God Created in Man's Image ? ?

Originally posted by vivify
God appeared to Jacob in a dream. So that wouldn't count.

He also spoke through a donkey, appeared as a pillars of smoke and of fire, as a burning bush, as Melkesidek. Same person though.

Originally posted by divegeester

Yes I disagree wholeheartedly, both with your assertion and with your semantic logic.

I am a brother, a son, a husband and potentially a father.

But I am NOT 4 separate persons in one person. I am ONE.

Yet, the Three of Father, Son and Holy Spirit interact with each other in a mysterious way.

"These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You; Even as You have given Him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom You have given to Him." (John 17:1,2)

Yes, you are brother, son, and husband. But you do not converse with the son as a brother or speak as a husband to the son. You are not schizophrenic.

But God is three - one.

The Son converses with the Father:

"And going forward a little, He fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will but as You will." ...

... Again, going away a second time, He prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.

... He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same word again." ( Matt. 26:38-44)

You may be simultaneously brother, son, husband and perhaps father too in the future. Yet did you ever have a desperate speaking in which the husband had to go speak with the brother three times ?

So the ancient brothers were justified in coining a phrase like Triune God. If you didn't, they noticed that this one God mysteriously is composed of three distinct and simultaneous ___________ who interact one with another.

I leave it blank above because human language fails us to express the mystery. The word "Persons" I might borrow. But even "Persons" I could not press overmuch.

So I am happy now to just leave it as "three distinct and simultaneous __________".

Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

What would be your comment about this short discussion of the Shema from the Jews for Jesus website?

Click on Jews have the Shema; do Christians believe in three gods?

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/answers/theology/godofabraham

Originally posted by divegeester
Yes I disagree wholeheartedly, both with your assertion and with your semantic logic.

I am a brother, a son, a husband and potentially a father.

But I am NOT 4 separate persons in one person. I am ONE.

Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

People do this all the time. Comparing God to themselves or other people.

You see the problem with that. right?

Originally posted by divegeester
Yes I disagree wholeheartedly, both with your assertion and with your semantic logic.

I am a brother, a son, a husband and potentially a father.

But I am NOT 4 separate persons in one person. I am ONE.

Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

This one is like a composite one. Examples: ONE FAMILY, ONE COMPANY, ONE CHURCH

Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." - ONE FAMILY
God said, "Let US make man in OUR image." - ONE GOD

Baptize in the NAME of the Father, the Son. and the Holy Spirit - ONE NAME

COMPOSITE ONE
😏

Originally posted by RJHinds
[b]Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

This one is like a composite one. Examples: ONE FAMILY, ONE COMPANY, ONE CHURCH

Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." - ONE FAMILY
God said, "Let US make man in OUR image." - ONE GOD

Baptize in the NAME of the Father, the Son. and the Holy Spirit - ONE NAME

COMPOSITE ONE
😏[/b]

Ah, a multiple personality then. I knew something was wrong with that dude.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Ah, a multiple personality then. I knew something was wrong with that dude.

You should worry about what is wrong with you. 😏

Originally posted by divegeester
Your capitalisation of the words triune and trinity highlights your error in this doctrine. These words do not even appear in scripture, let alone deserving of capitalisation.

You are correct! Those words are believed by many due to being misled.
And yet the "resurrection" which occurrs 42 times in the Bible is not believed or understood for it's real meaning.

(Acts 24:15) And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Originally posted by sonship

Your capitalisation of the words triune and trinity highlights your error in this doctrine. These words do not even appear in scripture, let alone deserving of capitalisation.

I don't think ANY capitalizations of letters appear in the Greek NT.
I am not sure if even Theos is capitalized in the Greek.

More to the point is tha ...[text shortened]... capitals are a problem to you then -

I also believe in the trinity and in the triune God.

There are many trinities in other religions, pagan religions. That is why Constantine (a pagan ruler) decided that Jesus was equal to Jehovah. He wanted to unify his domain and also incorporate the up and coming Christian religion.
The idea of a 3-in-1 god adding the holy spirit was not decided on until the Council of Constantinople in 381C.E.

These are historical facts that have been well established.

What is the origin of the Trinity doctrine?

The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.”—(1976), Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: “Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.”—(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

According to the Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, “The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher’s [Plato, fourth century B.C.E.] conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions.”—(Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachâtre, Vol. 2, p. 1467.

John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of ‘person’ and ‘nature’ which are G[ree]k philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as ‘essence’ and ‘substance’ were erroneously applied to God by some theologians.”—(New York, 1965), p. 899.

I did this for you as you seem to like long posts.

Originally posted by divegeester
Yes I disagree wholeheartedly, both with your assertion and with your semantic logic.

I am a brother, a son, a husband and potentially a father.

But I am NOT 4 separate persons in one person. I am ONE.

Hear oh Israel The Lord your God is one.

You seem to have some discernment.
At least you see through the fallacy of the trinity.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Ah, a multiple personality then. I knew something was wrong with that dude.

Sorry, this is really directed at RJHinds.

Jesus also said at:

(John 17:11) “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them on account of your own name, which you have given me, so that """they may be one just as we are one."""

So does that make the disciples of Jesus God also?

That would be a many headed god. Kind of like some pagan religions have, eh?

Originally posted by roigam

There are many trinities in other religions, pagan religions. That is why Constantine (a pagan ruler) decided that Jesus was equal to Jehovah. He wanted to unify his domain and also incorporate the up and coming Christian religion.

