Posted on 03/14/2014 4:42:25 AM PDT by matthewrobertolson
I agree with you for the most part. I just think we’ll be joint heirs then and these earthly distinctions we used to divide Christian from Christian will be part of the wood, hay, stubble that gets burned up when “tested by fire.”
The Testimony of a Former Priest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvID3lRyYIc&feature=relmfu
The Gospel Defined and Discerned
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=81901181950
Unmasking the False Gospel
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1010665821
That’s a tough one. There are parts of this definition that I like: http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=5222
Yet, it isn’t fully Biblical. It works too hard not to be polytheistic which is associated with paganism, one of the archenemies of God’s Church.
At the same time we know from the Bible that Christ ascended into Heaven bodily. No one ever searched for the body of Jesus Christ, yet relics from his life were searched for.
We also know that everyone gets resurrected and gets a post mortal body. We also know that we’re made in God’s image and likeness, as in an outline of God in the Hebrew of the OT.
So for me, if the Bible is true and I believe it is, if God the Father is just a spirit then he cannot have physical unity with Jesus Christ. If the definition of the Trinity is three Gods all acting in perfect, absolute unity, then that makes sense in light of what the Bible says.
What do you think/believe?
There can be no unity without truth.
Faith + anything cannot be equal to faith alone. Therefore, there can never be unity between Rome and any Protestantism ... but then again ... Rome is not after unity ... they want priority.
Are you a Lutheran or have you ever been to a Lutheran Church service?
That’s all correct. My point is that there are political reasons, having nothing to do with religious doctrine, for the violence and wars between Christians. It was Crusaders that made the Muslim conquest of Byzamtium/Rome possible.
It’s the Devil’s world and politics - greed for power/money - drive his creatures.
Because Jesus said so?
Yes, it is taught.... it is just a matter of the translation given to the word, "theiotes".
The biblical term "Godhead" (theiotes) is used three times in Scripture, Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9. The word “Trinity," which is the theological word Christians use to refer to the Godhead, is not found in Scripture.
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device" (Acts 17:29).
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20)
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9)
The Bible, the Word of God, plainly states the plurality of God and that God is One God.
Further 1 John 5:7 states "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."[1] The fact God did not inspire the writers of Scripture to use the modern word "Trinity" does imply that it is not a biblical truth.
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, stating that they were to teach and baptize in the names of the Godhead, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Heaven will be full of people saved by grace alone, whether Catholic or Protestant. There won’t be a single man there who attempted to base his salvation in any way on his own works. That is taught both explicitly and implicitly from the early chapters of Genesis when Cain’s works sacrifice was rejected.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
—Ephesians 2:8-9
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 THEREFORE WE CONCLUDE THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW.
—Romans 3:23-28 (emphasis mine)
There. Fixed it.
Catholics/Orthodox are such hypocrites.
My pastors cousin is doing his PhD at some seminary out west. He is convinced that Hebrews is one of Paul's sermons what was transcribed by Luke.
He sees literary commonality in the grammar of Luke, Acts, and Hebrews (indicating Luke wrote it) but the theology of Paul is clearly evident ... as well as the closing remarks seem to be Pauline.
It's a very interesting position ... Can't wait to read this thesis.
I agree that the closing fairly screams Paul. The theology does also. And the “faith” chapter is so reminiscent poetically of the “love” chapter that I think it could only be one author.
The 5 P’s that explain the gospel of Jesus Christ
1. God’s Plan – RELATIONSHIP: What is the purpose of life?
We were created by God to love Him supremely by knowing, pleasing, serving, and worshipping Him forever.
John 17:3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Jeremiah 9:23–24 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
2. Man’s Problem – SIN: Is it possible to be a “good” person?
We were all born sinners and have rebelled against God’s purpose for our life by ignoring God’s sovereignty and rightful ownership of our lives. All of us are guilty of breaking God’s laws that provide blessing and protection and are subject to the curse of death and God’s future justice, judgment, and wrath.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
Romans 3:9–10 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. God’s Provision – JESUS CHRIST: What is the Good News?
By God’s love and grace, Jesus entered our cursed world and lived a perfect life so that He can provide the righteousness required to reconcile sinners to know a perfect God and enter a perfect heaven. He died a sacrificial death on the cross to provide His perfect blood as the payment to satisfy God’s perfect justice so sinners can be forgiven all their sins. He rose victoriously from the dead to prove by His resurrection that all His claims are true and that He alone has the power over death to offer and guarantee eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life
Romans 1:3–4 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
4. Man’s Participation – BELIEVE (Repentance and Faith)
What must I do to be saved? Believing in Jesus requires repentance and faith to enter into a covenant agreement with God that commits to follow and obey Jesus as LORD (master, owner, boss). True belief involves real repentance that confesses sin and is willing by the power of the Holy Spirit to turn from all sin (stops living for SELF and starts living for the SAVIOR). True belief also has full faith (trust/commitment) in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that receives God’s gracious gift of righteousness, forgiveness, and eternal life.
Mark 1:14 –17 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Acts 17:30 therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent
Acts 20:21 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Ephesians 2:8–9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
5. God’s Promise – LIFE: What happens at conversion?
A true Christian is born again, forgiven, adopted, indwelt, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a new life in the present and have assurance of eternal life in the coming kingdom/heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him
Luke 18:29–30 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”
I’ll be praying for you. Please do the same for me.
You’re misreading the Greek. What is your definition of the Trinity?
Thank you. I will. Dominus vobiscum!
Should say:
The fact God did not inspire the writers of Scripture to use the modern word "Trinity" does NOT imply that it is not a biblical truth.
Also, I have a question for matthewrobertolson, I don't understand why you stated that "The Trinity is never explicitly taught within the Bible." I thought that Catholics believed in the concept of the Trinity.
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