Trinity Questions

[Guest Mormon Mike]

Hello,

  I have been in the Chat room on and off for a few months now, I really enjoy it.  I did have a question that might be more appropriate to discus in the Boards verse a chat environment.  First I want to make my intentions clear on this discussion, I am in no way trying to bash or start some kind of pointless debate.  Rather I am looking for answers to some questions I have and I fully intend to ponder and pray about the information given by those kind enough to respond.

  Ok, now to the question.  In the Bible there seems to be many verses that support the idea of the Trinity, there are also many verses that seem to contradict the idea of a Trinity or 3 in 1 God.  How do those that believe in the Trinity reconcile the conflicting accounts and scripture passages?

When I get home tonight I will post some examples from the KJV of the bible that support both sides of the belief, I look forward to hearing from anyone.

 MM

[Guest Mormon Mike]

Let me throw out a few of the scriptures that confuse me regarding the Trinity.

1. the Father is greater than Christ (John 14:28)

2. Stephen saw Christ standing on the right hand of God in Acts 7:55,56

 Both seem to indicate seperate beings, can I get some clarification on those?

 Mike

[wordsower]

Regarding the John 14 passage: While Jesus was here in the flesh he was tempted as we are and got hungry and tired like we do.  There is another passage in there that says He was a little lower than the angels.  He was even able to die, He was in human flesh.  

The trinity is not something I think we can fully understand in the sinful, human nature that we have.  It is in the spiritual realm and beyond our understanding.  God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one in a way we don't fully comprehend.  I sort of think they are alike in that they think alike and don't disagree whatsoever with eachother but the each have different functions.  Jesus intercedes for us, the Holy Spirit helps us and God is our Father.  It has been explained like water...it can be ice, steam or liquid but it is still water...Don't know if that helps at all, maybe someone else has a better explanantion.

Blessings to you!

[Guest]

Hello Mormon Mike,

I have a thread where I deal with the deity of Jesus and how He was God manifested in the flesh.

Here is a link to it - "Justified in the Spirit"

WordSower's answer regarding Jesus' humanity is very good.

[Guest Mormon Mike]

BlindSeeker,

  In one of your links you posted the following:  "Now ponder this, if you could simply go back one minute in time you could both see and be with yourself. You could even talk to yourself. Would that make you two? Certainly it would seem as if  there was two. Nevertheless, in truth you are still only one. One in heart, one in mind, but in two places."

  This is the first time I have heard of this analogy, Very interesting and thought provoking.  Also wordsower your interpretation of John 14:28 was we done to.  My question is in Acts we read that Stephen saw Christ standing on the right hand of God, now even using your analogy BlindSeeker it does still not explain how he could see two separate beings.  Or is it enough to say that God is all powering and can choose to appear as two separate beings if he wants?

Also Gen. 1:26,27, for example, where the plural noun "Elohim" which literally means "Gods" speaks as a plural entity, saying "let US make man in OUR image.

[Guest]

Mormon Mike,

What Stephen said was that he saw the "Son of Man" meaning that humanity which the Jews had crucified standing on the right hand of God.

The right hand of God is a Jewish phrase meaning the power of God. It is rarely use to imply a direction . . . and certainly it doen't mean a little Jesus was literally standing on the hand of God.

It means Stephen saw Jesus in the Power and the authority of God.

[Guest Fabrice]

Hey Mormon Mike

A part from the Scriptures, that's what I think :

God created us in His image.

Man is constituted of three fondamental parts : the physical body, the soul and the spirit.

Our body is what represents us here on earth, and our "us" is not visible. The Bible says we are temple of the Holy Spirit. We are embassadors of Christ here on earth ! Imagine.  

Christians represent the body of Christ himself, we received the Holy Spirit in order to do what Jesus did when He came here on earth.

The soul is everything that entered in your mind till now : everything, wether you forgot it or not. Aldous Huxley said that the past pertains to the present, in other words the present is made of the past. God the Father, is the only one who can restaure our soul, through His Son Jesus. Hallelujah  :thumb: So then we are new creatures, old things are passed, praise the Lord.

The spirit is our person in the invisible. We are of the darkness or in the light. The Bible talks about "His Spirit be one with our spirit". That is possible only if Jesus lives in us. Because of Jesus, His blood, we are redeemed and recounsiled with the Father, thank you Jesus !  

So, if God made us constituted in three parts, and that He made us as His image, God has to be Trinity.

Now I've read about correspondance (God - man) but I'm not sure about it.

I hope that helped you and hey, also that I'm correct.  

[angels4u]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the WB?

The Trinity is hard to explain ,we have to believe it by faith, someday we will know but in the meantime we have to believe what the Bible says.

My problem with mormons is (not with the person) that they don't believe that Jesus is God.

Why don't you pray about this?

Ask Jesus to reaveal Himself to you.

I'm sure God will lead you to the truth.

The Bible is very clear about denying that Jesus is God,

Do you know what the bible says about if you deny it?

Love in Christ,Angels4u

[Guest Mormon Mike]

Angels4u,

[Timothy]

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus is God.