Is worshipping the Trinity worshipping three gods?

Neostarwcc said:

So this is a serious question. I am by all definitions a Christian and I've been a Christian for the last seven years almost now. I do worship the Triune God on a daily basis but my question is "is this worship polytheistic?"

We Christian's keep saying that God is one God in three distinct persons we also quote Genesis 1:26 in our defense of the trinity because God says "let us create mankind in our image" if God were not at least two persons in one God why would he say "let us create mankind in our image?" There are also other parts of the Old Testament that refers to God's spirit as a separate and distinct God (Ezekiel 36:26-27, Zekeriah 4:6). So one could argue that God at least two in one. But what about the numerous verses in the Old testament that say that God is one?

Why is the worship of the father son and holy spirit not polytheism? Clearly we worship three Gods because we call the triune God three separate persons which anybody can see is the worship of three Gods. True we add three persons in one God but not a single Christian can explain just how that works. Instead we just say that's a mystery of God.

I'm not saying that I will stop believing in the Triune God. I'm just asking for an explanation as to how I'm not worshipping three separate Gods. Especially when we say that God is three separate persons. It just does not make sense when you examine it.

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Jesus Christ of Nazareth taught us how to pray. Maybe we should stick to His command so we avoid confusion. Blessings

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Neostarwcc said:

So this is a serious question. I am by all definitions a Christian and I've been a Christian for the last seven years almost now. I do worship the Triune God on a daily basis but my question is "is this worship polytheistic?"

We Christian's keep saying that God is one God in three distinct persons we also quote Genesis 1:26 in our defense of the trinity because God says "let us create mankind in our image" if God were not at least two persons in one God why would he say "let us create mankind in our image?" There are also other parts of the Old Testament that refers to God's spirit as a separate and distinct God (Ezekiel 36:26-27, Zekeriah 4:6). So one could argue that God at least two in one. But what about the numerous verses in the Old testament that say that God is one?

Why is the worship of the father son and holy spirit not polytheism? Clearly we worship three Gods because we call the triune God three separate persons which anybody can see is the worship of three Gods. True we add three persons in one God but not a single Christian can explain just how that works. Instead we just say that's a mystery of God.

I'm not saying that I will stop believing in the Triune God. I'm just asking for an explanation as to how I'm not worshipping three separate Gods. Especially when we say that God is three separate persons. It just does not make sense when you examine it.

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While God is not like Siamese twins, imagine if there were was a person who lived who had three heads, and yet, they had one body. This would technically be one being, but yet they would have three minds, and distinct personaes. This to me is kind of like the Trinity (or the Godhead) (Note: I am not saying that God is exactly like this, but it gives us an idea of how God is a Trinity).

Man is made in God's image. So if God is triune (and He is), then we are also triune, too. Man has a soul, physical body, and a spirit body. Yet, we are one being.

However, God is different from us. God is exclusively spirit, He radiates light, and He is Omnipresent (He can be in all places at one time). In addition, the holiness and presence of God is so great it affects our physical world in a great way, as well. God lives on the inside of the hearts of believers. Our bodies are the temples of God.

The distinct persons of the Trinity or Godhead can also dwell within each other, as well. Jesus says that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him; He says that the Father dwells in Him (John 14:10).

The most beautiful thing about God is that the Father sent the Son to save us from our sins. So if we believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and believed that He has risen from the grave three days later to give us a new life in Him (and we seek forgiveness of our past sinful life to Jesus), we can be born again and given a new heart with new desires. The most beautiful thing about God is that He can live inside us and help us to overcome grievous sin in our lives (like hate, lust, lying, theft, etc.).

Neostarwcc said:

So this is a serious question. I am by all definitions a Christian and I've been a Christian for the last seven years almost now. I do worship the Triune God on a daily basis but my question is "is this worship polytheistic?"

We Christian's keep saying that God is one God in three distinct persons we also quote Genesis 1:26 in our defense of the trinity because God says "let us create mankind in our image" if God were not at least two persons in one God why would he say "let us create mankind in our image?" There are also other parts of the Old Testament that refers to God's spirit as a separate and distinct God (Ezekiel 36:26-27, Zekeriah 4:6). So one could argue that God at least two in one. But what about the numerous verses in the Old testament that say that God is one?

Why is the worship of the father son and holy spirit not polytheism? Clearly we worship three Gods because we call the triune God three separate persons which anybody can see is the worship of three Gods. True we add three persons in one God but not a single Christian can explain just how that works. Instead we just say that's a mystery of God.

I'm not saying that I will stop believing in the Triune God. I'm just asking for an explanation as to how I'm not worshipping three separate Gods. Especially when we say that God is three separate persons. It just does not make sense when you examine it.

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The Three are one. It's simple but not easy to get your mind around.
One of my favorite videos on the subject:

Albion said:

We know and affirm that there is only one god. Even if we do not understand how the three persons of the Trinity interrelate, we know that we are not worshipping three gods, so we are not polytheists.

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Occasionally, in Anglican prayers, I hear the expression, "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit." Somehow, this sounds polytheistic to me :-(.

Andrewn said:

Occasionally, in Anglican prayers, I hear the expression, "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit." Somehow, this sounds polytheistic to me :-(.

