Meaning of trinity

How can trinity be explained using this text:
Genesis 1

The Beginning

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was [a] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
 
What is the meaning of trinity in Christianity?

Here is a Baha'i explanation of the trinity.

Abdu'l-Baha answers the following question:

Question. -- What is the meaning of the Trinity, of the Three Persons in One?

Answer. -- The Divine Reality, which is purified and sanctified from the understanding of human beings and which can never be imagined by the people of wisdom and of intelligence, is exempt from all conception. That Lordly Reality admits of no division; for division and multiplicity are properties of creatures which are contingent existences, and not accidents which happen to the self-existent.

The Divine Reality is sanctified from singleness, then how much more from plurality. The descent of that Lordly Reality into conditions and degrees would be equivalent to imperfection and contrary to perfection, and is, therefore, absolutely impossible. It perpetually has been, and is, in the exaltation of holiness and sanctity. All that is mentioned of the Manifestations and Dawning-places of God signifies the divine reflection, and not a descent into the conditions of existence.

God is pure perfection, and creatures are but imperfections. For God to descend into the conditions of existence would be the greatest of imperfections; on the contrary, His manifestation, His appearance, His rising are like the reflection of the sun in a clear, pure, polished mirror. All the creatures are evident signs of God, like the earthly beings upon all of which the rays of the sun shine. But upon the plains, the mountains, the trees and fruits, only a portion of the light shines, through which they become visible, and are reared, and attain to the object of their existence, while the Perfect Man is in the condition of a clear mirror in which the Sun of Reality becomes visible and manifest with all its qualities and perfections. So the Reality of Christ was a clear and polished mirror of the greatest purity and fineness. The Sun of Reality, the Essence of Divinity, reflected itself in this mirror and manifested its light and heat in it; but from the exaltation of its holiness, and the heaven of its sanctity, the Sun did not descend to dwell and abide in the mirror. No, it continues to subsist in its exaltation and sublimity, while appearing and becoming manifest in the mirror in beauty and perfection.


Now if we say that we have seen the Sun in two mirrors -- one the Christ and one the Holy Spirit -- that is to say, that we have seen three Suns, one in heaven and the two others on the earth, we speak truly. And if we say that there is one Sun, and it is pure singleness, and has no partner and equal, we again speak truly.

The epitome of the discourse is that the Reality of Christ was a clear mirror, and the Sun of Reality -- that is to say, the Essence of Oneness, with its infinite perfections and attributes -- became visible in the mirror. The meaning is not that the Sun, which is the Essence of the Divinity, became divided and multiplied -- for the Sun is one -- but it appeared in the mirror. This is why Christ said, "The Father is in the Son," meaning that the Sun is visible and manifest in this mirror.

The Holy Spirit is the Bounty of God which becomes visible and evident in the Reality of Christ. The Sonship station is the heart of Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the station of the spirit of Christ. Hence it has become certain and proved that the Essence of Divinity is absolutely unique and has no equal, no likeness, no equivalent.

This is the signification of the Three Persons of the Trinity. If it were otherwise, the foundations of the Religion of God would rest upon an illogical proposition which the mind could never conceive, and how can the mind be forced to believe a thing which it cannot conceive? A thing cannot be grasped by the intelligence except when it is clothed in an intelligible form; otherwise, it is but an effort of the imagination.

It has now become clear, from this explanation, what is the meaning of the Three Persons of the Trinity. The Oneness of God is also proved.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 112)
 
since this is a christian forum i will explain further.
unlike the bahai religion or other religions of the world, christianity is a personal relationship with god the father thru his son and his spirit, all being the one true living god that allows man to be forgiven of sins, born again, and saved thru faith.
 
Is understanding of trinity "seen" in the text from post 2?

(it was added later, because it needed an approval of moderator)
 
Is understanding of trinity "seen" in the text from post 2?

(it was added later, because it needed an approval of moderator)

It truly depends on your mind-set and how you are seeing it. I can "see" the trinity in Genesis 1 because I have faith. Explanations of the trinity are always lacking because it is beyond words.
 
...is a personal relationship with god the father thru his son and his spirit, all being the one true living god that allows man to be forgiven of sins, born again, and saved thru faith.

You good sir, just described the Baha'i Faith.
 
good sir, i dont think so.

I am reading up on Baha'i. It says Jesus death did not attain salvation. At best, it was an example of self-sacrifice. Nor did Jesus rise from the dead. "Resurrection " is simply a metaphorical way of saying that Jesus' teachings and cause found "new life" in the disciples minds after three days of troublesome doubting.

You are not saved by faith, you are saved by obedience.
 
ok then , according to the bible there is no trinity in true christianity. but over the centuries many manmade doctrines have been invented and then claimed that they are bible teachings ,when they are not bible teachings at all. and many have been misled by so called religious leaders , because these religious teachers have taught manmade doctrines and not pure bible teaching at all. so the meaning of the trinity is not a bible teaching so it should not be a concern to true christians.
 
ok then , according to the bible there is no trinity in true christianity.
according to the bible god reveals himself in three persons, thats why there are christians who believe it and go around the world spreading the gospel, and there are jw's that deny the divinity of jesus christ.
 
according to the bible god reveals himself in three persons, thats why there are christians who believe it and go around the world spreading the gospel, and there are jw's that deny the divinity of jesus christ.
bible prophecy is a great thing to behold , the preaching of the goodnews matthew 24;14 on a global scale , Jesus is now a reigning king in the heavenly kingdom goverment and that is goodnews indeed . daniel 2;44 daniel 7;13-14 yes bible prophecy always comes true . true bible teachings are a wonderful thing , no wonder it is being made known in all nations and islands of the sea revelation 7;9-10 i am waving my symbolic palm branch to welcome this newly enthroned king Jesus christ . this is wear our focus should be , not on a manmade doctrine of men such as the trinity teaching
 
I am reading up on Baha'i. It says Jesus death did not attain salvation. At best, it was an example of self-sacrifice. Nor did Jesus rise from the dead. "Resurrection " is simply a metaphorical way of saying that Jesus' teachings and cause found "new life" in the disciples minds after three days of troublesome doubting.

