Many phrases in the New Testament leave no room for belief in the trinity. In fact, they actually support the monotheistic belief of God as the One and Only. Indeed, groups opposed to the trinity have drawn attention to these down the ages, while proponents of the trinity have offered interpretations based on no evidence at all.
Trinitarian belief ascribes the same divine status to Prophet Jesus (pbuh) as to God (Surely God is beyond that!), although the New Testament describes God's oneness and eternal sovereignty over all things in great detail. People are called to monotheistic faith in both the message of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to his people and followers, and in the words of his disciples. In addition, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) constantly makes it clear that everything he does is the result of God's infinite power and might, that it is God Who causes him to say everything he says, and that he performs these miracles only because God wills them to occur. He also invites those who elevate him to elevate God, remember His infinite might, and submit to Him. We shall look at this in the pages that follow.
Several Qur'anic verses reveal the kind of message communicated by Prophet Jesus (pbuh). For example:
As is revealed in the verses, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called on his people to believe in God alone and live for Him. Monotheism constitutes the basis of true Christianity, just as it does of Islam. (The word Father in the extracts from the New Testament in this chapter has been changed to God, the word Son to prophet –messenger, and the title Lord used to address Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to teacher.)
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Monotheism in the Old Testament
The mistaken belief in the son of God, which emerged 30-40 years after Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had been raised to God's presence, gradually began to spread. However, this concept could not be clearly defined for a long time. Some interpreted it as a metaphorical concept referring to his honored position in God's sight and continued to believe in His oneness, while others deified Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and began to consider him the actual son of God.
As we know, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was a Jew who was sent to the Children of Israel, who had been monotheists for the last two centuries. Our Lord sent His revelation to them through a long series of prophets, beginning with Prophet Abraham (pbuh), all of whom had warned the Jews to abide scrupulously by His revelation. They had known the Torah, "a guidance and light" (Surat al-Ma'ida: 44), ever since the time of Prophet Moses (pbuh). Prophet Jesus (pbuh) came to confirm the Torah, which is also accepted by Christians. The Torah and other books of the Old Testament contained reports concerning his coming.
This fact reveals just how mistaken the belief in the trinity, which was accepted by majority vote at the Council of Nicaea, actually is. Nowhere in the Torah or the New Testament is this doctrine even mentioned. All of the prophets of Israel called on their people to believe in God as the One and Only, and none of their statement can possibly be equated with trinitarian belief. No such statement was ever heard from Prophet Abraham (pbuh), nor Prophet Moses (pbuh) nor any of the other prophets. All of the prophets taught only one message: know that God is the One and Only and take no other deity but Him. The following passage from the Torah, most frequently repeated by the Jews, says: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4).
This same truth is also emphasized in the Old Testament:
The LORD is God; besides Him there is no other… Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on Earth below. There is no other. (Deuteronomy 4:35-39)The LORD our God, the LORD is One. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Given the above statements from the Old Testament, our Lord's infinite might and power, as well as His dominion over the universe, is a basic truth of Judaism.
Anyone who reads the Old Testament can clearly see that it refers only to a single deity: God, the Lord of the worlds. Nowhere is there any mention of the trinity.
Anyone who reads the Old Testament can clearly see that it refers only to a single deity: God, the Lord of the worlds. Nowhere is there any mention of the trinity.
Given these facts, the trinity is a mistaken belief that somehow found its way into the Divine religion at a later date.
The New Testament is based on belief in the One and Only God
The Qur'an reveals that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called on his people in the following manner:
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Such statements by Prophet Jesus (pbuh) calling people to belief in the one God are still to be found in the otherwise corrupted Gospels of the New Testament. For instance, according to the Gospel of Saint Mark, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) gave the following reply to a Jew who asked him which commandment was the most important:
"The most important one,"answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' (Mark 12:29-30)
Another passage in the Gospel of Saint Mark shows that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) objected to being praised, let alone deified:
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God. (Mark 10:17-18)
This passage alone is sufficient to show that doctrine of the trinity violates the most basic teaching of Christianity. In rejecting praise and stressing that God is the only One worthy of praise, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is clearly stating that he is a servant of God.
The truth that he related to the people of Israel is the same truth related by all prophets since the beginning of time: Our Lord, Almighty God, created the universe from nothing, creates flawlessly in the most beautiful manner, is the great and superior, knows the inner face and secret aspects of all things, is the first and the last, was not born, is unsullied by any imperfection, is the Omniscient and All-powerful, the Glorious, the Ruler, the Beneficent, and the Forgiver. Everything in heaven and Earth has submitted to Him.
