THE WORD PERSONS

What makes someone a person? Speaking in human terms, for one to be called a Father they must have a Son. For one to be called a Son they must have a Father. This requires two individual persons. Many interpret this from the human standpoint of offspring and begotten. Biblically, this does not mean a literal Father or Son but is communicating a relationship of love and communion between two. Both are eternal as the Son and The Father, this means they are in this state of being individuals forever. No matter what title or function is applied to them it doesn’t change who they are as individual persons.

Using the word person is an accommodation to our human language to show individual identity. The term "person" was chosen to convey the concept that the Father, Son and Spirit each have their own consciousness. The three have always been and will be together in union as the one "being" called God. When we hear such statement’s as, the Bible never says they are three persons, it is an appeal to ignorance. There are many words that are not found in the Scripture that are used to describe doctrines. The word Bible is not found in the Bible! Should we dispense with that too?

When we use the word person we are trying to distinguish between who is who in personality. We are sure that Abraham, Moses, John and Peter were not only persons but different persons, Yet no where does it specifically say they are persons. When we read of angels such as Michael or Gabriel we know they are individual persons, just as we know Satan who is a Spirit is a person. We know this because they have personalities. Yet the Bible never says they are persons. The term "person" should not be restricted to human beings only, since angels are personal subjects also. 

The titles Father and Son are descriptive of persons not roles. They are relationship terms, one cannot be a Father without having a Son nor vice versa. If God is a personal being, (not a human in origin of course) than the Father is a person, so is the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore if all three are called God separately and together, and are three persons, they are one God. The problem many anti -Trinitarians are finding is that they interpret the word person incorrectly. They think they are separated forms that look human. This is not what the early church nor what the church today believes or teaches. Once this misunderstood barrier is overcome they can grasp what is explained in the scripture.

When God appears with two other men who are angels to visit Abraham in Gen.18:1-5 he conversed with him were they all not persons ? Each having their own personalities ,mind and will and even bodies. Likewise when two or more persons of the one God appear together they too are individual persons. (not physical or separate as people are. )

The term "Son of God" describes Christ's position and his true deity. The term "Son of Man" describes His true humanity. Therefore, the Son of God refers to the order of eternity, and the Son of Man refers to the order of time. In Judaism, for one to be called the Son of meant that he had the same nature as his Father. To call Jesus Christ is equal to him being the Son Acts 9:22."As Paul preached he is the Christ, the Son of God".

If one is to claim that Jesus Christ has derived the title of the Son of God solely because of the incarnation, transgresses the doctrine of Christ. To deny that the Father is an eternal Father, and the Son, an eternal Son, is to deny a distinction and relationship in the being of God which the Bible clearly indicates.

"He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." Because Christ is the revealer of the Father, no man can reveal God in such a perfect and pure manner as the Son does.

These are excerpts from the book (binder form) The Trinity Defining and defending the Trinity among the cults