How do you define the Trinity?

There is one God. The Trinity is the word the early church chose to affirm God's three "Persons": The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

They are truly distinct one from another, co-eternal and co-equal: all are uncreated and omnipotent.

Interestingly, many see three as one. When Chirst was baptized, He was on the earth, God spoke from heaven and the Holy Ghost came down in the form of a dove. Three different beings in three different places doing three different things. Why would Christ pray to himself? Why did Stephen in Act see Christ standing on the right hand of God? They are one, but in purpose. Their sole purpose is to bring to pass eternal salvation for all mankind. Thus they are one, but three.

We can only go so far in using human terminology to describe a truth that we recognize.

Fortunately we do have human terminology. That's why there are religious creeds that state that we cannot comprehend God, yet we are commanded by Christ to know God. For it is eternal life to know the only true God. If we can't rely on the words of PROPHETS, who speak through the holy spirit, then we will never get to know God. God said he will reveal all his truth through his servants the prophets, thus, what the prophets say comes from God. That's why I declare that we can know God; and He, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are distinct individuals. The bible states God cannot die, yet Christ died and achieved godhood through his resurrection. How did Christ commend his spirit to himself? He didn't. How does God leave immortality to mortality to only becom mortal again? He didn't. Further if we only rely on the prophets words as the words of "men" then we may as well not evenread the scriptures. As far as I am concerned, the prophets speak the word of God. One must leave the indoctrinations that they have been taught throughout their life an critically analyze what things actually are. The fact that people cannot do this explains why most of the christian world reacts to different ideas in the way the Jews reacted to Christ. Let's explore things before we denounce them.

What have I missed?

Was something denounced in this thread?

Interestingly, many see three as one. When Chirst was baptized, He was on the earth, God spoke from heaven and the Holy Ghost came down in the form of a dove. Three different beings in three diferent places doing three different things. Why would Christ pray to himself? Why did Stephen in Act see Christ standing on the right hand of God? They are one, but in purpose. Their sole purpose is to bring to pass eternal salvation for all mankind. Thus they are one, but three.

Forgive me, I am not trying to be obstinate, but I ask for a definition not a discussion ( I am willing to discuss it, but that was not my purpose for posting the query). My question is what is your definition of the term "trinity." For the purposes of this query it is not important to me whether you believe in the Trinity or not.

Thank you,

Phil

What have I missed?

Was something denounced in this thread?

No.

Phil

"Three Distinct Persons" in "Three Distinct Offices," BUT "One God."

Just as we have TWO people in ONE marriage, we have Three (Trinity) WHO COMPRISE THE "GODHEAD!" ONE GODHEAD -- ONE GOD!

Be blessed and "thanks" for the prayers during
The storm! But God! Our city of 5MM were spared!

Be blessed,
Bobbye

Glad everything is well with you Bobbye!

Be blessed,

Phil

I Guess The Simplest Definition Would Be Three Personalities Of One God Head. There Is The All-loving Father Trying To Gather Together His Family, The Son Who Made A Way For Redemption And Reconcilliation To The Father And The Holy Spirit Who Moves On The Face Of The Earth And Brings To Pass The Will Of The Father.

I Guess The Simplest Definition Would Be Three Personalities Of One God Head. There Is The All-loving Father Trying To Gather Together His Family, The Son Who Made A Way For Redemption And Reconcilliation To The Father And The Holy Spirit Who Moves On The Face Of The Earth And Brings To Pass The Will Of The Father.

Thanks Tony.

I wish one of the Jehovah's Witnesses would provide me a definition as well. I would very much like their take on the subject.

Phil

JH's do not follow the doctrine of the Trinity. They teach that Satan is the author of the doctrine of the Trinity.

PS: Click here to see what they say on their site about the Trinity. (http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/start.htm)

Sadly, they, like so many others, ignore history and translate the Bible as they see fit.

PS: Click here to see what they say on their site about the Trinity. (http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/start.htm)

Sadly, they, like so many others, ignore history and translate the Bible as they see fit.

