt 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Let them alone. You can't argue with them, They think they are right.

Shalom
 
I, as usual, fail to see you point.
And stop giving me JW lessons- please tell me YOURSELF.
But, I understand your confusion, what translation are you using????
 
I, as usual, fail to see you point.
And stop giving me JW lessons- please tell me YOURSELF.
But, I understand your confusion, what translation are you using????
I read the Bible in Hebrew, so there is no confusion. None what so ever.
Harder in the NT in Greek. I read the NT in Hebrew too.
I use a Jeff Benner lexicon to help me.

You fail to see my point because your eyes cannot see. Ask God to open them.

Now you want me to stop using JW commentaries?

I read the Hebrew words in a Single English word as Jeff Benner taught me.
Try reading His Genesis book - though we don't always agree.

I also use our Hebrew English translator Ellen White.
She is 100% perfect in her translation of Hebrew into English.

Hope this helps you
 
Explain to me one a solitary being can demonstrate love?

Why are there Names of God in the oldest Bible book

Job 40:1

YHWH
Eloah
Shadday

And in the youngest book, depicting the end of sin:

Rev 21:22

YHWH-Elohiym
Shadday
Lamb

We still have three Names of God.
 
There is only ONE God- he Himself, and His son said it!
The angel said the one true "theos" , Elohiym, not the one true "pater" Father.

JW equate so many words as the same meanings ? Why is that?

Adown = Adonay = YHWH = Eloah = Shadday = Elohiym = El = JEHOVAH

Explain why the Hebrew has 7 words all different meanings but the JW has one word meaning for all seven?
 
The angel said the one true "theos" , Elohiym, not the one true "pater" Father.

JW equate so many words as the same meanings ? Why is that?

Adown = Adonay = YHWH = Eloah = Shadday = Elohiym = El = JEHOVAH

Explain why the Hebrew has 7 words all different meanings but the JW has one word meaning for all seven?
Remember God inspired His own verses, must be a not smart God to have 7 Hebrew words that all mean the same thing?
But you laugh because the JW has never investigated why these words are different
 
I don't do the Twist.....
Who is twisting? No me

I will do one of the Hebrew words for you : Elohiym

"So why does Elohim have a plural suffix if it is numerically singular with a singular verb and singular adjective? It turns out there is a special type of plural in Hebrew that has a plural suffix even though it is numerically singular with a singular verb and singular adjective. These nouns are called majestic plurals" Gordon, 2003

"It is worth noting that the word Elohim is not always a majestic plural. When referring to the pagan gods, the term Elohim is usually a numerical plural."(Gordon, 2003

This person you quoted to me, twist Hebrew words to suit context he does not like.

Elohiym is always numerically plural. but in the case of the true refers to "family powers"

Pagan deities also have "family powers"

"Certainly this does not mean that YHWH made Moses into a god, but rather that he would speak to Pharaoh with authority through Aaron who would serve as his mouth-piece in the way that the prophets serve as the mouth-pieces of YHWH. In any event, there is clearly nothing multiple about Moses, even though he was made an Elohim to Pharaoh (Gordon, 2003)."

Moses was the brother of Aaron and the sibling of Miriam. They are all family powers. Gordon is speaking falsehood.

"Here we see three pagan deities each of which is referred to as an Elohim. Obviously the book of Kings is not saying that any of these false deities is a "great God". On the contrary, the verse goes on to rebuke the Israelites for worshipping them. The meaning is that the Sidonians, Moabites, and Ammonites looked upon their deities as great Gods and in this instance Scripture employs the terms used by the pagans themselves to refer to their own deities. At the same time we must observe that Ashtoret, Kemosh, and Milkom are each referred to as Elohim even though there is nothing multiple about any one of them."

Again Gordon is wrong. Evey read TWO Babylons by Hislop? Pagan deities all belong to family powers.

(2)Ge 35:7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there ELOHIM (with plural verb) appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

" But the basic question still remains. Why are there these three instances in the Tanach where Elohim receives a plural verb?
"

So Gordon admits that the word elohiym is a family power but refuses to admit this.
 
"Let us remember that the rule of Elohim receiving a singular verb does actually work in some 2000 instances and the three verses just mentioned are the only exceptions in the entire Tanach. ...Could it be that these three anomalous verses hint at some great mystery about the paradoxical and contradictory nature of God? Or is there a much simpler, linguistic explanation?"

