Why I Am Not A Trinitarian?

The Trinitarian doctrine is a Pagan man-made doctrine that has no support in scripture. It can only be accepted by faith as there is no scriptural basis for this belief. Let us delve deeper into what the Bible really teaches.

Obed Ortiz

27 min read

This study presents a strong argument against the doctrine of the Trinity, asserting it is a pagan, man-made concept with no true basis in the Bible. It explains that believers in this doctrine frequently employ biblical texts that are often used as "proof texts" for the Trinity, such as Matthew 28:19 (the Great Commission) and 1 John 5:7-8 (the Comma Johanneum), which are either misinterpreted or contain evidence of scribal tampering. Furthermore, this article maintains that scripture consistently teaches monotheism and that the Holy Spirit is the active presence or shared mind of the Father and Son, not a separate, distinct divine person. Finally, this study contends that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God who was begotten by the Father, but is not the same as the Father, who alone is the single Godhead.

Most Christians today believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. In fact, the vast majority of all religious denominations hold to this belief system. The main denominations that are steeped in this belief system are:

  • Catholic Church

  • Eastern Orthodox Churches

  • Oriental Orthodox Churches

  • Assyrian Church of the East

  • Anglican Communion/Episcopal Church

  • Baptist churches (most, including the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. and the National Baptist Convention)

  • Lutheran Churches (including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

  • Methodist Churches (including the United Methodist Church and the African Methodist Episcopal)

  • Pentecostal and Charismatic churches (most, except for Oneness Pentecostals)

  • Reformed/Calvinist Churches (including Presbyterians)

  • Seventh-day Adventist Church

  • Non-denominational evangelical churches (most generally affirm the doctrine)

  • Other mainline Protestant religions, such as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ)

Not all Christian denominations are Trinitarian, such as the following:

The purpose of this article is to explain the reason why Trinitarianism is alien to Biblical teachings. It is an idea not found in scripture and had its origins in Pagan cultures, where many gods were worshiped and revered.

I am not a Trinitarian because I find no basis for this doctrine in scripture. All the Bible writers were monotheistic. How then can a monotheistic mindset teach polytheism? Trinitarianism is a polytheistic belief that claims there are three divine beings (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) who are of themselves fully gods. Each one possesses all divine attributes and is self-existent. Each is eternal and has never had a beginning. These three independent divine beings form a unity of one, which Trinitarians claim to be a single "God". It is in this way that they justify their convictions of being monotheists. How this logic makes any sense is beyond understanding. To claim that Trinitarianism is monotheistic is a very poor attempt to justify believing in one God when three independent gods are clearly identified.

The phrases "God the Son" and "God the Holy Spirit" are man-made additions to the Church's doctrinal beliefs and are nowhere found in scripture. The phrase "God the Father," however, is indeed found in scripture. (1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6, Philippians 2:11, James 1:27, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:3) The nature of Christ is clearly explained in scripture. But to place Christ at the same level as His Father is outside of the teachings of scripture. According to scripture, the Holy Spirit is not a separate, independent entity as Trinitarians claim. The identity of the Holy Spirit is incorrectly identified by Trinitarians as a god all to himself, apart from God the Father. This is nowhere taught in the Bible. Instead, scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of the Father" and the "Spirit of the Son," meaning that it is part of both the Father and the Son.

”But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20)

“Because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!” (Galatians 4:6)

Trinitarians will use many so-called proof texts that prove the Trinity. We will look at these "Proof Texts" to determine if they are actually proving what Trinitarians are claiming. One of the main proof texts used to prove the Trinity is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19. In order to debunk this reference as a proof text for the Trinity, we must read it and find support for it in scripture.

