what you think god is one or trinity?in the john 14:28 written that god is greater than jesus.1corintians 11:3 is written that head of jesus is god.paul written it when jesus already been in the heaven after die for us.many say that paul write it cause jesus when became man on earth he was little than god but paul said 1 corintians when jesus was in the heaven.and about holy spirit isaiah 40:26 saying like energy of god and strength of god.how can be energy of somebody or strength of somebody be god?holy spirit is strength might and energy of god.in acts 7:55 when stepanos saw jesus and god he wasnt saw holy spirit.if you dont agree please write me WHY?
trinity
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G
You would be surprised at how much I could type in response to this one little paragraph, and so I shall.
Allow me, as I always do, define what we Trinitarians actually believe so that there should be no confusion:
Trinitarians do not believe that Jesus is the Father, or the Holy Spirit is the Son, or that the Father is the Holy Spirit, or any unique combination of the sort. We do not believe in one physical person who has different modes -- that is, that there is one single individual, whom is God, who at times poses as the Father, or as the Son, or as the Spirit (Modalism). Nor do we believe in some multi-headed thing (Polycephaly).
What we do believe is that there are three co-eternal and co-equal Persons whom are distinct from one another. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father, et al. These three Persons who have existed co-eternally are equal in terms of nature, that is, the Father is not more "divine" than the Son, they are equally God, possessing the same measure of Deity. The Father, Son, and Spirit exist in total harmony with one another, the Son is not a "loose canon" off to do His own bidding, for the three Persons of the Trinity work together in unity (hence "Trinity," aka Tri-unity) in all things, and exist in unity of Essence, just as the universal Body of Christ, though it consists of many members, exists in unity within its very being. Three Persons existing together in unity and harmony within the Divine Essence, just as truly born again believers exist together in unity within the Body of Christ. The Father, Son, and Spirit are One, just as a man and his wife are one (Genesis 2:24), in union -- One God -- YHWH, the Triune God.
Objection # 1: John 14:28 says God is greater than Jesus.
My Response:
"You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." -- John 14:28
The word "greater" refers to office or position, not nature or essence. God is God because of His nature (Galatians 4:8). John 14:28 tells us that the Father has a "greater" office or position than Christ does. For example, Genesis 41:40 reads,
"You [Joseph] shall be over my [Pharaoh] house, and all my [Pharaoh] people shall order themselves as you [Joseph] command. Only as regards the throne will I [Pharaoh] be greater than you [Joseph].”
Pharaoh was "greater" than Joseph only by office or position, but not by nature. The nature of Pharaoh and Joseph were the same, that is, they are both human beings. Similarly, the President of the United States is "greater" than we are, as far as office or position is concerned, but certainly not by nature. Compare the usage of “meizon” (“greater”) in John 14:28 with the term “kreitton” (“better”) in Hebrews 1:4. You’ll notice, “kreitton” is used as a descriptive term of quality. Christ was qualitatively better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4). Likewise, “meizon” is used to describe the Father being “greater” in terms of position. John 14:28 does not say that the Father is qualitatively better, or qualitatively greater than Jesus. As Dr. Walter Martin wrote in regards to Christ, “Since His intrinsic Nature is that of Deity (John 8:58, compare Colossians 2:9), therefore qualitatively He was God manifest in the flesh, while quantitatively speaking He was limited as a man and could in all truthfulness state 'My Father is greater than I.’”
John 14 is actually apart of the same discourse of John 13 (as well as John 15), where in John 13:16, the very term "meizon" ("greater") is used prior as Christ speaks of Himself being sent by the Father, "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater ["meizon"] than his master, nor is one who is sent greater ["meizon"] than the one who sent him." A slave, in terms of office, is not positionally greater than his/her master. Likewise, the One sent is not greater than the One whom sent Him in terms of office/position.
This being said, you seem to be either overlooking or completely forgetting about the incarnation of Christ (Philippians 2:1-8, John 1:1-18), whom from Eternity existed as God (Philippians 2:1-8, John 1:1-18), and was made just for a little while lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9), being born under the Law (Galatians 4:4) and in the likeness of man (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7), the sinless and perfect lamb of God was put to death in order to redeem the elect of God. The Eternal One took on the likeness of man so that He would be qualified as the High Priest, and so that He could give His life away, for He could not die in His former state (Hebrews 2:17). By taking on the flesh (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7) and being born under the Law (Galatians 4:4), Christ, as a man, could rightfully say things like, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Jesus had humbled Himself in the incarnation and was cooperating with the limitations of being a man while acting under Jewish law.
Objection #2: 1 Corinthians 11:3 states that God is the head of Jesus.
