2) Are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit a three-in-one-God? Matthew 28:18-19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 - a podcast by William Schlegel, Preston Macy

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

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Trinitarians have said that this verse, like 2 Corinthians 13:14, is evidence that God is a Trinity. But are these verses evidence that God is a three-in-one-God? We think not.

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Rather, in these verses the Son of God, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, is distinguished from God.

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Other Scriptures referred to in our discussion of the Spirit of God, and how Jesus is differentiated from God:

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In Matthew 12:28, Jesus was able to cast out demons by the "Spirit of God" , which is parallel to  the "the finger of God" in Luke 11:20.

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Acts 10:38, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him." 

Jesus of Nazareth is differentiated from God. It was God's Spirit and power which enabled Jesus to heal and cast out demons. God was with Jesus, which means Jesus was not God. 

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Acts 2:32-33 "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. "

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Again, Jesus is differentiated from God. Jesus was dead, but God raised him from the dead and exalted Jesus to the right hand of God, which shows that Jesus is not God. Jesus received the Holy Spirit from God, and poured it out on others.

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Acts 2:36, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

Again Jesus is differentiated from God. God made Jesus Lord and Messiah (Christ). Jesus had been crucified. God was not crucified.

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2 Corinthians 1:2-3, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort..."

2 Corinthians 11:31,  "The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. "

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These verses, also from 2 Corinthians, show the distinction in the Apostle Paul's mind between God (the Father) and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus the Messiah is not God.  The Lord Jesus has a God, the Father. Jesus is not God if he has a God.

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The challenge: Where in the Scriptures is God described as three persons in one God, or three persons in one God essence?

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