The Narrow Path Ministries

It seems the discussions regarding the trinity pro/con are philosophical/theological/hermeneutical.

What roles do each play in your devotional practice?

How do you experience the Holy Spirit? Do you hear his voice? A quickening?

Does being trinitarian impact your devotional practice in a way you think non-trinitarians can?

Does your devotional practice as a non-trinitarian differ significantly from a trinitarian?

How does the Holy Spirit relate to us differently than Jesus? Or God?

My answer:

I believe that the Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Jesus. Thus, He/it is a quickening of Jesus' life, teachings, death, resurrection, victory, grace,
"Listening" to the spirit, then, is tuning my life into Jesus' work, and his calling to us as followers as documented in the gospels. If what I hear from "the spirit" differs than what Jesus taught, demonstrated, or His accomplished work, than it is not the Holy Spirit/ spirit of Jesus.

I am learning to do this better day-by-day.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Jesus.

I certainly don't disagree with that. But I believe the Holy Spirit is ALSO the Spirit of the Father.
Jesus said that He AND the Father would come to dwell with those who love Him (Jesus) and keep His word. Would They not do that by extending their Personality into us? Is not that extended Personality the Holy Spirit?

Jesus also indicated that His disciples that they could come directly to the Father (I can't find the reference right now).

So when I experience the Spirit, I am not certain whether I am experiencing the Father, or the Son, or both of Them simulaneously. I suspect it may be both.

If what I hear from "the spirit" differs than what Jesus taught, demonstrated, or His accomplished work, than it is not the Holy Spirit/ spirit of Jesus.

I have often wondered whether some of those who think of the Holy Spirit as being someone other than the Persons of the Father and the Son might at times exerience some other spirit.

Disclaimer: Please note that I said SOME of those... and also might AT TIMES experience...

I think this is a good topic, and one that I was just thinking about the other day.

One 'experiential' area where I think in trinitarian terms is prayer. Not that I made this up, but I've always found it helpful to pray:

In the Spirit
Through the Son
To the Father

To pray in the Spirit, to me, means that I'm responding to God's presence in my daily life, following God's lead. Praying for whatever God seems to be putting in my mind. Feeling empowered by the fact that God dwells in me.

To pray through the Son, to me, means that I have great confidence that my prayer actually accesses God because I literally think about Jesus playing the mediator role. In some ways, I might wonder how my little prayers could reach God, but when I remind myself that I am a son through the Son, I have confidence.

To pray to the Father represents the destination of the prayer. I don't typically pray to the Spirit or to Jesus. Jesus taught me to pray to the Father. The Father wisely responds out of His rich resources to my prayer, most often sending that response through Christ and His body in the Spirit.

Of course, I imagine that a non-trinitarian could think along these same lines. I am only describing my experience.

@Paidon

I have often wondered whether some of those who think of the Holy Spirit as being someone other than the Persons of the Father and the Son might at times exerience some other spirit.

Totally agree. I am a member of a charismatic church and our elders are very careful to listen to all "words" in light of Jesus. I'm not sure it is ever another-spirit, or just exuberance or bad motives. But just because someone speaks in the name of the President, doesn't mean he speaks for the President.

@Matt

One 'experiential' area where I think in trinitarian terms is prayer. Not that I made this up, but I've always found it helpful to pray:

In the Spirit
Through the Son
To the Father

I liked everything you posted. I get confused sometimes who I'm praying to. That's a trinitarian problem I guess. It's also really hard for me to pray out loud in a small group setting. Afraid I'm going to "get it wrong." Pre-thinking everything I'm going to say.

I don't have a formulaic definition or "test-tube" classification of God, but I do think of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as essentially one. So I don't find myself trying to decide who I should pray to or anything like that.

I address the Father when I'm praying "formally" whether out-loud in a group or in a set time of prayer. During the day, I find myself thanking and praising God (Father) or Jesus (as Jesus or Lord) for various things that come to mind. I ask the Spirit (or for the Spirit) for help in having a good attitude and making godly decisions.

I've never heard a voice, and I can't even say that I've certainly experienced some obviously supernatural presence or sign. It seems like it would be hard to distinguish that from something else.

Paidion wrote:I have often wondered whether some of those who think of the Holy Spirit as being someone other than the Persons of the Father and the Son might at times exerience some other spirit.

Why would this doctrine alone be a source of demonic activity. Seems close to blasphemy if the doctrine is actually true. Besides Scripture says people can experience "a different Jesus" as well, or even a different Father. Why pick on just this one doctrine it's too much a personal grudge.

Dizerner wrote:

Paidion wrote:I have often wondered whether some of those who think of the Holy Spirit as being someone other than the Persons of the Father and the Son might at times exerience some other spirit.

Why would this doctrine alone be a source of demonic activity. Seems close to blasphemy if the doctrine is actually true. Besides Scripture says people can experience "a different Jesus" as well, or even a different Father. Why pick on just this one doctrine it's too much a personal grudge.

I don't think you understand me. Suppose I am right, and the Spirit is the extended persons of the Father and the Son. Then suppose someone prays to "the Holy Spirit" whom they think is a third divine Person or Individual. I am saying that if that "third Person" doesn't exist, then they may unwittingly be praying to some other spirit.

Search the scriptures. You will never find even one prayer offered to the Holy Spirit. So that's the reason I "pick on" this matter. What do you mean by "...it's too much a personal grudge"? I have no personal grudge against anyone.