The Trinity for Dummies

[IceCreamRueckert]

Wow. 3 persons, one god? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever! Even better is when you break down what this "one" thing does! He sends himself on a suicide mission to keep himself from throwing you into a pit of fire he damned you to in the first place! Jesus Christ! (was an excellent philosopher for his time)

[lilbeaveymac]

@IceCreamRueckert gods is hard to wrap your mind around..........if you want a simple tgod go to zues,or pluto.....christianity is recognizing the true power of god...

[Rossome4040]

I think that what he should have said is that the three parts of the whole of a person is body, soul (aka spirit) and consciousness. Or maybe the blood perhaps.

God would be better explained like a tree. In a tree there is a trunk, the leaves and the roots. Three parts of a whole.

[thewanderingmuslim]

This was probably the worst explanation of the trinity I have heard yet.

[lilbeaveymac]

@thewanderingmuslim best ever in my opinion

[dblaps]

You would have to be a dummy to believe this!!! there is only one almighty being the father, the son is not the father wearing a mask. they are both one in thought and agreement. not in substance. just as we can be one with the father and son in thought and agreement, again doesnt mean we are the father or the son. Google the origins of the trinity and how it was brutally enforced on people after the death of the roman emperor constantine. search and you shall find.

[tylermatthewmarz]

but what about the baptism of Jesus Christ? He was there being baptized, and His Father spoke from the Heavens, and then the spirit descended in the form of a dove. all three beings show separately.

[tylermatthewmarz]

I am so thankful for the restored Gospel of Christ and its teachings. Pure wisdom and knowledge, and clarity.

[jonnygotz2343]

Thus there are, in the Eternal Godhead, three persons--God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the Testator. These three are one--one God if you will--in purposes, in powers, and in perfections. But each has his own severable work to perform, and mankind has a defined and known and specific relationship to each one of them. It is of these relationships that we shall now speak.

[THELDSLIFE]

I hate to reduce it to this analogy... but they are like a 3 on 3 basketball team.

Each of the 3 has a role but they are one cohesive team. Neither vary from their mission to save humanity from itself... all act together as one for they are one and they invite us to be "ONE" with them MANY times in the scriptures.

John 17: 11, 21

[tylermatthewmarz]

thats a good way of picturing it. They are all separate distinct members of the team. Each with their own function, yet they are all doing toward the same goal. Helping the team win the Game (our return to Heavenly Father)

[THELDSLIFE]

Yeah! Go team! The beauty of it is God has invited us onto their team!

[tylermatthewmarz]

I am just so grateful for the clarity that the gospel brings to our lives.... it just makes so much more sense.

[THELDSLIFE]

It is the benefits of having a prophet.

Prophets seek knowledge upon the Lord's mountain. We both know that water from the tops of the mountains are usually the most pure. This water has not run across the landscape picking up all sorts of debris and all manner of inluences upon the Land. The Lord would rather we draw from this water... received at the foot of the prophet than to take our chances with water that has become cloudy and murky!

[lilbeaveymac]

@THELDSLIFE well thats a mans thinking......they are seperate but one,not like basketball team

you wont understand the trinity......its like trying to understand alpha and omega,no begining no end...

[jakedevon]

Mormons, is polygamy good or evil?

[THELDSLIFE]

Depends:

Are following all the commandments of the Lord good or is it not good when we disobey?

Is Killing Good or Evil?

Why not read up on Abraham being told to sacrifice his son Isaac and ask if he should have disobeyed the Lord or not....because we both know that Killing one of Gods commandments. "Thou Shalt Not Kill"

If he kills, he is a sinner. If he does not, he dis obey's God.

(Genesis Chapter 22)

[jakedevon]

"Are following all the commandments of the Lord good or is it not good when we disobey?"

It is evil to disobey the Lord.

"Is Killing Good or Evil?"

Murder is evil. Every time.

"Thou Shalt Not Kill"

Don't take it out of context. In context, it means to not kill your neighbor. Killing in war is not murder. Self defense is not murder.

Now, answer my question: is polygamy good or evil?

[a68rebel]

Good, for us men!

[AgApE010]

..Thus, Jesus isn't a part of God, He can be said to be fully God, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. However when it is said that He is "fully God", let it not be misunderstood to mean that He is also the Father and the Spirit. Rather what is meant is that He possesses all the attributes and fullness of God, as God, in and of Himself.

It is difficult to understand as God's complexity is above and beyond our simplicity.

[AgApE010]

Shawn did well in that he was trying to explain the Trinity to a caller, but the explanation of God being 3 in 1 just as man is three in one is not a good analogy. For one, soul and spirit are one and the same, but let us assume that they're not for now; my spirit does not express the fullness of my humanity by itself, nor is my body by itself fully possessing all the attributes of being human. But in the Trinity, each person fully possess all the attributes of Deity...

