One of the most direct ways to engage with Christian theology is by examining its central figure—Jesus Christ. The psalmist captured this beautifully, describing Jesus as the solid rock upon which faith stands, while all other ground is shifting sand. The real challenge lies in helping those who have anchored themselves to beliefs that may prove spiritually unstable. For sincere believers, our most meaningful time on earth involves addressing misunderstandings while securing the assurance of our salvation.
The Trinity Question
A significant point of confusion within Christianity centers on the doctrine of the Trinity, which has been theologically adopted as a core teaching. Examining this doctrine can prove especially valuable for those who sincerely seek God’s instruction, preferring His word over human reasoning. This calls for setting aside rigid dogma and applying God’s word by taking everything Jesus said in the gospels as the ultimate standard.
The doctrine of the Trinity comes mainly from interpreting scripture, rather than reading it strictly word for word. While language barriers have contributed to misunderstanding, the deeper issue may be failing to look directly to Jesus. Everything He spoke is God’s word, understood only through God’s revelation (Matthew 16:17). The term “Father,” found throughout the New Testament (Matthew 5:16; 28:19), refers to the same God revealed by many names in the Old Testament—the God who instructed that He should never be compared to anything physical.
Jesus and the Father
Jesus was the first person to consistently address God as Father. The Aramaic word Abba, meaning Father, conveys the same idea—pointing to God as the source of all things. Notably, before Jesus’ ministry, no one had regularly approached God with this intimate designation. One of the main points of contention between Jesus and the Jewish leaders was His claim that God was His Father.
“Then they asked him, ‘Where is your father?’ ‘You do not know my Father or me,’ Jesus replied. ‘If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come” (John 8:19-20, NIV).
The Jews at that time did not recognize Christ, as it had not been revealed to them, according to Jesus in Matthew 16:17. In a heated exchange recorded by John, Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). Some interpret this as a mystical declaration, yet anyone made in God’s image could speak similarly—not claiming divinity, but affirming that their origin is in God, just as Jesus did. He was affirming that His Father was God, just as the Father of all humanity is God (Genesis 1:26-27). Being created in God’s image means all humanity existed in God’s eternal plan long before Abraham was born.
Jesus instructed His disciples to call no man on earth their “father,” but to recognize God as their only Father (Matthew 23:9). This confirms humanity’s origin in God. When He told Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), He was pointing to a truth that applies to all who bear God’s image. If Jesus calls God His Father, then He is our brother, since we also came from God (Genesis 1:26-27). However, one cannot have a father if one has existed eternally—except in our physical condition. Jesus became the Son of God in harmony with being the child of Mary and Joseph.
Understanding the Spirit
There’s no doubt that Jesus referred to the God of Israel as His “Father”—the same Father He taught His disciples to address in their prayers. He also instructed them to call no man on earth their “father” (Matthew 23:9), reserving this title for the Father alone, whom He identified as Spirit in John 4:24. A common mistake among Trinitarian advocates is treating the Father as separate from the Spirit. It’s difficult to understand how they view the Father as distinct from the Spirit when Jesus clearly described Him that way—unless one recognizes the fact that spiritual understanding requires God’s revelation.
Some attempt to elevate the phrase “I AM” into something mystical, but it simply reflects the reality of being made in God’s image. A person who acknowledges this is reflecting God’s image. If asked to reveal God, I would affirm His image in me by saying, “I AM.” Zealots might object, but that does not change my representation of God’s image. “I AM” simply expresses the beingness of any person created in God’s image—the eternal quality of the divine image stamped upon humanity.
The “I AM” in any person reflects God’s image, open to allowing God to awaken this dormant reality within anyone, as He chooses—just as He did with Moses and other prophets. This is why Jesus told His disciples that with faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for them, and they could even do greater works than He did (John 14:12).
