Understanding meaning of Trinity

Melody Suttles

SingPeace
Supporter
Sep 22, 2018
215
394
Atlanta
✟79,254.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
CA-Conservatives
I recently heard this description of the trinity:

Think of a football. A football has three parts; an outer surface, an inner bladder, and air.

Man being made in God’s image means we each have three parts to our existence. We have aN outer physical body, an inner soul which consists of our mind, will, and emotions, and if we are believers, we are filled with the spirit of the Lord (His life breathed into us). A nonbeliever is one who does not have a living spirit - like a football with no air.

‘Hope this was helpful.
 
Upvote 0

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,503
6,392
Midwest
✟78,404.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
I have hard time to understand what Trinity mean.
Is this same way that three men are different person but they have same human nature, so they are one in nature?

No, that would be three gods. Ask dzheremi.

@dzheremi
 
Upvote 0

ChristServant

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2020
544
460
South
✟26,634.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
I have hard time to understand what Trinity mean.
Is this same way that three men are different person but they have same human nature, so they are one in nature?

Truth is no one knows for sure.
Facts;
their is GOD the Father because Christ says so
Their is a son Christ because GOD's says so
Their is the Holy Spirit because both Christ and GOD say so but as to their workings and exactness no one knows except Them.

Man has always been self-important(arrogant,) even when it comes to the things of GOD, they think they have a right to all knowledge of all things and they just don't.

I personally never question GOD or Christ because who am I too question.
GOD states Christ is HIS Son so I believe.
Christ says GOD is the Father so I believe.
10Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, satan! so I believe satan is real.
Jesus says, 28"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you." So I believe their are demons and A Spirit of GOD.

In my walk I've tried to follow these principles;
7Jesus said to him, ""You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
21Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22Abstain from every form of evil.
And to check scripture when anyone informs me of any doctrine or teaching.

I've been told based on the above by some so-called professing Christians that I am not a Christian. If that's the case may be I'm not, but I am servant of GOD the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ above any doctrine of any man made church or man.

Peace be with all those in the body of Christ

God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth

Truly we are hear to serve and not to be served

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him
 
Upvote 0

ArmyMatt

Regular Member
Supporter
Jan 26, 2007
41,468
20,025
41
Earth
✟1,455,670.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
No, that would be three gods. Ask dzheremi.

@dzheremi

well, it depends on what you mean. there were some early Fathers who used this as a way to describe the Trinity. so while it may be imprecise or unpolished, it's also not necessarily wrong depending on what you mean.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Knee V
Upvote 0

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,503
6,392
Midwest
✟78,404.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
well, it depends on what you mean. there were some early Fathers who used this as a way to describe the Trinity. so while it may be imprecise or unpolished, it's also not necessarily wrong depending on what you mean.

The Trinity isn't three gods as I read the Nicene Creed on this site. Mormonism teaches that there are three gods in our Godhead. I thought EO teach the Nicene Creed.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

All4Christ

✙ The Handmaid of God Laura ✙
CF Senior Ambassador
Supporter
Mar 11, 2003
11,682
8,018
PA
Visit site
✟1,013,227.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
The Trinity isn't three gods as I read the Nicene Creed on this site. Mormonism teaches that there are three gods in our Godhead. I thought EO teach the Nicene Creed.
Of course we believe that there is one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one in essence and undivided.

(Note that Fr Matt said that it depends on what the person means when they say that.)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ArmyMatt
Upvote 0

Lukaris

Orthodox Christian
Supporter
Aug 3, 2007
7,838
2,533
Pennsylvania, USA
✟745,287.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
In John 14:15-18, the Lord speaks of the “Spirit of Truth” or “Comforter” as a Person. The Lord, of course, refers to the Father as a Person. Of course, the Lord is also speaking of His own Person in these passages & also refers to Himself as a “Comforter”.

Compare these passages to ( for ex.) Ephesians 2:18 or Isaiah 48:16 & then note the Nicene Creed: The Orthodox Faith - Volume I - Doctrine and Scripture - The Symbol of Faith - Nicene Creed
 
Upvote 0

ArmyMatt

Regular Member
Supporter
Jan 26, 2007
41,468
20,025
41
Earth
✟1,455,670.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
The Trinity isn't three gods as I read the Nicene Creed on this site. Mormonism teaches that there are three gods in our Godhead. I thought EO teach the Nicene Creed.

we do teach the Creed (we wrote it). all I said was that the idea can be understood properly, and that earlier Fathers used that concept.
 
