How can God be simultaneously a Trinity of Persons, and yet one?

[Presbyterian Continuist]

The Bible gives us enough information about God and Jesus to be able to come to salvation. We can see His plans and purposes for mankind, which culminate in the salvation of those who receive Christ and the condemnation of those who continue to rebel against Him. But concerning the character and nature of God, we have what we need to know. God has not revealed His complete make-up, nature and character to us because we don't need to know all that in order to be saved and to live a productive, holy life in Christ. God would not be God if we could know all about Him.

 

[Kenny'sID]

No, just that my pond is frozen.

We are all born into Christianity, but I’m a thinker. Jesus was also a thinker. Upon his first visit to the temple he asked questions as well.

Just funing about the expression on your face....nothing serious.

 

[Colter]

Just funing about the expression on your face....nothing serious.

Thanks. There was a time in my life when I was always up to no good.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Thanks. There was a time in my life when I was always up to no good.

Good ?! Did you finally get out of the urantia or whatever cult/ false religion ! Great if you did !

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

We are all born into Christianity

NO ONE , is born "born again"/ regenerated by the will of the Father in heaven.
EVERYONE is born DEAD in sins and trespasses, consigned under death/sin.

 

[concretecamper]

This is something that's bugged me for quite a while and I can't seem to get my head around it.
I constantly see things which, to my mind, seem to contradict, sometimes God is referred to as part or the whole of the Holy Trinity, but then in the Creeds, we profess that we believe in one God.
In short, I struggle with the idea of 3-in-1 and 1-in-3 aspect of God

The Trinity is certrainly a mystery that is beyond comprehension

What makes it more confusing to Sola Scripturists is that Scripture does not define the doctrine of the Trinity to the degree that most Christians accept as truth.

Chalk one up for Sacred Tradition.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Sola Scriptura =/= "Bible Onlyism".

One can be Sola Scriptura and still embrace the Tradition of the Church. The "sola" in Sola Scriptura refers to Scripture as uniquely the Norma Normans of the Church; the chief and inviolate regulating principle of Christian faith and practice. It means simply this: If Scripture says X and Bob says Not X, then we believe X. Scripture rules over the Church to regulate and norm Christian faith and practice.

The idea that Sola Scriptura means "Bible Only" is a modern idea that has no basis in the historic practice of those churches which historically speak of Sola Scriptura or Solum Verbum Dei.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

The Trinity is certrainly a mystery that is beyond comprehension

What makes it more confusing to Sola Scripturists is that Scripture does not define the doctrine of the Trinity to the degree that most Christians accept as truth.

Chalk one up for Sacred Tradition.

Later everyone will find out that is actually a STRIKE OUT against tradition. (as tradition very often is not in Scripture, and does not describe what is truth in Scripture, and does not help any believers follow JESUS)

 

[The_Believer7]

Unfortunately both of these analogies lead to the heresy of tritheism. One cannot separate the parts and still have an apple, or egg. You have an egg white, but not an egg. You have an apple skin, but not an apple. They are parts of the whole. We cannot divide God into parts as this proposes, that is tritheism.

So Christ is ALL of God ?

 

[justbyfaith]

You just have to consider that God (the Father) became a Man (God the Son). Did He cease to be the Father when He became the Son? I don't think so (see Isaiah 9:6). He merely took on a second, human nature so that He could die for the sin of the world. Were there three Gods in heaven and the second one of these descended to become a Man? I don't think so (see Isaiah 44:6-8, Isaiah 43:10). I believe Isaiah 9:6 tells us that the Son is the everlasting Father, it is pretty clear in that scripture. John 14:7-11 tells us the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son. The Father is a Spirit (John 4:23-24) and the Lord (Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21). There is one Spirit and one Lord (Ephesians 4:4-5). One God, even the Father (Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6). And no one can say that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3). And also, that Jesus claimed to be God is evident (Exodus 3:14, John 8:24, John 8:58-59, John 10:31-33. The Pharisees knew He was claiming to be God, they picked up stones to stone Him more than once.

