Dr. Glenn,

There is a separate fundamental belief for each Person of the Godhead.
It is correct to say that you individually are one flesh, and that your spouse individually is one flesh, and it is correct to say that you both, as a couple, are one flesh. In the same way, each of the members of the Godhead is called God, individually, and the three Persons are, as a trio, also called God.
What determines if the word God applies to one of the individual Members or to the trio is the context.

Daryl,
I mean that we understand there to be one God, not three. There are three persons in the one God. If these were three independent beings, then we would have three Gods--tritheism. We are monotheists and believe in one God.

Seventh-day Adventism is captive to God's revelation. Whatever is revealed in inspired writings we must accept. All the pieces we might like to have are not always given. For example, for thousands of years, Christian apologists would have preferred to have more material in Genesis chapter one. But instead of trying to prove God's existence, the Bible simply begins with the assertion of His existence. The infinite God does not bow before His creatures and beg them to believe His proofs of His existence; He states His existence and moves on with His agenda.

We accept the basic teaching of monotheism, that there is one God, and we accept the basic teaching that there are three persons in this one God. Why? Because these are indisputable Bible facts. Captive to Scripture, we must accept its teachings. This makes us Seventh-day Adventists. This is our fundamental method. We hold these teachings on the basis of the inspired writings.

Sounds like we need to define independent. If the word independent means each going their own way contrary to the will of the other, than I agree with Pastor Larry.

I have been looking at the Godhead in the way I look at the truly Christian family. I see the truly Christian family as husband and wife, two separate beings (persons), as consisting of one family. I see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three separate beings (persons), as consisting of one God. As far as the word independent goes in this sense, I see the husband and the wife dependent on each other in order to truly exist as a one family. In the same sense, I see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit also dependent on each other in order to truly exist as the one God.

Am I making any sense here?

Well, I did not mean that God was arbitrary. I meant that sometimes in His divine wisdom he offers explanation, and other times, the explanation is either not offered or will be offered later, but in the meantime He addresses that which He knows we need more than fine print we would prefer to have.

As far as independent goes, I do believe they have independent persons, but not that their--I will use this word for the lack of an immediate alternative--essence--if God is one in that respect, cannot mean total independence at that level. In some respect then, I understand that al lthree persons of the Godhead are connected together as one essence. The incarnation of Christ may have worked differently in some way. I am not here to throw a lot of assertions concerning these details, only offering a quick response. LK

Ok. So what was leading you against wanting to say that the Godhead is comprised of three independent beings is that to you this would imply that all three persons of the Godhead were not connected together as one essence. You weren't wanting to imply that the different persons did not have independent wills.

Got it (I think).

Dear Larry:
When Jesus (our example) was here on earth, did he worship one essence or unity of 3 persons (one of which was himself) or did he worship only his Father, the only true God?

Dr. Glenn,

Pardon my jumping in. It is true that Jesus was our example, but you shouldn't take this too far, for He was more than an example. For instance, He quoted the text "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve", but He Himself accepted worship. What does this fact reveal about Him?

A very interesting observation, Rosangela.

GRW,
Of course, you accepted the Seventh-day Adventist position as being biblically correct before you were baptized. What then has led you to change your views since that time, or do I misread you? Also, do I correctly understand that you are presently a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.