Understanding the Trinity

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Gen 2:15 The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.

Gen 35:11 Then God said to him: I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will stem from you, and kings will issue from your loins.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this concerns all humankind; 14 because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.

1 Peter 9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
So can this be summarised as “a Jew’s purpose is to keep the commandments of God (which brings them out of the darkness into the light) for the intention of bringing forth a fruitful nation, pleasing to God”?

…and Moses’ mission was to give the necessary Divine Guidance to ensure this nation is formed and established?

Essentially, being a Jew today means I live my life according to the Divine Will outlined by Moses in His Law…

Is that fair?

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Hi Martin,
Not sure how you concluded that the Trinity is not enough, it really is, but the perspective given by Christians is exclusive
Then it’s better for you to learn about the historical Jesus rather than using his Name and deny the Christian Trinity and call it exclusive. Because as you’ve already been informed very clearly The Trinity is Love in it’s Fullest.
I believe that God is all-embracing and inclusive.
That’s good.
I believe that with sufficient exploration and humility, one will see the Trinity ALSO in Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Islam, and the Babi and Baha’i religions.
Then this is the wrong thread. Because the OP didn’t ask this.
There is much more to it than Jesus is God, end of story. I’m sorry to humbly advise you but there is a whole wealth of exploration in the “Jesus is not God” perspective which Christians absolutely will not possibly dream of entertaining. It’s limiting, and I cannot limit the possible perspectives which make the wholeness of the Trinity so compellingly beautiful.
That’s entirely upto you to believe the choice is yours. As for me and the Church we have our experiences and through our sufferings putting the scriptures together (in particular the New Testament) with our blood sweat and tears and Jesus our Lord to guide us, He being the Way the Truth and the Life and with the Holy Trinity we can be assured of Heaven. Albeit we have to do our work and keep the Faith.
I have seen what the perspective of the “Son is not God” paradigm instills in human beings, in both Judaism and Islam and I can see that this perspective shapes a life of servitude, humility and forbearance, so it has empirical merit and validity.
That’s excellent. God is in them too. I never doubt their sincerity. Unfortunately some say “Heaven Forbid God should have a son” (something to that effect).
Absolutely dear Martin, you must do that for your children.
Thank you. Just following Jesus’ teaching.
However, I must ask you, do you think that my children have even one small tiny dewdrop of doubt that God loves them?
Im only concerned with the Church and it’s teachings to pass on to the next Generations (since in my ancestors became Catholics in in the late 1500s.) and pray that they continue God’s work .But I have no qualms to pray for your children.🙂
Two weeks ago I was discussing with a close Christian friend how the Baha’i religion teaches that there is only good in Creation, nothing is evil, only “less good” (that is true love in my humble opinion btw) and I saw his children and how they were playing so beautifully together and I said that his children are such angels, innocent and pure, such vibrancy of life, and he rebuked me saying that I should not say what I was saying, because his children are nothing more than sinners,
Which Church says this?
The concept of sin is removed from Baha’i teachings Martin. True love of God comes when your child realises that God has so loved them that they are filled with gems of potential, a mine rich in gems of inestimable value, and through correct relationship with God, the Holy Spirit will enable them to unearth that gem-ful capacity to enable mankind to benefit therefrom…
Man was not made sinful.
My children are in no doubt that God loves them. They feel the breezes of confirmation waft over them at all times 🙂
Awesome.
Yet, they are not baptised in the Christian Trinity (not literally anyway) but I see them as fully baptised in the Trinity in its wholeness.
That’s up to you once again. The choice is yours.
But the Christian Trinity denies that God would manifest again after Christianity. That is limiting the love of God in my humble opinion. How could God talk to mankind through a Human Temple through the numerous Prophets of the Old Testament and then suddenly after Jesus there is no more human Manifestation of His Word??
That is limiting dear Martin 🙂
Why believe in Jesus? The Church for the Church and through its teachings have spread his Holy words through it’s Bishops. Apostolic powers given by Jesus himself.
Amen again. As I state already Martin, Baha’is are baptised in the nae of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and I have no doubt that should I do the Will of the Father to the best of my ability, I will not be debarred from heaven 🙂
The choice is yours, if you use Jesus’ words and make it your own.

MJ
 
Well indeed one could say that 2000 years ago a Christian went into a Zoroastrian place of worship and said that they believe in a triad. What do you think the Zoroastrians would think? Or if it was an Indian speaking Christian, they very well may have gone into a Hindu Temple and said that they believe in a trimurti (triad). How would the Hindus have reacted?

You are playing with language Ignatian. What is now a Trinity was redefined from the triad.
You can elaborate all you like and refine the definitions but the origins are still pre-existing Christianity.

If you take an apple then peel it, add some orange peel over the top, you can’t start calling it an orange now. The foundation is apple. Yes, the apple has been modified, elaborated upon and adorned with embellishments, but we cannot forget the original apple.

Christianity can claim exclusivity to this “orange” but it’s still an apple.
Christianity can claim exclusivity to God, but its still the same God of the Muslim religion.

Embellishments and newly discovered attributes to a concept does not mean that we now have a whole new concept. We are simply elaborating on it more, exploring it deeper and unearthing new Truths.

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Two thousand years ago a Christian wouldn’t have said I believe in a trinity since that theological definition was not yet made so clear within the church, but that is besides the point. Are you willing to admit these are two dissimilar concepts? Ie, the bahai triad and the Christian trinity?
 
Now if you are saying you as a bahai admit the oneness, that oneness being Homousious, of the same substance, that is the Father and Son and Spirit are of the same substance, then I suppose we don’t really disagree on the matter. But I suppose you will say, no not that oneness, maybe a Mormon view of the oneness of Purpose.
What I am saying with absolute conviction and faith is that BOTH are true. They are oneness in substance in their Divine aspect, yet not oneness in essence on their human aspect. Confirmed by Baha’u’llah in the following statement to mankind:
***When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things “verily I am God”; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay! ***
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What I am saying with absolute conviction and faith is that BOTH are true. They are oneness in substance in their Divine aspect, yet not oneness in essence on their human aspect. Conformed by Baha’u’llah in the following statement to mankind:

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So let me get this straight you are saying both the Bahai and Christian convictions are true, so long as we have absolute conviction in faith in them?

Proposition One : Jesus is God, Jesus is absolute God in that he has the same substance or essence as his Father.

Proposition Two : Jesus is God, Jesus however is not the absolute God (ie father) as he does not have the same substance or essence as the father.

Both of these positions are true as long as we believe in them? What kind of world-view is that in which things are only true subjectively and not objectively?
 
Two thousand years ago a Christian wouldn’t have said I believe in a trinity since that theological definition was not yet made so clear within the church, but that is besides the point. Are you willing to admit these are two dissimilar concepts? Ie, the bahai triad and the Christian trinity?
Yes they are different only in the fact that the Baha’i Faith considers Jesus as having two aspects, one Divine, one human.

Christianity claims the human aspect as being wholely Divine. The Baha’i Faith cannot ever say that the human flesh is a Divine flesh.

Secondly, oneness in substance between the essence of the Son and the essence of the Father still validates full distinction and elements of unknowability.

In the Baha’i Faith the essence of the Father is unknown to the Son, and it is also in Catholicism (deus a se) but for some reason this is very little emphasised by mainstream Catholics and Christians…

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Yes they are different only in the fact that the Baha’i Faith considers Jesus as having two aspects, one Divine, one human.

Christianity claims the human aspect as being wholely Divine. The Baha’i Faith cannot ever say that the human flesh is a Divine flesh.

Secondly, oneness in substance between the essence of the Son and the essence of the Father still validates full distinction and elements of unknowability.

In the Baha’i Faith the essence of the Father is unknown to the Son, and it is also in Catholicism (deus a se) but for some reason this is very little emphasised by mainstream Catholics and Christians…

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The text I have bolded shows you know little about Christianity. Perhaps you ought read on the sixth ecumenical council, Saint Maximos the confessor and the Council of Ephesus and Chalcedon.

As for you attempting to bring Catholics to your side I have to correct you by referring to what they (and my own church for that matter) confesses every Sunday:

“And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;”

Jesus knows the substance of his Father because he shares the same substance as his Father. You are not aligned with any form of orthodox Christianity.
 
So let me get this straight you are saying both the Bahai and Christian convictions are true, so long as we have absolute conviction in faith in them?

Proposition One : Jesus is God, Jesus is absolute God in that he has the same substance or essence as his Father.
True, I have no problem with this…
Proposition Two : Jesus is God, Jesus however is not the absolute God (ie father) as he does not have the same substance or essence as the father.
No, Jesus is God, and shares the same substance and essence of the Father, but the Father has more to His essence than what is shared with the Son…
(hence “the Father is greater than I”

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The text I have bolded shows you know little about Christianity. Perhaps you ought read on the sixth ecumenical council, Saint Maximos the confessor and the Council of Ephesus and Chalcedon.

As for you attempting to bring Catholics to your side I have to correct you by referring to what they (and my own church for that matter) confesses every Sunday:

“And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;”

Jesus knows the substance of his Father because he shares the same substance as his Father. You are not aligned with any form of orthodox Christianity.
Good, so you are saying that Christianity does not consider the bodily flesh of Jesus to be one with God?

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True, I have no problem with this…

No, Jesus is God, and shares the same substance and essence of the Father, but the Father has more to His essence than what is shared with the Son…
(hence “the Father is greater than I”

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So is the Father only 90% divine and the son has the remaining 10%?

How is divinity divided like that exactly? Can God’s essence be portioned out and given to anyone?
 
Then it’s better for you to learn about the historical Jesus rather than using his Name and deny the Christian Trinity and call it exclusive. Because as you’ve already been informed very clearly The Trinity is Love in it’s Fullest.

That’s good.

Then this is the wrong thread. Because the OP didn’t ask this.

That’s entirely upto you to believe the choice is yours. As for me and the Church we have our experiences and through our sufferings putting the scriptures together (in particular the New Testament) with our blood sweat and tears and Jesus our Lord to guide us, He being the Way the Truth and the Life and with the Holy Trinity we can be assured of Heaven. Albeit we have to do our work and keep the Faith.

That’s excellent. God is in them too. I never doubt their sincerity. Unfortunately some say “Heaven Forbid God should have a son” (something to that effect).

Thank you. Just following Jesus’ teaching.

Im only concerned with the Church and it’s teachings to pass on to the next Generations (since in my ancestors became Catholics in in the late 1500s.) and pray that they continue God’s work .But I have no qualms to pray for your children.🙂

Which Church says this?

Man was not made sinful.

Awesome.

That’s up to you once again. The choice is yours.

Why believe in Jesus? The Church for the Church and through its teachings have spread his Holy words through it’s Bishops. Apostolic powers given by Jesus himself.

The choice is yours, if you use Jesus’ words and make it your own.

MJ
Thankyou Martin.

I would humbly say that when you ask “Which Church says this?” I would respond with, probably no Church says it, but to hear it from Church members after 2000 years of Christianity is a concern, wouldn’t you say?

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Good, so you are saying that Christianity does not consider the bodily flesh of Jesus to be one with God?

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It is one with God inasmuch as Jesus is God. But the distinction between the humanity and divinity of Christ was made clear at Chalcedon and further clarified by Maximos the confessor who argued Christ had a genuine human will.

Where did you get the idea that humanity of Christ was not actual humanity?
 
So is the Father only 90% divine and the son has the remaining 10%?

How is divinity divided like that exactly? Can God’s essence be portioned out and given to anyone?
In exactly the same way that the sun is divided by its rays and projects itself onto objects. The mirror reflecting the sun shares in the suns rays which are the essence of the sun.

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It is one with God inasmuch as Jesus is God. But the distinction between the humanity and divinity of Christ was made clear at Chalcedon and further clarified by Maximos the confessor who argued Christ had a genuine human will.

Where did you get the idea that humanity of Christ was not actual humanity?
Because Christianity states that God became man and it is God who died on the Cross…

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Thankyou Martin.

I would humbly say that when you ask “Which Church says this?” I would respond with, probably no Church says it, but to hear it from Church members after 2000 years of Christianity is a concern, wouldn’t you say?

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There are a lot of churches with no Apostolic succession. And these tend not to know orthodox Christianity and likely disappear when members get disenchanted or disagree. :eek:

Clearly that is the problem with some random church member saying something.

It doesn’t matter really in this thread in any case. Let’s stick to the Holy Trinity.

MJ
 
In exactly the same way that the sun is divided by its rays and projects itself onto objects. The mirror reflecting the sun shares in the suns rays which are the essence of the sun.

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The sun and the rays are two distinct entities. Is Jesus in anyway the sun or is he only the rays of sun? If the latter you do not agree with the Christian position.
 
There are a lot of churches with no Apostolic succession. And these tend not to know orthodox Christianity and likely disappear when members get disenchanted or disagree. :eek:

Clearly that is the problem with some random church member saying something.

It doesn’t matter really in this thread in any case. Let’s stick to the Holy Trinity.

MJ
God bless you 🙂

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Because Christianity states that God became man and it is God who died on the Cross…

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Yes God did die on the cross in his humanity. God took on the fullness of humanity and lived the perfect human life to which none before and none after has been able to do. This does not imply (unless one has not read enough) that divinity itself died on the cross, yet the divine did suffer on the cross for our sakes through his humanity.
 
Because Christianity states that God became man and it is God who died on the Cross…

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Servant, how about some citations, For professionalism sake. And good order sake. Sometimes it reminds me of when people say “The Bible says…” But the book doesn’t talk it needs to be interpreted.

MJ
 
I need Islamic source from it’s Tradition preferably from your prophet, with reference and citations that Christian theology took ideas like that you have mentioned above. Please for the Love of God provide that.

MJ
The first and main source of Islam is Qur’an. The second source is Hadiths and Sunnah of Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad did not tell anything about Trinity but God Himself did in Qur’an.

Why should we recognise Qur’an? Because there is no any obvious verse about Trinity in Bible. And Bible is not directly words of God but translation by translation. (Ofcourse original Bible is word of God but there is no original text). And if we recognise Qur’an as literal words of God. Then we have to look at Qur’an:

171-O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. (An-Nisa 4)
 
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