Trinity

[JBirdAngel]

two questions... at gotquestions.org it says this:

The trinity is not three separate Gods nor is it one God who manifests himself in three different ways or roles. Each person in the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are fully God yet they are distinct in their relationship with each other and in their primary functions in relating to the world.


I dont understand the difference between it saying that the Trinity is not one God in three different ways or roles, but that they are distinct in their relationship with each other adn in their primary functions in relating to the world and that they all are God. Sorry i think that was a confusing way to see it, but i guess i dont understand the difference between God manifesting himself in three ways, and there being three seperate functions of God as these beings? is it bad to say the word beings in terms of them or this?


also from a rather unreliable source i heard that there is also a Holy Ghost in addition to the Holy Spirit, God, and Jesus, and there also was some name for either the Holy Ghost or for something like this? i think that the Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are the same thing, and have no idea where this other information was obtained, so your thoughts on that would be great, but the question that really brought this up is if there is any indication of the Holy Spirit as being female, Jesus, being a man, is male, and God is called the Father which also represents maleness,(didnt know how to say it), but in a patriarchal world for the most part Father is the best term to use probably and may not neccesarily mean gender... your thoughts on this? or something... thank you

[Kurieuo]

I dont understand the difference between it saying that the Trinity is not one God in three different ways or roles, but that they are distinct in their relationship with each other adn in their primary functions in relating to the world and that they all are God. Sorry i think that was a confusing way to see it, but i guess i dont understand the difference between God manifesting himself in three ways, and there being three seperate functions of God as these beings? is it bad to say the word beings in terms of them or this?

There are considered two main heresies within orthodox Christianity with regards to the Trinity. One is to emphasise the three persons of the Godhead to a point where they are to be seen as three separate Gods (tritheism). The other is Modalism, which is to say that God simply expresses Himself in three different modes, or under three different names. This is likely what is meant by "one God in three different ways or roles" in your words. An example would be Jesus, Holy Spirit, and the Father all simply being titles of the one God, rather than being titles of three distinctive persons who are the one God.

also from a rather unreliable source i heard that there is also a Holy Ghost in addition to the Holy Spirit, God, and Jesus, and there also was some name for either the Holy Ghost or for something like this?

Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit refer to the same person of the Godhead.

Kurieuo.

[JBirdAngel]

ok thanks, so for the Trinity, although we cant understand it the main thought at this point is to acknowledge God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as 3 seperate individuals who are yet still one being, or is it that they are 3 in 1 and not one being so strictly as that seems to border on one of the thigns you say... i dunno.. i guess i dont have a clear understanding as the wording here seems to be very tricky and important.. and i definatly dont want to do anything of it wrong..

[Kurieuo]

I would question your words that we can't understand the Trinity. Although it may be hard for some to conceptualise, this doctrine is quite logically consistent and understandable—three persons, one God.

Given the passages in Scripture where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are each portrayed as being God, while it is still advocated that there only one God, I think it important for Christians to examine this issue and the varying positions to come to some sort of position they can accept. And again... I think my post at http://discussions.godandscience.org/vi ... .php?t=716 lays a great foundation.

Kurieuo.