can colossians 2 :9 be used to deny the trinity !
in oneness understanding there are a set of verses which they believe makes their case, and here i will examine one such verse which is colossians 2 :9 --- it is said that this verse denies any useage of the trinity, that the lay out of the verse prove jesus is the one person of God.. who is all three .. the father, son and the holy spirit
whilest this ...verse seems to be in their favour .. there is something else in this passage and even book to be contending with .. and it was never pauls intention to deny what he himself may have for better words believed to the truth, even though trinity is not the bible .. paul just as every writer made it clear that Gods nature is triune / tri personal
colossians is a treatise on the defence of christ jesus being one in the same nature / being as God the father, and the holy spirit ... it is like the 1 letter of john a refutation against the gnostic beliefs, but against one particular ideal in the gnostic beliefs .. where jesus was considered to be a lesser deity than the father .. and therefore not fully God .... although over the years there has been some discussion over the exact heresy that colossian was facing ... i do believe from the letter itself we have a good idea
in oneness understanding there are a set of verses which they believe makes their case, and here i will examine one such verse which is colossians 2 :9 --- it is said that this verse denies any useage of the trinity, that the lay out of the verse prove jesus is the one person of God.. who is all three .. the father, son and the holy spirit
whilest this ...verse seems to be in their favour .. there is something else in this passage and even book to be contending with .. and it was never pauls intention to deny what he himself may have for better words believed to the truth, even though trinity is not the bible .. paul just as every writer made it clear that Gods nature is triune / tri personal
colossians is a treatise on the defence of christ jesus being one in the same nature / being as God the father, and the holy spirit ... it is like the 1 letter of john a refutation against the gnostic beliefs, but against one particular ideal in the gnostic beliefs .. where jesus was considered to be a lesser deity than the father .. and therefore not fully God .... although over the years there has been some discussion over the exact heresy that colossian was facing ... i do believe from the letter itself we have a good idea
so it is blatently false to imply that paul was leaning to a unitarian veiw with such distinctions being made from the beginning of this letter .. the only application col. 2 :9 can make is the full deity of christ, not a denial of the triune God
this teaching of madalism or under the brighter name of "Jesus onlyism or oneness theology" lacks biblical grounds for it to be considered .. it is a human imported theory that is man centered in nature .. what it does it sets up man shaped god .. a god who is so much like man you can distinguish Gods uniqueness .. this is dangerous and heretical in nature and should be disregarded
this teaching of madalism or under the brighter name of "Jesus onlyism or oneness theology" lacks biblical grounds for it to be considered .. it is a human imported theory that is man centered in nature .. what it does it sets up man shaped god .. a god who is so much like man you can distinguish Gods uniqueness .. this is dangerous and heretical in nature and should be disregarded
lets get to the verse in question
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily -- colossians 2 :9
they contend that since it states that the fullness of the diety is present in jesus .. this means that he alone is God the father, ...son and the holy spirit ----but to get this reading they have to distort paul real concern of false teaching that was present in the time of paul .. possibly a form of gnostism as i mention .. which is why paul says the fullness of deity ... its to combat the idea that jesus was a demi god or partial deity --- and not a denial of the triune nature ...
but if we look at a few verse of this section of the passage
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.-- col. 2 :8 -12
we note that pauls point is that all believer are fully alive in christ and are fully his church .. we could not possibly meet this requirement if he was not fully deity, but some partial deity --- everything the true church .. the believers are is because we died to him and rose to life in him .. so the letter in general can be seen as defence of the exact saving power in christ who being the almighty God by nature is able to do that which no partial deity could ever do -- hence why it states .. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily -- colossians 2 :9
they contend that since it states that the fullness of the diety is present in jesus .. this means that he alone is God the father, ...son and the holy spirit ----but to get this reading they have to distort paul real concern of false teaching that was present in the time of paul .. possibly a form of gnostism as i mention .. which is why paul says the fullness of deity ... its to combat the idea that jesus was a demi god or partial deity --- and not a denial of the triune nature ...
but if we look at a few verse of this section of the passage
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.-- col. 2 :8 -12
we note that pauls point is that all believer are fully alive in christ and are fully his church .. we could not possibly meet this requirement if he was not fully deity, but some partial deity --- everything the true church .. the believers are is because we died to him and rose to life in him .. so the letter in general can be seen as defence of the exact saving power in christ who being the almighty God by nature is able to do that which no partial deity could ever do -- hence why it states .. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority
so if a oneness uses verse 9.. and the beginning of 10 to deny he trinity .. the argument may go something like this ... the verses are clear christ is full nature of the Godhead .. meaning he alone is God ... and we are filled / complete in him ... but you trinitarians believe you need to other persons in order to be filled in him .. this is a dishonest move
since the passage let alone the verse is a denial of the trinity -- think of what is said col. 1 ...
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints... May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins --- colossians 1 : 3-4 & 11-14
here we have two referenced points from the same passage where paul makes a distiction between the persons of the father and the son .. in the method of salvation .. the father saved us through the redemptive work of the son
since the passage let alone the verse is a denial of the trinity -- think of what is said col. 1 ...
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints... May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins --- colossians 1 : 3-4 & 11-14
here we have two referenced points from the same passage where paul makes a distiction between the persons of the father and the son .. in the method of salvation .. the father saved us through the redemptive work of the son
