₦airaland Forum

Amotolongbo:
If you have the data to see the video, go and see.

saw the video before it was posted here and didn't notice that, maybe the baby wanted to preach as well and she would have been readjusted later but aint you focusing on the wrong thing.
The baby was well wrapped

Amotolongbo:
Aren’t you supposed to be more concerned about the bad positioning of the poor baby giving her discomfort?

and you can tell that from the picture or the video?

Answer: Jesus warned us that “false Christs and false prophets” will come and will attempt to deceive even God’s elect (Matthew 24:23-27; see also 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 17-18). The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and who makes a careful study of the Bible can identify false doctrine. For example, a believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, step one is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the Scripture says.

Jesus said “a tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). When looking for “fruit,” here are three specific tests to apply to any teacher to determine the accuracy of his or her teaching:

1) What does this teacher say about Jesus? In Matthew 16:15-16, Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and for this answer Peter is called “blessed.” In 2 John 9, we read, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” In other words, Jesus Christ and His work of redemption is of utmost importance; beware of anyone who denies that Jesus is equal with God, who downplays Jesus’ sacrificial death, or who rejects Jesus’ humanity. First John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.”

2) Does this teacher preach the gospel? The gospel is defined as the good news concerning Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As nice as they sound, the statements “God loves you,” “God wants us to feed the hungry,” and “God wants you to be wealthy” are not the complete message of the gospel. As Paul warns in Galatians 1:7, “Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” No one, not even a great preacher, has the right to change the message that God gave us. “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:9).

3) Does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord? Speaking of false teachers, Jude 11 says, “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” In other words, a false teacher can be known by his pride (Cain’s rejection of God’s plan), greed (Balaam’s prophesying for money), and rebellion (Korah’s promotion of himself over Moses). Jesus said to beware of such people and that we would know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20).

For further study, review those books of the Bible that were written specifically to combat false teaching within the church: Galatians, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, and Jude. It is often difficult to spot a false teacher/false prophet. Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and his ministers masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:15). Only by being thoroughly familiar with the truth will we be able to recognize a counterfeit.

I copied this here from Nairaland posted more than five years ago from a deleted account. I believe there are some wonderful posts in nairaland that get forgotten at times.

No excuse not to carry the gospel and carry our responsibilities to others which is also the gospel 👍 😁

https://www.nairaland.com/8314955/trinitarians-believe-pre-tribulation-falsechrist

cutecommend:
Several people go to church every Sunday, but many of them are not transformed and do not show forth the nature of Christ. Are we to say it is majorly the fault of the Pastor?

Signs your preacher is preaching the true gospel.

(1) When members drop bad ways because of what is being preached. E.g. Members doing hookup abandon it and prefer to suffer than to return back to hookup.

(2) Heaven-consciousness: If you often have the consciousness of heaven and eternity because of what is being preached.

(3) Developing Exemplary Lifestyle: If you or your church is known for certain good character etc, then you are likely to have the right preacher.

(4) Death to Worldliness: If your Pastor of Preachers message makes you loose taste for worldly music, worldly dressing, worldly lifestyle etc.

1. Judas didn't stop being a thief and lover of money even though he was among the main circle and frankly it was those who truly believed Jesus message that changed and not all who followed him who left at some point. So what people become isn't an evidence that the message is the true gospel.

2. I agree with this part, because we repent for the Kingdom of God and this is what the gospel is, repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. But being conscious of heaven is also a part of the message which isn't the total truth. The full message is, forsake the things of the world, don't put your mind on things below but on things above. So when a pulpit speaker tells you to put your mind on both does that mean he is preaching the true gospel because he mentions heaven, no it doesn't.


3. A good character, is a term that should be explained, is it the fruit of the Holy Spirit that even though a person has it they will be hated by the world or a "good character" that makes a person loved by the world. A lifestyle may earn you the praises of men but not the praises of God.


4. Didn't see this before my comment of number 2, if anything I doubt the examples suffice as benefiting examples of the true gospel because all this can and are being taught by the fakes and falses one. Death to worldliness is death to pleasures, to lusts of the eye, lust of the flesh, pride of life. To selfishnessness, excessiveness, coveteouness, materialism and outward displays of immorality that goes against self control and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You can't be having 10cars when you only need to drive one, but can a materialistic money loving puppet of the devil preach such when they have fleets of cars and clothes. When we say worldly lifestyle we need to explain it, is it like TD JAKES going to a puff DADDDYs party? Or men of goat associating and endorsing wicked politicians and men.

Like on nairaland, though this one's don't have visuals nor audio 😊 👍👍

Interesting waiting to read comments especially from those who don't believe in supernatural and only claim science, what their explanation to this is that's if they believe it happened 🪑

ThatWriterBoy:
So I have finished Genesis and I started Exodus today. I'm at the point where God called Moses from the burning bush.

I'm wondering: couldn't the Israelites have fought back against the Egyptians when Pharoah started his painful laws?

I mean, he actually gave an order for the male babies to be killed! Shouldn't that have been enough for the Hebrews to stand up and be like "This is the last straw" and fight back?

Scripture said they had a massive population, and the Egyptians were even scared of them. Pharoah was scared that if there was a war, and they sided with their enemies, they could take over the country.

Shouldn't they have used it to their advantage, especially after Pharoah began killing their male children?

they were not a nation with their own military to even think of fighting one of the greatest nations of their time. Egyptians were scared of the possibility of them becoming a major threat

sonmvayina:
Bart Erhmam is not a Christian...

wasn't referencing him for that, when we mention Josephus flavius it's not because he is a Christian but Bart said he used to be and went to theological school before becoming an "expert in ancient greek texts"

They tried to hide the truth, read bart erhman not sure if I got his name correctly

Indeed God is not trinity.

.

cosiocan:
My Brother, the Heart desires of Our God is for all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."For there is only ONE God, and only ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
(1 Timothy 2:5).
"And there is no other God but one and even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is only ONE God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and only ONE Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live". Notice, Paul says that there is “one God,” who is not the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but “the Father.”
(1Corinthians 8:5-6).
Therefore I believe, that God the Father is the Person of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus; as it is written; "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself" (2Cor 5:19).
And Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Person of the Holy Spirit in the saints, as it is written; "through Him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father"
(Ephesians 2:18).
Even Christ himself illustrated this divine relationship, when He prayed for the unity of the saints saying, the glory which you (the Father) has given me I have given to them: that they (the saints) may be one, even as we (the Father and the Son) are one. I (Christ) in them (the saints) and you (the Father) in me (christ), that they may be made perfect in one. We can deduce from this illustration, that the Father is the person in Christ and Christ is the person in the saints. However this relationship is possible through the Holy Spirit.
(John 17:22-23)
As it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam Christ became a life-giving Spirit. (The Holy Spirit)
(1 Corinthians 15:45)
For this reason, Apostle Paul stated clearly; that if the Jews should turn their hearts to the Lord Jesus, then the veil of Moses shall be taken away from their hearts. "Now the Lord Jesus Christ is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty". And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
( 2 Corinthians 3:16-17). (Roman 8:9).

instead of Paul to call Jesus a second god he calls him the last Adam. Think about that

Still haven't found single post scriptural and gospel proof that Jesus is God and Trinity is not of satan

FxMasterz:
God bless Steep for the answers provided so far.

