Six different ontological views of God

Introduction:

  1. Ontology is defined as: "a branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being, based on visible morphological characters".
  2. Obviously, when we are speaking of the ontology of God, we are looking into the hidden spirit world for which we know nothing other than what the Bible tells us.
  3. The Bible doesn't really tell us much about how God is "built". We understand that humans have a body with bones etc., but the "metaphysical structure" of God is in fact outside our ability to know.
  4. The Bible, for example tells us that God is one, yet the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all called God, yet they are distinct. This has brought about numerous speculations about how we might "diagram God out on paper".
  5. We really have no right to inquire about things that God has not revealed. Duet 29:29.
  6. The Nicene creed, for example, tries to explain God in metaphysical terms. They debated whether Jesus had a divine or human spirit, whether Jesus was made up of the same "stuff" as the Father, or different "stuff". In fact they were trying to answer questions that went beyond what is revealed.
  7. We must therefore be content to know that God is one, yet three are distinct, the Son is uncreated and the Holy Spirit is a person. Trying to "diagram God out on paper" is going beyond what is written. Let us stay within these parameters.
  8. The nature of God, as a "Biblical trinity" is the single most talked about subject in history. The discussion continues today. Let us all be humble and honest when we approach this subject.
  9. It may also help to keep in mind that there will always be a sliver of truth contained within each of the various views. We may never know the full story until the last day when we can all stand before God with our sketch books and compare notes to see who was closest!
  10. Let us not repeat the same mistake of "going back to Nicea" but be content with simply what God has revealed, claiming we simply do not have all the answers to our many questions. Perhaps that's the way God wanted it.
  11. Below, however, is an archive of various ontological views of God. They represent "sketches on paper" of the invisible God. They are likely all wrong in some regard!

Analyzing the different ontological views of God

 

Biblical Trinity

Catholic Trinity

WCG Twinity

UPCI Modalism

JW's Arianism

Monotheism

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Jesus is Divine

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Holy Spirit a person

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God is one in unity not in number

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Three bodies

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3 Personalities

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God doesn't change form

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God is a class of being of which there are three members

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God is a name

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A. Views of God

Polytheism

Monotheism

 

 

 

Trinity

Twinity

Modalism

Arianism

Jesus is Divine

Jesus a creature

Holy Spirit a person

Holy Spirit is a thing

Holy Spirit is a person

Holy Spirit is a thing

Many bodies in disunity

Three bodies one in unity

One body in number

Two bodies one in unity

one body in number

Many personalities

3 personalities

2 personalities

1 personality

 

God doesn't change form

God doesn't change form

God doesn't change form

God changes form

God doesn't change form

God is a class of being

God is a name

God is a class of being

God is a name

God is a name

Biblical Trinitarianism

Mysterious Trinitarianism

Twinity

Modalism

Arianism

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A single man has many roles: father, employee and citizen.

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Egg: shell, white and yolk

Apple: Peel, flesh, core

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Ozone: (O3) A molecule that has three identical oxygen atoms joined by chemical bonds.

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Water: H2O has three states depending on the temperature: liquid, solid (cold), gas (hot)

 

B. Illustrations of God that are best in our opinion:

  1. Marriage: two distinct individuals, are joined as one.
  2. Class of being: deity, Mankind: Singular word for a class of being composed of many individuals.
  3. Family: Singular word comprised of many members.
  4. Organization: Singular word for a group of individuals functioning together for a common goal or purpose.
  5. Church/Body: Singular word with Christ as the head and individual Christians as the body.
  6. Unity: Three can be one in unity and purpose.

C. Modalism illustrations that should not be used because they erase the distinctness of each of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

  1. Egg: shell, white and yolk
  2. Apple: Peel, flesh, core
  3. Water: H2O has three states depending on the temperature: liquid, solid (cold), gas (hot)
  4. Roles: A single man has many roles: father, employee and citizen.

By Steve Rudd

 

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