Nathan Carter Johnson a 9th generation Tennessean, descendent of first landowners who settled in Middle Tennessee in the early 19th century, who is by trade a Professor of Moral Philosophy at New College Franklin in Franklin, holds a B.A. in English Literature and master’s degrees in Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, and Liberal Arts; currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Humanities, and teaches rhetoric to 11th graders, says it has become apparent that some of his students believe that we should not spend so much time studying rhetorical devices and tropes.
Either it’s a waste of time or, worse, it’s a form of manipulation and deceit. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
For him it is
somewhat more surprising that so many of them feel that the time and attention spent learning about ethos, pathos, and rhetorical tropes is at its core a way of teaching them how to manipulate their audience. “Why can’t we simply speak the truth?” they ask. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
Speaking the truth has become for many very difficult or not something to strive for. The majority of people prefer to please others and to keep to human ideas and teachings instead of choosing for following Biblical teachings. Lots of people also do not feel well when they would be seen as outsiders, and therefore they prefer to walk with the main stream.
Nathan Carter Johnson recognises that the Bible is a masterful piece of rhetoric, and says:
why rhetoric is an essential part of the school curriculum. We are a rhetoric-level Classical school, after all. And this is well received at the beginning of the year because, I suspect, it is all simply theory. But as my students have spent many hours practicing rhetoric and evaluating the rhetorical features of history’s greatest speeches, theory has collided with practice, and for some, their consciences are screaming at them. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
The writer of the above mentioned article further writes:
Rhetoric is at its essence, to quote Quintilian, “the art of speaking well,” particularly in the context of persuasion. As Aristotle said, rhetoric is “the faculty of discovering in any particular case all the available means of persuasion.” But for many students, all this focus on “art” and “means of persuasion” is simply a deceptive way to cover up the truth. While this notion is misguided, I’m thankful they are voicing it, because it enables all of us to think more deeply about how to answer their question: Why can we not simply speak the truth? The answers to this reveal many things about the nature of truth, language, and our God. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
In this day and ages of lots of fake news and false messages people often forget that certain groups of people have advantages not to tell the truth. As such for centuries the Roman Catholic Church told many lies making it easier for them to frighten people and to get more followers from them and more money.
Lots of institutions used their power for persuading common people to follow them and to become a member of their church.
Mr. Johnson agrees that there is no such thing as “neutral speech.”
To speak is to persuade. Even the simple statement, “I like lilies,” is an attempt to persuade one’s audience to believe this fact and to believe it for a specific reason. We cannot speak without selecting which information we want to say and which information we want to refrain from saying. We cannot speak without selecting how we want to speak: whether that is our tone of voice, our vocal modulation and inflection, the use of figures of speech, or how we string our words and sentences together. So the question is not whether we should use our speech to persuade, but whether we are using persuasion with honesty, integrity, and artistry: or, if you will, with Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
We all should be fully aware that for many, to persuade by means of artistry seems like an attempt to cover up (or supplement) the truth because they don’t believe the truth is persuasive enough on its own. That idea made many people willing to give their own ideas more strength by calling themselves theologians, and even telling the world that ordinary people can not understand the Bible because it would be too complicated for them. People started believing their words and did not dare to question if God would ever make His Word so complicated that only studied people could understand it.
The reason why for many the Bible looks so difficult to understand and even seems to contradict itself at certain places is, because the false human doctrines made it so complicated eand by the first doctrine had to come a second, and then a third and once more some other doctrines people just had to accept, so-called because they would not be able to understand it.
It are those human doctrines which made the Bible to complicated for many people; In case people would just take the words for what they say it would be So Easy!
When they would read “son fo God” and think “son of God” when it is written in the Scriptures already the main problem will be solved. But for many that seems too easy.
The danger of a good rhetorician is like a musician or any other theatrical performer who by his artistry can bring people into a different world, which is not always the world of truth, like Mr. Johnson wants us to believe. About a good rhetorician he says:
His artful speech ends up communicating truth in the way intended by God, because truth is meant to be embraced. His artful speech, by being more persuasive, leads the audience to embrace a truth they wouldn’t have if they were merely listening to someone speak accurate words. {Rhetoric as a Trinitarian Discipline}
He is forgetting the Bible can speak for itself and has the Words from God written in it. The Bible is the infallible Word of God Which always tells the Truth. And people should know that God is no liar. Often people also forget that God knows everything, whilst the prophets, Jesus and his disciples did not know everything; Jesus even did not know when he would return or when the End Times would be. In case he would be God, like so many want us to believe, than God would be lying and deceiving as well, because God also told us that no man can see God, whilst many have seen Jesus.
