Questions, Answers and Biblical Clarification.
The Word Trinity.
Trinity: From Webster's dictionary, 1851. It is the union of three persons or hypotheses (as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) in one Godhead so that all the three are one God as to substance but three persons or hypotheses as to individuality: the triune God. So what is "hypotheses?"
In Websters Third international Dictionary, Hypotheses means, "Properly, subsistence or substance. It is used to denote distinct substance, or subsistence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Godhead.
It is called by the Greek Christians, "three (hypostases.)" The Latin generally used (persona) to express the sense of hyp-astasis. Then we have the modern day practice of saying that the Godhead consists of three persons. The original Nicene creed (325 A.D) usually states that the essence or substance of the triune Godhead is called, "ousia."
Trinity: from Websters 1851 Dictionary. Latin, trinitas; tres and unus, unitas, "One, unity." In Theology, the union of three persons in one Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The people who have passed this information down to us had a proper and gifted understanding of the languages and use of words. In this, I must trust the dictionaries and Lexicons.
I am aware that what we understand usually comes from the things we read and those we listen to. To avoid any incorrect teaching, I examine, research, and then draw a conclusion from the facts before me. Never do I go by a single source. This has helped me to avoid taking sides and/or being prejudice against doctrines, people, groups of people, or any particular way of thinking.
There are those who believe that the Father manifests himself as Jesus, and also the Holy Spirit: that Jesus is the Father, and also the Holy Spirit: and the Holy Spirit is Jesus and the Father. In other words the Father takes on the other two forms when needed.
Let me give you a little background concerning myself. As an ex-marine, I understand chain of command. I was a squad leader in a mortar outfit. I had 8 men in my squad. In the platoon their were 8 mortars therefore 8 squads. All had one purpose, one goal. That was to destroy the enemy position. As a squad leader the 8 of us worked as one. As a platoon, the 8 guns worked as one unit, but for one purpose. So you can say that we were ONE in purpose and goal, but many men.
The body of Christ is said to be one body. Yet there are many members. In this all the members have one goal, one purpose, that is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to spread the Gospel message.
Adam and Eve are said to be one flesh, yet that one flesh consists of two people.
This is what the word "One," means when speaking of, "One God." Its the Father's will, the Son speaks, and the Holy Spirit moves and prepares. In this, they are referred to as "ONE." Therefore we serve one God. See how this fits with the meaning of the often used words Trinity and Hypothesis above.
Having always applied this personal experience with the teaching that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, was easy for me to comprehend. The will of God is to prove Satan a liar, and to destroy sin forever.
In order to accomplish this, the Father sent His Son to create a material world in which Satan was to be dealt with. Man was to be the that tool in which the Lord would accomplish His goal. The Son is the creator. He is the Life and the Light of this world, John 1:4. In Gen.1, we are told that God spoke the world into being, as the Holy Spirit moved on that word.
Jesus has been with His Father from all eternity. Do I understand what it means not to have a beginning? NO. And neither does anyone else. But I believe it because the Bible teaches it. Maintaining faith in this cold, lying, deceiving and dying world is my goal.
So we have the spiritual world in which God is King, and a material world in which Satan is prince, be it for a short while. Two worlds: The spirit world and the literal world. Jesus will soon return to rule and reign over all, this to the glory of His Father.
What is our Saviour's proper name?
He is also called God or Jehovah, El. Yahwah, Adoni, the great I Am, the Almighty etc. These are not His proper names, but offices, titles and characteristic belonging only to Him. Matt.1:25, "He called His name Jesus." This was the first time the world was told that the Son of God was to be called Jesus.
Is Jesus equal to the Father in power and glory?
Phil.2:6, Jesus, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (the Father.)" What does the word equal mean?
Equal: Greek is, isos. It means, like, alike, equal, spoken of measure, quantity, condition, and the like. Following are examples of how the word is used in Scriptures.
Matt.20:12, "The last (workers) have wrought (worked) but one hour, and thou (the landowner) hast made them EQUAL unto us (those who worked a full day.)"
Acts 11:17, "God gave them the LIKE (equal) gift as He did unto us."
Rev.21:16, "The length and the breadth and the height of it are EQUAL."
Of nature and condition, John 5:18, "The Jews sought the more to kill him (Jesus,) because He --- said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."
Alike, consistent, as Mark 14:56-59, "Did their witness AGREE together." Agree in this verse is the same as the Greek equal.
Jesus said, John 14:9, "When you have seen me, you have seen the Father; and how sayest thou (Philip) then, Shew us the Father." Jesus did not deceive us. The above prove His equality with the Father?
Jesus said, John 10:30, "I and my Father are one." This is also a statement of equality with the Father.
The word "One," is neuter. Therefore Jesus is implying that they are not the same person, but two persons having the closest possible unity of purpose. The will of both the Father and His Son are identical regarding the salvation of the flock.
Jesus said, John 16:15, "All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I (Jesus,) that He (the Holy Spirit) shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
All that belong to the Father belong to the Son. The Holy Spirit brings glory to the Saviour as He revealed to the apostiles the things pertaining to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The whole issue is made clear to us in the following verses.
1. God said, Gen.1:26, "Let us make man in our image and likeness." This supports the idea that the Father and Son have the same image and likeness, as in, (Making man in THEIR image.) This is supported by,
2. Heb.1:3, It is said of Jesus, "Who being the brightness of His (the Father's) glory, and the express image of His (the Father's) person," It is Jesus who is, "upholding all things by the word of His power."
