How can Jesus be co-equal to God when He said the Father is greater?

About the Trinity, All Questions

How can Jesus be co-equal to God when He said the Father is greater?

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Trinity,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 18, 2025

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John 14:28 (NKJV)

You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

In the above verse, Jesus says, “My Father is greater than I,” a statement that has sparked much theological discussion. How does this align with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which holds that Jesus is co-equal with God?

To grasp this, it’s essential to understand the nature of Jesus’ ministry and the context of His statement. Jesus’ words here reflect His earthly role and mission. During His time on earth, Jesus, though divine, took on a human form and a servant’s role, as described in Philippians 2:5-8. This self-limiting of His divine attributes (referred to as “kenosis”) was an act of humility and obedience, part of His mission for humanity’s salvation.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus’ statement about the Father being greater than Him should be understood in light of His human experience and the limitations He willingly accepted during His earthly ministry. This doesn’t imply an inherent inferiority in His divine nature but rather highlights the relational dynamics within the Trinity during His earthly life. His going back to the Father – following His resurrection (as mentioned in John 14:28), was a return to His pre-incarnate glory, and exaltation.

Additionally, it is important to understand that the word “greater” in both Greek and English can mean either of two things.

First, it could mean “someone who is better in essence, rank, and position.” For instance, you would be greater than your pet in essence, rank, and position as well.  Secondly, ‘greater’ can also refer to “someone who holds a greater status or office.” For example, your boss is greater than you; the president is greater than the vice president. However, God values both the president and the boss equally and accords them the same dignity and value.

In saying that the Father is greater, Jesus was not referring to His essence, but rather to His position and role on earth at the time of making the statement.

In conclusion, Jesus’ statement in John 14:28 about the Father being greater is not a contradiction of His divinity but an affirmation of His earthly role and the relational dynamics within the Godhead during this temporal period. Understanding this helps us appreciate the incredible humility of Christ in His redemptive work.

In saying that the Father is greater, Jesus was not referring to His essence, but rather to His position and role on earth at the time of making the statement.

How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

About the Trinity, All Questions

How can God be constantly three persons at the same time?

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Trinity,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 13, 2025

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In Christianity, the Trinity doctrine is fundamental. However this doctrine poses a profound question: How can God exist simultaneously as three distinct persons?

The essence of the Trinity is the belief in one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is distinct yet fully divine, sharing the same essence.

This concept is crucial, as theologians point out the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit is fundamental to the Christian faith. If Christ is not divine, His sacrifice on the cross would be reduced to a mere martyrdom, lacking the power to atone for sins of humanity. Similarly, if the Holy Spirit is not divine, the spread of the Gospel and the transformation of believers would be unachievable.

It is also important to clarify that the Trinity is not about God changing forms or roles, a concept known as modalism. Unlike modalism, which suggests God appears as different persons at different times, the scriptures affirms that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are eternally and simultaneously distinct persons. Each person of the Trinity has a unique will and personality but operates in perfect unity and harmony, never in opposition.

In various scriptural passages, the Trinity is represented as a one entity comprising of three distinct persons.

For example, in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus instructs His disciples to baptize in the ‘name’ of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, signifying a singular divine identity manifested in three persons. This theme is reiterated in Apostolic Benedictions, such as 2 Corinthians 13:14 and 1 Peter 1:1-2, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are collectively referenced, emphasizing their distinct roles yet united work in the life of believers. Moreover, passages like 1 Peter 1:2 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 highlight the Trinity’s cohesive function in the process of salvation and sanctification, from the Father’s election to Christ’s redemptive work and the Spirit’s ongoing work of sanctification in our lives.

These examples collectively illustrate the simultaneous distinctiveness and unity of the Trinity as portrayed in the Bible.

In conclusion, these scriptural references,  not only affirm the individual identity and role of each Person but also their collective unity in the Godhead.

The Trinity is the perfect harmony of three distinct persons united as one God.

Is the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible?

About the Trinity, All Questions

Is the doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible?

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Trinity,   All Questions

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Jan 13, 2025

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Some people question the authenticity of the doctrine of the Trinity by stating that the word itself isn’t found or mentioned in the Bible. However, it is important to understand that our theology need not only be based just from specific words; but on the ideas and concepts behind the words that the Bible presents.

The essence of the Trinity is encapsulated in the biblical revelation that “there is one God.” This monotheistic principle is foundational to both the Old and New Testaments. However, as we engage with the Scriptures, we encounter a progressive revelation of a complex yet unified Godhead: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each Person is distinct, yet collectively, they are one God.

Reading the Scriptures, we can see how God is depicted among the three persons in a way that actively implies the Trinitarian nature of God.

