Those two Greek words are both used for begotten. Study those Greek words I gave you.
Are you a Trinitarian, and if so, can you defend the doctrine?
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God the Father is not the Son or Holy Spirit.
God the Son is not the Father or the Holy Spirit.
God the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son.
The Father is one Person.
The Son is one Person.
The Holy Spirit is one Person.
Each of them are not one Being. They are one Being, one in essence, three Persons.
So for those who can defend the trinity, how will you answer the following question if the following question was put to you “How many is The Supreme Being? One or Three?“
To be clearer, if a Jew or a Muslim or others who are strictly monotheistic was to ask you this question, how would you answer?
Saying one Being and three Persons is like saying one Being and three Beings. A person is a living being.
Now obviously my question was not clear enough, so I will ask the question again and be more clear. If you are asked this question by someone and you are asked to provide a single word response how would you answer? Assume the person who asked the question is not interested in a sentence as a response, but is after a single word answer. “How many is The Supreme Being? One or Three?“ You only have one of two available answers to choose from "one" or "three"
So if those who are strictly monotheistic can answer this question with a simple one word response, without any difficulty, why cannot those who support and defend the trinity answer a simple question in a one word response?
You can’t give just a one word answer to this. The reason why Muslims accuse us of not being monotheistic is because Allah is one god. He’s a false god, but their god. That’s why they accuse us of being polytheistic. We are not polytheistic but monotheistic. That’s why a one word answer would never suffice.
It would be just as hard to describe the hypostatic union. Describing that and the Trinity in only one word is impossible.
This statement makes no sense, and I will explain my reasons why. Monotheism is the belief in only One Supreme Being. A person who is truly monotheistic will answer this question without difficulty. Now I am sorry to say this, but for some reason, those who support and defend the trinity cannot answer that question if it is put to them. There are Unitarian Christians out there who are strictly monotheistic, and when I say monotheistic, I refer to the belief of One Supreme Being. One being One.
Even in John 17.3, when reading in context with other verses concerned, to use the same language, The Father is the only true God, and when reading in context, we see that Jesus Christ was sent by The Father.
Now in John 14.28, ".......My father is greater than I" What do you understand from this?
There is one God. However, God is one Being consisting of three Persons. That is how Christianity has defined it for CENTURIES. Now some ppl come along and think the Church has gotten it all wrong for CENTURIES and try to redefine who God is.
Remember, the Christ willfully submitted to the Father. As it says "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."[Hebrews 2:9] While He was on earth He was subject to pain, hunger, grief, doing #1 and #2, all things mankind goes through, yet without sin. He submitted to the Father to die for us.
@Noose & @Alertandawake
I am going to unequivocally show you both that the Christ is indeed God. And that there are Three that make up one Being, one God.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.[Genesis 1:1] Here we see plainly that it was God who created everything that is shown in Genesis 1. This is unmistakable.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.[John 1:1-5] We can see that the Word is explicitly stated as being God. It also says He was in the beginning with God. This shows that there are more than one Person being spoken of here. We see God the Father and God the Son BOTH being spoken of here. It cannot be any clearer than it states it here.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.[John 1:14] The same Word in John 1:1 is the same Word here. The Word, the Son of God, who is also called God in verse 1, is the One who became flesh. This is referring to the Word's incarnation.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.[Colossians 1:15-19] Again, here is another clear reference to the Son. It was by Him that all things were created. In Genesis 1 it says that God created all things. So, Jesus is indeed God.
I am going to unequivocally show you both that the Christ is indeed God. And that there are Three that make up one Being, one God.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.[Genesis 1:1] Here we see plainly that it was God who created everything that is shown in Genesis 1. This is unmistakable.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.[John 1:1-5] We can see that the Word is explicitly stated as being God. It also says He was in the beginning with God. This shows that there are more than one Person being spoken of here. We see God the Father and God the Son BOTH being spoken of here. It cannot be any clearer than it states it here.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.[John 1:14] The same Word in John 1:1 is the same Word here. The Word, the Son of God, who is also called God in verse 1, is the One who became flesh. This is referring to the Word's incarnation.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.[Colossians 1:15-19] Again, here is another clear reference to the Son. It was by Him that all things were created. In Genesis 1 it says that God created all things. So, Jesus is indeed God.
