A difficult concept for anyone to grasp including myself. As you know, the word "trinity" itself is not found in the Bible. However, we do have some verses that help us out:Colossians 2:9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:1 Timothy 2:5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.Given man's poor amount of wisdom when compared with God, I think looking at it from the perspective of offices one the one God is the best way. The Bible affirms it; there is one God (YHVH) and one God alone.John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.The Godhead is God and it includes all three offices. Jesus is the flesh form of our Father born as a human who faced the same trials that we do and beat them all; every last one of them. The Holy Spirit(Ghost) is our spiritual companion that God gave us to let him use us. Then, of course, you have God, YHVH, which, in a nutshell is God; he's pretty much beyond us as far as his state but he gave us the Bible to help out our simple minds.1 John 5:7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
In the scriptures certain words from the Greek word Theo (God) appear and relate to that which is divine. These words related to theo are: theios, theiotes , and theotes. These words occur at Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, Colossians 2:9, and 2 Peter 1:3, 4.
At Acts 17:29 when Paul, was in Athens, he showed that it was illogical for humans to imagine that “the Divine Being (to theios, which is a form of word theios) is like gold or silver or stone.” Many translators here at Acts 17:29 use terms such as “the Godhead,” “the Deity,” or “the divinity” (
AV, AS, Dy, ED, JB, RS), but E. J. Goodspeed’s translation says, “the divine nature.” (
AT) Liddell and Scott’s
Greek-English Lexicon (p. 628) shows that the phrase
to theiʹon was used by ancient Greek writers to mean “the divine Being or Essence, the Deity.” So according to ancient Greek usage, then, this word can be translated by words that indicate divine personality or by terms that indicate divine qualities or attributes and this is true with the other words: theiotes and theotes. So the context and sense of what is stated must guide how such words as theios, theiotes, and theotes are translated.
At Romans 1:20 the Greek word there is theiotes and some translations use words such as, Godhead, or deity, or divinity.
E.J. Godspeed translation translates this Greek word at Romans 1:20 as divine character. Vincent's word studies in the New Testament states that the Greek word theiotes is Godhood not Godhead. Vincent said this Greek word in the context of this scripture signifies the sum total of the divine attributes.
At Colossians 2:9 the Apostle Paul was speaking of Christ when he was inspired to write: "It is in him that the fullness of the divine quality (form of theotes) dwells bodily." Some translators lean toward attributing personality to the word theotes translating it as Godhead, or Deity. E.J. Godspeeds translation says at this scripture, "It is in him that the fullness of God's qualities lives embodied." Lexicographers Liddell and Scott allow for the meaning of theotes to be divine nature and so does Robinson's Greek and English Lexicon of the New Testament allow the meaning divine nature.
It's obvious that those translation that translate theotes as Godhead or Diety at Colossians 2:9 favor a sense of personality and give the idea that God personally dwells in Christ. Translations that translate theotes as divine nature, or divine qualities give the idea that Christ is the very embodiment of the divine qualities, such as wisdom. When these translations translate the Greek word theotes here at Colossians 2:9 as divine nature or divine qualities the context shows that those in the Christian congregation would look to the resurrected Jesus their divinely appointed head, for all their guidance and instruction, as well as blessings, from God, and not to human philosophers and traditionalists. So Jesus has had all the fullness that all Christians need. However it must be noted that this fullness of divine nature or divine qualities was granted to Jesus by his Father(Colossians 1:19), who raised him from the dead and sat him on the right hand of God's majesty and as the reflection of God's glory and the exact representation of his very being. Hebrew 1:1-3; Philippians 2:8-11.
At 2 Peter 1:3, 4 the apostle shows that by virtue of the “precious and very grand promises” extended to faithful anointed Christians by divine power, they “may become sharers in divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Elsewhere in the Scriptures Christians are referred to as ‘sharing’ with Christ in his sufferings, in a death like his, and in a resurrection like his to immortality as spirit creatures, becoming joint heirs with him in the heavenly kingdom. (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Philippians 3:10, 11; 1 Peter 5:1; 2 Peter 1:2-4; Revelation 20:6) So it is evident that the sharing of Christians in “divine nature” is with Christ, and also with their fellow heirs, rather than with God. Nature is generally associated with that which is produced, or is born or grows, it is inappropriate to speak of God as having “nature”; he is without birth or growth, having no beginning. However, he can give divine nature or qualities to others. Psalms 90:1, 2; 93:2; 1 Timothy 1:17.
oes it really matter if we beleive that God is 3 seperate persons in one God, all equalin power and majesty ORIs it okay to beleive that God is one God ( like above ) yet has three seperate roles or offices, all equal in power and majesty although ( like concept above) Christ is half human from a virgin human mother; Father: God.Jesus said if you've seen me you've seen the Father.Isn't it semantics and not a salvation issue anyway; to believe one or the other or even both could be the answer?Thanks in advance for input.
