THE ADULTERATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

Revelation 22:18-19

Although the warning in Revelation applies specifically to the Book of Revelation, its principle is applied to the entire Word of God. We must be careful to handle the Bible with care and reverence to not distort its message.

When we pick verses out of the context in which the author wrote them, we’re not just mishandling Scripture. We’re changing how we view God in His Word. One of the greatest dangers of misapplying Scripture is the risk of theological error. The authors God inspired to write the Bible intentionally phrased their work in specific ways. As any writer would, they built the narrative thought upon thought, purposely arranging the accounts to send a message about who God is, was, and will be. Misquoting, misusing, and misapplying Scripture causes us to miss out on the full meaning of God’s Word. 

When we take verses out of context we miss out on the true meaning of those verses. We might be getting a partial truth from the out-of-context version, but it’s not the whole truth. We’re missing the big theological concepts that teach us the most about God. When we do this repeatedly with the Word, we end up with a limited, incomplete view of God.

WHY DID GOD ALLOW “CONFUSING” VERSES?

They are understandable when studied in their original background and context, which is non-Trinitarian. The supposed Trinitarian proof texts can be explained in a non-Trinitarian way to harmonize with the rest of Scripture.

God uses difficult sayings to winnow out those who do not hunger and search for truth but who are satisfied with human traditions (Matthew 13:13-15; John 6:41, 51-60, 66).

THE TRINITY: A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO UNDERSTAND

The following statement is a quote from a book written by a well-known Trinitarian author, “The Trinity is one of the most complex doctrines of Christian theology. The Trinity teaches that there is one God in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (or Word), and the Holy Spirit. Each person is equally divine, but each has a distinct role in the work of salvation. This doctrine is difficult to understand because it goes beyond our human understanding. The concept of three persons in one God is something that escapes our logical reasoning.”

MATTHEW 28:19

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three of the many titles held by the one God whose name is Jesus. God did not command us to call upon titles in baptism but to call upon His name. The name of Jesus is the only name given for salvation (Acts 4:11-12, 1 John 2:12) and is the name above every name (Philippians 2:8-11); therefore the true Church does everything in the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:17), and this includes baptism.

THE TRIUNES ISOLATE MATTHEW 28:19 FROM ITS CONTEXT

One of the basic rules of hermeneutics states that “when interpreting scripture we should not take a text out of its context.” The Trinity heresy has distorted the biblical teaching related to baptism, isolating Matthew 28:19 from the biblical context of the teaching on baptism. By removing Matthew 28:19 from its context, they have come up with the pretext that Matthew 28:19 speaks of a certain Trinitarian baptismal formula or that it teaches the dogma of the Trinity, but nowhere in Matthew 28:19, or the entire Bible, is it said that there are three distinct persons and one true God. It is a serious offense for one to commit such an outrage against the truth revealed in Scripture about the One God. (Acts 4:11-12)

The baptismal formula in the name of Jesus was dominant within Christianity until the end of the third century when it was replaced by the Trinitarian formula (which is based on an erroneous interpretation of the text of Matthew 28:19) in which the invocation of the name of Jesus is ignored and emphasis is placed on the verbal invocation “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The Trinitarian formula has been used as a means to justify the anti-biblical doctrine of the Trinity.

Historically speaking, the first apparent mention of the triple baptismal formula was in Justin Martyr's first apology, (Tradition and Philosophy in the Development of the Trinitarian Doctrine). Many Trinitarians even use this quote to claim that the Ancient Church baptized in the triple formula.

Trinitarians have derived a baptismal doctrine using a single text, thus going against the most basic rule of interpretation that teaches that one cannot make doctrine from a single biblical verse. When interpreting the Holy Scriptures, one must take into account parallel passages, "that is those passages that in other places in the Bible refer to the same historical fact, the same teaching, exhortation or similar subject. (Matthew 28:16-20, compare with the parallel passages in Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23.)

THE GREAT COMMISSION IN THE 4 GOSPELS

In the gospel according to Matthew, the great commission emphasizes the fact of making disciples, the disciple is made by baptism, once baptized, this disciple must obey the teachings of his teacher (Matthew 28:16-20.)

1) Jesus speaks to the eleven disciples. 2) Jesus tells them: “All power is given unto me both in heaven and on earth.” 3) He commands them to go and make disciples. 4) He commands them to go to all nations. 5) Baptizing them. 6) Teach them to keep all the things that he was commanding them. 7) Jesus would be with them until the end of the world.

The triunes isolate Matthew 28:19 from its context. The Trinity has distorted the biblical teaching related to baptism, isolating Matthew 28:19 from the biblical context of the teaching on baptism. By detaching Matthew 28:19 from its context, it has come up with the pretext that Matthew 28:19 speaks of a certain Trinitarian baptismal formula or that it teaches the dogma of the Trinity, but nowhere in Matthew 28:19, or the entire Bible, is it said that there are three distinct persons and one true God (Acts 4:11-12).

In the gospel according to Mark 16:14-20, the emphasis is placed on what is related to the salvation of our soul, without leaving aside the discipleship that Matthew teaches. Mark refers to the need for salvation and what is needed to not be condemned and also emphasizes the ordinance of preaching his gospel for salvation.

In the gospel according to Luke 24:36-49, the mandate of Jesus is shown to us differently. This passage emphasizes the revelation that our God makes at that time to his disciples (Luke 24: 44-49). He opens their understanding so that they can understand the scriptures. He commands them to preach “Repentance” in his name. He commands them to preach “forgiveness of sins” in his name. He would send the promise so that they would be clothed with power from on high.

In the gospel according to John 20:19-23, it is taught about the forgiveness of sins, the power to remit (forgive) or retain sins. ​​Just as he was sent, so he sent them. To whom you remit sins, they are remitted (forgiven). To whom you retain them (sins), they are retained.

