Special thanks and credit goes to PJ Jacoby and RC Sproul for the following (no, I do not know R'C Sproul personally...LOL)...nor do I know PJ Jacoby, but he posted this on the Sean Hannity Forum...and later I will proide a direct link...
Once Upon A Time. . .
Around AD 325, A church theologian named Arius taught that Jesus was not truly divine and of a different "substance" than God, which challenged the developing doctrine of the Trinity in the early church.
The emperor Constantine, newly converted to Christianity, called a Church Council at Nicæa in AD 325 to bring some unity to the church amid developing controversies and false teachings. The result is one of the earliest scripturally based creeds of the church, known as “The Nicene Creed”.
The Nicene Creed reads as follows (bold text added by me for emphasis):
We believe in one God the Father, the Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Go back to the first paragraph in the historical account above, what is the meaning of the term: “Trinity” or “The Triunity”? Is this term found in scripture?
If not, is the concept of this term at least biblically based?
Look up Matt 3:16 & 17, 28:19, note that “in the name of” equals authority. See also Gen 1:26, 2Cor 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2.
How many examples, symbols, or allegories have you heard to describe the Trinity (the egg model. Water, ice, air. That interwoven triangle symbol)?
Where do they fall short of, or go wrong in trying to visualize the Trinity?
So then we find ourselves faced with a very difficult theological dilemma. . .
If we believe that God is ONE (Deut 6:4, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6,8), we then find it impossible to have a mental concept of God the Father, plus God the Son, plus God the Holy Spirit. So, 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 ? ? ? That doesn’t make any sense!
However . . . if we believe that God is ONE, but reveals Himself in three different forms or modes (like unto one God moonlighting and simply wearing different hats), then how can He manifest Himself in more than one mode at once as Scripture clearly shows (Luke 3:22, 9:34) ? ? ?
Once Upon A Time. . .
Around AD 325, A church theologian named Arius taught that Jesus was not truly divine and of a different "substance" than God, which challenged the developing doctrine of the Trinity in the early church.
The emperor Constantine, newly converted to Christianity, called a Church Council at Nicæa in AD 325 to bring some unity to the church amid developing controversies and false teachings. The result is one of the earliest scripturally based creeds of the church, known as “The Nicene Creed”.
The Nicene Creed reads as follows (bold text added by me for emphasis):
We believe in one God the Father, the Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Go back to the first paragraph in the historical account above, what is the meaning of the term: “Trinity” or “The Triunity”? Is this term found in scripture?
If not, is the concept of this term at least biblically based?
Look up Matt 3:16 & 17, 28:19, note that “in the name of” equals authority. See also Gen 1:26, 2Cor 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2.
How many examples, symbols, or allegories have you heard to describe the Trinity (the egg model. Water, ice, air. That interwoven triangle symbol)?
Where do they fall short of, or go wrong in trying to visualize the Trinity?
So then we find ourselves faced with a very difficult theological dilemma. . .
If we believe that God is ONE (Deut 6:4, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6,8), we then find it impossible to have a mental concept of God the Father, plus God the Son, plus God the Holy Spirit. So, 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 ? ? ? That doesn’t make any sense!
However . . . if we believe that God is ONE, but reveals Himself in three different forms or modes (like unto one God moonlighting and simply wearing different hats), then how can He manifest Himself in more than one mode at once as Scripture clearly shows (Luke 3:22, 9:34) ? ? ?
posted by tracifish at 9:50 PM
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