| Author | Message | ||
| Hec Registered user Username: Hec Post Number: 1508 Registered: 3-2009 |
Reading the story of Jesus, I came to his baptism. Now when he came out of the water there was a voice coming from heaven saying, "this is my beloved son..." and the Spirit came down from heaven in the form of a dove. Wouldn't this imply that there are three separate persons? How could there be only one individual with three non-separated persons be in three places. Of course God is omnipresent, but then why come from three separate places to show the one God? Hec | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 2146 Registered: 4-2000  |
Augustine suggested an illustration of how God is both three and one at the same time. The Bible informs us that "God is love" (1 John 4:16). Love involves a lover, a beloved, and a spirit of love between lover and loved. The Father might be likened to the Lover; the Son to the One loved, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love. Yet love does not exist unless these three are united as one. This illustration has the advantage of being personal, since it involves love, a characteristic that flows only from persons. No analogy of the Trinity is perfect, but some are better than others. If we could fully understand God, He would not be worthy of being called God. One illustration that causes more problems than it solves is to visualize the human being as a "trichotomy" of body, soul, and spirit. Obviously, the body and soul are not an indivisible unity. They can be (and are) separated at death. The nature and persons of the Trinity cannot be separated. Dennis Fischer | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 2311 Registered: 5-2007  |
Hec, Here is how I resolve this in my mind: We understand things within context of what we see around us. Physically, three different person are physically separate persons. Foundationally, I understand that God resides in “heaven” which is not a location with physical position. God is located in the direction of “up” and is a mystery because I am unable to see in an “upward” direction. Since the bible speaks of the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and refers to them as all being fully God, I accept that as truth without comprehending it within the physical world I now inhabit. I accept this as a mystery because God has revealed himself to me. When the truth is evident, I accept it without fully understanding it. When Peter walked on water he did so because of faith in Jesus and without having any idea how it could be physically possible. Fearless Phil | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 3498 Registered: 10-2004  |
Hec, Here is part of a previous post of mine from another time when this topic came up, which may help answer your question:
Jeremy | ||
| Hec Registered user Username: Hec Post Number: 1510 Registered: 3-2009 |
Thanks. Hec | ||
| Asetechrail Registered user Username: Asetechrail Post Number: 56 Registered: 1-2010  |
I found the following link very helpful. It is kind of a long read but well worth it. http://www.everystudent.com/journeys/nothing.html Kent |
