Trinity?

[ProCommunioneFacior]

I have a question, would love to read the comments posted here. Be assured that I will not debate, I will probably only make one post after this and that will be a post of gratitude.

What is the Baptists belief on the Trinity?

Is God a Trinity?

Are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all co-eternal and equal?

Was Jesus, fully God and fully Man at the time of conception, or did He later become God, or what?

Is there a general belief about the Trinity among the Baptists, or do you all believe different things regarding the Trinity?

Also please post any other beliefs regarding the Trinity that I have not asked about.

Thank you for your responses.

 

[mesue]

We believe that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one.
God tells us they are one in His word.

1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Jesus was always God, but humbled Himself to become man at conception. He became a man, but was still God with us Emanuel.

I belong to an Independent Baptist Church, for the most part we believe the same things about the Trinity. It's aTriune God Head. The three separate entities are one. They are co-eternal and equal. How this works? I dunno
But we'll know alot of things better when we get to heaven.

I hope I was somewhat helpful my friend. by tomorrow there'll be more eloquent posts than I can say at the moment.
But it's a start.
Would you post you answers to your questions too? Not for debate but because I want to see how much they are the same.
Thank you for the opportunity to ponder these things again.



(mesue's little disclaimer: I'm typing in the dark and starting to really feel the effects of the Ambien I took to help me sleep. . If what I said doesn't make sense what so ever, be gentle in your laughter I'll fix it when I get upmy keyboard looks curved )

 

[Splendor Of My Soul]

We believe that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one.
God tells us they are one in His word.

1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Jesus was always God, but humbled Himself to become man at conception. He became a man, but was still God with us Emanuel.

That is quite close to the Catholic view as regards the Trinity.

Pax Vobiscum

Gerardo

 

[rural_preacher]

We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of-woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. He lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, rose bodily from the dead and ascended alive into heaven. Jesus is fully God and fully Man in one person.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the Agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

---

http://www.garbc.org/artfaith.php
--

 

[SumTinWong]

I have a question, would love to read the comments posted here. Be assured that I will not debate, I will probably only make one post after this and that will be a post of gratitude.

A question

What is the Baptists belief on the Trinity?

Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another. In the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God."

Is God a Trinity?

Yes

Are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all co-eternal and equal?

Yes

Was Jesus, fully God and fully Man at the time of conception, or did He later become God, or what?

Jesus is God and was God before conception and continued to be so at the time of His birth.

Is there a general belief about the Trinity among the Baptists, or do you all believe different things regarding the Trinity?

I think there is a general belief, and I have yet to hear anyone differ from this view.

Also please post any other beliefs regarding the Trinity that I have not asked about.

They Rock the hardest.

Thank you for your responses.

Anytime proud2bcatholic You are welcome anytime!

 

[BBAS 64]

Good Day, All

Recommended reading on the subject:

#1106 - The Forgotten Trinity
"No doctrine is more fundamental to the Faith than the Trinity. And there is no more brief, clear, biblical, and practical explanation of the Trinity than on these pages."
Dr. Norman L. Geisler
Dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary

"James White has a remarkable ability to say important and complex things in readable ways. He has done it again in The Forgotten Trinity, a vital look at a doctrine `forgotten’ in evangelical churches."
Dr. John H. Armstrong
President of Reformation & Revival Ministries, Inc.

"White’s clear argument demonstrates that the historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity is fully and inescapably biblical. The refutation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons is very helpful."
Dr. J. I Packer
Professor, Regent College

"Dr. James White is to be congratulated for his thorough and meticulous refutation of the teachings of the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses."
Dr. Gleason L. Archer
Retired Professor of Old Testament & Biblical Languages
Trinity International University

"My church is entering the new millennium with a three focus on the Blessed Trinity. Dr. White hightlights a vital truth: the Mystery of the Trinity is truly related to how we love God. Our faith in the Trinity is the same: One God, three coequal persons."
Fr. Mitchell Pacwa,, S.J.
Assistant Professor,
University of Dallas

"The Forgotten Trinity" maps a well-lit route toward an intimate relating to the Trinity. The book steers readers away from Trinity as an abstract notion and intelligently chauffeurs us to the book's destination, which is worship: "Holy, Holy, Holy!...God in three persons, blessed Trinity!"
Kerry D. McRoberts
Senior Pastor, Kings Circle Assembly of God Church
Author, The Holy Trinity,Systematic Theology

"The Trinity is a doctrine where error is especially deadly. James White superbly establishes the biblical basis of trinitarianism, examining its nuances and its place in church history. His lucid presentation will help layperson and pastor alike. Highly recommended."
Dr. John MacAurthur
Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church
Speaker, Grace to you.</FONT>

Order on line:

https://aomin.org/bookstore/shop.html?shop=books#1106

Peace to u,

Bill

 

[Gold Dragon]

As far as I know, there are no significant baptists or baptist groups that hold to an unorthodox view of the Trinity that would conflict with the views of the RCC. It probably isn't as fleshed out as the RCC view which has been in development for 1500 years (I'm not saying it has changed, simply elaborated on).

I wouldn't be surprised if there were isolated baptist churches or individuals who did hold to unorthodox Trinitarian views, considering our positions on autonomony and soul liberty. But they would quickly be rebuked and condemned (hopefully in a gentle and loving manner to bring about change) by the baptist community.