The Three Meanings of “Spirit”
One commonly misunderstood term in Scripture is the word “spirit,” which carries three distinct meanings in biblical context. Confusing these meanings can lead to significant misunderstanding, especially when human scholarship is placed above divine revelation. Truly grasping what “spirit” means is key to understanding how God communicates. Christ’s teachings often went over the heads of religious scholars because spiritual insight—not merely theological study—is required. Only those willing to take God’s word as the sole authority, without overlaying it with human traditions, can fully understand it.
- The Holy Spirit (God Himself)
This refers to what Jesus introduced to us as God, our Father. This Spirit empowered prophets and others in remarkable ways throughout Scripture. For instance, it enabled Samson to kill a young lion with his bare hands (Judges 14:5-6). God’s Spirit gave Bezalel wisdom and skill to build the tabernacle (Exodus 31:3). It helped judges lead Israel to victory (Judges 3:10; 11:29) and inspired prophets to speak (Numbers 24:2; Ezekiel 11:5). This is the same Spirit that Jesus, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman, described as God (John 4:24) and consistently referred to as His and our “Father.”
The same Holy Spirit was active among Christians, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies (Acts 1:16; 2:16-21; 3:18; 28:25-27). He also inspired Christian prophets and workers to carry out His will on earth (Acts 2:4; 19:6), purified and sanctified new believers (Acts 10:44-48; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13), and guided early missionary work (Acts 10:19-20; 16:6-7). The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17), and one can connect with Jesus only through Him (Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6-7).
In John’s Gospel, He is called the Helper (John 14:16-17), with the pronoun “He” personifying the Spirit. The Israelites were instructed not to liken God to anything physical (Exodus 20:4), implying that this same Spirit—with the pronoun “He”—is not to be physically represented. What is not physical is spiritual; therefore, God is Spirit and not to be compared to any physical form. There’s no need to set up a Triune structure in the Spirit that points to God as the only Father.
- The Human Spirit
Humans, though bound to the flesh, are spiritual beings who, after Adam’s sin, became a mixture of two opposing spiritual natures. Physically, they’re simply sons and daughters of humanity, built organically like any other living creature in the world. Yet when they choose to seek and follow God, they are recognized as His children (Genesis 6:1-7). This reveals that within every person are intertwined spiritual forces—good and evil. These opposing influences exist in all, meaning one can be as wicked as Satan or as pure as God. A spirit free from corruption is, in essence, as good as God Himself, hence identified as God’s child.
Made in God’s image, humans are inherently His children, though their spirits were stained by sin. Still, they hold the potential to return to God’s Kingdom, as shown by Jesus throughout the New Testament (Matthew 5:3; Romans 8:16; John 14:15-21). Pride is primarily what leads humans astray. Jesus, in His humanity like us, spoke of His own spirit (Mark 2:8; John 11:33) and, at His death, entrusted His spirit to God with the words, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). In this context—unlike the capitalized Holy Spirit—the term refers to humanity. This same spirit is mentioned by Job (Job 32:8) and by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:7.
- Angelic Beings
The word “spirit,” when referring to angels, can mean both good and evil beings that are separate from God and humans. Angels, though spiritual in nature, lack the creative abilities given to humans made in God’s image. Good spirits, often called angels—figures like Gabriel and Michael—care for God’s people. Demons, serving Satan rather than God, are also angelic beings (Psalm 104:4; Mark 9:25; Acts 19:12-17; Revelation 18:2).
These beings can influence humans depending on the individuals’ openness to them. When connected to God, humans are guaranteed God’s protection by good angels. Satan’s angels also manipulate susceptible humans to achieve his schemes. Under Satan’s command, these demonic angels act as unseen spiritual forces whose fragmented powers sow discord and disharmony among people. Connecting with these ultimately leads to ruin or demise.
Humanity’s Unique Position
In this world, humans alone possess the unique ability to exercise dominion over every creature and object. Whatever God intends to accomplish in this world, He accomplishes through physical personalities—just as Satan does the same. The crucial reality is that humans embody a mixture of opposing spiritual forces, making them susceptible to influence from one side or the other, depending on what resonates with them at any given time. Some can be as good as God, while others can be as evil as Satan, all based on what they’re drawn to. To remain attached to God, humans are encouraged to study the word and pray to God always, asking that His will be done rather than their own.