@Noose & @Alertandawake
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.[Philippians 2:5-11] This emptying does not mean that He emptied Himself of His divine attributes, but they He chose not to always use them. He still raised the dead, was able to heal miles away, knew ppl's thoughts, &c. But, it says He existed in the form of God. The Christ is just as much God as the Father and Holy Spirit are God. There is not one Person larger than the other Two, but all Three are co-equal, co-eternal.
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.[Philippians 2:5-11] This emptying does not mean that He emptied Himself of His divine attributes, but they He chose not to always use them. He still raised the dead, was able to heal miles away, knew ppl's thoughts, &c. But, it says He existed in the form of God. The Christ is just as much God as the Father and Holy Spirit are God. There is not one Person larger than the other Two, but all Three are co-equal, co-eternal.
Sackcloth-N-Ashes
With respect, your responses have not answered my previous question. In John 17.3, Jesus made it perfectly clear who the only true God is.
John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
Now when read in context, with the other verses before it, the "thee" here is referring to The Father. And who sent Jesus Christ? The Father.
Now in John 13.16, we clearly see a reference that he that is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. Since Jesus Christ is sent by The Father, The Father is greater.
John 14.28, ".......my Father is greater than I." How can Jesus be co-equal, when he admits The Father is greater?
John 6:38 "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." Now when we examine carefully that verse, there is evidence of two individual beings. Analyze that verse carefully, one is given the orders, and another is obeying orders. The one obeying orders is not equal to the one giving the orders.
In Matthew 28.18 you see this reference ".....All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" The greek word here for power is G1849 exousia, and another alternative would that could be used in is authority. Now if a person is given authority or powers to do something, it stands to reason at some point in time, before given said authority, such a person would not of had such authority in the first place. The one who gives the authority is the one in a position of power to do so.
With respect, your responses have not answered my previous question. In John 17.3, Jesus made it perfectly clear who the only true God is.
John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
Now when read in context, with the other verses before it, the "thee" here is referring to The Father. And who sent Jesus Christ? The Father.
Now in John 13.16, we clearly see a reference that he that is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. Since Jesus Christ is sent by The Father, The Father is greater.
John 14.28, ".......my Father is greater than I." How can Jesus be co-equal, when he admits The Father is greater?
John 6:38 "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." Now when we examine carefully that verse, there is evidence of two individual beings. Analyze that verse carefully, one is given the orders, and another is obeying orders. The one obeying orders is not equal to the one giving the orders.
In Matthew 28.18 you see this reference ".....All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" The greek word here for power is G1849 exousia, and another alternative would that could be used in is authority. Now if a person is given authority or powers to do something, it stands to reason at some point in time, before given said authority, such a person would not of had such authority in the first place. The one who gives the authority is the one in a position of power to do so.
For the reference above where I typed "one is given the orders, and another is obeying orders", it should read as follows - "one is giving the orders and the other is obeying orders ". Just a typing error I didn't pick up before.
You passed over every passage I gave you and readily dismissed them. The reason why the Christ was saying His Father was greater than Him was because He became a man and that is attested to by the Hebrews writer in Hebrews 2. He submitted to the Father's will that He would be the One who would become flesh and live as a man. The Father did not do this, neither did the Holy Spirit.
They are two distinct persons, not two distinct beings.
Men will also share in the divine nature at some point and i don't think God will be 4 persons in one being at that point either:
2 Pet 1:…4Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
And your point above still doesn't prove trinity.
My argument is not necessarily about the divinity of Christ but description of God. All i'm saying is that God is not three persons, one being or one essence.
If you could only show how three distinct persons are not distinct (are one), i will be a happy man.