How do you reconcile the first Commandment with the trinity?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Bob-Carabbio

Well-known member
Jun 24, 2020
1,618
810
113
What name would you think God would use, other than God? John? James? Harry?
I learned that in grammar school - back when we started ever day with the "Pledge of allegiance", and the Lord's Prayer: "Our father which art in Heaven, Harold be thy name".
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,954
13,615
113
.
Ex 24:9-11 . .Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and
seventy of the elders of Israel: and they saw the God of Israel: and there
was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the
children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and
drink.


And yet:

Ex 33:20 . . You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.

John 1:18 . . No one has ever seen God

Plus:

There are many incidents throughout the Old Testament-- too numerous to
count --wherein folks heard an audible voice spoken by someone identifying
themselves as God and/or Jehovah. And yet:


John 5:37 . .The Father who sent me . . .you have never heard His voice.

That claim was addressed to the Jews; who I think would strongly disagree
seeing as how it can be easily shown that God/Jehovah spoke to their
patriarchs with a voice that could be heard and understood.
_
Clearly it is Christ.
 

stilllearning

Well-known member
Oct 4, 2021
598
307
63
Do you believe they are not contradictory? Why?
Do you rely on faith to believe they are consistent with each other? Is that an excuse or a reason?

Inquiring minds want to know! Leave your answers below, eh.
I don't find they contradict. For me personally I find that God from the beginning introduced the notion of one even though it contains different distinct individuals. God created man, singular yet said that one, was comprised of two distinctions, male and female. A man leaves his father and mother and becomes one flesh. We are one body yet we are comprised of many members. Both are definitions by God how he defines one.

I have oft wondered when God said let us create man in our image. Is there a possibility of the totality of that. Is it possible that by creating us as one yet two distinct individuals. He was actually creating us in that aspect of his image.

Not only do we have his word but he also put us in a real world situation that we live in daily so that we can better understand him, to have relationship with him. I have come to the conclusion myself that creation is by no means an accident but thought out to the last detail. I believe creation was purposeful as a way for God to have us live out who he is so we can better understand him.

For example we have parables that God and the kingdom can be likened to so that we can understand him and understand the nature of our relationship. I believe he created the natural so that we could understand the spiritual or him. Things like family, marriage, light, darkness, and etc. He created these as a lived out experience and real example to understand him for the purpose of understanding our relationship.

So I find that it is he who introduced the notion of being one can be comprised of separate distinct individuals. So there could be the possibility that being created in his image also includes man being created as one yet in two distinctions.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,138
30,285
113
I have oft wondered when God said let us create man in our image. Is there a possibility of the totality of that. Is it possible that by creating us as one yet two distinct individuals. He was actually creating us in that aspect of his image.

... So I find that it is he who introduced the notion of being one can be comprised of separate distinct individuals. So there could be the possibility that being created in his image also includes man being created as one yet in two distinctions.
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.


Hello stilllearning, always lovely to see you and hear your thoughts on a matter. I have been thinking about this "in the image of God" idea a bit of late also, because in Ezekiel we are told the entities which Ezekiel encountered were in the image of a man, and yet they each had four faces, feet like the hooves of calves, wings studded with eyes under which were hands, etc. LOL. How like a man is that really? .:unsure:o_O:giggle:

Many say being made in the image of God means something tripartite such as soul spirit emotions, and yet really the Bible does not articulate what it means at all beyond saying we were created in His image. I can think of that as being the image He held of how it would be, such as when an artist has an image of something in their mind and creates a likeness of it to represent it, something which may or may not resemble the artist in any way. Just a few random thoughts on the matter .:D. I do hope you are well .:)
 

SpeakTruth101

Active member
Aug 14, 2023
874
186
43
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.


Hello stilllearning, always lovely to see you and hear your thoughts on a matter. I have been thinking about this "in the image of God" idea a bit of late also, because in Ezekiel we are told the entities which Ezekiel encountered were in the image of a man, and yet they each had four faces, feet like the hooves of calves, wings studded with eyes under which were hands, etc. LOL. How like a man is that really? .:unsure:o_O:giggle:

Many say being made in the image of God means something tripartite such as soul spirit emotions, and yet really the Bible does not articulate what it means at all beyond saying we were created in His image. I can think of that as being the image He held of how it would be, such as when an artist has an image of something in their mind and creates a likeness of it to represent it, something which may or may not resemble the artist in any way. Just a few random thoughts on the matter .:D. I do hope you are well .:)
image is not really accurate, image makes one think of physical appearance. In the Hebrew it is likeness, which could have physical similarities or could not but have other similarities.

דְּמוּת likeness, similitude

Ezekiel 1:5-8, "and out of the midst of it came what looked like four living creatures. And this was their appearance מַרְאֶה : they had the likeness דְּמוּת of a man. And each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calves’ foot. And they sparkled like the appearance of polished bronze, and under their wings on their four sides were the hands of a man. And each of the four had faces and wings –

appearance is sight, appearance, vision; מַרְאֶה
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,138
30,285
113
Correction: in Ezekiel, the beings are said to be in the likeness of man...

image is not really accurate, image makes one think of physical appearance. In the Hebrew
it is likeness, which could have physical similarities or could not but have other similarities.
Thank you, I did realize that after posting, but had work matters to attend to...