I know what the WTBTS teaches. I was hoping that a JW would offer a definition all by his/her lonesome. They do not have to believe in the doctrine of the Trinity to define it.

"Three Distinct Persons" in "Three Distinct Offices," BUT "One God."

Just as we have TWO people in ONE marriage, we have Three (Trinity) WHO COMPRISE THE "GODHEAD!" ONE GODHEAD -- ONE GOD!

Be blessed and "thanks" for the prayers during
the storm! But God! Our city of 5MM were spared!

Be blessed,
bobbye


Does your example work as well as you wish it to? Partners in ONE marriage are still separate individuals and one is not the other or vice versa. The Trinity is based on the teaching that there is no separation between God, Jesus and Spirit, but that all three are the same, indivisible, of one substance. Partners in a marriage are separate, divisible, individual, each having their own independent and separate will, not of the same physical substance, and not confused with each other because they maintain their identities

Do you suggests that God, Jesus and Spirit are tree identifiable and separate entities who are one because of their divine relationship, but still three distinct beings or personalities?




MORGANITE




.

Interestingly, many see three as one. When Chirst was baptized, He was on the earth, God spoke from heaven and the Holy Ghost came down in the form of a dove. Three different beings in three diferent places doing three different things. Why would Christ pray to himself? Why did Stephen in Act see Christ standing on the right hand of God? They are one, but in purpose. Their sole purpose is to bring to pass eternal salvation for all mankind. Thus they are one, but three.
Do you, therefore, see three distinct gods all having the same purpose?

There is one God. The Trinity is the word the early church chose to affirm God's three "Persons": The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

They are truly distinct one from another, co-eternal and co-equal: all are uncreated and omnipotent.
A good definition, thank you. I am sorry, but I do not "rate" posts. I appreciate your answers and will agree or disagree with them, but I do not feel I should rate them.

Be blessed,

Phil

We can only go so far in using human terminology to describe a truth that we recognize.
I ask for nothing more.

Fortunately we do have human terminology. That's why there are religious creeds that state that we cannot comprehend God, yet we are commanded by Christ to know God. For it is eternal life to know the only true God. If we can't rely on the words of PROPHETS, who speak through the holy spirit, then we will never get to know God. God said he will reveal all his truth through his servants the prophets, thus, what the prophets say comes from God. That's why i declare that we can know God; and He, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are distinct individuals. The bible states God cannot die, yet Christ died and achieved godhood through his ressurection. How did Christ commend his spirit to himself? He didn't. How does God leave immortality to mortality to only becom mortal again? He didn't. Further if we only rely on the prophets words as the words of "men" then we may as well not evenread the scriptures. As far as i am concerned, the prophets speak the word of God. One must leave the indoctrinations that they have been taught throughout their life an critically analyze what things actually are. the fact that people cannot do this explains why most of the christian world reacts to different ideas in the way the Jews reacted to Christ. Let's explore things before we denounce them.

Where in the bible does it say that Christ achieved "godhood" through His resurection?

Trinity,

The Father, The Son And The Holy Spirit(Holy Ghost).

Three in one. Many people say how can you believe in one God and have a trinity.

Well Just like Us, we have many different parts to our bodies that make our one body.. God is the same. The father and the son and the holy spirit is what makes God one.

Genesis says, [Y]our eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods

God did not say ye shall be as I am, or even ye shall be as god, but used the plural word "as gods"

The Book of Deuteronomy says, [T]he LORD your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords

Moses did not say God is the only God, but that he was the God of all other Gods, and Lord of all other divinities.

When God spoke on Sinai, he did not declare himself the only God, but said in effect that he was pre-eminent, warning Israel not to have any other god 'before' Him.

He also warned Israel against making images of 'things in the high heaven.'

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness that is in heaven above ...

Isaiah does not denounce polytheism as the greatest of sins. Indeed, a number of researchers have shown that polytheism as such is nowhere condemned in the Bible, only that giving pre-emnence to another god before Jehovah was condemned.

According to the 'Encyclopedia of Judaism,' (1989), whose contributors were more than seventy five Jewish professors, doctors, and rabbis from USA, Israel, and Britain, The Bible is full of references to the belief in and the worship of many gods (polytheism); to the belief in and worship of the God of Israel together with a belief in the gods of the Canaanites (syncretism); and to the belief in a separate god for every people and country (monolatry).

From around 600 BCE monotheism was pressed into service, and signs are that many OT references to polytheism were expunged, but not all.

Christians were later accused of reintroducing polytheism by Jews by way of the trinitarian concept of God that hinges on the idea of "three distinct persons of one undivided substance." The idea of a single essence in three persons first became official doctrine at the formation of the Nicene Creed in June 325 a.d.40

The concept of a single essence was at that time acknowledged to be unscriptural (see William G Rusch, "The Trinitarian Controversy" 1980), but the Emperor Constantine forced its adoption as a compromise to avoid fragmentation of the early Christian church.

The trinitarian concept is not found in the Bible, as notable Protestant and Catholic scholars have readily acknowledged.

Can we accept the Trinity as a form of restored polytheism dominated by the God of Gods, who is also Lord of lords, and be comfortable in that understanding without believing ourselves heretics?




MORGANITE




:)

Mark 10:17-18 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)

17And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God

Was Jesus saying he was not good? No, he was saying in comparison to God he was different.

Matt 24:36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.

Jesus here again showing he was different from his father.

John 17:3 And this is the eternal life, that they should know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.



1 Cor. 2:16 For, “Who can know the Lord's thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”

But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

Again showing he is different from his father.

You have shown from Scripture that Jesus is not the Father and the Father is not Jesus, but that was not the question. I assume from your choices of Scripture to address the question of the Trinity that you are a Jehovah's Witness (but I could be wrong.) It may be useful to note that so-called trinitarians do not believe that Jesus is the Father or that the Father is Jesus either. Consequently, you have not addressed the issue at all. Please limit yourself to the question at hand.

The trinitarian concept is not found in the Bible, as notable Protestant and Catholic scholars have readily acknowledged.






:)

My understanding of the definition of the Trinity (the question at hand which you failed to address) is that there is One God. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Spirit is God. All three are the One God.

Clearly the Scripture in which you fail to find the trinitarian concept does tell us that there is One God, and in various places, tells us that Father, Son, and Spirit are God. If the Bible is correct, and there is One God, yet the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God, then the three must comprise the One God.

Lets make this REAL easy.

Suppose I wanted to write god a letter... What would I have to put on the outside of the envelope to make sure the mailman delivers it correctly?

a). God?

b). Jesus?

Or...

c). The Holy Ghost?

Lets make this REAL easy.

Suppose I wanted to write god a letter... What would I have to put on the outside of the envelope to make sure the mailman delivers it correctly?

a). God?

b). Jesus?

Or...

c). The Holy Ghost?

Once again you have failed to answer the question I have asked. Instead you have asked another question. In answer to your question, I would write your hypothetical letter to Yahweh. Of course Yahweh comprises Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so all three Persons of God would receive it. You were correct, that was REAL easy. Now perhaps you can answer the question I have asked?

The Word Trinity Is Not In The Bible. If You Seek Truth Start By Reading John 14 Pay Close Attention To Verses 7 And 9 Ask God To Help You Understand His Word To Find The Truth You Must Sincerely Seek Truth.

I was hoping that a JW would offer a definition all by his/her lonesome. They do not have to believe in the doctrine of the Trinity to define it.


I define it as a load of hooey! The truth is meant to be understandable, which this obviously is NOT!

The more one tries to comprehend the Trinity the more bamboozling it becomes. Yeh, yeah, people always come back with great gusto quoting scriptures, but if they looked into the ENTIRE bible and not just the scriptures they think can back up their beliefs, they will get a different picture. For instance, Matt 24:36 doesn't seem to fit with this theory of theirs
"concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son of man, but only the Father." Now how could only the Father know if Jesus IS the Father? (Notice in that scripture there is no mention of the Holy Spirit)?

I am curious though as to why you are so interested in getting the opinion of a JW?