The Godhead: one God found in three distinct Persons.

[Fool4Christ]

There are many critics who argue that there’s a basic absurdity involved in trying to say “one is three and three is one,” but there really is no absurdity involved if we are contending that plurality can coexist with unity.

Here’s an example. When Adam and Eve came together, they became “one flesh.” The equation for this would be 1+1=1. That may be bad math, but it demonstrates how aplurality can form a unity. We can go a little deeper and And see how the Hebrew the Bible was used to make this point.

God the Singular – Echad The Hebrewword for “one” is —‘echad— while the Hebrew word for“sole” or “unique” is —yachiyd. Going back to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:24, ‘echad is used in the term “one flesh.” ‘Echadallows Adam to be distinguished from Eve while they are spoken of as“one.”

Their unity is being emphasized according to the grammar, the very linguistic structure of the words. In the Sh’ma itself, the word for “one” is ‘echad. “Hear, OIsrael, the LORD our God is one [‘echad] LORD, and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might.” Jesus even quotes this passage in Matthew 22 when He is asked about the greatest commandment.

This whole concept of being one, or unique, is emphasized by God Himself repeatedly in about 150 references, including the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” Here's a few to consider a few:

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. Zechariah 14:9

Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. Nehemiah 9:6

In Isaiah, we find an unusual letter that God drafted to Cyrus—by name—over a century before this great Persian king was born. Long before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, God tells Cyrus that he will rebuild Jerusalem and lay the foundations for the Temple (Isaiah 44:28). When Cyrus the Great ultimately does read the prophecy after he conquers Babylon, he takes it seriously, and he turns the Jews loose to go home, as described in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1.

As part of Isaiah’s letter to Cyrus (again, written more than a century before this Persian king’s birth) God makes some major assertions about His own nature and character, beginning with verse five: “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:5-6

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Isaiah 45:22

These are just a few of many passages that emphasize that God is One, unique, singular and very jealous of that position. In fact, in the middle of the Ten Commandments, He says, “I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God.” He uses that term, maybe in a very special way, but He uses the term “jealous.” God the Plurality – Elohim God emphasizes His unique character in the Universe, His role as the only LORD, the only Creator. This emphasis does not, however, exclude a plurality within that unity.

The Scriptures are full of implications that the One God is more than one Person, beginning with the very first verse of the Bible.

 

[civic]

Thanks for posting this about our Blessed Trinity.

 

[atpollard]

I was always fond of the TIME analogy. There is ONE Time existing in PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE. The PAST is not the PRESENT or the FUTURE. The PRESENT is not the PAST or the FUTURE. The FUTURE is not the PRESENT or the PAST. Yet there are not Three Distinct "times" but only One "TIME".

"SPACE" comprised of LENGTH, WIDTH and DEPTH works, too.

Isn't it interesting how the most fundamental building blocks of "reality" (TIME and SPACE) are created to help point to a Triune Creator.

 

[sethproton]

There are many critics who argue that there’s a basic absurdity involved in trying to say “one is three and three is one,” but there really is no absurdity involved if we are contending that plurality can coexist with unity.

Here’s an example. When Adam and Eve came together, they became “one flesh.” The equation for this would be 1+1=1. That may be bad math, but it demonstrates how aplurality can form a unity. We can go a little deeper and And see how the Hebrew the Bible was used to make this point.

God the Singular – Echad The Hebrewword for “one” is —‘echad— while the Hebrew word for“sole” or “unique” is —yachiyd. Going back to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:24, ‘echad is used in the term “one flesh.” ‘Echadallows Adam to be distinguished from Eve while they are spoken of as“one.”

Their unity is being emphasized according to the grammar, the very linguistic structure of the words. In the Sh’ma itself, the word for “one” is ‘echad. “Hear, OIsrael, the LORD our God is one [‘echad] LORD, and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might.” Jesus even quotes this passage in Matthew 22 when He is asked about the greatest commandment.

