Most of the conflicts in hermeneutics are simply differences in interpretation of Ecclesiastical terms in the Word of God. Take for example the Trinity.
Matt Slick, of the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, states: "God is a trinity of persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the same person as the Son; the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father. They are not three gods and not three beings. They are three distinct persons; yet, they are all the one God. Each has a will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal, and copowerful If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God."
The Sh'ma of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 clearly emphasizes the singularity of God, which is also reconfirmed in the ten commandments of Exodus 20:3. When we examine the subject in the New Testament it clearly proclaims a three-person Godhead (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, John 14-17, etc.).
Is there an ostensible difference or conflict between the Old and New Testament revelations of the ultimate mystery of the Godhead? Theologically the doctrine of the trinity has been a controversy for some time (i.e. the Jehovah’s witness, United Church of God, liberal academics (an oxymoron if there ever was one), and others).
But the plurality shows up in the Old Testament for those who are willing to search for the gold. That plurality shows up in the first verse of Genesis, with Elohim being a plural noun used as a singular verb. This plurality even shows up in our English translations in Genesis 1:26, 3:22, and 11: 7.
The same plurality comes up in Ecclesiastes 12:1 with Elohim in the verse: “Remember now thy Creator(s) in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;”
The prophet Isaiah has a rather startling vision of the throne of God in Isaiah 6. In this verse we have the scene in the Holy place of the Holy ones, celebrated by the Seraphim who veiled their faces before them saying Holy, Holy, Holy. Here we clearly have three declarations. This is reconfirmed in a similar scene in Revelation 4:8. In Isaiah 6:8 we again see the hint of the plurality with, “Who shall go for us?”
Who is the Lord of Hosts? No one questions its applicability to the Father. Yet it is provocative to notice that John attributes the same passage to Christ in John 12:41, with Paul attributing it to the Holy Spirit in Acts 28:25. In these we have all three persons of the Godhead included.
Psalms 2, with careful analysis, contains a dialogue among the three persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I suggest that with a little work and diligence the Trinity of the New Testament is in the Old Testament.
Is this a salvation issue? No, it is clearly not. Is this one that is a false doctrine as the United Church of God teaches that it is? No, it is clearly not. Christian's can have differing opinions on hermeneutics and yet respect the opinion of the other and not question his standing with God.
It is just a fascinating subject to ponder, and come to your own conclusions, by studying the Word of God. I believe this has nothing to do with a false doctrine!

















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