Why stop at three?

GabrielWithoutWings

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I've always wondered this and would like some opinions.

Why do people stop at a Trinity? Why three persons of one essence? Why not four? Why not ten? Why not infinite?

Also, "it's unbiblical" can be saved. It can interpreted to be three, but it doesn't necessarily mean stop at three.

Thanks.
 

tapero

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I've always wondered this and would like some opinions.

Why do people stop at a Trinity? Why three persons of one essence? Why not four? Why not ten? Why not infinite?

Also, "it's unbiblical" can be saved. It can interpreted to be three, but it doesn't necessarily mean stop at three.

Thanks.

Hi, The reason for the trinity being 3 is that such is revealed in the scriptures, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

Why 3 of one essence? Because the bible is clear there is only one God, and the Father, Jesus and Spirit are 3 distinct persons but is God, hence One God.

I'm sorry I didn't understand you last question.

blessings,
tapero
 
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ebia

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I've always wondered this and would like some opinions.

Why do people stop at a Trinity? Why three persons of one essence? Why not four? Why not ten? Why not infinite?
Hopefully because 3 is the correct answer. Or at least the biblically revealed part of the answer.

Also, "it's unbiblical" can be saved. It can interpreted to be three, but it doesn't necessarily mean stop at three.

Thanks.
The biblical basis for any number other than three isn't strong, and three is what the ecumencial (whole church) councils decided was correct. The bible is reasonably clear that Father, Son & Holy Spirit are three persons of God, and there really isn't any biblical basis for adding anyone else to that, and nothing really to indicate that there are any others we don't know about.
 
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Harrythepizzaguy

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Well, if you don't want to look at scriptures, look at nature, human nature, and history. In nature, everything revolves around light and dark--sun by day, moon by night...

The things the eye can see reflect invisible things or invisible light and invisible darkness which have intrinsic meaning for behavior, i.e., right and wrong.
What is right and what is wrong? A sun which produces light and life vs. a black hole that destroys light and life is an analogy. How do we as descendants of earth know what is right or wrong? A common guide is does what we do build something? create something? produce joy or sadness? or does it destroy something and add to chaos and confusion.

People can and have created as many gods or idols as they could imagine--even a coke bottle was used as an example in one movie. But does a coke bottle solve the little problem of where we came from, why we are here and where we are going? the dust to dust, ashes to ashes thing... does the coke bottle god create order, direction, or inspire peaceful coexistance? lead to inner peace? produce power that creates genuine life and light and joy and enlightenment?

And what about history? What are the lessons of history? Who were the Hebrews? Who came up with the notion of one God and why? Why did the Nazi's hate the Jews? or why do violent religious extremist fanatics hate Judaism? What were the lessons of World War II?
I would suggest that history revealed Judaism; Judaism revealed the coming of the Messiah; The Christian Messiah revealed the Spirit of Holiness and Truth; and that this is by divine design...
If you look at history and the ultimate credibility and witness of a united christendom, it is difficult to counter the divine design beliefs-- They can stand up to any test of faith or reason...
harold (Gabriel)
:cool:
 
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EmbracingHim

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The bible says there are 'three' that bear account in Heaven. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

In truth there is only 'One' God -- so Christianity is not a polytheist belief. The Trinity doctrine was introduced as man's effort to 'explain' the nature of God.

I don't like the usage of the word personally, but accept the Bible as truth (that three bear account in Heaven).

There is no forth in Heaven to bear account. I hope this answers sufficiently your question.

Throughout times there has been a 'multiple' of gods that have been worshipped -- but there is only one 'true' God. :)
 
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Key

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Great question, why stop at 3?

Well, because the simple answer is that is where "God" stopped at. If God had wanted us to view it as 20 aspects of the same being, God would have, if God wanted us to accept 10, then God would have given us 10, or 100, or what ever number God deemed there to be.

But God did not, God chose 3, that was what God gave us. If there are more, then God has not yet revealed them to us, and until God does, we would insult God, to make up ones of our own, or make assumptions about Gods aspects.

What do we really Know of God? The answer to that is very, very little, but we should at the very least, know better then to try and add things or subtract things from what God has shown us.

So, we stop at three (3), because that is where God stopped.

It really is that simple.

God Bless

Key
 
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heron

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I know that you requested we don't just spout back "it's unbiblical," but that's where we got the concept of the Trinity in the first place. None of us wish for it, or fully grasp how the three entities are one. So it's a fun idea to explore, but many Christians, if they had their say, would ask "how about one?"

Our most respected reference book says three.
 
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Key

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I know that you requested we don't just spout back "it's unbiblical," but that's where we got the concept of the Trinity in the first place. None of us wish for it, or fully grasp how the three entities are one. So it's a fun idea to explore, but many Christians, if they had their say, would ask "how about one?"

Our most respected reference book says three.

I can agree with this.

God Bless

Key
 
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prophecystudent

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:We are made in God's image. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the trinity.

We exist in 3 parts. Body, Soul and Spirit.

The bible is clear about the trinity. To assume that it means anything other than what it says is to take unwarranted liberties.

Others have also stated that the bible is clear about the 3 aspects of the Godhead.

Other than the bible, how can one expect to "prove" that the concept of the trinity is actually the proper one?

We will all know for certain when we meet Christ face to face. Until then, I expect to continue to believe the bible as it is written.

After all, we are to believe, based on out faith. That faith requires us to trust the inherrent accuracy of the bible. (not counting the several bad interpretations of verses and words from the original manuscripts.) Note, however, that the concept of the trinity does not fit the category of mistranslations.

Fred
 
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heron

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We exist in 3 parts. Body, Soul and Spirit.
That's a good comparison.

The soul might be described as the heart of who you are -- the core of decision-making, opinions and will, and the center of communications and rational reflexes. The Father might be compared to the soul -- the essence of what we understand about a person.


The human spirit is more hidden, and certainly involved in rationale and communications, but in an unseen way. The evidence is in events that occur and decisions that are made due to the spirit's influence, but it's less tangible, can't be controlled (well... maybe), and gets involved in protection of others' rights, uplifting others, and inner conviction over the right path to take.

The human body is what people see of us from the outside. It allows them to quickly get a sense of who we are inside, and start to make judgement calls about a person's nature. It communicates through touch- voice - eye contact and meets direct and immediate needs of others. (Physical lifting and healing.) Jesus came to us in a human form, to make a tangible connection with us.



You can disagree -- this isn't theology, just an analogy.
 
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Gukkor

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Also (and my more conservative brethren may frown on this), I think it significant that the concept of a Trinity is echoed in other religions besides Christianity. For instance, in Hinduism, the three highest gods are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, collectively called the Trimurti. They are distinct personalities, distinct beings, but they are spiritually united as one Supreme Being, Brahman. As I see it, this concept is very similar, if not identical to the concept of the Trinity. Of course, this is a very basic description of the Trimurti, but it still illustrates my point.
 
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