He then threw the question back at me, and I quickly
responded with "Ruben Ecleo!" If you're skeptical, you can skip the
first part of this post and read the second part for an answer from my book,
"En Esto Creo" (In This I Believe). However, if you're interested in
delving deeper into the topic, let's explore the philosophical and historical
aspects of this question first. This preview will expand our knowledge and
understanding as we navigate the vast river of thought about God.
If you're intrigued, my book is available on Amazon through this link for further reading and proof.(Check this out En Esto Creo: In This I Believe - Kindle edition by Chua, R. D. . Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
In his book "God," Reza Aslan clearly articulated this
particular idea. He wrote:
"...more often than not, whether we are aware of it or
not, and regardless of whether we're believers or not, what the vast majority
of us think about when we think about God is a divine version of ourselves: a
human being but with superhuman powers."[1]
Different religions and traditions have different ways of
understanding and relating to God. Some believe in one God (monotheism), some
believe in many gods (polytheism), some believe that God is everything and
everything is God (pantheism), some believe that God is beyond any description
or definition (apophatic theology), some believe that God can be known through
reason and revelation (cataphatic theology), some believe that God is personal
and involved in human affairs (theism), some believe that God is impersonal and
distant from human affairs (deism), some believe that God is both transcendent
and immanent (panentheism), some believe that God has no existence apart from
human imagination (atheism), some believe that God's existence is uncertain or unknowable
(agnosticism), and some believe that God's existence is irrelevant or
meaningless (ignosticism).
God is also a word that can evoke various emotions and
reactions in people, such as love, awe, gratitude, fear, anger, doubt, or
indifference. Some people may have a strong faith in God, some may have a weak
faith in God, some may have no faith in God, some may have a faith crisis or a
faith transition regarding God, some may have a personal relationship with God,
some may have a distant relationship with God, some may have no relationship
with God, some may seek God, some may ignore God, some may praise God, some may
curse God, some may thank God, some may blame God, some may question God, some
may challenge God, some may obey God, some may disobey God, some may serve God,
some may oppose God.
God is a word that can also inspire various actions and
behaviors in people, such as worship, prayer, meditation, charity, justice,
compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, service, obedience, disobedience, violence,
peace. Some people may act according to their belief in God or their
understanding of God's will or commandments. Some people may act against their
belief in God or their understanding of God's will or commandments. Some people
may act without any reference to God or any consideration of God's will or
commandments.
God is a word that can also generate various debates and
controversies among people of different faiths or no faith at all. Some people
may agree on the existence of God but disagree on the nature of God. Some
people may agree on the nature of God but disagree on the name of God. Some
people may agree on the name of God but disagree on the attributes of God. Some
people may agree on the attributes of God but disagree on the relationship
between God and humans. Some people may agree on the relationship between God
and humans but disagree on the role of God in history and society. Some people
may agree on the role of God in history and society but disagree on the future
of God and humanity.
God is a word that can also reflect various aspects of human
culture and history. The concept of God has evolved over time and across
different regions and civilizations. The word itself has its origins in ancient
languages and cultures. The images and symbols of God have been influenced by
art and literature. The stories and teachings about God have been shaped by
scriptures and traditions. The expressions and manifestations of God have been
affected by politics and economics.
God is a word that can also reveal various dimensions of
human psychology and spirituality. The idea of God can be seen as a projection
of human hopes and fears, needs and desires, values and morals. The experience
of God can be seen as a source of meaning and purpose, joy and peace, healing
and growth. The search for God can be seen as a quest for truth and wisdom,
beauty and goodness.
God is a word that has many meanings and implications for
different people at different times and places. It is not an easy word to
define or explain. It is not a simple word to use or understand. It is not a
neutral word to say or hear. It is a word that invites curiosity and inquiry,
dialogue and debate, respect and tolerance.
The Concept of God in the Doctrine of Trinity
The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most distinctive
and fundamental beliefs of Christianity. It teaches that there is **one God**
who eternally exists as **three distinct Persons**: the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. These three Persons are **co-equal** and **co-eternal**, and
each one is fully God. The doctrine of the Trinity is based on the biblical
revelation of God's self-disclosure in history, especially in the incarnation
of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The doctrine of the Trinity is not explicitly stated in the
New Testament, but it is implied by various passages that affirm the divinity
and unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For example, Jesus commanded his
disciples to baptize people "in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19), and Paul invoked "the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Spirit" (2 Corinthians 13:13). The doctrine of the Trinity was gradually
developed and defined by the early church fathers in response to various
theological controversies and heresies that challenged the biblical testimony
about God's nature and work.