This is what you are taught by your kingdom hall teachers. But it was the prophet Isaiah who said two things:

The Child born would be called the Mighty God.
And the Son given would be called the Father of Eternity.
This is Isaiah 9:6 long before Constantine was worried about political and religious unity in his empire.

We have someone Wonderful to come in Isaiah 9:6.
Though He spends nine month as a child in the womb of a woman He is nevertheless, astoundingly, "Mighty God".

Though He is a "son ... given", He is astoundingly the Eternal Father.

Because He is so unsual the first name He is given is "Wonderful".
And this is way, way before Emperor Constantine.

The idea of a 3-in-1 god adding the holy spirit was not decided on until the Council of Constantinople in 381C.E.

This is what your teachers at the kingdom hall would have you believe.

Actually in Romans 8 when Paul is speaking of the experience and enjoyment of the Christians, he used some terms in such an interchangeable way that it is evident he viewed God as three-one.

Keep in mind that he is not so much laying out systematic doctrine here but speaking of the daily, regular experience the believers were having of this indwelling God:

"But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.

And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies the through His Spirit who indwells you." (Romans 8:9-11)

Here Paul says "the Spirit of God" is the same as "the Spirit of Christ". Here Paul says "The Spirit of Christ" is the same as "Christ". Here Paul says "Christ" is the same as "The Spirit of the One Who raised Jesus from the dead"

These three "Persons" are all indwelling the believers. It is ONE God.
The Spirit of God is in the believers.
That Spirit of God is also the Spirit of Christ in the believers.
That Spirit of Christ is also "Christ" in the believers.
That "Christ" is also "the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead."

The Father raised Jesus from the dead.
So we see that in subjective experience there is no way the believers can detect any difference between the Three. And God indwells them giving life.

Of course Paul is not inventing anything new here. He is confirming what Christ Himself taught in John 14. Specifically that he reiterates that when Jesus the Son comes to make an abode with His lovers, the Father comes with Him. They compose a mysterious divine "We".

"Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him." (John 14:23)

And of course verses 25 - 31 in the same chapter are all about the Spirit of truth coming to be in the believers. So Romans 8:9-11 is really "shop talk" among those who have experienced all that Jesus taught in John 14.

Whatever other naughty things Emperor Constantine did, this is way before he was born.

These are historical facts that have been well established.

It is historical that Constantine wanted to unite his political kingdom and to do that presided over some infighting among the believers. This is well known. Trying to blame the teaching of the Three-One God on Constantine is Watchtower propaganda of the disingenuous sort.

I did this for you as you seem to like long posts.

I saw you quotes. But the far more important quotes are those from the Bible. And as you can see in the basic letter outlining major Christian doctrine - Romans, Paul speaks experiencially about this indwelling Savior.

And he uses seamlessly and interchangeably these titles -

"The Spirit of God"
"The Spirit of Christ"
"Christ" Himself.
"the Spirit of the One Who raised Christ Jesus from the dead."

The Trinity is not for man to have a perplexing doctrine to fight about.
He is for man to receive God for divine life.
The Three are for dispensing God to man, indwelling man, giving him life.

Originally posted by sonship

There are many trinities in other religions, pagan religions. That is why Constantine (a pagan ruler) decided that Jesus was equal to Jehovah. He wanted to unify his domain and also incorporate the up and coming Christian religion.

This is what you are taught by your teachers. But it was the prophet Isaiah who said two things:

...[text shortened]... to fight about.
He is for man to receive God for divine life indwelling man giving him life.

Excuse me, this is what has been recorded in history.

I guess you didn't notice the references were not from JW literature.

2 co 4:3,4

As for Isaiah that was a prophecy of what Jesus would be called after his faithful life course on Earth doing his Father's will not a statement of what Jesus was at that time.

He is our Father in that by sacrificing his perfect human life (1 Peter 2:22) he bought the possibility of everlasting (or eternal) life again for those who put faith in him.

We all need teachers. Do you have one?

Now roigam, I would like to put the question to you which Robbie Corrobie seemed not to want to address.

If you know God, tell us a little about what God is like.
I don't mean Encyclopedia information or facts about Constantine.

In your experience, do you know God?
Do you have some personal, intimate, fellowship and communion with God as a living One?

What has knowing God Himself been like subjectively, experientially, to you?

Originally posted by sonship

There are many trinities in other religions, pagan religions. That is why Constantine (a pagan ruler) decided that Jesus was equal to Jehovah. He wanted to unify his domain and also incorporate the up and coming Christian religion.

This is what you are taught by your kingdom hall teachers. But it was the prophet Isaiah who said two ...[text shortened]... d for divine life.
The Three are for dispensing God to man, indwelling man, giving him life.

To address the original question.
It could be said that man made god in his image in that men have made Jesus God and the Bible says clearly that he is the first-born son of the true God, our Universal Sovereign, Jehovah God.
Even Jesus' disciples knew who he was:
(Matthew 16:16) Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And notice too that Jesus did not say Peter was wrong!!!

Originally posted by roigam

Excuse me, this is what has been recorded in history.

Constantine did not invent the doctrine of the trinity.

And while you're concerned about pagan influences on Christian faith you could explain the fascination Charles Russell had for pyramids and why there is one at his grave site.

Jehovah's Witness Grave Site of Charles Russell

YouTube

Russell's Pyramid

YouTube

Charles Russell - 33rd degree free mason founder of Jehovah's Witnesses

YouTube

(Turn the distracting music down and just read, I suggest)