Trinity

Chapter 1: The Trinity

I want to start by saying that the doctrine of the trinity by no means should be the cause of divisions in the unified church. We must all remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 12:29 “But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Our salvation is in no way contingent on our belief or disbelief in the doctrine of the trinity. Those of us whose beliefs have the foundation of Christ should be able to worship, pray and respectfully discuss with one another in the same church our beliefs, even though they may differ. The trinity should not be a cause or reason for separatism, segregation or a new denomination in the body of Christ. During this study I came across a writing of Gregory of Nyssa titled “All Constantinople talks theology” from the 2nd or 3rd century AD. “If you ask any one in Constantinople for change, he will start discussing with you whether the Son is begotten or unbegotten. If you ask about the quality of bread, you will get the answer: ‘The Father is greater, the Son is less.’ If you suggest taking a bath you will be told: ‘There was nothing before the Son was created.” Many doctrines of men have spawned from what is felt as legitimate interpretations and have stood in the way of true worship and the unification of the church of Christ. When we are forming, teaching, ministering and discussing our interpretations of God’s word we must keep in mind the wisdom expressed in Acts 10:34-35 “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” The word trinity is a word given to represent God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit being one. In this segment I will be discussing both sides of the trinity doctrine, which has been a divisive and debated topic since its traceable origin around the 2nd century AD.

Those who I have spoken with that do not have a belief in the trinity, believe Christ is the Son of God but not God Himself and that Christ sacrificed Himself for the redemption of our sins and the power and blessings He has were given Him by God the Father. The Holy Spirit is an extension of God that is able to be in the proximity of sin. The best analogy I have heard is that it is similar concept to that of a monarchy, only an eternal monarchy; where God is the king and Jesus is the prince. In a typical earthly monarchy their subjects honor the king and honor the prince as the future king and respect whatever authority is given him by the king. In the analytical eternal monarchy the prince (Jesus) is not the future king because the king (God) is immortal; however the subjects do honor, respect and believe in the authority given to the Son, the commandments God gave to us through Him and the truths He has spoken. It reads in 1Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” It can be interpreted that Paul is telling us here of an order of spiritual things or in other words a chain of command similar to that of a monarchy.

We are told in the New Testament nearly 200 times that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. This sweeping declaration was made by God, demons, believers, non-believers, Disciples of Christ and Christ Himself. God the Father has not told us in literal and uninterpretive language that He sent to us a part of Himself rather He has told us that He sent His Son. God is not the author of confusion; therefore the well established persona that Christ is the Son of God is exactly that. The people of the first century as well as people now, share the same concept of what a son is. In a family unit back then as well as now, a son or prince is connected by blood to the mother and father but separate in flesh and spirit. This was the most common understanding of what a son is both in the first century and also in this one. If there was a different relationship between God the Father and Christ that was outside this common understanding, then it could be debated that Jesus’ ministry would have been for the biblical scholars and the exceptionally wise from that time and this time. We are told in Matthew 2:14-15 “When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called my Son.” Then Luke 3:21-22 “When all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” And in Mark 9:7 “And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear Him!” In these 3 scriptures we have God proclaiming the coming of His son to all the Jews through the prophet Hosea, then to the privileged at the baptism of Jesus and finally to 3 disciples of Christ on a mountain top. God Himself in these 3 scriptures tells us clearly with no interpretive room that He has a Son and this is He. God gives us this information knowing that we will accept it using the common understanding of the word ‘son’. The Father does not want any doubt in our minds as to who Jesus is. If the relationship between God and Jesus had a greater complexity than what was commonly understood as father and son, don’t we think that God would have provided us this information without any interpretive room, in order for us to have a doubtless and/or clear understanding?

It reads in Luke 4:33-34 “Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are — the Holy one of God!” Then in Luke 4:41 “And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of God!’ And He, rebuking them did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.” Also in Mark 3:11 “And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, ‘You are the Son of God.” And in Matthew 8:29 “And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Here we have the enemies of God acknowledging that Christ is the Son of God. They are also fearful, because they are aware of the power that God gave to His Son and that they are powerless against Jesus. From these scriptures these demons were given foresight into the course of things. For example the heavenly status of Jesus and the future time of torment that awaits them. Notice in their dialogue with Jesus that they did not refer to Him as God in flesh or the Almighty, rather they clearly stated Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God. Christ could have made it so these demons never spoke but He allowed those present to hear their testimony and witness their fear and obedience.

