The Trinity

[Classik]

I know how controversial the issue of the Trinity has been here and elsewhere and everywhere. People are yet to understand this. This thread is not about the equlity thing about the Trinity.

I just have some questions:
* Do they (God, Christ, The Holy Spirit) have specific roles in the lives of a christian?

* How do we pray or relate/communicate with each of them in prayer, worship etc? ( Some say: Jesus, save me from this temptation; God, save me from this temptation, Holy Spirit, save me from this temptation)

* How about switching roles?
* Before Christ came and promised us the Spirit there probably was God alone and man, or a Duality: or God and the Spirit and man or God and Christ and man. And how were the people of the OT able to cope without the Holy Spirit?
* I used to think at a point God wanted to ignore man, and Jesus on the cross was kind of saying: Father, forgive them. There seems to be two opinions. Also, many see God as an I-don't tolerate-nonsense kind of God while Christ is a Please-forgive-and-give-them-a-chance kind of God. What do you think?
I'm curious
Thanks, all

 

[Hitch]

I know how controversial the issue of the Trinity has been here and elsewhere and everywhere. People are yet to understand this. This thread is not about the equlity thing about the Trinity.

I just have some questions:
* Do they (God, Christ, The Holy Spirit) have specific roles in the lives of a christian?

Currently the personal presence of the Father and Christ is heaven, the Holy Spirit is and has been very active on earth for 2,000 years. Christ is active as High Priest and Mediator.

* How do we pray or relate/communicate with each of them in prayer, worship etc? ( Some say: Jesus, save me from this temptation; God, save me from this temptation, Holy Spirit, save me from this temptation)

We are drawn to Christ by the Spirit, we are reminded of Christ's teaching (the Scriptures) by the Spirit

* How about switching roles?

No. Christ had to suffer temptation (take on human form) to satisfy all that is necessary in his priestly position.

* Before Christ came and promised us the Spirit there probably was God alone and man, or a Duality: or God and the Spirit and man or God and Christ and man. And how were the people of the OT able to cope without the Holy Spirit?

The Spirit was is and has always been active, and he was certainly present in the prophets and all who were regenerate.

* I used to think at a point God wanted to ignore man, and Jesus on the cross was kind of saying: Father, forgive them. There seems to be two opinions. Also, many see God as an I-don't tolerate-nonsense kind of God while Christ is a Please-forgive-and-give-them-a-chance kind of God. What do you think?
I'm curious
Thanks, all

I think that famous quote was for and aimed directly at the soldiers actually performing the wishes of the apostate jews who are clearly labled by NT revelation as his murders. Jesus had previously warned the apostates that God had laid up all the blood guilt on them.

 

[Classik]

We did a lot of funny things when we were much younger. Whenever I remember them I kind of laugh. I think some are faced with these problems too. Even, me (unconsciously) I kind of see God as completely different.


---
In those days when we were much younger, and when we were some bunch of freaks and fools (judging from my understanding of Christianity today) we used to think God was so strict and Jesus was so kind. We kind of feared God more than Jesus. But we believed God was a very strong and powerful God and Christ was less powerful.

So, when we prayed, we said things like: The Blood of God, thinking since God was more powerful HIS blood would be a lot more powerful than the Blood of Jesus. So we usually said: The Blood of God, thinking saying that would more readily and effectively destroy the power of the enemy.

We did a lot of stupid thing, of course ignorantly.

 

[WIP]

I personally believe that God is all three and all three "is" God. So in that respect I don't refer to the Godhead as "they" but rather God. Likewise, I believe each is an individual. This may seem confusing to some but I don't dwell on it for I know that all things are possible with God. Can God be singular? Yes. Can God be all three at once? Yes.

 

[Pard]

I view it in the same way as a machine. When we speak of a machine, like say a computer, we just call it a "computer" and ignore the intricate parts that go into making that computer actually work. In reality a computer is more than just a single machine, it is many machines that are combined to be better than any single one.

In the same respect the Trinity/Godhead is made of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

And back to your other questions...

I don't see the need to worry about communicating to each of them. The Holy Spirit is always at work within you, it's that part of you that you are constantly in communication with in your own head. The Father, that's easy enough, people pray to Him all the time. The Son, again people pray to Him all the time. A lot of the time its interchangeable, and at others you pray specifically to one or the other.

There is no role changing. You are who you are, and They are who They are.

Lastly, the Trinity has always been. Once you know the Trinity exists you can turn to the VERY first chapter of the Bible (Genesis 1) and in the VERY first few lines you will see that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost each take a part in creation.

 

[Tina]

To me the salient difference between God and Jesus is found in John 15.


John 15:14-15
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.


Of course Jesus is God, Lord and Savior , but I also regard Him as my Best Friend ! :twolove :adore

I rant to Jesus quite a lot, hope He doesn't mind ...


Otherwise, I usually pray to God in the name of Jesus just as commanded in the Bible. For some reason we call on the Holy Spirit more during house blessings..

 

[farouk]

The end of Matthew 28 is another significant passage relating to God in Three Persons, linked with the baptismal formula and the Great Gospel Commission.