What is the Holy Ghost ?

[scotty]

I have heard it teached , Jesus was man, flesh and blood, but filled with Gods Spirit. It's that same spirit that fills us today. God living inside of us.

Thats a childs explanation. But I ask the studied here, What is the Holy Ghost ? Scriptures please .

[mfblume]

I have heard it teached , Jesus was man, flesh and blood, but filled with Gods Spirit. It's that same spirit that fills us today. God living inside of us.

Thats a childs explanation. But I ask the studied here, What is the Holy Ghost ? Scriptures please .

This is more of a Godhead issue than deep waters.

[scotty]

This is more of a Godhead issue than deep waters.

It maybe, but mind you, I am not asking from the Godhead perspective. My question is not "who" is the Holy Ghost, but "what" is the Holy Ghost. What is it essentially in our lives ? I guess that would include where it comes from or from who it comes from. But what is its purpose in our lives beyond the classic answer of "to embold" us.

If you had someone come to your church who has never stepped into an apostolic church before and recieve the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues then turns around to you and ask; "what was that? what is this feeling? what do I have?. How would you begin the bible study of explaining it to them ?

[onefaith2]

It maybe, but mind you, I am not asking from the Godhead perspective. My question is not "who" is the Holy Ghost, but "what" is the Holy Ghost. What is it essentially in our lives ? I guess that would include where it comes from or from who it comes from. But what is its purpose in our lives beyond the classic answer of "to embold" us.

If you had someone come to your church who has never stepped into an apostolic church before and recieve the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues then turns around to you and ask; "what was that? what is this feeling? what do I have?. How would you begin the bible study of explaining it to them ?

I'd go to these scriptures


John 3:3-8, Matthew 3:11, Luke 24:44-49; John 7:37-39, John 14:26, John 16:7-11, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:17, Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 19:1-6, and good for new believers alike Romans 8:1-4, 9-14

[Falla39]

And Peter gives the astonishing answer:

15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

[Sam]

God is Spirit.
God is holy.
God is the Holy Spirit.

[mfblume]

It maybe, but mind you, I am not asking from the Godhead perspective. My question is not "who" is the Holy Ghost, but "what" is the Holy Ghost. What is it essentially in our lives ? I guess that would include where it comes from or from who it comes from. But what is its purpose in our lives beyond the classic answer of "to embold" us.

If you had someone come to your church who has never stepped into an apostolic church before and recieve the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues then turns around to you and ask; "what was that? what is this feeling? what do I have?. How would you begin the bible study of explaining it to them ?

I see. What is it IN OUR LIVES? Gotcha.

[Falla39]

I see. What is it IN OUR LIVES? Gotcha.

IT is the Power of GOD unto salvation to everyone that believeth!

[Sam]

The Holy Ghost is God in action.

[NorCal]

The Holy Ghost is God in action.

And Christ in you, the hope of Glory!

[scotty]

God is Spirit.
God is holy.
God is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Ghost is God in action.

And Christ in you, the hope of Glory!

Come on people, I'm not looking for a timeless one line quote. Bible study with scripture ? Somebody ? Anybody ? Where are the two page posters with indepth wisdom and experience ? This isn't a thread built on sarcasm or trying to pull some argument, I'm serious here.

Where is OA ? I really expected more from Blume and Sam. :bigbaby

[onefaith2]

Come on people, I'm not looking for a timeless one line quote. Bible study with scripture ? Somebody ? Anybody ? Where are the two page posters with indepth wisdom and experience ? This isn't a thread built on sarcasm or trying to pull some argument, I'm serious here.

Where is OA ? I really expected more from Blume and Sam. :bigbaby

Did you not read mine? :happydance
Scriptures were there at least :)

[NorCal]

Come on people, I'm not looking for a timeless one line quote. Bible study with scripture ? Somebody ? Anybody ? Where are the two page posters with indepth wisdom and experience ? This isn't a thread built on sarcasm or trying to pull some argument, I'm serious here.

