This is not about the Trinity…

[Philologos]

…it’s about the different perspectives of believers.

My observation is this: Most people just ‘believe in the trinity,’ and others ‘are Trinitarians.’

I'm not questioning belief, I’m really asking for your personal thought process regarding how you “see” God in your mind and how that may differ in how you describe Him to others.

[possible ways to make this into a tangible question…]

Do you picture God as one, but 3 roles?

Do you picture God as 3, but still call Him One

Do you picture God as 3, but claim the Father & Son are One when others may mention polytheism?

Do you feel that sharing Him as 3 individuals is more beneficial or less than presenting Him as One God, (or vise-versa)?

How do you handle opposition?

Im not seeking specific answers to these specific questions; these are examples intended only to inspire answers to those who would like to contribute to what is certain to be a variety of perspectives. 

I’ve had different thoughts and perspectives over the years. Thought it would be interesting to hear how others reconcile, or just deal with, this particular doctrine and others who may think differently.

Please don’t post tons of scripture as your response, I’m looking for your personal words… you can certainly work scripture into your response; if fact, it’s best that you do, but it’s up to you.

 

 

 

[Jayne]

I see God as one God as the Shema says in Deut. 6.  There is one God - not three.   If a person doesn't believe that, then one believes in three gods - idolatry.  Or else they are wrong in that they do not see the Son as divine.

I believe in One God comprised by Three Persons - eternally so.  From the beginning until now and forever - Three Persons.  Co-equally existing.  The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  When I am praying to "God" I am praying to Three Persons.  I can pray to the Father through the Son, etc.

I believe that you cannot explain this by the apple or egg theory.  Apple = skin, flesh, core.  Egg = shell, white, yolk.  Why?  You can separate these into distinct parts and discard the parts.  That's not who God is.  God is eternally Father, Son, and Spirit.

 

[farouk]

3 hours ago, Philologos said:

…it’s about the different perspectives of believers.

My observation is this: Most people just ‘believe in the trinity,’ and others ‘are Trinitarians.’

I'm not questioning belief, I’m really asking for your personal thought process regarding how you “see” God in your mind and how that may differ in how you describe Him to others.

[possible ways to make this into a tangible question…]

Do you picture God as one, but 3 roles?

Do you picture God as 3, but still call Him One

Do you picture God as 3, but claim the Father & Son are One when others may mention polytheism?

Do you feel that sharing Him as 3 individuals is more beneficial or less than presenting Him as One God, (or vise-versa)?

How do you handle opposition?

Im not seeking specific answers to these specific questions; these are examples intended only to inspire answers to those who would like to contribute to what is certain to be a variety of perspectives. 

I’ve had different thoughts and perspectives over the years. Thought it would be interesting to hear how others reconcile, or just deal with, this particular doctrine and others who may think differently.

Please don’t post tons of scripture as your response, I’m looking for your personal words… you can certainly work scripture into your response; if fact, it’s best that you do, but it’s up to you.

 

 

 

Hi @Piata What I would say is that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are overwhelmingly revealed in Scripture, reflecting the combined activity of the Three Persons in the work of redemption.I think it's good first of all to go to the many passages which speak of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (e.g., end of Matthew 28, John's Gospel chapters 13 - 17, Romans 8, John's First Epistle) and then be prayerfully guided from there.

[other one]

I see what we call our God as three separate beings that exist in three areas.  The Father, Jesus (both as human and in the form of God before becoming human, and the Holy Spirit.

The Father exists in Heaven and is not approachable by humans in the physical realm.

Jesus existed as Yahweh before he was incarnated into human form and after his resurrection into a different form.

The Holy Spirit exists in both the heavenly realm and our physical realm and dwells within each believer as a connection to the Father.

They are one in that we have no access to the Father without the direct connection of the Holy Spirit and we can't have access to the Holy Spirit without going through Jesus and being born again.

You have to have all of them or none.

That is the way I understand them and how they fit together.

 

I also don't think we have an understanding about the word god itself compared to what the people in Jesus time in the flesh.

[Philologos]

14 hours ago, other one said:

I see what we call our God as three separate beings that exist in three areas.  The Father, Jesus (both as human and in the form of God before becoming human, and the Holy Spirit.

