Blainer) That was very informative. Thanks for your time to write it. On Fri, 25 Oct 2002 14:58:28 -0400 "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Blainer wrote: > > Well, OK. I guess the answer is "yes." That won't > > cost me any money to say that. It is just that I am > > not sure what you mean when you include the word > > "Trinity." If this word has just general meaning, OK, > > but if it has some special meaning, in reference to some > > thing or event in particular, then I have to be more cautious. > > I do believe Jesus is God's Son, and that he is God > > because he is one of the Godhead--made up of three > > individuals--the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, > > which is ONE GOD. > > Blaine, I'm going to try real quickly to explain this. > Unfortunately, I > think you might reverse yourself when you hear the answer. :-) > > The word "Trinity" historically does have a special meaning. It is > a word > meant to designate a Godhead that, while being 3 persons, is also of > the > SAME substance. > > The entire argument between the Arians and the Trinitarians hinged > on a > single letter in one Greek word that described the relationship > between > Jesus and the heavenly Father. This is kind of ironic for a subject > of such > supposed magnitude, especially when you consider that the single > letter in > dispute is the letter iota. So the whole debate rests upon a single > iota! > LOL Arius taught that Jesus was a created being, so that he is our > Creator > and we worship him as such, but technically, he is not deity. The > word > favored by most Arians was "homoi-ousius" which means, "of like > essence." > The word favored by the Trinitarians as "homo-ousius" which means > ("of the > same essence"). The question was if Jesus was of like substance / > essence > as the Father, or if he was of the same substance / essence as the > Father. > > There was a third view called Sabellianism, but this was rejected as > heretical prior to this debate between the Arians and the > Trinitarians. In > fact, the Trinitarians were accused by the Arians as being > Sabellians with > their view of three persons being of the same substance. > Sabellianism is > basically the "Oneness" teaching that some Christians embrace today, > which > considers the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as one person. > > The Mormon view technically is kind of like the Arian view. Arius > worshipped Jesus just like Mormons do, and he considered Jesus as > the > creator of all the earth, and he viewed Jesus himself being a > created > person. The difference is that Arius thought that because Jesus was > created, he technically was not deity. This was important to Arius > in order > to distinguish themselves as a monotheistic religion rather than a > polytheistic religion. Mormons say that Jesus is deity, apparently > considering themselves to embrace a henotheistic form of polytheism. > > It's kind of interesting that Arians and Trinitarians divide over a > single > iota, but Mormons seem to find a division even between this > division. How > thin can the pie be cut before it just crumbles? > > Peace be with you. > David Miller. > > ---------- > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you > may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) > http://www.InnGlory.org > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you > have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. >
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