Question:
I hear preachers talk about the trinity. As I understand it, it means that God and Jesus are the same entity. They quote the first part of the first chapter of John. But in verse 18 (?) it says that no one has seen God but Jesus (put in lamans terms). I take that the first part of John based on the relationship spirtitualy and also as a father son relation. Where, as I understand in biblical times the son was seen as a direct reflection of the father. The I think in Mathews Jesus says that the Father is in me as I am in you. Also Jesus says that in my Fathers house there are many rooms. There are others quotes that make a distinction between father and son. As I also understand, God cannot look apon sin. Thats why he doesn’t interact with us face to face (in the flesh so to speak). Thats why Jesus said on the cross, My God, my God why have you forsaken me (God turned his back on Jesus as all the sins of man where cast apon him). If I can remeber right, on the day of judgement, isn’t Jesus going to stand and testify on behalf of all the Christans. Who did Jesus pray too? Why would the devil try to tempt Jesus if he where actually God. Did Satan offer Jesus dominion over the Earth while on top of a tower? More or less say that they are with me. One more, in the book of Revelations, if Jesus is God who is the lamb and who sets apon the throne? I tried to understand the preachings of the people that say the Jesus and God are the same enity (I don’t mean spiritually) I thought and prayed on this for a long time and click on your link at mamma.com. Thanks and God bless.
Answer:
Let’s take your questions and comments one-by-one.
You said, “I hear preachers talk about the trinity. As I understand it, it means that God and Jesus are the same entity.”
The word “entity” is defined as “being, existence (especially independent, separate, or self-contained existence); something that has separate and distinct existence” (Merriam Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary). This word is normally used to prove that two things are “separate” from each other — not the “same” as each other. The use of that word when discussing the Trinity may get us into trouble, because Jesus clearly said in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”
You commented further, “They quote the first part of the first chapter of John. But in verse 18 (?) it says that no one has seen God but Jesus (put in lamans terms).”
John 1:1-4 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Notice how the Bible very clearly states three facts there.
Fact number one, “In the beginning was the Word.” It did not say that the Word was “created,” but that in the beginning He “was;” that is, in the beginning, He already existed. Only God has always existed. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Micah 5:2 clearly shows us that Jesus is eternal, that He is God, and that He has always existed. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Fact number two, “…and the Word was with God.” Jesus is God Almighty. He has always existed. Now, we are told that He was “with” God, showing that they are one, and yet distinct Persons.
Fact number three, “…and the Word was God.” This summarizes the truth very clearly that Jesus is God — not one of three “Gods,” but one true and living “God.” Jeremiah 10:10 says, “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” Isaiah 44:6 says, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
John chapter 1 is a very good chapter to show that Jesus is the eternal God; that He was “with” the Father, and yet “one” with the Father.
One of your next statements was, “But in verse 18 (?) it says that no one has seen God but Jesus (put in lamans terms). I take that the first part of John based on the relationship spirtitualy and also as a father son relation. Where, as I understand in biblical times the son was seen as a direct reflection of the father.”
John 14:7 says, “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” That is not a normal statement heard in Biblical times at all. Isaac never said, “If you have seen me, you have seen Abraham my father.” David never said, “If you have seen me, you have seen Jesse my father.” Solomon never said, “If you have seen me, you have seen David my father.” In fact, the Jews were outraged at Jesus’ statement in John 10:30-33, “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
The Jews clearly understood what Jesus was saying. It was not normal at all for people to state that they were one with their fathers — either physically or spiritually. They were so furious with Jesus for making this statement, that they were ready to stone Him.
Another question you gave was, “Why would the devil try to tempt Jesus if he were actually God?”
Something to question further is, “Why did Satan ever rebel against God in the first place?” God is all powerful, and there was no way that Satan could ever defeat God. The reason was pride. Isaiah 14:12-15 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Pride clouds a person’s thinking. Pride puffs up a person to make him deceived into thinking that he can beat anyone. The same pride that caused Satan to rebel against God in the first place, caused him to think that he could somehow tempt Jesus to do wrong, and destroy the plan of redemption.
The temptation of Jesus was very real. Matthew 4:1-11 says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
Hebrews 4:14,15 says, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
The Bible is very clear that the Lord was tempted in all points like we are. The difference is not in the temptation, but in the fact that we have a sin nature, and the Lord Jesus did not. Because Jesus was born of a miraculous virgin birth, He was not born with a sin nature like you and I have. Our sin nature is drawn like a magnet to sin. Romans 7:14-23 says, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
But if you turn magnets a special way, then they actually repel each other — not attract. Our sin nature only sees the enticement side of sin, whereas Jesus’ holy nature could only see the filth and corruption of sin. So of course He could never fall to sin, because He looks at it from the vantage point of perfect holiness and with eternity in mind.
If a man was on a pier with a .22 caliber rifle, and started shooting at the boats out in the water, would that be considered a “real” attack? Yes it would. If we were out there in a row boat, he could kill us, and sink our boat. But what if one of the “boats” out there was an aircraft carrier? His .22 bullets would just hit the steel of that mighty ship, and bounce off. Would it be considered a “real” attack? Yes. But one target could be conquered by him, while another target would never budge, no matter how long his attack persisted. Even so it is with Satan. He causes many a person to fall into sin, but he never had a chance of causing the Lord to fall for his temptations. It was Satan’s own pride that caused him to think that he could somehow cause Jesus to fall into sin.
Remember what Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:23,24? “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”
Believe that He is who? Who was it that the Jews refused to admit that Jesus was? God’s only begotten Son, equal with God. John 5:17,18 says, “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” Once again, notice John 10:3-33, “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
If a person does not believe that Jesus is God Almighty, one with the Father, that peson will die in his sins, unforgiven, and will go to the eternal lake of fire. How much better to believe the Bible, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior!
Revelation 1:5-8 says, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”