Important Note: This article examines Finis Jennings Dake’s teachings on the Trinity using extensive quotations from his own published works. The purpose is to document what Dake actually taught, allowing readers to understand his theological position through his own words. All quotations are cited with specific references to enable verification.
Introduction: The Significance of Dake’s Trinity Doctrine
Finis Jennings Dake (1902-1987) remains one of the most influential yet controversial Bible teachers of the twentieth century. His Dake Annotated Reference Bible, first published in 1963, continues to be widely used throughout the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. However, few users of the Dake Bible realize that embedded within its extensive notes is a doctrine of God that fundamentally departs from orthodox Christianity. Specifically, Dake taught that the Trinity consists not of one God in three persons, as historic Christianity has always affirmed, but of three separate Gods who are merely unified in purpose.
This examination presents Dake’s actual teachings on the Trinity, drawn directly from his published works. The extensive quotations that follow are necessary to demonstrate that these are not misrepresentations or exaggerations of Dake’s position, but his clearly stated beliefs. As we will see, Dake was remarkably consistent and explicit in teaching what orthodox Christianity has always recognized as tritheism—the belief in three Gods.
Definition of Terms:
Orthodox Trinity: One God existing eternally in three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who share the same divine essence.
Tritheism: The belief in three separate Gods, considered heretical throughout Christian history.
Modalism: The belief that God is one person who appears in three different modes, also considered heretical.
Part I: Dake’s Definition of God and the Trinity
1.1 Dake’s Basic Definition of the Terms
In his Dake Annotated Reference Bible, Dake provides definitions for the key terms related to the Godhead. These definitions immediately reveal his departure from orthodox theology:
“1. GOD. This word simply means
deity or
divinity and is a general term used of false gods as well as of the true. How many persons there are in the true deity cannot be determined by the word. In the Old Testament Scriptures on the Trinity we must settle this question.
2. GODHEAD. This term simply means that which is divine. It is used of Jesus in Col. 2:9, as having all the qualities of divinity in His manifestation of God to men. It is also used of all three persons in the deity in Rom. 1:20.
3. ONE. The Hebrew word for one in such Scriptures as ‘one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4-6) and ‘one God’ (Mal. 2:10) is echad, to unify, collect, be united in one, one”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
Notice how Dake immediately begins to redefine terms. The word “one” is not taken in its natural, numerical sense but is redefined to mean “unity” rather than singularity. This redefinition becomes the foundation for his entire theological system.
Dake elaborates on these definitions in his book God’s Plan for Man, providing additional detail about what he means by “one”:1
“ONE. The Hebrew word for one in such Scriptures as ‘one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4-6) and ‘one God’ (Mal. 2:10) is achad, to unify, collect, be united in one, one in number. It is used as one in unity many times: ‘they shall be one flesh’ (Gen. 2:24); ‘the people is one’ (Gen. 11:6). The Greek word for one in ‘one Lord’ and ‘one God’ in Mark 12:29, 32 is heis, to gather together in one (John 11:52) and to be one in unity (John 10:30; 17:11, 21-23; 1 John 5:7-8). The English word one also means one in unity, as can be seen in the above passages. Whether one in unity or one in number is the meaning in a particular passage must be determined by Scripture and not by the meaning of the word itself.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 50
1.2 The Explicit Teaching of Three Separate Beings
Dake’s most direct and shocking statements about the Trinity appear in his book God’s Plan for Man. Here he explicitly teaches that the Godhead consists of three completely separate beings:
“The doctrine of the Trinity is simply stated as one in unity, not in number. There are three separate and distinct persons, each having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the same sense that each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit which are separate and distinct from all others.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
This statement could not be clearer. Dake is not speaking metaphorically or symbolically. He explicitly teaches that each person of the Trinity is a separate being with their own body, soul, and spirit, just as three human beings are separate from each other.
He continues with even more explicit detail:
“God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each has His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the same sense that each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit which are separate and distinct from all others… The body of any being is the outward form or house in which his soul and spirit dwell”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
Dake reiterates this teaching in his Annotated Reference Bible, stating emphatically:
“What we mean by Divine Trinity is that there are three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead, each one having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the same sense each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
To further emphasize the separateness of these three persons, Dake adds:2
“If the fact is revealed that there are three separate distinct beings in the Deity or Godhead, this would be sufficient to warrant the conclusion that each of them have separate bodies, souls, and spirits, like all other separate and distinct beings. Even disembodied spirits are separate and distinct from each other and can be numbered as are all other beings. Shall we conclude that only one of the members of the Godhead has a body, soul, and spirit, as proved of God in Lesson Four, and that the other two persons of the Deity are bodiless and do not have souls and spirits? In that case there would only be one person, but since there are three persons entirely separate and distinct from each other, it is only reasonable that each of them are the same in substance and nature, and that they all have had from eternity the same kind of spirit-bodies, soul passions, and spirit-faculties.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 65
1.3 The Meaning of “One” in Unity, Not Number
Central to Dake’s argument is his interpretation of the Hebrew word echad (one) in Deuteronomy 6:4. Dake argues extensively that this word means unity, not numerical singularity:
“What is there hard about this to understand since we have concrete examples on Earth of every fact stated here? What is there hard to understand about three persons in the Godhead being three separate persons in the same sense we can conceive of any other three persons? What is there hard to understand about three persons being one in unity as we can conceive of any number of persons? Do we have to believe that three persons must become one person in order to be three in one? Is this the case with three men who are one in unity? If not, then this is not the case of the three separate persons in the Godhead.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
Dake continues this argument by pointing to human examples of unity:
“Cannot any number of persons retain their individuality and still be one in unity? Could not this be true of the Godhead? Could not God exist as three separate persons with three separate bodies, souls, and spirits, and still be one in unity? Why, then, would we have to claim that such could not be comprehended, since we have concrete examples of the unity of the Godhead in this world?”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
In his Annotated Reference Bible, Dake provides additional clarity on this interpretation:
“These three (individuals-the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Ghost) are one (1 Jn. 5:7). The only sense in which three can be one is in unity—never in number of persons. The disciples, as in Jn.17:11,21-23, for instance, were not to become one person, one individual, or one being with only one human body, one soul, and one spirit. They were to become one in unity, consecrated to the same end to which God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are consecrated—the highest good of all. They were to retain their own bodies, souls, spirits and personalities as individuals. So it is with the three Divine Members of the Divine Trinity—the separate persons in Elohim always retain their own personal body, soul, and spirit, yet they are one in perfect unity.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake explicitly compares the unity of the Godhead to the unity of human believers, treating both as examples of the same kind of unity:3
“Jesus said, ‘All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth’ (Matt. 28:18). Somebody had to give Him this power, and He had to be greater than Jesus, or He would not have it to give… Jesus used ‘I’ and ‘me,’ first personal pronouns, in referring to Himself, and ‘thou,’ ‘thee,’ and ‘thine,’ second personal pronouns, in referring to the Father, whom He was addressing. He used ‘they’ and ‘them’ in referring to the disciples for whom He was praying and ‘we’ and ‘us’ when referring to Himself and His Father, proving that He and His Father were more than one person as much as the disciples were.”
