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Some anti-Catholics still propagate a lie that Catholics worship statues of the Virgin Mary and other saints, in direct contradiction to the Second Commandment; "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath. . .Thou shall not bow down thyself to them nor serve them." (Exodus 20: 4-5; Deuteronomy 5: 8-9)
Response: First of all, Catholics consider that injunction against idolatry part of the First Commandment , not the Second. The 10 Commandments are nowhere numbered in the text of the Scripture, so Catholics, Protestants and Jews each number them differently. Catholics consider, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image.." to be one command, while most Protestant divide them into two. Second, the Baltimore Catechism, a Catholic religious textbook used for decades to educate Catholic children in the Faith, says, "we do not pray to the crucifix or to the images of Christ and of the saints, but of the person whom they remind us." (I, q. 96) This is the official teaching of the Church, we do not worship statues, we used them to remind us of our beloved family in heaven, even as you might look at a photo of a relative when he or she is far away. We are familiar with that commandment and would never pray to a plaster statues, since the statue itself can do nothing. USING THE STATUE IS NOT IDOLATRY God was forbidding idolatry, not the mere making of images. That's why he added the words, "Thou shall not bow down to them nor worship them." He doesn't want us to make images for the purpose of idolatrous worship. This commandment doesn't apply to artwork, like Michelangelo's David, or monument like the Lincoln Memorial or the Statue of Liberty, since none of these images are intended for idolatrous worship. And since we Catholics, do not worship our holy images. This commandment doesn't apply to Catholic practice either. The images of Saints are not idols therefore it is allowed just like God allowed the images of Cherubim. Cherubim are heavenly creatures and they, too, are saints because they are all holy. The word idolatry comes from two words "idol" and "latria". Latria is a Latin word which means adoration. Catholics gave "latria" ALONE to God. The saints are not idols and the kind of act we give to them and their images is called in Latin as "Dulia" which means veneration. In case you do not know, St. Paul already gave the definition of idol, he said, "We know that an IDOL is without existence..." (1Cor 8:4 CCB). Our Saints are real people with real existence therefore they are not idols. Most of all, Catholics do not consider them as gods but fellow citizens in heaven who already have gone before us. We love and praise them because their lives are worthy of emulation. St. Paul said, "I implore you, dearly beloved, do as I do" (Gal. 4:12). By the way for your information, the term idol does not only mean graven images. It could mean "money" (Eph. 5:5) or immoral acts, "Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, WICKED DESIRES and GREED WHICH IS A WAY OF WORSHIPPING IDOLS" (Col. 3:5 emphasis mine). "THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE"! If God really intended to ban all images, then why did he later command the Israelites to make images of angels to adorn the Tabernacle? In Exodus 25:18, shortly after issuing the commandment in question, God says "Thou shalt make also two cherubims of gold: of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat." These cherubim of the Ark were images of things in heaven above," and so seemingly prohibited by Exodus 20:4-5! Question: Is God contradicting himself? The answer is NO, for although they were intended for use in the Tabernacle, and thus had a religious purpose, they were not themselves objects of worship! Again, in Numbers 21:8-9, when the Israelites were plague by serpents, the Lord told Moses: Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon the pole: and it shall come to pass that everyone who is bitten, when he look upon it, shall live. " Moses did so, and people were healed by looking on it! If God opposed all images, why would he have chosen to heal his people through one, and even made it a type of the Messiah (John 3:14-15)? 1 Kings 6:29 tells us that the walls of the Temple were covered with "carved figures of cherubims, and palm trees, and open flowers, within and without." These are likeness of things in heaven and on earth! 1 Chronicles 28:18-19 indicates that King David made numerous gold and silver images to adorn the future temple, and that he did so according to God's command (v 19). And 2 Chronicles 3: 10-13 informs us that Solomon has 2 huge golden statues of angels constructed for the Holy of holies. Nowhere does God ever object to this proliferation of images in the Temple of Jerusalem, in fact his blessing of the Temple implies divine pleasure with the whole thing (2 Chronicles 7:18). Many Catholic Churches are similarly filled with holy images; indeed, the Temple of Solomon resembles a Catholic Church more than a typical Protestant one
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Question: Why Do We Celebrate All Saints' Day?
