The Trinity

[JustHisKid]

If God is not triune, how would that change anything regarding Christian faith?

 

[Albion]

If God is not triune, how would that change anything regarding Christian faith?

That depends on how he is seen as not triune. Is the Father actually all three persons in one? Is Jesus just a man who had ideas about God the Father? And on and on.

 

[JustHisKid]

That depends on how he is seen as not triune. Is the Father actually all three persons in one? Is Jesus just a man who had ideas about God the Father? And on and on.

Some suggest a triune God is not found in Scripture, but we know a virgin birth is. We know Jesus is literally the Son of God, not of man, so He was never just a man. With that in mind, if God was not triune, what difference would it make?

 

[Albion]

Some suggest a triune God is not found in Scripture

Those folks are mistaken. Anyway, your question asked about the effect on the faith if God were known not to be triune, not that we are going to prove which version is the correct one.

but we know a virgin birth is. We know Jesus is literally the Son of God, not of man, so He was never just a man. With that in mind, if God was not triune, what difference would it make?

Plenty of people claim that being the "son" of God is not incompatible with being a man but not God himself...or perhaps something like an angel in human form or a very special human.

 

[JustHisKid]

Those folks are mistaken. Anyway, your question asked about the effect on the faith if God were known not to be triune, not that we are going to prove which version is the correct one.


Plenty of people claim that being the "son" of God is not incompatible with being a man but not God himself...or perhaps something like an angel in human form or a very special human.

So, how would it change our faith if we found out God is not triune?

 

[Albion]

So, how would it change our faith if we found out God is not triune?

That still depends on how he is seen as not triune. If you were to stipulate which version you want to assess, it would probably make answering a lot easier for everyone.

 

[JustHisKid]

That still depends on how he is seen as not triune. If you were to stipulate which version you want to assess, it would probably make answering a lot easier for everyone.

He is literally the Son of God, but not God incarnate.

 

[Albion]

He is literally the Son of God, but not God incarnate.

"Literally" as created at some point in time by God the Father and a woman in heaven?

 

[JustHisKid]

"Literally" as created at some point in time by God the Father and a woman in heaven?

No, literally as the way it actually happened. The Holy Spirit came upon a virgin girl.

 

[Albion]

No, literally as the way it actually happened. The Holy Spirit came upon a virgin girl.

IMO, it is nearly impossible to answer the question of the OP with that clarification. That's because this IS the way that most Christians believe it happened, so there would be no consequence, no change. Of course, you will say that the belief that the Son is God himself is removed, making the situation something like the idea held by Jehovah's Witnesses, but the problem there is that there would be no way that I can see to prove that this Son is not God. Not if we resort to all the sources of information we Christians always have. Put another way, what becomes the reason for concluding that Christ is not God?

 

[JustHisKid]

IMO, it is nearly impossible to answer the question of the OP with that clarification. That's because this IS the way that most Christians believe it happened, so there would be no consequence, no change. Of course, you will say that the belief that the Son is God himself is removed, making the situation something like the idea held by Jehovah's Witnesses, but the problem there is that there would be no way that I can see to prove that this Son is not God. Not if we resort to all the sources of information we Christians always have. Put another way, what becomes the reason for concluding that Christ is not God?

Because He is the Son, not the Father, and there is only one God. God the Father.

 

[Albion]

Because He is the Son, not the Father, and there is only one God. God the Father.

Nope. That doesn't work. We already are persuaded that he's the Son and not the Father.

Therefore, I'd say that -- under this scenario -- there'd be no effect upon Christianity since there's nothing new that might indicate that Christ, born of a Virgin, is not God in the flesh.

 

[JustHisKid]

Nope. That doesn't work. We already are persuaded that he's the Son and not the Father.

Therefore, I'd say that -- under this scenario -- there'd be no effect upon Christianity since there's nothing new that might indicate that Christ, born of a Virgin, is not God in the flesh.

