The first thing I would like to do is correct you on what "you" think the Trinity is from what you stated. There is only "ONE" God who chose to manifest Himself as three persons that are identified in Scripture as God. They are not three beings of God or not three Gods because that would be "Polytheism."
And yes, Jesus Christ as the Son of God is equal to His Father in nature, (and so is the Holy Spirit) because all three have the same nature or essence yet they are "distinct" persons, not three separate persons. At John 5:17 Jesus said, MY FATHER is working until now, and I Myself am working." What do the Jews say at vs18? "For this cause the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because (or why Tim)? He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD."
At John 8:56 Jesus says to the Jews, "You father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Vs57, "The Jews therefore said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Vs58, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." Vs59, "Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple." Can you please tell me why the Jews wanted to stone Jesus Tim?
John 10:30, "I and the Father, we are one." (One what Tim?) When Jesus said this the Jews at vs31, "The Jews took up stones AGAIN to stone Him." Why Tim? At vs32 Jesus says, "I showed you many good works from the Fatherf for which of them are you stoning Me?" Vs33, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, MAKE YOURSELF GOD." (Did Jesus commit blasphemy Tim, yes or no?)
John 19:7, "The Jews answered Him, We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because (or why Tim?) He make Himself the Son of God." This is from the trial record of Jesus and Matthew 26::57-66 covers the trial extensively. In fact, so extensively the high priest Caiaphas at Matthew 26:63 says, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether (1) You are the Christ/Messiah and (2) the Son of God?"
The high is asking Jesus to swear an oath to God that He is the Messiah the Son of God. At Luke 22:70 Jesus says, "Yes, I am." At Matthew 26:65 the high priest "tore his robes, saying, He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have heard the blasphemy." He is deserving of death! (vs66).
So what was the blasphemy Jesus committed Tim? And is it blasphemy to claim to be the Messiah? Is it blasphemy to claim to be the Son of God?
You also brought up John 14:28, "The Father is greater than I." The Father is greater than Jesus in position, why is that? Because according to Philippians 2:5-8, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, vs6, who, ALTHOUGH He existed in the form of God, (although means "in spite of the fact" that Jesus existed as God) did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, vs7, "but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men"
This means Jesus Christ existed as God all along but when the Father sent Him into the world Jesus did not cling to His prerogatives of deity. In other words He did not use His Godly attributes to His advantage. He was truly a 100% human being that was dependent on His Father in all things just like were suppose to do.
Regarding the Trinity please look at it this way. There are billions of human beings. Our nature is that of human. You are the person of your father or mother. You are your own person and what you have in common as do I is we all have the same nature. Just like Gods nature is shared by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Gods nature is what separates us from all that is not God. A birds nature or an animals nature distinguishes them from each other. It's a universal law that a son shares the same nature as its father.
Oh yea, what about the Holy Spirit? Read the following:
"The Holy Spirit is said to have at least 73 personal characteristics in the Bible. The Bible does not say Paul 's spirit or anyone else has those characteristics.
…..Personal characteristics of the Holy Spirit, Access to God, Anoints for Service, Assures, Authors Scripture, Baptizes, Believers Born of, Calls and Commissions, Cleanses, Comforts, Communion with believers, Convicts of sin, Counsels, Creates, Empowers, Empowers Believers, Fellowship with believers, Fills, Forbids action, Gives gifts, Glorifies Christ, Guides in truth, Helps our weakness, Indwells believers, Inspires prayer, Intercedes, Interprets Scripture, Leads, Liberates, Molds Character, Produces fruit, Raises from the dead, Regenerates, Reveals, Sanctifies, Seals, Sends, Sent, Strengthens, Testifies of Jesus, Victory over flesh, Warns, Worship helper
The Holy Spirit
…..The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. He is fully God. He is eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, has a distinct will, a distinct mind, a distinct self, and can speak. He is alive. He is a person. He is not particularly visible in the Bible because His ministry is to bear witness of Jesus (John 15:26).
…..Some heterodox religious groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, etc., claim e.g. that the Holy Spirit is nothing but an impersonal force (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 406-407). This is totally false. If the Holy Spirit was merely an impersonal force or power, He could not speak (Acts 13:2); He could not be grieved (Eph 4:30); and He would not have a will (1 Cor 12:11), a self, (John 16:13), or a mind, (Rom 8:27).
