How can Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit be one?

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on April 15, 2009 at 9:28pm

History says that at the council of Nicea in 325 AD that 220 bishops came together. Among the topics discussed was the Trinity. Arius stood against it. He had two others side with him, meaning 217 disagreed with his view. not much of an argument. Arius was cast out of the church for his false belief, which he later recanted and asked for acceptance back intot he church. Was granted permission, but died before it was finalized. From the council meeting in Nicea was developed the Nicean Creed. The purpose was to guide Christians in truth and to refute errors clearly.

Nicean Creed:
I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of God,
begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father;
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried;
and the third day he rose again
according to the Scriptures,
and ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;
and he shall come again, with glory,
to judge both the quick and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life,
who proceedeth from the Father [and the Son];
who with the Father and the Son together
is worshipped and glorified;
who spake by the Prophets.
And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins;
and I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.


Jesus speaking in John 10 claims to be God. He is either God or a liar for He says:

JN 10:25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

JN 10:31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

JN 10:33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

Jesus also states the following using an important term that reveals Him as God as well:

JN 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Moses aasked God who he should says is sending him to Egypt and God responds:

EX 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.' "

In Matthew 28 we are told to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If the three in one is not true then this teaching would break the first commandment.

In Acts 5 the couple are accused of lying to the Holy Spirit, to God:

AC 5:3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

Do we fully understand the Trinity? Do we fully understand how Jesus is full God and full man? Some will argue that 1+1 cannot equal 1. Do we fully understand the depth and breadth of God?

ISA 29:16 You turn things upside down,
as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to him who formed it,
"He did not make me"?
Can the pot say of the potter,
"He knows nothing"?

How can God be Father, Son and Holy Spirit and exist at the same time as all three, yet be one? Do we fully understand the nature of God? Can we expalin His being? We see attributes, but do not fully understand Him. I will give a weak example from the physical realm that only gives a poor glimpse of how He is able to be one. Take H2O. It is found in three distinct states. Liquid, steam and ice, all H2O.Can the God of creation be in fullness in the flesh, ever present as the Holy Spirit and sitting ont he throne as Father all at the same time? Yes. Can we fully understand that? No.

Lord Bless,
LT

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Permalink Reply by Dezzy on April 15, 2009 at 10:56pm

Thank you. I kinda had an idea that it all kinda fit together somehow, but I needed reassurance. That council thing and the quotes from Jesus himself really helped. If only I could print this out and give it to my professor!

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Permalink Reply by AAG Netguy on April 16, 2009 at 9:57am

You can! Just go to your browser menu.... File > Print

Smiles!

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Permalink Reply by deedee310 on April 16, 2009 at 10:15am

That's a very good explanation LT, I often wonder the same thing myself.

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Permalink Reply by Hellofull on October 25, 2009 at 3:18am

It's not clear with me. Please kindly explain the phrase you use: "three in one."
Do you mean the Father the only true God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are one?
One in what? One in state of being? One being?

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Permalink Reply by Hellofull on October 26, 2009 at 6:26pm

Are you trying to say that God is composed of parts, like a family composed of members?

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