Where is OA ? I really expected more from Blume and Sam. :bigbaby

Why rewrite things that have already been written 100 times by men much more wise then I?

Have fun!
http://www.newlifeupc.org/wp-content/uploads/online-books/oneness/One-Top.html

Rev Bernard's book on the New Birth is very relieving about the Holy Ghost. I have that in PDF format if you like.
https://pentecostalbookstore.com/bookstore/productDetails.asp?pid=8087&sid=1071&ptc=SZ2321

[scotty]

Rev Bernard's book on the New Birth is very relieving about the Holy Ghost. I have that in PDF format if you like.
https://pentecostalbookstore.com/bookstore/productDetails.asp?pid=8087&sid=1071&ptc=SZ2321

Yes please , thank you.

[Pendragon]

This is my description of what it feels like to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Are you looking for something along these lines?

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com/showpost.php?p=1059586&postcount=45

[Sam]

Come on people, I'm not looking for a timeless one line quote. Bible study with scripture ? Somebody ? Anybody ? Where are the two page posters with indepth wisdom and experience ? This isn't a thread built on sarcasm or trying to pull some argument, I'm serious here.

Where is OA ? I really expected more from Blume and Sam. :bigbaby

I posted two posts:

1.God is Spirit
God is holy
God is the Holy Spirit

2. The Holy Ghost is God in action

I did not mean either of those posts to be sarcastic. They were simple statements of fact describing God the Holy Ghost or the person of the Holy Ghost.

I know a person who received the Holy Ghost Baptism over 50 years ago and who attended a UPC church for many years. That church was pastored by a man considered to be a "teacher" among Apostolic Pentecostals. I have heard this person asked the question "Who or what is the Holy Ghost?" and the answer was "speaking in tongues." Speaking in tongues!!! Yes, that was the person's answer. Over the years it has been drilled into this person's head that "speaking in tongues" is salvation; "speaking in tongues" is how to be born again; "speaking in tongues" is how to get into God's church; "speaking in tongues" is necessary for the rapture; "speaking in tongues" make us different than them; etc. It all boils down to an experience --"speaking in tongues"--and that experience is the Holy Ghost.

I remember a brief discussion with a good Baptist many years ago. He told me he believed that God is three persons. I told him that I believed that God is one person. His response was, "Which one?" My answer was, "the eternal Spirit." He agreed but did not agree.

In my opinion, the terms "Holy Ghost" and "Holy Spirit" are synonymous. Our English language comes from two main sources --French/Latin and German/Saxon and Spirit comes from "espirit" and Ghost comes from "geist." Although I did have a licensed UPC minister tell me one time, "Ghost is a departed spirit" and since Jesus said He would send His Spirit after His departure we should use the term 'Holy Ghost.'"

The Greek word "pneuma" translated "spirit" is neuter so some times the pneuma/Spirit of God is referred to as "it" but I personally prefer to refer to the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost with masculine pronouns such as "He" or "Him" in the same way that I prefer to refer to our Heavenly Father and to the Son of God our Savior with masculine pronouns.

[Sam]

This is a summary from Moody Bible Institute about the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. I guess we OP’s agree with most of this except for some of the wording in the first couple lines and the word “Trinity.”

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is of the same essence. Yet He is also distinct from them.

Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, not as an impersonal force, when it says that He teaches, guides, comforts and intercedes.1 He possesses emotions, intellect and will.2 The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and gave counsel to the church at Jerusalem.3 He was sinned against and lied to.4

The Scriptures also attest to the deity of the Holy Spirit. He is spoken of as God and is identified with the title of Jehovah.5 The Christian who is indwelt by the Spirit is indwelt by God.6 The Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of deity, such as omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and eternality.7 He does works only God can do, such as creating, regenerating and sanctifying.8 He is equally associated with the other members of the Trinity.9