Notice Elohiym in action:

Ge 3:22 ¶ And ELOHIYM said, Behold, the man is become as one of US, to know good and evil:

Notice it does not say ME, it says US

Adam and Eve was a family power. Now they become a false elohiym power because they know good and evil

Shalom
 
Question: There are three ways to become family

(1) blood descendant - Ge 4:1 ¶ And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived,

(2) Adopted in - Ru 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

(3) As comrade - 2Sa 23:8 ¶ These be the names of the mighty men whom David had:

Jehovah has to be able to functionally demonstrate all these functions of a family otherwise this verse is false:

Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Now if you have an Angel as Jehovah's Spirit-Son, the angel is only adopted in, and a comrade, but NOT a blood descendant.

Since man is made in Jehovah's image, all functions mankind does Jehovah also has to do ALSO

The JW has no YHWH-Son.

The JW only has a angel, an adopted son, one among a billion. Not in the class as a One and Only YHWH-Son

Shalom
 
Forty scriptures which tell a different story than that of "God the Son."

LORD God, the Father (Jehovah)Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God
Num. 23:19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?Mat. 16:13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Job 33:12Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.Jhn. 14:28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Jhn. 4:24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.Luk. 24:39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Isa. 40:28Hast 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.Jhn. 4:6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
1 Tim. 1:17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.Mat. 8:34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
1 Tim. 6:16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.1Th. 4:14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Mat. 22:32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.Rom. 14:9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Jer. 10:10But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.Rom. 5:6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
1 Sam. 15:29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.1Tim. 2:5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jam. 1:13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any manMat. 4:1Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Jhn. 1:18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.Mrk. 5:6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
1Jhn. 4:12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.Luk. 8:28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
Eze. 28:2Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:Jhn. 20:17Jesus 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.
2 Pet. 1:17For 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.Mat. 28:10Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Ps. 50:2If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.Mrk. 11:12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
Jhn. 5:37And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.Mrk. 15:34-35And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Gal. 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.Luk. 22:63And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
Ps. 121:2-4My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.Luk. 8:22-23Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
Exo. 33:20And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.John 6:19So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
Isa. 46:9-10Remember 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:Mrk. 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
 
Polyglot , not sure what your presentation is posing as a theory of faith? And you don't like me jumping to hasty conclusions, so please tell me plainly what you are saying about Jesus Christ.

I see Jesus as fully divine as a member of the divine family of Elohiym. He came to earth clad in humanity and lived by faith in His Most High Provider, as faith requires, and as any creature has to. Jesus came to earth as a creature, in humanity and had to live under the moral laws of faith, like any creature or human has to. He could NOT use His divinity as a power independently of the Godhead, otherwise that would be missing, a sin. That is my two pennies on some themes. This might explain why some verses seem strange to us, when understanding the nature of Christ as both Divine and clad with Humanity. Shalom
 
Polyglot , not sure what your presentation is posing as a theory of faith? And you don't like me jumping to hasty conclusions, so please tell me plainly what you are saying about Jesus Christ.

I see Jesus as fully divine as a member of the divine family of Elohiym. He came to earth clad in humanity and lived by faith in His Most High Provider, as faith requires, and as any creature has to. Jesus came to earth as a creature, in humanity and had to live under the moral laws of faith, like any creature or human has to. He could NOT use His divinity as a power independently of the Godhead, otherwise that would be missing, a sin. That is my two pennies on some themes. This might explain why some verses seem strange to us, when understanding the nature of Christ as both Divine and clad with Humanity. Shalom

To be clear, nowhere in inspiration can the term "God the Son" be found. It is not in the Bible. It is not in the writings of Ellen White. It is not in the writings of William Foy, who was also an Adventist prophet (a rather neglected fact, even though his writings appear among the words of the pioneers on the EGW CD).

A. T. Jones, who apostatized in the manner of Kellogg and his Trinitarian views, began to publish the term as of 1900. William Prescott clearly accepted it, along with the Trinity, as of 1929 in his writings. E. J. Waggoner, who also apostatized, had published Trinitarian views as early as 1894. Others favoring a "God the Son" expression included: E. W. Farnsworth (1909), LeRoy Froom, and Walter Read (1952).

That is nearly the full list per what is obtainable from the "Words of the Adventist Pioneers" on the Ellen White CD. I say "nearly" because there are a couple of others which published the expression as quoted from the Catholic Catechism or elsewhere and which were not clear to me whether they were clearly disagreeing or were agreeing with it.

Other pioneers, such as Uriah Smith and James White, clearly opposed the concept of "God the Son." Most of those whose articles are published on the CD never used the term.