Jesus was a God-man. He was fully God and fully man.

As a foundation, the son of man is man. The son of a goat is a goat. The Son of God is God.

His human dimension was fully human. This enabled Him to be able to take man's position in sin while man takes His position in righteousness. This exchange can only happen between man and man. Since there was no man to do it for man, God put on flesh in order to do for man, what man could not do for himself.

However, He did not allow His humanity to conflict with His divinity. While He is designated as our Great Representative to pay our debts for us (By representing us in His human dimension, He is able to stand in the gap and pay on our behalves). Only man can pay for man. He is not only our Representative, He is also our Example (All His references to God as His God, His Father , Can of His own do nothing, etc were premised on His role as our example), and He would return as our Judge.

Jesus was man in His body but God in His Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:16
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

FxMasterz:
God bless Steep for the answers provided so far.

Jesus was a God-man. He was fully God and fully man.

As a foundation, the son of man is man. The son of a goat is a goat. The Son of God is God.

His human dimension was fully human. This enabled Him to be able to take man's position in sin while man takes His position in righteousness. This exchange can only happen between man and man. Since there was no man to do it for man, God put on flesh in order to do for man, what man could not do for himself.

However, He did not allow His humanity to conflict with His divinity. While He is designated as our Great Representative to pay our debts for us (By representing us in His human dimension, He is able to stand in the gap and pay on our behalves). Only man can pay for man. He is not only our Representative, He is also our Example (All His references to God as His God, His Father , Can of His own do nothing, etc were premised on His role as our example), and He would return as our Judge.

Jesus was man in His body but God in His Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:16
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

And so we who are children of God are also God's as well.

When you can't use scripture use logic, that the unsung motto of trinitarians

You guys believing the nonsense called god-man

Mind you 1 John 4 the Living Bible

[1] Dearly loved friends, don’t always believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is. For there are many false teachers around,
[2] and the way to find out if their message is from the Holy Spirit is to ask: Does it really agree that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, actually became man with a human body? If so, then the message is from God.
[3] If not, the message is not from God but from one who is against Christ, like the Antichrist you have heard about who is going to come, and his attitude of enmity against Christ is already abroad in the world.


[4] Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world.
[5] These men belong to this world, so, quite naturally, they are concerned about worldly affairs and the world pays attention to them.
[6] But we are children of God; that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us. Others won’t. That is another way to know whether a message is really from God; for if it is, the world won’t listen to it.

gohf:
No matter their back and forth, do not forget the point, the Holy Spirit is not YHVH God

the Holy Spirit is God's spirit not god the spirit

Every church founded with the Trinity believe is of the devil, they have a pact with the devil whether they are aware or not, that's why he is the deceiver.

The devil is their father, the falsechrist is their god and the false prophecy is their god the spirit

gohf:
No matter how many times you shout or call the name Jesus you will not get saved, salvation is through the name of Jesus by being baptized in his name, believing in Jesus and obeying his words, believing that the son of God who died and rose is our Lord and Christ and obeying the commandments to love God and love others as yourself.



And what is the will and commands of God



1John.3.21 - Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence.
22 - And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him.
23 - And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.
24 - Those who obey God's commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

We should know that to believe in the name of Jesus doesn't mean to call upon the name of Jesus. To call upon a name is to pray to that name or person. A name signifies authority, authority has been given to Jesus but does that mean God doesn't have authority anymore, no it doesn't. To believe in a name, is to believe in that person's authority.

The name of Christ and the authority of Christ

John the Baptist speaking about Jesus in John.3. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit.
The Father loves his Son, and he has given him authority over everything. And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them."

Everything in Jesus that comes from the Father is the authority to give life to those who believe and obey God

You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
But I don't think I am inferior to these "super apostles."
I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realize this by now, for we have proved it again and again.
Did I do wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God's Good News to you without expecting anything in return?

These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. You have made me act like a fool--boasting like this. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these "super apostles," even though I am nothing at all.
When I was with you, I certainly gave you every proof that I am truly an apostle, sent to you by God himself, signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance.
The only thing I didn't do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!...
{2 Corinthians 11&12}

Steep:
haha you just exposed yourself, you want to dodge the meaning of theotetos, stop lying theotetos has a meaning which is the very essence of God.
You liar theias does not mean deity, it means pertaining to God

you are a filthy and disgusting liar.
All liars will find theirselves in the lake of fire.

1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

I am talking life this one is talking dictionary, have you so soon forgotten in your pride, like Paul would put it, it is in wisdom or in qualifications, steep have you ever been in step with with any simple academic disection I have done, but now you are steep deep in your own arrogance. The worst part is that one important thing I wrote you have not proved it wrong

What you are just doing is piling up evidence against you when God would judge.

How would you answer God if He asks you, "so you believe he was wrong but you couldn't show how he was wrong and yet you believe it"

Wait are you assuming fools will enter God's kingdom, because even God's little children are not foolish, for He gives them wisdom knowledge and understanding but you, you are a literally definition of your name. Your many words are just like a man trying to whitewash a tomb, and paint a grave white, it doesn't change what is inside of you. Steep, it doesn't

There are so many lies that the devil spreads and this makes the truth more valuable though harder to find.

And one of his methods is creating several versions of the Christ, changing God's word in severally ways till people can't even figure out which is true.

If salvation from death was to be like a man locked in a room with many keys where only one can open the door, he would either need enough time to try them all or great luck to find the right one. But as it seems man doesn't have all the time to go through all religions to find the one with the right key and luck isn't the way God operates. Though people do get lucky, I call it God's favor. And if God's favor is in operation in a man's life, finding the right key won't be about how long but when God wills it.

If everything that occurs, happens based on God's will then you reading this is also something God has predestined but your decision shows whether you are favored by God or not.

The question now is, does God favor the wicked?

You know it says that through Jesus comes grace and truth, I always meditate on that and wondered what it truly meant but then you realize God has already sent his commandments first and then he sends his grace next. And that favor from God is the only way to escape the locked room called death.

So it means two things
1. God sent no different commands but the 10 commandments which reveals if a man loves God and if he loves others
2. The commandments serve a purpose to determine those who will receive God's favor


Now ask yourselves this if God who is going to judge the whole world what should be the criteria for his judgement so that it is fair for everyone. Do you think the basis is what you believe? Do you think the basis is where you grew up and what you were taught? As much as all this affects us, is that truly the basis.

But let me tell you the basis of God's judgement, it is love and this is what Jesus revealed and why God expects us to believe him, who revealed the only way out, the only way to obtain favor from God, the favor for eternal life- by obeying the one true God YHVH.

