The Trinity

[LutheranMafia]

When the subject of the Trinity comes up, Christians either have only a vague notion, or give long winded yet diluted and confusing explanations. I think the explanation is very simple:

We are all made in the image of God which means that we have 3 parts just like God does: soul, spirit and body. The soul corresponds to the Holy Father, the spirit to the Holy Spirit, and the body corresponds to the Son.

The extrapolation from man to God is easier to do, rather than trying to start with God, who is ultimately unknowable. But even at this, the distinction between soul and spirit is something that is very poorly understood, if at all, by the great majority of people. In that regard I think that the extrapolation from God to man reveals more:

The Holy Father is the alpha and the omega, unchanging and eternally the same. Similarly, Origen, one of the most important Church fathers of 2nd and 3rd century, stated that all souls are uncreated and that only spirits are created. The Holy Spirits is not quite the same as the Holy Father, it does change over time, for example, when Jesus left this world the Holy Spirit underwent a change. "I will send you a Comforter." In other words the role of the Holy Spirit suddenly became more pronounced. Similarly the spirit can go through radical changes, is created and can even be destroyed.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Your definition is heresy, condemned by the early church.

Is that short enough but precise enough for you?

 

[Standing Up]

Your definition is heresy, condemned by the early church.

Is that short enough but precise enough for you?

Which part?

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

*subscribes*

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

We are all made in the image of God which means that we have 3 parts just like God does: soul, spirit and body. The soul corresponds to the Holy Father, the spirit to the Holy Spirit, and the body corresponds to the Son.

The whole definition:

We are all made in the image of God which means that we have 3 parts just like God does: soul, spirit and body. The soul corresponds to the Holy Father, the spirit to the Holy Spirit, and the body corresponds to the Son.

The early church refused to treat the three persons of the Trinity as though they were three constituent parts of God. Rather, each one is fully God in all ways. God does not have parts or facets. Nor does he have three persons; he is three persons. That is an enormous difference, and yes, it's complex, but it is also precise as a result.

 

[plmarquette]

the lord, your God is one ...the Lord [Jehovah-singular] your God [elohim-plural] is one....

look up sebellaniasm ..."Jesus only" ....or Jehovah's witnesses "God only"...basically 1 god with 2 hand puppets....don't work...all 3 mentioned simultaneously in gospel, and epistles...my father and your father; my son in whom I am pleased; will send another unique individual, like me....

 

[Eucharisted]

When the subject of the Trinity comes up, Christians either have only a vague notion, or give long winded yet diluted and confusing explanations. I think the explanation is very simple:

And you immediately go into a vague, long winded yet diluted and confusing explanation of the Trinity. AMAZING.

Oh yeah, and you've committed the fallacy of generalization. Which means your argument is invalid.

Also: God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How's THAT for a precise, short and truthful answer?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

And you immediately go into a vague, long winded yet diluted and confusing explanation of the Trinity. AMAZING.

Oh yeah, and you've committed the fallacy of generalization. Which means your argument is invalid.

Also: God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How's THAT for a precise, short and truthful answer?

Did anyone notice Romans 14:10 and the use of both "Christ" and "God"......Interesting

http://www.christianforums.com/t7364825-55/#post55277209
Romans 14:10

NKJV) Romans 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

NASB) Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

 

[Znex]

Basically, the way I see it is that the Trinity are all individually God, and they can't be parts of God due to the very nature of infinity, which God is.

Divide infinity by three: you get infinity.

Multiply infinity by three: you get infinity.

Dividing and multiplying infinity by any integer (except one) does nothing to it, so it's quite reasonable to say that each part of the Trinity are all equally God.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Hypostatic union.
Nuff said.

 

[Aibrean]

How can Christ sit at the right hand of God the Father if God the Father is his right hand?

I think the trinity knot sums it up.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

How can Christ sit at the right hand of God if God is his right hand?

