The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is three "persons".
My question is, how many "spirits" is God?
I believe that God is "a" spirit, meaning that God is "one" spirit.
What do you believe?
How many "spirits" is God?
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vesselofmercy
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #11[Replying to post 9 by McCulloch]
As many as God sends. But for us, mainly one.
I am sorry for it seems in the other thread ye are not trin.
I goobered you were. Now I am goobered as to what you are. Maybe uncategorized as you signify thouself.
Thyself. Youself. The being of you, or whatever.
Here, let me be more specific. The ancient paradigm of SPIRIT was the ghost or vestige of Person or invisible presence with a referent behind or within...coming into your consciousness and ego, in a way which was both mysterious and communal, both to you and spirit and potentially from another and the same spirit...
...in the OT sense this was the SHEKINAH GLORY, first seen as radiant light in the mikvah tents of the nomads, over the Tent of Meeting, and then in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. To indwell a prophet or TABERNACLE in a prophet both in ecstacy and prophesy and for the purpose of showing YHWH Elohim's WILL on earth among His own, was the same Shekinah glory or presence of God.
Did this mean it was his OWN SPIRIT EN WHOLE?? No I think not necessarily. But to go beyond this would be for me to speculate.
And it is much more important to be able to EXPERIENCE the Shekinah Grace of God than to be able to analyze and describe it empirically Selah.
As many as God sends. But for us, mainly one.
I am sorry for it seems in the other thread ye are not trin.
I goobered you were. Now I am goobered as to what you are. Maybe uncategorized as you signify thouself.
Thyself. Youself. The being of you, or whatever.
Here, let me be more specific. The ancient paradigm of SPIRIT was the ghost or vestige of Person or invisible presence with a referent behind or within...coming into your consciousness and ego, in a way which was both mysterious and communal, both to you and spirit and potentially from another and the same spirit...
...in the OT sense this was the SHEKINAH GLORY, first seen as radiant light in the mikvah tents of the nomads, over the Tent of Meeting, and then in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. To indwell a prophet or TABERNACLE in a prophet both in ecstacy and prophesy and for the purpose of showing YHWH Elohim's WILL on earth among His own, was the same Shekinah glory or presence of God.
Did this mean it was his OWN SPIRIT EN WHOLE?? No I think not necessarily. But to go beyond this would be for me to speculate.
And it is much more important to be able to EXPERIENCE the Shekinah Grace of God than to be able to analyze and describe it empirically Selah.
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vesselofmercy
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #13[Replying to vesselofmercy]
I think in general you are right, unless you want to be a stickler on absoluteness...
Heb 12
Furthermore we have had
fathers of our flesh which
corrected [us], and we gave
[them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection
unto the Father of spirits, and
live?
In my mind the spirit sent to John the Baptist was not exactly the same spirit sent to us.
I think in general you are right, unless you want to be a stickler on absoluteness...
Heb 12
Furthermore we have had
fathers of our flesh which
corrected [us], and we gave
[them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection
unto the Father of spirits, and
live?
In my mind the spirit sent to John the Baptist was not exactly the same spirit sent to us.
Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #14[Replying to post 11 by vesselofmercy]
While on Earth Jesus spoke of the Father and the Comforter (Holy Ghost) to come. They are all seperate yet contained in God. We are told Jesus was raised up and exalted above all creation yet he also is God. The Holy Ghost will dwell within us and in Acts physically entered a room yet it is still the Spirit of God. Seperate yet contained. In the beginning we are told there was only God. Yet in John Jesus is described as being the Word and creating all things.This is the Trinity and it is a mystery. No one knows. In the next life this triple existence may be the most normal thing. It is certainly a mark of credibility and truth when a faith can say "this is how it happened and no we cant explain it".
While on Earth Jesus spoke of the Father and the Comforter (Holy Ghost) to come. They are all seperate yet contained in God. We are told Jesus was raised up and exalted above all creation yet he also is God. The Holy Ghost will dwell within us and in Acts physically entered a room yet it is still the Spirit of God. Seperate yet contained. In the beginning we are told there was only God. Yet in John Jesus is described as being the Word and creating all things.This is the Trinity and it is a mystery. No one knows. In the next life this triple existence may be the most normal thing. It is certainly a mark of credibility and truth when a faith can say "this is how it happened and no we cant explain it".
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Elijah John
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #15[Replying to vesselofmercy in post #1]
"God is spirit, and those who worship him must do so in spirit and truth." Presumably referring to the Father so that's 1
The Holy Spirit is spirit as well, so that's 2
And finally, the risen Christ is presumably spirit as well, so that's 3.
