Behold the Man

“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” I Timothy 2:5, 6

God’s justice is perfect. It is the very habitation of His throne (Psalm 89:14). Because of His justice, peace and harmony will prevail throughout the ages of glory to come. His plan of atonement by the ransoming work of Jesus is based upon perfect justice. Scripture after Scripture repeatedly affirm that atonement was secured by “the man Christ Jesus” and his shed blood. No Scripture proposes Christ’s divinity to be the basis of atonement.

But—of all the various Christian beliefs, there is one centuries’ old belief purporting to stand beyond the reach of logic or Scriptural definition. It also maintains it should not be judged because of the decisions and reverses of historic church councils. It also, albeit unwittingly, challenges the basis of God’s work of Atonement. That doctrine is the belief that, together with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are also God, and these three are mysteriously one, co-equal, co-eternal.

Although the Holy Spirit is not mentioned, John 1:1 is called upon to establish the trinity, “The Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word was God.” The common translation contains a contradiction—how can the Word both be God and with God at the same time? Aside from logic, this contradiction is not supported by the Greek text: “the Word was with God, and a god was the Word.” (EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT, INTERLINEAR) [see "Testimony from an Early Church Father"]

Contrary to some popular beliefs of his day, the Apostle John was expressing the thought that Jesus had a pre-human existence as “a mighty one” (“a god”). The Everlasting God Himself had no beginning. “He is from everlasting to everlasting.” But “in the beginning,”—the Word’s beginning—the Logos was with God as the “only begotten God.” (Vs. 18) The common version hides the correct translation by rendering “only begotten Son.” But the Greek reads “only begotten theos” (“God”). Jesus in his pre-human existence was indeed “a mighty one” who received life (was “begotten”) from the Father. Tertulian writing in the second century said, “There was a time when the Son did not exist.” THE EARLY CHRISTIAN FATHERS. P.21

Jesus, A Son

John’s account of the Gospel is full of allusions to Jesus’ relationship to God as actually being a Son. Jesus acknowledged his Father as greater and continually sought to do His will. Jesus was not God himself, but the obedient “only begotten Son,” sent of God (I John 4:9):

“I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I” “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 14:28; 5:30)

These direct scriptural statements show us God is greater than Jesus and that Jesus was not God or His equal, but obedient to God who sent him [see "Equality with God"].

“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me, that they may be one as we are…. As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you…. I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 17:11, 22; 20:21,17)

Ponder that! We are called to this same intimate oneness shared by God and His Son. We shall be one as they are but, certainly, we are not part of a trinity too.

The Scribes and Pharisees could not appreciate Jesus’ prehuman existence when he proclaimed “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:57-59). They took up stones to cast at him. Jesus was saying “I am” as the subject and verb of an ordinary sentence meaning simply that from before Abraham’s time until the present he had had a continuous existence. To make “I am” a title in this sentence—as appears in Exodus 3:14 referring to God as the “I AM”—is not possible. In any case, the word “Jehovah” does not really mean “I am” but “He Who Becometh,” as J. B. Rotherham (a recognized Evangelical authority) explains in his translation of the Bible. The popular rulers of the day could not tolerate Jesus’ claim that he existed before he was sent by God to redeem men.

A Mystery

Many who hold the trinity dear concede that the doctrine is out of the realm of logic. It is inexplicable how Jesus could be sent of God and be God Himself. . .how he could pray to God and be praying to Himself at the same time. . .how Jesus could say his Father is greater and yet be “co-equal,” etc. The scripture, they say, that says God and Jesus are one—in the same way as Christians are to be one—does not simply mean that at all. This is called the “mystery” of the trinity.

But what does the New Testament say about “mysteries” and Christian understanding? Nowhere is the term “mystery” attached to the unexplainable doctrine of the trinity. Rather, what is a mystery to outsiders, the Christian knows: “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matt. 13:11).

Paul asked prayers for help in preaching “that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). What a profound privilege to be given the responsibility of understanding the mysteries of God: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25).

Our faith is reasonable and we accept scriptural language, unless symbolic, at face value. When questioned on our faith, we should be able “to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (I Pet. 3:15).

The History

If the trinity is not reasonable, logical nor taught in the Bible, where did it begin? What is the source of this doctrine? After the twelve apostles died, a gradual falling away from the original faith occurred. Great numbers of Pagans entered the Church, bringing with them Pagan ideas. The trinity is one of many Pagan concepts which corrupted Christian doctrine during the early centuries of the Christian Era. [Originating in Babylon, the “trinity concept” spread throughout the ancient world and became a prominent feature of the Egyptian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, Japanese and Indian mythologies.]
During the early years of the fourth century, a heated controversy raged between the Arians and the Trinitarians, led by Athanasius. The Arians maintained that Jesus is a created being, pre-existent, though having a beginning in time, a son in the normal sense of the word and subordinate to the Father. The Athanasian party argued that the Son is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.

