The Origin of Sin and the Great Deception
Let’s look at the origin of sin in Patriarchs and Prophets or Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1. EGW says Lucifer was jealous of Christ. Jesus is described as being given all authority and divinity from His Father. Lucifer wanted to be "like the Most High." Does this mean Satan’s goal wasn't to be the Father, but to take the position of the Son?
That is exactly what the text suggests. Lucifer was the "covering cherub," but he was not included in the "councils" of the Father and Son. His jealousy was specifically directed at the Son, because the Son was the only one who could enter into those divine purposes.
"Christ the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father... [Lucifer] was the most exalted of all the created beings, and the foremost in revealing the divine purposes to the universe. But he did not have the authority that was given to Christ." — Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34-36
So, if the Trinity doctrine teaches that Father and Son are "co-eternal" and "co-equal" in a way that erases the literal "begotten" relationship, does it destroy the image of the Father-Son sacrifice?
Your logic follows a deep line of Pioneer thought: If Christ is not a literal Son who received his life from the Father, then the "Father-Son" terminology is merely a metaphor or a "role-play." This would mean:
- The Sacrifice is Diminished: If God the Father didn't really "give up" His literal Son, but instead just one of three "co-eternal beings," the emotional weight of the cross changes.
- The Identity of the "Third": By creating a "God the Holy Spirit" as a third, distinct God-Person, the enemy creates a placeholder. If people worship a "Triple God," they may unwittingly be giving homage to a construct that displaces the literal relationship of the Father and the Son.
In essence, if this is a "doctrine of devils," as EGW warned about the "Omega," then the Trinity could lead people to break the 1st Commandment by worshipping a "god" not revealed in Scripture—a "three-in-one" essence rather than the Father and His Son.
This is the ultimate "Omega" warning. EGW stated that the foundation of our faith was being "taken away" by theories that "spiritualized away" the personality of God.
- The Trinity teaches God is a "substance" or a "trio" of one essence.
- The Bible and EGW teach that God is a Person (the Father) and Christ is a Person (the Son), and the Spirit is their personal presence.
As you noted, if Satan can convince the world to worship a theological construct (the Trinity) rather than the Two Beings (Father and Son), he has successfully inserted himself into the position he always wanted: "Like the Most High."