THE SECOND HELVETIC CONFESSION CHAPTER III - Of God, His Unity and Trinity
Thus there are not three gods, but three persons, co-substantial, coeternal, and coequal; distinct with respect to hypostases, and with respect to order, the one preceding the other yet without any inequality. For according to the nature or essence they are so joined together that they are one God, and the divine nature is common to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Well, as I read the confession above, there is not difference between the 3 persons of the Trinity in regard to presence, knowledge, power... pretty much everything
So did the Triune God died on the cross? No. How can Jesus experience the separation from the Father when He took our sins upon Himself if The Triune God had died on the cross?
Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
So did the Triune God did the drawing of sinners? No.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Believers are giving that credit to the Holy Spirit but that is not what the scriptures says.
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
John 6:37
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
What about co-equal in authority when it is the Father's will be done and neither the Son's nor the Holy Spirit's? Look at Jesus's prayer from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Father in Heaven.
Matthew 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.... 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done..... 44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Scripture is what we should stick to as truth rather than Second Helvetic Confession or the Westminster catechism or the Nicene creeds. Errors have crept in as they are not aligning with scripture after all.
I would argue that what Christ (Son of God) or the Father does, the Spirit does also. We disagree.
Scriptures certainly agree with me.
We probably don't want to get into the mystery of the Trinity.
Scriptures is to testify of the Son so that we would come to Him for life.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
It is not about presenting the Triune God as if that is another and yet broad way in coming to God by.
Hmmm, if God indwelling us is more than beneficial, what part of God indwelling us is not a benefit?
It is not about beneficial or not being beneficial when it is more than just about benefits when He indwells you as that is a hope we are to have that one day we will be made perfect to dwell with Him in Heaven in our resurrected new & glorified bodies.
1 John 3:1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
