Studying the Trinity

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The Athanasian Creed is actually used in some Protestant Churches. Lutheran, Anglican, and Reformed Churches are among some of the Churches who use it. Of coarse it is also used in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. So it is accepted by the majority of Christians.

<pushes glass up on nose to look smart> Orthodox don't use either the Apostles or Athanasian creeds. The Apostles Creed was mainly used as a baptismal creed in Rome and we use the Nicene Creed without the "filioque", the phrase that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son". The problem with the Athanasian creed is that uses the "filioque", specifically it states, "The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten;"
 
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Dave L

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Hello Everyone, it's been a while since I've logged on, but I'm so glad to be back!

Recently I've began to study the Trinity. Just to give some background: I grew up in a movement that did not embrace the doctrine of the Trinity. So recently, I began to explore this doctrine, as what I was taught didn't make a ton of sense to me haha. And I must say, I'm so glad that I decided to look into it for myself.

I've purchased a couple of books on the subject and began reading them. I also started watching some videos and looking at other online resources. It's such an amazing thing to look at, but also difficult to wrap one's head around at the same time.

I completely understand the fact that it's difficult for our finite minds to grasp our infinite God. With that being said, I wanted to reach out and see if any of you have any resources or analogies on this subject that help you?

Thank-you all in advance for your help. This is not meant to stir up any types of arguments, I'm not interested in that at all. Blessings!
Here are many verses that show the trinity. See if you can see the trinity mentioned in them.


Trinity Passages
English Standard Version 233 results in 42 verses


Matt 1:20

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matt 3:16

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

Matt 12:18

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

Matt 12:28

But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matt 22:43

He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

Matt 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Luke 1:35

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Luke 2:26

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Luke 3:22

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 10:21

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

John 1:33

I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:34

For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

John 14:16

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:15

All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Acts 1:4

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;

Acts 2:33

Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

Acts 7:55

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Acts 10:38

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Rom 1:4

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Rom 8:9

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Rom 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Rom 15:16

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:30

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,

1 Cor 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Cor 12:3

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor 3:3

And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Cor 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Gal 4:6

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Eph 2:18

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Eph 2:22

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Phil 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—

2 Thess 2:13

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

Titus 3:6

whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Heb 9:14

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Heb 10:29

How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

1 Pet 1:2

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

1 Pet 4:14

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

1 John 4:2

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Rev 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
 
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buzuxi02

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I completely understand the fact that it's difficult for our finite minds to grasp our infinite God. With that being said, I wanted to reach out and see if any of you have any resources or analogies on this subject that help you?
I've never been one that found the doctrine of the Trinity to be odd or difficult to grasp.
Perhaps it's due to my Greek ancestral roots where philosophy and metaphysical concepts were refined and debated in the public squares for centuries.

When I listen to Muslims who are perplexed at this idea I realize that high brow philosophical ideas were void in the middle east thus they can't grasp it. Same with anti-trinitarians, I don't mean to sound condescending but they are pretty much simpletons. You can't discuss geometry with someone who has yet to figure out simple addition and subtraction.
 
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I believe that the Trinity is saying something vital about God but I don't think it's something that we can understand. It's beyond our experience and so we can't visualise it at all. I think of the word as a signpost to the reality of God but we can't fully know what that reality is, at least in this life.
 
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PaulCyp1

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There isn't anything in the natural universe that can be analogous to the reality of the Trinity. We know it is true because God has clearly revealed it through the Church He founded, to which He promised the fullness of His truth. But there is no way mere humans can fully understand God, or compare Him to anything in the physical universe.
 
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Devin Hammond

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<pushes glass up on nose to look smart> Orthodox don't use either the Apostles or Athanasian creeds. The Apostles Creed was mainly used as a baptismal creed in Rome and we use the Nicene Creed without the "filioque", the phrase that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son". The problem with the Athanasian creed is that uses the "filioque", specifically it states, "The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten;"

For the Orthodox, there is precisely one Creed: the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

That being said, it depends on what you mean by 'accept'. The theology of Quicunque Vult / (Pseudo-)Athanasian Creed is definitely Latin in origin, but, generally speaking, it is theologically acceptable to the Orthodox once the filioque is removed. It is occasionally included in Russian psalters without the filioque. For example, see here for a ROCOR view.

