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  THE HOLY TRINITY
  by Ian Paisley
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Summary: The Holy Trinity is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian
faith that is supported by Scripture, and its importance must be
defended against those who seek to undermine it.

Topics: "Trinity Doctrine", "Bible Translation"

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Ian Paisley emphasizes the importance of defending key biblical texts
like I John 5:7, which serves as a proof text for the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity. He highlights the controversy surrounding the removal of
this verse in the NIV translation and the attacks faced by scholars like
Dr. Edward Hills for defending it. Additionally, Paisley points out the
significance of John 1:14 and 18 as proof texts for the eternal sonship
of Christ, contrasting the Authorized Version with the NIV's alterations
that impact the understanding of the Trinity.

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CONTENT
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I John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one." [Westminster
Confession of Faith puts this as a proof text of the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity] in Chapter two paragraph III.

The NIV removes verse seven out of their Bible and then subdivides verse
eight into verse seven and eight in order to keep the same number of
verses in the chapter. According to the NIV translators, those who drew
up the great historic confession of the Churches of the Reformation were
deceived when they used this text as proof of the Holy Trinity.

Dr. Edward Hills, 1912-1981, Presbyterian minister and graduate of Yale
University with degrees from Westminster Seminary, Columbia Seminary and
Harvard University and a defender of the King James Version, was
attacked for defending this great Trinitarian proof text.

Ed Hills was treated shamefully. He was ridiculed, blacklisted among
fellow scholars (many of whom were unworthy to unlatch the thongs of his
sandals). He counted some of his old professors as friends, but William
Hendriksen wrote him a sharp letter taking him to task for defending I
John 5:7 calling it the nadir, the lowest point in textual criticism.

- Letter from Jay Green, March 15, 1995

The Westminster Confession of Faith gives John 1:14 and 18 as proof
texts of the doctrine that Christ is the eternally begotten Son of God.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth"

(John 1:14. Authorized Version).

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him"

(John 1:18 Authorized Version).

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of
grace and truth" (John 1:14 NIV).

"No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only" (John 1:18 NIV).

The NIV drops "the only begotten Son" completely from these verses.

This puts them into great difficulty and undermines the revelation of
the mystery of the Trinity by calling Christ, in verse 18, "the One and
only God". What then of the Father and the Holy Ghost?

They certainly err, not knowing the Scriptures.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/ian-paisley/the-holy-trinity/
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