Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to pass along some articles about the doctrine of the Trinity. Over the years I have come to be very cautious about how I try to explain the doctrine simply because the doctrine defies explanation in many ways. All too often the analogies that most people offer result in heresy once they are taken to their ultimate conclusions.
Take the “water can be ice, liquid, vapor” analogy. This one says that God’s trinitarian existence of Father, Son, and Spirit is like ice, water, and vapor. Unfortunately, when one pushes this analogy to the end it results in the heresy of Modalism, which teaches that God reveals Himself in different modes (Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) at different points in history. In other words, God is both one in PERSON and one in BEING.
Given this definition we can now see that the water analogy results in Modalism because the substance of water cannot be ice, liquid, and vapor at the same time. Water has three different MODES of ice, liquid, and vapor…
But the orthodox and Biblical doctrine of the Trinity says that God is one God, yet he exists as three distinct, indwelling persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Let me put it to you this way… if we are going to take the Biblical doctrine seriously and affirm what Scriptures teaches, we must ultimately realize that all physical/material analogies to the doctrine of the Trinity fail in some way or another. This means that we must uphold the simplest form of the doctrine (one God, three Persons) with all the mystery that accompanies it.
Okay, enough of my advice. I know that I promised articles, so here they are:
The Athanasian Creed
The Nature of God – The Tri-Unity of God
Trinitarian Analogies by John Frame
History Behind of the Creed
Athanasius: Select Works and Letters
The first article above simply contains the historic, orthodox creed that all Christians everywhere have confessed at some point or another since after the time of the Arian controversy. The “history behind the creed” article deals with the Arian controversy and background to why the creed needed to be written in the first place by Athanasius. Second, “the nature of God” article was written by Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries. It includes a clear, Biblical defense of the doctrine and much more. Third, and very helpful, is an article by Dr. John Frame of Reformed Theological Seminary on how we should approach the issue of giving analogies for the doctrine of the Trinity. This one should definitely be read.
Also, I’ve provided a general link to the life and works of Athanasius for anyone who wants to know more about him and what he did during his lifetime. Athanasius is a true blessing from God to the entire Church!
Please note that there is a distinction between the Eastern Christian churches and the Western Christian churches. The Eastern churches tended to approach God from the emphasis of three persons and then sought to show their unity. The Western churches have historically emphasized God’s unity and sought to show the diversity within the Godhead. I do not believe that either approach leads to heresy, but it is important to know that over one thousand years ago the East and the West thought that the other’s approach did lead to heresy. Here is what Dr. Frame says in a footnote:
“The westerners, saying that God had “one substance (substantia), three persons (personae), (originally “masks”) sounded Sabellian to the easterners, who said God had “one being (ousia)” and “three substances (hypostaseis).” And the easterners sounded tritheistic or Arian to the westerners.“
Last, but not least, here is a suggested reading list for anyone interested in reading a book or two on the doctrine… (more…)
