Scripture does teach it, but begin with the human approach to the perfect sense of it.
Begin by defining a contradiction. The formula states: âaâ = non âaâ in the same way and at the same time. For example: Fox = not a fox in the same way and at the same time. Break this down a little further. What if the first fox was a pet and the second fox was the slang word for an attractive lady? Obviously, there is no contradiction. This is why the formula has the words âin the same way.â Both sides of the equation have to be the same. If talking about a pet fox in the first instance it has to be the same in the second.
What about the words âat the same time?â - and why that has to be in the formula. Steve taught at church and Steve didnât teach at church. It is only a contradiction if speaking about the same time and day. At 10 am Steve spoke at church and at 2 pm Steve didnât teach at church. That is true and not a contradiction. But if you specify the same time and day then there is a contradiction. Steve spoke at church at 10 am today and Steve didnât speak at church at 10 am today. One or the other is true.
Sometimes stating the formula for contradictions actually confuses people more than it helps.
Is stating Jesus is fully God and fully man contradictory? The obvious answer is no. To make a contradiction youâd have to say Jesus was fully God and he was not fully God at the same time and in the same way or Jesus was fully man and was not fully man at the same time and in the same way. The statement Jesus is fully God and fully man is not contradictory.
At Christmas we celebrate the eternal Son, Jesus Christ, taking on human flesh. We call that event the incarnation. Jesus comes to earth truly God and truly man. The eternal Son can be called Jesus in His humanity and the second person of the Trinity in His divinity.
The Bible teaches God is a Triune God. The Trinity definition: One God who subsists (continues to exist) in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co-equal and co-eternal. The key to understanding the Trinity is there is only one God. The Trinity is not contradictory. One God is not three Gods. One God subsists in three persons.
Jesus doesnât displace the Father or the Holy Spirit. All three eternally exist as the Triune God. Another way to define the Trinity is to say in the one God there are three centers of consciousness.
Jesus as God can do miracles and have all knowledge (Omniscience). Jesus in his humanity got tired, hungry, and was tempted just like anyone of us. God does not get tired, hungry, nor can He be tempted. On the cross the human Jesus could feel tremendous pain and die. As God the second person of the Trinity could not die, for God is spirit, not physicality.
John 3:16-17: âFor God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.â These are great verses from John. All you can show here is the Father and Son are distinct persons. This fits well with the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Bible teaches 3 premises that support the doctrine of the Trinity. 1) There are 3 distinct persons, 2) Each person is God, 3) There is only one God. If needed, 28 verses can be provided that clearly teach there is only one God. All other gods are false gods (Satan, idols, humans). None of the false gods are the one true God by nature. Paul writes about false gods in Galatians 4:8 âHowever at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.â Paul implies that there is only one God by nature and all others are false by nature.
The issue of one God was important at the council of Nicea in A.D. 325. It was there Arius brought forth his teaching that Jesus was âa godâ a created being. Arianism, a forerunner to Jehovahâs Witnesses, was soundly rejected by the Bishops (300+ to 2). The main issue was there is only one God. Arianism was labeled a heresy by this early church council. Today this false teaching has been restored by the Jehovahâs Witnesses. To claim Jesus is a lesser god, a mighty god is polytheism. The early church rejected this belief and classical Christianity supports that rejection.
Because Almighty God does not choose the exact words you would choose is not a cause to reject His words as nonsensical. He is God, and it is His choice.
There is a reason for the continual Biblical phrase, "To he who has eyes to see, let him see."
troysal wrote:
Can God do logically impossible things? You can't be a God person and be a fully human person - that is nonsense and scripture nowhere teaches it.