I’m doing some reading on the united Pentecostal church and their doctrine of the trinity.
My problem is that I grew up in my walk with the idea of modal ism. I understand that this is heresy, and I understand that the other end is polytheism. So what I am asking, is for a better explanation of God’s trinitarian nature.
All works must be cited in MLA format, keep responses less than 5 words, and all posters must sacrifice 2 heifers, 1 lamb, and 2 African laden swallows carrying a coconut.
Kevin Richardson
Some simple truths:
The trinity cannot be fully explained. It is not possible. If it could be explained fully, then we as a finite creation still could not grasp it in its fullness.
So, the best we can do is to understand what we are told about the “three-in-one” God head.
We are told that There is one God. We are told that While Jesus was among Humans, the Spirit was observed working as well, just as the Father was. So humanity wittnessed all three present at once. That seems to rule out Modalism.
But, that is a view from within the sphere of Time and Space, where God is able to manipulate time and space to His will. Therefore it would be possible, within the modalist system, for God in his three separate, but equal, natures to work at once, but one at a time.
So we must look outside “time and space” for the best evidence. One evidence is that the recorded statement of God in the plural. God reasons with himself, and says “we” when referring to himself. That is pretty strong. But that statement must be balanced with the oft statements of there being “one” God. So, the evidence given in the Bible best describes God as One, and as three. Both then must be true.
This idea of “Modalism + Pluralism” that we see clearly in the Bible (And it can never be reasoned as either, but both) is only a limited view of God as we can understand Him. Both ideas (One God, and Three Gods) are heresy alone, but absolute truth when viewed together as the Bible presents them.
The simple truth is this:
By faith, God is what he says He is, and no more or less than what He says He is. What He says must be true, and we cannot add to what God says about Himself, regardless how we feel about supporting evidence. God is God, and is exclusively qualified, and able, to define Himself with no help from a febel, finite creation.
Comment by woodyhambrick — January 5, 2009 @ 1:42 pm |
You still have my Grudem systematic right?
Comment by Chris — January 5, 2009 @ 4:50 pm |
Yes, but it was difficult for me to absorb. I was hoping for some different imagery.
Comment by philmorebuts — January 5, 2009 @ 5:03 pm |
try this…
Comment by Chris — January 5, 2009 @ 5:11 pm |