How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

Last Updated

July 9, 2019

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The doctrine of the Trinity is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity.

Before we answer this question, we have to first establish the deity of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Theologians have pointed out that if the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit were not real, then the Bible and the Christian faith would be unreliable.

If Christ was not divine, then His death on the cross would not have been able to atone for all our sins and would have merely been the death of a martyr.

If the Holy Spirit was not divine, then the followers of Jesus would have never had the power to spread the Gospel and to witness to people the way they did.

Therefore, it is essential that the persons of Jesus and the Holy Spirit are divine.

Secondly, God does not change into different roles or forms.

As Christians understand God, He does not decide to be like Father one day, like a Son another day, and like a Spirit the next.

He does not change roles or forms.

Instead, God is always one in essence that is shared by three independent “persons” who each have a unique will and personality, and each is equally God.  Christian teaching asserts that the Father is fully God, Jesus is fully God, and the Holy Spirit is fully God.

Lastly, by looking at some of the essential beliefs of the Christian faith, we can see how the three persons of the Godhead are aligned together in one essence.

(1) Salvation:

we are chosen by the Father, purified by the Spirit and covered with the blood of Jesus.

1 Peter 1:2 (NIV)

who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

(2) Sanctification / Being made Holy

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

(3) Christian Baptism: we are baptized in one name, yet three Persons:

Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(4) Christian Growth:

we are chosen by God, loved by the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV)

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Theologians have pointed out that if the deity of Christ and Holy Spirit were not real, then the Bible and the Christian faith would be unreliable.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Jesus = father

How can Jesus be co-equal to God when He said the Father is greater?

Arguments made against the deity of Jesus stating that Jesus could not be God or co-equal with God because He claimed that the Father is greater than Him.

3 in 1

How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

Theologians have pointed out that if the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit were not real, then the Bible and the Christian faith would be unreliable.

Doctrine, Trinity, Bible

Is the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible?

Some people question the authenticity of the Trinity by stating that the word itself is not mentioned in the Bible, but, our theology should not be based on words, but instead on the ideas behind the words.

Love trinity God head three in one

What is the best explaination for the Trinity?

love is the greatest explanation for the trinity see why?

Jesus God trinity Holy spirit

Define the trinity in simple terms?

“God is one in being and revealed in three distinct persons.”

What does it mean when said “the Holy Spirit is in you?”

What does it mean when said “the Holy Spirit is in you?”

What does it mean when said, “the Holy Spirit is in you?

Last updated

May 24, 2021

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In the book of John, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is in you:

John 14:15-18 (NKJV)

15. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 

16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever 

17. the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

18. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Here we see Jesus promises His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans. Instead, He gives them the Holy Spirit so that the disciples could know His will and continue to follow His leading. 

The will of the Father and the Son is revealed to believers through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within all believers, helping them to live as God intended and to build Christ’s Church on earth.

Jesus also knew that His disciples (both with Him and those who will follow Him across centuries) would require the power and the presence of God to help them keep the commandments. 

In addition, the verse above is not necessarily a location statement; instead, it is a relational statement. In context, this means a person who has come into intimate fellowship with the one who spoke the universe into existence and who knit you together in your mother’s womb.

In line with this, another phrase used by Christians is “Jesus is in my heart / or Jesus come into my heart” does not mean a physical heart, but instead implies to have come into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Another example is when Jesus says, ‘Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in the Son.’ This talks about a relationship between the Father and the Son and not a location (since Jesus was on earth when He said this). 

So how does one get into an intimate fellowship with God? 

It is by believing in His Son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for your sins so that you could be made pure in front of a Holy God. 

Once we take this decision, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and as a result, we have an everlasting communion with the God who loves us eternally.

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within all believers, helping us to live as God wants and to build Christ's Church on Earth.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

gifts and fruits

Difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit

It is essential for believers to be aware of the differences between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
Although both are expressions of the Spirit, they are in different categories of spiritual blessing.

what does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit

Mark 3:28-29 (NIV)
28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,
29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

Holy Spirit in you

What does it mean when said “the Holy Spirit is in you?”

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us and all believers, helping us live as God wants and building Christ’s Church on earth.

