13:17-19). The New Testament mentions an incident with Jesus and a fig tree: Jesus was hungry. Augustine, in his Homilies on John, boldly asserts that John 17:3 means: This is eternal life, that they may know Thee and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent, as the only true God. [1]. Judging by the churchs historic creeds, Christians used to think the Trinity is really important. 3:12). (Some manuscripts say the Lord, here, but the best textual scholarship considers Jesus to be original. And God seeks people to worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Saying He was with God as well (John 1:1). The Trinity is a mystery which is beyond human understanding and experience. https://mpom.wpengine.com/2014/01/16/does-the-new-testament-contain-contradictions/, This article bought out some very good scriptures and points. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are personally distinct from one another. Dont get me wrongIm not saying that the whole doctrine is here full-blown (youll need the rest of Johns Gospel to get the Holy Spirit, including a few verses earlier in 3:5). A fundamental doctrine The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most difficult ideas in Christianity, but it's fundamental to Christians because it: states what Christians believe God is like. 100 Scriptural Arguments for the Trinity - Beginning of Wisdom Yes. 30. Surely not. The Trinity isnt for anything beyond itself, because the Trinity is God. Or is that the overstatement of the millennium? Arguments for Jesus being God/fully divine, having two natures, preexisting, the Holy Spirit being a person or not being a person, all three sharing the same nature, all of these arguments are welcome. The word of Yahweh came to Abraham in a vision, so was not just a voice in his ear (Gen. 15:1). 8:6). Introduction Or is this a DOUBLE minded mind? Paul calls Him God and Savior just as Peter does (Titus 2:13). [1 Corinthians 15:24-28]. Trinitarians attempt to explain such statements away by saying that it was only the human side of Jesus being subservient to God, not his divine side. Thus, they relate to each other personally the Father regards himself as I while he regards the Son and Holy Spirit as you. Likewise, the Son regards himself as I, but the Father and the Holy Spirit as you.. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. He is God. If you dont believe meif you still think the Trinity is just advanced theology for the expertsconsider John 3:16, one of the most famous and simple gospel statements in the whole New Testament. The plurality of God in this event was repeated by Yahweh when He spoke to Amos a declaration of Yahweh. That declaration was, I overthrew some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Amos 4:11), 26. 54. If the three persons of the Trinity are equal in importanceand all are 100% God, then why isspeaking a word of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit an unforgivable sin, while doing a similar act against the Son, Jesus, can be forgiven? The co-equality of the persons is a central pillar, without which the foundation of the Trinity comes crashing down. Even if Johns original nature, humanity, remains unchanged and separate from his divinity, would you ever conclude that John has not changed at all? 43:10). All of the angels worship Jesus (Heb. One would never be left out if they were all in one. Paul states this will be fulfilled, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thess. On the other hand, we must say that the Persons are real, that they are not just different ways of looking at the one being of God . jesus increased in wisdom so his MIND /person gained something which wasnt there BEFORE. Please feel free to go ahead. 9:6). 3:2-6) we know Yahweh is God, but we have seen the Angel claim to be God before. The plurality of God in this event was repeated by Yahweh when He spoke to Jeremiah when he recorded, As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors, declares Yahweh (Jer. Scripture should provide a clear picture of who our Creator is, otherwise how can we be expected to properly worship that which we dont understand? Nonetheless, while recognizing the distinct roles that each Person has, we should never think of their roles as so separate that the other Persons are not involved. 81. The three Persons are not each part of God, but are each fully God and equally God. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. The arguments/topics will be outlined thus: I do not know exactly how these points will be distributed among articles, so I dont know exactly how many parts this series will be comprised of. 18. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 73. The end result for Jesus and John is the same; theyve both become God-men. The Trinity matters because God matters, even if it doesnt strike us as practical. Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? 8. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). Define the word ADD As this is a counter to a Unitarian article, I will spend more time on Scriptures related to what Unitarians deny than those things we agree upon. How is God one? As one writer has said, The Trinity and the gospel have the same shape. Are you beginning to see why? He learned (Luke 2:40). 