For God is good and God is love and no other one can judge what good is apart from Him and only by God can any judge what is good.

Men made religions that follow men, but the true way points not to any man but to God YHVH, creator of ALL.

If God is to send another after Jesus it would be the Holy Spirit so that love will continually dwell in the hearts of those favored by God and God has done that and this gift dwells in the heart of those who do God's will. God will not send another man but the perfect man to establish His kingdom on earth and do away with wickedness. And that will be when the number of children He wants are complete.

Time is short and many are entering, not by religion but by doing good and not loving the things of the world, the reason you should believe in Jesus is because he is sent by God, the reason you should believe only in him, is because God sent no other.

The prophets of God from the beginning, from Job all spoke about the Messiah who is God's son but himself is not God, but submits to God as is an example to us on complete submission and obedience. He obeyed God and not religion, even if it meant suffering and dying.

If you want to believe and follow Jesus to God our Father YHVH, I want you to know the truth, the world hates God and they will hate you too, they love wickedness and their own selfishness and they will hate you for doing and saying what is right. They love darkness and hate light.

So this isn't about changing religion but God changing your heart so you love Him completely and love others as well.

Noah was righteous and he found favor with God, Jesus is righteous and full of God's favor that though he was killed, God rose him up from the grave to show us that He keeps His promise. Promises made to those who do what pleases Him, who do His will, who do not do works of wickedness and Iniquity, who do not bear false witness and covet what doesn't belong to them, who do not murder nor take another's wife or property. Who doesn't hate nor hurt his neighbor nor plans evil against them in their hearts. Those who fear God and believe He will judge between the good and the evil and reward those who have been faithful till the end. To them He will fulfill the promise of resurrection to eternal life.

Not to those who call God or those who sacrifice for God desires mercy and not sacrifice. Love and not offerings of blood and goats, God doesn't eat them, your money belongs to your Caesars. Honor God by being good, honor Him by being righteous that way people would believe and see that there is God when they see your good works.

Put away from yourselves those idols and practices that lack love, put away burdens and yokes of wickedness take upon you God's command which is light. Do not believe in false prophets or false men claiming to be of God, leave religion and the many rituals that doesn't affect God nor bring you closer to God, leave those things that made you condemn the righteous and the good because they do not look like you or show outwardly to be one of you. Leave and put away your carnal judgements and pride and truly submit humbly to God and He will save you and bring you to Jesus- YHVH is salvation.

Steep:
How col 2.9 prove that Jesus is Almighty God and 2 Peter 1 vv4 does not teach Christians are become God because the participate in the divine nature.

Jehovah's Witnesses: How does Colossians 2:9, not prove the Trinity?
At Colossians 2:9 the apostle Paul says that in Christ “all the fullness of the divine quality [form of the·oʹtes] dwells bodily.” Here, again, some translations read “Godhead” or “deity,” which Trinitarians interpret to mean that God personally dwells in Christ. (KJ, NE, RS, NAB) However, Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon defines the·oʹtes in basically the same way it does thei·oʹtes, as meaning “divinity, divine nature.” (P. 792) The Syriac Peshitta and the Latin Vulgate render this word as “divinity.” Thus, here too, there is a solid basis for rendering the·oʹtes as referring to quality, not personality.

A consideration of the context of Colossians 2:9 clearly shows that having “divinity,” or “divine nature,” does not make Christ the same as God the Almighty. In the preceding chapter, Paul says: “God saw good for all fullness to dwell in him.” (Col 1:19) Thus, all fullness dwells in Christ because it “pleased the Father” (KJ, Dy), because it was “by God’s own choice.” (NE) So the fullness of “divinity” that dwells in Christ is his as a result of a decision made by the Father. Further showing that having such “fullness” does not make Christ the same person as Almighty God is the fact that Paul later speaks of Christ as being “seated at the right hand of God.”—Col 3:1.

Considering the immediate context of Colossians 2:9, it is noted that in verse 8, Christians are warned against being misled by those who advocate philosophy and human tradition. They are also told that “carefully concealed in [Christ] are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge,” and they are urged to “go on walking in union with him, rooted and being built up in him and being stabilized in the faith.” (Col 2:3, 6, 7) In addition, verses 13 to 15 explain that they are made alive through faith, being released from the Law covenant. Paul’s argument, therefore, is that Christians do not need the Law (which was removed by means of Christ) or human philosophy and tradition. They have all they need, a precious “fullness,” in Christ.—Col 2:10-12.

Finally, at 2 Peter 1:3, 4 the apostle shows that by virtue of “the precious and very grand promises” extended to faithful anointed Christians, they “may become sharers in divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Elsewhere in the Scriptures, Christians are referred to as ‘sharing’ with Christ in his sufferings, in a death like his, and in a resurrection like his to immortality as spirit creatures, becoming joint heirs with him in the heavenly Kingdom. (1Co 15:50-54; Php 3:10, 11; 1Pe 5:1; 2Pe 1:2-4; Re 20:6) Thus it is evident that the sharing of Christians in “divine nature” is a sharing with Christ in his glory.

The verb form “to divine” generally means to employ divination, a practice directly condemned by Jehovah God.—De 18:10-12

“It is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily.” (Col. 1:19; 2:9) Having been with his heavenly Father for aeons of time, Jesus knows better than anyone else the personality and will of God. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus taught others what his Father had taught him and reflected in his actions the qualities that his Father had nurtured in him. That is why Jesus could say: “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:9) All the wisdom and knowledge of God are hidden, or are dwelling, in Christ, and there is no better way for us to learn about Jehovah than by carefully learning all that we can about Jesus.

We must address several key issues with their understanding of the Greek word θεότης (theotēs), their interpretation of "fullness" in relation to Christ, and their attempt to diminish the deity of Christ by referencing other texts like 2 Peter 1:3-4. Let’s examine each aspect closely:

1. Greek Word θεότης (Theotēs) vs. θειότης (Theiotēs):

The Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that θεότης in Colossians 2:9 means “divine nature” or “divinity,” equating it with θειότης in Romans 1:20. They claim this allows them to render the passage as referring to Christ having a "divine quality" rather than the full essence of deity.

However, there is a significant difference between θεότης and θειότης. The former (θεότης) refers to the very essence of God, meaning the state of being God. This term encapsulates the fullness of divine nature, meaning that Christ possesses the entirety of what it means to be God. θειότης (used in Romans 1:20), on the other hand, refers to "divine qualities" or attributes that can be observed in creation, but does not signify the full essence of God.

By conflating θεότης with θειότης, the Jehovah's Witnesses commit a serious lexical error. Scholars such as A.T. Robertson, Bruce Metzger, and others have highlighted the specific choice of θεότης in Colossians 2:9 to emphasize Christ's full deity, not merely His possession of divine qualities. The word θεότης is a stronger term that underscores Christ’s full participation in the divine essence, distinguishing Him from any created being, including angels. In contrast, θειότης is never used in connection with Christ’s nature in this context, which makes the Jehovah's Witness interpretation both inaccurate and misleading.