Is that a trick question

Matt 26:64 Jesus Is saying to him "thou say, moreover I am saying to ye, from present/now ye shall be seeing the Son of the Man sitting out of rights/dexiwn <1188> of the power and coming upon the clouds of the heaven".
[Reve 1:7/6:16]

Reve 5:7 And He came and has gotten it [*the scroll*] from out of the right of the One-sitting upon the throne.

Kindgdom Bible Studies Two hands of God Part 1

*snip*

.....First, let us look at the meaning of these two words, right and left. The word "right" as used with "hand" is generally the Hebrew word "yamiym" meaning STRONGER, MORE DEXTEROUS.
The word for "left" is "smowl" meaning DARK.
From the meaning of these two words it is very easy to understand that God's right hand is His strength and dexterity, or His wonderful ability to do all things. The implication is that the right hand of God is the GOOD HAND of God, doing GOOD things.

The Psalmist confirms this when he says, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your RIGHT HAND are PLEASURES for evermore" (Ps. 16:11). Again, "The voice of REJOICING and SALVATION in the tabernacles of the righteous: the RIGHT HAND of the Lord does valiantly. The RIGHT HAND of the Lord is exalted" (Ps. 118:15-16).. To which the prophet Isaiah adds his inspired testimony, "Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will STRENGTHEN you; yea, I will HELP you; yea, I will UPHOLD you with the RIGHT HAND of My righteousness" (Isa. 41:10).

 

[Siyha]

Oh! I got it!

The trinity is like an egg.... no wait, that one doesn't work. The parts are all made of difference substances.

Uh... the trinity is like the sun! Again.... difference substances.

Oh! Water! The trinity is like water! It has a gas state, a..... oh wait, thats sabellianism.

Maybe, comparing the uncreated God to created things doesn't work so well (even people as shown by follow up posts in this thread). Perhaps God is God and thats that? Do we expect to fathom fully (NICE! ALLITERATION FTW!) his nature?

 

[laconicstudent]

​

 

[Aibrean]

Yes it was a trick question

They are one, but they are not one and the same.

 

[bugkiller]

Did anyone notice Romans 14:10 and the use of both "Christ" and "God"......Interesting

http://www.christianforums.com/t7364825-55/#post55277209
Romans 14:10

NKJV) Romans 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

NASB) Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

I see such things as this causing problems in discussing the Bible, theology and dioctrinal issues. Jesus is God without a doubt. When the word God is used in the Bible it generally refers to God the Father especially when used by itself. I am leaving this open with and on purpose.

bugkiller

 

[drich0150]

How can Christ sit at the right hand of God the Father if God the Father is his right hand?

I think the trinity knot sums it up.

Because God is a title and not a name.

Referring to the personage of the Father as simply "God" is no more incorrect as referring to Barrack Obama as Mr. President.

So If the Term "God" is used to address the Father by title, then it quite possible for The Son to be seated at His right hand.

The only "trick" in the question is, navigating all of the religion and "doctrine" that surrounds it.

 

[E.C.]

Read "On the Incarnation" by St. Athanasius.

 

[ToxicReboMan]

Did anyone notice Romans 14:10 and the use of both "Christ" and "God"......Interesting

http://www.christianforums.com/t7364825-55/#post55277209
Romans 14:10

NKJV) Romans 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

NASB) Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ​

​

Hello LLOJ

These discrepancies are manuscript corruption due to scribal bias (or those that paid the scribe). What else could it be? Here is a another one...

------------------------

1 Timothy 3:16



KJV - 16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.



NASB - 16By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.


Is "God" the correct translation or "He"? Manuscripts over time have been altered and edited to better conform to extra-biblical doctrines.

 

[LutheranMafia]

The early church refused to treat the three persons of the Trinity as though they were three constituent parts of God. Rather, each one is fully God in all ways. God does not have parts or facets. Nor does he have three persons; he is three persons. That is an enormous difference, and yes, it's complex, but it is also precise as a result.

That is no difference at all, the soul and spirit are not separate beings from our conscious mind. They are separate personalities that are still part of our unified being. We are all three persons in one being.

Your assertion that my explanation of the Trinity is heretical is based on splitting hairs about a distortion and misunderstanding of what I've said.