So the question is, who can be like the Father?
The answer is, no one except the Son of God who is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. Equality in glory.
The word express as in "express image," means an engraver or a graving tool. Usually, something graven, cut in, or stamped in. A character, as a letter, mark, sign. In the NT. it is to impress, an image, a form; it is the counterpart of the Father's essence or being.
After we read and study these verses, should they be brushed aside? The answer is no. These verses appear to spell out equality plain, clear and simple.
We are to approach the Scriptures as a child, letting the Holy Spirit work in our soul and spirit. Greater understanding will come in time. This is the truth of Scriptures, so to doubt or deny can be a dangerous step toward denial.
Is the use of the word "Trinitarian," wrong?
I have never called myself a "Trinitarian." There are those who teach that the word Trinitarian is incorrect. Call the unity of the father, Son and Holy Spirit what you may,
but there are three that have an EQUAL HAND in dealing with the affairs of this world. This would make the use of the words Trinity and Trinitarian correct.
Triune (Latin) best describes the Godhead. In my mind it gives clarity of understanding, to others it may add confusion.
What goes on in the Spirit world is not my concern. I could never relate my position in spiritual world, except to pray. If I did concern myself, what could I do about it anyway except pray? Scriptures tell us what we need to know. Everything else comes from Satan the father of lies.
Is the Holy Spirit real, or a power force of some sort?
The Holy Spirit is the ambassador, the vanguard, protector, guide, instructor, designator of gifts. To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit would be to condemn yourself to the lake of fire. The Holy Spirit is a separate entity. Why? To blaspheme against Jesus or the Father will be forgiven, but to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not.
John 14:16, Jesus said, "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter." This sounds like a third person.
John 14:26, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things." Again, this verse clearly states three persons.
So are Christians to peddle the Trinity doctrine instead of teaching that, "God was manifest in the flesh," 1Tim. 3:16?
Peddling means, to travel house to house with wares for sale. To sell or offer for sale from place to place usually in small quantities, A Hawk.
My thoughts are that we are not to mock or degrade those Christian teachers who are honest in their approach to the Scriptures. My stance is that brothers and sisters are not hucksters. We all love Jesus Christ and His wonderful message of saving grace.
Many of us do not state our case with the same words or expressions. This does not make anyone wrong because the bottom line is the same. This only proves that the Scriptures can be taught in many different modes of expressions.
Have Christians' only one Heavenly Father?
Those who say yes use Matt.23:9, as their proof. Matt.8:29, "For one is your Father, which is in heaven."
If this teaching is incorrect, than what is the answer? Who is our Father in Heaven?
Isa.9:6, speaks of a child that was to come, 700 years before his birth. When that child arrives, one of His titles and offices shall be, "The Everlasting Father." Jesus Christ was to be called, "The Everlasting Father." This carries the definite article "THE," implying to believers, that He, Jesus is our one and only heavenly Father."
This leaves the question, Does Jesus have a Father? and is the Father on His throne in heaven?
The answer is, yes, and yes. Jesus refers to His Father many times. One of the issues that I have with cult teaching is, they want to bypass Jesus in order to get to His Father.
How do they attempt to do this? There are two ways, First they will say the Father is Jesus and Jesus is the Father. Or they will teach that Jesus is also a created being, making Him, "a god," and not the God, therefore a father, and not the Father.
Most cults have a salvation by works ethic. Jesus said,
John 14:6, "Jesus saith --- no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Only through and by the finished work of our Saviour can anyone be saved.
No man, group of man, or religious organization regardless of size, influence or finances can by-pass Jesus Christ in order to enter into heaven. If you attempt to skirt-around the Messiah, you yourself will be left on the outside looking in.
Luke 16:23-26, "In hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off." --- Ver.26, Abraham said, "There is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
What is the full impact of calling our Lord, our Father? The title of Father has many offices built into it. Father meaning,
1. Creator: Col.1:16, "By Him (Jesus) were all things created."
2. Preserver: One who watches over, defends, preserves from danger. One who keeps and preserves the body of believers, His covenant, etc.
3. Governor, of all men and things, "Isa.9:6, "the government shall be upon His shoulders: -- His (Jesus) name shall be called, --- Counsellor," meaning to care for and protect.
4. Father also implies one who watches with paternal love and care;
To the Jews,
1. John 8:41, "We have one Father, even God," with ver. 42, Jesus said, "If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God (My Father,)"
Compare the three following verses with each other.
2. Cor.6:17-18, "I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you,"
Compare with,
John 11:51-52, "He prophesied that Jesus --- should gather together in one the children of God."
Compare with,
Matt.23:37, Jesus said, "I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."
Is Jesus the God of the O.T?
Jer.31:9, Speaking of Jesus, "For I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn."
Isa.63:16, "Doubtless thou art our Father, --- thou O Lord art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting."
Isa.64:8. "Now O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." Compare with,
John 1:3, speaking of Jesus, "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." He is the potter, we are the clay.
The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is all of the above, so also is the Son.
What is it the Holy Spirit cannot do?
He can not lie, murder, covet, deceive.
What is it He does?
He saves, He teaches, He Comforts etc. He took part in the creation etc. Therefore we can say, "Like Father and Son, so also the Holy Spirit."
What then shall we do?
Believe by Faith all that is written in the word, and be saved.
Phil. LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com.