Trinity & Oneness

A. What does the Bible say about Oneness? The Son was created by the Father, which is why He is known as the Son, Revelation 3:14, John 5:26. He is never called a colleague, associate, or co-regent. Paul said the Father is head of the Son, as all fathers are, 1Corinthians 11:3. Ephesians 4:6 says the Father is above all. Several passages either tell us directly or demonstrate to us that the Father is greater than the Son:John 8:42, 13:16, 14:28, 1Corinthians 15:28, and Philippians 2:9.

Yahshua said he could do nothing of Himself but only what the Father does, John 5:19. The Father shows His supremacy by being the only one with immortality, 1Timothy 6:15, which He gives to His Son, John 5:26, 10:28.

Yahshua told a woman as well as others that they would worship the Father. The only change would be in location: "Yahshua saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father,"John 4:21. Two verses later He said, "But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him," John 4:23. In His model prayer of John 17 He tells us to pray to the Father. He never mentions the Son.

The Messiah was never really worshiped in Scripture, only given profound honor, if you follow the meaning of the Greek. While on earth He was human. Note that he made a distinction between what He was in heaven and then on earth. John 17:5 says, "And now, O Father, honor me with thine own self with the majesty which I had with you before the world was." Philippians 2:6-8 reads, "Who, being in the form of Yahweh, thought it not robbery to be equal [Gr. 2470 isos = agree together] with Yahweh: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form [Gr. 3444 morphe= nature, essence] of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the [torture] stake."

Yahshua was divested of His former Yahweh-like glory and He became physical man here on earth so that we would have a perfect example to follow in all our own trials and temptations.

For more information, watch Pastor Folliard's message exposing Modalism (Oneness):

We teach that Yahweh the Father is supreme. Yahweh's Spokesman was and is Yahshua, who is called the Word in John 1. The Holy Spirit is the essence of Yahweh's power and strength which accomplishes His will. This is evident in the Hebrew designation of the Spirit: Ruach HaKodesh, meaning the holy power (Acts 1:8, Luke 24:49).

Some have alleged that we teach a "duality" or a "twin"ity. Yahshua was clear that He is lesser than the Father. In John 14:28Yahshua said, "My Father is greater than I." In John 10:29, Yahshua said His Father "is greater than all." John 5:30 is clear that Yahshua can do nothing if it isn't in the Father's will.

Based on Scripture the Holy Spirit is the force or power of Almighty Yahweh that guides and directs His people. In Scripture the Holy Spirit is used an extension of Yahweh Himself (e.g. Luke 11:13, Eph. 4:30, 1Thess. 4:8).

The word "Spirit" is derived from the Hebrew ruach and the Greek word pneuma.

"Ruwach (roo'-akh); from OT: 7306; wind; by resemblance breath…" (Strong's Concordance). "Pneuma (pnyoo'-mah); from NT:4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit…" (Strong's Concordance).

Notice that for both words the first definition conveys the idea of wind or a current of air, neither of which are living beings, but a force or power. In the same way the Holy Spirit is the force or power of our Father in heaven. We never see anyone communicating or praying directly to the Spirit. In addition, in the opening salutations of the various New Testament books we often find the writer addressing the Father and Son, but never the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures are clear that the Father and Son are not equal. We find multiple statements that the Father is greater than the Son in both knowledge and authority:

• "But of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" (Mark 13:32, KJV).

• "Yahshua said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father" (Matt. 20:23, NIV).

• "You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I" (John 14:28, KJV).

• "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Messiah is Yahweh" (1Cor. 11:3, KJV).

• "One Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:6, KJV).

• "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:29, KJV).

For a more in-depth study, read our booklet: Identifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit in an extension of Yahweh's power and not the third person of triune majesty. It should be noted that the Holy Spirit is never directly prayed to or addressed. Instead, Yahweh uses His Spirit to guide His people into His truth. Note the definition of the word ruach (Heb. for "spirit"): "The basic meaning of ruach is both 'wind' or 'breath,' but neither is understood as essence; rather it is the power encountered in the breath and the wind, whose whence and whither remains mysterious…2. ruach as a designation for the wind is necessarily something found in motion with the power to set other things in motion…The divine designation also apparently has an intensifying function in a few passages: ruach elohim (Gen 1:2) and ruach yhwh (Isa 59:19)" (Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament, "Ruach"). This lexicon also states that ruach implies a power that is within the breath and wind, which is connected to the Name YHWH or Yahweh.