—God’s Plan for Man, pages 380-381
1.4 Dake’s Interpretation of Biblical Unity Language
When confronted with biblical passages that speak of the oneness of God, Dake consistently interprets them as referring to unity of purpose rather than unity of being:
“From another standpoint, we can believe that ‘one God,’ ‘one Lord,’ and ‘one Spirit’ literally mean one in number in some cases, as is plainly stated in 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:3-6. These passages refer to single persons of the three persons in the Trinity. Just as we can speak of three men being one in unity and then single out each of these three men as one in number if we want to speak of them as individuals, so it is with God. There are three persons in the Godhead and we can refer to three persons in the divine individuality.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Dake further explains his understanding of biblical unity in his notes on Deuteronomy:
“The word one means one in unity as well as one in number. It means unity in 1 Jn. 5:7, as it does in Jn. 17:11, 21-23, and yet these three persons, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, are spoken of as one each in number and individuality in Scripture. There is one God the Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, and one Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:3-6). Thus there are three separate persons in divine individuality and divine plurality.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
Expanding on this concept, Dake writes about how believers should understand biblical references to divine unity:4
“To be literally honest with all Scripture, the rule to follow is the same as when we speak of any three men we might have in mind. Where only ONE person of the Godhead is plainly referred to in a particular passage, as in Gen. 32:24-32, only ONE person should be understood; where TWO persons are referred to and clearly seen and the language is clear that TWO persons are referred to, as in Gen. 19:24; Dan. 7:9-14; Acts 7:56-39, then TWO persons should be understood; and where THREE persons are clearly spoken about and where the language is clear that THREE persons are referred to, as in Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 1 John 5:7-8; Rev. 1:4-6; 4:2-5; 5:1, 6,7, then THREE distinct persons should be understood. Common honesty demands that we accept ONE, TWO, and THREE separate and distinct persons wherever they are seen with the eyes and referred to in plain human language by the first, second, and third personal pronouns.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Part II: The Physical Bodies of the Trinity
2.1 God the Father’s Body
One of Dake’s most controversial teachings is that God the Father has a literal, physical body. This teaching appears throughout his works:
“God has a personal spirit body… shape, image, likeness, bodily parts such as, back parts, heart, hands and fingers, mouth, lips, tongue, feet, eyes, hair, head, face, arms, loins, and other bodily parts.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Genesis 1:26, page 1
Dake goes into extensive detail cataloging every biblical reference to God’s body parts:
“The body of any being is the outward form or house in which his soul and spirit dwell (Gen. 2:7, 19; John 5:28-29; Matt. 27:52; 1 Cor. 15:34-58; Jas. 2:26; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:5, 10). There are spiritual and natural bodies, or heavenly and earthly bodies; and both kinds are real (1 Cor. 15:40-49).”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
In his section on “89 Proofs of A Divine Trinity,” Dake elaborates further on God’s bodily nature:
“The Bible declares that God has a body, shape, image, likeness, bodily parts, a personal soul and spirit, and all other things that constitute a being or a person with a body, soul, and spirit.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake’s teaching becomes even more explicit when he addresses the visibility of God:
“No man, therefore, can say with Scriptural authority, that God consists of a kind of invisible substance which cannot be seen or touched by man. In fact, God will live among men in visible form forever (Rev. 21:3; 22:3-4).”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on John 4:24
In God’s Plan for Man, Dake provides an extensive catalog of God’s bodily parts:5
“God is known in Scripture by over two hundred names. He is described as being like any other person as to having a body, soul, and spirit (Job 13:8; Heb. 1:3; Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-7). He is a Spirit Being with a body (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-6, 9-19; Exodus 24:11; Gen. 18; 32:24-32; Ezek. 1:26-28; Acts 7:54-59; Rev. 4:2-4; 5:1, 5-7; 22:4-5); shape (John 5:37); form (Phil. 2:5-7, same Greek word as in Mark 16:12, which refers to bodily form); and an image and likeness of a man (Gen. 1:26; 9:6; Ezek. 1:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:7; Jas. 3:9; Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-6). He has back parts; so must have front parts (Exodus 33:23). He has a heart (Gen. 6:6; 8:21); hands and fingers (Exodus 31:18; Ps. 8:3-6; Rev. 5:1, 6-7); nostrils (Ps. 18:8, 15); mouth (Num. 12:8); lips and tongue (Isa. 30:27); feet (Ezek. 1:27; Exodus 24:10); eyes, eyelids, sight (Ps. 11:4; 18:24; 33:18); voice (Ps. 29; Rev. 10:3-4; Gen. 1); breath (Gen. 2:7); ears (Ps. 18:6); countenance (Ps. 11:7); hair, head, face, arms (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-19; Rev. 5:1, 6-7; 22:4-6); loins (Ezek. 1:26-28; 8:1-4); bodily presence (Gen. 3:8; 18:1-22; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Ex. 24:10-11); and many other bodily parts as is required of Him to be a person with a body.”