Those who claim to be Christian should be believing those Words of God Who says He is Only One (and not two or three) and take the warnings from God at heart:
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.” (Ge 17:1 KJ21)
“”Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” (De 6:4 KJ21)
“”‘See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god besides Me. I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.” (De 32:39 KJ21)
“one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph 4:6 KJ21)
“Concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but One.” (1Co 8:4 KJ21)
“God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent. Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Nu 23:19 KJ21)
“Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David.” (Ps 89:35 KJ21)
“in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began,” (Tit 1:2 KJ21)
“that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we, who have fled for refuge, might have strong consolation to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” (Heb 6:18 KJ21)
“And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent.”” (1Sa 15:29 KJ21)
“And He said, “Thou canst not see My face, for there shall no man see Me and live.”” (Ex 33:20 KJ21)
“1 “Thou shalt not raise a false report. Put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause, following many, to divert judgment. ….. 7 Keep thee far from a false matter, and the innocent and righteous slay thou not; for I will not justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no bribe, for the bribe blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous. … And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect; and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. ….. 20 “Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Have regard for him, and obey his voice. Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for My name is in him. 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. 23 For Mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites, and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their images. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and He shall bless thy bread and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26 None shall cast their young nor be barren in thy land; the number of thy days I will fulfill. … 32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against Me; for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.”” (Ex 23:1-33 KJ21)
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” (Joh 1:18 KJ21)
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1Ti 1:17 KJ21)
“who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Ti 6:16 KJ21)
Though no man can see God, does not mean He would not exist or would not have the Power to reach people so that they can come to see the Truth.
People should know that the decisions of Jehovah God are true and that God can be found by man if they are willing to hear His Word and to place it above the words of man.
“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” (Ps 19:9 KJ21)
“It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in,” (Isa 40:22 KJ21)
“For from the creation of the world the invisible things of Him are clearly seen, being understood through the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” (Ro 1:20 KJ21)
“There are also celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” (1Co 15:40 KJ21)
“He that hath received His testimony hath set his seal to this: that God is true.” (Joh 3:33 KJ21)
“God forbid! Yea, let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: “That Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged.”” (Ro 3:4 KJ21)
“He that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.” (1Jo 5:10 KJ21)
It is that believe in the son of God which is so important but so many Trinitarians overlook. People namely have to believe that Jesus is the sent one from God and that he is God’s only begotten beloved son.
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,” (Ga 4:4 KJ21)
“And lo, a voice came from Heaven, saying, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”” (Mt 3:17 KJ21)
“Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.” (Joh 8:42 KJ21)
Those words seem so simple and clear, though the majority of people who call themselves Christian do not want to accept those words and even go so far to say that people who believe those words are no Christians. Though some would agree to say
it is not enough to to see yourself as a cultural Christian; you should be a Christian by heart as well. {Being A Cultural Christian Is Not Enough}
Though that concept of being a Christian by heart might be different by those Trinitarians because for them, it is more important to keep to the human dogma’s instead of to the Biblical dogma. Strangely enough most of those Trinitarians would agree with the theorem
In the first place, being a Christian presupposes that you believe in God. And in fact, a Christian does not only believe in God, he or she also believes in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. {Being A Cultural Christian Is Not Enough}
Though at the same time they say:
“Jesus is God”
and
“Jesus is god the son”
something totally different than
“the son of God.”
Some Trinitarians say the Father and son are not equal personally, they say they are just equal in office, when they also say they are two persons but the same God. They forget how Jesus tells his disciples to Whom he is going and by Whom he can do things.
“17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” 18 Therefor the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, “Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son and showeth Him all things that He Himself doeth; and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, 23 that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father who hath sent Him. 24 Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word and believeth in Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. 25 “Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice 29 and shall come forth—they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 “I can of Mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent Me.
31 If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is Another that beareth witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesseth of Me is true. 33 “Ye sent unto John, and he bore witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man, but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me that the Father hath sent Me.” (Joh 5:17-36 KJ21)
“Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.” (Joh 8:42 KJ21)
“27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, ‘I go away and come again unto you.’ If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice because I said, ‘I go unto the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 “Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.” (Joh 14:27-31 KJ21)
“Jesus said unto her, “Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say unto them, ‘I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”” (Joh 20:17 KJ21)
“But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1Co 11:3 KJ21)
“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and I will write upon him My new name.” (Re 3:12 KJ21)
Mr.Johnson with many other Trinitarians want people to believe that artful speech is in fact truer than bland speech and truer that the black on white letters of Scriptures. We should check their speech with what those words tell us black on white and if it is consistent not with its message, but with the Bible message.
Truth’s telos is to be believed — and to bear fruit in virtue and worship, people should follow the Word of God and not that of man. We may not forget that The Bible can speak for itself and that it embodies within itself power and beauty, because Truth finds its source within the Pure Word of the Only One True God and not in the Trinity. In this way, the manner in which we speak must reflect the nature of Truth itself. Artful speech is truer because it embodies more than simple truth: It is Trinitarian.
People should come to see that there might be many roads, but no all leading to God. For sure Jesus is the way to God and not to himself. Jesus, his disciples and their followers are paving the road leading to God.
Be sure that when you are willing to look for the Truth, you shall not be alone. Many who love Christ are willing to strive for
Maintaining unity of Spirit in the bond of peace becoming one with God
Mr.Johnson knows that truth that does not reflect the beauty and goodness of God is important. Nut than it is important to know “Which God” one wants to honour. One should not go for the “truth of man” that does present itself as worthy of admiration, but should go for God’s Truth.
A truth that does not have moral weight, is hardly a truth worth telling.