As ‘three separate beings,’ how do you respond to those who say, or point out scripture, that “God is One,” and that if each is a separate being, and each is God, then you are essentially saying that you believe in three Gods, polytheism.
How would you guide someone from that point of objection, to help them understand?

[Philologos]

15 hours ago, farouk said:

Hi @Piata What I would say is that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are overwhelmingly revealed in Scripture, reflecting the combined activity of the Three Persons in the work of redemption.I think it's good first of all to go to the many passages which speak of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (e.g., end of Matthew 28, John's Gospel chapters 13 - 17, Romans 8, John's First Epistle) and then be prayerfully guided from there.

I agree that scripture does reveal God in a multitude of personas; although, it also reveals all of them as One. Actually, it says that. My inquiry is, since scripture teaches they are “one,” why do you think some (maybe yourself) focus more on the trinity you see mentioned in scripture rather than the oneness that God urges us to comprehend?

What if someone asked for you to explain the oneness of the 3, rather than the multiplicity of the 1? 

[farouk]

53 minutes ago, Philologos said:

I agree that scripture does reveal God in a multitude of personas; although, it also reveals all of them as One. Actually, it says that. My inquiry is, since scripture teaches they are “one,” why do you think some (maybe yourself) focus more on the trinity you see mentioned in scripture rather than the oneness that God urges us to comprehend?

What if someone asked for you to explain the oneness of the 3, rather than the multiplicity of the 1? 

God is God, in Three Persons, Scripturally.

Father and Son are distinct Persons (Hebrews 1.8; John 17.1). We see the Personality of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4.30).

All three Persons are God.

You used the word 'persona', which gives the idea of appearance; but Scripture would indicate the Personality of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

[Walter and Deborah]

19 hours ago, Philologos said:

…it’s about the different perspectives of believers.

My observation is this: Most people just ‘believe in the trinity,’ and others ‘are Trinitarians.’

I'm not questioning belief, I’m really asking for your personal thought process regarding how you “see” God in your mind and how that may differ in how you describe Him to others.

[possible ways to make this into a tangible question…]

Do you picture God as one, but 3 roles?

Do you picture God as 3, but still call Him One

Do you picture God as 3, but claim the Father & Son are One when others may mention polytheism?

Do you feel that sharing Him as 3 individuals is more beneficial or less than presenting Him as One God, (or vise-versa)?

How do you handle opposition?

Im not seeking specific answers to these specific questions; these are examples intended only to inspire answers to those who would like to contribute to what is certain to be a variety of perspectives. 

I’ve had different thoughts and perspectives over the years. Thought it would be interesting to hear how others reconcile, or just deal with, this particular doctrine and others who may think differently.

Please don’t post tons of scripture as your response, I’m looking for your personal words… you can certainly work scripture into your response; if fact, it’s best that you do, but it’s up to you.

 

 

 

Hello Philologos, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.

Love, Walter and Debbie

[FJK]

21 hours ago, Philologos said:

How do you handle opposition?

I usually just tell them to believe what they want to believe and when it doesn't work look for something else.

Because those who look for something will find it, a seek and you will find sort of thing, and  those who are content and don't want to seek something else are going to stay where they are.  I've never seen anyone argued into believing anything.

Arguing today may set those you argue with against considering anything else in the future when just telling someone what you believe and answering any questions they have about it will leave a thought in their mind that may lead them to change in the future.

And never set your own beliefs in stone, there are always others who know more than you that you can learn from.

 

[Philologos]

1 hour ago, farouk said:

God is God, in Three Persons, Scripturally.

Father and Son are distinct Persons (Hebrews 1.8; John 17.1). We see the Personality of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4.30).

All three Persons are God.

You used the word 'persona', which gives the idea of appearance; but Scripture would indicate the Personality of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

(I meant ‘persona’ as a person or perceived/projected description of person/s.)

So, are we not addressing God as One? Your responses seem to indicate that we are to think of Him as three separate individuals… not sure, curious. 

My curiosity is only about why some of us seem to strongly focus on each individual as separate, and others perceive God as One, but operating in three different capacities. I just never hear how the three are one, or even one is three; I only hear about the three…