The Trinity (revised)

[WordSword]

The primary word for understanding the Trinity is “representation.” Thus the Lord Jesus is the “exact representation” of God (Heb 1:3), which I believe answers to why Christ is occasionally demonstrated in Scripture as “God” or as the “Father” (Isaiah 9:6). The Word is not the Father and the Father is not the Word; but the Word, or Son of God, is so much the representation of God, Who is the Father—that He can be referred to as God. Christ has from eternity past been the “Word of God.” He came in this world from the Father or God, as the Word of God (John 1:14), and has taken back His place as the Word of God (Rev 19:13). 

Concerning creation I believe when any One of Them act, it is power of the Three, because Deities though being three individuals, always act as One, thus when They said "Let Us create," it was not just the Word, though He was the One through which They created, thus it being a joint action, as in all They do. Just a few examples concerning Christ being the Creator; “hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph 3:9 KJV, NKJV); Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:2). 

Though we may maintain numerous concepts of Scripture in our own understanding (which may not necessarily be wrong), it's only accurate when maintaining Biblical validation. Jesus said the Father is God, and that God is the Father: “My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:17). This also answers to why most of Paul’s Epistles begin with “Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 1:7; 2Co 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Col 1:2; Phm 1:3).
 
This is why we see in Scripture “the Son of God,” “the Son of the Father” (2Jo 1:3), “the Spirit of God” and “the Spirit of your Father” (Mat 10:20); the Son of God, the Spirit of God--but not the Father of God, because the Father is God. Scripture occasionally identifies Jesus as God and Father but this is in relation to Him being indwelt by "the fullness of the Godhead" (Col 2:9), e.g. everything seen, heard, said or done is the same as if it were God, or the Father (John 14:9); hence the passage “I and My Father are one” (Jhn 10:30), i.e. are one accord in everything.

The Son is not the Father and the Father is not the Son but They, along with Their Holy Spirit are “one,” i.e. in “one” accord concerning everything (1John 5:7 KJV). Jesus said, for "Ye have neither heard His (Father) voice at any time, nor seen His shape" (John 5:37), but Christ’s redemption mission involved revealing the Father and Himself (John 1:18). 

Scripture continuously stresses the Father being God, for Jesus said of Him, "He is greater than I" (Jhn 14:28), and “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all” (Jhn 10:29). We also read, "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 (creation), and we by Him" (1Cor 8:6). 

To me the significance in this article is in making the distinction between the Father and the Son, and the mandate that both are to be equally worshiped and honored (to be a Christian), for "All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:23).

What one believes concerning the Trinity is not salvation-essential, for only what one believes concerning Christ as the Savior is salvation-essential; then after this, God “works in you” (Phl 2:13).
NC
 

 

[farouk]

58 minutes ago, WordSword said:

What one believes concerning the Trinity is not salvation-essential, for only what one believes concerning Christ as the Savior is salvation-essential; then after this, God “works in you” (Phl 2:13).
NC
 

 

WHat do you make of John 8.24: "...if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." ?

[other one]

12 minutes ago, farouk said:

WHat do you make of John 8.24: "...if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." ?

I believe he is saying he is the messiah.  Savior of the Jews.

[farouk]

3 minutes ago, other one said:

I believe he is saying he is the messiah.  Savior of the Jews.

I was thinking also of WordWord's statement; hence the question.

[other one]

8 minutes ago, farouk said:

I was thinking also of WordWord's statement; hence the question.

Jesus existed as Yahweh before lowering himself into being flesh man.

[farouk]

1 minute ago, other one said:

Jesus existed as Yahweh before lowering himself into being flesh man.

The eternal pre-existence of the Son of God is indeed vitally important as a Biblical doctrine.

[WordSword]

14 hours ago, farouk said:

WHat do you make of John 8.24: "...if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." ?

More than anything, I believe the Lord Jesus wants to relate to Christians as the Savior of sinners; the sole Mediator between God and man; the Head of the church. I could continue to relate Him in the sense of Savior, because that's what is most significant to the believer. 

[farouk]

16 minutes ago, WordSword said:

More than anything, I believe the Lord Jesus wants to relate to Christians as the Savior of sinners; the sole Mediator between God and man; the Head of the church. I could continue to relate Him in the sense of Savior, because that's what is most significant to the believer. 

@WordSword Thank-you; what I was thinking particularly was that the Lord Jesus shows in John that He is 'from above' (v. 23); He is the eternal Son of the Father, sent by Him (v. 18). He did not supposedly become the Son when He came into the world, but always was the Son.

I wondered what you meant when you said: "What one believes concerning the Trinity is not salvation-essential, for only what one believes concerning Christ as the Savior is salvation-essential".

[Jedi4Yahweh]

The bible says Jesus is the fullness of God bodily.  He is the Father, Word and Spirit bodily.  Peter said it was the Spirit of Christ in the OT prophets that prophesied of his coming and suffering.   The Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit because we know that the Prophets prophesied by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. - 1Pe 1:10-11 

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; - Col 2:9 

 

[farouk]

30 minutes ago, Jedi4Yahweh said:

The bible says Jesus is the fullness of God bodily.  He is the Father, Word and Spirit bodily.  Peter said it was the Spirit of Christ in the OT prophets that prophesied of his coming and suffering.   The Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit because we know that the Prophets prophesied by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. - 1Pe 1:10-11 

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; - Col 2:9 

 

Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct personalities; they feature strongly in Scripture.