The Distinction Between Son and Spirit
Jesus affirmed the distinction between Himself and the Spirit when He warned about blasphemy:
“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32, NIV).
Jesus refers here to what identifies the God of Israel, while also showing that there is a distinction between Him in His humanity and God. The Son of Man is distinct from the Holy Spirit. When speaking to the woman at the well, Jesus said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24, NIV). The main aspect of the Spirit is the Father, whom Jesus taught us to call upon in prayer (Matthew 6:9) and to whom He Himself prayed, addressing Him as His Father (John 17).
This reveals that God, though unseen, is Spirit, and can now be approached through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Question of “Beginning”
But which “beginning” was John referring to in John 1:1? Scripture affirms that God has no beginning, so John’s context appears to be from a human, physical perspective. By creating humanity, God created something meant to reflect His own nature—without beginning or end. Anything that truly resembles God must share this timeless quality. However, the event in the Garden of Eden seems to have disrupted God’s image in humanity. Even so, Jesus’ mission addresses and restores this lost reality (1 Corinthians 15:45).
The Prodigal Son as an Illustration
This truth is beautifully illustrated in the parable of the Prodigal Son. In it, both sons are deeply loved by their father. The younger wastes his inheritance on reckless living and returns destitute, yet is welcomed back without condition. This generosity stirs resentment in the elder son, but the father reassures him, granting him all His possessions (Luke 15:11-32).
Figuratively, the parable can be viewed as portraying Jesus as the Son who remained with His Father, and Adam, representing us, as the one who wandered away. When Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was carrying the sins of humanity, echoing the imagery of the faithful son in the parable. The Father’s words, conferring authority to His elder son, are reflected in Jesus’ declaration: “All authority has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
What then is the significance of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).
These terms express the applicable processes as shared in human understanding, describing the order in which these functions interact with humanity’s restoration. God is principally our only Father, manifesting to us through His Son, Jesus, who then facilitates the flow of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, the emphatic instruction to the Israelites remains unchanged: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
The Wider Family of God
What Peter describes as the Son of the living God in Matthew 16:16 is descriptive of every Christian (Matthew 25:40). Paul didn’t realize he was persecuting the Son of the living God, until his encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:5). The Church Jesus established represents the sons of the living God, united in Him (Matthew 16:16-20), rather than just Him as the only Son of God.
Raising Jesus to the status of the Trinity, while excluding those bearing His name, may not accurately reflect Scripture. John wrote: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20, NIV).
Jesus often referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.” During His ascension to heaven, two men dressed in white suddenly appeared:
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, NIV).
These figures (commonly understood as angels) were simply confirming what Jesus, as Son of Man, had prophesied to take place in the future: “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27, NIV).
The Indwelling Christ
Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” to highlight His bond with everyday people. The title “Son of the living God,” revealed to Peter by divine insight, also extends to those who genuinely follow Him as Christians (Matthew 28:20). For those who have become God’s children through the Holy Spirit, to them, Jesus is no longer validated by physical appearance. They know Him only as the Son of God dwelling in them, as He promised never to leave them as orphans:
“The Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:17-19, NIV).
A Final Consideration
It’s worth noting that this message may not resonate with those God hasn’t intended it for—except for people like Peter (Matthew 16:17). The world didn’t see Jesus as the Son of the living God, but as the Son of Man. Yet it’s this same Son of Man who ascended into heaven (Acts 1:11) that everyone will one day see coming from the skies (Luke 21:27)—not the Son of God who dwells within every true believer.
The real challenge with the doctrine of the Trinity is depicting God in the form of created things, even though He clearly commanded that He cannot be compared to them (Exodus 20:4-6), a boundary Scripture that clarifies. The essential point is that humanity was created in God’s image. Failing to grasp this may not be due to God hiding Himself, but because people have willfully closed their eyes and ears—often out of pride, tradition, or reliance on human wisdom rather than divine revelation.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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