In a court of law, the prosecuting attorneys present their evidence to prove that the defendant is guilty. The defending attorneys argue the case by discrediting the evidence. This will be the method employed to prove that these so-called "Proof Texts" are invalid. Let us consider the following evidence as "Proof Text" for the Trinity.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19)

If there are three individuals and each one has a name, why aren't the names given? Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles, not names. The Father's name is Jehovah(YHWH). The Son's name is Jesus(Yeshua). The name of the Holy Ghost, however, is found nowhere in scripture. In fact, if Jesus commanded the disciples to do what is quoted in the reference above, why didn't they do what they were told? The only name they used in the baptismal formula was the name of Jesus. Did Christ's followers misunderstand? Maybe they knew something we don’t. The fact that no one in the New Testament did what is quoted in the reference above gives suspicion that this text was tampered with by the scribes who translated it from its original manuscript. According to the following references, Christ's followers heard Him say something different.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:1)

“For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  (Acts 8:16)

“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.” (Acts 10:48)

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 19:5)

“And now why tarriest you? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)

“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)

Now, let's notice Paul's reasoning as to why we are to baptize in the name of Jesus. He wanted to make sure that his hearers did not claim that they follow Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (1 Corinthians 1:12). He wanted to make it clear that we are born again of Christ; therefore, we belong to Christ. Since Christ is not divided, neither are we.

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13)

We are baptized in the name of Jesus because it was He who gave His life on Calvary, and it was He who rose from the dead. Baptism allows us to partake in Christ's death and resurrection. Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 1:13 is valid. If Paul was the one who was crucified for our sins, then we should be baptized in Paul's name. But since it was Christ who was crucified for our sins, then it is in Christ's name that we are baptized. Using Paul's same argument, God the Father was not crucified on the cross for us; therefore, we are not baptized in His name. Baptism allows us to partake in Christ's death and resurrection, not God the Father's death and resurrection.

Matthew 28:19 shows evidence of tampering because the disciples who heard Christ speak the "Great Commission" did not follow the instructions as quoted reference in question. There are no original manuscripts available for us to refer to in order to verify the accuracy of the exact wording used in the Great Commission. But there is evidence that it has been changed. The scribes who translated the Hebrew texts were Catholic scribes who were already biased towards a Trinitarian ideology. The Catholic leadership has acknowledged that they were responsible for the change of the wording of Matthew 28:19. There is more than enough evidence to show that our Bibles today present a version of Matthew 28:19 that is not consistent with the original text. Below are three sources for your own reading.

Does Matthew 28:19 Have Added Text?

Christian Baptism

Encyclopedia Britannica Pgs. 364 through 369 (Pay particular attention to the section titled "The Baptismal Formula", Pg 365)

The following is the most consistent verbiage of Matthew 28:19:

“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in my name.” (Read More)

Why is it more consistent? It is more consistent because this is the way it is referred to by those present when Jesus gave the command in His "Great Commission".

Let us consider another Trinitarian proof text:

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” (1 John 5:7-8)

The above reference is known as the “Comma Johanneum”. The reason this reference is called the "Comma Johanneum" is that this is another one of those where the scriptures were tampered with by the scribes who translated them. The Comma Johanneum rewrites verse 7 and then merges verse 7 into verse 8. Desiderius Erasmus wrote five versions of the Greek New Testament. His first two editions did not contain the Comma Johanneum because the passage was absent from all the Greek manuscripts he had access to, and he could not justify its inclusion. He was later pressured by the Catholic authorities to include it in his subsequent editions. He was reluctant to do so because, after demanding that the church provide a Greek manuscript that contained the Trinitarian wording of this passage, they finally produced one. Erasmus suspected that this questionable Greek manuscript was underhandedly created by the church by translating the Comma Johanneum from the Latin Vulgate back into Greek to force his hand. He did so for fear of criticism and accusations of heresy. (For more reading, click here and here)

According to one of the earliest manuscripts found in the 4th century, known as Codex Sinaiticus, 1 John 5:7-8 reads like this:

"7 For they that testify are three,

8 the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are one." (Click here

Was the apostle John describing a Trinity when he wrote 1 John 5:7-8, or was he simply informing his readers about God's testimony regarding His Son? We must read our Bibles without the tarnish of the human element. To believe that our very own Bibles are exempt from human tampering is a sad mistake. This is why we must read carefully and let the Bible prove itself. If we read verses 6 through 13, we can see a little clearer what the whole context is about. It is not introducing a whole new doctrine about the nature of God; it is telling us about God's testimony regarding His Son. What exactly is that testimony?

