For those of you that know me, you know that I am marrying the most amazing woman this upcoming Saturday. For those of you with whom I discuss our Faith, you also know that I am a Trinitarian Pentecostal, while my wife is a Oneness Pentecostal. And for those of you who understand the difference, a painfully obvious question arises: how can you both walk in unison?
Through much prayer and meditation and study, I have come to the following conclusion: the doctrine of the Trinity is not explicitly taught in the Scriptures, any more than the doctrine of Oneness. Yet I am an unashamed subscriber to the doctrine of the Trinity.
This is not to say that I believe the doctrine of the Trinity is unbiblical. Rather, the Trinity doctrine is a framework, based on Scripture, which allows us to logically make sense of what the Scriptures reveal to us regarding the nature of our God. And while this might cause some contention with those who consider themselves Apostolic in their doctrine, I feel that the doctrine of the Trinity is a far better framework for understanding God than the Apostolic doctrine.
With that said, I also feel that any human explanation of who God truly is will without fail fall short of the greatness of His Glory. “We see through a glass darkly.” I am most certainly willing to be corrected by Scripture should I be incorrect or misled in any aspect of my faith or my walk, and I pray that God would help me to do so. I can agree with Origen, one of the early church fathers, and one of the early theologians that helped develop the doctrine of the Trinity, when he said in Book II, Chapter 6 of On First Principles:
These are the ideas that were able to make their way into our minds as we took up these very difficult questions about the incarnation and the deity of Christ. If someone comes up with better ideas and can confirm what he says with plainer assertions from the Holy Scriptures, let them be accepted instead of what we have written.
Even so, to anyone who puts their trust in Christ alone for their salvation, to anyone who from their heart calls Christ Lord, to anyone who believes that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and that Jesus Christ is indeed God in the flesh: you are my brother or sister. I will not let some high-minded, self-righteous philosophy on either side of the debate separate me from the Family of God. “What God has called clean, let no man call unclean.”
If I understand all mysteries but have not love, it is worth nothing.
And to my wife Cheri: I thank God for you, and may God use us and shine through us as an example to those who, willingly or unwillingly, have come to love contention.
“Father, may they be one, even as We are One.”
May God Bless you up coming marriage! The Trinity of God is the Apostolic doctrine of God, and seen from the blessings of the Creedal truth and reality, there is simply no other doctrine of the nature of God. And the Trinty is not an economic thing at all!
See the Eucumenical Councils of both 1st Nicaea and Chalcedon. Eastern councils and creeds! The Eastern Orthodox have the doctrine of the triune God, all of us western Christians need to bow down here!
Again, blessings on your union in marriage!
Fr. Robert
*Ecumenical
Isaiah 9:6:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Matthew 1:23:
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
We have to get into God’s face and ask for Divine understanding which we can only get from HIM. PRAY together for wisdom and understanding that we way you both can be on one accord as in Philippians 2:2….
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Because…..
Amos 3:3:
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
We don’t want to sound like the Pharisees in the bible that just couldn’t grip the fact that Jesus was the Messiah/King/Father over the church. They even thought the miracles He performed were by the power of the devil. We need to stop debating theology and start praying for wisdom, which if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:4-5). That way we as MAN won’t lean onto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Why can’t we believe God’s Word for what it is. Why is it that we limit who God really is according to OUR/fleshly logic understanding. OUR/fleshly logic understanding is too limited. Get into God’s word and read it and pray for wisdom and understanding from HIM, and HE’ll give to you freely according to HIS will. Focus and pray on Numbers 23:19, God IS NOT A MAN…and a person is defined as a man. Plus the Bible clearly states in John 4:24, God IS A SPIRIT!!! Is any thing too hard for God? (Genesis 18:14) Well we need to start acting and thinking like there isn’t. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without CONTROVERSY great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. So why is it we are in constant debate, seriously?
This said in much love, Vanessa.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let (us) make man in (our) image, after (our) likeness.
(and his redeemer the LORD of hosts) Our redeemer (The Son of God) Jesus Christ as shared in Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 44:6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, (and his redeemer the LORD of hosts) I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
(the Spirit of his Son) into your hearts, crying (Abba, Father)
Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth (the Spirit of his Son) into your hearts, crying (Abba, Father)
Notice in Galations 4:6 Father God sends Forth the (Spirit) of his Son, Jesus Christ!
The Son Jesus Christ has a Spirit, and his spirit in us Cries out to Abba Father God.
Read more scripture:
http://bibleprophecy-rapture.blogspot.com/2008/09/abba-father-god-is-sending-his-son.html
Kind Regards,
King Jesus Christ of Nazareth is LORD…
I was going to respond in this chain, but my response was long enough to warrant its own post:
And to IrishAnglican, I meant “Apostolic” in terms of the “Oneness” denominations, such as UPCI. I agree that the Creedal doctrines can be rightly called “Apostolic”, but that is not the context in which I was speaking.