Still, said to be in man's likeness with very much different does cause pause...
 

bluto

Senior Member
Aug 4, 2016
2,118
538
113
Clearly it is Christ.
Your absolutely right, it was the preincarnate Jesus Christ, (known as the angel of the Lord( who appeared to the Fathers and others in the Old Testament. It was not the person of God the Father. This is confirmed by Jesus Himself at John 5:37 and at John 6:46.

Webers.Home said this: "
Ex 24:9-11 . .Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and
seventy of the elders of Israel: and they saw the God of Israel: and there
was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the
children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and
drink."

He then said this:
And yet:

● Ex 33:20 . . You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.

● John 1:18 . . No one has ever seen God

Plus:

There are many incidents throughout the Old Testament-- too numerous to
count --wherein folks heard an audible voice spoken by someone identifying
themselves as God and/or Jehovah. And yet:

● John 5:37 . .The Father who sent me . . .you have never heard His voice.

That claim was addressed to the Jews; who I think would strongly disagree
seeing as how it can be easily shown that God/Jehovah spoke to their patriarchs with a voice that could be heard and understood.

The voice that was heard was God's voice and the designation Father is never mentioned in the OT. Also, the angel of the Lord was physically seen in the OT. Look what Hagar says the angel of the Lord at Genesis 16:13, "Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "Thou art a God who sees;" for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?"

The problem with Webers.Home is that he does not know how to reconcile these "apparent" contradictions with God can be seen and even talk from heaven with the words of Jesus where He cannot be seen. The answer is "obvious" (at least to some) that the angel of the Lord is God in the person of Jesus Christ. I'm writing this for your benefit because Webers.Home put me on his ignore list. Any other questions I will be happy to address.

IN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD,
bluto
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
Yes, I did, Brother. I thought it was very good.

  • Do you believe they are not contradictory? Why?
  • Do you rely on faith to believe they are consistent with each other? Is that an excuse or a reason?
They are not contradictory because they are part of the definition for the Trinity.
 

SpeakTruth101

Active member
Aug 14, 2023
874
186
43
Correction: in Ezekiel, the beings are said to be in the likeness of man...



Thank you, I did realize that after posting, but had work matters to attend to...

Still, said to be in man's likeness with very much different does cause pause...
Agreed, in the likeness how? Im not sure... Maybe a similar upright form? Thats all I could think?
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
That is not the definition of the Trinity.

"
One God, Three Persons

The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Philippians 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3–4). Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons.

For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), he cannot be the same person as the Son. Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father (John 16:10), the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world (John 14:26; Acts 2:33). Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son.
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
In the baptism of Jesus, we see the Father speaking from heaven and the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water (Mark 1:10–11). John 1:1 affirms that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that he was “with God,” thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (see also John 1:18). And in John 16:13–15, we see that although there is a close unity between the three persons, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son.

The fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons means, in other words, that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Jesus is God, but he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, but he is not the Son or the Father. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God.

The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. Thus, they relate to each other personally — the Father regards himself as “I” while he regards the Son and Holy Spirit as “you.” Likewise, the Son regards himself as “I,” but the Father and the Holy Spirit as “you.”

Often it is objected, “If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth.” But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to himself. In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialogue between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41–42; 17:1ff) that furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness.

Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a “force” than a Person. But the Holy Spirit is not an “it,” but a “he” (see John 14:26; 16:7–15; Acts 8:16). The fact that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force (like gravity), is also shown by the fact that he speaks (Hebrews 3:7), reasons (Acts 15:28), thinks and understands (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), feels (Ephesians 4:30), and gives personal fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). These are all qualities of personhood.

In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays.

Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. They are all eternal.

While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities.

Each Person is fully God. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is “one third” of God? Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts?

The doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one-hundred-percent God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each fully God. For example, Colossians 2:9 says of Christ, “in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” We should not think of God as a “pie” cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. Rather, “the being of each Person is equal to the whole being of God” (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1994, page 255). The divine essence is not something that is divided between the three persons, but is fully in all three persons without being divided into “parts.”

Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God; he is all of the being of God. The Father is not one-third of the being of God; he is all of the being of God. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. Thus, as Wayne Grudem writes, “When we speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together we are not speaking of any greater being than when we speak of the Father alone, the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone” (Ibid., 252).

There is only one God. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: “There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:21–22; see also Isaiah 44:6–8; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4–5; 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Kings 8:60).

Having seen that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, that they are each fully God, and that there is nonetheless only one God, we must conclude that all three Persons are the same God. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons.

If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: “Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? Surely not. Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. This can only be if they share one essence.

Is the Trinity Contradictory?