The work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament differed somewhat from His work in the New Testament. The possession of the Holy Spirit by the believer was not permanent in every case.10 The Spirit had a ministry of restraining sin and in the creation of the world.11

The Holy Spirit today plays a major role in the application of salvation to the individual. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to the unbeliever and causes him to see the truth of the gospel in a clear light.12 Those who respond to this conviction and place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and a new nature.13 The Holy Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the church.14 He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live victoriously over sin.15 The Holy Spirit controls the believer who yields to God and submits himself to God’s Word.16 When these conditions are met, the believer lives in the power of the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit.17

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently.18 While the child of God may sin and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer.19 Absence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved.20 The Holy Spirit seals the believer.21 This ministry guarantees the security of the believer “until the day of redemption.”22

The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts or abilities for service to every believer.23 Although His restraint of evil in the world today will cease with the rapture,24 He will continue to be present in the earth. In the tribulation period the Spirit will be involved in salvation and filling.25 In the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Spirit will be in God’s people and the Spirit will be upon the King.26

1- John 14:26; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; Romans 8:26
2- Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 1 Corinthians 12:11
3- Acts 8:29; 15:28
4- Acts 5:3, 4
5- Acts 5:1-4; Isaiah 6:8-9 with Acts 28:25; Jeremiah 31:31-34; with Hebrews 10:15
6- 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Ephesians 2:22
7- 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Psalm 139:7; Zechariah 4:6; Hebrews 9:14
8- Genesis 1:2; John 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13
9- Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 13:14
10- Psalm 51:11
11- Genesis 6:3; Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 40:12
12- John 16:8-11
13- John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5
14- 1 Corinthians 12:13
15- Romans 6:1–10
16- Romans 12: 1,2; Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16
17- Galatians 5:16, 22, 23
18- 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
19- Ephesians 4:30
20- Rom. 8:9; Jude v. 19
21- II Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30
22- Eph. 4:30
23- Rom. 12; I Cor. 12; Eph. 4
24- II Thess. 2:7
25- Zech. 12:10; Joel 2:28-32
26- Jer. 31:33; Isaiah 11: 2-3

[Sam]

This is from pages 83 to 85 in Chapter 8 of Charisma Versus Charismania by Chuck Smith copyright 1992 by The Word For Today Publishers. The author speaks about three works of the Holy Spirit in our lives and uses the Greek words "para," "en," and "epi." This is the way I understand the working of the Holy Spirit.

Something More

Recently a young man came up to me and said, “I accepted Christ several years ago, but I was never too excited about it. I found reading the Bible uninteresting. In fact, my mind would wander, and I couldn’t really concentrate on the Word. I never really knew what it was to worship God, and my prayer life was erratic. But since I was filled with the Spirit a few months ago, my life has completely changed. I have a great love for the things of God. I can’t seem to get enough of the Word, and now I love to fellowship with the believers. What a great change has happened
n my life since I was filled with the Spirit!”

This story, with variations, has been told to me hundreds of times over by those who have found that there is something more than just having the Spirit indwelling their life at conversion. We do recognize that every born again believer has the Spirit dwelling in him. Writing in 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul declares that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. He also declares in 1 Corinthians 12:3 that you cannot call Christ Lord except by the Spirit.

The Spirit and the Believer

There are three Greek prepositions used in the New Testament to designate the different relationships of the Spirit to the believer: para, en, and epi. In John 14:17 Jesus said to His disciples concerning the Holy Spirit, “Ye know him; for he dwelleth with [para] you and shall be in [en] you.”

Here a twofold relationship is expressed: para (with) and en (in). The Holy Spirit was with us prior to our conversion. He is the One who brought us conviction of sin and revealed Christ as the answer. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior and invited Him into our lives, the Holy Spirit began to
indwell us.

But God has something more—the beautiful empowering through the epi relationship. Note that this is what Jesus was promising His disciples just prior to His ascension. In Luke 24:49 He said, “Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon [epi] you” or “over you.” In Acts 1:8 He said, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy [Spirit] is come upon [epi] you.”

