Ha ha! This post is funny because I just got through telling someone that understanding the nature of the Holy Trinity and therefore explaining it, is impossible. Here and here. But on another forum, I find myself in the unenviable position of having to explain the Holy Trinity to someone who objects to the doctrine. God has a sense of humor. Here is the exchange, which is going on at this forum. His words in red.
Fides et Veritas wrote:Wow! I didn't notice the date. Thanks for reviving an interesting question.
Sorry it took me six whole years to think up a response!!
Quote:I disagree as I've already noted.
But you are one hundred percent correct.
Quote:I'll post my own response for comparison.
Let me copy paste what I just posted this morning on another thread about the Trinity. It doesn't cover all but yet covers some of the issues concerning this controversial (among some) doctrine.
How does Trinity work?I don't know. It is a mystery revealed by God. Tell me, how does Omniscience or omnipotence work? God is mystery folks and there are somethings about God which our little minds will never comprehend.
Quote:The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not Paganism. Although we don't know how it works, we do know what was revealed. God is a Trinity of Persons. God is not three human persons. God is three Divine Persons. That is a very big difference.
How does Trinity work? It doesn't nor can it ever. Paganism has no place with the Bible
We can't understand that idea because we are human and are constrained by time and space. But God is not. God is not constrained by time and space. So, lets compare God to man.
1. A human person is constrained to one place and one time. That is our nature. Therefore, you Fides and I are in two different places at the same time. But can't occupy the same space at the same time. Because we of our human nature. Therefore there are millions of us occupying our little space in time. But we don't overlap each other.
2. However, God is not constrained by time or space. God has a DIVINE nature which is not constrained by creation. Therefore, God is He in whom we live, move and are. God is HE WHO IS. Yahweh. All things exist in God.
That means that there can only be one God. One Divine Nature. There is no room for a second.
3. However, God has revealed that there are three persons who are God. Now, there may be three PERSONS in God. But they can't be three different Gods. They must share the same Divine nature. Therefore, three Divine Persons, One Divine Nature, One God.
Quote:There are three Divine Persons. And yes, God is a family of persons. God the Father, God the Son and God the Love which binds the Father and the Son.
How many God's are there? There is one God Family, currently composed of two God beings
Quote:The reference goes over my head. But God is the second Divine Person, that is true.
Is Jesus God? Yes. He is the second member of the Family, formerly known as the Logos (is that where Prince got that?).
Quote:Is Jesus human? When the Word (Logos) became flesh he divested himself of divinity. He was human.God became man but did not divest Himself of His Divinity. He simply concealed it in His humanity.
Quote:Can a human be God? NoEverything is possible with God.
Quote:Jesus did not cease to be God when He became man. He simply concealed His Divinity.
Can God be a human?.He can divest himself of divinity and become human. At such time He would cease to be God
Quote:Is Jesus the son of God? YesAgreed.
Quote:No, Jesus is the Divine Son of the Father. Jesus was generated in eternity. As was the Holy Spirit. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father. The Holy Spirit also proceeds from Jesus.
Is Jesus the son of Jesus? No
Quote:He was talking to the First Person of the Holy Trinity, God the Father.
When Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”, was he talking to himself? No. He was speaking to the remaining member of the God Family, the Father.
Quote:Jesus raised Himself from the dead:
Did Jesus raise himself from the dead? No. God the Father did.
John 10:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
Quote:I'm afraid yours is a misunderstanding of what occurs in death.
Did God die? No. What took place was an extreme risk. As a human Christ risked everything. If he failed he would have forfeited not only his life but all of ours as the Death Penalty required for sin could not be paid. When he died it was a human that passed away, but due to his divine birthright it made him worth the sum total of all humans, past, present and future.
Death is not the same thing as annihilation. Death is the time when the physical body ceases to function. Even in humans, only the physical body ceases to function. But the human spirit continues to exist and to live. Christ said this of the righteous:
John 11:26
King James Version (KJV)
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Therefore, on the Cross, Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, died. His human body ceased to function, but His Divine Spirit continued to exist. Then His Divine Spirit exited the human body and death occurred. Then His Divine Spirit took over His human body again and transformed it into a Spiritual Body and Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Of His own power.
Quote:Yes. The Jews, although they did not know what they were doing, actually sacrificed Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God Himself, to God the Father. It is a mystery of God's which is beyond our understanding. But St. Paul treats of it slightly here:
Was God sacrificed to God? No. Christ was human.
Hebrews 9:16
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
God is the Testator. And in order for the righteous to receive the promises of the Old Testament, God had to die. And He did. On the Cross.
Quote:He is the Power of God, the other Comforter whom God has sent to us through the intercession of Christ our Lord.
Who is the Holy Spirit? Who? Nothing. What? The power wielded by the God Family to effect change and influence matter and spirit.
Quote:It is a great topic indeed.
This by no means a full explanation but it is yet a start. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
This is one of my most favorite topics.
Quote:You're welcome.
Thanks!!
Sincerely,
De Maria
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