Answer: The Catholic Church has set this day to remember and give honor to all heroes who lived and died for God. November 1 is the day or Christian feast to honor all saints. "We always thank God for you all and always mention you in our prayers. For we remember before our God and Father how you put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm." (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3) It was said, "We always thank God for you all and always mention you in our prayers." We can tell this to people asking where All Saints Day or remembering the saints is written in the Bible. If we will see what Apostle Paul said, this is a day to remember the saints who live according to the faith and spread love and steadfastness for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our memory of what they did is referred to as "always." The more important thing is that they will serve as inspiration so we can imitate the kind of their love and service for God. "And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."(Hebrews 6:11-12) Question: Why Do We Celebrate All Souls' Day? Answer: All Souls' Day is celebrated on 2nd November. On All Souls Day, we not only remember the dead. We also exert our efforts, through prayer, alms giving, and the Mass, to release them from Purgatory. It is our obligation to pray for our loved ones as well as those who have already died. We may not know whether they went to Heaven or Purgatory but we still have favor in the eyes of God because of our prayers for the living and the dead. “Pray for one another.”(James 5:16) Offering prayers for the souls of the dead in Purgatory is a big help for the forgiveness of sins. This act is good and holy. Our efforts and time are not wasted when we pray for the dead just like what Judas Maccabees did before. "If they did not believe that their fallen companions would rise again, then it would have been a useless and foolish thing to pray for them. But they firmly believed in a splendid reward for those who died as believers; therefore, their concern was holy and in keeping with faith. This was the reason why Judas had this sacrifice offered for the dead - so that the dead might be pardoned for their sin." (2 Maccabees 12:44-46) Question: Is Praying for the Dead Biblical? Answer: If we read about Nehemiah, one of the servants of God, we will find out that he prayed for his ancestors. "Look at me, Lord, and hear my prayer, as I pray day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess that we, the people of Israel, have sinned. My ancestors and I have sinned."(Nehemiah 1:6, Good News Translation). Now, the question is: what is the status of his ancestors? Are his ancestors alive or dead? This is what is written: “I replied, ‘If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.’"(Nehemiah 2:5, Good News Translation). It is clear that the ancestors of Nehemiah are dead and have been buried. It is also clear that Nehemiah prayed for his dead ancestors. Judas Maccabaeus prayed for his dead companions "He also took up a collection from all his men, totaling about four pounds of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. Judas did this noble thing because he believed in the resurrection of the dead. If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them. In his firm and devout conviction that all of God's faithful people would receive a wonderful reward, Judas made provision for a sin offering to set free from their sin those who had died."(2 Maccabees 12:43-45). Most probably, those who do not agree with the teachings of the Catholic Church also believe that that 2 Maccabees is not part of the Bible. However, what the Protestants do not know is that 2 Maccabees is part of the Septuagint Bible. The Septuagint has existed long before the other versions of the Bible used by Protestants were created. The Protestant version removed seven books contained in the Catholic Bible. According to the history of the Septuagint Bible, this was used by the Lord Jesus and His disciples when they were still here on Earth. "It is from this version that Jesus Christ and the New Testament writers and speakers quote when referring to the Old Testament." (Where We Got the Bible, Page 14-15). Question: Should a Christian Pray for the Dead? Answer: Some people claim that there is no basis in the New Testament that Christians should pray in front of the dead. Yet, we can see in one verse of the Bible that there is one Servant of God who prayed in front of the dead so God will take pity on the corpse. “But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, ‘Get up, Tabitha.’ And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!” (Acts 9:40). Biblical Answers are Far Better than Human Opinions! 10/31/2014 0 Comments EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONEucharistic Adoration is adoring or honouring the Eucharistic Presence of Christ. In a deeper sense, it involves "the contemplation of the Mystery of Christ truly present before us".