We read in Acts 10:44 that the Holy Spirit descended “upon” the Gentile believers in the house of Cornelius: “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy [Spirit] fell upon [epi] all of them which heard the word.” In Acts 19:6, when Paul laid hands upon the Ephesian believers, the Holy Spirit came upon [epi] them.

We read in Acts 8 that Philip had gone to Samaria and preached Christ unto them; many people believed Philip’s preaching of the things of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and they were baptized. If there is just one baptism (Ephesians 4:5), then we must accept that at this point the Samaritan believers were baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), and the Holy Spirit began to indwell them. It is obvious, however, that there was yet a further relationship to the Holy Spirit to be received, for when the church in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had received the gospel, they sent Peter and John unto them that they might pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet He had fallen upon [epi] none of them.

The Overflowing Life

When Paul came to the church in Ephesus and found that the believers’ experience was lacking, possibly in love or joy and zeal, he asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” If the full relationship with the Spirit is attained simultaneously with conversion, the question makes no sense. The question itself acknowledged a relationship deeper and beyond the conversion experience. What they were lacking was the epi relationship with the Holy Spirit, for that is what resulted when Paul laid his hands upon them in Acts 19:6: “and the Spirit came upon [epi] them.”

Being filled with the Spirit adds new dimensions of love, joy, and exuberance to the Christian life. If Paul the apostle would meet you and begin to share the glories of Christ with you, would he be apt to ask, “Did you receive the Spirit when you believed?” God wants your life not to just be indwelt or even filled with the Spirit. He wants your life to overflow.

[Sam]

In the Old Testament, God was:

1 the Father --the One who was the creator and originator of all, the
one Who was above all and sovereign over all.

2 the Word --God revealed, localized, made known, among humankind and
interacting with humankind

3 the Spirit (Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Holy Ghost, etc) --God
working upon, working among, working within people and things,
influencing, empowering, changing, etc.

In the New Testament, God is:

1 the Father --the One who is the creator and originator of all, the
one Who is above all and sovereign over all.

2 the Word/Son --God revealed, localized, made known, among humankind and
interacting with humankind

3 the Spirit (Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Holy Ghost, etc) --God
working upon, working among, working within people and things,
influencing, empowering, changing, etc.

[onefaith2]

Amen Sam, the SPirit is the spirit of God.

Not to derail but Sam why do you think Trinitarians say Jesus was called the Son prior to the incarnation? All I see if prophecies. What do you see?

[mfblume]

I believe the Holy Ghost in us is absolutely essential to Kingdom living. Paul said that there was no good thing in his flesh, and he could not do the good he desired to do. Then he said at the end of Rom 7 that with the flesh he cannot serve the law of God. Chapter 8 says to not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit. This shows us that the Spirit of God in us is meant to be relied upon instead of our own fleshly abilities!

Unfortunately, there is not that knowledge in every one, as Romans 6 relates. You can have the Holy Ghost in you and not realize you are meant to rely upon it for empowerment to do the will of God. Most Pentecostals think walking after the Spirit ids simply HAVING or getting the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They think it is simply obeying Acts 2:38. Not so. Unless we realize that the Spirit in us is to be consciously relied upon after we receive Him, we will instinctively rely upon fleshly power to do the will of God and will fail.

We must learn to walk after this Spirit by prayer to God For His Spirit in us to strengthen us with might in the inner man. We are relying on the Holy Ghost when we follow through with Rom 6:13.

Rom 6:13 KJV Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

The Spirit of God in us is power over sin! It is power to fulfill the will of God.

Zec 4:6 KJV Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah was told these words after seeing a vision of the GOLDEN OIL pouring from Olive Trees into the Seven Golden candlesticks.

Zec 4:2-3 KJV And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: (3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.