 

[Shempster]

The Bible gives us enough information about God and Jesus to be able to come to salvation. We can see His plans and purposes for mankind, which culminate in the salvation of those who receive Christ and the condemnation of those who continue to rebel against Him. But concerning the character and nature of God, we have what we need to know. God has not revealed His complete make-up, nature and character to us because we don't need to know all that in order to be saved and to live a productive, holy life in Christ. God would not be God if we could know all about Him.

Well put, sir.
I have read alot about early church beliefs and writings. It amazes me that anyone could actually kill another person based on their beliefs of the true nature of God, but many did.
I think God uses certain terms like "father" "son" "bride" and such because they are concepts we can understand. I don't think the human mind would be able to grasp God's true nature in reality.
So is it such a bad thing to just say "we don't really know"?
Could our faith really be hurt or challenged if we just admit that nobody knows?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

So Christ is ALL of God ?

Don't get distracted to thinking something not written,
but as written
"IN HIM ALL THE FULLNESS DWELLS", yes. (see all the various contexts IN SCRIPTURE as you are able to, YHVH WILLING.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Thanks. There was a time in my life when I was always up to no good.

Been there.

 

[concretecamper]

If Scripture says X and Bob says Not X, then we believe X. Scripture rules over the Church to regulate and norm Christian faith and practice.

This example is not correct for the topic at hand.

In the case of the Trinity scripture vaguely says X and Tradition clearly says X and Y and Z. Most all Christians accept X, Y, and Z. Most of X and all of Y and Z are not scriptural.

SS fails even when one loosely defines in as

Norma Normans of the Church; the chief and inviolate regulating principle of Christian faith and practice.

 

[Colter]

Perhaps Jesus is a Son of the Trinity rather than the second person of the Trinity?

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

If one leg of a 3 legged stool left for a while that indivisible unity would be interrupted right????

 

[tampasteve]

So Christ is ALL of God ?

Yes and no, the wording is difficult, I point back to the creed:

• 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.
• The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited.
  
• 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.
  
• But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.
  
• 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.

 

[ViaCrucis]

This example is not correct for the topic at hand.

In the case of the Trinity scripture vaguely says X and Tradition clearly says X and Y and Z. Most all Christians accept X, Y, and Z. Most of X and all of Y and Z are not scriptural.

SS fails even when one loosely defines in as

I'm pointing out that your criticism of Sola Scriptura as being against Tradition is inaccurate. Tradition still matters, the Creeds are still authoritative.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

So Christ is ALL of God ?

That's what St. Paul says in Colossians 2:9.

Jesus Christ is the eternally begotten Son of the Father, as the Son He is fully and entirely God. He's not the Father or the Holy Spirit, He's the Son; but as the Son He is the fullness of God. God is not divisible, each Person of the Trinity is entirely and fully God, the fullness of God. The Father is not 1/3 God, He is God. The same is true of the Son and Holy Spirit.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Colter]

That's what St. Paul says in Colossians 2:9.

Jesus Christ is the eternally begotten Son of the Father, as the Son He is fully and entirely God. He's not the Father or the Holy Spirit, He's the Son; but as the Son He is the fullness of God. God is not divisible, each Person of the Trinity is entirely and fully God, the fullness of God. The Father is not 1/3 God, He is God. The same is true of the Son and Holy Spirit.

-CryptoLutheran

A part can’t simultaneously be the whole. The indivisible Trinity is the whole, without any of its constituent parts, it wouldn’t be the Trinity.

 

[concretecamper]

I'm pointing out that your criticism of Sola Scriptura as being against Tradition is inaccurate. Tradition still matters, the Creeds are still authoritative.

-CryptoLutheran

I'll concede that Sola Scriptura will not be against Sacred Tradition only when scripture is interpreted accurately.