How can the trinity be one God?

[Edward]

The Holy Spirit is absolutely a person. With His own personality. Jesus is too.

We are too. Our spirit within us has a mind of his own that is separate (yet connected) to us, flesh mind n body. Our spirit speaks to us.

 

[Razeontherock]

Correction: That should be he didn't count it a thing to be achieved, because equality with God is impossible. Even being in the form of God didn't make him equal to God. I'm assuming Paul knows the Father is greater than the Son and that they are One.

That passage doesn't say anything about "equality with God is impossible." That seems to be the foundation for your stance. It isn't there!

 

[Jim Parker]

Correction: That should be he didn't count it a thing to be achieved, because equality with God is impossible. Even being in the form of God didn't make him equal to God. I'm assuming Paul knows the Father is greater than the Son and that they are One.

There are two types of beings in existence: Deity and creatures.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Deity.
Everything else are creatures. (Created things.)

Even being in the form of God didn't make him equal to God.

So, being in the "form of God" would be like being a little bit pregnant?

 

[Razeontherock]

So, being in the "form of God" would be like being a little bit pregnant?

Plus there's the "assuming" part, about what Paul wrote. What could possibly go wrong?!?

 

[Jim Parker]

Plus there's the "assuming" part, about what Paul wrote. What could possibly go wrong?!?

Let's see.... JWs, Mormons, Christian science, Oneness Pentecostal, People's Temple, Branch Davidian, Children of God, the Jesus Seminar, the Unification Church, Worldwide Church of God, etc. etc. etc.
Oh, and then there's the returned Jesus: "INRI Cristo"


Can I get an "Oi veh!"?

iakov the fool

 

[Sweet Orchid]

I wonder if anyone has noticed the hook thread that this is?
Someone assumed an identity, posted once, this thread, and never appeared again. Or did they? When 23 pages built on one post.

This threads answer reading the belief statement of these boards isn't actually able to be answered and not get reported for violating those constraints.

 

[that fizzy guy]

I wonder if anyone has noticed the hook thread that this is?
Someone assumed an identity, posted once, this thread, and never appeared again. Or did they? When 23 pages built on one post.

This threads answer reading the belief statement of these boards isn't actually able to be answered and not get reported for violating those constraints.

Lol yeah it happens the appropriate term is "troll" for such people.

 

[JLB]

Problem is the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; He is no more a person than your spirit is a person.

Matthew 3:16
And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him;

Is there some reason you think he is a person and not a dove? I mean besides your training, is there a reason?

Please post the scripture that says the Holy Spirit is a dove.


The scripture you referred to certainly does not say the Holy Spirit is a dove.

He descended "like" a dove.


A dove is a bird, a created thing.


The Holy Spirit is God, and is one with The Father and the Son.



JLB

 

[MarkT]

The Holy Spirit is absolutely a person. With His own personality. Jesus is too.

We are too. Our spirit within us has a mind of his own that is separate (yet connected) to us, flesh mind n body. Our spirit speaks to us.

Actually your spirit is what makes you a living being. Man is not just a clay vessel. He has the breath of life in himself. He has intelligence and ability.

Genesis 2:7
then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

When you die, your spirit returns to God.

Ecclesiastes 12:7
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Likewise the Holy Spirit is what makes God the living God. ie. He has life in himself.

 

[MarkT]

That passage doesn't say anything about "equality with God is impossible." That seems to be the foundation for your stance. It isn't there!

It's something you can not attain ie. Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. Phil. 2:5-7 RSV

 

[MarkT]

There are two types of beings in existence: Deity and creatures.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Deity.
Everything else are creatures. (Created things.)

So, being in the "form of God" would be like being a little bit pregnant?

It means he was in the form of God. Being in the form of God means he had the appearance of the Father.

 

[MarkT]

Please post the scripture that says the Holy Spirit is a dove.


The scripture you referred to certainly does not say the Holy Spirit is a dove.

He descended "like" a dove.


A dove is a bird, a created thing.


The Holy Spirit is God, and is one with The Father and the Son.



JLB

John 1:32
And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.

Certainly John saw something which looked like a dove.

 

[stovebolts]

John 1:32
And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.

Certainly John saw something which looked like a dove.

That's funny, when you read "as a" you see a literal dove. When I read "as a", I see something elegant, like how pretty a dove descends in flight. I dont see a literal dove.
Gotta love the english language huh?

 

[JLB]

John 1:32
And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.

Certainly John saw something which looked like a dove.

The Lord God has wings.


He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the [a]fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
Psalms 91:1-4

If the sons of God, angels, have wings, why would it be difficult to believe that the Lord God has wings?

A spirit is an angel, who is called a son of God.


If the Spirit of God descends like a dove who has wings then we can understand, that the Spirit of God has wings.




JLB

 

[MarkT]

That's funny, when you read "as a" you see a literal dove. When I read "as a", I see something elegant, like how pretty a dove descends in flight. I dont see a literal dove.
Gotta love the english language huh?

John saw something that looked like a dove. I can't read it any other way.

 

[stovebolts]

John saw something that looked like a dove. I can't read it any other way.

How about the account in Luke?
Matthew's account would be a nice contrast as well.

 

[MarkT]

The Lord God has wings.


He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the [a]fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
Psalms 91:1-4

If the sons of God, angels, have wings, why would it be difficult to believe that the Lord God has wings?

A spirit is an angel, who is called a son of God.


If the Spirit of God descends like a dove who has wings then we can understand, that the Spirit of God has wings.




JLB

John saw something that looked like a dove. I take it he saw the Spirit in the form of a dove.

 

[MarkT]

How about the account in Luke?
Matthew's account would be a nice contrast as well.

Luke's account says the same thing.

Luke 3:22
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” RSV

 

[chessman]

John saw something that looked like a dove.

What else did John testify?

 

[Jim Parker]

It means he was in the form of God. Being in the form of God means he had the appearance of the Father.

Yes, that's part of it.
Col 1:15a "He is the image of the invisible God,..."

It means more than appearance.
Col 1:19 "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,..."
The word "fullness" is from the Greek word "pleroma" which refers to everything that is appropriate to deity.

Phl 2:5-8 Teaches that we should imitate Christ's humility.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
So, for the sake of love for mankind, God the Word, rather than holding on to everything that is is to be God, humbled himself and took the form of man in order to redeem man from the wages of sin (death) through His own death on the cross.

Christ was in the form of, and not just the appearance of, deity. This is attested to by the statement at Col 1:16; "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."

The One who created all things is God.