During Eucharistic Adoration, we "watch and wait", we remain "silent" in His Presence and open ourselves to His Graces which flow from the Eucharist ... By worshiping the Eucharistic Jesus, we become what God wants us to be! Like a magnet, The Lord draws us to Himself and gently transforms us. In its fullest essence ... Eucharistic Adoration is "God and Man reaching out for each other, at the same time!" "Come to Me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Are you tired because of the burden of your duties, because of frustration due to unsuccessful projects, because many misunderstand you? Are you heavy laden with guilt from past sins? Are you trying to find hope and meaning in life? Do not lose heart! Abandon yourself to Jesus in this "Sacrament of Love": He will refresh you! The more time you spend with Jesus, the more you will come away feeling renewed and healed. Miracles of conversion, peace, discovery of vocations, answers to prayers, physical healings, and many other wonderful things happen where and when the Lord Jesus is adored in the Blessed Sacrament. They are the "gifts" that point to the Almighty Giver and testify to His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament... Let us love being with the Lord! There we can speak with Him about everything. We can offer Him our petitions, our concerns, our troubles, our joys, our gratitude, our disappointments, our needs and our aspirations. Above all we can remember to pray: 'Lord send laborers into Your harvest! Help me to be a good worker in Your vineyard!' When asked, "What would save the world?" ... Mother Teresa replied: "My answer is prayer. What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in holy hours of prayer." The Blessed Sacrament is the LIVING FOUNTAIN OF LIFE where we drink in the love of Christ Who alone quenches our thirst. Thus, our time spent with our Beloved Saviour in Adoration, can become the most profound, meaningful, joyful, peaceful and healing experience we could ever encounter! May our adoration never cease! O, SACRAMENT MOST HOLY! O, SACRAMENT DIVINE! ALL PRAISE AND ALL THANKSGIVING BE EVERY MOMENT THINE! THE TRUE MEANING OF HALLOWEEN
To most everyone, Halloween has become synonymous with harmless fun-making and masquerading; sadly many Catholics (even some who profess to observe the traditions of our Faith) regularly participate in (and even host) the annual pagan-like celebrations which nowadays have become associated with Halloween. It is then,necessary to clarify the true meaning of Halloween. The etymology of the word HALLOWEEN indicates to us clearly its true meaning. It comes to us from medieval English: 'HALOWEN' or 'HALWEN' which means literally: to make holy, to sanctify; and as well: to reverence, to honor as sacred, to venerate. The very root of the word reminds us that Halloween is the 'holy-evening'; it is the eve (the vigil) of the feast of All Saints - 'All-Hallows' (celebrated November 1st). Thus, it is a day of preparation for the glorious feast on which we honor and venerate the men, women and children who through the merits of Our Lord's cross have attained to the eternal bliss of paradise. What association with Halloween therefore have witches, goblins, ghosts and other such grotesque figures? The answer is found easily in any reputable encyclopedia. The Druids, a group of pagan priests in ancient Gaul and Britain, believed that, on Halloween, witches, ghosts, spirits, fairies and elves would come out to harm people. They also believed that the cat was sacred and that cats had once been human beings but were changed as punishment for evil deeds. FROM THESE DRUID (i.e. PAGAN) BELIEFS COMES THE PRESENT-DAY USE OF WITCHES, GHOSTS, AND CATS IN HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES. The Druids also had an autumn festival called Samhain. It was an occasion for feasting on all the kinds of food which had been grown during the summer. THE CUSTOM OF USING LEAVES, PUMPKINS AND CORNSTALKS AS HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS COMES FROM THE DRUIDS (PAGANS). Faithful Catholics must then not imitate these pagan customs. Those catholics who have become regular participants in the pagan-like celebration of Halloween must cease and desist from such non-catholic festivities; they must return to the true meaning of Halloween (i.e., the preparation for the feast of All Saints). They must teach their children to understand how these pagan customs are diabolical in origin (for a pagan, by definition, is a worshipper of false gods; i.e., the devil). They must not allow their children to masquerade as witches, ghosts or other such figures but rather should teach them of the lives of the saints and encourage them to imitate the saints not only in costume but most especially in the practice of the virtues. The more the world, and those who follow the spirit of the world, show their disdain for the things that appertain to Almighty God, the more must we show our love for Him and for His teachings. The more the world profanes the sacred (e.g. the violation of Sundays and holydays, the commercialization of Christmas etc.) the more must we venerate and sanctify them. The more the world scorns us for so doing the greater shall be our reward in heaven. Catholics then, should refuse to attend any and all parties that treat Halloween as a pagan celebration and should on the contrary, band together to celebrate the triumph of the saints in heaven. This then is the true meaning of Halloween. 10/23/2014 0 Comments THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY TRINITYThe doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith.It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. But it also raises many difficult questions. How can God be both one and three? Is the Trinity a contradiction? If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God?