—God’s Plan for Man, pages 56-57
Dake also describes God’s physical activities:6
“God goes from place to place in a body just like anyone else (Gen. 3:8; 11:5; 18:1-22, 33; 19:24; 32:24-32; 35:13; Zech. 14:5; Tit. 2:13). He is omni-present, but not omni-body, that is, His presence can be felt everywhere but His body cannot, as seen in Point 9 below. He wears clothes (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-19); eats (Gen. 18:1-22; Exodus 24:11); rests, not because he gets tired, but because he ceases activity or completes a work (Gen. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:4); dwells in a mansion and in a city located on a material planet called Heaven (John 14:1-3; Heb. 11:10-16; 13:14; Rev. 3:12; 21:1-27); sits on a throne (Isa. 6; Rev. 4:1-5; 22:3-5); walks (Gen. 3:8; 18:1-22, 33); rides upon cherubs, the wind, clouds, and chariots drawn by cherubims (Ps. 18:10; 68:17; 104:2; Ezek. 1:1-28); and does do and can do anything that any other person can do bodily that is right and good.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 57
2.2 The Limitations of Having a Body
Dake explicitly acknowledges that having a body means God is limited in location:
“God is NOT omnipresent in body but in Spirit through the Holy Spirit”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Jeremiah 23:24
He further explains:
“The fact that God came down from heaven to earth on different occasions proves He moves from place to place and is not omnipresent in body, but in Spirit through the Holy Spirit.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Genesis 11:5
Dake develops this teaching more fully in his notes on omnipresence:
“God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all present where there are beings with whom they have dealings; but they are not omnibody, that is, their bodies are not omnipresent. All three go from place to place bodily as other beings in the universe do.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on “Omnipresent”
This teaching is reiterated with even greater detail:
“Omnipresent (not omnibody, 1 Ki. 8:27; Ps. 139:7-12). Presence is not governed by bodily contact, but by knowledge and relationship (Mt. 18:20; 28:20; cp. 1 Cor. 5:3-4). God’s body is not omnipresent, for it is only at one place at one time like others (Gen. 3:8; 11:5; 18:1-8, 33; 19:24; 32:24-32), but His presence can be realized any place where men know Him and seek Him (Mt. 18:20).”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, Old Testament section on God’s attributes
Dake expounds on this limitation in God’s Plan for Man with striking clarity:7
“Spirit beings, including God, Himself, cannot be omnipresent in body, for their bodies are of ordinary size and must be at one place at a time, in the same way that bodies of men are always localized, being in one place at a time. God, angels, and other spirit beings go from place to place bodily as men do; but their presence can be any place in the universe—wherever there are other persons who also have the sense of presence enough to feel the presence of others regardless of bodily distance between them. Christ is a true example of what we mean by omnipresence. He said, ‘where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matt. 18:20). In what sense is He in the midst of so many gatherings? This could not mean that He is bodily present, for His body is in heaven seated at the right hand of God, as 24 scriptures declare (Psa. 110:1, 5; Mk. 16:19: Col. 3:1: Heb. 1:3: etc.).”
—God’s Plan for Man, pages 60-61
He continues by explaining where God personally dwells:8
“God personally dwells in Heaven, not everywhere. Jesus addressed His Father and referred to Him as being in Heaven. Eighteen times He said, ‘Father which is in heaven’ (Matt. 5:16, 45,48; 6:1,9; 7:11,21, etc.). Shall we conclude that Jesus did not know what He was talking about? Not one time does one Scripture refer to God as being bodily everywhere. God is omni-present but not omni-body, that is, His presence can be felt by moral agents who are everywhere, but His body cannot be seen by them every place at the same time. God has a body and goes from place to place like anybody else.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 61
2.3 Each Person of the Trinity Has Their Own Body
Dake is explicit that not just the Father, but each person of the Trinity has their own separate body:
“TRINITY. This means the union of three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in one (united) Godhead or Deity, so that all three persons are in unity and eternal substance, but three separate and distinct persons as to individuality (1 John 5:7-8; 1 Dan. 7:9-14; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; Acts 7:56; 2 Cor. 13:14)”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
“BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, each has His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit, which are separate and distinct from all others”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
Dake provides extensive scriptural justification for this teaching:
“Angels, cherubim, seraphim, and all other spirit beings have spirit bodies and personal souls and spirits. They have been seen with the natural eyes of men over 100 times in Scripture. If all other spirit beings have spirit bodies, could not the members of the Trinity also have spirit bodies? The 284 passages on spirits in Scripture prove that spirit bodies are just as real and capable of operation in the material worlds as are flesh beings.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Regarding evidence from Scripture, Dake writes:9
“Daniel saw two of them with separate bodies at the same time and at the same place (Dan. 7:9-14). Stephen saw two of them at the same place (Acts 7:56-59). Others saw different members of the Godhead at different times and places and every time any one of them has been seen He has appeared in a real body. See Lesson Four, Point II, 3, 7, 8, and 9 for proof that God has a body, soul, and spirit! In Lesson Twenty-seven we shall study many plain statements of three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead. If these facts be true, then it is only logical and scriptural to conceive of each of the three persons in the Godhead as having a personal spirit-body, soul, and spirit like all other persons that are in existence.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 65
Dake elaborates on the nature of spirit bodies:10
“According to all the above points a spirit is far different from what we have been taught. A spirit being can and does have real, material, and tangible spirit form, shape, and size, with bodily parts, soul passions, and spirit faculties. Their material bodies are of a spiritual substance and are just as real as human bodies.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Part III: The Separate Persons as Separate Gods
3.1 Direct Statements of Three Gods
While Dake sometimes uses the language of “persons,” his explanations make clear he means three separate Gods:
“All three persons of the Godhead are divine and can be spoken of individually as ‘God’ and collectively as ‘one God’ in the sense of unity. Each one is called ‘God’ and collectively all three can be called ‘one Lord’ in the sense of unity. The Father and Son are both called ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ in the same passages; yet they are clearly distinguished as two separate persons (Heb. 1:8-9; Ps. 110:1; Gen. 19:24; 1 Cor. 11:3). Any family of individuals or collectively could be called by the family name; so it is with the Godhead. All three persons in the Deity are Divine, God, Lord, etc.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Notice how Dake compares the Trinity to a human family—separate individuals who share a family name. This is not orthodox Trinitarianism but clear tritheism.