"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12)

Verse 8 says there are three that testify. All three point to Christ Himself. "The Spirit, the water, and the blood." Read verse 6.

"This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." (1 John 5:6)

Christ is that Spirit. (Galatians 4:6, John 14:6) He came to us by water(baptism) and blood(crucifixion). This is how Christ bore testimony of Himself here on earth. He is the (Word) meaning (The Word of God). It is this "Word of God"(Scripture - Old and New Testament) that bears testimony of Him. (John 5:39)

Another so-called Trinitarian proof text is found in Matthew 3:16-17:

"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

Is this reference saying there are three coeternal beings present in this scene? Clearly, it must take a very imaginative intellect to see it that way. God the Father is speaking about His beloved Son. Two individuals are apparently identified as two separate beings. The Holy Spirit is said to be descending upon Christ. Trinitarians erroneously identify the Holy Spirit as a third being. Scripture vehemently disagrees with this error. In this same reference, in verse 16, it says that Christ "...saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove". God has a Spirit. It is His Spirit, not some other person. It is His Spirit because God is a Spirit. (John 4:24) This Spirit proceeds from the Father. (John 15:26) This same Spirit proceeds from the Son. (Philippians 1:19, Galatians 4:6, Luke 4:18) Never is there an instant where Christ or the Father had any communication or conversation with the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is primarily the active presence or the mind of both the Father and the Son, not a separate entity all to itself. Christ and the Father conversed together all the time; no such communication existed between either and the Holy Spirit.

The dove descending upon Jesus is emblematic of His character. Christ has appeared in the form of a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud. (Exodus 13:21) He has appeared in the form of a burning bush. (Exodus 3:1) He has been depicted as the Lion of Judah. (Revelation 5:5) He has been depicted as a slain lamb. (Revelation 5:6) Christ speaks of Himself as the Vine, (John 15:5) the Bread of Life, (John 6:35) Living Water, (John 7:38) the Cornerstone, (Ephesians 2:20) the Light of the world. (John 8:12)

As followers of Christ, we are to put on Christ and be Christlike. (Galatians 3:27) Christ has been depicted as a serpent (Numbers 21:9) and as a dove. (Matthew 3:16) Therefore, so should we by being wise as serpents and gentle as doves. (Matthew 10:16) The dove as an emblematic representation of Christ and His Spirit presents Him as the gentle and lowly one. (Matthew 11:29) It was Christ's own Spirit, as referred to in Acts 20:28, that shepherded the church and purchased it with His own blood.

Another text used by Trinitarians to prove a three-in-one God is the following:

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Is this reference giving any hint or making a statement regarding God's nature or His existence as a triune being? It acknowledges the existence of Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. We have already established that the Father and Son are two distinct, separate individuals. However, Trinitarians insist on believing the Holy Spirit is a distinct and separate individual, as are the Father and Son. Scripture repeatedly refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God and of the Son. This Holy Spirit is the actual omnipresence of God throughout the universe. It is one of the many attributes of God as a divine being.

