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markporter
Fire over Oxford

Date Joined Oct 2003
Total Posts : 263

Posted 5/9/2005 5:20 PM (GMT -6)

Just wondering what you guys think about how best to refer to God in everyday conversation, it so often comes up that we say 'he' did this, but surely that doesn't take into account his Trinitarian nature, but neither does 'they' seem to either. How do you get round the problem?

MrIndifference
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 144

Posted 5/9/2005 10:31 PM (GMT -6)

I guess for me, I use "God" to reference the three in one and "God the Father" to reference God the Father. I think it is ok to use "He" also. Though the three members of the Trinity are Co-equals, it does state that Christ and the Holy Spirit chose to be considered less on the "Totem-pole" positionally. Since quite often we see and refer to a group from the perspective of who the Ranking Officer is, I think it is fine to refer to the Trinitarian God as being "He". On the other hand, I see the Holy Spirit as she, due to what seems to be her maternal nature.

MrI. :|

Tom
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 10353

Posted 5/10/2005 8:55 AM (GMT -6)

How about "Mr. Three"?

Seriously, do what the NT does. It's speaking to very ordinary people after all. Use "God" for the one God (we are monotheists, right?). When talking about the "Father," call him "God." When speaking about "Jesus," call him "God." When referring to the "Spirit," call her "God." All three are God. But all three are not each other.

So much for divine simplicity.

Tom

PhilTheThrill
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 95

Posted 5/10/2005 12:58 PM (GMT -6)

I typically refer to God as I refer to things like The Government, The UN, California, The Evangelical Community, etc.

Since Father, Son, and Spirit have a unity of purpose, referring to the collective as one is no big deal.

markporter
Fire over Oxford

Date Joined Oct 2003
Total Posts : 263

Posted 5/10/2005 2:27 PM (GMT -6)

OK. I just strikes me that when I'm talking about just 'God' normally the way I do it invokes a rather unitary conception in my mind rather than any kind of plurality at all.

JEE
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2004
Total Posts : 1466

Posted 5/10/2005 4:02 PM (GMT -6)

If we spoke in a Hebrew culture, we could say, "Elohim."

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

JohnE

http://www.revivaltheology.cjb.net

PhilTheThrill
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 95

Posted 5/12/2005 12:13 PM (GMT -6)

Does it irritate anyone else when someone is praying and they do this:

"Father God, we just come to you father God, asking for mercy and grace father God, and we know father God that you, father God, are the supreme ruler of this universe, father God, and we beseech you, father God, bless us and protect us father God, and help us to do you will father God. All this, father God, we prayer in your son's name, Amen!"

Oy vey...

AtTheWell
Registered Member

Date Joined Nov 2004
Total Posts : 133

Posted 5/12/2005 1:34 PM (GMT -6)

Yeah, I do know where you're coming from on this Phil, I sometimes start to roll my eyes, behind their closed lids of course

, and sometimes it hits me, and I STOP and remind myself -- hey, it isn't always easy to pray out loud! Sometimes it causes nervousness, and sometimes nervousness causes one to add words that wouldn't really be there if this person were alone in prayer-- remembering that really seems to help with any irritation that might crop up and keep my focus off of God.

Peace,
ATW

Post Edited (AtTheWell) : 5/12/2005 2:54:19 PM (GMT-5)

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