Reklamation Ministries
Seeing the Church and the World in Plain View
scribe. Is it possible that the Omnipotent God would allow such a grievous error in the translation of His Word? They tell us (verse 7) was not found in many older Greek manuscripts, and may have been added by a bold Scribe. A detailed exposition would require more time and space than available in this article. However, let us take a very brief look at a number of reasons as to why this view is suspect.
Firstly, the manuscripts themselves are not consistent.
The critics them-selves are not in agreement as to which manuscripts have it and which ones do not. Neither are they certain as to the integrity of the so-called legitimate ones. Furthermore, we know that many of the manuscripts were corrupted by the so-called Gnostics who did not believe in such vital doctrines as, the virgin birth, the divinity of Christ, and numerous other key doctrines of the Gospel. So it's more than likely that the doctrine of the trinity was one of the victims of their pseudo intellectualism, and believed to be one of the primary reasons for many of the
discrepancies in the so-called "older manuscripts."
Secondly, if you do omit (verse 7), it becomes obvious that
point—like a missing link in a chain.
Thirdly, we know that (verse 7) is very agreeable with the style, mode, and teaching of the Apostle John. For example, like His other books, He often used the term "the Word" in referring to Christ, rather than the term, "the Son," and "the Father" instead of God.
Lastly, we note that (verse 8) mentions three witnesses on earth—"the spirit, and water, and the blood." If (verse 7) is left out, then are we to believe that the only witnesses we have are on earth? Furthermore, notice that he is making a comparison. So there must be three witnesses in heaven also! This is further borne out in (verse 9) when John wrote: If
we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son." In order for this verse to make full sense, there must have been a comparison with that of the heavenly ("the witness of God") compared with the earthly
("the witness of men").
The Importance of the Trinity Doctrine
We cannot rightly honor God with erroneous opinions, Inspiration told us. The life is molded by the faith. 12 If we are to worship and honor God aright, we must understand Him aright. We cannot appreciate God and His work, and hence receive the blessings we ought to, unless we know the Creator, Redeemer, and Truth—the Eternal God–the Eternal Three–the Eternal One.
By A. Anthony Hibbert
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1. White, Ellen, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, 206, 207.
2. Seventh-clay Adventists List of Fundamental Belief
3. Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1971
4. White, Ellen, Evangelism, pp. 614, 616, 617
5. Ibid. pp. 615, 616.
6. Ibid. p. 616
7. White, Ellen, The Desire of Ages, p. 669
8. White, Ellen, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2 692
9. Ibid. Vol. 5, p. 675
10. Anti-typical Elijah, Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 19, P- 16
11. Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1971
12. White, Ellen, The Great Controversy, pp. 597,598.