 

[Cright]

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

This was recently pointed out to me... God Said (singular) Let us (the trinity) make man (the single species) in our (the trinity) image...

Pretty insightful to give His Word this way...

 

[FaithWeaver]

We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of-woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. He lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, rose bodily from the dead and ascended alive into heaven. Jesus is fully God and fully Man in one person.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the Agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

---

http://www.garbc.org/artfaith.php
--

Well spoken . That pretty much somes up my beliefs too.

 

[CountryMom]

Cright....

I like your signature!

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Thanks for your reply.

I posted this thread because I always believed that the Baptists were orthodox in their belief about the Trinity, until I saw a post yesterday by a Baptist that was contradictory to what you have posted here. I am glad to see that you believe what you believe in this area.

As far as what Catholics believe, I would say it is very similar to what has been said here, but I won't go into more detail because this thread is not what about Catholics believe. If you would like to know what Catholics believe about the Trinity, feel free to come to OBOB.

Again, thank you for your replies.

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

A question

 

[Matthan]

Rural Preacher, you are the man.... Well said.

 

[Cright]

Cright....

I like your signature!

Thanks

 

[arunma]

Proud2bcatholic, I'm one Baptist who isn't afraid to say it: my belief in the Trinity comes straight from the Nicene Creed. Of course, the Creed is based on the Bible, so really the Trinity is a fundamentally Biblical idea.

Still, I just wanted to say that we Baptists (and other Protestants) are indebted to Catholic theologians for writing many words about the Trinity. If not for you guys, we would surely be at a theological loss. Thank you!

 

[Jeffrey A]

Proud2bcatholic, I'm one Baptist who isn't afraid to say it: my belief in the Trinity comes straight from the Nicene Creed. Of course, the Creed is based on the Bible, so really the Trinity is a fundamentally Biblical idea.

The Nicene Creed is pretty good, except for the "eternally begotten" part. As has already been stated in this thread by another, many of us believe Jesus was "begotten" when Mary was overshadowed and then gave birth to the man, Jesus. That was in a moment in time, not in "eternity" (yes, PLANNED from eternity, but that's not the same thing...) The Son of God, the Word, was always with God, for he is God, Eternally Existing, no beginning no end, but he "emptied himself... of the form of God" and took on the "appearance of man" in a moment of time, and "the Word BECAME flesh, and dwelt among us", becoming the "only BEGOTTEN son of God."

According to the Bible, Jesus the Son of God is both Eternally Existing, AND the "only begotten son of God" in a moment in time; but he is 'not' "eternally begotten." I don't care 'what' the "CREED" says.

 

[Gold Dragon]

I don't think the Eternally begotten is incorrect, or a big deal if it is.

Begotten is related to the word begat that we see in geneologies which usually means to Father or produce or cause to exist. When did this begetting happen?

If God the Son eternally existed, it makes sense that he was also eternally begotten. I would say this is a valid usage.

Anyway, it really is a fault of the nuances of the english words we use and doesn't really have any impact on what people believe about the Trinity. Trying to apply a temporal word like begotten to non-temporal beings like Jesus and God is bound to have difficulties.

 

[arunma]

Jeffrey, of course I believe that the creed is the flawed work of man. While it is based on the Bible, only the Bible is inspired Scripture.

However, I think the creed is accurate in its explanation that Jesus was begotten in eternity. Jesus was begotten as the Son of Mary, at a specific instance in time. But Christ was not "created." To say that would be a terrible heresy. He always existed, yet he is the Son of his Father. If he was begotten by God in eternity, that would make perfect sense, to me anyway.

Well, this is all very esoteric theology that is best left to the likes of more learned men such as Athanasius and Augustine. We don't have to agree on how we word our belief in the Trinity. We both know that Christ is all, and that's good enough for me.

 

[Palatka44]

I have a question, would love to read the comments posted here. Be assured that I will not debate, I will probably only make one post after this and that will be a post of gratitude.

What is the Baptists belief on the Trinity?

Is God a Trinity?

Are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all co-eternal and equal?

Was Jesus, fully God and fully Man at the time of conception, or did He later become God, or what?

Is there a general belief about the Trinity among the Baptists, or do you all believe different things regarding the Trinity?

Also please post any other beliefs regarding the Trinity that I have not asked about.

Thank you for your responses.

All three are equal as of now. While Jesus was here He had been made lower then the angels as He was yet God manifested in the flesh. I do not think that He divested Himself of His Deity while He was here its that He limited Himself while He was flesh. So that He could die. He would not have been able to litterly die on the cross if He had not.
[bible]Hebrews 2:9[/bible]
Sense that time and now that He is risen and ascended all things are now subject to Him as He no longer limits Himself.

 

[Cright]

Proud2bcatholic, I'm one Baptist who isn't afraid to say it: my belief in the Trinity comes straight from the Nicene Creed. Of course, the Creed is based on the Bible, so really the Trinity is a fundamentally Biblical idea.

Still, I just wanted to say that we Baptists (and other Protestants) are indebted to Catholic theologians for writing many words about the Trinity. If not for you guys, we would surely be at a theological loss. Thank you!

1) not all Baptists consider themselves Protestant
2) With or without the Catholic Councils we would still have the bible and should only feel indebted to God. (IMHO)

Those 2 things aside... we are all, by God's grace, his children and can learn from each other.