This whole concept of being one, or unique, is emphasized by God Himself repeatedly in about 150 references, including the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” Here's a few to consider a few:

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. Zechariah 14:9

Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. Nehemiah 9:6

In Isaiah, we find an unusual letter that God drafted to Cyrus—by name—over a century before this great Persian king was born. Long before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, God tells Cyrus that he will rebuild Jerusalem and lay the foundations for the Temple (Isaiah 44:28). When Cyrus the Great ultimately does read the prophecy after he conquers Babylon, he takes it seriously, and he turns the Jews loose to go home, as described in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1.

As part of Isaiah’s letter to Cyrus (again, written more than a century before this Persian king’s birth) God makes some major assertions about His own nature and character, beginning with verse five: “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:5-6

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Isaiah 45:22

These are just a few of many passages that emphasize that God is One, unique, singular and very jealous of that position. In fact, in the middle of the Ten Commandments, He says, “I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God.” He uses that term, maybe in a very special way, but He uses the term “jealous.” God the Plurality – Elohim God emphasizes His unique character in the Universe, His role as the only LORD, the only Creator. This emphasis does not, however, exclude a plurality within that unity.

The Scriptures are full of implications that the One God is more than one Person, beginning with the very first verse of the Bible.

Years ago I belonged to a Christian drama group very close to your name. We were in Merced, Calif and were called FoolsForChrist. WE wrote and performed skits bases on bible thoughts
HERE'S a 5 year old boy singing to Oscar Meyer tune -
My Savior has a first name its J E S U S
My Savior has a second name C H R I S T
I love to serve Him every day and if you ask me why I I'll say
Cause Jesus Christ has a way of L O V I N G me.

 

[civic]

Years ago I belonged to a Christian drama group very close to your name. We were in Merced, Calif and were called FoolsForChrist. WE wrote and performed skits bases on bible thoughts
HERE'S a 5 year old boy singing to Oscar Meyer tune -
My Savior has a first name its J E S U S
My Savior has a second name C H R I S T
I love to serve Him every day and if you ask me why I I'll say
Cause Jesus Christ has a way of L O V I N G me.

Howdy neighbor stay out of the heat. I’ve stayed in my house the past 2 weekends with the A/C on and skipped golfing . Way too hot lol.

 

[Overjoyed]

One objection to the doctrine of the Trinity is that it is irrational because it involves a contradiction. But, calling the Trinity a contradiction is a misapplication of the law of non-contradiction. The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one in essence and three in person, so He is one in one sense and three in another sense, and that does not violate the categories of rational thought or the law of non-contradiction. Nevertheless, people continue to charge that the Trinity is irrational. Why do people so consistently make this accusation?

I blame it on a paradox, which means “to seem, to think, or to appear.” A paradox, then, is something that seems contradictory when we first encounter it; however, with further scrutiny, the tension is resolved.

So if one wishes a better understanding of the Trinity, a deep dive would be in order. I would suggest studying both sides of this controversial Doctrine.

Here's a post about Nontrinitarianism

Nontrinitarianism | Berean-Apologetics

Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian theology of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and

berean-apologetics.boards.net

.

 

[e v e]

One objection to the doctrine of the Trinity is that it is irrational because it involves a contradiction. But, calling the Trinity a contradiction is a misapplication of the law of non-contradiction. The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one in essence and three in person, so He is one in one sense and three in another sense, and that does not violate the categories of rational thought or the law of non-contradiction. Nevertheless, people continue to charge that the Trinity is irrational. Why do people so consistently make this accusation?

I blame it on a paradox, which means “to seem, to think, or to appear.” A paradox, then, is something that seems contradictory when we first encounter it; however, with further scrutiny, the tension is resolved.

So if one wishes a better understanding of the Trinity, a deep dive would be in order. I would suggest studying both sides of this controversial Doctrine.