However, Quicunque Vult is not considered normative in Orthodoxy. It is a useful historic document of the Church, but it was never endorsed (or to my knowledge, mentioned) by an Ecumenical Council.

Most of this is covered by Wikipedia.
 
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Devin Hammond

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I believe that the Trinity is saying something vital about God but I don't think it's something that we can understand. It's beyond our experience and so we can't visualise it at all. I think of the word as a signpost to the reality of God but we can't fully know what that reality is, at least in this life.

Yes, it is a great mystery. 1 Timothy 3:16
 
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SunAndRain

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The concept of the Trinity used to seem dry, impenetrable, and not applicable to my daily life.

Then I discovered that relationships are the bottom line in life. And Christianity is about relationship. And the Trinity itself is an endless loving relationship.

Since then, the Trinity has seemed warm and beautiful.
 
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Devin Hammond

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On the Nature of God and on the Trinity - Theological Commonplaces

On the Trinity|Hardcover

The Oxford Handbook of the Trinity

What Is The Trinity? (Basics of the Faith)

Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions

What Is the Trinity?

The Quest for the Trinity: The Doctrine of God in Scripture, History and Modernity

Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith

The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything , Revised edition

Understanding the Doctrine of the Trinity

The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God

A Brief History of the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Early Church

Systematic Theology, Volume 2: The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity: Processions and Persons

The Trinity: An Introduction to Catholic Doctrine on the Triune God

The Trinity: An Introduction

The Trinity: The Mystery of the Godhead

Essays on the Trinity

Christian Understandings of the Trinity: The Historical Trajectory

The Essential Trinity: New Testament Foundations and Practical Relevance

The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship

Rediscovering the Triune God: The Trinity in Contemporary Theology

The Trinity: Guides to Theology Series

Resurrecting the Trinity: A Plea to Recover the Wonder and Meaning of the Triune God

Invocation and Assent: The Making and the Remaking of Trinitarian Theology

Father, Son, and Spirit: The Trinity and John's Gospel (New Studies in Biblical Theology)

Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Toward a Fully Trinitarian Theology

Participating in God: A Pastoral Theology of the Trinity

The Trinity

The College Student's Introduction to the Trinity

These Three Are One: The Practice of Trinitarian Theology

Trinitarian Theology: Theological Models and Doctrinal Application

These Three Are One: The Practice of Trinitarian Theology

The Mystery of the Trinity: A Trinitarian Approach to the Attributes of God

The Holy Trinity in the Life of the Church

How To Explain The Trinity|Paperback
 
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Clare73

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Hello Everyone, it's been a while since I've logged on, but I'm so glad to be back!
Recently I've began to study the Trinity. Just to give some background: I grew up in a movement that did not embrace the doctrine of the Trinity. So recently, I began to explore this doctrine, as what I was taught didn't make a ton of sense to me haha. And I must say, I'm so glad that I decided to look into it for myself.​

I've purchased a couple of books on the subject and began reading them. I also started watching some videos and looking at other online resources. It's such an amazing thing to look at, but also difficult to wrap one's head around at the same time.​

I completely understand the fact that it's difficult for our finite minds to grasp our infinite God. With that being said, I wanted to reach out and see if any of you have any resources or analogies on this subject that help you?​

Thank-you all in advance for your help. This is not meant to stir up any types of arguments, I'm not interested in that at all. Blessings!
What about this limping analogy: my thought (originating it), my word (explaining it) and my action (performing it) all being me?
Where in God, those are three persons, all the one God.​
 
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BobRyan

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I believe that the Trinity is saying something vital about God but I don't think it's something that we can understand. It's beyond our experience and so we can't visualise it at all. I think of the word as a signpost to the reality of God but we can't fully know what that reality is, at least in this life.

True - but like anything else - it has basics that can be understood.

For example - one God Deut 6:4 in three persons Matt 28:19... so then in John 17:1-6 - Christ is not "praying to Himself".
 
