Afterthought
Puritan Board Senior
I posted this in the Wading Pool because my topic seems rather basic.
From the Westminster Larger Catechism.
Q. 7. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, every where present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.
From the Westminster Confession.
I. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
II. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Himcontingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.
Now for my question. When we ask, "What is God?" we get a personal answer; we call God "He." Indeed, we say He is the fountain of all being. When we talk about the persons in the Godhead, we get a personal answer; we call each person "He." Why is this? Are we truly forced into Van Til's paradox "one person, three persons", or does reformed theology have something else to say? It seems to me that the old "one substance, three persons" ends up leaving the Trinity when considered as a whole (i.e., "one substance") as impersonal, which the Westminster Larger catechism seems to imply at first by using the word "What", but then it takes it away and uses the word "He" in describing God. (and the Westminster Confession ignores the word "what" entirely, sticking with "He")
Does the "He" refer to any person within the Godhead? Do we call God without qualification "He" because the three persons in the Godhead act so perfectly in sync with their wills such that we can say God has one, personal will? I know in the Bible there are times when God is referred to without distinction and is referred to as "He." When the Bible refers to God without distinction (i.e., without telling which person is speaking), is it referring to one of the persons in the Trinity and so uses "He"? Perhaps when it refers to God without distinction it is referring to the Father representing the persons of the Trinity? The New Testament references to God seem to do that to some extent. But then we run into the problem of the Father being the "fountain of all being" (could we say that anyway?)? Do all three persons speak with one voice maybe?
I realize this is a bunch of questions wrapped up into one, and that I need to tread carefully here, so I'd very much appreciate any answers to them. I suppose the main idea behind each of my questions is captured by the thread's title. Are we forced into Van Til's paradox, or is there another way reformed theology deals with the personality of God without distinction (i.e., when no particular person of the Trinity is mentioned)? I'd bet this is answered in some systematic theology somewhere, but I don't know for sure. I've already searched through the forums without finding an answer, but I could have missed something.
From the Westminster Larger Catechism.
Q. 7. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, every where present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.
From the Westminster Confession.
I. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
II. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Himcontingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.
Now for my question. When we ask, "What is God?" we get a personal answer; we call God "He." Indeed, we say He is the fountain of all being. When we talk about the persons in the Godhead, we get a personal answer; we call each person "He." Why is this? Are we truly forced into Van Til's paradox "one person, three persons", or does reformed theology have something else to say? It seems to me that the old "one substance, three persons" ends up leaving the Trinity when considered as a whole (i.e., "one substance") as impersonal, which the Westminster Larger catechism seems to imply at first by using the word "What", but then it takes it away and uses the word "He" in describing God. (and the Westminster Confession ignores the word "what" entirely, sticking with "He")
Does the "He" refer to any person within the Godhead? Do we call God without qualification "He" because the three persons in the Godhead act so perfectly in sync with their wills such that we can say God has one, personal will? I know in the Bible there are times when God is referred to without distinction and is referred to as "He." When the Bible refers to God without distinction (i.e., without telling which person is speaking), is it referring to one of the persons in the Trinity and so uses "He"? Perhaps when it refers to God without distinction it is referring to the Father representing the persons of the Trinity? The New Testament references to God seem to do that to some extent. But then we run into the problem of the Father being the "fountain of all being" (could we say that anyway?)? Do all three persons speak with one voice maybe?
I realize this is a bunch of questions wrapped up into one, and that I need to tread carefully here, so I'd very much appreciate any answers to them. I suppose the main idea behind each of my questions is captured by the thread's title. Are we forced into Van Til's paradox, or is there another way reformed theology deals with the personality of God without distinction (i.e., when no particular person of the Trinity is mentioned)? I'd bet this is answered in some systematic theology somewhere, but I don't know for sure. I've already searched through the forums without finding an answer, but I could have missed something.