Key Scriptural references illustrating the Trinity:

      • The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 where Jesus instructs the disciples to baptize “in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This singular ‘name’ encompassing the three distinct Persons underscores the unified nature of the Trinity.
      • Pauls benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14, Paul closes His letter with the following statement “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.” This verse subtly but powerfully portrays the interrelation and distinct roles of the Trinity.
      • Peter expresses the integrated role of the Godhead at work in the salvation process. In 1 Peter 1:1-2 he describes the believers’ journey, as being “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”

The early Church, in its efforts to articulate their understanding of the Godhead, developed the term “Trinity” to summarize the biblical revelation of God’s nature. This development was partly in response to heretical views that misunderstood God’s nature, leading to the clarification and formalization of the Trinity doctrine in the early ecumenical councils.

In conclusion, while the term “Trinity” itself isn’t found in the Bible, the concept is deeply woven into its teachings that are present in the Old Testament (Genesis 1:26, where God says, “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness”) and revealed explicitly in the New Testament. The doctrine of the Trinity arises from a holistic interpretation of the Bible, capturing the complexity and unity of God’s nature.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mathew 28:19

What is the best explaination for the Trinity?

About the Trinity, All Questions

What is the Best explanation for the Trinity?

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Trinity,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 13, 2025

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The best explanation for the Trinity comes from a simple yet profound biblical truth : “God is love.”

1 John 4:8 (NKJV)

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

This verse does more than express God’s nature as loving; it reveals His intrinsic identity as love.

The Jewish phrase “God is Love” expresses His love as something profound, consistent, intense, transcendental, and integral to His character. Therefore, to express His love in the greatest way possible, we say that “He is love,” essentially stating that God is the ultimate standard of love.

The term “love” is frequently associated with affection and emotions, but practically speaking, love requires a subject, an object, and an action. In other words, we need a person to do the loving, an object to receive the love, and the act of love itself.

Genuine love cannot be expressed by oneself; it must be reciprocated by another person. Consequently, God did not just begin experiencing “love” after He created humans (objects He could love). Rather, God is love by nature from eternity past.

In other words, God did not have to create humans in order to develop a loving nature. Rather there was already a loving community between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit even before creation.

It was out of this overwhelming love within the Godhead that human beings were created to invite us into what was already established within the Trinity.

Even the sacrificial act of Jesus on the Cross, when understood within the Trinitarian framework, gains an even deeper significance. It was an act of love initiated by the Father, carried out by the Son, and applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit. In this, God demonstrates His love, inviting us to partake in this divine communion.

As we are molded by the Holy Spirit to become more like Christ, we are drawn into the very heart of Trinitarian love – a love that is self-giving, eternal, and transformative.

In conclusion, the Trinity, as understood through the lens of love, offers a profound insight into the nature of God. It invites believers to not only intellectually comprehend but to personally experience the depth of God’s love as expressed in the relational dynamic of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The best explanation for the Trinity comes from a simple yet profound biblical truth: “God is love"

Define the trinity in simple terms?

About the Trinity, All Questions

Is there a simple definition for the Trinity?

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Trinity,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 13, 2025

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When discussing the Trinity, it’s crucial to start with a proper definition, as many Christians struggle to articulate this complex doctrine and often fail to define the Trinity properly before explaining it.

As a result, cliché illustration to explain the triune God are frequently used without any explanation.like illustrating God as water (solid / liquid / gas) or an egg (shell / white / yoke) are used to explain the triune God.

Such analogies, while well-intentioned, can inadvertently misrepresent the true nature of God as revealed in Christian theology. However, without a working definition, such illustrations are ineffective.

The Trinity can be more accurately defined as: “God is one in being and revealed in three distinct persons.” This means that there is one God who exists in three co-eternal, co-equal, and co-powerful persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

These three distinct persons are not separate beings but are one in essence and nature.

A BEING is the quality or essence that makes you what you are, and a PERSON is that quality or essence that makes you who you are.

As humans, we are one being with one person, but God is one being with three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

According to the Bible, there is only one God. However, it also reveals that this God has three personal distinctions in His complex nature. Traditionally, these three persons are referred to as the Godhead. Each person of the Godhead is distinct from the others but never acts independently.

The Father is not the same as the Son, the Son is not the same as the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the same as the Father.

They are distinct persons, yet together they are one God.

As one Being, all three persons are in absolute harmony. They are co-eternal, co-equal, and co-powerful. If one of the three persons were removed, there would be no God.

The importance of each distinct role and function of the persons of the Godhead is apparent in our salvation. The Father role is in choosing who will be saved (Eph. 1:4); the Son redeems them (Eph. 1:7), and the Holy Spirit seals them (Eph. 1:13).

In conclusion, while the Trinity remains a profound mystery, it is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It’s essential to approach it with both reverence and a desire for a biblically faithful understanding, balancing the mystery with clear theological articulation. This doctrine emphasizes or illustrates the richness and depth of God, inviting believers into a deeper relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

GOD IS ONE IN BEING, REVEALED IN THREE DISTINCT PERSONS.

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