It says in Matthew 14:33 “Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.” Then in Matthew 16:13-17 “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” And in Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Now we heard the testimony of the disciples of Christ. After witnessing the power given to Christ having rebuked the weather and the sea, they vocalized their testimony of Jesus being the Son of God. Peter was given a revelation from God so that he could attest with a full heart and in the spirit that Jesus is the Son of God. In the same scripture Christ also clearly states that He has a Father that resides in heaven. Mark has given us his testimony that Jesus is the Son of God and the ministry and accounts of the life of Christ that he has written are those of God’s Son. We have thus far established clear and concise declarations of Christ being the Son of God by demons, followers of Christ and God the Father.

It tells us in John 1:34 “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Then in John 1:49 “Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” And in Mark 15:39 “So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!” In this first scripture we have the testimony of John the Baptist (whose purpose was to prepare the way for the Lord) declaring to us Jesus is the Son of God. The second scripture we have the testimony of Nathanael upon his first meeting Jesus, declares Him the Son of God. Then we have the testimony of a Gentile who gives his testimony at the death of Christ. This centurion is a Roman and most likely is unfamiliar with the Jewish faith and beliefs, has vocalized his testimony of Jesus being the Son of God. This is significant because his testimony has seen through any doubt, unfamiliarity, naivety and ignorance in regards to the workings of God and His relationship with Jesus. On top of that it is quite likely that he even has a hatred for the Jews. It is also important to keep in mind the dialogue between Jesus and Peter at the moment of Peter’s testament “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven,” and by this we also know that God had revealed this to a Gentile.

It reads in John 9:35-38 “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshipped Him.” Then in Luke 2:49 “And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” And in Mark 14:61-62 “But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ Jesus said, ‘I am and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” These verses inform us of Jesus’ testament of Himself. Christ tells us who He is and that is, the Son of God. We learn that this knowledge was with Him ever since He was a young boy up until His death. Jesus during His lifetime on earth never declared Himself to be anything other than the Son of God. Christ also established Himself as a vessel to serve God’s will and a mediator between man and God.

We are told in John 3:13-18 “No one has ascended to heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” And in John 5:17-23 “But Jesus answered them ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in a like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” In this first scripture the word begotten is used twice. Begotten is defined as; To father; sire or to cause; produce. So it has been made clear to us that Christ was produced by God. We are also told here that the Son of Man will be lifted up to heaven and a couple of verses later we are instructed to believe in the name of the Son of God; therefore showing us that these two references the Son of Man and the Son of God are both of a description of Christ. We are also given insight to Christ’s purpose in that through our belief in Him makes our salvation possible. In the following scripture Jesus clarifies to the Jews that even though He is God’s Son He is by no means His equal. Christ provides the truest example of what serving God is. We are also given insight of what their Father and Son relationship is like. Jesus tells us that He has learned to know righteousness and act righteous from His Father’s example. We are told that God loves His Son and because of Christ’s love, loyalty, obedience, service and righteousness God has given Him the power to raise the dead and judge us. The pieces of this scripture that tell us that God loves His Son and He granted His Son power, drove me to learn more about the trinity doctrine, because if Christ and God are one in the same, did Jesus just tell us that God loves Himself and has given Himself powers He already has?

It tells us in Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loved voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And in John 20:17 “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and Your Father; and to My God and your God.” In theses scriptures we are told that Jesus recognizes God His Father as superior to Him and that He can look to Him in His distresses. Christ also affirms to all of us that His Father is His God just as He is our God. Throughout the gospels Jesus does not minister the trinity concept rather He tells us He is the Son of God, a vessel that God works through and a humble servant of God. Let us ask ourselves if Christ and God are of the same Spirit then how can He forsake Himself? Or why does Jesus bother establishing a Father and Son relationship that clearly tells us that Christ and God are sovereign Spirits, when they are one in the same Spirit?

