"God"
"God" in Trinitarian doctrine means various things. "God" can refer to God the Father. "God" can refer to God the Son. "God" can refer to the Holy Spirit. "God" can refer to the Triune being. "God" can refer to the divine nature.
It is also important to recognize that each of these definitions of God are distinct from the others. For example, in Trinitarianism, God the Father is not God the Son and is not God the Holy Spirit and is not God the Triune Being and is not God the divine nature. In Trinitarianism, you can't say God the Father is God the Holy Spirit or you wouldn't have three persons anymore. You also can't say God the Father is God the Triune being because that would be saying the Father is a three person being. You also can't say God the Father is the divine nature because that confuses person and being. In Trinitarianism, you can say God the Father is divine by nature, and you can say the Father has a divine nature, but you can't say God the Father is the divine nature. In Trinitarianism, God the Father is a who; God the divine nature is a what. And if you said God the Father is the divine nature, you would also be saying Jesus' divine nature is the Father. So in Trinitarian world, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, God the Triune being, and God the divine nature, are all different things and you cannot identify one as the other or equate one with the other.
| 1. God the Father | God the Father is not God the Son and not God the Holy Spirit and not God the Triune Being and not God the divine nature. |
| 2. God the Son | God the Son is not God the Father and not God the Holy Spirit and not God the Triune Being and not God the divine nature. |
| 3. God the Holy Spirit | God the Holy Spirit is not God the Father and not God the Son and not God the Triune Being and not God the divine nature. |
| 4. God the Triune being | God the Triune being is not God the Father and not God the Son and not God the Holy Spirit and not God the divine nature. |
| 5. God the divine nature | God the divine nature is not God the Father and not God the Son and not God the Holy Spirit and not God the Triune being. |
"God" according to the flesh
In Trinitarian world, a further distinction is made concerning God the Son. God the Son according to the divine nature descended from the heavens into the womb of Mary and assumed human flesh, a second nature. God, God the Son, was manifested in the flesh. So God the Son has two natures, a divine nature, and a human nature. So God the Son does not have a God according to his divine nature; God the Son does have a God according to his human nature, God's God. And God's God is the same God as his God. But there is always only one person in view: God the Son aka Jesus aka Christ ask "the Son," etc. So whenever you read the New Testament, and you see "Jesus" or "Christ" or "the Son" or "the Lord" or "the Word," and other appellations, the Bible is referring to God the Son according to Trinitarian doctrine. In Trinitarianism, he is "God the Son" whether you want to say he is God the Son according to the divine nature, or God the Son according to flesh. Either way, he is the same identity: God the Son, that is, "God." In other words, you can ALWAYS refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, as "God." And you must do so in Trinitarian world, otherwise you will end up denying that a person known as God the Son descended from heaven and assumed human flesh and that man of flesh was "God." This is represented in the verses below. Please read them carefully and thoughtfully.
The Word became flesh. John 1:14
God became flesh.
On coming to the house, the Magi saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, the Magi saw God with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of God and God and God.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, can no longer die; death no longer Lords over him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Romans 6:8-10
Now if we have died with God, we believe that we shall also live with God, knowing that God, having been raised from the dead, can no longer die; death no longer Lords over God. For the death that God died, God died to sin once for all; but the life that God lives, God lives to God.
for us there is but one God, the Father, out of whom are all things and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
for us there is but one God, the Father, out of whom are all things and we for Him, and one God, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our God.
so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:6
so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our God.
For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 3:21-23
For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to God and God belongs to God
The Head of every man is Christ and the Head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3.
The Head of every man is God and the Head of God is God.
Created: August 21, 2015
Last Revision/Update: August 21, 2015