My Response:
1 Corinthians 11:3, ‘But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.’
This is closely tied with the response given for John 14:28. You have to very careful how you read the text, some just give a quick glance with little or no thought at all, and the result of that is often the thought that Jesus is ontologically inferior to the Father. If one is to argue that 1 Corinthians 11:3 somehow proves that Jesus is ontologically inferior to the Father, then for the sake of consistency, they would also have to say the same regarding the woman to the man! Though a wife is subject to her husband in the Lord, she is not inferior to him by nature -- the man and woman are ontological equals. The same is true with the relationship between the Lord Jesus and the Father – Father and Son are equal in nature, just as a man and his wife are equal in nature.
Objection #3: The Holy Spirit is the energy of God.
My Response:
The argument that is often times heard is that the "Holy Spirit" is in the neuter gender ("pneuma"); however, genders don't always indicate personality, for John 16:13-14 uses the masculine form as a reference to the Holy Spirit. While normal pronouns used for the Spirit are in the neuter, ekeinos, is in the masculine, translated as "He." Non-functional and impersonal things can have masculine or feminine genders, and personal things can likewise have neuter genders.
Let's assume that the Unitarian position is absolutely true, and that God is only one single Person -- the Father. If God is one Person, and God is spirit ["pneuma"] (John 4:24 ), are we to believe that the Father is just some impersonal and inanimate "energy force" that just caused creation to come into existance?
I must ask, what evidences are there that the Father is personal and not impersonal? Well, it's obvious -- He talks, He thinks, He has emotions, He acts. And the same way that we would demonstrate the personhood of the Father or the Son, so too, we can use to demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is a Person, and not an inanimate force.
Perhaps one of the clearest examples of the personhood of the Holy Spirit is the usage of personal pronouns of Himself -- "I," "Me," "My."
The Spirit can be lied to (Acts 5:1-4), sinned against (Matthew 12:31-32), can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29), intercedes for the saints (Romans 8:26), possesses authority to appoint (Acts 20:28), has emotions (Ephesians 4:30, Romans 15:30), and has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11). Can inanimate forces be lied to, sinned against, insulted, possess authority, or intercede with groanings? Do inanimate objects have emotions, or possess a will?
The word translated "wills," as seen in 1 Corinthians 12:11 is "boulami," and is only used of persons and refers to the voluntary act of the will. The Son reveals the Father to whomever He wills (Matthew 11:27, "boulami"), and likewise, the Father so too has a will (Hebrews 6:17). The Son's willing is an act of a Person, and likewise is the Father's willing, too, an act of a Person. How can we avoid recognizing that the gifts of the Spirit to the church, as He freely wills to do so, makes Him a Person?
Allow me, as I always do, define what we Trinitarians actually believe so that there should be no confusion:
Trinitarians do not believe that Jesus is the Father, or the Holy Spirit is the Son, or that the Father is the Holy Spirit, or any unique combination of the sort. We do not believe in one physical person who has different modes -- that is, that there is one single individual, whom is God, who at times poses as the Father, or as the Son, or as the Spirit (Modalism). Nor do we believe in some multi-headed thing (Polycephaly).
What we do believe is that there are three co-eternal and co-equal Persons whom are distinct from one another. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father, et al. These three Persons who have existed co-eternally are equal in terms of nature, that is, the Father is not more "divine" than the Son, they are equally God, possessing the same measure of Deity. The Father, Son, and Spirit exist in total harmony with one another, the Son is not a "loose canon" off to do His own bidding, for the three Persons of the Trinity work together in unity (hence "Trinity," aka Tri-unity) in all things, and exist in unity of Essence, just as the universal Body of Christ, though it consists of many members, exists in unity within its very being. Three Persons existing together in unity and harmony within the Divine Essence, just as truly born again believers exist together in unity within the Body of Christ. The Father, Son, and Spirit are One, just as a man and his wife are one (Genesis 2:24), in union -- One God -- YHWH, the Triune God.
Objection # 1: John 14:28 says God is greater than Jesus.
My Response:
"You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." -- John 14:28
The word "greater" refers to office or position, not nature or essence. God is God because of His nature (Galatians 4:8). John 14:28 tells us that the Father has a "greater" office or position than Christ does. For example, Genesis 41:40 reads,
"You [Joseph] shall be over my [Pharaoh] house, and all my [Pharaoh] people shall order themselves as you [Joseph] command. Only as regards the throne will I [Pharaoh] be greater than you [Joseph].”