It reads in Matthew 20:23 “So He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” Then in Mark 13:31-32 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” And in John 14:28 “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.” Christ in these scriptures is telling us He is not His Father, there are some decisions He cannot make and has gone to great lengths to establish that He and His Father are separate and with love and out of love He serves and remains obedient to God His Father.

In speaking with Trinitarians what I feel is the best explanation of this doctrine is this. Think of the trinity as organs in the human body. God the Father is the brain, the Son is the heart and the Holy Spirit is the lungs. Now these three organs perform different functions but they are all part of the same body and are vital to one another. To help explain further the coming of Jesus is like the Son (heart) was temporarily separated from the spiritual body and was made flesh in an earthly body without losing His identity as the Son (heart) of the spiritual body. Another way to look at the roles between our heavenly Father and His Son is similar to that of a man. We all have a father and many of us have sons. So we are at one time a son to our fathers and fathers to our sons. Trinitarians will tell you that they believe that Jesus is the Son of God but at the same time He is God. Hopefully these analogies above may help us grasp this belief better.

It reads in 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Then in Exodus 3:13-15 “Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you. Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.” Jesus tells us in John 8:56-58 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” In writing these names Isaiah may have had trouble reconciling, but through faith gave us God’s word. In this passage we have read that Christ will be called God and Father. Then in the passage in Exodus God introduces Himself to Moses as I AM. Then we have Christ in John referring to Himself as I AM thus establishing His presence in the beginning of all things. These scriptures lay the foundation for the trinity doctrine and this doctrine can reconcile how Christ can be called these names and God can still be one. We have the prophetic words of Isaiah regarding the coming of Christ Jesus and He will be referred to by many names, but the ones I want us to key in on are Mighty God and Everlasting Father. We should also keep in mind that Isaiah was a Jew and was brought up in the teachings of one God and all the while was familiar with the prophecy of the Messiah. It reads in Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” Then in James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God, you do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!” And in Mark 12:29 “Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all commandments is; ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” So how can Jesus be called God and Father and there be only one God?

It reads in John 1:1-4 “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. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” Then in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” And in 1Timothy 3:17 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” Without room for interpretation when John uses the term Word he is undoubtedly referring to the Son of God. In the first scripture from John we are given what seems to be a potential contradiction. In the first verse it says the Word was God and in the second verse it says the Word was with God. So many of us ask ourselves how this can be where one individual can be themselves and with themselves at the same time. The analogies of the human body and the father and son can help us to wrap our thoughts around this scripture. We are also told that the Word which is God and with God was given flesh and dwelt among us. This helps to establish the prophecy given to us in the Isaiah scripture referenced earlier foretelling how a Child will be born in the flesh and will be called Mighty God. Paul in his letter to Timothy reiterates to us the coming of God, the earthly walk of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. We also heard earlier a testament from Paul to the Corinthians stating a spiritual chain of command where God is the head of Christ and now we have Paul testifying that Christ is God. So how can we reconcile this potential contradiction? It is my belief that the trinity doctrine does this. When using the human organ analogy where God is the brain, Christ the heart and the Holy Spirit the lungs. The brain tells the heart to pump and the lungs to breathe but they are all part of the same body. The brain cannot survive without the heart because it needs the oxygen pumped to it and the heart and brain cannot survive without the lungs delivering the oxygen. These are all part of one body and are reliant on each other. No we may not be aware of all the inner workings of the spiritual body but we can grasp the concept of separate things being one.

It says in 1John 5:7 “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” Then in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” And in John 17:20-24 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may also be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one. And that the world may know that You sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” In these scriptures we have John and Christ establishing the three heavenly beings that are witnesses to our faith. Our baptism which is a testimony of our faith is to be performed in the belief of these three, if we hold to the commandment of Christ. There is a significance of these three in our salvation or Christ would not have made mention of these in what could be the two most important commands He gave us; which are discipleship and baptism/being born again.