While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. What Does it Mean That God is a Trinity? The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father (John 16:10), the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world (John 14:26; Acts 2:33). Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. In the baptism of Jesus, we see the Father speaking from heaven and the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water (Mark 1:10-11). In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was "with God"-thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. also 1:18). And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. The fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons means, in other words, that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Jesus is God, but He is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. Thus, they relate to each other personally--the Father regards Himself as "I," while He regards the Son and Holy Spirit as "You." Likewise the Son regards Himself as "I," but the Father and the Holy Spirit as "You." Often it is objected that "If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth." But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialog between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41-42; 17:1ff) which furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a "force" than a Person. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). The fact that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force (like gravity), is also shown by the fact that He speaks (Hebrews 3:7), reasons (Acts 15:28), thinks and understands (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), feels (Ephesians 4:30), and gives personal fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). These are all qualities of personhood. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. They are all eternal. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. Each Person is fully God. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is "one-third" of God? Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). We should not think of God as like a "pie" cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. Rather, "the being of each Person is equal to the whole being of God."[1] The divine essence is not something that is divided between the three persons, but is fully in all three persons without being divided into "parts." Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. Thus, as Wayne Grudem writes, "When we speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together we are not speaking of any greater being than when we speak of the Father alone, the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone."[2] There is only one God. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: "There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:21-22; see also 44:6-8; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4-5; 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Kings 8:60). Having seen that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, that they are each fully God, and that there is nonetheless only one God, we must conclude that all three Persons are the same God. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? Surely not. Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. This can only be if they share one essence. Is the Trinity Contradictory? This leads us to investigate more closely a very helpful definition of the Trinity which I mentioned earlier: God is one in essence, but three in Person. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. This law states that A cannot be both A (what it is) and non-A (what it is not) at the same time and in the same relationship. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. For example, if I say that the moon is made entirely of cheese but then also say that the moon is not made entirely of cheese, I have contradicted myself. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. Theologian R.C. Sproul cites as an example Dickens' famous line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Obviously this is a contradiction if Dickens means that it was the best of times in the same way that it was the worst of times. But he avoids contradiction with this statement because he means that in one sense it was the best of times, but in another sense it was the worst of times. Carrying this concept over to the Trinity, it is not a contradiction for God to be both three and one because He is not three and one in the same way. He is three in a different way than He is one. Thus, we are not speaking with a forked tongue-we are not saying that God is one and then denying that He is one by saying that He is three. This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. How is God one? He is one in essence. How is God three? He is three in Person. Essence and person are not the same thing. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. So a closer look at the fact that God is one in essence but three in person has helped to show why the Trinity is not a contradiction. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. Essence means the same thing as "being." Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being-not three. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. For if we deny this, we have denied God's unity and affirmed that there is more than one being of God (i.e., that there is more than one God). What we have seen so far provides a good basic understanding of the Trinity. But it is possible to go deeper. If we can understand more precisely what is meant by essence and person, how these two terms differ, and how they relate, we will then have a more complete understanding of the Trinity. Essence and Person Essence. What does essence mean? As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. God's essence is His being. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. At the risk of sounding too physical, essence can be understood as the "stuff" that you "consist of." Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. "God is spirit" (John 4:24). Further, we clearly should not think of God as "consisting of" anything other than divinity. The "substance" of God is God, not a bunch of "ingredients" that taken together yield deity. Person. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term "Person" differently than we generally use it in everyday life. Therefore it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. What we do not mean by Person is an "independent individual" in the sense that both I and another human are separate, independent individuals who can exist apart from one another. What we do mean by Person is something that regards himself as "I" and others as "You." So the Father, for example, is a different Person from the Son because He regards the Son as a "You," even though He regards Himself as "I." Thus, in regards to the Trinity, we can say that "Person" means a distinct subject which regards Himself as an "I" and the other two as a "You." These distinct subjects are not a division within the being of God, but "a form of personal existence other than a difference in being."[3] How do they relate? The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. Within God's one, undivided being is an "unfolding" into three personal distinctions. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. The late theologian Herman Bavinck has stated something very helpful at this point: "The persons are modes of existence within the being; accordingly, the Persons differ among themselves as the one mode of existence differs from the other, and-using a common illustration-as the open palm differs from a closed fist."[4] Because each of these "forms of existence" are relational (and thus are Persons), they are each a distinct center of consciousness, with each center of consciousness regarding Himself as "I" and the others as "You." Nonetheless, these three Persons all "consist of" the same "stuff" (that is, the same "what," or essence). As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. So God is one "what" but three "whos." The divine essence is thus not something that exists "above" or "separate from" the three Persons, but the divine essence is the being of the three Persons. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. Wayne Grudem explains: But if each person is fully God and has all of God's being, then we also should not think that the personal distinctions are any kind of additional attributes added on to the being of God . . . Rather, each person of the Trinity has all of the attributes of God, and no one Person has any attributes that are not possessed by the others. On the other hand, we must say that the Persons are real, that they are not just different ways of looking at the one being of God...the only way it seems possible to do this is to say that the distinction between the persons is not a difference of `being' but a difference of `relationships.' This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human `person' is a different being as well. Somehow God's being is so much greater than ours that within his one undivided being there can be an unfolding into interpersonal relationships, so that there can be three distinct persons.[5] Trinitarian Illustrations? There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. One illustration to beware of is the one which says "I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. This explains how God can be both one and three." The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. Summary Let us quickly review what we have seen. 1. The Trinity is not belief in three gods. There is only one God, and we must never stray from this. 2. This one God exists as three Persons. 3. The three Persons are not each part of God, but are each fully God and equally God. Within God's one undivided being there is an unfolding into three interpersonal relationships such that there are three Persons. The distinctions within the Godhead are not distinctions of His essence and neither are they something added on to His essence, but they are the unfolding of God's one, undivided being into three interpersonal relationships such that there are three real Persons. 4. God is not one person who took three consecutive roles. That is the heresy of modalism. The Father did not become the Son and then the Holy Spirit. Instead, there have always been and always will be three distinct persons in the Godhead. 5. The Trinity is not a contradiction because God is not three in the same way that He is one. God is one in essence, three in Person. Application The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. We exist to worship God. And God seeks people to worship Him in "spirit and truth" (John 4:24). Therefore we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God-in truth as well as in our hearts. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. The general pattern of prayer in the Bible is to pray to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. Nonetheless, while recognizing the distinct roles that each Person has, we should never think of their roles as so separate that the other Persons are not involved. Rather, everything that one Person is involved in, the other two are also involved in, one way or another. |
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