AdnanRashidQA

Please comment on the Unitarian Christians at the earliest stage of Christian history, and who called them heretics, and who gave them authority to call them heretics? Three questions.

Biblical Authority and the Doctrine of the Trinity

Well, if you're looking for the authority, it's called this. As I said from the beginning, I am a biblical Trinitarian. I am forced to believe the doctrine of the Trinity by revelation of three foundational truths, biblical monotheism, the existence of three divine persons, and the equality of those persons.

And when you start looking at any Unitarian group, and there's all sorts of different forms of Unitarianism. Are you talking about dynamic Monarchianism, that form of Unitarianism that confuses the Father and the Son and turns Jesus into a ventriloquist?

Are you talking about an Aryan form of Unitarianism that denies the clear usage of terms of deity of Jesus? Which one is it? If you look at whatever group, you will discover that they will have to reject some portion of Scripture to come up with their beliefs.

Some do it openly. Mormons, for example, they're not really Unitarians, they're polytheists, but they reject the accuracy of the translation of the Bible and put the Book of Mormon above that. The Jehovah's Witnesses, who wake you up on a Saturday morning, and you try to talk to them, and you don't look very good, and you're all fuzzy green.

The Jehovah's Witnesses do that by using a false translation of the Bible called the New World Translation, which is purposefully mistranslated to substantiate their perspectives, etc., etc. So they do it in different ways.

But when you ask the question, by what authority, there can only be one authority for a biblical Christian. And that is the consistent testimony of that which is theomnostos, that which is God-breathed, as the Apostle Paul describes Scripture in 2 Timothy 3, 16, and 17.

It's that which comes from the very mouth of God. And that's, we believe, that the Old and New Testament is, and it gives a consistent testimony to the deity of Christ and to the deity of the Holy Spirit.

And so those who deny those things, by what authority do you do so? By the authority of that which comes from God, the inspired Scriptures.

Early Christian Groups and the Label of Heresy

I think to call those Christians Unitarian would be unfair on them. Because the divide of Unitarian, Binitarian, Trinitarian was actually carved by the Catholic Church in later years. So this term didn't exist as far as they were concerned.

Abionites is a group, which is mentioned by Eusebius in his church history, who believe that Christ is a messenger of God. He's a man born miraculously. He had a virtue. And Paul, Apostle Paul, is an apostate from law.

And these Jews, who were Christians, they believed in one God. And they followed the law of Moses, the Jewish law. And they were against any idea of God existing, or being of God, with three persons in it.

They were simply believing in one God. And it is unfair to call them Unitarian. They just believed in one God. That's how it was. Thank you.

The last two questions. We're running out of time. This question might be thought to be offensive by some Muslims. I bear your patience. I think it would be a good idea if Adnan addressed it as well, to clear up some misunderstandings.

That's why I'm reeling it out to you now. Is there any form of salvation in Islam apart from joining Jihad? I doubt this, as Jesus strapped himself to the cross, so Muslims don't have to strap a bomb, because he loves you.

Would you like to clear up one or two misconceptions?

Salvation in Islam, Jihad, and the Cross of Christ

Although this question is not based upon our topic today, I will address it. There are other ways of attaining salvation in Islam, except Jihad. Jihad is one of the best ways of attaining salvation, and Jihad is not suicide bombing.

Jihad is fighting in the cause of Allah to suppress the oppressors. To get rid of the oppressors. To fight against the oppressors. Or all those people who are against peace and mischief makers. Other ways of salvation in Islam, praying five times a day, believing.

First point is that we worship one God alone. One being, one person. And the concept of trinity was carved later, as James White accepted in the 6th century when he came into being. Laying the lexicon actually describes to us that trinity, or the word shirk, literally means to share.

And trinity is a share of three beings. So in a sense, trinity is a share. The Quran is against the concept of sharing the divinity in one being, or three beings, or five beings. It doesn't really matter.

The Quran is talking about the principle of sharing, which is haram, which is forbidden. And those people who believe in this sharing divinity in one being, or three beings, are going to hell. This is what the point is.

And there are many other ways to attain salvation in Islam.

The Trinity, Shirk, and Misrepresentation of Christian Doctrine

For the third time, I have never said, never intimated, or suggested that the doctrine of trinity evolved in the 6th century. I said it was well known by the 6th century, and I've also said clearly, repeatedly, that it is a biblical doctrine.

Hence, it was believed by Ignatius in 108. Please do not misrepresent me. People are watching this, and they know how many times I have said this. I have said very, very clearly, the doctrine of trinity is not something that developed way down the road.

It was believed from the beginning. It is a biblical revelation. So all that assertion was in error. Secondly, Jesus Christ gives himself on the cross of Calvary as the only way of salvation, because God is truly holy.

And I don't care how many times you pray, the prophet said long before Mohammed and long before the New Testament, all our righteous deeds are as filthy rags before him. When you see God for who he is, you will see that we need a true savior.

Thank you.