Dake provides further clarity on his understanding:
“The Father is called God (1 Cor. 8:6), the Son is called God (Isa. 9:6-7; Heb. 1:8; Jn. 1:1-2; 20:28), and the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4). As individual persons each can be called God and collectively they can be spoken of as one God because of their perfect unity. The word God is used either as a singular or a plural word, like sheep.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake elaborates on this theme throughout his writings:11
“The Father is called ‘God’ (1 Cor. 8:6); the Son is called ‘God’ (Isa. 9:6; Heb. 1:8; John 20:28); and the Holy Spirit is called ‘God’ (Acts 5:3-4); so all three persons of the Godhead are divine and can be spoken of individually as ‘God’ and collectively as ‘one God’ in the sense of unity. Each one is called ‘Lord,’ and collectively all three can be called ‘one Lord’ in the sense of unity. The Father and Son are both called ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ in the same passages; yet they are clearly distinguished as two separate persons (Heb. 1:8-9; Ps. 110:1; Gen. 19:24; 1 Cor. 11:3). Any family as individuals or collectively could be called by the family name; so it is with the Godhead. All three persons in the Deity are Divine, God, Lord, etc.”
—God’s Plan for Man, pages 55-56
3.2 The Analogy of Human Unity
Dake repeatedly uses the analogy of three humans being unified to explain the Trinity:
“Is it necessary for all persons who are one in unity to lose their own personalities and become only one person, or in one body, soul, and spirit? Would this then get rid of one person in order for them to be one in unity? Cannot any number of persons retain their individuality and still be one in unity?”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
This analogy fundamentally misunderstands the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. Three humans unified in purpose are still three separate beings. Orthodox Christianity teaches that the three persons of the Trinity share one divine essence, not merely one purpose.
Dake is even more explicit in using the human analogy:12
“If we spoke of three persons among angels or men and described the body, soul, and spirit of only one of them, it would be clearly understood that the other two were similar to the one that was described. All persons of like nature, powers, attributes, and works are naturally the same regardless of how many there are in existence. The members of the Godhead are exactly the same in every sense and have been from all eternity, so if one of them had a body by nature then all of them had spirit bodies exactly the same until one of them took a human body to redeem.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 65
3.3 Rejection of the Orthodox Understanding
Dake explicitly rejects the idea that the three persons share one essence or substance:
“Do we have to believe that three persons must become one person in order to be three in one? Is this the case with three men who are one in unity? If not, then this is not the case of the three separate persons in the Godhead. Is it necessary for all persons who are one in unity to lose their own personalities and become only one person, or in one body, soul, and spirit?”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
Dake is remarkably clear in his rejection of standard theological formulations:
“Is God only one being made up of several persons or beings in the one being? If so, we can conclude that man is one person or being made up of many. Does God need a flesh body in order to have any kind of body? No! There are such things as spirit and heavenly bodies.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake’s most comprehensive statement rejecting orthodox theology appears in the following passage:13
“The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct Persons. This fact is simply stated in Scripture: ‘For there are THREE that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost: and these THREE are ONE. And there are THREE that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these THREE agree in ONE’ (1 John 5:7-8). The word one is explained in Point I, 3, 4, and Point II, 6 above, for which see. Some facts concerning the Trinity are given in Point I, 5,7, 8, and Point II, 6 above. For full and complete proof we shall wait until Lesson Twenty-seven. Here we may say that the only sense in which THREE can be ONE is the sense of unity, and ONE PERSON cannot be THREE PERSONS in any sense. So the old idea that God exists as three persons in one person is not only unscriptural, but it is ridiculous to say the least.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 65
Part IV: Dake’s Interpretation of Key Trinity Texts
4.1 Deuteronomy 6:4 – The Shema
The Shema, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD,” is Judaism’s fundamental confession of monotheism. Dake’s interpretation of this crucial text reveals his tritheistic theology:
“The Hebrew word ‘echad’ translated ‘one’ means a united one, not an absolute one… It is used of two becoming one flesh… The same word is used in Gen. 2:24 of two persons becoming one… It should be clear that the word one denotes unity, not the numeral one.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
Dake continues:
“The doctrine of the Trinity is simply stated as one in unity, not in number. There are three separate and distinct persons, each having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
He provides additional commentary on the unity expressed in the Shema:
“Literally, Jehovah our Elohim is a unified Jehovah… There is more than one Jehovah and more than one God as individuals, but they are one Jehovah and one God in unity, thus expressing the truth of 3 separate and distinct persons, beings, or individuals in the Divine Trinity (1 Jn. 5:7).”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
4.2 Genesis 1:26 – “Let Us Make Man”
When interpreting the plural language in Genesis 1:26, Dake sees evidence for multiple separate Gods:
“This proves a plurality of persons in the Godhead, each having a personal body, soul, and spirit, for man was made in the image and likeness of God.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on Genesis 1:26
Dake elaborates on this in God’s Plan for Man:
“INCARNATION means a person assuming a body which he takes as his very own dwelling inside that body and not existing in any other body. Now, if Jesus Christ, who has begotten or brought into existence a child, a son is the one who is begotten by a father. It requires two separate persons for a father to beget a son. They could in no sense be the same person. No one could be one in unity, as any two persons can be.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
He also connects this to the doctrine of the image of God:
“What on earth was created in the image and likeness of God? Man (Gen. 1:26-28). Do God’s image and likeness consist only of moral and spiritual powers? If so, it can be concluded that man is only a moral and spiritual being. Is God bodiless? If so, we can conclude that man is also bodiless.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
In God’s Plan for Man, Dake presents his understanding of the image of God more systematically:14
“Man would naturally be the visible thing that clearly illustrates the Godhead. Man has a body, soul, and spirit; so if he is the visible thing that clearly illustrates what God is like, then God also must have a personal body, soul, and spirit. If the Godhead consists of three separate and distinct persons, as plainly stated in 1 John 5:7-8, then we are to believe that each person has a personal body, soul, and spirit, as is the case with each man. If there are three persons in the Godhead and they exist as one, we must understand this oneness to be the same as in the case of several men being one—one in unity, as in John 17:11,21-23; Matt. 19:5; Heb. 2:11; 1 Cor. 6:17; Acts 4:32.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
4.3 John 4:24 – “God is Spirit”
When Jesus declares that “God is spirit,” Dake interprets this in a way that maintains his teaching about God having a body:
“This does not mean that God is not a person with a spirit body… It means that God is not a man, but a Spirit Being with a Spirit Body.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on John 4:24
This interpretation completely reverses the meaning of Jesus’s statement. Jesus is explaining that God is not physical and that true worship isn’t bound to physical locations. Dake inserts the very physicality that Jesus denies.
