Re: [TruthTalk] The Trinity

[Wm. Taylor]

Good enough, John. Now that I know where you are, welcome again. I hope to have many fruitful discussions with you.   How about some of you others. What about Henry Blackaby's famous Truth-is-a-Person dictum. I've seen it used here on TT(although not with reference to Blackaby). And don't misunderstand, I don't have a problem with it myself, but I'm not all pruned up about this it-has-to-come-from-the-bible stuff. What about you who are? Is that a true and accurate statement concerning Jesus Christ?   Bill Taylor ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 8:18 PM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] The Trinity In a message dated 3/9/2004 4:05:19 PM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Are you willing to go that far? Absolutely.   Understand that I (we?) are not talking about the sinful use of unbiblical wording.   Trinity is a good word, I suppose  ---  but it is not biblical.   Person, as you so aptly pointed out, is likewise.     I am big in the belief that the best biblical definition is found in biblical wording.  "Let the Bible define the Bible."   That is one of my rules of biblical study.   In this discussion,  I believe the notion that we can understand the Godhead when its nature is not revealed to us goes beyond any claim of "knowing."   The word "trinity" gives the impression that there is some kind of definition for the word when, in fact, biblical wording confuses all definitions that I have seen over the years.    Look to Isa 9 when Christ in prophecy is called the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace and the Comforter.   In I Cor. 3:17, Paul tells us that Jesus (by inference) is the Holy Spirit.   Matthew's record of the Commission uses the wording "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."    So there you have it.   Isa. pictures (without knowing it) the "trinity" in one dare I say person.    Paul confuses one with the other.   And Matthew presents each separately  (if, in deed, Matthew authored this passage).   The problem with "person"  (and I have used this many more times than once) gives us the impression that know what God looks like.   We are persons.   He is a person.   They (all three) are persons   ---   and walla   -- he is male with arms, legs, hindquarters.    The manifestation becomes the reality and the observation by John that "no man hath seen God at any time"  gets lost in the shuffle.    In His grace John David Smithson  (JD in another and most regretable life)