But contrary your single text hermenutic, i see Jn. 1:1 teaches the Word (Christ: v. 14) is God, and Divine attributes and worship being ascribed to Him, (Heb. 1 etc.) and "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," (Matthew 28:19)
In post #140, I commented on Mat 28:19 and will copy paste the snippet
“That is a powerful verse that places the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on the same level. However, scholars debate whether those are the exact words of Christ, or a paraphrase that was part of the original text reflecting baptismal practice of the church circa 80AD? Two reasons being: First, Matt 28:19 has no other scriptural parallel. Mark 16:15-18 bears closest resemblance but does not mention the threefold name. Secondly, If Christ commanded baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, why isn’t there a record of any Apostolic Fathers, or New Testament writer baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Instead, in the Acts of the Apostles baptism is in Christ’s name. Paul speaks of being baptized into Christ, or Christ Jesus but never the threefold name.”
and "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all," (2 Corinthians 13:14) as teaching a Divine unity of persons,
I agree the triadic formula is present but I don’t see where from 2 Cor 13:14 one can conclude the Holy Spirit is a diety. A created being yes. A created being of very high rank yes. Knowledge of John 1:1-2 makes clear that God and Christ are distinct yet the same but where is an equivalent to John 1:1-2 regarding the Holy Spirit?
and defining the one God who said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness," (Gn. 1:26).
Binitarianism will satisfy Gn 1:26
So just as more than one verse is necessary to understand what Jn. 3:16 teaches, so more than one is what makes a doctrine to be a clear and present reality in the scripture.
I agree. I just used Jn 3:16 as a starting point concerning salvation and how salvation relates to the Trinity.
But first, what we do not find of course is texts showing worshiping the Holy Spirit and praying to Him, since the Spirit is the one who inspires both, but He points to the Head and the One whom He inspired in expressing the Head. Yet He reveals His unity with the Father and the Son in such texts as Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14, and by worshiping the Father and the Son then one is worshiping the Spirit.
You just validated part of my point that scripture isn’t as clear about the Trinity as many grew up believing it to be. If the three are co-equals, why are only two given divine titles, worshiped and prayed to but not the third member?
Moreover, perhaps no where is His deity and personhood more revealed than in the teaching that,
All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)
One can certainly infer a divine status from that. However, could a person be condemned to hell as some here believe if a person viewed the Holy Spirit as merely an agent of God and that blasphemy against God’s agent was regarded as blasphemy against God?
I would like to continue but my brain needs a break and I have some chores to do around the house. I appreciate all that you have written and will be happy to address the remainder of your post as part of our discussion but for the moment, I need a break.
Who just MUST have gotten 'created' early on in this story; between verse one and two...
Genesis 1:1-2
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, 2 and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And in post 144 i reproved this new measure in dealing with a verse which you admit , "is a powerful verse that places the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on the same level."
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all," (2 Corinthians 13:14) as teaching a Divine unity of persons,
I agree the triadic formula is present but I don’t see where from 2 Cor 13:14 one can conclude the Holy Spirit is a diety. A created being yes. A created being of very high rank yes
I also reproved this absurdity in #144. As if a created being was ever included in a benediction of God's presence, while you yourself before stated , "The strongest indications of divinity are: 2 Cor 3:17-18, Phil 3:3 and John 16:8-11, 1 Cor 12:4-6, 2 Cor 13:14."
Yet by resorting to making the Spirit into a mere created being then you actually support Him as being a person! But what you continually resort to is the demand for an all-in-one text that shows both the deity as well as the personhood of the Spirit of God. Being shown the deity, you respond that this does not show the Spirit as a person, and being shown Him as a person, you respond that this does not show Him as Divine!
And i already provided evidence of the Holy Spirit being Divine, not the least of which is that blasphemy against Him is uniquely condemned.
To which you admitted,
One can certainly infer a divine status from that
However, being tired it appears i did not respond to your last argument which was,
However, could a person be condemned to hell as some here believe if a person viewed the Holy Spirit as merely an agent of God and that blasphemy against God’s agent was regarded as blasphemy against God?
While i do not think ignorantly mistaking the Spirit as a Divine instrument of God is the same as blaspheming His character, yet once more light is given i think it testifies against the person as being born again.
I think one can be confused as with some in the UPC, but to deny Christ and the Spirit as being Divine with the Father is heresy.
And once again by making the Spirit into a created agent then you are admitting the Spirit is a person, while no one was ever accused of blaspheming a created being as being more severe than blaspheming the Son.
The text,
All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come, (Matthew 12:31-32)
supports the Spirit as being a Divine person, along with other texts, including as having a will and being one of 3 which constitute the "name" one is baptized with, and one of 3 persons which provide the believer with grace, love and communions, respectively.
You just validated part of my point that scripture isn’t as clear about the Trinity as many grew up believing it to be. If the three are co-equals, why are only two given divine titles, worshiped and prayed to but not the third member?
That was answered, and as cited, "the Lord is that Spirit." (2Cor. 3:17)