Ok.. now concerning the Trinity
I sat down with a church member a few years ago.. and he showed me how when looking at the Trinity.. the lines between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not as distinct as many believe.
For example.. in Revelation.. which is Jesus' revelation to the seven churches.. goes from Jesus speaking to the churches to the Holy Spirit.. and not only that but the Father is also in Revelation included with Jesus. In all these instances they are doing the same thing and not really separated out from each-other.
There are many other verses like this such as the verse- 'God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth'... when you keep reading on from this verse-- it is a reference to Jesus. Because Jesus says to the lady that He is that which she was going to worship.. the Messiah she is waiting for.
The other issue I have is this:
If God is actually three beings.. and we meet all three in heaven.. that looks to me like polytheism.
So what I have come to from looking at scripture.. is ONE being expressing Himself in three ways. He can express Himself in all 3 ways at the same time. When we die.. we just meet God- not Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit as seperate beings.
Jesus is God.. the Father is God.. the Holy Spirit is God. But they are not as distinct from each-other as many would say given the above examples of scripture.
Now this is not modalism or oneness theology. The Father didn't become the Son.. the Son didn't become the Spirit.. they have always been co-existing, co-eternal, completely divine as one being.
Like our own bodies-- we are one being but with a body, mind and spirit.
Like water-- which can be ice, water and steam.
Like light- when put through a prism is variations of shade of 3 base colours.
The essence is completely one substance.. but the expression is plural.
So.. I think I agree with orthodox Trinity views of one being in three persons... but the distinction between the persons I don't see so clearly given some scriptures which seem to show them doing each-other's jobs and doing the exact same thing (another example being when we are given eternal life-- the Father gives it.. Jesus also gives it.. and the Holy Spirit seals us.
Anyway... any advice/comments?
I sat down with a church member a few years ago.. and he showed me how when looking at the Trinity.. the lines between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not as distinct as many believe.
For example.. in Revelation.. which is Jesus' revelation to the seven churches.. goes from Jesus speaking to the churches to the Holy Spirit.. and not only that but the Father is also in Revelation included with Jesus. In all these instances they are doing the same thing and not really separated out from each-other.
There are many other verses like this such as the verse- 'God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth'... when you keep reading on from this verse-- it is a reference to Jesus. Because Jesus says to the lady that He is that which she was going to worship.. the Messiah she is waiting for.
The other issue I have is this:
If God is actually three beings.. and we meet all three in heaven.. that looks to me like polytheism.
So what I have come to from looking at scripture.. is ONE being expressing Himself in three ways. He can express Himself in all 3 ways at the same time. When we die.. we just meet God- not Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit as seperate beings.
Jesus is God.. the Father is God.. the Holy Spirit is God. But they are not as distinct from each-other as many would say given the above examples of scripture.
Now this is not modalism or oneness theology. The Father didn't become the Son.. the Son didn't become the Spirit.. they have always been co-existing, co-eternal, completely divine as one being.
Like our own bodies-- we are one being but with a body, mind and spirit.
Like water-- which can be ice, water and steam.
Like light- when put through a prism is variations of shade of 3 base colours.
The essence is completely one substance.. but the expression is plural.
So.. I think I agree with orthodox Trinity views of one being in three persons... but the distinction between the persons I don't see so clearly given some scriptures which seem to show them doing each-other's jobs and doing the exact same thing (another example being when we are given eternal life-- the Father gives it.. Jesus also gives it.. and the Holy Spirit seals us.
Anyway... any advice/comments?