Psalm 139 gives a pretty good idea of God's divine attribute in the form of His Holy Spirit:

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139:7-12)

King David explains it beautifully and concisely. "Where can I go from your Spirit?" he questions. He is not speaking to the Holy Spirit; he is speaking to God regarding the omnipresence of His Spirit, the ability to be present everywhere in His spirit form. In the same way that we can not exist apart from our brain, God does not exist apart from His Spirit. God and His Spirit are the same. Unlike we humans, our spirit is a reference to our emotions, our minds, and our moods. Our spirit is bound to the boundaries of space/time/matter. But God's Spirit takes on a whole new meaning that only applies to a divine being. God's Spirit transcends space/time/matter. Both God the Father and His Son are divine beings; therefore, both share the same Spirit. (Romans 8:9)

In the book of Revelation, God reveals to John in symbolic imagery the all-seeing omnipresence of His Spirit:

"And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth." (Revelation 5:6)

Christ is shown here as a slain Lamb having seven horns and seven eyes. The number 7 symbolizes completeness and the fullness of time, such as the seventh day of creation being the end of creation week. The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes. Horns represent kingdoms and kingly authority. Christ received all power and authority (7 meaning complete power and authority) from His Father over heaven and earth. (Matthew 28:18) As for the seven eyes, Christ possessed the same Spirit that His Father possessed. The seven eyes are the seven Spirits which God, His Father, sent out into all the earth. Not that there were seven literal Spirits, it is one omnipresent Spirit able to encompass the entirety of all space according to Psalm 139:7-12. The Holy Spirit is the presence and the mind of God shared by both the Father and the Son.

Lastly, Genesis 1:26 is often used as a proof text to show that God is a plurality, thus justifying the Trinitarian claim:

"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

The above reference is used by Trinitarians to prove there is plurality in the godhead. By doing so, they justify their claim to a triune three-in-one God. To accomplish this logically, it is necessary first to assume that the foundation of the argument is based on the assumption that there are three persons composing a Trinitarian God. If the foundation is already established as fact, any Biblical reference can serve as proof text. In order to have the Bible explain itself, we must first eliminate our own foundational assumptions and let the Bible speak on its own merit.

“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness."

Does this sentence tell us how many individuals are involved in this conversation? Of course not. So, who was God speaking to and how many individuals was He addressing? Can the Bible answer this question? Absolutely!

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." (John 1:1-3)

"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16)

"Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him," (Proverbs 8:30)

According to the Bible, there was only one person with the Father involved in creation. That person was His Son. No one else. God the Father was speaking to His Son when He said, "Let Us make man in our image..." So to use Genesis 1:26 as proof text for the Trinity is beyond the scope of its context.

Many argue that Genesis 1:1 uses a plural form of the word Elohim to prove that God is a plurality of gods when referring to God. This too is an error. Elohim is plural when it is in reference to man-made gods or even to angelic beings. But when it is in reference to the God of heaven, Elohim is a singular noun using a plural tense to highlight His elevated majestic status. (Read More)

The doctrine of the "Trinity" is found nowhere in scripture."

“But many doctrines are accepted by evangelicals as being clearly taught in the Scripture, for which there are no proof texts. The doctrine of the Trinity furnishes the best example of this. It is fair to say that the Bible does not clearly teach the doctrine of the Trinity, if by clearly one means there are proof texts for the doctrine. In fact, there is not even one proof text, if by proof text we mean a verse or passage that ‘clearly’ states that there is one God who exists in three persons.” (Basic Theology, A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth by Charles C. Ryrie pg. 104)(To view this quote click "here" and scroll down and click on chapter 12 and then scroll down to the third page and read top paragraph.)

“Throughout the Bible, God and Christ are always spoken of as individual personages. To an extent, even the much-debated Holy Spirit is spoken of as such. Never, though, as the trinity doctrine purports, are the three depicted together as one composite entity, meaning ‘three-in-one’ or ‘triune’ etc. (The one God) as is suggested by the trinity doctrine.” (Read More)

“The trinity got its start in Ancient Babylon with Nimrod, Tammuz, and Semiramis. Semiramis demanded worship for both her husband and her son, as well as herself. She claimed that her son was both the father and the son. Yes, he was “god the father” and “god the son” (The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop, p. 51) (Read More)

The Holy Spirit is not a separate entity, which Trinitarians claim is the third person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son. Whenever there is a vision of heaven, when the Father and Son are on the throne, nowhere do you see a throne for the Holy Spirit. The reason is that there is no third person. Is there a Holy Spirit? Yes, there is. It is the Spirit of God. Does this Spirit have a personality? Yes, it does because it is God the Father Himself, and He has given this Spirit to His Son, so therefore it is the Spirit of both the Father and of the Son.

