Paul explicitly calls only the Father God (cf 1 Cor 8:6, 11:3, etc.). The Christ and the Spirit are of God but they are never called God by Paul. Only the Father is. He also makes it very clear that Christ is not equal to the Father—"the head of Christ is God" says Paul.
According to Paul, Christ is our Lord but not equal to God; he is God's perefect creation, the first creature made in the image of God (Col 1:15), and for Paul the Spirit is the power of God (just as in Judaism), but never referred to as our Lord.
This is clearly in contradistinction with the Nicean-Costantinopolean credal Trinity of the Church which states that the Spirit is the Lord and that he is the giver of life.
Paul (Rom 8:2) also says the Spirit gives life but only through Christ, obviously indicaitng that the Spirit alone cannot give life, but only acting on behalf of someone else.
Paul also unfailingly states that God raised Christ, not that Christ, being God, raised hismelf, which is a significant distinction of the suboridnaitonalist theology.
The only NT source which suggests that Christ didn't need asisstance is in John 2:19-21, which was incorprated into the Creed in contradisticntion to Paul: the Creed states "he rose on the third day" rather than "was raised..."
The entire New Testament teaches suboridinatonist Trinity. This is what the Church Fathers unfailingly taught until the 4th century.
You will also notice that the Holy Ghost is sent and given, and that he does things through God or through Christ. There is also a disticntion made between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
God disagrees with you...
You will also notice that the Holy Ghost is sent and given, and that he does things through God or through Christ.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
There's quite a number of things the Holy Spirit does independently...
There is also a disticntion made between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.
So there's 2 Holy Spirits...That make a total of 5 in the Catholic Trinity...
I'll stick with what the scripture teaches instead of the Catholic wresting private interpretation of the scriptures...
Paul refers to Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the same terminology and status as do the writers of the Gospels. The only time that Jesus is mentioned specifically as God in the Gospels is John’s reporting of Thomas’ confession. The Holy Spirit is not specifically mentioned as God in the Gospels. The concept of the Trinity is a deduction from comparing scripture with scripture as did the Councils in formulating the Creeds.
According to Paul, Christ is our Lord but not equal to God; he is God's perefect creation, the first creature made in the image of God (Col 1:15),
John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col. 1:15-19, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell ;”
Paul saw Jesus the same way that the apostles did; God come in the flesh.
and for Paul the Spirit is the power of God (just as in Judaism), but never referred to as our Lord.
Paul refers to the Spirit as Lord in 2Cor. 3:17, "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Nowhere else in the scriptures is the Spirit referred to as “Lord”. He is the “Holy Spirit”, Holy Ghost”, “Spirit”, Spirit of God”, Spirit of Christ”, “Spirit of Life” etc. but not referred to specifically as God or Lord.
This is clearly in contradistinction with the Nicean-Costantinopolean credal Trinity of the Church which states that the Spirit is the Lord and that he is the giver of life.
Paul (Rom 8:2) also says the Spirit gives life but only through Christ, obviously indicaitng that the Spirit alone cannot give life, but only acting on behalf of someone else.
Rom 8:10, “And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.”
Gal 6:8, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Paul also unfailingly states that God raised Christ, not that Christ, being God, raised hismelf, which is a significant distinction of the suboridnaitonalist theology.
The only NT source which suggests that Christ didn't need asisstance is in John 2:19-21, which was incorprated into the Creed in contradisticntion to Paul: the Creed states "he rose on the third day" rather than "was raised..."
All of the scriptures refer to the resurrection as an action of God and a fulfillment of Ps. 16:10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
See Peter in Acts 2:24-27, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. “
The entire New Testament teaches suboridinatonist Trinity. This is what the Church Fathers unfailingly taught until the 4th century.
That is not quite accurate. Many in the early church taught “subordinationism” up to the time of the Arian controversy and then the Councils took the matter up, but it was not the predominant Trinitarian concept. “Economic” subordination was the teaching of the church. God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are not in any way inferior to the Father by nature or being. Both the Son and the Spirit are held to be co-equal and co-eternal with the Father because they are of the same being or substance as the Father. However, in carrying out the purposes and plan of God, they have voluntarily “subordinated” themselves to do the will of the father.
Phil. 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
You will also notice that the Holy Ghost is sent and given, and that he does things through God or through Christ. There is also a distinction made between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.
There is no distinction; Paul uses parallelism to explain the Holy Spirit is God.
Rom 8:9, “ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. “
Who were the first Church fathers to start the rumblings on the nature of the Trinity that closely reflect what the Orthodox Church teaches today? I imagine the idea didn't just pop up during a meeting in the 4th century. I've read some of the Church fathers from the first or second centuries that sorta kinda hinted around at the idea, but it's not fully defined at the time. It seems it may have been a theory amongst some of the very first Christians, but just how did it become the winning theory in the 4th century?
I know the idea probably a pretty complex path to it's acceptance by consensus, but maybe you can give a brief outline of the history with a recommendation of where to look from here. :)
No it doesn't You haven't read Jesus own words then.
John 10:30 I and the Father are one.
John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
Colossians 2: 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,