2. Context of "Fullness" (πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα):

The term "fullness" (πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα) in Colossians 2:9 further emphasizes the complete and undivided nature of the deity that dwells in Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses suggest that Christ possesses this fullness merely because "it pleased the Father" (Colossians 1:19). However, this reading misses the point. While Colossians 1:19 refers to God’s decision that all fullness dwells in Christ, Colossians 2:9 expands on this by stating that this fullness is the fullness of deity (θεότης), dwelling in Christ bodily.

Paul’s usage of πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα implies the totality of what it means to be God resides in Christ. This fullness is not limited or granted by the Father as if Christ were a mere vessel of divinity. Instead, Paul is stressing that the divine essence itself—the very nature of God—permanently dwells in Christ. This makes Christ fully and completely God, not merely a reflection or representative of God's attributes. The Jehovah's Witness argument that this fullness does not make Christ equal to God fails because it ignores the theological weight behind the terms used and the implications of θεότης.

3. Jesus is Not Merely Reflecting God’s Qualities:

Jehovah's Witnesses argue that Jesus reflects God's qualities, as seen in John 14:9 ("He that has seen me has seen the Father", but this does not align with the stronger assertions Paul makes in Colossians 2:9. If Paul had wanted to convey that Jesus merely reflected or shared divine qualities, he could have used θειότης or similar terminology. Instead, he chose θεότης to show that Jesus possesses the full essence of God.

Furthermore, the idea that Jesus is just a reflection of God’s qualities conflicts with Paul's assertion that in Christ "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are hidden (Colossians 2:3). Christ doesn’t just reflect or possess godly attributes; He embodies the totality of divine wisdom and knowledge, which points to His inherent divinity, not a delegated or derivative one.

4. Colossians 2:9 vs. 2 Peter 1:4:

The Jehovah’s Witnesses reference 2 Peter 1:4, where Christians are said to "share in the divine nature," to argue that Jesus sharing in divinity doesn’t make Him fully God. However, this is a false equivalence. In 2 Peter 1:4, the phrase "divine nature" refers to Christians partaking in God's holiness and moral characteristics through sanctification, not to them becoming gods or sharing in God’s essence. The word used here is theia physis, which refers to a participation in godly characteristics, not a sharing of the divine essence itself, which remains unique to God.

In contrast, Colossians 2:9 uses θεότης to express the idea that Christ possesses the full and complete essence of God, not merely attributes. The comparison between believers sharing in the “divine nature” and Christ possessing the fullness of deity is not appropriate because they are entirely different categories: one is transformative participation, and the other is essential nature.

5. Christ Seated at God’s Right Hand:

Jehovah's Witnesses often argue that since Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1), He must be subordinate to God. However, this argument misunderstands the function of the right-hand position in biblical and ancient contexts. Sitting at the right hand of a king did not imply inferiority but rather shared authority and honor. In fact, it was the highest place of honor one could have. Christ’s position at the right hand of God signifies His exaltation and co-rulership, not subordination in essence or nature.

Conclusion:

The Jehovah’s Witness interpretation of Colossians 2:9 is flawed on several levels. Their rendering of θεότης as "divine quality" ignores the deeper meaning of the term, which refers to the full essence of deity. Additionally, their attempt to diminish the significance of Christ possessing the fullness of deity ignores the specific vocabulary used by Paul to affirm Christ’s full divinity. The context of both Colossians 1:19 and 2:9 points to Christ being fully God, not merely a reflection or vessel of divine attributes. This understanding cannot be applied to any angel or created being, as no other being in Scripture is said to embody the fullness of deity as Christ does.
Copied from a reply of xyzhu in quora.com

Even though I am not JWs, let me address this for the sake for my brothers and sisters in the true body of Christ so they don't be deceived.


Colossians:2:9 For in Christ there is all of God in a human body;

Now there's only one mention of the Greek word theotetos but what they translate is theotes, common sense states both are not the same word, why not translate the main word. I agree it's not the same word theias which defined as divine, deity, divinity, Godlike. It even goes more to show that theotetos probably has a meaning that wasn't properly translated to English. So instead of debating Greek, let's look at all of what is written

So no matter what you want to make of the verse, it doesn't change the fact that Jesus said God is in him, the Father is in him and he is in the Father but still he never said not equated himself to God this is important especially since you quoted Paul saying we shouldn't use human philosophy, if Jesus himself who explains the Father being in him, who says Father and himself are one, says the Father is greater than He is, then why you do believe that he is the Father? Are you not confused?!

Now here says All of God, All that is from God, whether you call it fullness, God's nature, God's form, all of the Spirit of God. All join, Jesus Christ had that in him, now because all of that is in Jesus does that make him God, so then we who have Christ is us are also God as well?!

What even makes God God isn't it holiness, is it some divinity like the Greek and Asgard gods? No, it's holiness, HOLY HOLY HOLY are you LORD GOD Almighty. And Jesus is full of God's holiness.


Let's increase the light a bit and read

Colossians:2:8-10

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.

But it does start from verses 8, glad you quoted verses 3 as well so

In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments.

Col.2.6&7 - And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.

Paul is stating that everything we need for life and godliness is in Christ, God put it all in Christ for us. So let's not be distracted. Instead of understanding what Paul is saying you are trying to validate a false doctrine from a sentence

You quoted Col 1:19
Col.1.19 - For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.

So our real Savior isn't Christ but YHVH who worked through him, like he did through Moses for the people of Israel, that's why Jesus said I can do nothing on my own, the father works so I work. Does God not work in us as well and through us all
1Cor.12.6 There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. this doesn't make us God.

If God only dwelt and work in Jesus that would be different but does same with us, so are we now God? Expect you desire to God would you believe such. We receive what God gave Christ, does that now make us God? No it doesn't.


Let's read earlier verses of Colossians 1
Col.1.12 always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the light. (15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

What is the purpose of what we receive, if it's not for us to be God..

2Pet.1.3 - As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!
2Pet.1.4 - And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.



Col.3.1 - Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power.


So instead of thinking that you are God or that Christ is God and in turn you are as well

Col.3.2 - Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
3 - For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 - And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5 - So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.

Janosky:
According to Steep (Trinitarian):
"Colossians 2:9, Jesus is Almighty God."

According to Bill Mounce Trinitarian & Greek language scholar:
"Colossians 2:9, Jesus is NOT FULLY God"


Oga, go and convince your fellow Trinitarian, Bill Mounce,wey know Greek pass you .

Your lengthy epistle na wash.

Trinitarians are forever confused & receiving conflicting info from their ghost deity invented at Nicene 381AD.

😂

We will stand for the truth and uproot every falsehood

thinkmoney:
I HAVE SHARED FEW WORDS SOMETIMES AGO WITH THE MAN (that was) IN THE SYNAGOGUE.