Another thing worth noting. Jesus never claimed to be God. He always referred to Himself as the Son of God. He always spoke of His Father. Something that we Christians will not even entertain is the obvious fact that Jesus is literally "the only begotten of God". It is repeated over and over and over again in scripture, but we think it is metaphorical or maybe a reference to His being born of Mary. The Bible teaches that Jesus is "the only begotten of the Father". Our problem is that we cannot conceive the idea that Jesus had a beginning. Take that up with Solomon. He’s the one who said it.

“The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.” (Proverbs 8:22-24)

Yes, this is in reference to Wisdom, but the bible identifies Wisdom as Christ:

“… but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24)

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Is Jesus God? Jesus never claimed to be. Scripture tells us there is only One God. If Jesus is God, then there would be two Gods. Jesus Himself says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

God the Father calls His Son “God” in (Hebrews 1:8), why? Jesus is of the same substance as His Father. He came forth from Him. Jesus has a divine nature because His Father is divine. Just like our kids are human because we are human, Jesus is God because His Father is God. But Jesus is not the source of everything; His Father is. Jesus came from the Father, just like the Bible teaches. Jesus is the Only Begotten of the Father. Jesus always called the Father “My God”, never the other way around. God the Father has no equal; He is the head of His Son, just like Adam was the head of the woman. It was God the Father who created everything that exists. He accomplished this through His Son. God the Father is the Creator, His Son is the Means by which everything is created. Let’s look at Proverbs again and see how Christ points to His Father as being the Creator.

“While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” (Proverbs 8:26-30)

Satan wanted to be a god just like the Father and Son. (Is 14:14) But Lucifer was a created being, not begotten like Christ. So he invented the idea of a Trinity so he could fill in that third person, seeing there is no third God in existence. God created man in His own image so He could show the angels a true perspective of His nature.

“For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.” (1 Corinthians 11:10)

To demonstrate to His angels His nature, He said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image.” And so He made Adam a representation of the Father and Eve a representation of the begotten Son. Eve was begotten from Adam. She was the substance of Adam, just like Christ is the substance of His Father. It was in this manner that Adam and Eve were the images of God; otherwise, there would be no reference point to say they are in the image of God. Adam and Eve are an illustration of the nature of God. God the Father is the Creator of the universe. He created everything through His Son. In the same way, Adam had children through Eve. God created Adam and Eve as a response to Satan’s rebellion. He wanted to show the angels what His relation to the Son was. The Father is the head of His Son, just like Adam (man) is the head of Eve (woman). This is what (1 Corinthians 11:10) is pointing out and what is being illustrated to the angels in heaven.

The angels were not created in God’s image because angels do not procreate. We were created in God’s image because we are a representation of His nature. That makes us very unique in the entire universe. Christ is the Son of God by birth. The angels are sons of God by creation because they were created directly by God in the same way that Adam was created directly by his maker. We are sons of God by adoption because we were born to human parents.

Is it important to know the true nature of God? It is very important to know who we worship. If we worship non-existent gods such as is taught in Trinitarianism, we worship foreign gods, and there is no power in us.

“Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22)

This verse is not saying that the Jews were the only ones saved, but the gospel was given to them to spread to the world, but because they failed, it was given to the Gentiles. Christ made it a priority to teach the world who His Father is. He never claimed to be God, but did accept worship because full divine authority was given Him.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

Other translations say, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Because of this, Jesus has full authority to receive the worship of all creatures.

“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.” (Matthew 28:9)

We also need to understand the proper use of the term “Godhead”. Trinitarians use this term for multiple heads. (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person) In an attempt to differentiate three divine individuals, each one is a godhead. This is not accurate. There is only one Godhead, God the Father. Jesus is not a Godhead. Jesus belongs to the Godhead, and the Godhead dwells in Him.

