Is Christianity monotheism?

Tolworth John

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Is Christianity monotheism?

Yes we worship One triune God, not three God's but one.

God the Father, who is not God the Son , who is not God the Spirit but who together make up the triune God the I AM .
 
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GPendu

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Yes we worship One triune God, not three God's but one.

God the Father, who is not God the Son , who is not God the Spirit but who together make up the triune God the I AM .
God has revealed himself as ONE GOD in three persons, but ONE in essence. This means the Father is essentially the Son, and essentially the Spirit,- and vice versa to all.
 
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St_Worm2

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God has revealed himself as ONE GOD in three persons, but ONE in essence. This means the Father is essentially the Son, and essentially the Spirit,- and vice versa to all.
The doctrine of the Trinity was formulated to safeguard and circumscribe the Biblical mystery of the Godhead, not explain it, as that is simply beyond any of us. The Bible teaches us that there is (as you said) ONE GOD, and that He has existed as THREE (Separate) PERSONS, from everlasting.

Here are a couple of things that may prove to be useful (and the video, while very informative, particularly about why Trinity analogies don't work, is a hoot, so enjoy :D). First though, here is a diagram of the Trinity.


Trinity Triangle - larger.gif


--David
p.s. - finally, here is the portion of the Athanasian Creed concerning the Trinity. The term "catholic" here means "universal", not the Roman Catholic Church.

Athanasian Creed
The catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; And yet they are 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 Spirit 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 Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore 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 must thus think of the Trinity.
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GPendu

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Athanasian Creed​
=== Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. ... there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord..... The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit 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 Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal..

God is Essentially One in substance, even as this part of the creed affirms. Jesus Christ can rightfully be called Father!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6).

 
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GPendu

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God has revealed himself as ONE GOD in three persons, but ONE in essence. This means the Father is essentially the Son, and essentially the Spirit,- and vice versa to all.
This does not mean that the Father is the Son, but that the Father is of the same essential substance as the Son, so is the Spirit.
 
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hluke

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Absolutely! Deuteronomy 6:4-5
The LORD (Jehovah or YHWH) our God (Elohim, which is in plural), the LORD (YHWH) is one (One here is "Echad" in Hebrew, which means properly united or compound unity). The same principle can be applied to the beginning of Genesis. "In the beginning God (Elohim)..." This divine unity is clarified in Hebrews 1:2
So, since Jesus is God, He created the universe along with the Father and the Spirit in perfect unity, completely one substance, one God.

I hope this helps!
 
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Albion

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God is Spirit,
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, are all spirit, correct?
Yes, although the Father has appeared to people on Earth in human form, according to the Old Testament, and the Son took on a genuine human body and nature while he lived on Earth.
 
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Akita Suggagaki

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We have to remember that the Creed is symbolic language. Even the title The Nicene Creed (Greek: Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας or, τῆς πίστεως, Latin: Symbolum Nicaenum) shows this.

God is mystery.
 
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Albion

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We have to remember that the Creed is symbolic language. Even the title The Nicene Creed (Greek: Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας or, τῆς πίστεως, Latin: Symbolum Nicaenum) shows this.

God is mystery.
God is mysterious, but the meaning of the word symbol as used in the term Symbolum Nicaenum is not a way of saying that God is a mystery.

It just means that the item (the creed) is marked as being something authoritative.
 
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Akita Suggagaki

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God is mysterious, but the meaning of the word symbol as used in the term Symbolum Nicaenum is not a way of saying that God is a mystery.

It just means that the item (the creed) is marked as being something authoritative.
Authoritative? sure not more "something which stands for something else"
 
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St_Worm2

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God is Spirit,
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, are all spirit, correct?
The Father and the Holy Ghost are spirit. Jesus, on the other hand, remains in His glorified, physical body, the body that He was both resurrected in and ascended to Heaven in, the body that He will return to us in at His second coming.

--David
 
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St_Worm2

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God is Essentially One in substance, even as this part of the creed affirms. Jesus Christ can rightfully be called Father!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6
Hello again GPendu, yes, as Jesus is both God from everlasting, and apparently the Member of the Godhead who carried out the Creation .. e.g. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, He is certainly our "everlasting Father", though He is not the Person of the Father in the Godhead (a fact that we both seem to be in agreement about :oldthumbsup:).

Isaiah's "Everlasting Father" concerns the the Deity of Christ in this case, not the Trinity.

--David
 
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thecolorsblend

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Is Christianity monotheism?
In conversations with Moslems, I find that they reject the idea that we are monotheists. They have a very difficult time wrapping their heads around the Trinity. Heck, a lot of them even struggle with the burning bush appearing to Moses, much less the Trinity. They swear we are not monotheists.

In their defense, the Trinity is tricky doctrine.

Still, if Christianity isn't monotheistic then I am unsure how to describe it. It's certainly not monotheistic in an easily understandable way. But I don't know what else to call it except monotheistic.
 
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GPendu

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Hello again GPendu, yes, as Jesus is both God from everlasting, and apparently the Member of the Godhead who carried out the Creation .. e.g. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, He is certainly our "everlasting Father", though He is not the Person of the Father in the Godhead (a fact that we both seem to be in agreement about :oldthumbsup:).

Isaiah's "Everlasting Father" concerns the the Deity of Christ in this case, not the Trinity.

--David
Vey correct!
 
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