📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader's discernment.
"The word 'Trinity’ does not exist in the Bible; Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different entities"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
What is the Trinity (SAM-WI-IL-CHE in Korean)? Let's find out through Chinese character. 'SAM' (三) means 3, 'WI' (位) means position, 'IL' (一) means 1, and 'CHE' means body. After all, the meaning of trinity means that the three persons are one body. However, the word ‘Trinity’ - referring to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - does not exist in the Bible.
The word ‘trinity’ first emerged in the early church. In AD 313, Emperor Constantine established religious toleration for Christianity. The early church, which was persecuted, gained freedom of faith, but as discord in interpretation of the Bible arose, a religious meeting was held to resolve this. In AD 325, the First Council of Nicaea banished believers who did not ascribe to the son essentially being the same as the father. In AD 451, the Council of Chalcedon fully established this as doctrine. However, this was carried out for political purposes in order to strengthen the emperor's power at that time. Emperor Constantine, who unified Rome around AD 300, used the concept of the Trinity to argue that the Pope, Jesus and the Church were united as representatives of God, and that the emperor possessed sole authority to rule with the Church's authorisation. This is the root concept of the Trinity. The established denomination continues this tradition.
This arose from a misunderstanding of the Bible. Specifically, in Isaiah 7:14 of the Bible, a virgin conceived and gave birth to a son who was given the name ‘Immanuel’. Isaiah 9 prophesied that this child would be called Mighty God and Everlasting Father. When translated, ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God with us’. This was fulfilled through the birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1 where the Spirit of God dwelled with Jesus.
It is recorded in Isaiah 62 and Hosea 2 that God would marry Jesus and become one with him. When Jesus said, “the Father and I are one” in John 10:30, it meant that God married (was one with) Jesus; not that they are the same entity.
That is why Jesus said in John 14:28 that the Father is greater than he, and in Matthew 26:39 Jesus prays to God. In Matthew 17, God spoke to Jesus from a cloud, and in Matthew 3, God's Spirit came upon Jesus. This fact can also be confirmed through the testimony of Jesus, Stephen and apostle John. Hearing Stephen's testimony in Acts 7:56, he said that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. In Revelation Chapter 5, Apostle John sees a Lamb standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. Jesus then went to God and received a book. Therefore, it can be understood that when the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are spirits, they are all different entities.
At the time of the first coming, God, the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus were together in the one flesh of Jesus. However, after Jesus’ ascension, when the Father, Son and Holy Spirit each exist as spirits in heaven, they are all considered a ‘Holy Spirit’ even though their spiritual bodies differ.
In Revelation, which records the history of the Second Coming, it is said that the names of God, Heaven and Jesus are written on the one who overcomes. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit work through the one who overcomes. This does not mean that God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the one who overcomes are all one entity. Even at the Second Coming then, the term ‘Trinity’ is not Biblically correct.
“One God in the Old Testament, but three in the New Testament?
I can't understand this rationally, so I have to cover this up”
Presbyterian Denomination and Full Gospel Denomination
Pastor A of the Presbyterian Church
"The ‘Trinity’ means that God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit are three in one. In particular, throughout the history of Christianity, there has been heated debate on whether Jesus Christ is God, or God is Jesus Christ."
Pastor B of the Full Gospel Denomination
"In Matthew 28:19, there is an instruction given to baptise in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Trinity. The early Christians embodied three Gods as One: God the Father in heaven, Jesus the Saviour on earth, and the Holy Spirit as the Comforter.
But the Old Testament teaches that God is the only one. Deuteronomy 6:4 says that the Lord our God is the only Jehovah, and God is only one.
Is God one or three entities? This is not easy to understand. Our forefathers coined the term ‘Trinity’. The word ‘Trinity’ means that both Christ and the Holy Spirit are God, but in the Old Testament, God is the only God. How we reconcile these two concepts is our task. The Trinity cannot be understood with human logic. It probably takes a genius to understand it logically."
Pastor C of the Presbyterian Church
"The Bible clearly states that there is one God, and in the New Testament there are many places where God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit work together as one. So one can not deny the Trinity because the Bible is referring to the Trinity, though one can’t understand it logically. When it cannot be understood by human reasoning, one must close it and leave."
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Thank you for the clear break down, of the origin of the word trinity and what it means.It was so clear to understand through the Bible and not own thoughts. Thank you so much.....
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