“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9)

Jesus says that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him because the Father possesses Him. “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way…” (Prov 8:22), but He also admits that His words and His very actions are those of the Father speaking and working through Him. Jesus is trying to convey the fact that it is the Father who dwells in Him who is manifested through the Son.

“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.” (John 14:10)

If Jesus were God all by Himself, He would not need the Father, for He would be self-sufficient. But this is not what scripture teaches. Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, Christ has always been doing the will of the Father. In the Old Testament, Christ (Michael) was always the spokesman of His Father manifested as “The Angel of the Lord”.

“And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2)

Christ’s job description never changed. He has always been the messenger of His Father. The only thing that changed was the form in which He appeared. The Father has always been the Godhead, and the Son has always been submissive to the Godhead. It is not wrong to say that Christ is the second person of the Godhead and the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. Each one of these phrases is accurate with the understanding of who these persons are. God the Father (the main person) is the Godhead. Christ is the second person “of” the Godhead, not “in” the Godhead. Meaning, He belongs to the Godhead, not one of the three Godheads. The Holy Spirit is the third person “of” the Godhead, just like Christ is the second. The Holy Spirit is Christ Himself manifested in an omnipresent form. Just as Christ manifested Himself as Michael the Archangel in the Old Testament and the Son of Man in the New Testament. He now manifests Himself as the Holy Spirit during this post-ascension era. We know this because the apostle John, the only one who spoke of the term “The Comforter,” identified the Comforter as Christ Himself.

(John 14:16, 14:26,15:26, 16:7) all speak of the comforter that Jesus will send after His ascension. Jesus was speaking of Himself in the third person according to (John 14:18). The word John used for comforter was “parakletos, “ but he used this word five times, not just four. The fifth time he used this word was in (1 John 2:1). Here we see John using the word parakletos again, only instead of the English translation of “Comforter”, we see the word “Advocate”. But John clearly identifies parakletos to be Christ:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate (Parakletos) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1)

Now the question arises as to why this truth is not preached in our pulpits. I cannot speak for all other religions, but I will speak regarding my SDA brothers and sisters. We have been brainwashed by our own conference leaders. The doctrine of the Trinity is a Pagan doctrine. The church that has incorporated Pagan beliefs with Christian beliefs is the Catholic Church. All protestant churches came from the Catholic Church. Each one branched out into its own group during the Reformation era and held on to certain doctrines that distinguished them from the mother church. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the many protestant churches that formed their own group based on their present truth. When the SDA pioneers founded the SDA church, they had the full truth in their hands. The state of the dead, the 7th-day Sabbath, the Sanctuary, the three angels' message, and the “One True God” were all part of SDA fundamental beliefs. The SDA pioneers never accepted the doctrine of the Trinity. But our conference leaders want us to believe that they did. They want us to believe that our modern-day prophet, Ellen Gould White, became Trinitarian as she learned and grew in her Christian walk. How much sense would that make, seeing that Ellen White was Methodist before she became Adventist? That means she was Trinitarian to begin with. She then gave up her Trinitarian views when she became an Adventist. Why would she become Trinitarian again? EGW has always been consistent with the Bible since she first began receiving her visions. She has always stated what the Bible clearly taught. Her husband, James Springer White, the second Seventh-day Adventist World Conference President, was always vehemently opposed to the teaching of the Trinity. He made statements such as the following:

“The way spiritualizers have disposed of or denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is first using the old unscriptural Trinitarian creed, viz., that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, though they have not one passage to support it, while we have plain scripture testimony in abundance that he is the Son of the eternal God.” (James White, January 24, 1846, The Day Star)

“The inexplicable Trinity that makes the Godhead three in one and one in three is bad enough, but that ultra Unitarianism that makes Christ inferior to the Father is worse. Did God say to an inferior, “Let us make man in our image?” (James White, November 29, 1877, Review & Herald)