The doctrine of the Trinity is not a contradiction, but a mystery that transcends human logic and comprehension.
It does not mean that God is three gods or that God changes into three modes or forms. Rather, it means that God is one in essence or being, but three in person or relationship.
The doctrine of the Trinity affirms both God's oneness and God's Threeness,
without compromising either attribute. The doctrine of the Trinity also reveals
God's love, grace, and fellowship within himself and with his creation.
The Concept of Person in the Doctrine of Trinity
But what does it mean to say that God is a person, or that
there are three persons in God? How can we understand the concept of person in
relation to the Trinity?
The term "person" comes from the Latin word
"persona", which originally referred to a mask worn by actors in
ancient theater. It later came to mean the role or character that an actor
played, and then the individual who played that role. In philosophical and
theological discourse, the term "person" was used to denote a
rational and moral agent, a being with intellect and will, who could act and
relate to others.
The early Christian writers used the term "person"
to describe the three distinct ways that God revealed himself in salvation
history: as the Father who created and sustained the world, as the Son who
became incarnate and redeemed humanity, and as the Holy Spirit who sanctified
and guided the church. They did not intend to imply that God was composed of
three separate individuals or beings, but rather that God was one being who
existed in three modes or relations of being.
However, this way of speaking about God raised some
difficulties and controversies. For example, how could God be both one and
three at the same time? How could the Son be both God and man? How could the
Holy Spirit proceed from both the Father and the Son? To address these
questions, the church convened several ecumenical councils in the fourth and
fifth centuries, where they formulated and refined the doctrine of the Trinity.
One of the key terms that emerged from these councils was
"hypostasis", which means "subsistence" or "individual
reality". The term "hypostasis" was used to distinguish between
the essence or nature of God (which is one) and the persons or relations of God
(which are three). The council of Nicaea in 325 AD declared that the Son was
"of one substance (homoousios) with the Father", meaning that
he shared the same divine nature as the Father. The council of Constantinople
in 381 AD affirmed that the Holy Spirit was also "of one substance with
the Father and the Son", meaning that he was also fully divine. The
council of Chalcedon in 451 AD defined that the Son had two natures (divine and
human) in one person (hypostasis), meaning that he was both fully God and fully
man.
Thus, by using the term "hypostasis", the church
clarified that there are three distinct persons in God, each with their own
individual reality and identity, but not separate beings or parts of God. The
term "person" came to be synonymous with "hypostasis", and
was used to express both the unity and diversity of God. The doctrine of the
Trinity affirms that there is one God who exists in three persons (or
hypostases), each person being fully God and having all the divine attributes,
but each person also having their own personal properties and relations that
distinguish them from each other.
The concept of person in relation to God is not easy to
grasp or explain. It is a mystery that transcends human logic and language.
However, it is also a revelation that invites us to know and love God more
deeply. By affirming that God is a person, we affirm that God is not an
impersonal force or principle, but a living and loving being who can
communicate and relate to us. By affirming that there are three persons in God,
we affirm that God is not a solitary or isolated being, but a dynamic and
relational being who exists in an eternal communion of love. By affirming that
each person in God is distinct but not separate from each other, we affirm that
God is both one and many, both simple and complex, both transcendent and
immanent.
The concept of person in relation to God also has
implications for our understanding of ourselves as human beings. As creatures made
in the image and likeness of God, we are also persons who have intellect and
will, who can act and relate to others. We are also called to share in the life
and love of God, who invites us to enter into a personal relationship with him
through his Son Jesus Christ and by his Holy Spirit. We are also called to
reflect his image and likeness.
The biblical concept of God creating Man in His own image
(Genesis 1:27) has been widely debated and interpreted throughout history.
However, some argue that this idea of a God "who looks, thinks, feels, and
acts" like a person has a philosophical reversal at the turn of 19th century.[2]
Instead, they suggest that the concept of God is "rooted in our
deep-seated need to experience the divine as a reflection of ourselves."[3]
This idea is known as “the humanized God”, as coined by Azlan.
According to Azlan, "the humanized God" is what
guided early humans in their evolutionary process from hunter-gatherers to
builders of religion and civilization. He argues that God is merely a human
projection, and that
"We fashion our religions and cultures, our societies
and governments, according to our own human urges, all the while convincing
ourselves that those urges are God's."[4]
While we do not
intend to deconstruct Azlan's ideas, it is important to consider the
implications of viewing God as a human projection. If we take this meaning of
God and person in these old-fashioned meanings, we are like being led by a
river to a waterfall. It is crucial to approach the concept of God with an open
mind and a willingness to explore different perspectives and interpretations.
By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the divine.
