Explanations of The Godhead
ONENESS |
TRINITY |
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Conventional |
Perceived |
Common View |
Orthodox |
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Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Solitary One) |
Jesus Only |
Father |
Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Composite Unity) |
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Son |
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Holy Ghost |
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Deut. 6:4 |
John 10:30 |
Matthew 28:19 |
Deut. 6:4 |
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One Being |
One Being whose |
Three Beings |
One Being |
God acted in |
Jesus is the only |
Views Jesus as |
"I-Thou" relationship in scripture attests to separate personalities attributable to One Divine Being |
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Definitions:
Trinity: Within the nature of the One Eternal God there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The idea of the Trinity is that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three distinct persons, co-equal persons that together (in union, joining) are God. They do not consider them to be separate beings or entities.
Oneness: Believes Jesus Christ was the Mighty God manifest in the flesh. That there is One Divine Person who has manifested Himself as Creator-God, and as the Lord Jesus Christ, and as the Spirit of God in the earth today for believers. It holds that the doctrine of the Trinity was a product of pagan mythology and Greek philosophy.
Oneness & Trinity Agree On Two Points: (Disagreement is on point three)
- There is but One God - DEUT 6:4
- The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is each God - 2 PET 1:17; JOHN 1:1,14; ACTS 5:3-4
- Disagreement is on the point that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are distinct persons (separate persons). The use of the word "person" can be misleading because trinitarians are not using it to mean separate beings, but separate personality characteristics.
The Oneness/Conventional and the Trinity/Orthodox explanations represent the scholarly viewpoint from each position on this issue. These two interpretations are very similar. God is undeniably One, yet there is a threeness in regards to the arrangement of His Being. Trinitarians call these three forms "PERSONS" where Oneness teaching calls these forms "MANIFESTATIONS"
The other two boxes in the center of the page represent what many people believe, but these views are not in agreement with the Biblical authorities who support either interpretation. As you may see, many people base their beliefs on misinformation.
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