Do three spirits equal 3 gods? Not sure how Trinitarians escape that conclusion. 3 Persons is one thing, but 3 Spirits???
The subject seems to highlight another big problem with Trinitarian theology that ancient Hebrews did not have to wrestle with. With the simplicity of pure monotheism, God is one. Period. One Person, one Spirit,
The Father alone is God. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit OF God", not a separate person or spirit. And finally, the "Son" in the Hebrew Bible was not understood to be a Divine person, but instead that designation meant several things none of whom were considered to be a part of the Godhead. And the Messiah in Jewish theology was never understood to be "God incarnate", but rather a holy, heroic human King.
"God is spirit, and those who worship him must do so in spirit and truth." Presumably referring to the Father so that's 1
The Holy Spirit is spirit as well, so that's 2
And finally, the risen Christ is presumably spirit as well, so that's 3.
Do three spirits equal 3 gods? Not sure how Trinitarians escape that conclusion. 3 Persons is one thing, but 3 Spirits???
The subject seems to highlight another big problem with Trinitarian theology that ancient Hebrews did not have to wrestle with. With the simplicity of pure monotheism, God is one. Period. One Person, one Spirit,
The Father alone is God. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit OF God", not a separate person or spirit. And finally, the "Son" in the Hebrew Bible was not understood to be a Divine person, but instead that designation meant several things none of whom were considered to be a part of the Godhead. And the Messiah in Jewish theology was never understood to be "God incarnate", but rather a holy, heroic human King.
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
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Capbook
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #16But why human king was called God, and his throne would be forever and ever.Elijah John wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2025 12:31 pm [Replying to vesselofmercy in post #1]
"God is spirit, and those who worship him must do so in spirit and truth." Presumably referring to the Father so that's 1
The Holy Spirit is spirit as well, so that's 2
And finally, the risen Christ is presumably spirit as well, so that's 3.
Do three spirits equal 3 gods? Not sure how Trinitarians escape that conclusion. 3 Persons is one thing, but 3 Spirits???
The subject seems to highlight another big problem with Trinitarian theology that ancient Hebrews did not have to wrestle with. With the simplicity of pure monotheism, God is one. Period. One Person, one Spirit,
The Father alone is God. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit OF God", not a separate person or spirit. And finally, the "Son" in the Hebrew Bible was not understood to be a Divine person, but instead that designation meant several things none of whom were considered to be a part of the Godhead. And the Messiah in Jewish theology was never understood to be "God incarnate", but rather a holy, heroic human King.
Any mention where that throne would be now?
Psa 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre
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onewithhim
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #17The doctrine of the Trinity is not a Biblical teaching. The Bible teaches that God is one, and his name is Jehovah (see Psalm 83:18 in the King James Bible). Jesus called his Father the only true God (John 17:3). So there is one Person that is God. Jesus is God's Son, not God. Jesus never claimed to be God. He always said that he was God's Son. (John 10:36)vesselofmercy wrote: ↑Fri May 30, 2014 1:57 pm The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is three "persons".
My question is, how many "spirits" is God?
I believe that God is "a" spirit, meaning that God is "one" spirit.
What do you believe?
God IS a Spirit, and one Spirit, as you said. (John 4:24) You notice there that it doesn't say that God is three spirits. "He is A Spirit"---one.
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onewithhim
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Bible_Student
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Re: How many "spirits" is God?
Post #20John 16:13-15 absolutely does not say that Jehovah "takes" things from Jesus.The context is speaking of the holy spirit, which comes from the Father and bestows gifts from the Father.
Jesus says that even though the holy spirit "takes" and gives things that belong to the Father, those things can be considered his, because the Father has made them available to him as well.
The Father needs absolutely no permission or authorization from anyone to take something that exists by his own will. Instead, Jesus receives authority from his Father.
In fact, the primary source of the holy spirit is not Jesus, but his Father, who gives it to Jesus, who in turn uses it in the interests of his own Father.
Jesus says that even though the holy spirit "takes" and gives things that belong to the Father, those things can be considered his, because the Father has made them available to him as well.
The Father needs absolutely no permission or authorization from anyone to take something that exists by his own will. Instead, Jesus receives authority from his Father.
In fact, the primary source of the holy spirit is not Jesus, but his Father, who gives it to Jesus, who in turn uses it in the interests of his own Father.