From the book “En Esto Creo (In This I Believe)”
12.
God is a Person, but…
Can
it indeed be that God dwells among men on earth? -Solomon the Wise (1 Kings
8:27)
When
discussing the existence of God, conversations can often take a turn for the
worse when either side attempts to outdo the other. In this modern age, the
online media has provided a platform for atheists, agnostics, theists, and
scientists to engage in healthy debate. As spectators, we can observe the
arguments presented by experts in their respective fields and weigh the
evidence for ourselves. Ultimately, the debate about God can be distilled down
to three fundamental questions. Unfortunately, the first of these questions is
so complex that it can lead to a seemingly endless cycle of confusion and
uncertainty, making it difficult to make any progress in the search for
answers.
The first
question is, "Who is God?" The second, and more perplexing, question
is, "What is God? What exactly is He, if He is not a who?" And the
third is, "Is He one or many?"
Every
culture, from the most primitive to the most advanced, has its own concept of
God. For example, the Aboriginal people of Australia believed in Atnatu,
a spirit god who did not need anything like food, as they believed God was
self-created and self-sustaining. If one were to ask religious representatives
from different faiths, such as Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others, one would
receive a variety of answers. This demonstrates the complexity of the concept
of God and the difficulty of trying to define Him.
There is
no definitive answer to the first question. We could endlessly debate each
other's religious history and how they have come to their understanding of God.
Jews, Christians, Muslims, and all other religious believers have their own
versions. Consequently, the question of the existence of God is heavily
influenced by one's faith.
Our
second question loses its appeal as our immediate query turns to the third:
"Is God One or Many?" It is claimed that there are 12,000 gods, but
if God does not exist, and the atheists were right, then one would have been
enough. This leads us to the ultimate question: "Who is the true
God?" Every religion teaches that there is only one God, yet the Christian
faith believes in a God who has three Divine Persons. How can God be three in
one and one in three? This is a perplexing concept that has been debated for
centuries, and one that continues to challenge our understanding of the divine.
Venturing
into the unknown, Augustine of Hippo found himself deep in thought, meditating
on the mysteries of God's trinity. Suddenly, he noticed a small child digging a
hole in the sand and scooping up seawater with his bare hands. Augustine asked
the child what he was doing, to which the youngster replied that he was trying
to contain all of the seawater in the hole. Augustine explained that it was
impossible, as the hole was too small in comparison to the vastness of the
ocean. The child smiled and replied, “It is the same with what you think.” With
that, the child vanished, leaving Augustine to ponder the mysterious encounter.
Whether this story is true or not, one thing is certain: our minds are limited,
and they cannot comprehend the infinite. However, I believe it is possible to
gain a glimpse. A single drop is enough to get a taste of the entire ocean. Let
us move on to the second question: "What is God?"
At the
Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., the doctrine of the Trinity was officially
adopted as dogma by the Roman Catholic Church. This central tenet states that
there is one God in three divine persons. To understand what God is, we must
first define what a person is. Generally, a person is an individual human
being, a conscious individual with a material body. However, when it comes to
the Trinity, this definition is often seen as blasphemous and absurd, as it
implies that the members of the Trinity have material bodies.
But the long history of the Hebrews under the
leadership of Moses showed a god who lived experiences with his people. But he
had been a strange actual reality residing in the midst of them performing sundry
works of wonders. He guided their journey “in the daytime by means of a column
of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to
give them light.” (Ex. 13:21) He parted the sea for them to cross and drowned
their pursuers. When they were hungry, he showered them with quails and
heavenly manna; and when they were thirsty, he let water flowed out of a rock;
in sickness he restored them their health; and in battle “Israel had the better
of the fight.” (Ex. 17:11) [54]
Despite
the prohibition against representing God in any other way, their interaction
with him reveals one thing: He is a person. In Exodus 33:11, it is written,
The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one
man speaks to another.
But when
Moses asked in verses 18–23, "Do let me see your glory!" God answered
him.
"I will make all my beauty pass before you, and
in your presence I will pronounce my name, ‘LORD’…But my face you cannot see,
for no man sees me and still lives. Here, continued the LORD, “is a place near
me where you shall station yourself on the rock. When my glory passes I will
set you in the hollow of the rock and will cover you with my hand until I have
passed by. Then I will remove my hand, so that you may see my back; but my face
is not to be seen." [55]
Can you
imagine a God without the other parts of the body? He has a face, a name, a
hand, and a back, but his form is not like ours; he has a spiritual body. This
is the great mystery. The LORD spoke to Moses face to face as if conversing
with a friend, yet who is the Glory of God whose face cannot be seen? It is
said that if one were to behold it, they would not remain alive.