Many of us weren’t here when Babalola was here, Some of us witnessed Idahosa, however make no mistake, TB Joshua was truly a spiritually powerful man. He evidently did a lot of good with his huge philanthropy works and family reconciliations.
He actually evidently performed a lot of miracles.
Since he did this much good, we may not need to bother to ask if he is a man of God or not. But then there are counterfeit drinks around now. They carry the label and brand names of the original, taste similar and even intoxicate. We will definitely help our kidneys and general wellness if we take time to look at the things we consume and enjoy to ascertain they are really original especially after a lot of people have started raising suspicions and reservations about them.

Do you think it is for nothing the Bible said false prophets will come? When the Bible spoke of spiritual leaders that are wolves but that will come in sheep clothing, don’t you know the Bible was talking about strong men that will do a lot of good things but inwardly they are predators that will prey on the flock? When the Bible said that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, do you think it will be easy to identify Satan and his works like in the movies where he adorns black clothes? When in Ecclesiastes it was stated that there is just one upright man among thousands, you think it’s blasphemy when I said out of the hundred Nigeria pastors I haven’t seen one that is consistent with the Bible? You that you are angry and defensive of pastors, you think the Bible do not know what it is saying when it stated this false prophets will deceive MANY?

Counterfeit money has value until it is found out. Satan is EONS of years old so he is smart. He operates like a draught player that sacrifices few seeds to ‘eat’ more and win the game. He does a lot of good. Satan heals. He enriches. He comforts families. He repairs relationships. He preaches the word and even like a 419 syndicate make agreements with his demon to pretend to vacate a place. Why? To get a bigger aim of gaining and enslaving many more, to confuse the nature of God and become a god in people’s life. And to even redicule God when the evil works his agents do in the name of God are uncovered.

How do you then identify a man of God to protect yourself and others from future agony?

You do not recognize them by the miracles they perform or their good works. Remember Egyptian priest performed the same miracles Moses performed. You only use the Bible as a litmus paper to ascertain them.

I tell you the truth as it is in the Bible. Many of the signs to look for appear subtle and irrelevant but they are what they are, signs:

*A man of God especially a young one will show enough humility by not allowing himself be called papa or father or make it a title. - Matthew 23:9

* A man of God will by his life and preaching discourage abortion. Abortion is murder. - Exodus 21:22,23.

* A man of God will not encourage believe in the trinity. Trinity is blasphemy against God and it’s a doctrine of demons. - Mark 12:29

* God has a personal name different from his several titles, sobriquets and appellations. A man of God will intentionally and consistently expose and use Gods name. John 17:26.

* A man of God will not collect tithes. - 2Corinthians 9:7.

These above signs look trivial, but God is loving and he has made identifying true worship easy for sincere people.
Granted, 90+% of churches are guilty of the above and that in itself is a sign because narrow is the way that leads to salvation and it’s even few people that finds it to start with. Millions that are calling christ name or that are being called Christians and that even perform miracles in the name of Jesus will at the end discover that Christ do not know them. Eschew sentiments. Serve God on his terms. Do not add or remove a dot from the Bible.

Don’t be a pawn in Satans chess. There is a constant war for the soul of men going on between Darkness and light.

If any pastor do not carry the label of the few ‘signs’ I listed above, then you should not be surprised if bad revelations comes to light about their secret evil dealings. They are children of the Devil and their father the Devil is a murderer and liar from the beginning, John 8:44. This pastors though with immense powers are being laid bare about the source of their power in Revelation 16:13,14;
“And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.

Satan is gathering people by unclean inspired expressions and miraculous signs. Be courageous and choose your camp today.

God will not empower a rapist. God will not empower people that physically assault. God will not empower an ostentatious flasher of wealth. God will not empower someone that aborts. No! The spirit of God or his anointing will not continue with such person. Any good he does isn’t from God and it isn’t aimed at promoting God.

Praise God the truth is clear for all to see, here is another testimony of God's word and truth

Jokanem:
Several religious denominations teach that Mary is the mother of God. They may refer to her as “Queen of Heaven” or as Theotokos, a Greek word that means “God-bearer.



But, Is Mary really the Mother of God?

No, the Bible does not teach that Mary is the mother of God, nor does it suggest that Christians should either worship or venerate Mary.

Consider:

Mary never claimed that she was the mother of God. The Bible explains that she gave birth to “the Son of God,” not God himself.​—Mark 1:1; Luke 1:​32.

Jesus Christ never said that Mary was God’s mother or that she was worthy of special devotion. In fact, he corrected a woman who gave special attention to Mary’s happy role as his mother, saying: “No, rather, happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”​—Luke 11:27, 28.

The terms “Mother of God” and “Theotokos” (God-bearer) are not found in the Bible.

The expression “Queen of Heaven” in the Bible refers, not to Mary, but to a false goddess worshipped by apostate Israelites. (Jeremiah 44:15-​19) The “Queen of Heaven” may have been Ishtar (Astarte), a Babylonian goddess.

Early Christians did not worship Mary, nor did they give her any special honor. One historian states that early Christians “would have rejected cults and probably feared that undue attention to Mary might evoke a suspicion of goddess worship.”​—In Quest of the Jewish Mary.

The Bible says that God has always existed. (Psalm 90:​1, 2; Isaiah 40:28) Since he had no beginning, he cannot have a mother. Furthermore, Mary could not have held God in her womb; the Bible makes clear that even the heavens cannot contain him.​—1 Kings 8:​27.

Mary​—Mother of Jesus not “Mother of God”

Mary was Jewish by birth, and she was a direct descendant of King David. (Luke 3:​23-​31) She was highly favored by God for her faith and devotion. (Luke 1:​28) God chose her to become the mother of Jesus. (Luke 1:​31, 35) Along with her husband, Joseph, Mary had other children.​—Mark 6:3.

Although the Bible shows that Mary became a disciple of Jesus, not much additional information is given about her.​—Acts 1:​14.

Why do some consider Mary the mother of God?

The earliest evidence of devotion to Mary dates from the late fourth century C.E. At that time, the Catholic Church became the State religion of the Roman Empire. As a result, many who had a pagan background became nominal Christians. The church had also adopted the unscriptural teaching of the Trinity.

The doctrine of the Trinity led many in the church to conclude that if Jesus were God, then Mary must be the mother of God. In 431 C.E., a church council in Ephesus officially proclaimed Mary the “Mother of God.”

Mariolatry​—the excessive veneration of Mary​—flourished after this Council of Ephesus. And as those from a pagan background joined the church, images and icons of the Virgin Mary gradually took the place of their fertility goddesses, such as Artemis (Diana, to the Romans) and Isis.

