Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36283 | ||
Greetings, Jesusman. Earlier today, Makarios stated in a post concerning Acts 8:37: 'We cannot "improve" upon what God has revealed.' This reflects my sentiment concerning the omission of the doctrine of the trinity from the Bible. I would simply add to that thought and say that the only doctrines that have "apostolic" authority or certification are the ones defined in scripture. I believe that the fact that none of the inspired writers of the Bible did "sit down and put pen to paper, and [write] down the concise doctrine of the trinity" is very significant. I want to make it clear that none of what I write is a personal attack on you, my friend. Your ideas and questions are very pertinent and thought-provoking. I have had to come to grips with these very same questions. Let me try briefly show how my understanding of God is fully complicit with all of the Bible without in any way being a "contradiction in theology." (Granted, it may contradict extra-Biblical theology, but not Biblical theology.) Your question "Does God have some cosmic form of Multiple personalities?" is precisely the explanation that I would offer. I understand the Bible to teach that Jesus Christ was the physical, finite representation of the spiritual, infinite God. God robed Himself in flesh in order to redeem fallen humanity. Jesus Christ was both humanity and deity. He was fully man--the Son of Man; and He was fully God--the Son of God. When Jesus spoke, His words must be analyzed to determine whether he was speaking as a man or as God. Now we know that God is infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. And we also know that the body of flesh was subject to the limitations of humanity--it was finite. It is also readily apparent that you cannot pour all of an infinite substance into a finite container. So, even though Jesus Christ in the flesh on the earth was fully God, yet God the Eternal Spirit still existed in the same form as He always had--eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient... I submit this humbly for your consideration. I harbor no hostility toward you or anyone else who chooses to believe differently than I do. It just seems to me like tradition has a stronger influence on many folks than does truth--i.e., the actual Word of God. How does "multiple persons" in the Godhead rank as orthodoxy while "multiple personalities" in the Godhead ranks as heterodoxy? If this is only a question of semantics, then I choose to remain with the simple and unadorned doctrines of the Bible, because I am assured of safety in nothing else. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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2 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | Lionstrong | 37320 | ||
Hi Tim! Correction: Question: Matt 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." WHICH SON was the Father talking to, the Son of God or the Son of man? Peace, Lionstrong |
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3 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 37337 | ||
Greetings, Lionstrong. I believe the Father was talking to John, the baptizer. I believe the Father was speaking of Christ--the fleshly tabernacle or body that housed the spirit of God. I believe both terms (Son of God and Son of Man) could have been intended by the use of the word "Son". So much for my speculation... :) I would be interested in your opinion on this point. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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4 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | Lionstrong | 37360 | ||
I don't understand your use of "spirit of God." Please explain. You wrote, "I believe the Father was speaking of Christ--the fleshly tabernacle or body..." So, the Son is the body of the spirit of God and not the person? Please explain. My opinion on this point is that the Father, who is a person, was refering to his Son, who is another person. Jerry is my son, with whom I am (sometimes) well pleased. :) Peace, Lionstrong |
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5 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 37485 | ||
Greetings, Lionstrong. In Gen. 1:2 the term "Spirit of God" is used. Now we understand from John 4:24 that God is a spirit, or a spiritual being. I was using the term "spirit of God" in the strict sense of the spirit that is the essence of God. I contend that there is only one "person" in the Deity. The Son is the body of God--the expression of the nature of God in human terms for the purpose of redemption and reconciliation. (See Heb. 1:1-3 and Col. 1:15-20.) Although God the "eternal Spirit" manifested Himself in terms of humanity for the redemption of humanity (John 3:16), I do not believe that the concepts of mere human existence adequately describe His divine interposition into the affairs of humanity. The word "son" to us mortals generally means offspring or natural descendant by virtue of procreation. We do have the figurative use of the word "son", however, employed in our language to mean "the embodiment or personification of". One example from scripture is the nickname given to James and John--they were called "the sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17). The implication is that these brothers were pretty noisy--not that they were conceived in their mother's womb by the mysterious force of thunder. The confusion in this subject comes from the fact that the terms "Father" and "Son" in terms of humanity have a distinct meaning that involves two separate persons. This is the literal "human" meaning of these terms. To us, that is the "natural" meaning of these terms. But we are humans, and God is spirit. So when He uses these terms and applies them to Himself, the meaning of them would be "spiritual" to us. That is, "Father" means source or creator; "Son" means physical, fleshly embodiment of the Father. That is why Jesus could truthfully say "I and Father are one" (John 10:30). And that's how the Son could be called "the Eternal Father" in Isaiah 9:6. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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6 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | Ray | 37506 | ||
Hi Tim, You wrote, "Now we understand from John 4:24 that God is a spirit, or a spiritual being." Is that a correction in your mind to the Genesis reading of the Spirit? I interpret John 4:24 as "God is (Spirit) and those who worship Him [Jesus] must worship Him in Spirit and truth." As far as John 10:30 is concerned, the KJ reads, "I and my Father are one." If you are not comfortable with "I and My" equalling one, then I would suggest that you can render it as "I and the Father are One." That is to say, both I and the Father are Deity. Or, both I and the Father are Holy. But to say "I and Father are one" would either be a mistranslation or a misunderstanding. From the heart, Ray |
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