More on the
Doctrine of the Trinity.
(A short answer to the "Oneness" Pentecostal
doctrines denying the Triune person of God.)
A "Short Series" Teaching By Pastor Dick
Helms October 1, 1999 (updated November 17, 2001)
The Doctrine of the
Trinity is not only foundational to true Christianity, but has also been well
established by sound Biblical exegesis over the centuries. Contrary to oneness teachings,
Biblical Christians (Trinitarians) do not teach that "Jesus and God are two separate
and distinct beings." It is important that we study the Bible in the context of its
entirety and not remove individual verses upon which to build doctrine. True Biblical
Christianity teaches that:
1. God is one. (Deu 6:4-5)
2. The Father is God (Isa 43:10-11) (Isa 44:6)
3. Jesus is God (Joh 1:1) (Joh 10:30) (COL 2:9)
4. The Holy Spirit (Ghost) is God (Act 5:3-4)
5. God is one (Exo 20:2-3)
One God in three persons. The Trinity.
To deny the true triune nature of the Godhead as revealed in Scripture is not only to
create a god in your own image and in accordance to your finite understanding but it is
also to deny the very Atonement itself. Unless Jesus suffered and died as a true
"person" (not just simply a manifestation of God), fully God and fully man,
distinct/separate from (while still one with) the Father, the Atonement is incomplete and
we remain in our sin. Trinitarian doctrine accepts the reality that God is far beyond our
mortal comprehension and that " ... The things which are impossible with men are
possible with God" (LUK 18:27). Simply put, where God is concerned, some things must
be accepted by faith.
The Bible teaches each of the above five points of the doctrine as the absolute truth of
God. The only way to reconcile the points is to believe Jesus when he tells us that LUK
18:27 "... The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" and
believe the whole word of God when it tells us that God is indeed ONE, and that The Father
is God, and Jesus is God, and The Holy Spirit (Ghost) is God, and that they all interact
with mankind, and each other, as distinct Persons (not separate beings). Simply put, the
God of the Bible is One God, an eternally existent triune God. The Trinity. God the
Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. Three in one.
Adherents to the oneness doctrines are absolutely correct when they state that "the
reason it is essential for us to know this (the true identity of Jesus) is because the
validity, authority, and truthfulness of all he taught depends on his identity as
God." The question here is "Which God?"
Make no mistake, Trinitarian Doctrine teaches that Jesus is God. Jesus, Fully God, Fully
Man, God the Son, The second person of the ONE true triune God of the Bible.
Three Persons - As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment
heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on
him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well
pleased." (MAT 3:16-17)
One God - For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 JOHN 5:7 KJV)
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