In 432 C.E., Pope Sixtus III ordered a church to be built in Rome in honor of the “Mother of God.” It was built near the site of an earlier temple erected in honor of Lucina, the Roman goddess of childbirth. One author described this church as “an enduring symbol of the assimilation of the Great Mother of the pagan cults to the cult of Mary after the Christianization of Rome.”​—Mary​—The Complete Resource.

one unrepented error will lead to another error. From making and worship a false Christ, god the son they now began to see it right to dive deeper into idolatry and worship god the mother. Because it won't be right to worship god the father god the son and forget the mother

Nobody555:
Important note!
Pls ensure to make your responses short and precise. Referencing the bible is very essential. No insult on personal level or religion is allowed pls. Let's try to portray Christ in our character and how we interact with others. Don't try to force your opinions on others, it's an open discussion. When proving your point, asking questions is better than making assertions.

Since when i was in my early teens, i have been finding it hard to comprehend and believe the Trinity. I'm often told that I need to believe God as mystery. So i wonder, how can I know or walk with a mystery God?
I also wonder if the the disciples and the early church understand God as three persons in one God or one God in three persons or just one singular God, a person?

John 14:17,26
[17]He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.......
[26]But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

The question here is if the holy spirit taught the apostles and first believers everything and led them into all truth, why are we still left to believe God as mystery?
Another question is those that established the Trinity doctrine years later after the early christians, were they led by the holy spirit?

"Trinitarians believe that the one God eternally exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, co-equal and co-eternal, having precisely the same nature and attributes, and worthy of precisely the same worship, confidence, and obedience".

Now this thread will focus mainly on the "COEQUALNESS" of the Trinity members. Other qualities will be discussed in my subsequent thread.
Is the Father greater than the son?
Are YHWH and Jesus really coequal?

John 14:28
[28]Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.
1 Corinthians 11:3
[3]But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

When demons and men invented trinity, they probably felt, since man sees God has mysterious and beyond comprehension let us make something that is beyond their reasoning, very complex beyond logic and they will see it as God because it is beyond them. But that is also what confusion and chaos is, 100 ways in attempt to understand three gods as one god

DappaD:
THE THREAT : External threats such as decay and opposition have not destroyed the Bible. Yet, some copyists and translators have attempted to alter the Bible’s message. At times, they have tried to make the Bible conform to their doctrines rather than conform their doctrines to the Bible. Consider some examples:

Place of worship : Between the fourth and second centuries B.C.E., the writers of the Samaritan Pentateuch inserted after Exodus 20:17 the words “in Aargaareezem. And there you shall build an altar.” The Samaritans thus hoped to make the Scriptures support their construction of a temple on “Aargaareezem,” or Mount Gerizim.

Trinity doctrine : Less than 300 years after the Bible was completed, a Trinitarian writer added to 1 John 5:7 the words “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” That statement did not appear in the original text. “From the sixth century onwards,” notes Bible scholar Bruce Metzger, those words were “found more and more frequently in manuscripts of the Old Latin and of the [Latin] Vulgate.”

Divine name : Citing a Jewish superstition as their authority, many Bible translators decided to remove the divine name from the Scriptures. They replaced that name with titles such as “God” or “Lord,” expressions applied in the Bible not only to the Creator but also to men, objects of false worship, and even the Devil.​—John 10:34, 35; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 4:4. *

HOW THE BIBLE SURVIVED : First, although some Bible copyists were careless or even deceitful, many others were highly skilled and meticulous. Between the sixth and tenth centuries C.E., the Masoretes copied the Hebrew Scriptures and produced what is known as the Masoretic text. They reportedly counted the words and the letters to verify that no mistakes crept in. Where they suspected errors in the master text they were using, they noted these in the margin. The Masoretes refused to tamper with the Bible text. “Interfering with it purposely,” wrote Professor Moshe Goshen-Gottstein, “would have been for them the worst crime possible.”

Second, the sheer volume of manuscripts today actually helps Bible scholars to spot errors. For example, religious leaders taught for centuries that their Latin versions contained the authentic Bible text. Yet, at 1 John 5:7, they had inserted the spurious words referred to earlier in this article. The error even crept into the influential English King James Version! But when other manuscripts were discovered, what did they reveal? Bruce Metzger wrote: “The passage [at 1 John 5:7] is absent from the manuscripts of all ancient versions (Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Arabic, Slavonic), except the Latin.” As a result, revised editions of the King James Version and other Bibles have removed the erroneous phrase.

Do older manuscripts prove that the Bible’s message has been preserved? When the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947, scholars could at last compare the Hebrew Masoretic text to what appeared in Bible scrolls that had been written more than a thousand years earlier. A member of the editorial team of the Dead Sea Scrolls concluded that one scroll “provides irrefutable proof that the transmission of the biblical text through a period of more than one thousand years by the hands of Jewish copyists has been extremely faithful and careful.”

The Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland, features a collection of papyri that represents nearly every book of the Christian Greek Scriptures, including manuscripts dating from the second century C.E.​—only about 100 years after the Bible was completed. “Although the Papyri supply a wealth of new information on textual detail,” The Anchor Bible Dictionary observes, “they also demonstrate remarkable stability in the transmission history of the biblical text.”


THE RESULT : Rather than corrupting the Bible text, the age and multitude of Bible manuscripts have actually improved it. “No other ancient book has anything like such early and plentiful testimony to its text,” wrote Sir Frederic Kenyon about the Christian Greek Scriptures, “and no unbiased scholar would deny that the text that has come down to us is substantially sound.” And regarding the Hebrew Scriptures, scholar William Henry Green stated: “It may be safely said that no other work of antiquity has been so accurately transmitted.”


Source : www.jw.org
Link : https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-no4-2016-july/bible-changed-or-tampered/

They didn't add a clear lie which says Father son and holy spirit are gods but they did just enough to tamper and infer, that's what is called subtlety so even those who knew or memorize the main text would get confused at such addition.

But even at that, the Father and the word and the Holy Spirit are one in agreement and in testimony that Jesus is the son of God

Worth reading how this is a fulfillment of the words of Jesus to John through the letters to the church. The mixed marriage, imbibing every strange religion and doctrine since the early centuries so much so that true believers would not understand the truth anymore even if they found it

tomakint:
The Mistakes Of Constantine That Birthed The Trinity Doctrine, Paganism With Christianity!