What does the Holy Spirit do?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

Last Updated

Apr 4, 2022

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The Bible teaches that the origin of all divine work begins with the Father, is carried out by the Son Jesus, and is brought into its fruit / completion by the works of the Holy Spirit. 

Most Christians understand the roles of God and Jesus; however, some struggle to identify or define what the Holy Spirit does. 

The Holy Spirit’s primary work is to point people to Jesus Christ (John 15:26; 16:14) – bringing sinners to a true knowledge of the Savior through the gospel and conforming them to the glorious image of the Son of God (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Thus, His ministry’s focus is the Lord Jesus, and those who are Spirit-led and spirit-filled will likewise be Christ-centered.

In addition, let us look at some core truths about the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives? 

1. He empowers believers, enabling them to overcome the deeds of the flesh and resist sin.

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

2. He empowers believers to serve and glorify Christ

Romans 8:9 (NKJV)

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

3. He Intercedes for and on behalf of believers.

Romans 8:26 (NKJV)

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

4. He gives divine guidance:

Mark 13:11 (NKJV)

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak.

But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

 

5. He teaches us

John 14:26 (HCSB)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

6. He testifies that we are children of God.

7. He reminds us of Jesus’ and His words

John 15:26 (HCSB)

“When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — He will testify about Me.

8. He convicts us of sin, shows us God’s righteousness and announces Gods Judgment on evil

John 16:8 (HCSB)

When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment:

9. He leads and directs us.

10. He gives us the assurance of our salvation

11. He seals us secure in Christ

who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

 

12. He brings glory to Christ

John 16:14 (HCSB)

He will glorify Me because He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you.

Today, the irony in many churches is that those who seem to focus or talk much about the Holy Spirit are generally denying His actual work. Many false attributes are attached to His nature, and all kinds of man-made beliefs are subscribed to His works.

This misunderstanding has undoubtedly led many to ignore the true purpose and power of His life-giving ministry, which is: to free sinners from death, give them everlasting life, transform them by regenerating their hearts, empowering them for spiritual victory, confirming their place in the family of God, interceding for them according to the will of God, sealing them securely for their eternal glory and promising to raise them on the last day to immortality. 

The authentic ministry of the Holy Spirit is not flashy, flamboyant (like a circus) and chaotic. On the contrary, it is usually concealed and inconspicuous (the way the fruit develops). 

More importantly, the Holy Spirit’s primary role is to exalt Christ and prompt praise for Christ from His people. And He does those in a personal way by first reproving and convicting us of our sins and opening our eyes to true righteousness. 

The Holy Spirit’s daily presence in the life of believers is the basis and the secret of our sanctification as He conforms us to the image of Christ.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

gifts and fruits

Difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit

It is essential for believers to be aware of the differences between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
Although both are expressions of the Spirit, they are in different categories of spiritual blessing.

what does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit

Mark 3:28-29 (NIV)
28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,
29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

Holy Spirit in you

What does it mean when said “the Holy Spirit is in you?”

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us and all believers, helping us live as God wants and building Christ’s Church on earth.

If God already knows my future. Does that not take away my free will.

If God already knows my future. Does that not take away my free will.

If God already knows my future. Does that not take away my free will?

Last Updated

May 8, 2021

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Atheists will often bring up this claim stating that since Christians believe God is Omniscient and Omnipotent (which means all-knowing and all-powerful); does it not take away our free will?

In simple terms, since God already knows our actions, thoughts, and, has pre-ordained our future; are we not just robotic toys in this world?

These are all valid claims; however, not many have gone beyond this question to understand God’s eternal ways and motives.

To break this down, we will look at one scenario from the book of Genesis. Where Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit which God had already known they would do and, therefore were predestined to eat from it.

ARGUMENT 1

“Why did God make the wrong choice available in the first place?”

We should know that God always provides us with more opportunities for the right choice. God said they could eat from ‘any’ tree in the Garden, but there was only ‘one’ wrong choice Adam and Eve could make, and God still made it available. 

God is always in favor of us doing good, and there are multiple good choices to make compared to the bad choices. The real question is why do we always choose to do the wrong thing? 