[qtous]

@ 0:12 Yeah, the Trinity IS for dummies! You'd be a dummy if you believe it.

The first ladies question was classic. He said, "It's a really good question" when he might have been thinking, "Oh shit not again!" He'll need plenty of water there.

I love how he rationalizes it. The idea that God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost being the same thing is 100% against the teachings of the Bible and they know it! Eph 4:14 by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive...

[a68rebel]

3 in 1 like water. Liquid (water), solid (ice), gas (steam)

[qtous]

OR! We just go by what the Bible teaches us. The Trinity is 100% man made and NOT found in the bible.

[theembracedofgod]

the word Trinity doesn't exist. but yes there can be without it saying it.

just read the bible... made of personalities that share a divinity.

There is only One God not many.

[a68rebel]

Elohim is a plural word. E.I. (Gods)

[theembracedofgod]

no the word isn't plural, it has the tense that makes it plural- but it isn't directly plural itself.

[a68rebel]

The word elohim is a plural word; in Hebrew the plural form of a noun ends in "im" or "ot."

Elohim is the plural form of "eloah."

[theembracedofgod]

What is your point? I agree with you.

[theembracedofgod]

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

And teachings of the High Priesthood is of the bible?

[mormonmilitia]

what about plasma?

[qtous]

Well if the Bible actually said this then I'd go for it but I prefer not to make stuff up in my belief system. i'm 100% bible and 0% philosophies of man!

[mormonmilitia]

I suspect that you became atheist after you left the Church. If so, what do you care?

[jpgr1958]

One of the most important question that Jesus asked in his earthly ministry was; "Who do men say that I am?" How one answers this question is very vital to eternal life, for in the book of Galatians; 1:6-12, we read of another Jesus, another spirit, and another Gospel. The Jesus of the Trinitarians, and the Jesus of the oneness group, are 2 different Jesus'. I know this is politically incorrect to state, but it's a truth nevertheless. Therefore, we cannot sugar coat the issue.

[zionsgates]

Our little finite minds do not do well putting God under our microscope and defining Him. He says ,don't do it. W

hen Moses asked God ;Who will I tell Pharoah when he asks Who sent me to him. God said; I am that I am,I will be what I will be. PERIOD ! Don't go any further than that Christians

Jesus the Alpha and Omega always was,ETERNAL ,no beginning,no end.

Joshua 5 is Jesus appearing in the flesh to Joshua before His 'birth' in Bethlehem .

[agfigueroaa]

I am a sinner, mate. It is hard for me to know God and understand His glory.

While it is true, God has spoken through donkeys, a bush, etc., it is also true

that the trinity is the constant manifestation of God. But, as I said, God does what He pleases. That is stated in the Scripture.

[VictorLepanto]

The Trinity is not a theophany or a manifestation. God exists as He is whether or not He causes a perceptable manifestation of Himself for our benefit. A theophany is NOT God. It is a sign he grants but He is not the sign. God exists in an unknowable & invisible way. He was neither the bush or the fire. Nor was He the pillar of fire or of smoke. These were mere signs He granted so that we could understand.

[agfigueroaa]

I do not if it is right my explanation, but it certainly possible for an Allmighty God to do what He pleases.

[HarmonyinJesus]

That is not how I have heard oneness explained. If that really is what "oneness" teaches, then I wouldn't have a problem with it.

[Dhumm81]

HarmonyinJesus

I think you had it right actually (modalism). In any case, Oneness Pentecostals (UPC) teach several un-Biblical doctrines. The worst being that you are not saved unless you receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

I am an Assembly of God, (Pentecostal) Bible and Theology student. I have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues but according to the Bible, that has NOTHING to do with salvation.

[HarmonyinJesus]

I thought so. I've been through Bible College as well and studied "oneness" stuff before. But there is a possibility that someone may be teaching good stuff using the "oneness" name, so I would like to give the benefit of the doubt. :)

I agree!

[darizzle7]

The Father The Son(The Word of God) The Holy Spirit have always been They have never been created and had no beginning,Doing all things together as a Family in God's Love Creating all things working as One Godhead in 3 destinct Persons in Perfect Harmony,The Father Commands The Son Acts and The Holy Spirit does The Works,One Godhead 3 Persons Blessed Trinity our Lord God and Savior is One!

[VictorLepanto]

The Gospels say that Jesus is the Son of God. They also say that Jesus is the Word of God. By these two statements are meant the same thing. Jesus is the eternal act of the will of the Father. If we speak, we will our words to be articulated. If we beget children, we will to do what leads to children. In both cases, acticulate speech or sired children, the result is an expression of the will of the actor. Jesus is the expression of God's eternal will.

[mormonmilitia]

I challenge any self-professed trinitarian to explain to me the difference between trinitarianism and unitarianism. Hint: not much.

