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Take a look at the opening verses of the epistles in the New Testament and see if you can take note of what is missing:
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God" Romans 1:1
"Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,... Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,... Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:1-3
"Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father...Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" Galatians 1:1-3
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 1:1-1
"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Php 1:2
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,...We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you" Col 1:1-3
"To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Thess 1:1
"To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ...Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess 1:1,2
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,...Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Tim 1:1,2
"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 2 Tim 1:2
"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior." Titus 1:1-4
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Phm 1:3
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." Heb 1:1
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" James 1:1
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!" 1 Pet 1:3
"our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:3
"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love." 2 John 1:3
Why is there no mention of the holy spirit? If the holy spirit is such an integral part of the Godhead, why is the spirit never present to send greetings as well? It is almost as if these writers were unaware of a triune deity. If the writers were unaware of the holy spirit as being part of the body and community of God, then it is quite evident that the trinity doctrine was not a belief in the early church.
"In the eternal city of Revelation 21 and 22, both God and Jesus are presented as a featured fantasy. Each is pictured as sitting on his throne (Revelation 22:1). If 'the Holy Spirit' is a 'coeternal' member of a triune deity, why does it have no seat of authority on the final throne? This is consistent with the New Testament belief that there is one God, 'the Father,' and one 'Lord, Jesus Christ.' There is no such separate person known as 'the Holy Spirit.' In point of fact, the notion of the Holy Spirit never appears in the Book of Revelation." Gerald Segal
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