The Son
is the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh.
He had a physical body and is revered as both the Savior and a great teacher.
According to the angel who greeted Mary, his mission is,
…to save his people from their sins. (Matt.1:21)
Despite
his immense influence, many of his contemporaries cast doubt on him, including
his own family. That is why he said,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And
stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and
my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and
sister, and mother.” (Matt.12:48)
Who will
not doubt such a man, "if it is proper to call him a man" when
everything he claims is too much for the imagination of any man?
…just as you gave him authority over all people, so
that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. (John 17: 2)
Everything that the Father has is mine. (John 16:15)
His
relatives would declare,
He is out of his mind. (Mark 3:21)
The Jews
never believed him because he
… came eating and drinking and they said, “Look, he
is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”
Now grab
any Filipino Bible and read the translation of "glutton and drunkard"
to appreciate those words.
The Holy
Spirit is the third Divine Person of the Trinity, and any Catholic or Christian
will dispute this status due to the fact that a spirit cannot be a person. If
asked who the Holy Spirit is and what his name is, they will be unable to
provide an answer. However, the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the
Christian faith, and is seen as a powerful force that guides and protects
believers. It is believed that the Holy Spirit is a personification of
God's presence, and is a source of comfort and strength for those who seek it.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I
go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But If I go, I will
send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin
and righteousness and condemnation…But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he
will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what
he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify
me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. (John
16:7-15)
The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will
send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you all that [I] told
you. (John 14:25)
These are
the missions of the Holy Spirit; they can only be fulfilled if the Holy Spirit is
in a person. We are just figuring out who he is.
These
three persons are God, but there is not three gods. So, what exactly is God?
What do we mean when we say ‘God?’ God is a title, a function, and a title of
office. It does not refer to a single being, but rather to a role of being. It
is similar to the definition of the word ‘president.’ There have been many
presidents in a country, but only one can hold the title at any given time.
According
to Daniel 7:13-15, the Ancient One, the Father, handed dominion, kingship, and
glory to Jesus Christ.
I saw One like a son of
man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was
presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations
and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Jesus
Christ received authority from the Father,
...just as you gave him authority over all people.
(John 17:2)
He also
claimed,
Everything
that the Father has is mine; (John 16:15)
And now,
just as He was about to leave, Jesus Christ mentioned the Holy Spirit.
...because he will take from what is mine and declare
it to you. (John 16:4-15)
There is
a succession of powers, and that power is God. Elohim is a Hebrew word that
signifies "power."
Most scholars connect the names with a word meaning
“Power.” [56]
Now, we
come to our third question: Is there only one God, or many? The answer is
clear: there is only one God, the Lord God PAR who has manifested Himself in
various places and times throughout history.[57]
for he is called “Lord of Plumes,” “lord of
transformations whose skin (i.e., complexions) are manifold, “the god of many
names”.[58]
There has been an infinite confusion of names to
express one and the same thing. The chaos of the ancients; the Zoroastrian
sacred fire, or the Antusbyrum of the Parsees; the Hermes-fire; the Elmes-fire
of the ancient Germans; the lightning of Cybele; the burning torch of Apollo;
the flame on the altar of Pan; the inextinguishable fire in the temple on the
Acropolis, and in that of Vesta; the fire-flame of Pluto’s helm; the brilliant
sparks on the hats of Dioscuri, or the Gorgon head, the helm of Pallas, and the
staff of Mercury; the [pur asbeston]; the Egyptian Phtha, or Ra; the
Grecian Zeus Cataibates (the descending); the Pentecostal fire-tongues; the
burning bush of Moses; the pillar of fire of the Exodus, and the “burning lamp”
of Abram; the eternal fire of the “bottomless pit” ; the Delphic oracular
vapors; the Sidereal light of the Rosicrucians; the AKASA of the Hindu adepts;
the astral light of Eliphas Levi; the nerve-aura and the fluid of the
magnetists; the od of Reichenbach; the fire-globe, or meteor-cat of Babinet;
the Psychod and ectenic force of Thury; the psychic force of Sergeant Cox and
Mr. Crookes; the atmospheric and magnetism of some naturalists; galvanism; and
finally, electricity, are but various names for many different manifestations,
or effects of the same mysterious, all pervading cause—the Greek Archeus, or
[Archaios].[59][5]
[1] Aslan,
Reza. God: A Human History. Introduction, xiii. New York: Random House, 2017.
[2] Aslan,
Reza. God: A Human History. Introduction, xii. New York: Random House, 2017.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Aslan,
Reza. God: A Human History. Introduction, xvi. New York: Random House, 2017.
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