4.4 John 10:30 – “I and My Father Are One”
When Jesus declares His unity with the Father, Dake interprets this as unity of purpose only:
“If we can comprehend how a human son can be in unity with a human father, and other men can also be in the same unity with them both (John 17:11, 20-23), then we can understand the truth of the Trinity. Bible facts declare that there are three persons in the Godhead.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Part V: The Implications for Each Person of the Trinity
5.1 The Father as a Separate God
Dake’s teaching about the Father having a body necessarily limits Him:
“The Father reaches the unsaved men through the Holy Spirit who is another person of the three persons of the Trinity. Job 26:13; Ps. 104:30; Gen. 1:2; 2:7; 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:18-19; 2 Cor. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:21; Jas. 2:26; 1 Thess. 5:23.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
This suggests the Father cannot directly reach humanity but must work through the Holy Spirit as a separate being.
Dake elaborates on the Father’s distinct personhood and location:
“God the Father… came from heaven into the world as a person distinct from both the Father and the Holy Spirit—to live here, then return to heaven and the Father to be seated on His right hand, from whence He will come again.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on “Omnipresent”
5.2 The Son as a Separate God
Regarding Jesus Christ, Dake writes:
“A FATHER AND A SON. A father is one who has begotten or brought into existence a child. A son is the one who is begotten by a father. It requires two separate persons for a father to beget a son. They could in no sense be the same person, could be one in unity, as any two persons can be.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
Dake’s understanding of the Father-Son relationship is entirely physical and temporal, missing the eternal generation of the Son taught by orthodox Christianity.
He emphasizes the Son’s separateness from the Father:
“Jesus Christ is called the son of Abraham, David, Mary, and of God (Mt. 1:1; Mk. 1:1; 6:3). He is just as much a separate person from God as He is of these other persons.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake provides more extensive reasoning for the separation between Father and Son:15
“Jesus Christ is called ‘the Son of Abraham,’ ‘the Son of David,’ ‘the Son of Man,’ ‘the Son of Mary,’ and ‘the Son of God’ (Matt. 1:1; 8:20; Mark 1:1; 6:3). Jesus is just as much a separate person from His God and Father as He is from Abraham, David, and His mother Mary. If He could not be the Son of God except by the Father incarnating Himself in Jesus, then it is just as sensible to believe He could not be the Son of these other persons except by incarnation. He is called ‘only begotten Son’ of the Father and therefore could not be the Father (John 1:14, 18; 3:16; Rom. 1:1-4; 8:29, 32; Heb. 1:1-9; 2 John 3; 1 John 5:1-18.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 492
5.3 The Holy Spirit as a Separate God
The Holy Spirit, in Dake’s system, is also a separate God with His own body:
“The spirit is that invisible part of all living beings that knows—the seat of his intellect, mind, and will, and that which gives him self-determination and makes him a free moral agent with personal being (1 Cor. 2:11; Matt. 26:41; Exodus 35:21; Job 32:8, 18; Prov. 20:27; Phil. 1:27; Heb. 4:12; Jas. 2:26; 1 Thess. 5:23).”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
Since Dake teaches each person of the Trinity has their own spirit, soul, and body, the Holy Spirit becomes simply a third separate God rather than the Spirit of God.
Dake describes the Holy Spirit’s movements and location:
“The Holy Spirit. He is spoken of as moving upon creation (Gen.1:2), coming into the midst (2 Chr. 20:14), descending from heaven upon Jesus (Mt. 3:16; Mk.1:10; Lk. 3:21-22), and abiding with or departing from men (Jn.14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7-11)”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on “Omnipresent”
Part VI: Dake’s Response to Orthodox Objections
6.1 Addressing the Mystery of the Trinity
Dake explicitly rejects the idea that the Trinity is a mystery beyond human comprehension:
“Do we have to believe that the Trinity is such a mystery? Do we have to believe that it bewilders the most astute minds and that it is beyond the comprehension of the most learned? Do we have to believe that God is only one person in the Godhead when the Bible says there are three? Do we have to believe it because we do not understand it? Do we have to believe the other foolish statements in our doctrine books? If we did have to, then we could not believe the plain Scriptures. But thank God we do not have to believe something that it is not stated in Scripture. We don’t have to believe something because we do not understand it.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 55
Notice how Dake dismisses centuries of Christian theology as “foolish statements in our doctrine books.”
Dake mocks the orthodox position even more explicitly elsewhere:
“Modern writers of doctrine books about God assert that no man can understand God; that no man has ever seen God; and that God has no body with parts and passions to be seen… One writer says, ‘It is clearly revealed in Scripture that God is ONE BEING CONSTITUTED BY THREE PERSONS. We give this complex Person the name TRINITY…. It would be folly to seek to explain this startling revelation…. We can only say that we believe it BECAUSE WE DO NOT COMPREHEND IT…. The doctrine of the Trinity bewilders the most astute and is frankly BEYOND THE COMPREHENSION OF THE MOST LEARNED.'”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 53
Dake continues his critique of orthodox teaching:16
“I quote only from prominent men who have had a wide ministry in our large denominations. We personally admire these men for their great work, but this does not lessen the fact that they are wrong on this most important subject of God. It shows the modern trend to make God too mystical to understand. One writer says, ‘It is clearly revealed in Scripture that God is ONE BEING CONSTITUTED BY THREE PERSONS. We give this complex Person the name TRINITY…. It would be folly to seek to explain this startling revelation…. We can only say that we believe it BECAUSE WE DO NOT COMPREHEND IT…. The doctrine of the Trinity bewilders the most astute and is frankly BEYOND THE COMPREHENSION OF THE MOST LEARNED.'”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 53
He further writes:17
“We quote from books on the great doctrines of the Bible that are widely used, ‘God as a spirit is incorporeal, invisible reality; has no body or parts like human beings; nothing of a material or bodily nature… God cannot be seen with the material eyes; nothing on earth to resemble Him; without parts, without body, without passions…. God cannot be comprehended by the senses, but by the soul; and is above sensuous perceptions…. The image of God consists only in intellectual and moral likeness; when God is spoken of as having hands, feet, eyes, hair, and other bodily parts, these are figures of speech and mere human expressions trying to convey some idea of God.’ Such statements are foolish and unscriptural, to say the least. It is no wonder that these men cannot comprehend the Trinity of God as they declare. They make such ridiculous propositions about God that it is impossible to comprehend them.”