36. The Trinity matters because this is who God is. 3. Did God become a man? 46. Yahweh says every knee will bow to Himself and every tongue swear allegience to Him, not someone else (Isa. Abstract. The Angel of Yahweh appeared with Yahweh in the burning bush to Moses, and the text does not make clear who is speaking when he says he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ex. Yahweh alone is truly God (Isa. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. 5. Jesus laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of His hands (Heb. And indeed they will, for that is what is happening when that happens to Jesus, as Paul states (Phil. After healing the man on the Sabbath, Jesus defends His right to disregard the Sabbath on the grounds that God upholds the universe on the Sabbath (John 5:15-18). This will also be true when discussing how the Trinitarian defense Ill be examining, the Proper Understanding Defense, reveals that virtually all arguments aimed at the Trinity simply cannot get going without misrepresenting the Trinity at some point. 7:13-14). Do you believe that too? 6), says that Isaiah saw his glory and spoke of him (John 12:41). when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, then the Son himself will be made subject to him, http://1islam1.com/en/articles/is-the-dogma-of-the-trinity-compatible-with-the-teachings-of-the-bible.html. So together with our eternal Spirit, let us make man in our own image, so that others might see and experience our love, and so that you might be the firstborn among many brothers (cf. Gods essence is his being. The importance of one to the Jews cannot be overstated. 2:20), who loves us and lives inside of us (Rom. God is spirit (John 4:24). The son of their first? This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. The fact that God has a Son tells us that hes a Father. 2. The three people that make up the trinity are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Thus the reason why they have inserted extra words to indicate equality of three entities in John 5:7, so the docrine matches the Triune concept found in in Matthew & letters from Paul. New video: Were the Gospel Authors Inspired? 31. Yahweh prophesies His own coming, not someone else, to Isaiah by saying, A voice is calling in the wilderness, Clear the way of Yahweh! The Trinity matters because the gospel matters. Jesus said, Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. 6:4 exposes the fact that you do not understand what we teach. These three persons are the Father, Son. 78. Rob Bowman. 10:9), and the very reason this saves is that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved (Joel 2:32). This is not the result of pagan or gnostic philosophy, no matter how much opponents of the Trinity try to paint it that way. 15. However the claim that God became flesh poses a fundamental problem. Not bad. http://1islam1.com/en/articles/is-the-dogma-of-the-trinity-compatible-with-the-teachings-of-the-bible.html. If something needs to be added to His nature, such as humanity or anything else for that matter, then doesnt that mean He lacked something before? I also didnt really get the chance to plumb the depths of John 1 or John 5 or Hebrews 1, though they were touched on. Yahweh our God is utterly unique (Deut. To learn more about Jesus from both the Islamic and Christian perspective, please download your free copy of the bookJesus: Man, Messenger, Messiahfrom the Iera website (click on image below): 1 Homilies on John, tractate CV, chapter 17. New video: Islam Eclipses Other Religions. (253254). Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God; he is all of the being of God. How much does the Trinity matter to your church? We exist to worship God. Abstract. 34. . The same chapter is clear that it was God who tested Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Jesus gives life to whomever He wishes, just as the Father does (John 5:21). The doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. 98. What did the addition CAUSE in god? If you found out tomorrow that God is actually only one person instead of three, would your relationship with God feel any different? 16:33), is if Jesus is Yahweh, the one who made the promises. People are given to the Son by the Father (John 17:6), and Jesus was given by the Father for us (John 3:16, Rom. Would it require a drastic overhaul in the way you think or witness or pray? But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a he (see John 14:26; 16:715; Acts 8:16). John begins his Gospel by speaking of this word who was a person and who was God. Because He alone is our God, He alone is our Savior (Isa. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. Well said, teacher, the man replied. This one is able to stand before Samuel and call out to him (3:10). Skit Maker Trinity Guy Sent To Prison For Sexual Abuse Most of us have retained a formal belief in the Trinity. Find out about Bible & Theology events at TGC23. 2:10, 1 Chr. Answer The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. There is only one God, and we must never stray from this. The Trinity - God and authority in Christianity - GCSE Religious - BBC Appeal for Religious Liberty to a Culture Embracing Pride Month, J. I. Packer on the 6 Things You Should Tell Yourself Every Day. The same Son who was begotten by the Father before all worlds was sent by the Father into this world, to live and die for us and our salvation. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.[Mark 12:29-33]. 8:32). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons 6. ho theos/ton theon=the god; referring to another god). According to the classical theism of Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and their adherents, God is radically unlike creatures and cannot be adequately understood in ways appropriate to them. 14:33). Its who he always was and wouldve been even if there had been no you, no me, and no heavens and earth. The Doctrine of the Trinity: No Christianity Without It Matt Perman Guest Contributor The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. God is Israels only God and Savior (Isa. (5) The Father is not the Son. We do not have any minutes or transcripts from the Council of Nicea. The Spirit intercedes for us with the Father, and intercession is the act of a person. 7:17). It depends. 88. The NIV also does not contain the mention of the Trinity. 47. As you can see the exact opposite is the case, by quoting the Old Testament commandment about God being One and agreeing with the Jewish teachers interpretation, Jesus is affirming a Jewish understanding of God that is purely monotheistic and rejects all notion of God being a Trinity. No one but Yahweh is the first and last (Isa. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. So Jesus does that, too, of course, since He is the same one (Rev. It is the same Husband, Yahweh. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 3:17). So with that being said, when you read John 1:1 you can clearly tell that its speaking of two God and the Word, which would leave you wondering where the Holy Spirit is if their all in one. 3. 11. The triune gospel is better by far. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. Justin Dillehay (MDiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is a pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Hartsville, Tennessee, where he resides with his wife and their three children. You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (6:35, 8:12, 10:7, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1). nature of god - What is the Scriptural Basis Against the Trinity 1:2). This is good news, because it tells us God didnt create us because he needed somebody to love. (1) There is only one God. Nevertheless, I would maintain that the Holy Trinity is right below the surface in even the simplest gospel presentation (and it may poke its head up now and then). Moreover why would God curse the fig tree for producing fruit in certain seasons, something He Himself willed it to do? Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. Why is the INCREASE important for God? Argument #7. It consisted of the fact that God came to meet Christians in a threefold figure: (1) as Creator, Lord . 80. Stephen prayed to Jesus, an act never sanctioned to anyone but Yahweh (Acts 7:59-60). Is the Bible a book of guidance or a Da Vinci code? Argument for the Trinity #4: The Deity of the Persons - Section 1: The Father and the Spirit Argument for the Trinity #6: The Deity of the Persons - Section 3: More of the Son Argument for the Trinity #7: The Deity of the Persons - Section 4: Still more of the Son 1:10). Without them, God would still be a Father, but he wouldnt be our Father. Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God! (Isa. 23:1-2). Did God later on become fully human taking on the human nature-attribute? Here are Arguments form Trniterians for Trinity: God is a trinity of persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 21:15-16). This one true God exists as three distinct persons. The giving of the Spirit to us shows He is a person because it fits everyone else in the relationship. So in the passages above, by simply repeating the commandment about God being One, Jesus is re-affirming the Jewish understanding of Gods nature and therefore rejecting the Trinitarian understanding. (7) The Holy Spirit is not the Father. The problem is that later in the Bible, after Jesus has ascended and cast aside all human limitations, he is still saying my God: I am coming soon. 48. Jesus speaks as Yahweh repeatedly. Thank you for your feedback. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is none like Yahweh (Isa. 1. Paul states this prophecy will be fulfilled by these exact things being directed to Jesus, because He isnt someone else (Phil. Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:19-22). 7 8 The Trinity Nature of the Trinity Most Christians believe there is only one God, who is experienced as three persons, also known as the Trinity. Only Yahweh is Creator (Isa. Metaphysics and Logic of the Trinity - Oxford Academic To read, review, understand and share with others? Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, Of all the commandments, which is the most important?, The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. The Aim of the Arguments: 00:07:24Argument 1 (Love): 00:23:21Argument 2 (Justice): 00:33:27Argument 3 (Creat. 85. And whoever rejects this faith will perish everlastingly? Nothing in the context mitigates this charge. Later the word of Yahweh clearly says, I am Yahweh (15:7), showing that the word of Yahweh is another name for Yahweh, much like the Name of Yahweh or the Angel of Yahweh. It was so difficult for Augustine to harmonise John 17:3 with the doctrine of the Trinity, that this immensely influential church leader actually restructured Jesus words to accommodate both the Father and Son in the Godhead.
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