The Spirit and the Word agree. The OIL coming forth from the olive trees obviously speaks of SPIRIT. ANOINTING OIL . But there is WORD involved as well. The two olive trees were Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor. They PROPHESIED as two witnesses, similar to Rev 11. WORD AND SPIRIT are always vital. The Spirit is given to empower, but without the Word of truth concerning that purpose, we have the Spirit and do not benefit from it.

Genesis 1 shows SPIRIT hovering over the earth, and WORD spoken to work together with the Spirit and CAUSE LIGHT, etc.

The Word reacts with the Spirit in us as our understanding is endowed with truth, and the Holy Ghost is no longer DORMANT in us, except for speaking in tongues occasionally, and is there to then do what He is there to do! EMPOWER US!

[mfblume]

Gideon's clay jars held torches in them. The idea was to crack open the clay jars and allow the light to shine out and destroy the enemy.

2 Cor 4 teaches that our humanity is like earthen vessels. Clay jars. The LIGHT of the knowledge of the glory of God in us is the torch, and with the combined glory of the Holy Ghost in us, lighting our candles (Prov 20:27), when our humanity is denied and we carry our crosses, the clay jars break open and the light shines to destroy the enemy!

That is the purpose of the Holy Ghost in us.

Jesus was God in the flesh. God is in our flesh as well when we have the Holy Ghost. And the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. We destroy the works of the devil also when the Spirit in us leads us and due to our faith empowers us. This is KINGDOM living.

Had Adam gotten the fruit of life inside him, he would have possessed God's SPIRIT. ETERNAL LIFE. And God through Adam would destroy the devil and see kingdom dominion in the earth! Jesus came that we might have that SAME LIFE, and He brought the Kingdom 2000 years ago, and we need to rule by being led by the Spirit for empowerment and dominating sin, satan and the flesh!

The Holy Ghost actually overrides the fleshliness that drags us down into defeat, and the fleshliness that the devil capitalizes on to defeat us. But without understanding as to how to yield to the Spirit, it does us no good. Romans 8 says the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death. That law is the understanding of how we allow the Spirit in us to work and do the purpose He is in us to do.

[Sam]

Amen Sam, the SPirit is the spirit of God.

Not to derail but Sam why do you think Trinitarians say Jesus was called the Son prior to the incarnation? All I see if prophecies. What do you see?

I'm not a theologian or don't know much about trinitarian beliefs, but.....

John 1:1-18 and 1 John 1:1-3 speaks about the Word/Logos/Memra/Angel who was with God and was God at the beginning and says that the Word became flesh and manifested or displayed the Father. 1 John 1:1-4 equates that Word with the Son. 1 John 5:8 (not in some Bibles) says there are three that bear witness in heaven --the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost--and these are one. So, if the Word was with God in the beginning, some believe the Son was with God in the beginning. Other trinitarians believe He was the Word in the beginning and became the Son at incarnation.

[onefaith2]

I'm not a theologian or don't know much about trinitarian beliefs, but.....

.

Thanks for reply but aren't you licensed with a local trinity church? Do they not have strong teaching on the trinity?

[Sam]

Thanks for reply but aren't you licensed with a local trinity church? Do they not have strong teaching on the trinity?

I am ordained in a OP organization, The Church of Jesus Christ, that goes back to 1927 and I am ordained in a local trinity church, Hamilton Dream Center, which is part of WME (Worldwide Missionary Evangelism). The statement of faith for WME says: "We believe in one God who reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit." My pastor offered ordination to me. I did not request it. I accepted it because I considered it an honor. He knows my background and I told him that I was going to maintain my ordination in my current organization. He sees emails I put out. The "godhead" is just not an issue.

