@Rattigan350
You argue that Jesus did not predict raising Himself from the dead because
Acts states that God raised Him. However, John 2:19 explicitly records Jesus
saying:
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
The context clarifies that Jesus was referring to His body (John 2:21).
While Acts 2:24 and other passages state that God raised Jesus from the dead,
this does not conflict with John 2:19. The New Testament repeatedly shows the
cooperative work of the Trinity in the resurrection:
- The Father raised Jesus (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:4).
- The Son raised Himself (John 2:19; John 10:17-18).
- The Holy Spirit raised Jesus (Romans 8:11).
This reflects the unity and shared power within the Godhead. Jesus’ fully divine
nature ensured He retained authority over life and death, even in His humanity.
"If Jesus could do that, He wasn't dead. Then the sacrifice was
invalid."
This misunderstands the nature of death in biblical theology. Death does
not mean annihilation or the cessation of existence; it is the separation of
the body and spirit (James 2:26). Jesus truly died, as His human body ceased
functioning and His spirit was commended to the Father (Luke 23:46). His fully divine
nature, however, remained unchanging, allowing Him to fulfill His promise of
resurrection.
You suggest that the apostles may have misunderstood or misrecorded Jesus’
words. This claim undermines the trustworthiness of scripture. However:
- Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide
the apostles into all truth (John 16:13).
- The New Testament writings are consistent in
their portrayal of Jesus’ deity, resurrection, and mission.
Dismissing Jesus’ words because they seem “crazy” or because they were
written years later ignores the historical reliability of scripture and the
divine inspiration claimed by its authors (2 Timothy 3:16).
"Death Means Not Working
or Functioning"
This analogy of death to a "powered-off computer" is not
biblically accurate. The Bible defines death as separation:
- Physical death: the separation of the soul/spirit
from the body (Ecclesiastes 12:7; James 2:26).
- Spiritual death: the separation of a person from
God due to sin (Ephesians 2:1).
Jesus’ death was real, as His human body ceased to function. His fully divine
nature did not cease to exist, as God is eternal and unchangeable (Malachi
3:6). This is why He could simultaneously die as a man and conquer death as
God.
You claim that Trinitarians rely on "weak and irrelevant"
scriptures, such as John 1:1 and Thomas’ exclamation in John 20:28, while
ignoring passages like John 1:49 and Matthew 16:16. This is inaccurate:
John 1:1 clearly identifies the Logos (the Word) as God. The prologue to
John’s gospel establishes Jesus’ deity from the very beginning, showing that
He existed eternally with God and as God. This is not "spurious" but
foundational to the Christian understanding of Christ.
In John 20:28, Thomas explicitly calls Jesus "My Lord and my God"
(Greek: ho Theos mou). This is a direct affirmation of Jesus’ deity.
It is not "out of context," as Jesus immediately affirms Thomas’
faith, saying, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have
believed" (John 20:29).
Yes, Nathanael (John 1:49) and Peter (Matthew 16:16) confess Jesus as the
"Son of God." This title does not contradict Jesus’ deity. In the
Jewish context, "Son of God" implied equality with God (John 5:18),
which is why the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy (John 10:33).
"They created this 'God the Son' thing to get around that."
The title "God the Son" is a theological term summarizing
biblical teachings about Jesus’ fully divine nature. It is consistent with the titles
and attributes ascribed to Him throughout scripture.
The claim that no first-century Christian believed in the Trinity ignores
the gradual revelation of God’s nature in the New Testament. While the term
"Trinity" is not in the Bible, the concept is:
- One God:
Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5.
- The Father is God:
Philippians 1:2.
- The Son is God: John
1:1, John 8:58, Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 1:8.
- The Holy Spirit is God: Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17.
The Trinity is not a later invention but the church’s articulation of what
the Bible reveals about God.
So your arguments rely on a misunderstanding of biblical texts and
theological concepts. Jesus’ resurrection, His divine authority, and the
consistent witness of scripture all affirm His identity as God the Son, fully
divine and fully human. The doctrine of the Trinity is not "apostate"
but a faithful reflection of the God revealed in the Bible.