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buzuxi02

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With that being said, I wanted to reach out and see if any of you have any resources or analogies on

Analogies:
The human family is modeled after the Trinity. Just as there are three hypostasis one in essence in the Trinity, the human family is husband, wife, and offspring. From Adam came Eve and through Eve the third springs forth, all whom share in the one and same essence.

The building blocks of the universe are a trinity. Though an Atom can be sub-divided further it is useless as quarks. No such thing as a half an atom of gold. The tripartite atomic structure of protons, neutrons and electrons form one undivided element (Romans 1:20).
The human person made in the image and likeness of God is a trinity of Mind, Body and Soul. Or in semitic parlance body, Soul and Spirit.
 
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chad kincham

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It’s basic church doctrine 101. The Trinity has been taught all throughout church history.

Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith unless every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascendedinto heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

Jesus is God and the trinity a fact, but though Jesus is God the Logos, if you notice, that to be saved you only need believe He is God’s son, per Jesus Himself in John 3, per Peters confession that Jesus is the Son of God, etc.

Learning He is God comes later for most believers.

Jesus:

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Peter:

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

1 John:

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
 
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Devin Hammond

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Jesus is God and the trinity a fact, but though Jesus is God the Logos, if you notice, that to be saved you only need believe He is God’s son, per Jesus Himself in John 3, per Peters confession that Jesus is the Son of God, etc.

Learning He is God comes later for most believers.

Jesus:

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Peter:

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

1 John:

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

The incarnation is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith. If you don’t acknowledge Jesus as God then you are not a believer.
 
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Dave L

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I believe that the Trinity is saying something vital about God but I don't think it's something that we can understand. It's beyond our experience and so we can't visualise it at all. I think of the word as a signpost to the reality of God but we can't fully know what that reality is, at least in this life.
I think if you study the historic creeds on the Trinity, it is easy to understand. Especially if you study the Christology Creeds.
 
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chad kincham

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The incarnation is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith. If you don’t acknowledge Jesus as God then you are not a believer.

I just disproved that, so that’s egregious error.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that believing Mary birthed God instead of Gods son, is required for salvation.

1john 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the SON to be the Saviour of the world.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his SON into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not BELIEVED in the name of the only BEGOTTEN SON of God.
 
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Devin Hammond

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I just disproved that, so that’s egregious error.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that believing Mary birthed God instead of Gods son, is required for salvation.

1john 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the SON to be the Saviour of the world.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his SON into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not BELIEVED in the name of the only BEGOTTEN SON of God.

Who is the Son of God but God and part of the Trinity? I don’t think that you are understanding what Son of God means and his identity as Son. Claiming to be the Son of God is the same as claiming to be God. John 10:30-36
 
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Clare73

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I just disproved that, so that’s egregious error.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that believing Mary birthed God instead of Gods son,
is required for salvation.

1john 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the SON to be the Saviour of the world.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his SON into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not BELIEVED in the name of the only BEGOTTEN SON of God.
But it does matter how we habitually think of Christ; our spiritual health--appropriation of him--depends in great measure on whether or not our vision of him is adequate. For to know Christ is to know his benefits, how much he has to give us as messenger, mediator and personal embodiment of the saving grace of God.

A deficient vision of Christ himself--a lack of awareness of who he really is, means one's knowledge of his benefits will necessarily be deficient also. For the Biblical character of Christ as messenger, mediator and personal embodiment of the saving grace of God all have their concern with Christ as the answer to the questions which the Bible itself teaches us to consider about our relationship with God--the reality of divine holiness and our sin. The further away we are in our minds from these characteristics of Christ and, therefore, from these questions, the less knowledge of the real Christ and the real God we can have.

What is stated and presented of Christ is tied to what is stated and presented in New Testament theology, which is the Father's own witness through the Spirit to the Son. There is no real Jesus save the Jesus of that theology. The less we know about Christ, the more likely the question arises whether our response to the Jesus of whom we have inadequate ideas can really be viewed as Christian faith.

So an inadequate vision of Christ is not without personal spiritual consequences.
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