I taught a series of lessons in midweek services a couple of years ago on the names of God i.e. Elohim, Adonai, and the YHWH compound names finishing up with God's covenant name for the New Testament being "Jesus." There is a book written by Dale Yerton, former chairman of the WME, called "Foundation Truth" with a 1984 copyright. Lesson 29 is titled "The Godhead." On page 156 he says:
It is obvious from the Scriptures that there is only one God.Deuteronomy 4:35, 39 and 6:4. The great truth that Israel gave the world is the oneness of God. Isaisah 44:6, 8; 43:10; 45:18 Psalmss 86:10; 83:18
This is a New Testament doctrine as well. Mark 12:29, 32 I Corinthians 8:4, Ephesians 4:6 1 Timothy 1:17; 2:5 James 2:19.
However, a close study shows this is a compound unity of oneness Genesis 1:26

The Hebrew word "yachead" speaks of an absolute unity of one, such as the number one. This word is never used to describe God.

The Hebrew word "echad" speaks of a compound unity of oneness such as one people, one nation. Genesis 2:24. This is the word that is used to describe God in Deuteronomy 6:4 and Zechariah 14:9. The New Testament continues to show this compound unity of three in one.

On page 157 under What Are The Names Of God? he says:
"Throughout the Old Testament God continued to reveal Himself in an unfolding revelation. Much of that revelation comes by the names that God revealed of Himself." He then lists Elohim, El-Elyon, etc (same as I had done when I taught on this before I ever saw that book).

He continues on page 157 and says "In the New Testament there is revealed a new compound name for God." He then goes on and says that that New Testament compound name for God is "Lord Jesus Christ." He goes on to say, "The name Lord Jesus Christ is not found once in the Gospels, but is found in some form fifty-five times throughout the rest of the New Testament."

He does not use the word "trinity" but on page 158 he does use the word "TRi-UNITY."

Now, some folks would say this is oneness and some would say it is trinity. I say it doesn't matter what we call it, that our oneness and trinity arguments are just "godhead gobbledy gook" and just our poor work of trying to take an infinite God and bring Him down to some explanation that we can wrap our puny human minds around.

I'll leave the godhead theology to those who want to argue about persons, roles, masks, manifestations, personas, kenoomas, or personalities and to other weighty themes such as how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

[TGBTG]

Thanks for reply but aren't you licensed with a local trinity church? Do they not have strong teaching on the trinity?

I know this question's not for me, but I've attended a couple of trinity churches in the past and I still currently go to a trinity church.

It has been my experience, that these churches mention only in passing that they believe in the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the HolySprirt. However, they spend little or no time at all talking about the Godhead. Most of the time when they mention it (it's come up in sunday school), it usually bordelines on tritheism, so it gets quite uncomfortable talking about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holyspirit. I think the reason why trinity is not taught in depth in the trinity churches is 'cause it sometimes becomes tritheism. The pastors themselves then succumb and say "The trinity is a great mystery which no one understands."

There was a time my Pastor taught on the power in the name of Jesus Christ. There was a slight confusion in the sermon when "in the name of the Father, Son, and HolyGhost" was mentioned somewhere in the sermon because in the same sermon, he had stated that the "in the name of Jesus Christ" is the name above all names. (Not sure if I'm explaining myself right...)

[onefaith2]

I know this question's not for me, but I've attended a couple of trinity churches in the past and I still currently go to a trinity church.

It has been my experience, that these churches mention only in passing that they believe in the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the HolySprirt. However, they spend little or no time at all talking about the Godhead. Most of the time when they mention it (it's come up in sunday school), it usually bordelines on tritheism, so it gets quite uncomfortable talking about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holyspirit. I think the reason why trinity is not taught in depth in the trinity churches is 'cause it sometimes becomes tritheism. The pastors themselves then succumb and say "The trinity is a great mystery which no one understands."

There was a time my Pastor taught on the power in the name of Jesus Christ. There was a slight confusion in the sermon when "in the name of the Father, Son, and HolyGhost" was mentioned somewhere in the sermon because in the same sermon, he had stated that the "in the name of Jesus Christ" is the name above all names. (Not sure if I'm explaining myself right...)

It seems the Catholic dogma is the only really in depth teaching of the trinity as far as an organization goes. I know there are written works out there, but this is my experience to, that in trinity churches the range goes from tritheists to modalists.