—God’s Plan for Man, pages 53-54
6.2 The Plain Reading Argument
Dake consistently argues that his interpretation is the “plain” reading of Scripture:
“From the above Scriptures it is clear that God consists of a kind of trinity—not just a kind of invisible substance which cannot be seen or touched by man. In fact, God will live among men in visible form forever (Rev. 21:3; 22:3-4).”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 52
He contrasts his “literal” approach with orthodox theology:
“In over 20,000 references about God in Scripture we get to know all we need to know about the subject. If we will take the Bible literally as to what it says about Him, as we do with other things the subject will be very clear; but if we make God a mystery, ignore the plain statements of Scripture about Him, and refuse to believe the many descriptions of God given by those who have seen one, two, and three separate persons called ‘God,’ then we will remain in ignorance.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Dake presents his teaching about understanding God:18
“The vague way men think and speak of God as being a universal Spirit that fills all space and all solid matter, and that He is impersonal, intangible, unreal, and without a body, soul, and spirit, with parts, passions, feelings, appetites, desires, will, mind, or intellect, is the height of ignorance. God wants us to know that He is a person; that He is real; that He has a body, soul, and spirit; and that He has literal faculties to hear, see, speak, will and do anything any other person can do.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 60
6.3 Rejection of Theological Terminology
Dake shows consistent disdain for traditional theological terminology and understanding:
“It is not proper to say ‘one person’ in speaking of the whole Trinity, or of one in unity of the three persons, for there are three persons and only three in the Godhead—not one, not two, not four or more, but three separate and distinct persons forming the one united Godhead or Deity.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 56
Dake ridicules orthodox teaching with rhetorical questions:
“Why would God tell us that all invisible things are clearly seen by visible things on earth, even to His eternal power and Godhead (Rom. 1:20), if He is incomprehensible; if there is nothing on earth to resemble Him; if He is a bodiless being; if He is three beings in one being; if His image is only moral and spiritual; if descriptions of His body and bodily parts are not true and real; and if He is an invisible nothingness floating in nowhere?”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on John 4:24
He expands this critique:19
“Such statements are foolish and unscriptural, to say the least. It is no wonder that these men cannot comprehend the Trinity of God as they declare. They make such ridiculous propositions about God that it is impossible to comprehend them. If we will take the Bible instead of these statements we can comprehend God. The Bible does not say that God is one person constituted of three persons. This could never be, but God can be three distinct persons as separate and distinct as any three persons we know of in this life. This is comprehensible, but the other is not, for there can be no such thing as three persons in one person. It is no wonder that such an idea cannot be explained. If is folly. God, Himself, could not comprehend it or explain it in this way, for this is not the way He has explained it, nor is this the way He asks us to understand it.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 54
Part VII: Comparison with Orthodox Christianity
7.1 The Historic Christian Position
To understand how radically Dake departs from Christianity, we must understand what the church has always taught. The Athanasian Creed, accepted by all major branches of Christianity, states:
“We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.”
Note the crucial phrase: “neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.” Dake does exactly what the creed forbids—he divides the substance, making three separate beings.
7.2 A Comparison Table
| Doctrine |
Orthodox Christianity |
Dake’s Teaching |
| Number of Gods |
One God in three persons |
Three separate Gods unified in purpose |
| Divine Essence |
Three persons share one divine essence |
Each person has their own separate essence |
| God’s Nature |
God is spirit (John 4:24) |
Each person has a spirit body |
| Omnipresence |
God is everywhere present |
God is limited to where His body is located |
| Unity |
Unity of being/essence |
Unity of purpose only |
| Biblical “One” |
Numerical singularity in Deut. 6:4 |
“One” means unity, not number |
Part VIII: Dake’s Teaching in Revelation Expounded
8.1 The Separate Persons in Revelation
In his work Revelation Expounded, Dake continues his theme of separate persons in the Godhead:
“Regarding these three persons being three separate and distinct persons, about this there is no question, for it is plainly shown in all of the Revelation where they are mentioned, Rev. 12:3, 7-17; 13:1-18; 16:13-16; 19:20; 20:1-10.”
—Revelation Expounded, page discussing Revelation 13
8.2 The Father Revealing to the Son
Dake’s interpretation of how Jesus received the Revelation further demonstrates his view of separate Gods:
“With these facts in mind, one can understand how the Revelation contained truths that the Son did not know until the Father revealed them to Him. Hence it became His Revelation after having received it of the Father through the Holy Spirit, John 17:2-8; Eph. 1:20-21; Phil. 2:5-11; Mt. 28:18.”
—Revelation Expounded, Chapter 1
This suggests a limitation in the Son’s knowledge that required new information from the Father, consistent with Dake’s view of three separate beings.
