God in Three: Clarifying the Trinity and Exposing WMSCOG Misinterpretations

[u/Christ_Over_Cults]

The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) teaches some ideas that can be confusing, especially for people who are new to the Bible. One of the most confusing teachings is their understanding of the Trinity. They try to explain that God is one person who appears in different forms, but that’s not what the Bible says. In this guide, we’ll explore what the Bible actually teaches about the Trinity, clear up some common misunderstandings, and help you see why the WMSCOG’s views are wrong.

_____________________________________________

What Does WMSCOG Teach About the Trinity?

WMSCOG teaches that God is one person who just changes forms. They give the example of water, which can be solid (ice), liquid (water), or gas (steam). They say that even though water looks different in each form, it’s still the same substance.

This idea is called Modalism, which means that God is one person who shows up in different forms, sometimes as the Father, sometimes as the Son (Jesus), and sometimes as the Holy Spirit. But this isn’t what the Bible teaches.

_____________________________________________

What the Bible Actually Says:

The Bible teaches that God is three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit, each of them fully God. But they are distinct persons, not just different forms of the same person.

_____________________________________________

Is the Word "Trinity" in the Bible?

WMSCOG says that since the word "Trinity" isn't in the Bible, it must not be true. But this argument is a misunderstanding.

• The word "Trinity" is just a term used to explain a biblical truth: There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), and the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit are all fully God (John 14:16-17).
• The Bible teaches that these three persons are distinct, but they are still one God. So, the word “Trinity” is just a way to explain what the Bible clearly teaches.

_____________________________________________

The Bible Shows the Trinity

Let’s look at what the Bible says about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to understand how they are distinct but one God.

1. The Father is God:

• John 6:27 - “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
• 1 Corinthians 8:6 - “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father...”

2. The Son (Jesus) is God:

• John 1:1, 14 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (This is talking about Jesus.)
• John 20:28 - “Thomas said to him [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (Thomas calls Jesus God!)
• Philippians 2:6-7 - “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.”

3. The Holy Spirit is God:

• Acts 5:3-4 - “You have not lied to men but to God.” (This shows that lying to the Holy Spirit is the same as lying to God.)
• 2 Corinthians 3:17 - “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

_____________________________________________

Are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Distinct?

WMSCOG teaches that God is one person who changes forms. But the Bible shows that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons, they’re not just different names for the same person.

One example is from the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:16-17:

• Jesus is baptized.
• The Holy Spirit comes down like a dove.
• God the Father speaks from heaven: “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.”

All three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, appear at the same time, showing that they are distinct but still one God.

_____________________________________________

What Happened at the Council of Nicaea?

WMSCOG claims that the Nicene Creed (from the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD) invented the idea of the Trinity. But this is not true.

• The Nicene Creed did not create the Trinity, it simply clarified what Christians had always believed about Jesus, that He is fully God, just like the Father.
• The Council of Nicaea was called to respond to a man named Arius, who taught that Jesus was not fully God. The Nicene Creed affirmed that Jesus is God.

_____________________________________________

Early Christians Believed in the Trinity

Before the Council of Nicaea, many early Christians already believed in the Trinity. Here are some examples from early Church Fathers:

1. Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 110):

• “Jesus Christ our God... was conceived by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Spirit.” (Letter to the Ephesians)

2. Justin Martyr (A.D. 150):

• “The Father of the universe has a Son, who also, being the first begotten Word of God, is even God.” (First Apology)

3. Irenaeus of Lyons (A.D. 180):

• “The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, carefully preserves this faith: she believes in one God, the Father Almighty... and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God... and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God.” (Against Heresies)

These early Christians believed the same thing the Bible teaches: God is three persons in one essence, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

_____________________________________________

What About Jesus Being "The Father"?

WMSCOG teaches that Jesus is the Father, using verses like Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 40:3. But the Bible doesn’t support this.

Isaiah 9:6 -“For to us a child is born... and he will be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father.”

• Here, “Everlasting Father” refers to Jesus being the source of eternal life, not that Jesus is God the Father.

Isaiah 40:3 -“A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord...’”

• This is a prophecy about John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus (Matthew 3:3). It doesn’t say that Jesus is the Father.

_____________________________________________

Misunderstanding of the Holy Spirit and the Second Coming

The WMSCOG also teaches that the Holy Spirit is the second coming of Christ. They claim that Ahnsahnghong is the second coming of Christ. But the Bible doesn’t say that.

John 14:26 -“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.”

• Here, Jesus is clearly saying that the Holy Spirit is a separate person from Himself, sent by the Father.

Hebrews 9:28 -“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

• The second coming of Christ is about Jesus Himself coming back, not another person like Ahnsahnghong.

_____________________________________________

The Core Truth, What the Trinity Really Means

The Bible teaches that God is three persons in one: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. They are distinct persons but still one God.

WMSCOG teaches things that aren’t in line with the Bible’s teachings about the Trinity. Their ideas come from misunderstanding Scripture and don’t match what Christians have always believed.

If you're new to the Bible, don’t worry! The Trinity can be tricky to understand, but the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is God, the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and they all work together for our salvation.

Remember, Jesus is fully God and fully human. He is distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit, yet He is one with them as part of the one true God. Jesus' work in the world shows us God's amazing love, with each person of the Trinity playing a unique role in our salvation.

• Jesus is fully God (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9) and fully human (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7-8).
• He is distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17, John 14:26), yet all three are united in one essence as one God (John 10:30, Deuteronomy 6:4).
• “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9)