Please let us always remember to have no gods besides the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and to keep to the Biblical Truth.
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Preceding
Not About The Name Of The Godhead Of Jesus
To find ways of Godly understanding
Fully God Or Only A Part Of God?
Daring to speak in multicultural environment
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Additional reading
- Blindness in the Christian world
- Christian in Christendom or in Christianity
- Is Christianity a Greedy Religion?
- Seeking and finding God
- People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
- People Seeking for God 4 Biblical terms
- Sayings around God
- Trinitarians making their proof for existence of God look ridiculous #4
- Jahushua, Joshua, Jeshua or Jesus an Immanuel or God with us an incarnated God or a human being?
- The sent one from God
- Knowing Jesus Rabboni
- Jesus son of God
- Jesus Christ the Messiah
- Seeing Jesus
- Bible writings telling us there is only One True God
- The way of looking at the Scriptures and the people in this world
- The One Who divinely inspired the writers of the Bible can also preserve it
- Bible exceptional Book of books where nothing can be taken away or added
- Do you believe what Christ’s Apostles taught?
- With the Bible, honour should be given to God and not to people
- Jesus and God
- Knowing God
- A Father Who begat a son
- Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil
- Jesus begotten Son of God #19 Compromising fact
- On the Nature of Christ
- Entrance of a king to question our position #1 Coming in the Name of the Lord
- Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
- The Son can do nothing of his own accord
- God of gods (Relating to God)
- God of gods
- Real God
- Only One God
- God the Father
- Greatness of God
- Uniqueness of God
- Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #2 Pantheon of gods and celebrations
- Have no other gods besides Me
- Today’s thought “nonsense surrounding the many gods” (July 28)
- Trinity
- Trinity matter
- Trinity – the Truth about God
- Trinity – history
- Constantine a brutal sociopath getting the believers in a God man on his side and creating a Christian church
- Behind a False doctrine – the Trinity
- The Biblical contradiction of the Trinity creed
- Babylon, counterfeit Church
- Going away from Babylon
- Jehovah God Almighty greater than all gods
- The Almighty Lord God of gods King above all gods
- Believe in One God
- Jehovah Host of hosts
- A 1st reply to the 4th Question Who is God 2 A Singular Supreme Spirit Being
- Today’s thought “No silence so that everyone will know that there is only one Supreme Ruler all over the earth” (February 17)
- Omniscient God opposite a not knowing Jesus
- A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
- The “I am” statement
- Concerning the saying: I and the Father are one
- A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God
- Believe in One God
- God’s Self-Revelation
- God is one
- Attributes to God
- Character of God
- Doctrine of Christ
- Focussing on oneness with Jesus like Jesus is one with God
- Reasons that Jesus is Not God
- God son king and his subjects
- Not saying Jeshua is God
- One in God’s Hand
- Ambassadors for our faith in Jeshua
- Genuine Christians content with going through motions of ritualistic religion
- From nothingness to a growing group of followers of Jeshua 5 What’s in a name
- Difference between a Messianic Gentile, a Messianic Jew and a Christian
- Jews and Christians against Messianics and Jeshuaists
- Judaism and Jeshuaism a religion of the future
- Today’s Thought “The servant, His chosen one, whom God supports and in whom God takes pleasure.” (June 18)
- Today’s Thought “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? ” (June 22)
- Additional verses to memorize Philippians 2:6-9 + Luke 22:42 Jesus not regarding equality with God
- TD Jakes Breaks Down the Trinity, Addresses Being Called a ‘Heretic’
- False teachers and false prophets still around
- Faith – Concerning Faith and the Gospel
- Hardships for choosing to follow the real Christ
- One Mediator
- Commandements of Christ
- Christianity without the Trinity
- Worshipping God
- Attitude of a Christian
- Nurturing a Close Relationship with God
- Relationship with God, Jesus and each other
- Abiding in God’s Love
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Further related
- “The Trinity and Missions” John 20:19-23
- Come To Me To Have Life
- Being A Cultural Christian Is Not Enough
- The Trinity
- Tri-Unity
- The Trinity Ain’t a Puzzle–It’s Life!
- Why Every Christian Should Read Augustine’s Book on the Trinity
- Tuesday Tea-ology, 12/08/20
- #17 St Nicholas and Why I Accepted the Trinity
- What Trinity are You Worshipping?
- The Unholy Trinity
- The Relationship Between Jesus and God the Father
- Who Do You Say That I Am?
- Baby Jesus Grew Up – Do You Hear the Voice Crying: Prepare the Way of the Lord?
- Luke Chapter 3
- Beloved Son
- One With The Father
- Always On Your Heart
- No G-D But OneONE
- Daily Service: ONE
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- Day 134, “One God”
- There’s Only One God”
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- The Significance of One
- The Mystery of One
- Creator of All
- November 29, 2020: God is the Living God
- Deity Identified #1953
- Why are only Christians acceptable to God -1505a
- One God: Supreme, Eternal, Transcendent, Universal, Immanent
- Debunked – One god in Catholic theology
- Tell me nothing but the truth – Part 1
- A Trinitarian Christian claims he can explain the trinity…guess what happens next?
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