Trinitarianism is a crucial theological issue, which many Christians find hard to wrap their minds around. I myself have troubles understanding it beyond the Sunday school lesson explanations. I believe comparing the perfect unity of the Trinity to other theistic beliefs is important to do, to strengthens ones own understanding of it.
In order to come to an understanding of the theology of God and more specifically the Trinity we must have a God with contours and edges. We must know who God is and who God isn’t. We can only do this with much prayer and petitioning to God that he would enlighten our minds so that we can see his grace for what it really is. We must also view scripture as inherently God’s word and respect it as a double edged sword that can cut through our hard hearts.
The trinity is the belief that God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity are constantly working together as one to accomplish the same goal, to give glory to Themselves. The Father created the world and sent his Son to save the world that rejected him. The Son experienced an excruciating death and is now seated beside the father in heaven, which we worship through the help of the Holy Spirit.
Atheism is the belief that there is no God or gods/goddesses. A belief system that would have been completely unbelievable in Old Testament times, which assumes that everyone believes in God, the God of the Trinity. Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 state “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” The failure of atheism is that it requires our fallen minds to have complete knowledge of all things. 2 Corinthians states: The God of this age has blinded the mind of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Believers in Agnosticism state that we only have access to the physical world around, and cannot begin to know the spiritual world or God. The bible states the exact opposite. Agnosticism being almost right states that we can’t know God, however errors by not thinking that God can reveal himself to us, which allows us to know him, specifically Jesus who came in human form to earth.
Polytheism states that there are and can be many gods or goddesses. We see over and over again the consequences of this belief by reading almost any portion of scripture. One example would be the story of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12. He constructed idols to worship and as a result dogs and birds ended up eating his family. An extreme example, but not nearly as extreme as spending eternity in hell for worshipping the wrong god or goddess.
Monotheism is the belief in one God. Monotheism is very close to Christianity. Christianity is more than another monotheistic religion however. God is not satisfied with a belief in a God. Many people believe in one god, be it money, power or sex. God requires us to worship him alone, the one true God exactly how he is revealed to us through the scriptures.
With so many views of what and who God is, the world has so many choices as to whom to worship. I argue along with Christ that there is only one true God, which we should worship. Christ states in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Amen.
2 comments:
Greetings Rob
Just thought I should point out that another belief system that would have been completely unbelievable in Old Testament times would be a belief in what you call the God of the Trinity.
No OT patriarch or saint taught such a belief system or doctrine. It is unheard of in the OT
No writer of any of the books of the Bible spoke of a belief that God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The same goes in the NT
Jesus himself, our Lord & Master, confirmed, Biblical Monotheism when he quoted the Shema i.e. Deut 6:4, in Mark 12:28ff.
He confirmed the point as verified by the scribe who heard him, that there is one God; and there is none other but he! [Mark 12.32]
This is the GOD that all GOD-fearing Jewish believers of Biblical times believed in.
They had no concept of a God in 3 persons! And neither did Jesus the Messiah!
If you truly argue along with Christ that there is only one true God; and rightly so, then the GOD you speak of, ought to be the very same GOD that Jesus spoke of.
Who did Jesus call, the only true GOD?
(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, our Lord and Teacher, identifies ONE person, not 3, not 3 in 1, but solely ONE person, as the Only True GOD.
And that is the Father, the only GOD [John 5.44]
This fact is again & again confirmed in the NT e.g.
(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, and we in him; ...
(Eph 4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
The ONE GOD is also the GOD & Father of Jesus the Messiah.
e.g. John 20.17, Rev 1.6, 3.12.
So, Rob; I encourage you to follow the lead of our Lord & Master; and to abandon any doctrines not taught in Scripture, such as a God of the trinity; and embrace Christ's God and Father, the One GOD of Deut 6.4
(Mark 12:29-30) And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Adam-
Thank you for your thoughtful post. I appreciate the time you've taken to share your beliefs. Allow me to retort.
it is true that in mark 12:28 Jesus refers to God as one and God is one. The best example of the trinity I believe is found in marriage. when a male and female are married together they become one. They are two separate people yet are working together as one in their house, with kids and hopefully for Christ.
if you read on further in mark 12 Jesus quotes David...(who was speaking through the Holy Spirit) "The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"
Jesus then asks the question i would have for you. "David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?"
David, an OT prominent figure and "friend of God" refers to Jesus as his Lord. Are we not to do the same?
the bible is the spoken word of God given to us for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training (2 Tim 3:16). it is important that we allow all of scripture to teach us the full point, which is Jesus and not to stop where our point stops.
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