God is Supreme and He Alone Is One but how come some Christians refer to Jesus Christ as the Almighty God (Yahweh) When the Bible never said so. Below is my take with references from the Holy Scriptures why the doctrine of Trinity should not be adopted as a means of referencing the Godhead because of its origin;

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" (Deuteronomy 6:4)

"I Saw In The Night Visions, And, Behold, One Like The Son Of Man (Jesus Christ) Came With The Clouds Of Heaven, And Came To The Ancient Of Days (God Almighty Father, Yahweh), And They Brought Him Near Before Him." (Daniel 7: 13)

"The Revelation Of Jesus Christ, Which God (Yahweh, Jehovah) Gave Unto Him, To Shew Unto His Servants Things Which Must Shortly Come To Pass; And He Sent And Signified It By His Angel Unto His Servant John:" (Revelation 1:1)

"Jesus Said Unto Them, If God Were Your Father, Ye Would Love Me: For I proceeded Forth And Came From God (Yahweh); Neither Came I Of Myself, But He Sent Me." (John 8: 42) 

How Come Trinitarians Are Preaching Three Gods With Equal Powers And Strength When The Bible Never Said So. What Do You Believe? Bible Never Calls Jesus As God Almighty But Calls Him Only Begotten Son Of God Who Is Subservient To God Almighty And Was Sent By God To Redeem All Mankind To God Almighty By The Shedding Of His Precious Blood As Instructed By The Ancient Of Days.

Origin of the Doctrine of Trinity

Did you care to know the origin of trinity and what it stands for? I guess you don't know, let me help you:


"What occurred at the Council of Nicea?"

The Council of Nicea took place in AD 325 by order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Nicea was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople. At the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine presided over a group of church bishops and other leaders with the purpose of defining the nature of God for all of Christianity and eliminating confusion, controversy, and contention within the church. The Council of Nicea overwhelmingly affirmed the deity and eternality of Jesus Christ and defined the relationship between the Father and the Son as “of one substance.” It also affirmed the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were listed as three co-equal and co-eternal Persons.

Constantine, who claimed conversion to Christianity, called for a meeting of bishops to be held in Nicea to resolve some escalating controversies among the church leadership. The issues being debated included the nature of Jesus Christ, the proper date to celebrate Easter, and other matters. The failing Roman Empire, now under Constantine’s rule, could not withstand the division caused by years of hard-fought, “out of hand” arguing over doctrinal differences. The emperor saw the quarrels within the church not only as a threat to Christianity but as a threat to society as well. Therefore, at the Council of Nicea, Constantine encouraged the church leaders to settle their internal disagreements and become Christlike agents who could bring new life to a troubled empire. Constantine felt “called” to use his authority to help bring about unity, peace, and love within the church.

The main theological issue had always been about Christ. Since the end of the apostolic age, Christians had begun debating these questions: Who is the Christ? Is He more divine than human or more human than divine? Was Jesus created or begotten? Being the Son of God, is He co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, or is He lower in status than the Father? Is the Father the one true God, or are the Father, Son, and Spirit the one true God?

A priest named Arius presented his argument that Jesus Christ was not an eternal being, that He was created at a certain point in time by the Father. Bishops such as Alexander and the deacon Athanasius argued the opposite position: that Jesus Christ is eternal, just like the Father is. It was an argument pitting trinitarianism against monarchianism.

Constantine prodded the 300 bishops in the council make a decision by majority vote defining who Jesus Christ is. The statement of doctrine they produced was one that all of Christianity would follow and obey, called the “Nicene Creed.” This creed was upheld by the church and enforced by the Emperor. The bishops at Nicea voted to make the full deity of Christ the accepted position of the church. The Council of Nicea upheld the doctrine of Christ’s true divinity, rejecting Arius’s heresy. The council did not invent this doctrine. Rather, it only recognized what the Bible already taught.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus the Messiah should be worshipped, which is to say He is co-equal with God. The New Testament forbids the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18; Revelation 22:8, 9) but commands worship of Jesus. The apostle Paul tells us that “in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9; 1:19). Paul declares Jesus as Lord and the One to whom a person must pray for salvation (Romans 10:9-13; cf. Joel 2:32). “Jesus is God overall” (Romans 9:5) and our God and Savior (Titus 2:13). Faith in Jesus’ deity is basic to Paul’s theology.

John’s Gospel declares Jesus to be the divine, eternal Logos, the agent of creation and source of life and light (John 1:1-5,9); "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6); our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2); the Sovereign (Revelation 1:5); and the Son of God from the beginning to the end (Revelation 22:13). The author of Hebrews reveals the deity of Jesus through His perfection as the most high priest (Hebrews 1; Hebrews 7:1-3). The divine-human Savior is the Christian’s object of faith, hope, and love.

The Council of Nicea did not invent the doctrine of the deity of Christ. Rather, the Council of Nicea affirmed the apostles’ teaching of who Christ is—the one true God and the Second Person of the Trinity, with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

N.B: It is not known why the term "Trinity" was adopted by these 300 Bishops assembled by Constantine the Great, because throughout the Biblical teachings through the Prophets and other writers until the time of Christ manifestations there was no concrete expository teachings in the Bible equating the power of Christ to God Almighty either in substance or in authority but that these two personalities are different and distinct beings with a clear definition of superiority from God Almighty (Yahweh) to Jesus Christ (God's Almighty Only  Begotten Son), sent from above, which was clearly against their positions at this meeting on Trinity. One unique outcome from this Episcopal meeting at the Council of Nicea is that, Jesus Christ remains a Divine Being that deserves to be worshipped as mandated upon him by His Father in Heaven, God Almighty. 

"Who was Constantine the Great?"

Constantine the Great (AD 280—337) was one of Rome’s most powerful and successful emperors and the first to self-identify as a Christian. He is known for his economic, political, and military achievements, as well as his religious reforms. Medieval writers praised him as the ideal ruler, against whom all kings were measured. Over time, his reign was viewed with waning enthusiasm. Historians also began to debate how committed Constantine was to Christianity or how devoutly he actually followed it. Constantine was influential in Christian history for his personal faith, religious politics, issuing the Edict of Milan, and calling the Council of Nicea.

Constantine was the son of a Roman official and his Christian concubine. This placed him in line to succeed the throne of the Western Roman Empire. At age 31, he prepared to attack his chief rival with an army outnumbered 4-to-1. Before the battle, Constantine claimed to have seen a vision of Jesus, with a specific symbol, telling him, “By this sign, conquer.” Constantine ordered his troops to mark their shields with this symbol, the Chi-Rho, then a symbol commonly representing Christianity. The Chi-Rho combines the first two letters in the Greek word for “Christ” and resembles a capital P with an X drawn through the spine. Constantine’s forces routed the enemy, and he became emperor. The Chi-Rho symbol would be part of Constantine’s personal signature for the rest of his life.

As emperor, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which declared Roman citizens free to worship whatever gods they chose. The Edict of Milan ended longstanding persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. At that time, Constantine did not (yet) claim to be a Christian himself, nor did he advocate for an official state religion. Based on his continued use of certain pagan symbols, scholars believe Constantine’s early religion was generally theistic, rather than specifically Christian. His boldness in using Christian language grew during his reign. After assuming control of the entire Roman Empire, he built lavish churches and came to openly espouse Christianity.