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Indeed, the "oneness of God" appears as an essential article of faith in the New Testament -both in the four Gospels and in the writings and letters of the apostles, which condemns all forms of polytheism, trinitarianism, and paganism, as does the Old Testament. Those who think that there are other deities besides God are called to monotheism throughout the New Testament. Some of these passages read as follows:
... [Jesus said to him:] "The Lord our God, the Lord is One." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is One and there is no other but Him. (Mark 12:29-32)… God is One. (Galatians 3:20)[They] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles…They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator, Who is forever praised. (Romans 1:23-25)… for us there is but One God, from Whom all things came and for Whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but One.. (1 Corinthians 8:4)And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One Who is and Who was ... (Revelation 11:16-17)Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. (1 Timothy 1:17)There is one God. (1 Timothy 2:5)You believe that there is One God. Good! (James 2:19)To the only God our Savior be glory … (Jude 24)How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)Nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)
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The New Testament contains many other statements that describe God as the One and Only. For example, consider the messages communicated by Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) disciples. Following his ascension, Christians traveled throughout the region to report his words and call on the people to surrender to God. The New Testament reports that they called on those whom they addressed to become Christians believing in the One and Only God:
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, Who made heaven and Earth and sea and everything in them… He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Acts 14:14-17)
The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and Earth, and does not live in temples built by hands. He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole Earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him …though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:24-28)
God possesses infinite power and might
According to trinitarian belief, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was not created; rather, he has always existed and has the same powers and abilities as God. (Surely God is beyond that!) This is a grave error. Those who believe in the trinity believe that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will save them and answer their prayers, thanks to which they will be freed from all of their sins. (The misguided belief in the atonement for sins will be examined in detail in due course.) This deception, which the Qur'an describes in detail, is not supported by any of the New Testament's passages. On the contrary, it is rejected.
Trinitarians offer several pieces of "evidence" for this belief fromzz the New Testament. Heading this list is the miracles performed by Prophet Jesus (pbuh). However, this is no proof at all of his supposed divinity, for all of the miracles associated with him (e.g., being born without a father, speaking from the cradle, and curing the sick and blind, which are facts separately set out in the Qur'an) were no more than a blessing from our Almighty Lord, the ruler of the universe, and the expression of His will. God also willed Prophets Moses, Solomon, Abraham, and Zachariah (peace be upon them all), among many other prophets, and our Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) to perform miracles. The proponents of the belief in the trinity, however, point to their own view of these miracles in ascribing alleged divinity to Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Yet this claim is in open contradiction to these and many other statements in the New Testament.
As the New Testament records, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) always praised God and stated that all power belonged to Him. For example, he stated that I do exactly what God has commanded me (John 14:31), The words I say to you are not just my own (John 14:10), and I tell you the truth, the apostle can do nothing by himself (John 5:19).
Other passages refer to God's infinite might and power:
… from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. (Romans 11:36)Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Luke 12:6-7)Jesus looked at them and said: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."(Matthew 19:26)Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! (Romans 11:33)Fear [and respect] God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him Who made the heavens and Earth, the sea and the springs of water. (Revelation 14:7)Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear [and respect] You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Revelation15:3-4)Everything comes from God. (1 Corinthians 11:12)Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments… For our Lord God Almighty reigns. (Revelation 19:1-6)There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)It is written: "As surely as I live," says the Lord, "every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."(Romans 14:11)… our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone is immortal and Who lives in unapproachable light, Whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. (1 Timothy 6:15-16)Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before people, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Lord in heaven… But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Lord, Who is unseen. Then your Lord, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Lord knows what you need before you ask him… And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil … for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. (Matthew 6:1-8, 13)
These facts revealed in the New Testament are in complete harmony with those revealed in the Qur'an, and are expressions of the absolute truths taught by all of God's prophets since the beginning of history down to the present day: God created time, space, human beings, all the worlds, and all that exists within them. Our Lord, Who is unsullied by any imperfection or deficiency, is the Superior and Great. Everything takes place according to His will and with His permission. As the Qur'an reveals, not a leaf falls to the ground unless He wills it to do so, and no female conceives and no living thing gives birth without His knowledge. God knows everything, whether secret or open, and is Almighty. God has the power to do whatever He wills, for He is the Lord of infinite might and power. It is sufficient for Him to say, Be! for a thing to come into being. Nothing is impossible in His sight, for He is the sole authority and sole Lord of might in the universe.
The New Testament proclaims His absolute dominion over the universe through examples indicating that God, the Lord of the Worlds, gives human beings all of their powers and abilities, creates everything that happens, and gives life to all living things.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One Who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Lord. (Matthew 10:28-29)A person can receive only what is given to him from heaven. (John 3:27)It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Lord, Who gives you the true bread from heaven. (John 6:32)But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but rather the Spirit of your Lord speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20)…to Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy… (Jude 24-25)No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven. (Matthew 24:36)…Who alone is immortal… Whom no one has seen or can see … (1 Timothy 6:16)Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9)
All of these passages from the New Testament clearly show that true Christian belief is a sincere one directed only toward God. However, the misguided belief in the trinity was added to these true beliefs, and this corrupted Christianity itself.
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