Part IX: The Problem of Divine Limitations
9.1 Spatial Limitations
If God has a body, He is necessarily limited in space. Dake acknowledges this:
“Sin has blinded the natural sight of man so that now we see only as through a glass darkly (1 Cor. 15:12). No man, therefore, can say with Scriptural authority, that God consists of a kind of invisible substance which cannot be seen or touched by man. In fact, God will live among men in visible form forever (Rev. 21:3; 22:3-4).”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 52
Dake provides more specific detail about God’s body and location:
“God’s body cannot be everywhere present; but His presence can be in all places at the same time. This is governed by relationship with others, not substance… Omnipresence then, is different from omnibody, and is governed by relationship and knowledge of God. Like the presence of someone being felt by another who is thousands of miles away, so it is with the presence of God among men (1 Cor. 5:3-4).”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 Kings 8:27
Dake further elaborates on the concept of presence versus bodily location:20
“Presence is governed by relationship, not bodily sight. When the body of anyone is not literally present, one cannot say that it is present. The presence of two persons may be felt though thousands of miles may separate them bodily. In such a case, presence consists of union, relationship, memory, acquaintance, and association to the same end in life. The closer two persons are to each other in any relationship, the more they feel each other’s presence in the thought life. So it is with God. God dwells in Heaven and persons on Earth that know Him and are in union with Him in spirit can feel His presence in their lives regardless of where they are on the Earth or under the Earth.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 61
9.2 Knowledge Limitations
Dake’s system creates problems with divine omniscience. If the Father is located in one place with a body, how does He know what happens elsewhere? Dake’s answer is that He knows through the Holy Spirit, but this makes the Father’s knowledge dependent and derivative.
Dake explicitly addresses God’s knowledge:21
“The question of the omniscience of God is also much misunderstood. The Bible makes many simple statements that limit God’s knowledge. There would be no sense to such passages if we do not believe them literally. There is no meaning to them if we take them figuratively. There was no object in God saying such things about Himself if they were untrue. God gets to know things concerning the free moral actions of men as others do (Gen. 6:5-7; 11:5-7; 18:21; 22:12; 2 Chron. 16:9; Zech. 4:10; Job 12:22; 24:23; Ps. 7:9; 44:21; Ps. 139:1-6; Prov. 24:12; Jer. 17:10; Ezek. 11:5; Rom. 8:27; 1 Thess. 2:4).”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 62
9.3 Power Limitations
Similarly, if God is spatially limited, His power must be exercised through intermediaries. This contradicts the biblical teaching of God’s immediate and direct sovereignty over all creation.
Part X: The Heretical Nature of Dake’s Teaching
10.1 The Definition of Tritheism
Tritheism is the belief in three Gods. By any reasonable definition, Dake’s teaching qualifies as tritheism. He explicitly teaches:
- Three separate beings
- Each with their own body, soul, and spirit
- United only in purpose, not in essence
- Capable of independent action and location
10.2 Historical Condemnation of Tritheism
The early church fought against various forms of tritheism. The Council of Constantinople (553 AD) specifically condemned the tritheism of John Philoponus. The church has consistently recognized that dividing the divine essence destroys monotheism and makes Christianity indistinguishable from polytheistic religions.
10.3 The Connection to Mormonism
Dake’s teaching bears striking resemblance to Mormon doctrine. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate Gods. Like Dake, they teach that the Father has a body. The parallel is troubling and demonstrates how far Dake has departed from orthodox Christianity.
Part XI: Dake’s Teaching on the Image of God
11.1 Physical Image
Central to Dake’s argument for God having a body is his interpretation of humans being made in God’s image:
“If man is created in the image and likeness of God, then God must be like man in many respects. He must have a personal body, a personal soul, and a personal spirit, for He made man a trinity like the Godhead (1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12). God must be a person with a spirit body, with bodily parts, if man is like Him.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 52
Dake connects this directly to his understanding of the Trinity:
“The doctrine of the Trinity can be clearly seen, being understood by the visible things that are made, even to His eternal power and Godhead (Rom. 1:20). What on earth was created in the image and likeness of God? Man (Gen. 1:26-28).”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
11.2 The Multiplication of Persons
Dake’s logic leads to a multiplication of divine persons. If humans have body, soul, and spirit, and each person of the Trinity has body, soul, and spirit, we potentially have nine separate entities:
“God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each and every separate person in the universe has a personal body, soul, and spirit in the same sense that each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit which are separate and distinct from all others.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 51
Dake explains what he means by body, soul, and spirit:
“We mean by body, whether a spirit body or a flesh body, the house for the indwelling of the personal soul and spirit. The soul is that which feels and the spirit is that which knows.”
—Dake Annotated Reference Bible, note on 1 John 5:7
Part XII: The Practical Implications of Dake’s Theology
12.1 Prayer
If the Father is spatially limited with a body in one location, how can He hear prayers from around the world simultaneously? Dake’s system suggests prayers must be relayed through the Holy Spirit, making our relationship with the Father indirect.
12.2 Worship
Which God do we worship? If there are three separate Gods, do we worship all three equally? Can they have different preferences or desires? Dake’s system creates confusion about the proper object of worship.
12.3 Salvation
If the Father and Son are separate Gods, which one saves us? Did one God send another God to die for sins? The unity of the redemptive plan is fractured when the Trinity is divided into separate beings.
12.4 Scripture Interpretation
Dake’s hermeneutical method—taking anthropomorphic language literally—leads to absurd conclusions. When the Bible speaks of God’s “wings” (Psalm 91:4), must we believe God is a bird? When it speaks of God as a “rock” (Deuteronomy 32:4), is He mineral?
Part XIII: Dake’s Dispensational Framework and the Trinity
13.1 Different Dispensations, Different Relationships
In Dake’s dispensational system, the relationships between the persons of the Trinity seem to change across dispensations:
“God’s title of the book does not suggest that Christ, His offices and powers are the subject any more than the man-made title suggests that John and his ministry are the subject matter. It is not the unveiling of Christ in His person, offices and glory in any greater measure than what has already been unveiled in the rest of the Bible.”
—Revelation Expounded, Chapter 1
13.2 The Problem of Changing Relationships
If the persons of the Trinity are eternally separate beings, why would their relationships change? This suggests a lack of immutability in the Godhead, another departure from orthodox theology.
Part XIV: Responses to Potential Defenses of Dake
14.1 “Dake Uses Trinity Language”
While Dake uses the word “Trinity,” he has completely redefined it. Using orthodox terminology while changing its meaning is more dangerous than openly rejecting it, as it deceives the unwary.
14.2 “Dake Affirms One God”
Dake’s affirmation of “one God” is meaningless when he defines “one” as unity of purpose rather than unity of being. Three humans unified in purpose are still three humans, not one human. Similarly, three Gods unified in purpose are still three Gods.
14.3 “Dake Is Just Being Literal”
Biblical interpretation requires recognizing different literary genres and figures of speech. Taking anthropomorphisms literally while ignoring clear statements about God’s spiritual nature (John 4:24) is not faithful interpretation but distortion.
