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The God Who Is
The Deity Of Christ
The doctrine of the Trinity is closely related to the doctrine of the Deity of Christ which teaches that Jesus Christ is God in flesh. To believe in the Deity, or Divinity, of Christ is to believe Him to be God incarnate; it is to believe that He is "Immanuel"—"God with us."
No one who believes in the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity rejects the doctrine of the Deity of Christ. However, there are some people, principally those identified with the apostolic church, sometimes referred to as "Jesus only" people, who teach that Christ is Divine, that He is God incarnate, but who deny the doctrine of the Trinity. These people generally follow the Pentecostal teachings of William Branham. Since they do accept the Deity of Christ, some are true brethren having been "born again," and who possess real affection for the Lord. However their doctrine is impure, and should therefore be shunned.
So necessary is the doctrine of the Deity of Christ that the credibility and the veracity of a person and of a church can be known by this single doctrine. The Deity of Christ lies at the heart of Bible doctrine. It is essential that it be taught, and it is essential that it be believed. Although a man stands behind a pulpit wearing a robe and a clerical collar, if he denies that Jesus Christ is God come in flesh, he is not a Christian. It does not matter if he has an earned doctorate degree, and is respected by the theological community—he will not be in heaven. He may be a Baptist, a Pentecostal, a Methodist, a Presbyterian or he may belong to some other "church," but he is not a Christian.
The doctrine of the Deity of Christ is absolutely essential to Christianity. A man who does not believe Christ is Divine is an unbeliever. Every attempt to form a "fellowship" with unbelievers is folly and wickedness. John declares "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (I John 1:3b) .
The apostle Paul warned, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, `I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
"`Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord, `and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,' saith the Lord Almighty" (II Corinthians 6:14-18). Reader, I never cease to be amazed how unbelievers can be maintained as professors in church seminaries as if they were "Baptists," or "Methodists," or "Lutherans," etc. when in fact they are not Christians.
The Trinity
The doctrine of the Trinity is a cardinal teaching in Scripture. Trinitarians have never taught the existence of three Gods. This is a lie foisted upon them by unbelievers down through the centuries. In recent years, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, the Unitarians and others have taught this lie as if it were true. The Bible teaches there is one God eternally existing in three Persons.
Neither do Trinitarians teach, as do the followers of William Branham, that the Father first appeared in time, and later revealed Himself as the person of the Lord Jesus, and who now appears or manifests Himself as the Holy Spirit. This is known as "Sabellianism" and will be treated under the heresies involving the person of Christ. The Bible teaches there are three Persons in the Godhead; yet there is only one God.
The Doctrines Promulgated
Nature itself teaches the doctrine of the Trinity. For instance the creation is composed of 3 things: time, space and matter. Time itself is made up of 3 things: the past, the present, and the future. Space is composed of 3 things: length, width and height. And matter is made up of 3 things: solids, liquids, and gases.
There are 3 primary colors: red, yellow and blue. And, there are 3 secondary colors: orange, green, and purple.
Man, being made in the image of God, is tri-partite being composed of a body, a soul, and a spirit. His personality involves 3 things: his intellect, his emotion, and his volition, or will.
The Great Commission
In Matthew chapter 28, in verses 19 and 20 we find the "Great Commission." "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Note, first, that we are commanded to teach the nations. Mark said we are to "preach the gospel to every creature," i.e. to all men everywhere (Mark 16:15). We are here commanded to teach all men: the ignorant as well as the educated; the poor as well as the wealthy; to all men: red, yellow, black, white. All men are precious in the sight of God whatever their distinction. The best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures themselves.
Note, second, those churches are unscriptural that spend all their time "evangelizing." We are here commanded to "teach"—to teach "nations"—to teach "all nations—to teach all nations "all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Preaching that substitutes "whoop and holler" for teaching is what Scripture calls "zeal ...not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). Such preaching is but empty emotionalism.
Good preaching involves teaching. Paul asked, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" (Romans 10:14). Good preaching always has good teaching. Note, third, that we are commanded to baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." This is properly known as "The Baptismal Formula."