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Category: Doctrines

Is the Holy Spirit a Person in John’s Gospel?

Is the Holy Spirit a Person in John’s Gospel?

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Trinitarians focus on a few scriptures in which the holy spirit is personified, which, when taken literally, make it appear to be an actual spirit person. Let’s examine the uses in John of the word spirit, wherever it means the holy spirit.

holy spirit person
Is the holy spirit a person in the Gospel of John?

“John bore witness, ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and it remained on him'” (John 1:32 ESV)

The holy spirit is not personified, but said to be “as a dove,” the figure of speech called simile, being used here, involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind. The holy Spirit is referred to by the pronoun “it.” “It” is not a person. There is no indication of personhood being applied to the holy spirit. read more

Holy Spirit & Trinity – Greetings & Praises From/To In Bible Letters?

Holy Spirit & Trinity – Greetings & Praises From/To In Bible Letters?

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In the Bible, particularly the New Testament letters, greetings are given from God and Jesus in 20 of the 21 New Testament canonical letters. We know that God the Father and Jesus Christ are both persons, so we should expect to see their greetings, and we do in these 20 letters. (Third John does not have such a greeting or praises.) But what about the Holy Spirit and the Trinity? If the holy Spirit is a person, or if the Trinity is a real entity, we should expect to see some type of greetings from the holy Spirit, and/or the Trinity, and/or praises to the holy spirit, or Trinity, as well. But is this the case? Let’s examine the greetings in the letters to find out. read more

Is Jesus Christ Almighty God, or Part of a Trinity? – Ephesians

Is Jesus Christ Almighty God, or Part of a Trinity? – Ephesians

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This article is one of a series about what is stated concerning Jesus in the various books of the New Testament, the book of Ephesians. Almighty God and the holy Spirit are also discussed to see if there is any evidence of a Trinity doctrine in this Biblical letter, which is all about doctrine. A key component of the Trinity doctrine is that the holy Spirit is a person. In this article, we’ll see what Ephesians indicates about that.

Ephesians
The Book of Ephesians provides some clues as to whether or not Jesus Christ is Almighty God

Ephesians 1:1,2 – “…apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God . . . from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” God are Jesus are separate individuals. “To God’s holy people… in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice how many times in this letter God and Jesus are both mentioned, but as separate and distinct, with God being superior and Jesus as inferior. Why is Paul not also an apostle of the holy Spirit or the Trinity? Why is the letter not also from the holy Spirit  or the Trinity? It’s because the holy Spirit is not a person, and the Trinity does not exist! read more

Infant Baptism – Is it Biblical?

Infant Baptism – Is it Biblical?

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There is no explicit evidence of infant baptism in the Bible. The earliest historical reference to infant baptism is in the third century, by Origen.

Infant Baptism
Do infants have the capacity to comprehend the seriousness of baptism or to undertake the needed changes?

More importantly, what do we learn from the Bible?

“You must therefore go and make disciples of people of all nations my disciples. You must baptize them.” (Matthew 28:19 Barclay) People would have to become disciples of Christ prior to qualifying for baptism. A disciple is a taught one, a believer, a follower, in this case, of Jesus Christ. read more

Trinitarians and the Bible – Do They Agree?

Trinitarians and the Bible – Do They Agree?

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The Bible is the court of final arbitration, so if something is true it has to be in agreement with the Bible. Otherwise, it is false. So if Trinitarians want to provide evidence for the Trinity doctrine, their argument should be in agreement with the Bible. Likewise, if we believe the Trinity is false, our belief should be in agreement with the scriptures.

Trinitarians symbol
Does Bible teach the Trinity?

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17) read more

Must a Christian Work So As Not To Lose Salvation?

Must a Christian Work So As Not To Lose Salvation?

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Must a Christian work, or make effort, so as not to lose salvation? Many people who believe in the doctrine of “eternal security” don’t think so. They say all you have to do is believe in Jesus, and “once saved, always saved”, and that your Christian works are completely irrelevant to your salvation.  But what does the Bible say? Let’s find out.

Can you lose salvation?
Must a Christian put forth any effort so as not to lose salvation?

“Work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.” (2 Pt 1:10 NLT) The Bible does not say we’re saved by works. However, a “called and chosen” Christian can “fall away” if he does not “work hard.” read more

Healings – For Christians, Non-Christians, or Who?

Healings – For Christians, Non-Christians, or Who?

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Many Christians firmly believe that they or someone they know, or know of, have been miraculously healed. Are healings for Christians today, or for non-Christians, or both?

“This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will”—Hebrews 2:3,4 NIV

In the first century, God gave the Apostles and some of their Christian associates the power to heal. But who did they heal? Were these healings performed on other Christians, or on non-Christians? Or were both healed? Let’s examine the Bible to find out. read more

Healing Miracles – What Does the Bible Say?

Healing Miracles – What Does the Bible Say?

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“Lord, Lord, did we not . . . in your name perform many miracles”—Matthew 7:22 NIV

The gift of healing was given by God on occasion in the Bible as a demonstration of his power to perform miracles. But can miracles come from a bad source? In the book of Exodus, the priests of Egypt were able to perform miracles similar to those performed through Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:8-12). In Deuteronomy, God’s people were warned about those who practice divination and sorcery (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). read more

Are People Divinely Healed Today?

Are People Divinely Healed Today?

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God can do all things that are good! But are people divinely healed today?

Are people still healed today?
Does divine healing still happen today?

“With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Just because God CAN do all things does not mean he actually DOES all things, at all times.

“Large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet, and He healed them. So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and the glorified the God of Israel” (Matthew 15:30,31 NASB). There is no doubt that many were miraculously healed by Jesus and his apostles. Does this mean that people are miraculously healed today? Well, do we see ‘the mute being made to speak, the crippled healed,  the lame enabled to walk, blind people’s sight restored, etc.’? — No, we don’t! read more

Salvation Through Faith – What About Christian Works?

Salvation Through Faith – What About Christian Works?

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“Faith without works is dead”—James 2:26

In our previous article on salvation, we established that the Bible does not support the eternal salvation (or “once saved, always saved”) doctrine. So how is a Christian saved? Is it by doing good deeds and refraining from doing bad things? Is salvation attained by Christian works? Or is it by faith alone? If by faith alone, then where do Christian works fit in? Let’s see what the Bible has to say on this matter.

Christian works
Do Christian works produce salvation, or does salvation produce Christian works?

“Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done.” (Ephesians 2:9 NLT) The same verse in the NIV says that salvation is “not by works.” So obviously, the Bible says our own works cannot save us. It is not saying that as Christians, we should not be doing good works. Rather, it is saying that salvation is not attained simply by doing good works. read more

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