Regarding Divinity

It should be realized that divinity is not the same as deity. Angels of God are divine, but they are not deities. Jesus was divine, but this does not elevate him to being God.

Consider, for example, Ellen White's own usage of "divine" as applied to heavenly angels.

Ellen White said:
He was standing before the golden altar in the holy place of the sanctuary. The cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel was ascending before God. Suddenly he became conscious of a divine presence. An angel of the Lord was “standing on the right side of the altar.” The position of the angel was an indication of favor, but Zacharias took no note of this. For many years he had prayed for the coming of the Redeemer; now heaven had sent its messenger to announce that these prayers were about to be answered; but the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit. He was filled with fear and self-condemnation. {DA 97.3}
...
To the question of Zacharias, the angel said, “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.” Five hundred years before, Gabriel had made known to Daniel the prophetic period which was to extend to the coming of Christ. The knowledge that the end of this period was near had moved Zacharias to pray for the Messiah’s advent. Now the very messenger through whom the prophecy was given had come to announce its fulfillment. { DA 98.4}

It is not necessary that we should cater to the world’s demands for pleasure. There are other places in the world where people may find amusement. We need at our sanitariums substantial men and women; we need those who will reveal the simplicity of true godliness. When the sick come to our institutions, they should be made to realize that there is a divine power at work, that angels of God are present. {CH 293.1}

Only as they were united with Christ could the disciples hope to have the accompanying power of the Holy Spirit and the co-operation of angels of heaven. With the help of these divine agencies they would present before the world a united front and would be victorious in the conflict they were compelled to wage unceasingly against the powers of darkness. As they should continue to labor unitedly, heavenly messengers would go before them, opening the way; hearts would be prepared for the reception of truth, and many would be won to Christ. So long as they remained united, the church would go forth “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” Song of Solomon 6:10. Nothing could withstand her onward progress. The church would advance from victory to victory, gloriously fulfilling her divine mission of proclaiming the gospel to the world. AA 90.2}

As His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those they seek to save. Christ took humanity that He might reach humanity. A divine-human Saviour was needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed the sacred trust of making known “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3:8. {AA 134.2}

The leaven of truth works a change in the whole man, making the coarse refined, the rough gentle, the selfish generous. By it the impure are cleansed, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Through its life-giving power it brings all there is of mind and soul and strength into harmony with the divine life. Man with his human nature becomes a partaker of divinity. Christ is honored in excellence and perfection of character. As these changes are effected, angels break forth in rapturous song, and God and Christ rejoice over souls fashioned after the divine similitude. {COL 102.3}

Ellen White clearly references angels as "divine," naming Gabriel in specific as being "divine." We know that Gabriel is neither Christ nor God. So divinity cannot be equated with deity.

Christ is divine. But Christ is not God.

I agree that Christ is part of the entire divine (elohim) family in Heaven, as are Gabriel and all the angelic host.
 
Greetings Polyglot

There are 397 results for EGW "divine agencies" - an agency is like a medium, something that carries something - not something that has something on it's own

There are no results for "divine angels"
There are no results for "God the Son" Hmm?
There is no result for "God LORD" or the Hebrew terms 0430 03068 either
It is silly to call one Elohiym Son, but OK for the term Son Elohiym.
That like calling me Rob Thompson, but I am not known as Thompson Rob.

I do not find any messages saying the cherubims are divine, as only Elohiym is Divine.
However cherubims who functions as messengers can impart Divine power through faith, just as any special creature can, and this is termed an agency of divine power.

GRC 5.1 (God’s Remnant Church (The Remnant Church))
... saved, He commissions His angels to render divine help to every soul ...


The average SDA does not understand the EGW use of the term "medium" and "agency". Such terms describe things that are carried.

Divine power is available to all special creatures by faith - simply by asking - you receive from Elohiym Power.
See Psalm 119:86 All thy commandments are faithful.

You acknowledge angels as a part of the family of God, but you embrace a broad use of the term family.

My two pennies is Elohiym is a Divine Family with a Provider, Responder and Collector of Love - much the same as similes to earth as a Father, Mother and Son as personalities of Love.

Humans who by faith in Jesus, are clones and adopted into his Divine nature become higher than angels that are sinless, we are to become a special group of messengers around the throne, knowing both good and evil and overcoming through faith in the blood of the Lamb our Saviour. This makes three distinct word meanings of Family - the God head family - the adopted family and the broader family who are sinless created creatures. Shalom
 
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