One concept causing problems for new believers and various other groups is the concept of the trinity — one God revealing Himself in three persons. Many groups deny the trinity, as they deny the deity of Jesus Himself, which causes problems in the Bible.
We’ll consider the trinity in two parts. First, we’ll consider a Biblical problem which only can be solved by the trinity — if you reject the trinity the Bible contains an error as you consider these two verses in John’s gospel.
If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. (John 5:31 NKJV)
Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true (John 8:14 NKJV)
Whoops! The Pharisees jumped on these two statements (as any good skeptic would) as a contradiction. But of course it’s not as the Bible has no errors. So what’s going on? The answer appears later in John’s gospel:
It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me. (John 8:17–18 NKJV)
I and My Father are one. (John 10:30 NKJV)
If Jesus bears witness of Himself, it’s not true. But since God is a trinity (three in one), He doesn’t bear witness by Himself, as the Father also testifies of Him. One God, but three distinct persons. In John 5 Jesus refers back to the Mosaic law which said one witness was insufficient to establish a matter. However, due to the trinity, in John 8 Jesus can speak Himself, as both he and the Father testify of Him.
Thus, Jesus can say in John chapter 8 His witness is true. However, for those groups rejecting the idea of the trinity, you’ve got quite a problem to explain.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! (Deuteronomy. 6:4)
Next time, we’ll dive into the phrase “God is light”, and de-mystify the trinity with a physical example.