Are you all good on your theology of the holy Trinity? Do you have it figured out?
Each year on this feast of the holy Trinity, we come back to this question: who is the holy Trinity? And you answer the father son and the Holy Spirit. OK that’s your answer, but try to answer these questions which challenge the TrIune God idea.
#1
In John chapter 5, why does Jesus say “if you don’t believe me, believe my Father ” ? Is Jesus giving us a pass on believing in the Son? No–He is not. in this chapter St. John quotes Jesus giving four proofs of his status as Messiah and Lord. He says how there is much stubbornness and resistance from some Jews that they’d reject the testimony of John the Baptist witnessing to the truth. AND they’d reject the testimony that Jesus shows in his words and his works–a man unlike any others born on earth. Then the third proof they reject is that the Father has sent him to bear witness to God’s identity. These Jews claimed to be seeking the Lord Almighty but were missing Him totally, as shown in The Son. AND lastly, Jesus says you can search the Scriptures about a Christ Figure like Him. There’s lots of evidence there that points to Him.
So Jesus is not diminishing His identity as Lord. He is saying that the Father would be puzzled by their lack of recognition of Him. He has sent the right representation of Him.
#2
In John 14:28 Jesus says “the Father is greater than Him.” Was this Jesus saying He was not an equal to the Father and thus not of any Holy Trinity? No–that’s not the case.
The most common answer here is that Jesus here is speaking of His human nature, not His divine one. He is stating that no one could look upon God in their sin and unworthiness and live. Darkness cannot abide in the Suoreme Light. Therefore, Jesus comes as a mediator so that in Him we could experience God. He is not less but He indeed is lowered Himself to our level ( as Hebrews 1-3 teaches. He brings Light to our darkness and makes us children of the Light. This is the Fathers outreach to reach the world via His co-equal Son .
Jesus teaches us to trust the Father. Think of how He says in John 5 that “I look to the Father for everything. Insinuate see Him doing… His will and Mine are one.” In His teaching on prayer, Jesus says to pray that “the will of the Father is done on earth (in us) as it is in Heaven.” This seeking of the Father will be in tandem with Him as He presents us to The Father. Jesus even offers us to The Father: He is not less than the Father but perfectly acceptable to The Father, by being The Son.
In the Creed we say Jesus was begotten not made–what’s that mean? If Jesus was born then does it mean that God Part 3 got born in Him?
God The Son always existed. John chapter 1 and Genesis 1& 2 teach this. To say that Jesus is Begotten means He possesses the same divine nature as the Father and is not merely some thing or creature the Father God made which is distinct from Him, having something other than the divine nature. By distinction, you and I are creatures of God since we do not have His divine nature. We are created, not ” begotten” of Him. The Creed states Tbe Son is consubstantial with the Father, or of one substance.
God the Son is eternal but became flesh along the way. You could be Miss Angela Robles all your life but become Mrs George Abernathy in marriage but still be the Angela you’ve always been.
How could God become man and still be God? We call this the hydrostatic union in that Jesus has two natures, divine and human.
He could do both Gods work as a Divine equal of Authority– while also be truly one of us in humanity. It’s the perfect combination for the needs of God and man. Both had to be met for salvation.
Did Jesus call Himself “God ?” Yes He did. Perhaps you coukd look to all the times He exclaimed “I Am the Bread of LIfe…” I Am the Resurrection…” I am the Life…”.I Am the Gate.” ..I Am the Way..” OR “I Am the Vine.” As He says I Am in these statements, He is claiming divinity.
If God is spirit then why is not the Holy Spirit ALL of God? We have learned in Scripture Revelation Is how that God talks of Persons inter-relating Who are Triune–Father, Son and SpIrit. . .
It’s in the New and Old Testament that describes God as A Communion