ARGUMENT 2

Likewise, why does God still make the wrong choices available to us today?

Could God remove all wrong choices? Yes.

However, He makes those options still available because He wants us to choose Him based on love and not by force.

The essence of love cannot be fully expressed if one does not have a choice or an alternative. Love is seeing the wrong thing but caring enough about someone to do the right thing.

ARGUMENT 3

“If God knows everything about us, how does that give us free will since He would know all our choices and actions?”

Having foreknowledge about something or someone does not necessarily take away ones free will. Even humans can know or have foreknowledge of the free actions of each other. 

If I gave you an option of having a pizza or a rat for dinner, you would most likely choose the pizza, and you would be doing so freely, and I would have done nothing to influence your action.

If we as humans can know much about each other, God can also have foreknowledge of the ways we would act freely but to a greater extent. 

Christians believe that the God of the Bible is relational, and therefore by nature, He would know our character. We are all presented with choices in our lives, and while each person’s circumstances may be different, God still knows and understands each of us intimately.  

ARGUMENT 4

“Why would God place a tree in the garden and then forbid Adam to eat from it?”

God gave Adam the freedom to choose. 

If Adam did not have a choice, he would have been like a prisoner, and his obedience to God would have been hollow. 

The distinction in the two types of trees provides an exercise of judgment, with rewards for choosing to obey and sad consequences for choosing to disobey.

When we look deeper into the issue, we can notice something deeper, and that is the human tendency to sin. Regardless of the choices in front of us, we should be asking ourselves why we love sin that separates us from God. 

Although God has allowed for evil & sin to exist (temporarily), He did not just leave us alone to fend for yourselves. He alone provided the provision through which we must be saved at the cross of Christ. In this sense, God foreknew your sinful disobedience and, therefore, already had a plan in place for our redemption. 

Today, if you are reading this, I hope you reflect on the most crucial choice ahead of you. Choose Christ or choose sin

Choose Christ or choose sin.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Who is God?

Here are few examples of who God is. His nature and everything about Him.

love satan?

If we are to love our enemies, should not God also love Satan?

The Bible tells us to forgive and pray for our enemies. Does this mean the same for God? Will God ever forgive Satan?

Create satan

Did God create Satan? And if so why does He not just get rid of him?

The Bible tells us that God is love, gentle, kind and just. If so how could a God like this create Satan who is evil?

loving allow suffering

Why would a loving God allow suffering?

This question distinguishes between two characteristics of love and suffering. However, it can be misleading as it assumes that God had inherently prepared for a world for pain and sickness. This is not true.

God change his mind

Does God change His mind?

No. God does not go back on His promises nor does He tell us something one day and something different the next. Unlike us, God can always be trusted to keep His Word.

Loving god kill

How Can a Loving God Kill People in the Old Testament?

Many scriptural critics have imposed this question on Christians accusing them of serving a “crazy” God who would destroy innocent nations in the Old Testament.

Does God Harden hearts

Why does God harden hearts?

What is the deal with God hardening people’s hearts? Is not our hearts hard enough let alone have God to harden it?

does god command human sacrifice

Does God Command Human sacrifice?

In Genesis chapter 22 we come across this overwhelming passage where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited and promised son, Isaac.

can got get jealous

Can God get jealous?

The Bible not only says that God is a Jealous God, but it also declares that one of His very names “is Jealous.”

starving children

Does God not care about the millions of starving children in the world?

People often blame God for the number of starving children in the world and accuse Him of lacking power or the care to provide for them. So is this true?

Why can’t we see God?

Why can’t we see God?

Why can’t we see God?

Last Updated

Aug 8, 2021

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Skeptics usually put off the idea of the existence of God simply based on the fact that we cannot see Him.

The first thing that we have to keep in mind is that there are many things in life that we believe in and cannot see.

There are subatomic particles that we cannot see, but we believe in it.

There are effects in nature, such as gravity, that we cannot see (although we can feel its effects), but we still believe in it.

There are laws of logic on which basis we live our lives that we cannot see, but we still know that they are real.

Therefore, believing in things that we cannot see is something we generally do, and should not be used as a basis for not believing in God. 

