Monotheism, Polytheism or Henotheism?

[Yaacov]

What are members' different understandings of the "Godhead" [Elohim structure] and why?

[Spitfire]

Well, Yaacov, I'm not real sure about Henotheism....but I believe there's one YHWH. Now, before I get skewered, let me explain.....please. Torah tells us that YHWH created the heavens and the earth....then in John 1:1 "In the beginning was the word and the word was with YHWH and the word WAS YHWH. " But also in Genesis it tells us that YHWH breathed the breathe of life into the man Adam....so there's one YHWH, but Yeshua is the Word of YHWH made flesh and the breathe of life is YHWH's Ruach HaKodesh. Did that make sense? This came up a couple weeks ago with my 9 yo squirmy, wormy boy. I posted a blog about it, and our Rabbi's answer. You're welcome to read my blog if you desire....it's found at
http://lovelettersfrompapa.blogspot.com. The post is called A Torah Study with a Twist. I think I was a little more coherent on the blog.....it's getting late. (or early depending on your outlook....) I hope that answers your question...Shalom, Spitfire

[Wife Of Chuza]

(Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV)
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:"
(Mark 12:29 KJV)
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:"

However, our singular God is Triune in aspect:
(1 John 5:7 KJV)
"For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

The three aspects to our singular Creator God are all seen in the Tanakh / Old Testament (King James numbering):
God our Father (the Father) :
Malachi 2:10, Isaiah 63:16, Jeremiah 31:9
God the Son :
Psalms 2:11-12; Proverbs 30:4
God the Holy Spirit :
Genesis 1:2, 41:38, Exodus 31:3, 35:31, Numbers 24:2, 1 Samuel 10:9-11, 11:6

[Wife Of Chuza]

We humans are ALSO triune in aspect, my pastor explained. We are made in our God's image:

(Genesis 1:26 KJV) "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...."

We are singular, yet triune in aspect - we each have 3 parts to us: a body, a soul/(mind), and a spirit :

(1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV) "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

My pastor drew a diagram in his office one time to explain to me that these 3 parts or aspects to us as humans are like 3 slices of one pie diagram. The point was, these 3 parts / aspects are inter-related. Our body can affect our mind, our spirit can affect our mind, etc. But it was very important to distinguish BETWEEN the soul/(mind) versus the spirit. Within our spirit is our truest self - our most sincere allegiances, commitments, convictions.

[Wife Of Chuza]

It also occurred to me that one of the reasons why it is SO IMPORTANT to admit that we are little triune beings is that it reminds us that sometimes, people's appearances can misrepresent them.

Like the old saying goes: "You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover."

Sometimes, like when we're tired (for example), our minds can be overwhelmed by our physical limitations to misrepresent our spirits. This is probably why the Bible (both Old Testament / Tanakh AND New Testament) command us to NOT judge other people by their appearances alone:

(Isaiah 11:3 KJV) "And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD:
and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:"

(John 7:24 KJV) "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

[Wife Of Chuza]

Another verse that reminds us that we are not to judge other people by their appearances (alone) is this:

(1 Samuel 16:7 KJV)
"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature;
because I have refused him:
for the LORD seeth not as man seeth;
for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

[Yaacov]

Wife of Chuza, you said 

We are singular, yet triune in aspect - we each have 3 parts to us: a body, a soul/(mind), and a spirit "

So my question is, is there a reason why you don't you use the familial terms of "Father" for your soul, and "Son" for your body?

[Wife Of Chuza]

That's not a problem to me.
My pastor once said, also (if i remember right), that we might be better able to understand the Triune Aspects of our Singular Maker God, and how we are "made in His image" in a way similar to this:

My husband's name is Chad. Chad is a son, a brother and father. Yet Chad is only one person.
Son, Brother and Father are like 3 "offices" that my husband fills.

God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit are like 3 different "OFFICES" that our singular Creator Maker holds - YET He is ONLY ONE.
And it is VERY important to repeat that our Maker is only One.
We can see proof that He is only One in how consistent He is in making us humans: No human can live without "breath" and "blood" (pointed out in Acts 17:25-26). This is the basis for our understanding of the fact that "...all men are created Equal" - along with several passages in the Tanakh (King James - Malachi 2:10, Proverbs 22:2, Ecclesiastes 11:5, Isaiah 63:16, Isaiah 19:23-25 !!!)

[Yaacov]

So does Chad as a father to Chad the son, send Chad the son on errands? Does Chad as a son to Chad the dad speak to Chad the dad as if he were speaking th his dad?

[Yaacov]

Typo correction
So does Chad as a father to Chad the son, send Chad the son on errands? Does Chad as a son to Chad the dad speak to Chad the dad as if he were speaking to his dad?

[Wife Of Chuza]

Yes, there is a certain group that really has a problem with the fact the our Singular Creator God holds 3 offices.

In other words,...

God as Father CREATED us.
God as Son RECONCILES us.
God as Holy Spirit ENABLES our obedience to His commands.

[Wife Of Chuza]

The Old Testament / Tanakh explains that Messiah would be "the Arm of the LORD".

My arm is a part of ME.

Messiah is Creator's arm - a part of HIM.

(Isaiah 63:5 KJV) "And I looked, and there was none to help;
and I wondered that there was none to uphold:
therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me;
and my fury, it upheld me."

(Isaiah 59:16 KJV) "And he saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no intercessor:
therefore his arm brought salvation unto him;
and his righteousness, it sustained him."

[Wife Of Chuza]

A further discussion of what proves the Triune aspects of our Singular Creator God is shown here:

http://www.topicalbiblestudies.net/062-gitroiwiaj.html

you could copy & paste into your address bar, if interested.