Trinity (which doesn't appear in scripture)?

[JohnD]

It is a theological term about the nature of God. Theology = the study of God.

Just like eschatology is the study about predictive prophecy in the Bible. Eschatology, Trinity, theology do not appear in scripture.

God the Word with God in the beginning (John 1:1–2)

With the Father in the beginning (1 John 1:1–2)

With the Spirit of God in the beginning (Genesis 1:1–2)

1 + 1 + 1 = 3 Individuals who are God

The Bible teaches there is only one God

Conclusion the ONE GOD is triune in nature: a singular compound. Unity of plurality.

Though we are not three persons, each human being is a tripartite (singular compound / unity of plurality) in that we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23) yet only one human being.

The difference with God is that what makes up the one God are three divine individual persons.

If you can accept as fact that there are three spatial dimensions in the universe… that human beings are body, soul, spirit… that one family consists of more than one person… you should have no difficulty accepting the triune nature of the one God.

[Markie51]

On 5/16/2023 at 6:01 AM, JohnD said:

It is a theological term about the nature of God. Theology = the study of God.

Just like eschatology is the study about predictive prophecy in the Bible. Eschatology, Trinity, theology do not appear in scripture.

God the Word with God in the beginning (John 1:1–2)

With the Father in the beginning (1 John 1:1–2)

With the Spirit of God in the beginning (Genesis 1:1–2)

1 + 1 + 1 = 3 Individuals who are God

The Bible teaches there is only one God

Conclusion the ONE GOD is triune in nature: a singular compound. Unity of plurality.

Though we are not three persons, each human being is a tripartite (singular compound / unity of plurality) in that we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23) yet only one human being.

The difference with God is that what makes up the one God are three divine individual persons.

If you can accept as fact that there are three spatial dimensions in the universe… that human beings are body, soul, spirit… that one family consists of more than one person… you should have no difficulty accepting the triune nature of the one God.

      I agree with your post, but with one exception: the soul.

     The original-language terms as used in the Scriptures show “soul” to be a person, an animal, or the life that a person or an animal enjoys.  In other words, it is not that we have a soul, but that we are a soul. (Genesis 2:7; Exodus 1:5; Leviticus 24: 17, 18; Joshua 11:11; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Peter 3:20;)  The “soul” also dies.- Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Revelation 16:3.

      The difficulty lies in the fact that the meanings popularly attached to the English word “soul” stem primarily, not from the Hebrew or Christian Greek Scriptures, but from ancient Greek philosophy, actually pagan religious thought. Greek philosopher Plato, for example, quotes Socrates as saying: “The soul,…if it departs pure, dragging with it nothing of the body,…goes away into that which is like itself, into the invisible, divine, immortal, and wise, and when it arrives there it is happy, freed from error and folly and fear…and all the other human ills, and . . . lives in truth through all after time with the gods.”-Phaedo, 80, D, E; 81, A.

      God is referred to as having a “soul“: Leviticus 26:11, 30; Psalms 11:5; 24:4; Isaiah 1:14; 42:1; Jeremiah 12:7; 14;19; Matthew 12;18; Hebrews 10:38

 

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, Markie51 said:

In other words, it is not that we have a soul, but that we are a soul.

You agree with the thread starter who said this:

On 5/16/2023 at 10:01 PM, JohnD said:

Though we are not three persons, each human being is a tripartite (singular compound / unity of plurality) in that we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23) yet only one human being.

 

[other one]

 

