Why I Am Not A Trinitarian?

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.

The term “God the Holy Spirit” is an invention of men and is found nowhere in scripture. The Seventh-day Adventist pioneers did not recognize the Holy Spirit as a separate entity because the bible teaches that the Spirit 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. Say, for example:

“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)

Does that text prove there are three Gods? If there are three individuals and each one has a name, what is the name of the Holy Ghost? The Father’s name is known to be Jehovah. The Son’s name is rather slippery because He has so many. The most common name is Jesus. But when it comes to the Holy Ghost, there is none found in scripture. In fact, Jesus commanded the disciples to do what is quoted in Matthew 28:19, yet this command was never obeyed. Look it up. The only name they used in the baptismal formula was that of Jesus. Why were they so disobedient? Maybe they knew something we don’t. In fact, we don’t obey this command either. If we did, we would use three names in the baptismal formula (Jehovah, Jesus Christ, and whatever name the Holy Ghost goes by). The fact that no one in the New Testament did what is quoted in Mat 28:19 above, gives suspicion that this text was tampered with by the scribes that translated it from its original manuscript. The following is the most consistent verbiage of Mat 28:19:

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

Why is it more consistent? Because this is the way it is referred to by those present when Jesus gave the command.

“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 was 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)

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

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

Luke’s testimony is also consistent:

"Then he (Jesus) said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:44-49)

If the Holy Spirit is a separate God entity, why doesn’t the bible teach us to worship the Holy Spirit? It doesn’t teach it because there is no God called the Holy Spirit. Does the bible teach us to worship the Father and the Son? Yes!

God the Father:

“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.” (John 4:23)

The Son of God:

“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? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” (Hebrews 1:5-6)

Do an exhaustive search in the bible to find any hint of worshiping the Holy Spirit and you will find none.

Here is another so-called proof text used to prove the Trinity:

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;” (John 14:16)

Trinitarians claim this Comforter is the Holy Spirit. Well, yes it is. Who does Jesus say is the Holy Spirit just three verses down?

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

Yes, the Holy Spirit is Christ Himself, not a third God. Jesus often refers to Himself in the third person. He refers to Himself frequently as “The son of man”. So, when He refers to Himself as "Another Comforter", we must understand that He is referring to Himself as the "Advocate" between God and man. Notice that the word "Comforter" and "Advocate" are the same Greek word "Parakletos". According to (1 John 2:1), Parakletos is Christ Himself.

Here’s another good one:

“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)

The above reference is known as the “Comma Johanneum”. The reason this reference is called the "Comma Johanneum" is because this is another one of those where the scriptures were tampered with by the scribes that translated them. 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)

“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. As generally stated in the trinity doctrine, this three-in-one theology is only an assumption” (http://theprophetstillspeaks.co.uk/dethis/dDHS4.htm)

“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)

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 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 can fill in that third person seeing there is no third God in existence. God created man in His own image so He can 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)

In order 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 is 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 from human parents.

Is it important to know the true nature of God? It is very important to know whom 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 as multiple heads. (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person) in an attempt to differentiate three divine individuals, each one being 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 fulness 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 was God all by Himself, He would have no need of 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 third person of the Godhead. Each one of these phrases are 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 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 in regard to 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 their own groups 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 ever 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. 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 mass 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 there are those who 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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