The Holy Spirit is the power emanating from Yahweh, the Heavenly Father. It can be further demonstrated through Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is not a separate being, but an inanimate power that proceeds from the Father. In Isaiah 32:15, 44:3, and Acts 2:17 the Holy Spirit is described as being poured. How can a being be "poured" into another? Titus 3:5-6 and Acts 2:33 testify that the spirit is shed. How can a being "shed" itself onto another? The Spirit is also described as something that can be stirred up, 2Tim. 1:6; quenched, 1Thes. 5:19, and renewed, 2Cor. 4:16. These attributes are far more fitting for a power than a person.

For a more in-depth study on the Trinity read our booklet: Identifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The quick answer is that hell is sheol in the Old Testament, hades in the New, and both mean the grave. The lake of fire is what Satan and the incorrigible will be thrown into and destroyed, not live forever in torment. The divine majesty is made up of Father and Son. The Holy Spirit is ruach/pneuma, their divine power likened in Scripture to the wind. The count to the Feast of Weeks is 50 days, beginning during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Our Web site has online booklets explaining all of those topics and much more. https://yrm.org/booklets/

The Holy Spirit and Yahweh are at times used inter-changeably in the Scriptures through a literary device called personification. Such is the case here. The next verse, 4, reads, "…why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto Elohim." Peter clarifies by saying that Ananias has lied to Yahweh. Ananias' fleshly desire took control of his heart, which should have remained under the influence of Yahweh through His Holy Spirit. A lie to the Spirit is the same as a lie to Yahweh.

If the Holy Spirit is a person, then why do we find:

• the Holy Spirit unnamed in Scripture
• no one praying to the Holy Spirit
• no word "Trinity" in Scripture
• the Spirit permeating everything
• the Spirit flowing like water
• the Spirit descending like a dove
• the Spirit being poured out
• part of the Spirit given at baptism
• the Spirit given in measure
• the Spirit hovering in Genesis 1
• the Spirit imparted by Yahshua's breath

We believe that Yahshua the Messiah was the firstborn of creation and that only the Father Yahweh has immortality (i.e., existed from the beginning), see 1Timothy 6:16. Clear evidence for this can be found in Colossians 1:15. Paul states there, "Who is the image of the invisible El, the firstborn of every creature." Paul here is referring to the Messiah and confirms that He was the "firstborn of every creature." The word "firstborn" comes from Greek prototokos. According to Strong's, prototokos literally means, "first-born." The Thayer's Greek Lexicon states, "...of Christ, the first born of all creation." The word "creature" comes from the Greek ktisis and refers to "original formation," Strong's. Thayer's Greek Lexicon states, "…creation, that is, a thing created; used of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation." Based on the Greek, Colossians 1:15 is literally stating that Messiah was the firstborn of creation. This obviously implies that He had a beginning and confirms that He and the Father are separate beings, especially since only the Father has immortality.

Another passage is Revelation 3:14, "...These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of El." Yahshua speaking here to John confirms that He was the beginning of Yahweh's creation. The word "beginning" comes from the Greek arche and means, "...a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)," Strong's. While it may be possible to define ache as referring to rank, based on the context, it's more likely a reference to a commencement in time. This is nearly how all Greek translators have understood this passage.

We also find evidence for Yahshua's creation in Proverbs 8:22. It states, "Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old." Many scholars believe that this passage is referring to the Messiah, as we do. If so, we see here that Yahweh "possessed" Yahshua in the beginning. This word comes from the Hebrew qanah, a primitive root. Strong's defines this word as, "...to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own." Notice that the primary meaning implies creation. This corroborates Colossians 1:15 and Revelation 3:14.

There are several issues believing that the Father and Son are the same being. For one, how do we explain the many passages showing the Son praying to or calling out to the Father? Was He speaking to Himself? Below are a few examples:

Matt 11:25: At that time Yahshua answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Sovereign of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Matt 26:42: He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Luke 23:34: Then said Yahshua, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Another issue is the Bible confirms that the Father is greater than the Son. If you have two beings, one greater and one lesser, how can they be the same? Consider the following:

John 10:29: My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

John 14:29: Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

1Cor. 11:3: But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Messiah is Yahweh.

In addition, according to Acts 2:24, the Father resurrected the Son. If the Father and Son are one being, how did He resurrect Himself, assuming we believe that he literally died for our sins? Also, how is it possible that Father being immortal could die?

I know many explain this by stating that the Messiah was "God" manifested in the flesh and the Father was "God" manifested in the spirit. There is nothing in Scripture that confirms such a notion. This is the same human reasoning that led to the Trinity. When it comes to the relationship of the Father and Son, the Bible is clear: only the Father has immortality, the Father is greater than the Son, the Son was created, and the Father and Son are two separate beings.

For additional information, please see our booklet: https://yrm.org/identifying-father-son-holy-spirit.