I'm not suggesting we need new evidence. I am wondering how it would impact the faith of a Christian if in fact God was not triune.

 

[Albion]

I'm not suggesting we need new evidence. I am wondering how it would impact the faith of a Christian if in fact God was not triune.

We don't know. Not without knowing in what way he supposedly is NOT triune. To say that Christ is called the "Son" and was born of a virgin doesn't change anything, so that particular hypothesis can be answered easily as having no effect.

 

[com7fy8]

If someone thinks he or she has found out that Jesus is not God incarnate, the person needs to fit this with how Jesus Himself says,

"'For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.'" (in John 5:22-23)

It is clear that our Father expects us to honor His Son "just as" we honor our Father. So, even if He were not God incarnate, still you are required to honor Jesus "just as" you honor our Father.

And, included in honoring Jesus is how we obey His example >

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

Therefore, we honor Jesus by loving the way He did on Calvary. I notice how it says He was "a sweet-smelling aroma" while giving Himself for us. So, Jesus was sweetly pleasing to our Father while suffering and dying for us, on Calvary. And this example is required of us, that we also be sweet about how we make our sacrifices, in His love which is Heaven's love.

So, if Jesus were not God incarnate, still following His example would be required. And it is possible that some number of Trinitarians have not even gotten started in becoming sweetly pleasing to our Father like Jesus our example is all-loving.

So, it is not enough to put the correct label on Jesus; we need to obey how God wants us to honor Jesus "just as" we honor our Father, including how we are sweetly pleasing Him by becoming like Jesus.

 

[donfish06]

If God is not triune, how would that change anything regarding Christian faith?

Oh boy! If I only had a month to tell you! If you are truly interested you can PM me, because I don't want to spend all the time it would take to bring it out scripturally unless you are sincerely looking for the answer.

 

[JustHisKid]

Oh boy! If I only had a month to tell you! If you are truly interested you can PM me, because I don't want to spend all the time it would take to bring it out scripturally unless you are sincerely looking for the answer.

I sincerely am. I already know what Scripture says. I'm asking for something outside of the box. I believe in the trinity. I personally do not believe my faith would change if I found out that God is not triune. Some people suggest it would destroy Christianity. I'm asking opinions.

 

[donfish06]

I sincerely am. I already know what Scripture says. I'm asking for something outside of the box. I believe in the trinity. I personally do not believe my faith would change if I found out that God is not triune. Some people suggest it would destroy Christianity. I'm asking opinions.

If you would like, I could start a convo with you and start a Bible study with you showing you the truth of the Godhead. I am not a trinitarian and as such, will receive tons of flak from others if I get into it on this thread and I am not in the mood to argue with people who are close minded. The pharisees were close minded to their church traditions and completely missed Jesus in his first coming (Really, because they didn't understand the Godhead ... they thought he blasphemed by claiming to be God ... ) and they will do it again for his second coming. Again, if you are truly interested on seeing why the oneness of God (NOT JESUS ONLY) is so important to you, I would be obliged to tell you

 

[JustHisKid]

If you would like, I could start a convo with you and start a Bible study with you showing you the truth of the Godhead. I am not a trinitarian and as such, will receive tons of flak from others if I get into it on this thread and I am not in the mood to argue with people who are close minded. The pharisees were close minded to their church traditions and completely missed Jesus in his first coming (Really, because they didn't understand the Godhead ... they thought he blasphemed by claiming to be God ... ) and they will do it again for his second coming. Again, if you are truly interested on seeing why the oneness of God (NOT JESUS ONLY) is so important to you, I would be obliged to tell you

I am. I do not think you can convince me of it, but I am very interested. I do not think it would change my faith at all. That is why I started this thread. Why would it matter?

 

[donfish06]

I am. I do not think you can convince me of it, but I am very interested. I do not think it would change my faith at all. That is why I started this thread. Why would it matter?

Plz refer to your inbox