If we study the functions that these three perform we can gain new insight to the inner workings of the one God. We know God the Father is the creator whom is too holy to be exposed to sin. This is why Moses could not look at God’s face and why Old Testament priests had to go through purification to enter the holy of the holies once a year though once they entered, they were in God’s immediate presence not face to face. It says in Exodus 33:20 “But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me, and live.” Then there is God the Son through whom all things were made, is able to be in the presence of sin, is the Mediator of the new covenant and sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world so that we may have eternal life. It reads in Mark 2:16 “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, ‘How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” Then came God the Holy Spirit, who was given to us and resides inside of us and is our direct link to God the Father; much like a spiritual phone line when we choose to utilize the Spirit. It tells us in Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

It reads in John 17:20-23 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Gather, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” Then in John 14:20 “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” And in Revelation 1:7-8 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” These scriptures from John may very well be the bridge we are looking for. I believe that Christ and God are separate in deed but of the same Spirit. If we are ‘separate in deed we must be separate in spirit,’ is a worldly notion that is directly linked to our understanding of the familial unit. Those who do not believe in the trinity doctrine are supported in that Christ was separate in deed and the Trinitarians are supported in that Christ and God are one Spirit. Christ was telling us in John that we can also be one of the same Spirit with Him and His Father. Christ and God are one Spirit so in order for us to be part of that one Spirit we have to in a sense become Christ, by putting on Christ, through our belief in Him and His sacrifice. Like Christ we can be separate in deed but one in the Spirit. It reads in Galatians 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to that promise.” The word begotten also tells us that Jesus was not a creation, rather produced with the Spirit of the Father not from the Spirit. Christ (heart) was begotten with the Spirit of the Father (lungs) and is one with the Father (brain) and even though Christ (heart) was separate in deed and purpose, like the organs of the body is one in Spirit and part of the one God. This may also shed some light and perhaps help us to reconcile the prophetic scripture in Isaiah 9 and the scriptures we read previously in Revelation 1 and John 8. Together the Father, Son and Spirit are: who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

It says in Genesis 1:26 “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.” This scripture helps to confirm what John says in John 1:2 and the closing words of revelation 1:9; He was in the beginning with God. And who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. In the Genesis scripture God uses the words Us and Our that tells He was not alone. God was not conferring with His angels because through scripture we have learned that our image differs from theirs and we were made in the image of God and Christ.

So many of us may still be asking ourselves if God and Christ are not separate in Spirit, how are they distinct in deed? It tells us in Isaiah 42:1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.” Then in Acts 3:26 “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” Also in 1Corinthians 15:28 “Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” And in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” We are told in these scriptures that the purpose of Christ (heart) was to serve the will of His Father (brain). The deeds of Christ can be seen in His life, His ministry and His death which made our salvation possible which is one of the purposes of the Son (heart). One of the purposes of the Father (brain) is to will. Christ’s example of service to His Father’s will is the greatest example we could have been given. Let us consider for a moment the ransom of Christ and how we consider the value of that sacrifice from God the Father’s perspective. As humans we may ask ourselves would it be harder for us to sacrifice ourselves or our children for the greater good? Which would be the greater sacrifice? Do we think that at any moment Abraham would have traded places with Isaac under the knife? When considering the trinity is it as great a sacrifice if God sacrificed part of Himself as it would be His Son as we think of a son in a familial concept? We must know that many of our feelings towards our children, family and sacrifices are worldly. I believe the sacrifice of God and Christ was of the greatest value and meaning of any sacrifice known. Although Christ is God, He is distinct in deed and purpose (just as the brain and heart) and thus is described to us as a son in the worldly familial sense because God the Father (brain) wanted us to be able to assimilate the value He has for His begotten Son (heart) and the weight His sacrifice carried. Regardless whether we see Christ as God or separate from God the sacrifice of Christ carries with it the weight, value and meaning it should. As believers we must be careful not to devalue the sacrifice of God the Father or Christ especially when ministering to others or discussing the belief in the trinity doctrine or disbelief in its teachings.

Let us pray: Lord help us to live in Christ’s example and You will with the same love, courage, faith and obedience that You Son does. Please grant us the wisdom, patience and humility we need to further the unity of the body of Christ in respecting the varying doctrinal beliefs of our brothers and sisters whose foundation is in Christ. We ask that You guide our learning as we travel along our spiritual paths. We pray this to You Lord in the name of Your Son Christ Jesus. Amen.