You are not saved by faith, you are saved by obedience.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

Question. -- What is the meaning of Christ's resurrection after three days?

Answer. -- The resurrections of the Divine Manifestations are not of the body. All Their states, Their conditions, Their acts, the things They have established, Their teachings, Their expressions, Their parables and Their instructions have a spiritual and divine signification, and have no connection with material things. For example, there is the subject of Christ's coming from heaven: it is clearly stated in many places in the Gospel that the Son of man came from heaven, He is in heaven, and He will go to heaven. So in chapter 6, verse 38, of the Gospel of John it is written: "For I came down from heaven"; and also in verse 42 we find: "And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?" Also in John, chapter 3, verse 13: "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."

Observe that it is said, "The Son of man is in heaven," while at that time Christ was on earth. Notice also that it is said that Christ came from heaven, though He came from the womb of Mary, and His body was born of Mary. It is clear, then, that when it is said that the Son of man is come from heaven, this has not an outward but an inward signification; it is a spiritual, not a material, fact. The meaning is that though, apparently, Christ was born from 104 the womb of Mary, in reality He came from heaven, from the center of the Sun of Reality, from the Divine World, and the Spiritual Kingdom. And as it has become evident that Christ came from the spiritual heaven of the Divine Kingdom, therefore, His disappearance under the earth for three days has an inner signification and is not an outward fact. In the same way, His resurrection from the interior of the earth is also symbolical; it is a spiritual and divine fact, and not material; and likewise His ascension to heaven is a spiritual and not material ascension.

Beside these explanations, it has been established and proved by science that the visible heaven is a limitless area, void and empty, where innumerable stars and planets revolve.

Therefore, we say that the meaning of Christ's resurrection is as follows: the disciples were troubled and agitated after the martyrdom of Christ. The Reality of Christ, which signifies His teachings, His bounties, His perfections and His spiritual power, was hidden and concealed for two or three days after His martyrdom, and was not resplendent and manifest. No, rather it was lost, for the believers were few in number and were troubled and agitated. The Cause of Christ was like a lifeless body; and when after three days the disciples became assured and steadfast, and began to serve the Cause of Christ, and resolved to spread the divine teachings, putting His counsels into practice, and arising to serve Him, the Reality of Christ became resplendent and His bounty appeared; His religion found life; His teachings and His admonitions became evident and visible. In other words, the Cause of Christ was like a lifeless body until the life and the bounty of the Holy Spirit surrounded it.

Such is the meaning of the resurrection of Christ, and this was a true resurrection. But as the clergy have neither understood the meaning of the Gospels nor comprehended 105 the symbols, therefore, it has been said that religion is in contradiction to science, and science in opposition to religion, as, for example, this subject of the ascension of Christ with an elemental body to the visible heaven is contrary to the science of mathematics. But when the truth of this subject becomes clear, and the symbol is explained, science in no way contradicts it; but, on the contrary, science and the intelligence affirm it. 106

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 102)



Also, you will find that not all of the 2.1 billion Christian believers belonging to 23,000 sects and denominations agree on the same thing.
 
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

Question. -- What is the meaning of Christ's resurrection after three days?

Answer. -- The resurrections of the Divine Manifestations are not of the body.

The miracle of the bodily resurrection of Christ is what promises believers eternal life. Oh, and your current prophet doesn’t really hold authority. And speaking of authority, you better not mess up, your salvation depends on obedience, not faith. According to Bahai’ that when you mess up, your salvation is only definite if you “turn again towards God, accept his manifestation for that day, and follow his teachings.” Also, Bahai’s just hope that they will go to heaven. Of course you can say whatever you want (that includes statistics). Biblical authority is the only true authority in my life, not some strange prophet.

It is definitely preferred by society and I that I hold to my sweet Lord’s wishes, but I know for a fact that there is mercy and my salvation is secure if I happen to slip (which is garanteed). I do NOT HAVE TO EARN my salvation by living by God’s laws; it is my beautiful choice.
 
"This Book is the Holy Book of God and of sacred inspiration. It is the Bible of salvation, the noble Gospel."

(Abdu'l-Bahá, p145)


Baha'is believe in Christ and the Bible. Baha'is believe everything in the NT that talks about Jesus ( as well as prophecies concerning Him in the OT.) He is regarded as Messiah, Savior, Son of God, Alpha and the Omega, Only Way, and many others.



All the favors of God have been sent down, as a token of His grace. The waters of everlasting life have, in their fullness, been proffered unto men.

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 34)

Salvation in the Baha'i Faith is through grace not works.

One would find, if one takes the time to study the life of Baha'u'llah that his life was not much different than the life of Christ.

-Seeker
 
Baha'is recognise that all major world religions are divine and they all share common teachings. Saying this I don't think it's fair that we have a Baha'i proselytizer on a Christian forum.
 
Back
Top