Here's a post about Nontrinitarianism

Nontrinitarianism | Berean-Apologetics

Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian theology of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and

berean-apologetics.boards.net

.

all humans here are of the same essence or nature in dna yet different beings. But the 'nature' here is of the fallen situation... matter etc. (sin nature)

God, His Spirit and Christ all have the same exact glorified Nature (essence), the Nature of deity... but as three beings, our family from whom we are separated because of the fall.

 

[e v e]

I have a problem with aristotelian terms as presented so thus my response. I can't do anything with categories of rational thought or non-contradiction as these do not apply to God..

 

[e v e]

The trinity makes perfect sense as God our father has His male and female attribute, Christ and His Spirit, of which man was in the image of ---- before the fall. A reference for this is Irenaeus... who explains Christ and His spirit as the Hands of God.

These are His Attributes ! which man was in the image of... but we fell and are now in this type of sinful flesh...

 

[e v e]

Christ came and showed us at His transfiguration our original nature as His sons and daughters, the resurrection body, the original body made by God for us and lost after the fall, which is His temple Paul refers to (not this body) and will be again in paradise.

 

[sethproton]

Christ came and showed us at His transfiguration our original nature as His sons and daughters, the resurrection body, the original body made by God for us and lost after the fall, which is His temple Paul refers to (not this body) and will be again in paradise.

Nobdy living on earth has seen Christ as He is. When He returns we will see Him as He is and be transformed to be like him
His post resurrection forms were for our benefit so we could believe, but john came to realize none of those appearances were Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

 

[Predestined]

Years ago I belonged to a Christian drama group very close to your name. We were in Merced, Calif and were called FoolsForChrist. WE wrote and performed skits bases on bible thoughts
HERE'S a 5 year old boy singing to Oscar Meyer tune -
My Savior has a first name its J E S U S
My Savior has a second name C H R I S T
I love to serve Him every day and if you ask me why I I'll say
Cause Jesus Christ has a way of L O V I N G me.

I love those old memories from our earlier days Walking With Jesus

 

[e v e]

When He returns we will see Him as He is and be transformed to be like him

Yes ... like Him in our original Nature of paradise...

 

[sethproton]

Yes ... like Him in our original Nature of paradise...

Are you teaching that Jesus was in His current form in paradise before the world began and He has returned to that form?
And that was where the father and the Son shared their Glory before the world had begun John 17:5?

 

[civic]

Are you teaching that Jesus was in His current form in paradise before the world began and He has returned to that form?
And that was where the father and the Son shared their Glory before the world had begun John 17:5?

I think she meant like Him now back in the garden pre-fall.

 

[sethproton]

I think she meant like Him now back in the garden pre-fall.

Maybe. when I re-read it it could be read both ways, thanks

 

[civic]

Maybe. when I re-read it it could be read both ways, thanks

I'm sure she will clear up any ambiguity when she gets the chance.

 

[e v e]

Under the third section above, the latin term that I neglected to mention is filioque..
both sides of which have problems imo... created on purpose by esau as a deflection.

 

[e v e]

Are you teaching that Jesus was in His current form in paradise before the world began and He has returned to that form?
And that was where the father and the Son shared their Glory before the world had begun John 17:5?

Christ's body is that as which was the original body made for us by God..

the form Christ was born upon this earth was a huge step down, for us, to save us,
and is the fallen situation we are in... and not His body in paradise then or now...
for this body is not of His Creation but came after the fall, because of
adam's crime. this body we have now belongs to the natural world we are,
where man sweats, toils, dies.... as God warned.

You would need to explain the second sentence more as to what you mean by that...

this is what I understand... i am well aware no one cares to hear it.

 

[Wrangler]

There are many critics who argue that there’s a basic absurdity involved in trying to say “one is three and three is one,” but there really is no absurdity involved if we are contending that plurality can coexist with unity.

You are changing the argument, which is called a Strawman. There are many critics who argue that there’s a basic absurdity involved in trying to say "up is down" but there really is no absurdity involved if we are contending that "night follows day."

The 2nd statement is reasonable but a different and unique statement and not a rewording of the 1st statement. The 1st statement remains inherently contradictory.