Kingdom In Context (Sean Griffin)

How misused: Misinterprets 'Everlasting Father' as a royal or functional title for the Messiah, not an ontological claim to full divinity, to argue against the Trinity and Christ's co-equality with God the Father.

Scripture's answer: Isaiah 9:6 attributes divine titles, including 'Mighty God' and 'Everlasting Father,' to the coming Messiah, indicating His intrinsic divine nature and eternal authority, not merely a functional role (Isaiah 9:6, Colossians 2:9).

How misused: Misapplies 'The Word was God' to deny Christ's ontological equality with YHWH, often redefining 'God' (Theos) as a position of authority rather than a shared divine nature, leading to a subordinationist Christology.

Scripture's answer: John 1:1 clearly states that 'the Word was God' (θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος), affirming the Word's (Jesus') full divine nature and co-equality with God, not merely a delegated authority or a lesser 'god' (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 2:9).

How misused: Interprets Jesus' statement 'He who has seen me has seen the Father' as merely behavioral mimicry or demonstration of Kingdom attributes, rather than an assertion of shared divine nature and ontological unity with the Father, to argue against the Trinity.

Scripture's answer: In John 14:9, Jesus' statement 'He who has seen me has seen the Father' is a profound claim to His essential unity and identity with the Father, indicating that to perceive Jesus is to perceive the very essence of God, reflecting His divine nature (John 10:30, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3).

How misused: Frequently cites 'sin is lawlessness' (ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία) to redefine sin primarily as the transgression of the Mosaic Law/Torah, rather than a broader concept of missing the mark or rebellion against God's will, often promoting Torah-observance as the primary means of avoiding sin.

Scripture's answer: While 1 John 3:4 defines sin as lawlessness, this should be understood in the New Covenant context where Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). Lawlessness refers to rebellion against God's revealed will, which in the New Covenant is centered on faith in Christ and obedience to His commands (1 John 3:23, Romans 8:7-8).

How misused: Misinterprets 'righteousness apart from the law' as merely referring to a justification method distinct from Pharisaic teachings about circumcision, rather than God's righteous standard revealed by faith in Christ, which applies independently of, and not through, the works of the Mosaic Law itself.

Scripture's answer: Romans 3:21 teaches that God's righteousness is now revealed apart from the Mosaic Law, but it is attested by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe, demonstrating that salvation is not earned by works of the Law but is a gift of God's grace (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8-9).

How misused: Equates 'walking in the spirit' or 'being in the flesh' with strict physical adherence to the Mosaic Law (Torah observance), rather than understanding it as living according to the Holy Spirit's leading versus living according to one's sinful nature.

Scripture's answer: Romans 8:5-8 contrasts living according to the flesh (sinful nature) with living according to the Spirit. To 'walk in the Spirit' is to be led by the Holy Spirit, resulting in obedience to God's moral will, which is distinct from being under the Mosaic Law as a covenantal system (Galatians 5:16-18, Romans 7:4-6).

How misused: Misinterprets 'hypostasis' and phrases about Christ's active purification for sins to support a non-Trinitarian, subordinationist view, suggesting ongoing sacrificial work or a lesser divine status for Christ.

Scripture's answer: Hebrews 1:3 affirms Christ's inherent divine nature, stating He is the 'radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being (hypostasis),' and that He 'sustains all things by His powerful word.' His work of 'purification for sins' refers to the completed work of the cross, after which He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 10:11-14).

How misused: Misinterprets Hebrews 9 to argue for ongoing animal sacrifices in heaven or for an ongoing need for atonement beyond Christ's completed work, rather than recognizing Christ's once-for-all sacrifice and the obsolescence of the earthly sacrificial system.

Scripture's answer: Hebrews 9 clearly states that Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption, and that He appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. This demonstrates the finality and sufficiency of His sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-14, 24-28).