Trinitarians

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Regarding the subject of trinitarians' beliefs...

Sister Anne wrote:
[snip]
> Most of my old friends who are trin. don't believe in three gods.  They 
> believe that there is One God with three manifestations.  Is that the
same 
> thing as persons?  They deny the belief of believing in three gods...  
[snip]

I believe that it is common among trinitarians to hold a more oneness 
view of God than most trinitarian scholars; however, let me tell you 
about something that I heard out of trinitarians' mouths concerning the 
way in which they interpret God.

On several occasions the church my husband attends held 'cell meetings' 
in my home.  (This church is an independent charismatic Word of Life 
church.)  At one of these meeting the leader began discussing the 
subject of Jesus being sent to die on the cross.  It was kind of funny 
actually because the woman seemed to have a problem with saying that 
the Father sent the Son to die.  She read what was on her lesson sheet 
but she had to qualify it.  She just couldn't hold to the idea that a
father 
would send his son to die so she said this, "Well, I just think that Jesus 
volunteered."  On that point I had to agree with her.  Amen, Jesus did 
volunteer!  But the point is that the doctrine is so confusing to the 
common man that they cannot reconcile it.  The common church goer 
will probably say similar things to try to explain the various machinations

of the trinitarian doctrine.  Still, they use separate language when 
referring to the various parts of the godhead.  They make distinctions when

speaking about the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost.  As an example, on 
another occasion in another 'cell meeting' during the discussion, one of
the 
members made particular distinction between the Father and Jesus by 
saying something like, "I think the Father, (pause) and Jesus, would want 
us to do such and such ..."  They have to try and remember to mention 
both so they don't leave one out and slight Him.

I use these examples to show that most trinitarians probably don't know 
exactly what they believe.  On the other hand, most trinitarian scholars 
and teachers/preachers are quite emphatic on what they believe about 
God.  I have heard trinitarians staunchly claim they do not worship 
three gods yet refer to what they do believe (persons) in very distinct 
terms.  On the one hand they say He is one, yet they are careful to 
separate them (the persons) even to the extent of praying to different 
'persons' for different things and at different times or even still making 
very sure they mention them all so as not to offend.

Ultimately, if one prays to 'God' with a sincerely seeking humbly heart, 
one is bound to get an answer. That God may be as unknown to them 
as the Greek god on Mars Hill that Paul preached about, but He knows 
when someone is calling on Him.

Kathy Dimick
Falkville, Alabama
kdimick@colsa.com
kedimick@hotmail.com
http://members.tripod.com/~coffeepleaz/index.html

"For to me to live is Christ"