In my extensive attempts to understand/comprehend/embrace/believe/navigate the Trinity (or Trilogy, as I like to call it), I think that I may have some kind of understanding of how this works. I am making no promises here.
The word comes from the Latin, "trinitas" which means three or threeness, and the word is not found in scripture. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation depicts God as being triune in nature, that He has three forms or three ways of revealing Himself!
Even though the word "Trinity" as a word is not found in the Bible, however the concept and essence is clearly stated. And the concept is one God with three conversing distinct ways to reveal Himself, "Personalities:, or "Substances". They are co-equal and co-eternal, they each have full divinity, yet are a distinct Person. We are required to give equal devotion and worship, but they are not three, but One in purpose and unity.
I am trying really hard to grasp this concept. Having faith, in knowing that this is truth is very difficult for me. After sitting down with a friend last night (poor friend) who tried diligently and extensively to get me to understand this Trinity thing, I think that we came to a solution that I finally get (I think).
So, God is like a Dispatcher... He's up there directing people and letting them know the right thing to do. Jesus is like a truck driver. He is the one that we see, with skin and blood and all that stuff who is driving around making connections to people along the way. The Holy Ghost is like the fresh fruit that the truck driver (Jesus) is delivering... He is letting us get rid of all of the moldy, icky fruit and bringing us fresh produce (this sounds so much better in my head) to enjoy, which will inevitably change our lives forever and make us healthy and happier people.
I have been trying, extensively, to have the faith that God is everywhere... In Heaven, here on Earth, and everywhere else in spirit. This is an insane amount of faith for my previously agnostically sound brain to wrap itself around. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I was told by my friend, last night, that this is a very difficult thing for most people to grasp, but for some reason I feel that people take the Trinity at face-value, because they are "expected" to. Am I the only one questioning this??
'God is a Real Estate Developer'
God is a real estate developer
with office around the nation
They say one day he'll liquidate
his holdings up on High
I say it's all speculation
He may be an absentee landlord
This may be a low rent universe
The roof may need repairs
but at last the floor is there
And the rent is not due 'til the first
So save one last dance for the Saviour
when that final Hail Mary is said
Life is a dance hall
That's why we've got all
those little angels dancing around with pinheads
The Lord Almighty, Limited
And his chosen elect
Site on the Up on High Development Board
quoting the bible as they hoard
The Good Book has a new look, I suspect.
So save one last dance for the Saviour
when that final Hail Mary is said
Life is a dance hall
That's why we've got all
those little angels dancing around with pinheads
~Michelle Shocked
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4 comments:
Yes, I think a lot of people take this at face value. I used to. Then I started thinking about it and studying it. That got really confusing. So I went back to taking it at face value. At least now I'm a little more informed about the face I'm valuing, right?
But seriously, I think the best way I understand this is by thinking about a person. I believe that there's two parts to me, my physical body and my soul or spirit. The soul/spirit is the part that can connect with God, and the part that lives forever unchanged. The physical body is the tangible part of me that changes constantly and will die one day. So I'm two in one. My body is unique: no one else on earth has my DNA, so my physical body is totally Elaine. My soul is equally unique and totally Elaine. So that's kind of how I get the Trinity: 3 in 1 like I'm 2 in 1.
But I know you'll just stick with the truck dispatcher b/c that's much cooler...
I understand where you are coming from, with the 2 in 1 theory. I like that. It makes sense to me. So, does that mean that God has 2 "souls" and 1 body? Or is that a completely ridiculous way of looking at this??
PS... The dispatcher/truck driver analogy was great at the moment. You should have seen how excited Alicia was about it!!
Greetings Kerry
I can understand your difficulty in trying to understand & embrace, much less, to have faith in the so-called doctrine of the trinity.
The difficulty arises because this doctrine came about hundreds of years after Christ and his disciples.
Neither Christ nor his disciples ever taught that GOD was triune.
Every Jew of Biblical times believed, embraced and comprehended the fact that their GOD was indeed ONE.
That is, ONE Being, ONE Person.
They confessed this fact daily by quoting the Shema i.e. Deut 6.4ff
Hence, when Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment [Mark 12:28ff], he in turn quoted Deut 6.4.
Note, the scribe's response:
(Mark 12:32) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
It should be obvious then, that neither Jesus nor the scribe, believed that their GOD was triune, consisting of 3 Personalities.
Kerry, what I am suggesting, is that there is indeed "no difficulty" in grasping the scriptural truth that there is solely ONE GOD, ONE Personality who is Almighty GOD!
Who then is this ONE Personality, ONE Being, ONE Person, who is Almighty GOD?
Jesus our Lord and Master, informs us, as follows:
(John 17:1) These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, ...
(John 17:3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jesus the Messiah identifies "the Father" as the only true GOD!
That was indeed the early church's belief:
(1 Cor 8:4) ... that there is none other God but one.
(1 Cor 8:6) But TO US there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, ...
There is simply ONE GOD, the Father.
Then who is Jesus?
(1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jesus is that man who was approved of the ONE GOD [Acts 2.22]; the man who was crucified [2.23]; the man whom the ONE GOD raised from the dead [2.24,32], whom GOD glorified; the ONE GOD made him both Lord and Christ [2.36] and set him at His right hand [2.33-34]
Hence the man Messiah Jesus is 'Lord' to the glory of the ONE GOD, the Father.
[Phil 2.11]
Thus, there is ONE GOD, the Father
There is ONE Lord, the man Messiah Jesus.
[1 Cor 8.6]
ONE GOD, the Father
ONE man, Jesus the Messiah
the Son of the Father.
[2 John 3]
Kerry, it is this simple belief, that one ought to have faith in, knowing that this is truth.
That was the original faith of the early church.
[Jude 3]
Hence, no need to try to comprehend trinities or trilogies.
No need for such analogies.
There is solely ONE GOD, the Father.
The man Jesus of Nazareth, is the ONE GOD's Son.
GOD has highly exalted him and made him, His right hand man
[Psa 110.1, cp. 80.17]
For more info, I thoroughly recommend this video:
The Human Jesus
Kerry, take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you to reconsider "The Trinity/Trilogy"
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
Adam,
While I appreciate your passion in knowing what God is to you, I have not been brought up in a world where it was always blatently obvious. I almost envy those who have been fortunate enough to have this faith from such a young age.
I believe that in suggesting that there is "no difficulty" in questioning our Lord is taking doctrine at face value. The purpose of taking a spiritual journey is that one finds the truth out for her/himself. Hence, the purpose of my blog. I find it both comforting and confusing that those who grew up in the church have never questioned His presence. This faith is something that I have been searching for, for quite some time now.
As children, we were also lead to believe that Santa Claus answered our letters on Christmas Day with presents. Christmas Day, a day which has nothing to do with presents... gifts that were supposedly meant to give to our Lord, have been turned into commercialism to make children happy and to coerce them into behaving for the last two months of the year. These families of "faith", who show up to church on Christmas and Easter, but have no idea of what either of these holidays really mean. Families who worry about how they are portrayed twice a year, but do not keep grace in their hearts for the rest of the year. I come from one of these families. I didn't know what Christmas was truly about until I was in my late 20's.
As you said, this SHOULD be a simple belief. But for many, this is not a simple belief. Comprehention of the Trinity is a very important thing for me (and for others that I have approached with this question). I am a black and white thinker. I am very "science" minded. My church family encourages these questions and embraces those who struggle with them.
I believe, now more than ever, that God has a plan for me. I just have to let Him lead me to it. Perhaps this debate with you was part of His plan.
I hope that you will keep reading and that I am able to share with you the trials and tribulations of finding my spiritual center.
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