What is the difference between...

[Elijah John]

What is the difference between the Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit?

Which Person of the Trinity does one "invite into one's heart" in order to become "born again" and saved?

If they are the same, then how are they distinct "Persons"?

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

[dio9]

What is the difference between the Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit?

Which Person of the Trinity does one "invite into one's heart" in order to become "born again" and saved?

If they are the same, then how are they distinct "Persons"?

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

That's the mystery , Da!

[Elijah John]

What is the difference between the Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit?

Which Person of the Trinity does one "invite into one's heart" in order to become "born again" and saved?

If they are the same, then how are they distinct "Persons"?

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

That's the mystery , Da!

Seems needlessly complicated, contradictory and paradoxical to me. Perhaps others can shed some light on this "mystery"?

[ttruscott]

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

YHWH is ONE GOD in three Persons because YHWH is a UNITY.

Does http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-one ... -echad.htm mean anything???

[Elijah John]

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

YHWH is ONE GOD in three Persons because YHWH is a UNITY.

Does http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-one ... -echad.htm mean anything???

I do recall that Bible telling me that God is one, but where does it say that God is "one in three Persons"?

Look, I'm a simple man. That is a long and complicated link. In effect, it seems to me you are telling me to "do my homework".

If something cannot be explained in a few sentences, I suspect gymnastics is at play., not plain and simple truth. Verbal, linguistic or theological gymnastics.

Anyway, I did not ask for an explanation of the Trinity...I asked for an explanation of the difference between the "Risen Christ" and the Holy Spirit.

If there is a distinction, it seems a vague one. Could you clarify?

For example, why do Evangelicals so often say "ask Jesus into your heart". Why not "ask the Holy Spirit into your heart'. After all, even Paul says we are "Temples".

So where is Jesus in all this Divine machinery? In Heaven advocating for us at the Father's right hand? Or in our hearts still with us (or even in us), here on Earth?

[The Tanager]

What is the difference between the Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit?

They are two different Persons of the one God.

Which Person of the Trinity does one "invite into one's heart" in order to become "born again" and saved?

Might depend on what one means by 'invite into one's heart.' What does that phrase mean to you?

If they are the same, then how are they distinct "Persons"?

If I understand you correctly here, they are the same being, but different persons. This isn't illogical, whereas saying they are the same person and different person in the same sense at the same time.

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

Because the monotheism involves how many beings there are, not persons. Polytheism is multiple beings called gods. Monotheism is one being called god.

[Elijah John]

What is the difference between the Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit?

They are two different Persons of the one God.

Which Person of the Trinity does one "invite into one's heart" in order to become "born again" and saved?

Might depend on what one means by 'invite into one's heart.' What does that phrase mean to you?

If they are the same, then how are they distinct "Persons"?

If I understand you correctly here, they are the same being, but different persons. This isn't illogical, whereas saying they are the same person and different person in the same sense at the same time.

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

Because the monotheism involves how many beings there are, not persons. Polytheism is multiple beings called gods. Monotheism is one being called god.

But even pagan polytheists have a saying that "all gods are one God". How is the Trinity different, besides in number, and in ethics? (Or by relation to the Living God?)

Also, ok I get it, different Persons as opposed to different beings. But many times in Evangelical preaching, discussion, the two (Risen Christ and the Holy Spirt) seem to have interchangable or overlapping roles.

And that seems redundant.

Also, consider Romans 8.11

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

So, was Jesus filled/indwelt with God's Holy Spirit? Or was he filled (retroactively somehow) with the "Risen Christ"?

And if Jesus was filled with God's Holy Spirit, then Paul seems to be saying we are too.

The conflation and blurred lines between the members of the Trinity, particularly Christ and the Holy Spirit, is all so confusing.

Needlessly so, imo.

But the confusion disappears if we do not try to make Jesus (pre-or post Easter) "God".

Then it is only the Spirit of God that one "invites into one's heart" , "indwells us", "guides us" , "leads us", "empowers us" etc, etc.

Just as He did with Jesus.

[ttruscott]

If not, how is that still Monotheism?

YHWH is ONE GOD in three Persons because YHWH is a UNITY.

Does http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-one ... -echad.htm mean anything???

I do recall that Bible telling me that God is one, but where does it say that God is "one in three Persons"?

It doesn't - it merely says He is a Unity and then hints are sprinkled throughout as to what makes up this unity.

Look, I'm a simple man. That is a long and complicated link. In effect, it seems to me you are telling me to "do my homework".

I'm not a fan of huge cut and pastes, for sure.

Anyway, I did not ask for an explanation of the Trinity...I asked for an explanation of the difference between the "Risen Christ" and the Holy Spirit.

If there is a distinction, it seems a vague one. Could you clarify?

The Holy Spirit has been called the most elusive member of the Trinity for good reason but as separate from GOD the Son...a very background person.

For example, why do Evangelicals so often say "ask Jesus into your heart". Why not "ask the Holy Spirit into your heart'. After all, even Paul says we are "Temples".

Paul also wrote: Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love... and Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
etc.

The Holy Spirit seems to be mentioned: Zechariah 4:6 Therefore he told me, “These signify the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.� and many other places.

And Christ spoke of the difference between Himself and the Spirit in John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever--

John 14:17
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you.

John 15:26 When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me, and 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment...

So where is Jesus in all this Divine machinery? In Heaven advocating for us at the Father's right hand? Or in our hearts still with us (or even in us), here on Earth?

Why not both?

[bluethread]

That is why I do not use the term person, when referring to Adonai. They are all manifestations of the same deity. Now, one can ask how the epiphany called Yeshua could be a manifestation of Adonai and still be limited in His abilities, when he was here on earth. However, I see it like quantum physics. We do not understand everything about quantum physic, yet we do not reject theories just because they are not perfect, i.e. how can something be energy and matter depending on how one looks at it.

"invite into one's heart" and "born again" are idioms referring to concepts derived from the Tanakh. The first refers to the "new covenant" or proper application of the One Covenant, referred to by Moshe' and Yerimayahu. The latter refers to the difference between heredity and commitment.

[marco]

Because the monotheism involves how many beings there are, not persons. Polytheism is multiple beings called gods. Monotheism is one being called god.

The problem here is that we generally take being and person to be the same thing. You seem to be saying that God is composed of three persons, or has three different personalities. The totality is God, but that means that Jesus is one third of God. This is not how the Trinity is defined; Jesus is God, entirely so. This is illogical but that's the charm of the mystery. Were we able to explain the Trinity so easily then it wouldn't be a mystery.