Hi Mike,

Here I am one again. I thank you for your answers to my last questions. They certainly cast more light into my dim mind. I do not believe in the Trinity, but I am struggling to know exactly how to define what I believe. The article I have enclosed brings out the dilemma that I have. It goes like this. The Father and the Son are distinct Beings. There is the Father who in His sphere is described as God and then there is Jesus who is described as divine (and called God (and given the name of Almighty God by Almighty God) in his sphere. Clearly the Father is greater than Christ and is Christ’s Head and God, and Christ the Son of God is man’s Head and God. How does one describe this? One God in two persons who because they share the same spirit (mind or essence) are described as One God? In whatever way one understands the Father and Son, even as a Family, they are two divine beings. This must surely make a ‘Binity’. How do you define the Godhead in the light of these features?
Here is a quote from the article:

“So does that make Trinitarians and anyone else who thinks that Jesus is God polytheists? It sure does! One God plus One God equals TWO GODS. “Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (Joh 17:3). Jesus’ own words.”

Blessings,
B____

Hi B____,
It’s good to hear from you again. I’ll start with your quote above:

“So does that make Trinitarians and anyone else who thinks that Jesus is God polytheists? It sure does! One God plus One God equals TWO GODS.
“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (Joh 17:3). Jesus’ own words.”

There are several Biblical principles given to us to help us see the things of the spirit. One of those principles is that no prophecy is to be taken by itself.

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Here is a much clearer version of what the Greek is saying in 2Pe. 

2Pe 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture at all is becoming its own explanation.

So scripture is always to be taken in its sum, its totality.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

So when we take Joh 17:3 and use it in this way…:

“So does that make Trinitarians and anyone else who thinks that Jesus is God polytheists? It sure does! One God plus One God equals TWO GODS.
“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (Joh 17:3). Jesus’ own words.”

… is this person trying to make Christ contradict Himself when He says:

Joh 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Joh 10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

As you point out, those are Christ’s own wors. God has not placed upon any man the responsibility of giving any other person the ability to either believe or understand spiritual matters. But God has given to me the ability to see that Christ and you and I can all become God’s sons and still not impinge upon the oneness of God. The scriptures plainly state:

1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called [ by God, Joh 10:34] gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1Co 8:7 (a) Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge…

Paul had no problem understanding that Christ had a God and a Father, and at the same time He understood that God’s children were, by their heavenly Father’s own declaration, lesser gods.

Psa 82:6  I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

As I pointed out in that paper entitled Is God a Trinity, Christ’s defense for claiming to be the son of God was his quoting of Psa 82:6.

You ask:

I do not believe in the Trinity but I am struggling to know exactly how to define what I believe.  The following article brings out the dilemma that I have. It goes like this.  The Father and the Son are distinct Beings.  There is the Father who in His sphere is described as God and then there is Jesus who is described as divine and called God (and given the name of Almighty God by Almighty God) in his sphere.  Clearly the Father is greater than Christ and is Christ’s Head and God, and Christ the Son of God is man’s Head and God.  How does one describe this?  One God in two persons who because they share share the same spirit (mind or essence) are described as One God?  In whatever way one understands the Father and Son, even as a Family, they are two divine beings.  This must surely make  a Binity?  How do you define the Godhead in the light of these features?

I hope the verses I have quoted, which are inspired of the holy spirit, will help you to see that “I [ God] have said, Ye are gods… there are [ according to God] gods many… [ as “sons of God,” and of the same God family] but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and [ besides this “one” Father God] there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.”
That makes perfect spiritual sense to me just as there is only one Adam, out of whom Eve came and we all subsequently by her.

1Co 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Paul here, and Christ, in Joh 17:3, both think it is extremely important that we understand this principle, revealed at the beginning of this 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians:

1Co 11:3  But 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 is God.

This was written many years after Christ’s ascension to the right hand of His Father, and yet we are told “the head of Christ is God.” That doesn’t sound like a ‘binity’ to me. In scriptural terms “there are Gods many… [ yet] but one God of whom are all things.”
Your brother in Christ,

Mike