Is God three persons?

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

For those who believe that God is three distinct persons, please define the term 'person' in this context.

Any takers?

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6826 Location: USA

a character, part, or role, as in a play or story.

The totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior

Theology. any of the three hypostases or modes of being in the Trinity, namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

Hi JP. You wrote:

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6826 Location: USA

I really don't know what you are talking about. You asked for a definition of 'person' as it is used in the doctrine of the trinity. I gave you that.

The Hypostatic Union

The Hypostatic Union is the teaching that the Word of God became flesh and we call Him Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is God in human flesh. He is not half God and half man. He is fully divine and fully man. That is, Jesus has two distinct natures: divine and human. As the SCripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...14and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1,14). This means that in the divine word became flesh in the single person of Jesus who is, then, both human and divine in nature. The divine nature was not changed. It was not altered in this union. Rather, the divine holy nature of the Word remains as it is.
Furthermore, Jesus is not merely a man who "had God within Him" nor is he a man who "manifested the God principle." He is the second person of the Trinity. "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word," (Heb. 1:3, NIV). Jesus' two natures are not "mixed together," nor are they combined into a new God-man nature. They are separate yet act as a unit in the one person of Jesus. This is called the Hypostatic Union.
Also, in the incarnation, Jesus was made for a while lower than the angels (Heb. 2:9) and under the law (Gal. 4:4). This means that Jesus cooperated with the limitations of being a man (Phil. 2:5-8). In other words, He really was a man and as a man exhibited the proper restrictions of His humanity such as growing taller, eating, growing in wisdom, etc., which would be expected of a real human being.

Dust · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject:

Very nicely said, RevJP!

theseldomscene · Banned Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 7817

..he has his moments...

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

JP,

I'm trying to get some clarification the definitions you offered, as they are quite vague. In what sense is God three totalities of qualities and traits?

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6826 Location: USA

While I am not able to fully comprehend nor explain the complete nature of God I can offer some type of analogy as a hint;

I am JP, I am a father, a husband, and a boss. I am all of these persons but I am still just JP. Each of my 'personhoods' performs a different function for different people for different reasons. I am not a husband to my children, a father to my wife, nor a husband or father to those that work for me, but I am still JP.

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

Dust · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:30 pm Post subject:

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

Dust,

I know JP presented an analogy and as such it is best suited for Modalism. Do you know what modalism is?

You say that I don't like what I've heard and have thus twisted things? Nonsense. I simply asked for a definition of 'person' in this context. JP initially offered three definitions which demand clarification. Simply saying that the Father and the Son are distinct persons does not answer my question. thanks for understanding, Dust.

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6826 Location: USA

No apoc, I do not know what 'modalism' is, nor do I care that much - you see, I'm not much of one for labels. People usually use labels in order to attack or dismiss things without properly considering them, kind of a lazy way to go about debate.

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

Hi JP,

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6826 Location: USA

apocatastasis · King of the Jungle Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 1827

JP,

I'd like to have a discussion on what it means to say that God is three persons. I think I made this clear in my opening post. Apparently you would like to define God as three totalities of qualities and traits. Is this correct? I'm just trying to get a better idea of your answer to the initial question.