Upvote 0

dzheremi

Coptic Orthodox non-Egyptian
Aug 27, 2014
13,499
13,648
✟426,073.00
Country
United States
Faith
Oriental Orthodox
Marital Status
Private
I appreciate being summoned by name to this EO thread, but I would not think that I could do any better than Fr. Matt and the other EO have done in explaining this (Lord have mercy), and I am a guest here the same as anyone else who is not EO is, so it is really not my place.

On the suitability of analogies more generally (so not exactly the same as the question of the OP, but relevant to many responses), I am reminded of the following from our common father St. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390), which my source -- one of the theological lectures on the website of the Southern United States diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church -- credits to his fifth theological oration on the Holy Spirit, articles 31 and 32 (bold, underline, and capitalization at source):

“I have very carefully considered this matter in my own mind, and have looked at it in every point of view, in order to find some illustration of this most important subject, but I have been unable to discover anything on earth with which to compare The Nature of The Godhead. For even if I did happen upon some tiny likeness it escaped me for the most part, and left me down below with my example. I picture to myself an eye, a fountain, a river, as others have done before, to see if they first might be analogous to The Father, the second to The Son, and the third to The Holy Spirit. For in these there is no distinction in time, nor are they torn away from their connection with each other, though they seem to be parted by three personalities. But I was afraid in the first place that I should present a flow in The Godhead, incapable of standing still; and secondly that by this figure a numerical unity would be introduced. For the eye and the spring and the river are numerically one, though in different forms. Again I thought of the sun and a ray and light. But here again there was a fear lest people should get an idea of composition in the Uncompounded Nature, such as there is in the sun and the things that are in the sun. And the second place lest we should give Essence to The Father but deny Personality to the others, and make Them only Powers of God, existing in Him and not Personal. For neither the ray nor the light is a sun, but they are only effulgence [radiance] from the sun, and qualities of its essence. And lest we should thus, as far as the illustration goes, attribute both Being and Not-being to God, which is even more monstrous.”
 
Upvote 0

ArmyMatt

Regular Member
Supporter
Jan 26, 2007
41,468
20,025
41
Earth
✟1,455,670.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
I appreciate being summoned by name to this EO thread, but I would not think that I could do any better than Fr. Matt and the other EO have done in explaining this (Lord have mercy), and I am a guest here the same as anyone else who is not EO is, so it is really not my place.

On the suitability of analogies more generally (so not exactly the same as the question of the OP, but relevant to many responses), I am reminded of the following from our common father St. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390), which my source -- one of the theological lectures on the website of the Southern United States diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church -- credits to his fifth theological oration on the Holy Spirit, articles 31 and 32 (bold, underline, and capitalization at source):

“I have very carefully considered this matter in my own mind, and have looked at it in every point of view, in order to find some illustration of this most important subject, but I have been unable to discover anything on earth with which to compare The Nature of The Godhead. For even if I did happen upon some tiny likeness it escaped me for the most part, and left me down below with my example. I picture to myself an eye, a fountain, a river, as others have done before, to see if they first might be analogous to The Father, the second to The Son, and the third to The Holy Spirit. For in these there is no distinction in time, nor are they torn away from their connection with each other, though they seem to be parted by three personalities. But I was afraid in the first place that I should present a flow in The Godhead, incapable of standing still; and secondly that by this figure a numerical unity would be introduced. For the eye and the spring and the river are numerically one, though in different forms. Again I thought of the sun and a ray and light. But here again there was a fear lest people should get an idea of composition in the Uncompounded Nature, such as there is in the sun and the things that are in the sun. And the second place lest we should give Essence to The Father but deny Personality to the others, and make Them only Powers of God, existing in Him and not Personal. For neither the ray nor the light is a sun, but they are only effulgence [radiance] from the sun, and qualities of its essence. And lest we should thus, as far as the illustration goes, attribute both Being and Not-being to God, which is even more monstrous.”

yep, every analogy breaks down because we will never know what makes God, God. but they can shed light of what He has revealed about Himself if we remember their limitations.
 
  • Friendly
Reactions: 1 person
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,503
6,392
Midwest
✟78,404.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
we do teach the Creed (we wrote it). all I said was that the idea can be understood properly, and that earlier Fathers used that concept.
Is there a link when I can read about this?
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums