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God in Christianity

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Template:Conceptions of God

An image of the Christian Trinity of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Christianity, God is the eternal being who created the universe and all there is, in other words the Creator God. God is usually held to have the properties of holiness (separate from sin and incorruptible), justice (fair, right, and true in all his judgments), omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, omnipresence and immortality (eternal and everlasting). The Bible never speaks of God in an impersonal sense. Instead, it refers to him in personal terms—as one who is, who speaks, who sees, hears, acts, and loves. God is understood to be a personal god, with a will and personality. He is represented in Scripture as being primarily concerned with people.[1] Thus, the transcendent Essence of God is impersonal, while the immanent Persons of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are personal.

God is believed to be transcendent, meaning that he is outside space and outside time, and therefore eternal and unable to be changed by earthly forces or anything else within his creation.[2] Although the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox churches, and the various Protestant denominations believe that they worship the same god, some have differing beliefs about his nature.

Trinitarianism vs. Nontrinitarianism

The Trinitarian doctrine is considered by some Christians to be a core tenet of their faith. Since the 4th century, in both Eastern and Western Christianity, this doctrine has been stated as "three Hypostases (or, less precisely, persons) in one God", all three of whom, as distinct and co-eternal persons, are of one indivisible Divine essence, a simple being. Some Christians Sects are Trinitarian based and regard belief in the Trinity as a test of true orthodoxy of belief[3], but there are also other Christians that Disregard Trinitarian, Nicean, and other Creeds and have a different view on what constitutes God in Christianity. Nontrinitarian positions held by some groups include Binitarianism (two deities/persons/aspects), Unitarianism (one deity/person/aspect), the Godhead (Latter Day Saints) (three separate beings) and Modalism (Oneness).

Some have described the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being seperate distinct, eternally existent beings (the Godhead (Latter Day Saints)), or as a different "manifestation" of a single being (modalism). Some have theorized that the relationship of Father and Son began at some point outside of normal "history" (Arianism) and others have believed that God became a Father when he uttered his creating Λογος ("logos" or "word"), who is both a principle of order and a living being to whom God bears the relationship as Father (some gnostics). Others found strong affinity with traditional pagan ideas of a savior or hero who is begotten by deity, an idea of the Father similar to Mithraism or the cult of the Roman emperor.[citation needed]

Christians of Reformed theology also conceive salvation to be one work of the triune God in which "the three divine persons act together as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics" with the agency of the Holy Spirit as an essential element. For an exampositions are held by some groups including Binitarianism (two deities/persons/aspects), Unitarianism (one deity/person/aspect), the Godhead (Latter Day Saints) (three separate beings) and Modalism (Oneness).


Some Christian traditions reject the doctrine of the Trinity. In the early centuries of Christian history Arians, Ebionites, Gnostics, Marcionites, and others held nontrinitarian beliefs. These views were rejected by many bishops such as Irenaeus and subsequently by the Ecumenical Councils. The Nicene Creed raised the issue of the relationship between Jesus' divine and human natures. Monophysitism ("one nature") and monothelitism ("one will") were attempts to explain this relationship. During more than a thousand years of Trinitarian orthodoxy, formal nontrinitarianism, i.e., a doctrine held by a church, group, or movement, was rare, but it did appear.

The Protestant Reformation of the 1500s also brought tradition into question. At first, nontrinitarians were executed (such as Servetus), or forced to keep their beliefs secret (such as Isaac Newton). The eventual establishment of religious freedom, however, allowed nontrinitarians to more easily preach their beliefs, and the 19th century saw the establishment of several nontrinitarian groups in North America and elsewhere. These include Christadelphians, Christian Scientists, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Unitarians. Twentieth-century nontrinitarian movements include Iglesia ni Cristo, Oneness Pentecostals, and the Unification Church. Nontrinitarian groups differ from one another in their views of Jesus Christ, depicting him variously as a divine being second only to God the Father, Yahweh of the Old Testament in human form, God (but not eternally God), prophet, or simply a holy man.

During the Protestant Reformation (as Catholics maintained the authority of all the Councils) most of the emerging Protestant groups rejected some councils which were contrary to their beliefs as spiritually tainted.[4] Clemens Ziegler[1], Casper Schwenckfeld, and Melchior Hoffman, advanced the view that Christ was only divine and not human. Michael Servetus denied that the traditional doctrine of the Trinity was necessary to defend the divinity of Christ. He claimed that Jesus was God himself in the flesh. [5]

Latter-day Saints accept the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but do not Believe that they are the same being (three in one). Rather, they believe them to be separate beings united perfectly in will and purpose.[6] They believe that the Father, like the Son, has a glorified physical body. (see Godhead)

Ecclesiastical Swedenborgians, such as those in the New Jerusalem Church or Swedenborgian Church of North America take a somewhat different approach to nontrinitarianism. Emanuel Swedenborg spoke sharply against the concept of the Trinity in most of his works. Members of the New Jerusalem movement view Jesus Christ alone as the one god, of whom the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are aspects (corresponding roughly to Wisdom, Love, and Earthly Activity). This is somewhat akin to modalist theology.