We can say that the Great Commission presented in the four gospels in summary was the following: 1) Make disciples, 2) Baptize them, for salvation to all who believed. 3) Preach in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sins. 4) They would receive power and the sign of believing in His name.

THREE BEAR WITNESS

1 John 5:7: This text, “For there are three that bear witness in heaven,” was adulterated to introduce the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Catholic Version “The Holy Bible”, Ecumenical Edition, Direct Version of the Primitive Texts says as follows: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven […]… I John 5:7-8. “For there are three that bear witness [in heaven the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth]: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree.

Note these marks […] in the verses above, including the part that says […in heaven the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth]. These signs are called brackets and are used in writing to bring different things together. In the commentary on 1 John 5:7-8, it says: “What is in brackets is not in the ancient Greek text and is also missing in many Latin manuscripts, its authenticity having been much discussed.” A few lines further down it says: “The controversial passage was finally the subject of two resolutions of the ecclesiastical magisterium, which Father Bonsirven refers to as follows: “The Sacred Congregation of the Inquisition, had declared in a decree confirmed… by Leo XIII that it could not be denied or doubted that… I John 5:7 is authentic.”

The Moody Bible Commentary says the following: “In I John 5:7 the text of this verse should read, as the “Reina Valera Revised” reads, “For there are three who bear witness…” Not a single manuscript contains the Trinitarian addition before the fourteenth century and the verse is never cited in Trinitarian controversies in the first 450 years of the Christian era.” Furthermore, this commentator emphatically states that during the first 450 years of Christianity, there were many disputes regarding the doctrine of the Trinity, but in these first 450 years, those who defended this doctrine never cited I John 5:7-8 as support. Why did they not cite I John 5:7? Because these verses had not yet been altered!

In the New Testament translated from the original Greek by Pablo Besson, who omits the alteration of verse 7, and in a note says: “V. 7 of the three witnesses in heaven is missing in the Greek manuscripts. The Trinitarian formula was interpolated many years after the original writing.” The two complete verses in the original should read: “For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood.”

Another reference version is “God Comes to Man”, a direct translation of the original Greek text. This version says in 1 John 5:7-8: “There are three witnesses: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” Also, the “Interlinear Greek Spanish New Testament” by Francisco Lacueva, which in I John 5:7-8 says: “For there are three who testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are in agreement.”

These translations do not have the included error:

God Speaks Today – New Living Translation – New International Version – Word of God for All – New World Translation (Jehovah's Witnesses)

Reina Valera Revised – Reina Valera Contemporanea (These have the brackets included)

I John 5:6 states that Jesus Christ came through water and blood, and not just water. This is important because it represents Jesus' life and death. Water symbolizes baptism and purification, while blood represents the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. Together, water and blood are a confirmation of Jesus' divine and human nature.

Jesus' blood represents the ultimate sacrifice he made on the cross to save us from sin and death. Water, a symbol of purification, and blood, a testimony to the sacrifice, offer us comfort and hope.

THE LAMB AND THE ONE ON THE THRONE (Revelation 5:1-7)

In Genesis 49:9 Jacob blesses his son, Judah, calling him “a lion’s whelp,” which is why Jesus Christ, the supreme member of this tribe, is called in verse 5 “…the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH…”; however, for further clarification of his identity, it is clarified a little by saying: “…THE ROOT OF DAVID…” here root comes from the Greek jriza, which means cause, origin, source.

In the genealogy of Luke Chapter 3, we find that it says: “…David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed…” (v32), but later we continue reading: “…Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God” (v38), so the root, source, cause, origin of David is GOD HIMSELF (THE FATHER).

In Revelation 22:16 it says: “I JESUS ​​have sent my angel…I AM THE ROOT AND THE OFFSPRING OF DAVID…” Here it is declared to us that Jesus is that ROOT (GOD), but also the offspring of David, because in the flesh he was also his descendant.

In verse 6, John sees a lamb instead of a Lion, here the symbolic language contained in this passage of scripture is shown since it appears with seven eyes that symbolize the seven spirits of GOD and his omniscience (Proverbs 15:3); Furthermore, it has seven horns that signify the magnitude of God's power and his Omnipotence and undoubtedly refers to the function of Jesus Christ as "...the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), that is, Jesus Christ is the Lamb, but also the Lion; He is the root of David (GOD HIMSELF, THE FATHER), but also the lineage of David. The lamb represents Jesus in his humanity which is why he is “…as if slain…” (Dead) since it symbolizes his sacrifice for sin, but Revelation 4:2 says: “… behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne”, in verse 8 it says that “… it is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come”, giving us to understand that it also refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as God since in Revelation 1:8, speaking of Jesus, it says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says THE LORD, WHO IS, AND WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY”.

Revelation 5 teaches us the double nature of Jesus Christ, both in his function as a lamb slain in sacrifice for our sins, and his condition as Almighty God. Isaiah 9:6 tells us about Jesus, the Messiah, as “SON” (Lamb, humanity), but also as “STRONG GOD” AND “ETERNAL FATHER”, that is, in this symbolic language Jesus Christ was represented in his role as God (the root of David) and in his humanity as a slain lamb since God cannot be seen by men because “…he dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and everlasting dominion. Amen”.

Revelation 22:3 says: “…the throne of GOD AND OF THE LAMB…”, being a single throne established in heaven (Revelation 4:2), that is why it does not say the thrones, since God and Lamb are not two different persons but a reference to their representation as sacrifice and Almighty God, who cannot be seen as the Spirit that He is, but the body of Christ “…is the image of the invisible God…” (Colossians 1:15).