Fearing that religious dissension might disrupt the political unity of the Empire, the Emperor Constantine summoned a general council of bishops to settle the dispute. The Council of Nicea in 325 AD chose the teachings of Athanasius and formulated the Nicene Creed. Arius was excommunicated and banished with the other bishops who resisted the decision of the majority. The decision was reversed ten years later in 335 AD. But the basic trinitarian position was finally forged at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. Rather than settling the question by the Scriptures and sound reasoning by spiritual men, it was settled by those who had more political power and the means to physically enforce a decision by use of arms.

Therefore, the tradition of the doctrine of the trinity is not validated by church history that would give one confidence to believe a doctrine, which itself is not reasonable or scriptural. Jesus was a mighty god, begotten, created of Jehovah, truly the Son of God.

We compassionately understand the concern some Christians have regarding the trinity. They believe that if Jesus is not God Almighty no atonement has been made. How could a centuries’ old teaching of the Christian church not be correct? The increasing light of the Scriptures and freedom from superstition in our day reveal a profound beauty, logic and perfect justice in God’s atoning work. We do not seek to diminish the Atoning power of Christ’s sacrifice. Rather we preach the truth of the ransoming work, the power of Christ’s perfect human sacrifice and its far reaching benefit to the entire Adamic race.

Fear weighs heavily as a coercive force to accept the Trinity. The Athanasian creed traditionally has been recognized as the epitome of faith regarding the trinity. We quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia: “And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal…. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.” We especially reject the latter statement. It is meant to frighten the superstitious.

Biblically enlightened Christians see that the Athanasian Creed does not harmonize with God’s word. Some evangelicals concede that Jesus in the flesh was subordinate to the Father because of the limitations of his flesh; but believe the risen Lord is equal with the Father.

“I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ [the risen Christ] is God…. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son [the risen Son] also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:28 The Scriptural testimony is that even the risen Christ is subordinate to the Father. The concept of “co-equality” is without Scriptural foundation; it is a doctrine of men.

Behold, The Man

Why make such an issue over the trinity? This doctrine limits God’s plan of salvation. It makes atonement a nebulous and arbitrary philosophy. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

It was a man who sinned. It was a man who was sentenced to die for his disobedience. What would be the just price to ransom that man from the grave? Sacrificing God Almighty? No! An angel from heaven? Of course not. The equivalent price would be a man. In this case, “the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all” as a substitute for father Adam and the race of men yet in his loins.

As the entire race was in Adam when he was condemned, and lost life through him, so when Jesus “gave himself a ransom for all” his death involved the possibility of a yet unborn race in his loins. A full satisfaction, or corresponding price, for father Adam and all men was thus put into the hands of Justice—to be applied “in due time,” and he who thus bought all has full authority to restore all who come unto God by him.

“As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:18,19)

The proposition is a plain one: As many as have shared death on account of Adam’s sin will have life-privileges offered to them by our Lord Jesus, who died for them and sacrificially became Adam’s substitute before the broken law, and thus “gave himself a ransom [Greek “antilutron” a price instead of] for all.” He died, “the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

We must not forget, however, that all of God’s provisions for our race recognize the human will as a factor in securing the abundantly provided divine favors. Some overlook this feature in examining the text just quoted—Rom. 5:18,19—and preach that eternal salvation is universal. The Apostle’s statement, however, is that, as the sentence of condemnation extended to all the seed of Adam, even so, through the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father’s plan, by the sacrifice of himself on our behalf, a free gift is extended to all. That gift of forgiveness, if accepted, will constitute a justification or basis for life everlasting. And “as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many shall be [not were] made righteous.” If the ransom alone, without our acceptance of it, made us righteous, then it would have read, by the obedience of one many were made righteous.

Atonement is universal, eternal salvation is not—though it will be offered to ALL. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

But though the ransom-price has been given by the Redeemer, only a few during the Gospel age have been made righteous—justified—“through faith in his blood.” But since Christ is the propitiation (satisfaction) for the sins of the whole world, all men may on this account be absolved and released from the penalty of Adam’s sin by him—under the New Covenant blessings in God’s incoming kingdom on earth.

There is no unrighteousness with God; hence “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) As he would have been unjust to have allowed man to escape the pronounced penalty before satisfaction was rendered, so also he here gives us to understand that it would be unjust were he to forbid man restitution, since by his own arrangement our penalty has been paid for us.

The same unswerving justice that once condemned man to death now stands pledged for the release of all who, confessing their sins, apply for life through Christ.

We leave you with these lovely words of life….

“It is in Him, and through the shedding of His blood, that we have our deliverance—the forgiveness of our offences—so abundant was God’s grace, the grace which He, the possessor of all wisdom and understanding, lavished upon us, when He made known to us the secret of His will. And this is in harmony with God’s merciful purpose for the government of the world when the times are ripe for it—the purpose which He has cherished in His own mind of restoring the whole creation to find its one Head in Christ; yes, things in Heaven and things on earth, to find their one Head in Him.” Ephesians 1:7, Weymouth

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” I Timothy 2:3-6

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