Pharaoh was "greater" than Joseph only by office or position, but not by nature. The nature of Pharaoh and Joseph were the same, that is, they are both human beings. Similarly, the President of the United States is "greater" than we are, as far as office or position is concerned, but certainly not by nature. Compare the usage of “meizon” (“greater”) in John 14:28 with the term “kreitton” (“better”) in Hebrews 1:4. You’ll notice, “kreitton” is used as a descriptive term of quality. Christ was qualitatively better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4). Likewise, “meizon” is used to describe the Father being “greater” in terms of position. John 14:28 does not say that the Father is qualitatively better, or qualitatively greater than Jesus. As Dr. Walter Martin wrote in regards to Christ, “Since His intrinsic Nature is that of Deity (John 8:58, compare Colossians 2:9), therefore qualitatively He was God manifest in the flesh, while quantitatively speaking He was limited as a man and could in all truthfulness state 'My Father is greater than I.’”
John 14 is actually apart of the same discourse of John 13 (as well as John 15), where in John 13:16, the very term "meizon" ("greater") is used prior as Christ speaks of Himself being sent by the Father, "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater ["meizon"] than his master, nor is one who is sent greater ["meizon"] than the one who sent him." A slave, in terms of office, is not positionally greater than his/her master. Likewise, the One sent is not greater than the One whom sent Him in terms of office/position.
This being said, you seem to be either overlooking or completely forgetting about the incarnation of Christ (Philippians 2:1-8, John 1:1-18), whom from Eternity existed as God (Philippians 2:1-8, John 1:1-18), and was made just for a little while lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9), being born under the Law (Galatians 4:4) and in the likeness of man (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7), the sinless and perfect lamb of God was put to death in order to redeem the elect of God. The Eternal One took on the likeness of man so that He would be qualified as the High Priest, and so that He could give His life away, for He could not die in His former state (Hebrews 2:17). By taking on the flesh (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7) and being born under the Law (Galatians 4:4), Christ, as a man, could rightfully say things like, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Jesus had humbled Himself in the incarnation and was cooperating with the limitations of being a man while acting under Jewish law.
Objection #2: 1 Corinthians 11:3 states that God is the head of Jesus.
My Response:
1 Corinthians 11:3, ‘But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.’
This is closely tied with the response given for John 14:28. You have to very careful how you read the text, some just give a quick glance with little or no thought at all, and the result of that is often the thought that Jesus is ontologically inferior to the Father. If one is to argue that 1 Corinthians 11:3 somehow proves that Jesus is ontologically inferior to the Father, then for the sake of consistency, they would also have to say the same regarding the woman to the man! Though a wife is subject to her husband in the Lord, she is not inferior to him by nature -- the man and woman are ontological equals. The same is true with the relationship between the Lord Jesus and the Father – Father and Son are equal in nature, just as a man and his wife are equal in nature.
Objection #3: The Holy Spirit is the energy of God.
My Response:
The argument that is often times heard is that the "Holy Spirit" is in the neuter gender ("pneuma"); however, genders don't always indicate personality, for John 16:13-14 uses the masculine form as a reference to the Holy Spirit. While normal pronouns used for the Spirit are in the neuter, ekeinos, is in the masculine, translated as "He." Non-functional and impersonal things can have masculine or feminine genders, and personal things can likewise have neuter genders.
Let's assume that the Unitarian position is absolutely true, and that God is only one single Person -- the Father. If God is one Person, and God is spirit ["pneuma"] (John 4:24 ), are we to believe that the Father is just some impersonal and inanimate "energy force" that just caused creation to come into existance?
I must ask, what evidences are there that the Father is personal and not impersonal? Well, it's obvious -- He talks, He thinks, He has emotions, He acts. And the same way that we would demonstrate the personhood of the Father or the Son, so too, we can use to demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is a Person, and not an inanimate force.
Perhaps one of the clearest examples of the personhood of the Holy Spirit is the usage of personal pronouns of Himself -- "I," "Me," "My."
"While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” (Acts 10:19-20)
"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)
"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)
The word translated "wills," as seen in 1 Corinthians 12:11 is "boulami," and is only used of persons and refers to the voluntary act of the will. The Son reveals the Father to whomever He wills (Matthew 11:27, "boulami"), and likewise, the Father so too has a will (Hebrews 6:17). The Son's willing is an act of a Person, and likewise is the Father's willing, too, an act of a Person. How can we avoid recognizing that the gifts of the Spirit to the church, as He freely wills to do so, makes Him a Person?
"And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 'THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,' He then says, 'AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.'"
"'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,' declares the LORD. 'But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,' declares the LORD, 'I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,' declares the LORD, 'for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.'”
"'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,' declares the LORD. 'But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,' declares the LORD, 'I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,' declares the LORD, 'for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.'”
G
Correction: "Let's assume that the Unitarian position is absolutely true, and that God is only one single Person -- the Father. If God is one Person, and God is spirit ["pneuma"] (John 4:24 ), are we to believe that the Father is just some impersonal and inanimate "energy force" that just caused creation to come into existence?"