Part XV: The Damage to Christian Doctrine
15.1 Destruction of Monotheism
The foundation of biblical faith is monotheism: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Dake’s teaching destroys this foundation, replacing it with a form of polytheism.
15.2 Corruption of Christology
If the Son is a separate God with His own body before the incarnation, what exactly happened at the incarnation? Did one God with a body take on another body? The orthodox understanding of the incarnation becomes impossible.
15.3 Confusion of Pneumatology
If the Holy Spirit is a separate God with His own body, how can He indwell believers? The entire New Testament teaching about the Spirit’s indwelling presence is undermined.
15.4 Distortion of Soteriology
Salvation becomes a transaction between separate Gods rather than God Himself bearing the penalty for sin. The profound truth that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19) is lost.
Part XVI: The Witness of Church History
16.1 The Early Church Fathers
The early church fathers unanimously rejected the idea of three separate Gods. Irenaeus, Tertullian, Athanasius, and the Cappadocian Fathers all affirmed one God in three persons, not three Gods.
16.2 The Ecumenical Councils
The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) affirmed that the Son is “of the same substance” (homoousios) as the Father. The Council of Constantinople (381 AD) affirmed the same about the Holy Spirit. These councils specifically rejected any division of the divine essence.
16.3 The Reformers
The Protestant Reformers, despite their differences with Rome on many issues, maintained complete agreement on the Trinity. Luther, Calvin, and all the Reformed confessions affirm one God in three persons.
16.4 Modern Evangelicalism
No major evangelical denomination or theological institution accepts Dake’s view of the Trinity. His teaching stands outside the bounds of orthodox Christianity.
Part XVII: Biblical Refutation of Dake’s Core Arguments
17.1 The Meaning of Echad
While the Hebrew word echad can sometimes indicate composite unity, context determines its meaning. In Deuteronomy 6:4, the context is clear—it distinguishes Israel’s one God from the many gods of the nations. The verse is not saying “our Gods are unified” but “our God is one” in contrast to polytheism.
17.2 Anthropomorphic Language
The Bible uses anthropomorphic language to help us understand God’s actions and attributes, not to describe His physical appearance. When Scripture speaks of God’s “hand,” it refers to His power. When it mentions His “eyes,” it refers to His knowledge. Taking these literally while ignoring statements like “God is spirit” (John 4:24) is poor hermeneutics.
17.3 The Image of God
Scripture itself defines what the image of God means:
- Ephesians 4:24 – “righteousness and true holiness”
- Colossians 3:10 – “knowledge”
- Genesis 1:26-28 – dominion over creation
The image is not physical but pertains to our rational, moral, and spiritual capacities.
17.4 The Unity of God
Scripture repeatedly affirms not just that God is unified but that He is one:
- Isaiah 44:6 – “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God”
- Isaiah 45:5 – “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me”
- 1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is one God”
- James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well”
Part XVIII: The Danger to Believers
18.1 Worship of False Gods
If Dake is wrong and there is only one God, then his teaching leads people to worship false gods—imaginary deities that don’t exist. This violates the first commandment.
18.2 Destroyed Foundation for Faith
Christian faith rests on the foundation of who God is. When this foundation is corrupted, everything built upon it becomes unstable.
18.3 Confusion in Prayer and Worship
Believers influenced by Dake’s teaching may become confused about whom they’re praying to and how God relates to them.
18.4 Vulnerability to Other Heresies
Once the fundamental doctrine of God is compromised, believers become vulnerable to other theological errors.
Part XIX: Why This Matters
19.1 The Gospel Is at Stake
The gospel message depends on God Himself providing salvation. If the Trinity consists of three separate Gods, the gospel narrative becomes confused and potentially invalid.
19.2 The Nature of God Matters
What we believe about God affects everything else in our theology and practice. Get God wrong, and everything else goes wrong.
19.3 Truth Matters
Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Conversely, error enslaves. We must care about accurate teaching concerning God’s nature.
19.4 The Unity of the Church
The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the few doctrines that unites all branches of Christianity. Dake’s teaching places his followers outside the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.
Conclusion: The Clear Evidence of Tritheism
After examining extensive quotations from Dake’s own works, the conclusion is inescapable: Finis Jennings Dake taught tritheism, not the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. His teaching of three separate Gods with separate bodies, souls, and spirits, united only in purpose, stands in direct opposition to two thousand years of Christian orthodoxy and, more importantly, to the clear teaching of Scripture itself.
The evidence presented here comes entirely from Dake’s own published works. These are not misrepresentations or quotes taken out of context. Dake was remarkably consistent and explicit in teaching that the Godhead consists of three separate beings, each with their own body, soul, and spirit.
Dake’s own words from God’s Plan for Man summarize his position with devastating clarity:22
“There are over 500 plain scriptures that refer to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as being THREE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT PERSONS, each with His own personal body, soul, and spirit in the sense that all other persons have them. Two and three persons must be understood in all the passages below if the plain language is to be understood as it reads, for first, second, and third personal pronouns are used in the singular and the plural in the same way that we use them in reference to other persons.”
—God’s Plan for Man, page 499
A Call to Discernment: Those who use the Dake Bible or rely on Dake’s teachings must carefully examine whether they are following biblical Christianity or a form of polytheism dressed in Christian terminology. The stakes could not be higher—our understanding of God Himself is at issue.
The church has always confessed: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.” Dake divides the substance, creating three Gods where Scripture reveals one. This is not a minor theological disagreement but a fundamental departure from Christian faith.
May this examination serve to alert believers to the serious theological errors embedded in Dake’s works and encourage a return to biblical, orthodox understanding of the Triune God—one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Bibliography
Primary Sources by Finis Jennings Dake:
- Dake, Finis Jennings. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1963.
- Dake, Finis Jennings. God’s Plan for Man. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1977.
- Dake, Finis Jennings. Revelation Expounded. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1950.
- Dake, Finis Jennings. The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1950.
Note: All quotations from Dake’s works in this article are cited with specific page numbers and references to enable verification. Readers are encouraged to check these citations in the original sources to confirm that Dake’s views have been accurately represented.
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