…..There are, at least, seventy three (73) personal characteristics or attributes, listed in scripture for the Holy Spirit and He is a person the same as the Father and the Son are, within the Trinity.
Names of the Spirit (7)
1. God -Acts of the Apostles 5:3-4, Acts of the Apostles 28:25-27, Hebrews 3:7-11, Hebrews 10:15-17
2. Lord - 2 Corinthians 3:18
3. Spirit - 1 Corinthians 2:10
4. Spirit of God - 1 Corinthians 3:16
5. Spirit of Truth - John 15:26
6. Eternal Spirit - Hebrews 9:14
7. Spirit of Jesus – Acts of the Apostles 16:7
Attributes of (9)
8. Eternal –Hebrews 9:14
9. Omnipotent - Luke 1:35
10. Omnipresent - Psalms 139:7-8
11. Distinct will from the father and the son– 1 Corinthians 12:11
1 Cor 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12. Loves - Romans 15:30
13. Speaks - Acts of the Apostles 8:29; Acts of the Apostles 13:2
14. Distinct mind from the father and the son– Romans 8:27
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
15. Distinct self from the father and the son – John 16:13
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
16. Alive – John 14:17
Symbols of (3)
17. Dove - Matthew 3:15
18. Wind - John 3:5
19. Fire - Acts of the Apostles 2:3
Sins Against (6)
20. Blasphemy - Matthew 12:31
21. Resist (Unbelief) - Acts of the Apostles 7:51
22. Insult - Hebrews 10:29
23. Lied to - Acts of the Apostles 5:3
24. Grieved - Ephesians 4:30
25. Quench - 1 Thessalonians 5:19
Power in Christ's Life (6)
26. Conceived of - Matthew 1:18-20
27. Baptism - Matthew 3:15
28. Led by - Luke 4:1
29. Filled with Power - Luke 4:14,18
30. Witness of Jesus - John 15:26
31. Raised Jesus - Romans 8:11
The Works of the Holy Spirit (42)
1 Access to God - Ephesians 2:18
2 Anoints for Service - Luke 4:18
3 Assures - Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:6
4 Authors Scripture - 2 Peter 1:20-21
5 Baptizes - John 1:32-34; 1 Corinthians 12:13-14
6 Believers Born of - John 3:3-6
7 Calls and Commissions - Acts of the Apostles 13:24; Acts of the Apostles 20:28
8 Cleanses - 2 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:2
9 Comforts - Acts of the Apostles 9:31
10 Communion with believers – 2 Corinthians 13:14
11 Convicts of sin - John 16:9,14
12 Counsels - John 14:16
13 Creates - Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4
14 Empowers - 1 Thessalonians 1:5
15 Empowers Believers - Luke 24:49
16 Fellowship with believers – Philippians 2:1
17 Fills - Acts of the Apostles 2:4; Acts of the Apostles 4:29-31; Acts of the Apostles 5:18-20; Acts of the Apostles 9:17
18 Forbids action - Acts of the Apostles 16:6
19 Gives gifts - 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
20 Glorifies Christ - John 16:14
21 Guides in truth - John 16:13
22 Helps our weakness - Romans 8:26
23 Indwells believers - Romans 8:9-14; Galatians 4:6
24 Inspires prayer – Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20
25 Intercedes -Romans 8:26
26 Interprets Scripture - 1 Corinthians 2:1,14; Ephesians 1:17
27 Leads - Romans 8:14
28 Liberates - Romans 8:2
29 Molds Character - Galatians 5:22-23
30 Produces fruit - Galatians 5:22-23
31 Raises from the dead - Romans 8:11
32 Regenerates - Titus 3:5
33 Reveals – Luke 2:26
34 Sanctifies - Romans 15:16
35 Seals - Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30
36 Sends - Acts of the Apostles 13:4
37 Sent - Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:12
38 Strengthens - Ephesians 3:16; Acts of the Apostles 1:8; 2:4; 1 Corinthians 2:4
39 Testifies of Jesus - John 15:26
40 Victory over flesh - Romans 8:2-4; Galatians 4:6
41 Warns – Acts of the Apostles 20:23
42 Worship helper – Philippians 3:3
[92] Total scripture"
This stuff is not hard to understand. And btw, I just touched on this issue, I can give much more evidence.
IN GOD THE SON,
bluto