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No, it refers to the three persona of God, but does not imply that there are three separate gods. It is like saying God who is the Father, and who is the Son, and who is the Holy Spirit. The potential problem there is that it might sound like one god who takes on different roles as needed--which would be a mistaken view--so saying God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit keeps the right perspective.

Obviously not, since the doctrine of the Trinity clearly states that the three divine persons collectively are ONE God.

Neostarwcc said:

I do worship the Triune God on a daily basis but my question is "is this worship polytheistic?"

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No, I don't think so. Just because there's that one worship song they keep singing on Sunday that goes "The Godhead THREE IN ONE....father-spirit-son...."
I think it's kind of that same idea as married people being "two become one"
because yeah they're still two different people but you don't get one without the other one, and in God's eyes they've been united ... or should I say "cleaved unto"?

Neostarwcc said:

I'm not saying that I will stop believing in the Triune God. I'm just asking for an explanation as to how I'm not worshipping three separate Gods. Especially when we say that God is three separate persons. It just does not make sense when you examine it.

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God is one (singularity) “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" (Deut6:4)Hear Israel Yahweh our God Yahweh is one. (Elohim) The first letter in Yahweh is a Yod. This is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. This represents the Big Bang where infinite is contacted or crunched to create a finite world. We are a finite vessel yet God is infinite. Yahweh represents Jesus. The first letter Aleph represents the unity between Heaven and Earth. Jesus taught us to pay: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Jesus became a humble servant, even to the point of death so that Heaven and Earth could become united as one. Father and Son are one. Jesus is the Word of God and so He has all the Authority of God. God watches over His word to see that His word accomplishes His purpose. We become one with God when we become united with HIM in purpose and intent. We speak the words of life to being life, health and healing. Satan represents death and destruction. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." We choose life or death, sickness or health, blessing or curse, poverty or prosperity. There are many more choices - we have free will and the freedom to choose.

The best answer so far has been ---NO!

But now let me throw the proverbial monkey wrench!

Nowhere are we commanded to worship the Holy Spirit! Yes He is equally divine as the Father and son- but not once do you find anyone praying to or worshipping the Holy spirit.

We do not pray to Jesus! When He gave us the format of prayer (what we all the our Father) We are commanded to pray to teh Father.

We worship the father and son. But only pray ot the father! we obey the Holy Spirit but do not pray or worship HIm. Nowhere is there a warrant in Scripture for doing so!

But_First_Coffee said:

I think it's kind of that same idea as married people being "two become one"

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This is known as to "run and return" or the "cycle of life". God made them man and women or male and female. Then the two are to be united together as one. This is also the breath of life as the air takes oxygen to the blood and the blood takes the oxygen to the cells. They become united in their purpose and intent. We are the Bride so marriage shows us how we become united together with Jesus to become one with Him. Jesus came as the Humble Servant to give Himself for us. The Lamb of God - also He is known as the Lion of Judea.

Neostarwcc said:

I guess I'm just stuck on the Jewish and Islam belief that God being one means he is one person.

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Well, that's the nature of inadequate information isn't it--a mistake gets made.

By comparison, the books of the Bible leave no doubt that those two religions are wrong, so it may be mainly a question of whether we believe the Bible or not.

Neostarwcc said:

they reject the trinity because it's a God that is in three persons yet the God of the bible to them is one God.

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They reject Jesus as the Lamb of God, they accept Him as the Lion of Judah. mashiach, or "Messiah" In the OT we see more often where the Spirit comes upon someone and less often where people are filled with the Spirit.

Neostarwcc said:

I guess I'm just stuck on the Jewish and Islam belief that God being one means he is one person. Like they reject the trinity because it's a God that is in three persons yet the God of the bible to them is one God. But yet throughout the scriptures God has separate entities. Like the Angel of the Lord and God's Spirit. The spirit of God is clearly a part of God so God has to be at least 2 entities in one God.

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But what the Jews forgot was that the titles for God are always plural!

Elohim is the plural of elowah
Adonai is the plural of Adon.

Also when the Sh'ma was given by God He used the word "echad" for one which is also a compound one.

Albion said:

Well, that's the nature of inadequate information isn't it--a mistake gets made.

By comparison, the books of the Bible leave no doubt that those two religions are wrong, so it may be mainly a question of whether we believe the Bible or not.

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Romans 11:25 "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Everything they believe points to Jesus and we can see that. But for now they are blinded in part until the fullness of the gentiles comes in - comes to a saving knowledge of the truth. The "Jewish" people have always been given the mission to bring the world back to God. They are the least of all people, yet they are the greatest. So they can not claim any credit to themselves. All praise - honor and glory belongs to God. Satan or the serpent seeks to destroy, but Jesus came to save, redeem and to restore.

Neostarwcc said:

Because it seems since we all worship a triune God that it would be like worshipping multiple Gods.

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Just where do we find triune or trinity in the Bible? We need to be careful not to add words that are not in our Bible. It is enough to understand the word of God without adding words that are not there. We need to study the word of God and not worry so much about what man teaches. The Holy Spirit of God is to be our Teacher and our Guide.