The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Nicene Creed and Eternal Generation

Thank you for your response. Could you please elaborate on soundness of the Nicene creed which he believes teaches the following:

" I cannot accept the teaching that the Second and Third Persons of the Godhead were created. As God said, “I change not,” I do not believe He changed from being One Person to Three Persons. I believe that Scripture is clear that God is perpetually Triune. He did not become Triune."

Additionally, he says that the original form of the doctrine of eternal generation differs from... "The version of eternal generation that you quoted [Berkhof] is the weakened form of the doctrine that has been passed down for the past couple hundred years. It has taken much of the offense of the doctrine out. However, that is not the doctrine in its true form. The two men that I have read who had the best understanding of the doctrine [and he rejects their views] are R L Dabney and Jonathan Edwards. Tomorrow afternoon, I will try to locate Dabney’s discussion of the doctrine and give you his exact words, so that you won’t think that I am distorting his teaching.... But, in short, the doctrine of eternal generation teaches that God, in eternity past, was only One Person. His Essence, they say, has remained unchanged. But, the Father eternally begat the Son, and the Holy Spirit spirated from the Father and the Son. Therefore both the Son and the Spirit are not self existent, they received their existence as Persons, but not their Essence. Therefore, according to eternal generation, God is not perpetually Triune, He became Triune."

Thanks again for your kind attention.