Secondly, by definition, God cannot be seen. God is a Spirit being (which does not have flesh and bones Luke 24:39) and therefore is not physical. Jesus Himself quotes:

John 4:24 (NKJV)

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Therefore, using the reasoning saying ‘you cannot believe in God because you cannot see Him’ commits what scholars call a ‘category fallacy,’ it is like saying I do not believe in the musical note ‘C’ because I cannot smell it. 

Thirdly we cannot see God during our time on earth because He now requires that men seek Him by faith. 

In the beginning, when men (Adam and Eve) did see God in the Garden of Eden, they rejected Him and broke His law.  God now requires that men believe in Him by earnestly seeking Him through faith.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Although we cannot see God, we can still see the full revelation and the essence of God through Jesus Christ.

John 14:9 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

You might be thinking that it is a hard ask for anyone to believe without seeing; in fact, even Jesus’ disciple Thomas doubted that Christ had resurrected and even asked if he could physically touch the wounds of Jesus. And only then he believed.

Like Thomas, we also might have doubt, but Jesus understands that and only asks of us to have a little faith, and in turn, we would be more blessed than those who have seen: 

John 20:29 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Conclusion

Lastly, one of the greatest hopes of the Christian church is the promise of what we call in theology the beatific vision or the vision of God as said by John in His letter;

1 John 3:2 (NKJV)

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

John is basically saying that the very substance and essence of God, which is concealed from our eyes right now, will be seen in all of its glory, majesty, and splendor in heaven.

Until that day, the scriptures tell us consistently that no person shall see God and live; this is because God is holy, and we are not (Exod. 33:20). 

Even Moses, as righteous as he was, pleaded with God on the mountain to let him have an unveiled look at God’s glory. God only allowed him to catch a refracted glimpse of God’s back parts, but he said to Moses, “My face shall not be seen. (Exod. 33:23)” 

Ever since Adam and Eve fell and were driven from the Garden, God has been invisible to human beings, but not because God is intrinsically incapable of being seen. The problem is not with our eyes but with our hearts. 

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, made the promise that someday, a certain group of people would see God.  

Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

It’s because we’re not pure in heart that God remains invisible, and only when we’re purified will we see him.

to experience Jesus Christ in your life is to see the full revelation and essence of God.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Who is God?

Here are few examples of who God is. His nature and everything about Him.

love satan?

If we are to love our enemies, should not God also love Satan?

The Bible tells us to forgive and pray for our enemies. Does this mean the same for God? Will God ever forgive Satan?

Create satan

Did God create Satan? And if so why does He not just get rid of him?

The Bible tells us that God is love, gentle, kind and just. If so how could a God like this create Satan who is evil?

loving allow suffering

Why would a loving God allow suffering?

This question distinguishes between two characteristics of love and suffering. However, it can be misleading as it assumes that God had inherently prepared for a world for pain and sickness. This is not true.

God change his mind

Does God change His mind?

No. God does not go back on His promises nor does He tell us something one day and something different the next. Unlike us, God can always be trusted to keep His Word.

Loving god kill

How Can a Loving God Kill People in the Old Testament?

Many scriptural critics have imposed this question on Christians accusing them of serving a “crazy” God who would destroy innocent nations in the Old Testament.

Does God Harden hearts

Why does God harden hearts?

What is the deal with God hardening people’s hearts? Is not our hearts hard enough let alone have God to harden it?

does god command human sacrifice

Does God Command Human sacrifice?

In Genesis chapter 22 we come across this overwhelming passage where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited and promised son, Isaac.

can got get jealous

Can God get jealous?

The Bible not only says that God is a Jealous God, but it also declares that one of His very names “is Jealous.”

starving children

Does God not care about the millions of starving children in the world?

People often blame God for the number of starving children in the world and accuse Him of lacking power or the care to provide for them. So is this true?

Six common arguments against the resurrection refuted

Six common arguments against the resurrection refuted

Six arguments against the Resurrection refuted.

Last Updated

Apr 19, 2021

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These are some arguments used to explain or falsify the resurrection event.

However, the responses to these arguments add to the authenticity of the resurrection event. 

ARGUMENT 1

“Jesus' enemies would have taken His body.”