[OneTrueChurch]

are you serious? Unitarians believe in one person in one God, Triinitarians believe in three distinct persons in one God

[mormonmilitia]

That is what the doctrine actually states, but what I hear from Shawn, et al. is that the three persons are each a component of one being :solid, liquid, gas....body, spirit, soul and on and on.

BTW Shawn: the soul is the combination of the body and the spirit. The soul is not a separate component.

Body+Spirit=Soul

Hardware+Software=Computer

[VictorLepanto]

No. Soul & spirit basically mean the same thing. Our soul is the spiritual aspect of our being. In a human person, the body & soul are joined as one. A human is both a body & a soul. An Angel for instance is only a spirit. St. Thomas defined the soul as being our essential will.

[mormonmilitia]

Then Shawn is still wrong.

[VictorLepanto]

Well, Shawn is no theologian. When he gets off his main topic (Mormonism) I don't expect him to be expert. I am familiar w/ how Evangelical speak of a triune human nature. This is erroneous. We are body & soul.

[Exodus314IAM]

When Shawn is not 100% its not going to lead anyone to eternal separation from God (aka Hell) But what about what Joseph Smith put out? When he is wrong (85% of the time) and what he teaches will lead to eternal separation from God my friend!

There is a very big difference here.

[mormonmilitia]

when shawn can't get the most basic christian doctrines right, he has no place to criticize LDS doctrine.

[Exodus314IAM]

I think Shawn did a good job explaining it. Just because he never used earthly ideas like god was once a man like you and me and jesus also. does not mean he is wrong.

Unless you can show us how he is wrong? No? oh you just have a feeling right?

Have a good day MM.

[qtous]

He did a good idea rationalizing it, sure.

The Bible does not teach the Trinity.

Its man made.

[theembracedofgod]

I'd love to see your rationalize the faith of the LDS and give me proof where Jesus teaches Godhood.s

[Exodus314IAM]

The you have not read the Bible. If you are LDS its because you have fallen for the lie that "as long as it is translated correctly" The word is the word. You can trust it or not. The BOM, D&C and POGP are all man made and cannot hold up to today's proof. The Bible has and will.

[qtous]

Well according to Paul all scripture is given by inspiration from God and this means ALL scripture and not just some.

2 Tim 3:15-16

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"

Why dispute whether God can reveal more? Or has he lost his power to be God?

[THELDSLIFE]

I have read the bible extensively. All old testament prophets point towards the Christ and also give signs regarding Israel in the latter days.

All of this... a new prophet... the coming forth of a sealed book... the latter day mission of Israel and those members within are all in the Bible. Even hints of Israel who were scattered are also included. Isaiah, Daniel, Malachi, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all testified of a latter day work similar to what the LDS church is doing under Christ.

[HarmonyinJesus]

Hey! Great attempt at explaining the Trinity, however it was not quite accurate, since Jesus Christ was with the Father in a pre-incarnate state. He did not come into being with the incarnation, he just took on flesh at the incarnation. But that was great for a way to explain the trinity in a short amount of time.

[October31st1517]

Jesus Christ Himself revealed to us the truth of the trinity when He said:

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 15:26

As well as:

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever

John 14:16

The trinity is NOT an interpretation of scripture. It is what the bible teaches.

[Exodus314IAM]

Good job here my friend, you can take it a little more deep with the Book of John.

John 13--A Promise of Abiding Love.

Christ comforted the disciples by a graphic demonstration His love--He washed their feet.

John 14--A Promise of the Coming Spirit.

Christ then told the disciples that He needed to return to His Father. However, He said they should rejoice and not be sorrowful because He would send a comforter--the Holy Spirit.

cont.

[Exodus314IAM]

John 15--A Promise of Increasing Opposition.

Christ warned the disciples, "Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (v. 19). After giving many positive promises, Christ gave a negative one that I believe is applicable to every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Keep up the good work.

God Bless!

[TheSavedSinner]

My former LDS wife (now saved) would ask me "when Jesus prayed in the garden, who was He praying to...himself?" Then I explained how water can be water, ice and steam, it's still water. She replied "yes, but water cant be ice and water and steam AT THE SAME TIME!" I told her thats the miracle of God! He is all 3 AT THE SAME TIME! Thanks for the great explanation Shawn. May God continue to Bless you and your ministry.

[carpentersdaughter2]

Walter Martin use to explain this so good. Yes, Liguid, Steam and solid and be all three under certain pressure. So, if H2o can acheive this, God, who is greater can acheive this.

God bless

[agfigueroaa]

I am a person, I am employee, I am a father, I am a son, I am friend, I play many roles, but I am still one.

[HarmonyinJesus]

That is modalism, also called oneness doctrine, and it is incorrect in how the Trinity works. But I understand trying to explain it that way, the Trinity is not easy to comprehend, let alone explain!

[mormonmilitia]

that is unitarianism.