When was the Trinity concept invented?

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polonius
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When was the Trinity concept invented?

Post #1

Post by polonius »

“Regarding the New Testament, trinitarian scholar William Rusch has admitted:
“The binitarian formulas are found in Rom. 8:11, 2 Cor. 4:14, Gal. 1:1, Eph. 1:20, 1 Tim 1:2, 1 Pet. 1:21, and 2 John 1:13...No doctrine of the Trinity in the Nicene sense is present in the New Testament...

“There is no doctrine of the Trinity in the strict sense in the Apostolic Fathers...(Rusch W.G. The Trinitarian Controversy. Fortress Press, Phil., 1980, pp. 2-3).

“So, a trinitarian scholar admits that the New Testament uses what he calls binitarian formulas and no doctrine of the trinity was found in early post-apostolic times from those known as "Apostolic Fathers." This would include people such as Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna."

http://www.cogwriter.com/binitarian.htm#scholars

polonius
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God and Jesus not coequal?

Post #41

Post by polonius »

brianbbs67 wrote:
RightReason wrote: [Replying to 2timothy316]


[quote} 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.� –John 14:9-11
To name a few.
Those verses there show the distinction between God and the son of man. They describe indwelling of the spirit of God. Which is what all believers should strive for, making their bodies(and minds) a temple for the Lord to dwell in like the Holy of Holies.

https://www.openbible.info/topics/your_body_is_a_temple

Those verses alone should end the thought/theory of the Trinity.
RESPONSE: Then God the Father and God the Son aren't "coequal" after all. There goes the doctrine of the Trinity!

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Post #42

Post by brianbbs67 »

There are a lot of verses that indicate the difference between God and the son of man. Most come from the Christ himself, but also, even John and Paul admit it also.

What is hard for most people, is objectively looking at it(NT) without the long taught lens of trinity. There are 3 described, Father , son and Holy Spirit. They are not described as the same thing. Only one with each other. As I have said before, I am one with my wife. We, most definitely, are not the same person.

polonius
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If not the same, not coequal

Post #43

Post by polonius »

brianbbs67 wrote: There are a lot of verses that indicate the difference between God and the son of man. Most come from the Christ himself, but also, even John and Paul admit it also.

What is hard for most people, is objectively looking at it(NT) without the long taught lens of trinity. There are 3 described, Father , son and Holy Spirit. They are not described as the same thing. Only one with each other. As I have said before, I am one with my wife. We, most definitely, are not the same person.

RESPONSE
They are not described as the same thing.
Then they are not "coequal" but different persons, or different gods if you prefer.

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Re: If not the same, not coequal

Post #44

Post by brianbbs67 »

polonius.advice wrote:
brianbbs67 wrote: There are a lot of verses that indicate the difference between God and the son of man. Most come from the Christ himself, but also, even John and Paul admit it also.

What is hard for most people, is objectively looking at it(NT) without the long taught lens of trinity. There are 3 described, Father , son and Holy Spirit. They are not described as the same thing. Only one with each other. As I have said before, I am one with my wife. We, most definitely, are not the same person.

RESPONSE
They are not described as the same thing.
Then they are not "coequal" but different persons, or different gods if you prefer.

I would say, God and His spirit are the same. As I and my spirit are. CHrist separated himself from the Father. His words detail this. Everyone looks, no one sees.

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Re: God and Jesus not coequal?

Post #45

Post by Monta »

[Replying to post 41 by polonius.advice]


"RESPONSE: Then God the Father and God the Son aren't "coequal" after all. There goes the doctrine of the Trinity!"

There is no 'God the Son' in the Bible.

God is One, no Trinity except trinity of attributes - Father, Son, The Holy Spirit.

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Re: God and Jesus not coequal?

Post #46

Post by brianbbs67 »

Monta wrote: [Replying to post 41 by polonius.advice]


"RESPONSE: Then God the Father and God the Son aren't "coequal" after all. There goes the doctrine of the Trinity!"

There is no 'God the Son' in the Bible.

God is One, no Trinity except trinity of attributes - Father, Son, The Holy Spirit.
That is correct. The son of man is how christ described himself.

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Post #47

Post by Wootah »

How else, other than the Trinity, can we understand Jesus' life and death and resurrection?

Do non trinitarians read a book and unless it says, 'Luke skywalker is the good guy and Darth Vader is the bad guy' are we to presume you cant work it out from the story?
Proverbs 18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

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"Why is everyone so quick to reason God might be petty. Now that is creating God in our own image :)."

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Re: God and Jesus not coequal?

Post #48

Post by Monta »

brianbbs67 wrote:
Monta wrote: [Replying to post 41 by polonius.advice]


"RESPONSE: Then God the Father and God the Son aren't "coequal" after all. There goes the doctrine of the Trinity!"

There is no 'God the Son' in the Bible.

God is One, no Trinity except trinity of attributes - Father, Son, The Holy Spirit.
That is correct. The son of man is how christ described himself.

The 'son of man' is not the same or equal to 'the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit'.

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Re: God and Jesus not coequal?

Post #49

Post by polonius »

Monta wrote:
brianbbs67 wrote:
Monta wrote: [Replying to post 41 by polonius.advice]


"RESPONSE: Then God the Father and God the Son aren't "coequal" after all. There goes the doctrine of the Trinity!"

There is no 'God the Son' in the Bible.

God is One, no Trinity except trinity of attributes - Father, Son, The Holy Spirit.
That is correct. The son of man is how christ described himself.

The 'son of man' is not the same or equal to 'the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit'.
RESPONSE: You are correct. The title is applied to those thought to have a special relationship with God. It is an honorary title not a real one.

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Post #50

Post by dio9 »

The church fathers had their hands full because of their decision that Jesus was God. Now they had to explain how this could be and still be monotheists? The trinity is simply the way they reasoned out this Zenish logical impossibility.
Trinity trys to explain logically how God can be present and active in this world. Trinity is actually a Greekishly stated recognition of what is obvious. God can be present and active in Jesus representing Mankind and the creation. It's only too bad Christianity insists God was only present in Jesus. Where as God is actually present as much in humanity as in the creation as a whole, beyond strict trinitarian theology that God is exclusively present in Jesus everything is sacred.

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