Ex 24:9-11 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy
of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was
under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the
children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat
and drink.
KJV
John 6:44-46 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent
me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in
the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not
that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath
seen the Father.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~
Moses and friends saw the God of Israel and were not harmed.
Jesus says that no man has seen the father except He that came from
Him.
So it seems to me that the Father that Jesus speaks of is not what that
the Nation of Israel interfaced with in the Old Testament.
Looking further:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John 1:1-10 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All
things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that
was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the
light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There
was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a
witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might
believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that
Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and
the world knew him not.
KJV
John 8:52-58 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a
devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man
keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than
our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom
makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is
nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is
your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should
say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him,
and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he
saw it, and was glad.
Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and
hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems to me to be saying that Jesus was what the Nation of Israel
interfaced with in the Old Testament days. Jesus in this form was with
the Father from the beginning.
It seems to me that the people of the Old Testament days were not aware
of the Father except for what they saw through the Jesus in the form he
existed in before he became flesh.
Further:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phil 2:5-11Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It appears to me that Jesus as the word was that which the Father
worked through to manifest Himself to the people of the Old Testament
times. Jesus did not regard himself to want to be the equal to the
Father so He took the form of a human to further the works of the
Father on earth.
Jesus was deity by being in the form of God, but it was the Father that
did the work through Him when he was the Word. It appears that the only
thing that has changed is Jesus is now flesh working the same way only
as a man. The Father exercises His will through Jesus, now in the
fleshly body.
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John 14:10-11 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that
I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the
very works' sake.
KJV
John 17:20-26 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as
we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in
one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou
hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of
the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I
have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I
have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love
wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems to me that Jesus just extended the conduit from Him to us for
the Father to do His work through Jesus to us so we could know the
Father as the Father knows us. Thus we now can do the work of the
Father. I believe this is the path and workings of the Holy Spirit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
1 Cor 15:20-28 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man
came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order:
Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies
under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he
hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are
put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all
things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then
shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things
under him, that God may be all in all.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus, before His ascension told the Apostles that all power and
authority had been given to Him. After he has subdued everything Jesus
will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to
Him........ The Father.
I don't see the Son always being equal with the Father, either when He
was the word nor in the flesh. He will also be subject to the Father
after He does the job of bringing the kingdom into it's full power over
all and giving it to the Father.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 Cor 8:4-6 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are
offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the
world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be
that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods
many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of
whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
are all things, and we by him.
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interestingly, all three are one in thought, one in purpose, and one in
action. We can't interface with the Father without being indwelt by
the Holy Spirit, and we can't have the Holy Spirit without the
sacrifice and request of Jesus, and we couldn't have had Jesus without
the Father asking Him to do what he has done for us.
You have to have all three or none. And thus they are one.

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

I admit I have a hard time understanding the concept of the Trinity. HOWEVER I know it's a true doctrine because scripture calls the Father God, Jesus God, and the Holy Spirit God. So although I don't understand it, I know it's true. Maybe when I meet all 3 of them I'll have a better understanding.

[RdJ]

7 minutes ago, TrueFollowerOfChrist said:

I admit I have a hard time understanding the concept of the Trinity. HOWEVER I know it's a true doctrine because scripture calls the Father God, Jesus God, and the Holy Spirit God. So although I don't understand it, I know it's true. Maybe when I meet all 3 of them I'll have a better understanding.

I was once totally confused, because an atheist and a Jewish guy said that I was a polytheist and had 3 gods and I really didn't know how to answer that.  

I asked God because I was so confused. He said: Look at Jesus when He was on earth. The Father was in Him. The Holy Spirit was in Him. The Father spoke. He only said what the Father spoke. The Holy Spirit performed the miracles when He spoke. You'd think He was one Person, but He was 3 Persons in One. In Him the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.

And then Stephen:

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Acts 7:55‭-‬56 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/act.7.55-56.NKJV

[RTRider]

I have come to understand that people, once steeped in dogma over a long period of time, cannot blank their minds long enough to hear God giving them truth when they try to ask for it. It has to be something that requires that we let go of our own egos and submit to learning from the One who has all the answers.

Even those who have told me that Yahweh gave them a truth have gone back to their preachers for validation.

[Jedi4Yahweh]

On 5/16/2023 at 5:01 AM, JohnD said:

The difference with God is that what makes up the one God are three divine individual persons.

If you can accept as fact that there are three spatial dimensions in the universe… that human beings are body, soul, spirit… that one family consists of more than one person… you should have no difficulty accepting the triune nature of the one God.

Also, there is no where in scripture that says God is three persons.  I believe the Father, Word, and Spirit are one person, just as each human is one person which consist of a spirit, soul and body and made in the image and likeness of God.   If I am not three persons then neither is God since we are created in his image and likeness.

Edited March 18 by Jedi4Yahweh

[other one]

4 hours ago, Jedi4Yahweh said:

Also, there is no where in scripture that says God is three persons.  I believe the Father, Word, and Spirit are one person, just as each human is one person which consist of a spirit, soul and body and made in the image and likeness of God.   If I am not three persons then neither is God since we are created in his image and likeness.

Gen 1:26
 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
ESV

Who is "us" and who is "our"?

[Jedi4Yahweh]

15 hours ago, other one said:

Gen 1:26
 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
ESV

Who is "us" and who is "our"?

Yeah that is a tough one.  I can tell you there is a lot of debate over this scripture if its referring to God plural or if this scripture is including other heavenly beings such as angels who are also considered elohims.  Jewish theologians take that stance and many nontrinitarians.  I lean more toward the plurality of God because I am not sure if angels had any active part of creation.

Edited March 18 by Jedi4Yahweh