the character of God

we were having the conversation. again.

"but the bible is fallible. men wrote it so how can God have written it too." she always seemed to end that particular phrase with a period - as if there were no question, only fact. truth in her eyes. "and all this about the trinity being a reality. the word trinity isn't even mentioned in the bible. so even if someone believes in the bible as truth how could they possibly believe in the trinity. it isn't even from scripture."
"but it is." my responses were always similar to hers: short, succinct, and stated as the truth they were and are.
"no it's not. the word trin--"
"you're right. the word 'trinity' isn't in the bible, but the concept - God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all being one in the same - is embedded in scripture and repeated over and over. we have given it a name in order to be more efficient. like instead of always saying 'i'll have thirteen bagels please' we can just say 'i'll have a baker's dozen.' or instead of ordering 'two cheeseburgers, a medium fry and a medium coke' we just order a 'number 2.'"
"where is it then?"
"what?"
"where does it talk about all that you say?"
i wish i had read more at this point. i always fumbled around praying in my head "Lord give the verses i don't really know..."
"John 5:16-47 this entire passage is Jesus explaining the ways in which he is God, the ways in which God is His Father and the signs that point to Jesus as the Messiah. Hebrews 1, the whole chapter, discusses God and Jesus being one for the point and purpose of explaining that Jesus is not an angel but much greater. Verse 8,9 is God saying to Jesus 'Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.' God calls Christ God here!! there's a verse in Acts...maybe Chapter 10 where Peter is talking with Cornelius - a man that just doesn't understand that Jesus is the only way to God - and Peter says something like 'God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around preaching the good news and healing all who were faced with evil, because God was with Him.' now i should look that up to make sure it's not out of context and completely wrong from memory, but if i'm right about the verse, it's saying God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit (you can see that in John chapter one...where he's baptized) and then Christ went around doing good and healing because God was with Him. God was with Jesus on earth through the Holy Spirit. There's another passage in John 1 that references Genesis, sorry i keep referencing John, but i'm studying it right now, where --"
"whatever."
my sigh was too notable to ignore. how could she not understand?!
"i still think man wrote the bible so it's fallible."
"but that wasn't the conversation we were having, we can if you want, but, i thought you didn't believe in the idea of the trinity...not necessarily the word, but the biblical concept."
"i don't. but how can you prove something when you try to prove it with words the person doesn't believe are really truth anyway."
"i guess i just keep saying the same thing every time we have this conversation. i believe in the power of the truth of God and i just keep praying that if i speak the truth that i know and believe enough, it will hit home one day and make sense to you. to whomever i may speak to. God's words have enough power they will end the world, i mean jesopete, they began the world too. what's the verse 'They shall know the truth and the truth shall set them free.' that's in John...i remember that one...John 8:32. anyway. i can't change your mind on any of this. only God can."

my heart broke. my heart breaks every time i hear this. every time i wonder what else i could have said? how else could i phrase that question? did i say the right thing? and then i am thankful that it's never anything i do. it's about what God does.

"'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the Lord. 'And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher that your thoughts. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." Isaiah 55:8-11