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QUESTION 116:
The trinitarian concept of God is that He is a multi-personal God - God manifested in three persons. Since God is not a man, Numbers 23:19, how do you discuss with someone who does not believe the Trinity?

ANSWER:
Numbers 23:19 God (el) is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

This is a very feeble effort on the part of your friend to deny the trinity. God, in His triune essence, is not man, that is, a human person. He is referred to as the Godhead three times. (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20 and Colossians 2:9. Do not think of God as a Divine Person, but a Divine Being. In that Being there are three Persons that gives the Godhead personality. The above verse (Numbers 23:19) is not in the context of the Incarnation of the Son of God, but in that of the Godhead in that He is not like man who often makes promises and does not keep them. When the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) it does not mean, that God the Son, became human and left His personage as the Son of God. It mere means that the Son of God clothed Himself with humanity. A dual nature in one person. He became someone He never was before, without ceasing to be what He always was, and He will never cease to be what He became. This is what Paul calls; "And without controversy great is the mystery of godlinessGod was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Timothy 3:16

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen