Throughout this class I learned a lot about things I did not even know existed. Every class I learned something that I could apply to the way I view my own religion and how Christians can apply theology to their lives. One of the main things that struck me was the discussion of the Trinity and how there are so many different ways to look at not only the structure of the Trinity, but also the importance in the names given to the individual members of the trinity. By giving God a proper name (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) it sets Christianity and God apart from all other religions. For someone could say, “My God is the trinity, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit” and people would know that the Christian God was being spoken about, verses any other “god”. The Trinity also insures that God is taking care of us. Through not only the love of his son Jesus, but also through the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of this Christians can know of God’s love for us and that he is here with us to protect us from evil through the Holy Spirit. I can apply this to my calling by being confident. I can know that my God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and I can tell people that and they will know. I have a name for my God for he is real. My calling is shaped because I am a follower of this God and I know that my religion is different than others. My life and calling is also shaped by God’s love through Jesus and his power through the Holy Spirit. I know that I have
I will like to crave your indulgence to the fact that "Nicene concept of Trinity" is never stated in the Bible, and it is that early Christians as well as the scriptures clearly points out the fact that Jesus was fully divine and pre-existent. For the fact that, none of the early Christian theologians fully asserted the doctrine of the Trinity, not even a speculation about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. According to the father of the paganism description of Trinity "God can in no way be described." (Schindler 148).
Trinity: The Trinity was a key feature of Christianity. The Trinity symbolized the three persons of God, the father, the son, and the Holy
Both Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Church comprehended God to exist in three structures, known as the Trinity. God is three in one, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
Each member of the Trinity has a primary function. The Father is the creator, who originates the plan of salvation. The Son is the Redeemer, who provides the remedy for human sin. Lastly, the Spirit, who is the Sanctifier applies this salvation, growing new spiritual life.
The traditional Christian belief that God is a Trinity can be summarized briefly: God is three persons in one divine nature. These three persons are traditionally named Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But, it seems like different religions have their different views of disagreeing with God being trinity. I can see why there is a disagreement because God is labeled to be three people, when people believe that God is one person. I personally believe that everybody can have their own way of defining God through their perception or they can follow what he reveals to us. Despite these challenges, it is possible to defend the doctrine of the trinity as a reasonable belief.
When an individual comes to faith in Christ he or she is not left alone to battle the struggles of sin, lead people to Jesus, experience heartache and sorrow, find God’s will, or live a life that is pleasing and honoring to the Lord. No, Christians are given an awesome gift that cannot be purchased or earned. Believers are blessed with the gift of a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 14:16, “ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”(ESV) Sadly, many believers do not have a correct understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, or what He does. The purpose of this paper is define the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
This was the question that popped up in my head after reading the first chapter of The Orthodox Way, God as Mystery. More ironically, before they answered my question did they tell me that Jesus Christ is God and Holy Spirit is God as well. Usually multi-identities are not an issue for me or for anyone, but this time is a little, or a lot, different when it comes to God. In the chapter, God as Trinity, “The Christian God is not just a unit but a union, not just unity but a community… He is Trinity: three equal persons, each one dwelling in the other two by virtue of an unceasing movement of mutual love” said Ware (P. 27). Ono thing that needs to be confirmed first is that there is only One God, and God is the one essence embracing three persons. Secondly, in the case of Trinity a person is not just an individual, as opposed to that three human persons always “retain their own will and own energy no matter how closely they co-operate together” (P. 30). This indicates the property of “distinction but never separation” within the three persons; they are distinct as in differentiation and they are never separate because of the relationship formed by the shared one will and one energy. As a consequence, we surely have to turn to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit if we want to know God holistically, especially the Oneness of God (Jones,
The Trinity consists of God, the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. The Christian faith recognizes there is one God and He is one with His Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this essay is to describe the interrelationship of the three persons of the Trinity. This will include the concepts of the economic trinity, the essential trinity and the social trinity.
“The Trinity is the basis of the gospel, and the gospel is the declaration of the Trinity in action.” (J I Packer, likesuccess.com) The Trinity consists of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, yet they make up one God. It is the simple philosophy of the 3-in-1 or three persons, one essence first brought up by Tertullian. It is this philosophy that allows Christianity to be a monotheism.
As a result, fellowship, prayer, Bible study, worship, and most importantly salvation in its purest form can be discerned and acted upon correctly. In addition, a further understanding can be thus gained regarding the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Finally, heresies and heretical groups or beliefs can lead God’s followers astray from the truth and create an improper understanding, and thus relationship with God. Positions past and present have, and are, attempting to mislead Christians about the Trinity. A skewed view of the Trinity can result in a view of God as either divinely apart from creation or simply a better version of all the best attributes of humans. Some positions even take away from the Divinity of Jesus Christ. All of these views severely diminish who God is and alters a proper and true relationship and worship. It is a necessity that these errant views be exposed as a hindrance to God in order not to mislead God’s followers. Likewise a Biblically sound explanation of the Trinity is needed. As a result, a true and pure knowledge of the concept of the Trinity is crucially needed to understand God and be obedient to the Bible.
Christians believe the image of God to be three Gods merged into one. The Trinity’s components are the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit and they are all equal. Each form of God has the same attributes of all-powerful, all-knowing, always present,
Christ is part of the Trinity and is recognized as God in creation-John 1:3, judge of all things in the future-john 5:27, and he has omniscience-Matthew 9:4. Charles Ryre proves Christ's deity and involvement in the Trinity in Basic Theology, as he writes,
This is a sad reality! Where the fact of the matter is, the Trinity is the cornerstone on which all Christian doctrine is based, our salvation [σωτηρία], our sacraments and even our creation, all descend from and rotate around God in Trinity. Furthermore, the Trinity highlights the fundamental role that communion [κοινωνία] in the Church [Εκκλησία] plays in the message of our salvation, as Christ prays for humanity “that they (we) may all be one” as He and the Father are one.
The Trinity is a doctrine that has and will continue to bring much controversy to the Christian faith. Yet it is important to understand that a practical approach to this topic can be very important. Having a full understanding of the Trinity is vital to the life of a Christian. The distinct, yet interwoven aspects of God’s character will affect every aspect of a believer’s life.
In the Christian faith triune God is very significant. “Christian” is Trinitarian, describing Jesus as the one whom the Father anoints (christos) with the Spirit so that the Spirit may anoint our own lives (16). Christians confess Jesus as the risen Lord of the universe, but is proclaimed to be inseparable from the one who sent him, the one Jesus knew intimately as “Abba,” or “dear Father.” The ultimate paradox of Christianity is Jesus. Having Jesus at its very center disclosed as the source, the meaning, and the definitive answer to all of human longings causes this ultimate paradox. Fatula goes on to discuss, that although Jesus is the triune God, many of the people would not identify this God as the living God we actually experience in our own daily lives.