This leads us to investigate more closely a very helpful definition of the Trinity which I mentioned earlier: God is one in essence, but three in Person. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction.

In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of non-contradiction. This law states that A cannot be both A (what it is) and non-A (what it is not) at the same time and in the same relationship. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. For example, if I say that the moon is made entirely of cheese but then also say that the moon is not made entirely of cheese, I have contradicted myself.
..."
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-doctrine-of-the-trinity
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
Of real importance is that the concept represented by the word “Trinity” does exist in Scripture. The following is what God’s Word says about the Trinity:

1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).

2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for “us” is used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun “us” are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to more than two. While this is not an explicit argument for the Trinity, it does denote the aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for "God," "Elohim," definitely allows for the Trinity.

In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the event of Jesus’ baptism. Seen in this passage is God the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are other examples of passages that present three distinct Persons in the Trinity.

3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one from another in various passages. In the Old Testament, “LORD” is distinguished from “Lord” (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son (Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is distinguished from the “LORD” (Numbers 27:18) and from “God” (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider also the other instances when Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to another Person in the Trinity—the Father.

4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship and does not deny the deity of any Person of the Trinity. This is simply something our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son see Luke 22:42, John 5:36, John 20:21, and 1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit see John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and especially John 16:13-14.

6) The individual members of the Trinity have different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus’ human works (John 5:17; 14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.

The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15; Matthew 11:27; Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.

The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30); divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus’ works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus, the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
I strongly suspect that the supreme being has no personal identity by which
He might be addressed when spoken to by even His closest friends and/or
relatives.


The Word-- depicted by John 1:1-18- has released quite a bit of information
about God, but to my knowledge has yet to release His personal identity.


* Speaking of the supreme being's relatives: this is something that's nigh
unto impossible for me for me to fully comprehend.


At one time I was in grave danger of every man's worst nightmare; whereas
today I'm actually in God's genealogy, i.e. listed among His posterity, and in
line for an inheritance alongside His one and only begotten son by the
process of adoption; which is a process that not only gives kids inheritance
rights, but also the right to become identified with their new father.


"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God" (1John 3:1)


Christians are sometimes thought of as foster children, but foster kids have
no right to identify with the father in a foster home, and certainly no right to
a position in his family tree, nor a right to inherit.


There was a time when the Son was an only child, but now he's
accompanied by a horde of siblings.


"Behold I and the children which God hath given me." (Heb 2:13)

I was baptized an infant into the Catholic church and anon completed
enough catechism for First Holy Communion and Confirmation-- never once
did the instructors even so much as hint that it was possible to associate
with the supreme being as His kin folk; real honest to gosh family tied to
Him forever by the bonds of adoption. (Rom 8:15, Gal 4:5, Eph 1:5)
_
John 1:14
King James Version
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Son of God was not adopted, but Jesus as man was adopted as a King.
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,221
1,584
113
68
Brighton, MI
We know, whenever we SEE God, like how the People of the Old Testament saw the LORD [YHWH = MOST HIGH GOD], to Yahweh, to the Angel Jacob wrestled with and knew it was God, and then the New Testament with Jesus, is ALWAYS, the FATHER through the WORD, revealing Himself.

In Every literal Case, when we see a Physical Body Representation of the Father, it comes by way of humans actually looking at the WORD.

Even in the Destruction of Sodom, we see the LORD reigned down upon from the LORD in Heaven. The term LORD here, MOST HIGH GOD [YHWH] is the SAME PERSON for the LORD on Earth and the LORD in Heaven. We know, this is the WORD and the FATHER. But, we also know, the LORD here, is saying the SAME PERSON LORD is in 2 Places doing ONE ACTION.

It's almost, since we absolutely KNOW that GOD is SPIRIT, when He makes contact with us, He does it in the Flesh as the WORD.

I can see how people just think this is ONE God as SPIRIT manifest Himself into Flesh. Because, the BIBLE literally shows us this example over and over and over.

I think it's best us modern day trinitarians, which, does not reflect even closely to how either the 325 AD nor the 385 AD explains the Trinity, need to rethink our own position here. the Modern Version is actually an act and form of Heresy when compared to the literal Creeds.

I am not saying anything against our Triune God, but, I am saying, I don't think Today's Modern explanation is Biblical at all.

Just a bunch of Pharisees screaming 3 PEOPLE!

Bible, doesn't even say that anywhere. And when it does explain how the FATHER deals with His Creation, it's always through the WORD. Which can easily be presented as a question: the Father is Spirit, the WORD is Spirit and Flesh. The Father DWELLS in the WORD doing the WORKS. I am merely pointing out, this seems a lot closer than it being between a Father and Son.
Here is what we say, please read it https://www.calvarychapelboston.com/Biblical Basis Trinity Bowman.pdf
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,657
17,112
113
69
Tennessee
Do you believe they are not contradictory? Why?
Do you rely on faith to believe they are consistent with each other? Is that an excuse or a reason?

Inquiring minds want to know! Leave your answers below, eh.
How about you leave your answers first.