During Constantine’s reign, controversy arose over the teachings of Arius, who denied the full divinity of Jesus. Constantine called a meeting of Christian bishops, the Council of Nicea, to settle the dispute. Contrary to popular myth, this meeting did not discuss the canon of the Bible, nor was Constantine influential in the council’s decisions. Emperors saw themselves as responsible for promoting “correct” forms of worship; Constantine’s interest was not to declare orthodoxy but to let the bishops determine it so that he could enforce it. Further, Constantine was not known for his philosophical ability and found himself lost in deeper discussions of theology. Rather, he acted as the council’s mediator and host, roles at which he excelled.

Constantine’s Christian faith has frequently been critiqued, if not questioned outright. On one hand, he made great strides in securing political and social rights for Christians and initiating general humanitarian reforms. He poured time and money into building churches and publicly supporting Christianity. Particularly toward the end of his reign, Constantine vocally professed faith in Christ and credited his success to God. He was baptized shortly before his death, according to the common practice of his time.

On the other hand, Constantine continued many pagan practices, including veneration of the sun. His interest in Christian orthodoxy was motivated primarily by a desire to maintain social order. There are also reasons to suspect that Constantine was as ruthless toward rivals as prior emperors had been. One of his sons, a brother-in-law, and his second wife were executed for reasons still unknown. He freely blended pagan practices with Christian beliefs, leading scholars to suggest his public adoption of Christianity might have been a savvy political move, linking him to a rising social force in the Roman Empire.

Ultimately, whether Constantine was a committed Christian, a shrewd, Christian-friendly politician, or something in between is an open question. Without doubt, he ended centuries of persecution and greatly enhanced the social standing of Christianity. He committed resources to churches and Christian education, and his leadership helped to clarify important Christian doctrines. However, Constantine’s actions resulted in some negative complications. Free from persecution, the church naturally attracted more false converts. The melding of Christian themes with secular politics set a pattern that contributed to later disasters such as the Inquisition and the Crusades. Constantine’s blending of pagan, building-and-priest-centered worship with Christianity also contributed to the rise of Roman Catholicism.

Constantine’s legacy is complex and not wholly understood, but he stands as one of the dominant figures in Christian history. Without doubt, his influence transformed Christianity from a persecuted minority into the eventual state religion of the Roman Empire and the most widespread faith in history.

Knowing who Emperor Flavius Constantine was and his beliefs according to his history will tell the Church clearly what is the Bible standpoint on some teachings before the outcome of the Council of Nicea as advocated for and supported by the Emperor. 

Read and Understand!

that was the day a new god was voted in, called god the son not a king coming to destroy his empire. But a god

alBHAGDADI:
Hello everyone.

There is a particular verse people who don't believe Jesus is God often pull out from the Bible to butress their point. But the sad part for them is that the verse actually proves he is God. The verse is usually used by Jehovah's witnesses and Muslims to state that Jesus is not God and that the Trinity doctrine is false. Read the verse below.



Luke 18:18-19

18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.


Jehovah's witnesses and Muslims are always quick to show people this verse. They say Jesus said it is only God that is good, which means every other being including Jesus are not good. To them, that alone proves he is not God. But is that what Jesus said? Let's examine his words.


“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."

Lets ask them a question: Is Jesus Christ good? Their obvious answer will be an emphatic YES.

Now, if they agree that Jesus is good, while he says that only God is good, isn't that a clear admittance that Jesus is God?

The Bible which Jehovah's witnesses think they believe in strongly points out how good Jesus is. The Quran which Muslims believe in does the same.


1 Peter 2:22
WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

1 John 3:5
You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

1 Peter 1:18-19
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.


The above Bible verses show that Jesus was sinless all through his stay on Earth. Being sinless means you are good. If Jehovah's witnesses believe Jesus is good, then they should also believe he is God because he clearly stated so. There's no way they can say he is not good, because it will mean that God offered an imperfect sacrifice for the redemption of mankind, which isn't so.


1 Peter 1:18-19
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.


Now, the Quran verse below proves that Jesus is good and faultless when the news of his coming was given.

He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. Sura Maryam 19:19 (Pickthal)

If the Bible and Quran both agree that Jesus was sinless, faultless and good, then it means He is God. His statement that only God is good is a clear statement that He is God because He is Good.

Here is someone who believes man cannot be without sin and that's what the devil wants you to believe. He doesn't want you to believe that you can be purified and without sin and the only way you can be sinless is if you are God.

Every lie from the devil has a purpose to corrupt you and leave you corrupted

Restroom:
Is this doctrine really accurate:

that God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are one?

I believe it is false.

Among us humans, we have seniority and hierarchy.

We have our fathers, who are the head

We have our mothers, who are subject to the husbands and children, who are subject to the fathers and mothers.

You see, it is clear....

But when it comes to God, churches have twisted it the other way round, so much so that common sense is no longer common.

So people now Believe God is a trinity, 3 in one.

Churches have turn God into a 3 face idol, and worshipped the way they like.

According to John 3:16, God sent his son to the earth, to save those who exercise faith in Jesus.

The question now is, Was it God who came to die for us?

Did God Send God to come and die for our sin?

Well, the messenger and sender , who is greater?

That account at John 3:16, simply shows that there is seniority in the relationship between God and his son.It also, shows that God is more powerful and has greater authority. Also, it shows that the two entities are distinct. God is God, our creator while Jesus is the firstborn son or creation(Colossians 1:15).

God was not created but Jesus was created.

Yet, people still open their eyes wide open and let religious leaders deceive them that God, the Ancient of Days, The Alpha and the Omega, and his creation, his first born son are equal and are one.

Can a father and his son be mate?

The churches of the world says yes!

The Bible book of John 14:28 States in part:

'the Father is greater than I am'.

Now, this quote was made by Jesus himself.Does this not show, that even Jesus is well aware that he is below his father, and not equal to God.

Yet people keep saying God, and his son and holy spirit are equal.

Take it or leave it:

Jesus said:

The father is greater than I am.

That explains why he was sent by his father as Messiah to the earth.

The doctrine of trinity is another satanic doctrine he uses to mislead billions of people into believing the wrong things about God and also receiving their Worship.

Those who worship the Trinity god,
of god the father, god the son and god the holy spirit, are giving their worship to idols. They are worshipping Satan unknowingly.

1Cor.8:5,6 states:

for even though there are so called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords", there is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him,and there is one Lord,Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and we through him.'

So, it is clear, there is one God, the Father
and
a distinct Lord, Jesus Christ .

That is what the bible teaches.

God is our creator, the father of all, including Jesus Christ.

so accepting a doctrine that puts the created or creation on the same pedestal as the creator is an insult on God's person, sovereignty, goodness and power.

Obviously, those pedalling this evil doctrine, have forgotten what is called common sense.

God and his son, are not mates.

They are a father and son relationship.

They don't want to believe the truth because they would be persecuted, I read recently they harassed and persecuted tb Joshua for the same reason because he doesn't believe that Jesus is God. They attack anyone who doesn't believe in the Trinity, Muslims, Jws, they will accuse you or being one of them, a heretic a child of the devil all because of the doctrine of nicolaitans the creed of Nicene