This scenario would be highly improbable because Jesus’ enemies would have certainly displayed His body if they could have, to humiliate His disciples, to control any rumors of His resurrection, as well as cut short any new religious movement that would threaten their Mosaic traditions.

ARGUMENT 2

“Jesus' followers might have taken His body.”

It is unlikely that Jesus’ followers would have taken His body because, following His crucifixion, they were profoundly disappointed and discouraged, hiding away and did not believe that He would be resurrected.

It is absurd to think that they would have invented a scheme under these conditions wherein they would steal the body to fabricate a story that they did not believe in and would later be killed for.

ARGUMENT 3

“No one had actually seen Jesus risen and people who claimed to were just hallucinating with grief.”

Hallucinations are an individual phenomena, not a group event. An individual can hallucinate; however, Jesus had appeared to more than 500 people after His resurrection as recorded in the new testament scriptures. 

Furthermore, the Bible accounts for Paul’s conversion after he witnessed the resurrected Christ, and he was not even in the state of grief (but instead was on route persecuting Christians). 

ARGUMENT 4

“The Conversion of Paul could have happened by him just exploring other faiths as it occurs in today’s world.”

The problem with this claim is that Paul did not convert based on any secondary facts (by reading sources or by someone ministering to him). But instead, he converted based on a firsthand experience when he met the risen Lord Jesus.

ARGUMENT 5

“Jesus had a twin brother who looked like him and pretended to be the Messiah after the resurrection.”

Although this is possible, the odds of this is improbable that someone would attempt such a stunt and subject himself to the torture and flogging associated with the name Jesus during that period.

ARGUMENT 6

“Jesus did not die on the cross but had merely passed out and later woke up in the tomb and escaped.”

Jesus was severely beaten, exhausted, carried a wooden cross with splinters / was exhausted / a crown of thorns was put upon His head / was nailed to the cross and then had a spear stuck in His side. 

After this, He was taken down from the cross and wrapped in 100 pounds of burial clothing and was put inside a tomb with a stone that weighed between two to three tons rolled in front of it. 

How would Jesus all of a sudden revive and un-wrap Himself and still have the strength to push the stone and escape? 

This theory is just not realistic. 

Furthermore, the guards who crucified Jesus were professional executioners, and some say that if an executioner took a man off before he was dead would face the same death.  

Even these six reasons could not contain Him in the Grave. Jesus is alive.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

What is the symbolism of the curtain being torn when Jesus was crucified?

When the gospel records the curtain being torn after Jesus crucifixion, it resembled that access for all to enter into the Holy of Holies was now open so that everyone could experience God’s presence.

Command not to tell of the miracles

Why did Jesus command not to tell others of the miracles He performed?

We see this across various scriptures where Jesus would heal someone and later command them not to tell anyone of the miracles He had performed.

Could Jesus have sinned?

Could Jesus have sinned?

Christians believe Jesus had the attributes of both Man and God during His time here on earth. He was 100% man and 100% God.

Why is Jesus called the Son of God?

In the new testament, Jesus is often referred to as the Son of God. However, on a reading of scripture, you may also notice that many other people are called Sons of God.

jesus a created being

Is Jesus a created being?

The brief answer is that Jesus is not created being, but He existed from eternity along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus the passover lamb

What does it mean that Jesus is the passover lamb?

Jesus is the lamb that was offered up for our sins once and for all. He was blameless without blemish and, He finished the work on the cross so that we could be covered by God’s grace and mercy.

jesus baptism

Why did Jesus take Baptism?

John’s baptism was a call to repentance for all people; however, Jesus did not perform this act for the repentance of sins because He never sinned.

Jesus grew in wisdom?

Jesus grew in wisdom.

So how can this be possible? Was not Jesus God? If so, how could He have ‘grown’ in wisdom? Does God not already know everything?

God and man

How can Jesus be both God and Man?

We would have heard of this statement in Church that while on earth “Jesus was 100% man and 100% God.” But what does this mean?

Six common arguments against the resurrection refuted

This post presents SIX common arguments that are used by skeptics to falsify the resurrection event of Jesus. Each off them can be refuted easily.

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