Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.
Brief review and comments:
Do Christians Believe In 3 Gods? (1992-2002), Mart De Haan & Herb Vander Lugt, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On page 1, this booklet states that (paraphrased) Islam, Judaism, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all in error, reject the biblically based doctrine of the Trinity. (1).
Do Christians believe in three Gods? (21).
The text explains that the Bible (New Testament, definitively) teaches that there is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28, my add). (21). Each has a distinct personality. (21).
However, God is one being. (21). It defines...
God the Father: Originator
God the Son: Agent
God the Holy Spirit: Administrator of Applicator (21).
These seem reasonable definitions, but needless to state there would be much theological debate in regards to these non-exhaustive, limited definitions. None of the distinctions are independent of the others. (21).
This little booklet is biblical and certainly a reasonable free resource to own! It has a lot of free content.
My take on the Trinity from previous website work:
Colossians 2:9-10 (Him is Jesus Christ)
'New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made [a]complete, and He is the head [b]over all rule and authority;
Footnotes: Colossians 2:10 Lit full Colossians 2:10 Lit of '
N.T. Wright explains in regard to Colossians 2: 9-10, it is an continuation of 1:19 (109), 'for all the fulness to dwell in him.' (NASB). 'He is uniquely God's presence and his very self'. (109). Wright reasons that Paul is teaching monotheistic doctrine here and not that Jesus Christ is a second deity. (109). Christ is the embodiment of full deity. (109).
God the Son, is not a second deity, God the Holy Spirit is not a third deity.
Based on this section of Scripture, a proper interpretation is that although the Father can be reasonably defined as the planner, all of God in nature is involved in the planning process in a sense; in infinite knowledge and agreement. The infinite nature of God in the three distinctions is fully aware of plans. The Godhead is involved in the atoning and resurrection work of Christ, even though it was Jesus Christ that died on the cross and was resurrected.
Jesus Christ, the Word (John 1) remains infinite, eternal God in spirit, and became God incarnate, finite man.
Acts 2: 24 states that God raised Him (Jesus Christ) from the dead and in the process defeated death.
As I noted in a previous article from Hebrews 1: Greek scholar Walter Bauer defines 'Hupostasis' the original ὑπόστασις, (εως, ἡit) from the Greek as substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality. In the context of Hebrews 1: 3 the Son of God is the exact representation of God’s real being. (page 847).
Erickson further explains that each member of the Trinity is quantitatively equal. Erickson (1994: 337).
Matthew 28: 19-20 and Acts 5 are two examples from the New Testament demonstrating the Holy Spirit as God.
Matthew 28:19-20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 [a]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [b]always, even to the end of the age.”
Footnotes: Matthew 28:19 Or Having gone; Gr aorist part.
Matthew 28:20 Lit all the days
Acts 5: 2-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
It is stated that one can lie to the Holy Spirit (verse 3) and therefore lie to God. 'You have not lied to men, but to God.' (verse 4).
All three distinctions within the trinity are infinite, of one ontological (existence and being) essence and nature, and yet with distinctions.
As God is eternally relational, humanity in specifically relational in the context of being made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1-26-27). God could create finite creatures capable of relationship and communication, because that is also an aspect of God's nature.
BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
WRIGHT, N.T., Colossians and Philemon, (1986)(1989), IVP, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids.
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