Present-day groups who do not consider Jesus to be God include: Unitarians,[7] descendants of Reformation era Socinians, Christadelphians,[8] and Jehovah's Witnesses.[9]

Ambivalence to Trinitarian doctrine

Some Protestant Christians, particularly restorationists, are ambivalent about the doctrine of the Trinity. While not specifically rejecting Trinitarianism or presenting an alternative doctrine of God's relationship with humanity, they are neither dogmatic about the Trinity nor hold it as a test of true Christian faith. Some, like the Society of Friends (Quakers) and Christian Unitarians, may reject all doctrinal or creedal tests of true faith. Others, like the restorationist Churches of Christ, in keeping with a distinctive understanding of "Scripture alone", say that since the doctrine of the Trinity is not clearly articulated in the Bible, it cannot be required for salvation. Still others may look to church tradition and say that there has always been a Christian tradition that faithfully followed Jesus without such a doctrine. They point out that the Trinitarian doctrine, which they see as being steeped in Greek philosophical distinctions, was not clearly articulated for some centuries after Christ.[citation needed]

Nontrinitarians commonly refer to the following points in objection to Trinitarian teaching.

  • That it does not follow the strict monotheism found in Judaism and the Old Testament, of which Jesus claimed to have fulfilled.
  • That it is an invention of early Christian church fathers, such as Tertullian.
  • That it is paradoxical and therefore not in line with reason.
  • That it reflects the influence of pagan religions, some of which have divine triads of their own.
  • That the doctrine contradicts the Holy Scriptures, such as when Jesus states that the Father is greater than he is, or the Pauline theology: "Yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him."[10]
  • That the doctrine relies almost entirely on non-Biblical terminology. Some notable examples include: Trinity, Three-in-one, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, Person in relation to anyone other than Jesus Christ being the image of God's person (hypostasis).
  • That the scriptural support for the doctrine is implicit at best. For example, the New Testament refers to the Father and the Son together much more often than to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the word "Trinity" doesn't appear in the Bible.
  • That the persons responsible for the creation of the doctrine were not Authorized by the Divine Power and Authority of God to even try to explain what the nature of God was in the first place.

Referring to nontrinitarians objections, trinitarians, on the other hand, say that they are, indeed, monotheists, because they believe in just one god, although he exists as three persons[11][12]; and that, although the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible, the concept has its basis in an understanding of scriptural teaching, and supported by both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible.[13]

Christology

A depiction of Jesus and Mary, the Theotokos of Vladimir (12th century)
Main article: Christology
Further information: Chalcedonian creed, Christ the Logos, Monophysitism, and Arianism

Christology was a fundamental concern from the First Council of Nicaea (325) until the Third Council of Constantinople (680). In this time period, the Christological views of various groups within the broader Christian community led to accusations of heresy, and, infrequently, subsequent religious persecution. In some cases, a sect's unique Christology is its chief distinctive feature, in these cases it is common for the sect to be known by the name given to its Christology.

Christians believe that, as the messiah, Jesus was anointed as ruler and savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus' coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. The Christian concept of the Messiah differs significantly from the rabbinical concept.[14] The core Christian belief is that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life.

While there have been theological disputes over the nature of Jesus, Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and "true God and true man" (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus, having become fully human in all respects, suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, yet he did not sin. As fully God, he defeated death and rose to life again. According to the Bible, "God raised him from the dead",[15] he ascended to heaven, to the "right hand of God",[16] and he will return again[17] to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy such as the Resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment and establishment of the physical Kingdom of God.

According to the Gospels, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary. Little of Jesus' childhood is recorded there in comparison to his adulthood, especially the week before his death. The Biblical accounts of Jesus' ministry include: his baptism, miracles, preaching, teaching, and healing.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stagg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Machen, J. Gresham. God Transcendent. Banner of Truth publishers, 1998. ISBN 0851513557
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vickers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ MacCulloch, Reformation pp. 185, 187
  5. ^ Servetus, Michael. Restoration of Christianity. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 2007.
  6. ^ Hinckley, Gordon (March, 1998). "First Presidency Message: The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost". Ensign. Retrieved September 8 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  7. ^ On Unitarians, see: UUA.org, Unitarian Views of Jesus; on connection with Socinianism, see: sullivan-county.com, Socinianism: Unitarianism in 16th-17th century Poland and Its Influence (Note that the icon at the top of the page expresses Trinitarian theology with a symbolic hand gesture); on this matter they parallel the ancient Ebionites, see: J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines pp. 139
  8. ^ One God or a Trinity?, James and Deb Flint (Printland: Hyderabad). Assessed: 08–15–2007. Available online
  9. ^ Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, What Does the Bible Say About God and Jesus?
  10. ^ Jewish Encyclopedia
  11. ^ Grudem, Wayne A. 1994. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Page 226.
  12. ^ See discussion in Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Person" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  13. ^ See Trinity#Trinity in Scripture for a list of Bible passages on the subject.
  14. ^ Jewfaq.org, The Messiah
  15. ^ Acts 2:24, Romans 10:9, 1 Cor 15:15, Acts 2:31–32, 3:15, 3:26, 4:10, 5:30, 10:40–41, 13:30, 13:34, 13:37, 17:30–31, 1 Cor 6:14, 2 Cor 4:14, Gal 1:1, Eph 1:20, Col 2:12, 1 Thess 1:10, Heb 13:20, 1 Pet 1:3, 1:21
  16. ^ Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Acts 2:33, 5:31, 7:55–56, Romans 8:34, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, 1:13, 10:12, 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22
  17. ^ Acts 1:9–11
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