The SDA “Heavenly Trio” teaching (3 distinct eternal beings, united only in purpose, love, and work) is dangerously close to tritheism — the belief in three separate gods — rather than the One God in three Persons revealed in Scripture.
1. The Biblical Trinity: One Being, Three Persons
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible affirms there is only one God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-6), yet this one God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).
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One Being — “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4, CSB).
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Three Persons — At Jesus’ baptism, the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Spirit descends (Matt. 3:16-17).
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Same essence/substance — John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.” The Greek word hen here means one in essence, not just one in purpose.
2. Why the “Heavenly Trio” Is Not the Same
The SDA Pioneer view reduces the unity of God to agreement in purpose, not unity of nature. This makes each Person an independent God-being, which historically is tritheism, condemned by the early church.
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The Nicene Creed (AD 325) and Athanasian Creed were not man-made inventions but biblical summaries against heresies like Arianism and tritheism.
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By contrast, the “Heavenly Trio” model has no roots in historic Christianity — it comes from early SDA pioneers influenced by semi-Arianism.
3. Pastor Ronald Obidos on Matthew 28:18
In SDA Answered Verse by Verse, Pastor Ronald Obidos writes on Matthew 28:18-19:
"If SDAs were truly Trinitarians, they would affirm not only the three names but also the one divine essence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Instead, the SDA pioneers taught three separate divine beings — a position rejected by the historic Christian church as tritheism. The baptismal formula given by Christ is rooted in the unity of the one Name (singular) shared by the three Persons."
Here, the singular “in the name” (ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι) in Matthew 28:19 shows one divine identity, not three separate beings.
4. Reliable Church History
The early church fathers defended the Trinity because it was the teaching of Scripture:
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Athanasius: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance."
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Tertullian (AD 200): Coined the term Trinitas to express the biblical truth of one essence, three persons.
No credible Christian tradition in the first 18 centuries taught the “three heavenly beings” model the SDA pioneers propose.
5. Conclusion
Rejecting the biblical Trinity is not a minor doctrinal difference — it is a departure from the historic Christian faith and a distortion of who God truly is.
True Trinity vs SDA Heavenly Trio
| Category | Biblical Trinity (Creedal View) | SDA “Heavenly Trio” (Pioneer View) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of God | One Divine Being in Three Co-eternal Persons — same essence (homoousios) | Three Distinct Eternal Beings — united only in purpose and mission |
| Biblical Basis | Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14 | No direct biblical verse teaches “three beings”; concept drawn from selective EGW quotes and pioneer writings |
| Unity | Unity of being and essence (hen = one in substance, John 10:30) | Unity of purpose, love, and work, not essence |
| Historic Roots | Affirmed by early church councils: Nicene (AD 325), Constantinople (AD 381), Athanasius, Tertullian | Originated with early SDA pioneers (James White, Joseph Bates, Uriah Smith) who rejected Nicene orthodoxy |
| Essence of God | One divine nature shared equally by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit | Three separate divine beings, each fully God individually |
| Risk of Error | Maintains biblical monotheism while affirming three Persons | Tends toward tritheism (belief in three Gods) |
| Matthew 28:19 Meaning | “In the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” — one divine identity | “In the names (plural in concept) of three beings” — undermines singular divine identity |
| Salvation Implication | One God acts in unity: Father plans, Son redeems, Spirit sanctifies | Three gods cooperating — a diminished biblical view of God |
| Pastor Ronald Obidos (SDA Answered v. by v.) | "The singular ‘name’ in Matthew 28:19 affirms one divine essence shared by three Persons — historic Christianity rejects the SDA trio as tritheistic." | Admits separation of divine essence — closer to Mormonism than to historic Christian faith |
Key Takeaway
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True Trinity = One God in Three Persons — biblical, historical, orthodox.
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SDA Heavenly Trio = Three separate Gods in cooperation — unbiblical, historically condemned as tritheism.
Former Adventists Philippines
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