“The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first. The Son was equal with the Father in that he had received all things from the Father.” (James White, January 4, 1881, Review & Herald; found in EGW Review and Herald Articles, vol. 1, page 244)

"As fundamental errors, we might class with this counterfeit Sabbath other errors which Protestants have brought away from the Catholic church, such as sprinkling for baptism, the Trinity, the consciousness of the dead, and eternal life in misery. The masses who have held these fundamental errors have doubtless done it ignorantly;" (James White, September 12, 1854, Review & Herald, vol. 6, no. 5, page 36, par. 8)

“Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and of sprinkling or pouring instead of being “buried with Christ in baptism,” “planted in the likeness of his death:” but we pass from these fables to notice one that is held sacred by nearly all professed Christians, both Catholic, and Protestant. It is the change of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment from the seventh to the first day of the week.” (James White, December 11, 1855, Review & Herald, vol. 7, no. 11, page 85, par. 16)

Ellen G. White was very clear on what she believed in and what she taught and wrote:

“Christ gives them the breath of His own Spirit, the life of His own life.” - Ministry of Healing, p.159

“The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul.” - Review and Herald, October 26, 1897, par. 15

“Christ comes as a Comforter to all who believe.” - Manuscript Releases 8, p. 57

“As by faith we look to Jesus, our faith pierces the shadow, and we adore God for His wondrous love in giving Jesus the Comforter.” — Manuscript Releases 19, p. 297.3

"Christ tells us that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, and the Comforter is the Holy Ghost, “the Spirit of truth, which the Father shall send in my name.” “I will pray the Father, and he shall send you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17) This refers to the omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ, called the Comforter. Again, Jesus says, “I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” - Letter 7-1891, June 11, 1891, par. 14

"Christ is to be known by the blessed name of Comforter. “The Comforter,” said Christ to His disciples, “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, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - Manuscript 7, January 26, 1902, par. 10

“While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:20 While He delegates His power to inferior ministers, His energizing presence is still with His church.” - Desire of Ages, 166.2

“Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore, it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent.” - Manuscript Releases 14, p.23

“Christ declared that after his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the Comforter, who was to take his place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life, the efficacy of his church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit, Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin. - Review and Herald, May 19, 1904, par. 1-4 ‘The promise of the Spirit.’

“It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal.” - Desire of Ages, page 388, ‘The crisis in Galilee.’

“When God’s people search the Scriptures with a desire to know what is truth, Jesus is present in the person of His representative, the Holy Spirit, reviving the heart of the humble and contrite ones.” - Ms 158 1898, December 7, 1898, The Gift of the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus comes to you as the Spirit of truth; study the mind of the Spirit, consult your Lord, follow His way.” - Ms 8c 1891, ‘Relationship of Institutional Workers’ July 26, 1891

Our churches are mostly quiet in regard to the truth of the nature of God, but very vocal in regard to the Trinity. Most of our SDA churches teach the Catholic Trinity because of ignorance. Many teach it because they are told to do so by their conference leaders. And then some are silent on the matter because they believe the truth, but still want to hold on to their jobs as SDA pastors, so they hold their peace and say nothing. The truth about the One true God, as taught in the Bible, will only be heard by a few. The Trinity doctrine is now commonplace in all our churches. Beware of partaking in the same beliefs common to the majority of the world. It is dangerous ground when we blend in, unable to tell truth from error. We are to be a peculiar people, set apart from the world. How can this be accomplished when our beliefs are no different from theirs?

Many reading this may have disagreements with what was just presented above. There is much said in scripture regarding the One and Only True God. It can be said that there is little mention of the Trinity in scripture, but that would not be true. The fact is, there is absolutely nothing said in scripture in regards to the Trinity or any allusion to it. We are to prove all things regarding our fundamental beliefs. There will come a time when our lives will depend on what we believe.

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