Rescued One
...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
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First or Second Series?@ArmyMatt I think it may be in Volume 8.
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First or Second Series?@ArmyMatt I think it may be in Volume 8.
Thank you ---I'll try to look at that tonight (when my physical pain goes away)!
SecondFirst or Second Series?
Father, Son and, Holy Spirit are of same nature; it is the operation or functionality that makes them different ( in Person).
While each of these three Person is complete God, there is only one God
I’m enjoying refreshing my reading of the writings of the Cappadocian fathers. Very interesting and insightful.good call
to be clear, operation for us is natural, not personal. operation is therefore only One as the Divine Nature is One.
to be clear, operation for us is natural, not personal. operation is therefore only One as the Divine Nature is One.
But since it is exalted above the understanding of the questioners, and we have to argue from some particular evidence about those things which evade our knowledge , it is absolutely necessary for us to be guided to the investigation of the Divine nature by its operations. If, then, we see that the operations which are wrought by the Father and the Sonand the Holy Spirit differ one from the other, we shall conjecture from the different character of the operations that the natures which operate are also different. For it cannot be that things which differ in their very nature should agree in the form of their operation: fire does not chill, nor ice give warmth, but their operations are distinguished together with the difference between their natures. If, on the other hand, we understand that the operation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, differing or varying in nothing, the oneness of their nature must needs be inferred from the identity of their operation. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit alike give sanctification, and life, and light, and comfort, and all similar graces. And let no one attribute the power of sanctification in a special sense to the Spirit, when he hears the Saviour in the Gospel saying to the Father concerning His disciples, Father, sanctify them in Your name. So too all the other gifts are wrought in those who are worthy alike by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: every grace and power, guidance, life, comfort, the change to immortality, the passage to liberty, and every other boon that exists, which descends to us.
Is Trinity three different manifestions of one God?
Then what makes the Persons different?
This is my understanding regarding the operation. Father created all created things through Son. Father is invisible even to angels and it is Son who physically interact with us. Holy Spirit guides our thoughts and shapes our future.
I’m enjoying refreshing my reading of the writings of the Cappadocian fathers. Very interesting and insightful.
@James A St Gregory of Nyssa talked about the unity of operation as it related to the one nature of God.
CHURCH FATHERS: On the Holy Trinity (Gregory of Nyssa)
I think the understanding of what is meant by operation certainly could impact our understanding. For example, ontologically, God the Father created all things through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. All three are involved in one operation. Yet through this, one can see that the Father possesses Fatherhood while the Son possesses sonship, which are distinct attributes. It is one will though. The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father and was given by Christ to us as a gift. Yet unlike the Son, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father but is not begotten. They all are part of the same operations making up the nature of God, but have individual attributes.@ArmyMatt @All4Christ
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
While I am respectful to the opinions of Church Fathers, this is what I believe.
Operations that are essential to the nature of God (e.g.Omniscience) are same for all three Persons nonetheless, operations that are accidental or contingent to the nature are different and that makes the Persons distinct. Son and Son alone was crucified - Neither Father nor Holy Spirit.
Isn't this what is described by Catholic doctrines of Ontological Trinity and Economic Trinity?
Hope we are arguing on the literal meaning of "operation"
@ArmyMatt @All4Christ
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
While I am respectful to the opinions of Church Fathers, this is what I believe.
Operations that are essential to the nature of God (e.g.Omniscience) are same for all three Persons nonetheless, operations that are accidental or contingent to the nature are different and that makes the Persons distinct. Son and Son alone was crucified - Neither Father nor Holy Spirit.
Isn't this what is described by Catholic doctrines of Ontological Trinity and Economic Trinity?
Hope we are arguing on the literal meaning of "operation"
well, again, operation as far as Patristics goes is an aspect of nature. the Divine Nature cannot be contingent or accidental, because it just is that it is. so there are no contingent operations that make the Persons distinct. the Three are distinct by Three modes of being (unbegotten, begotten, procession) which are unknown in their distinction aside from that they are distinct.
while true that only the Son was on the Cross, all Three Persons were at work through every aspect of the Incarnation. it's not like the Son was being crucified while the Father and the Spirit were off doing other things.