The Father is not God by Himself, then the Son and the Holy Spirit on the side. This is a common mistake; a view that Christians, often, subconsciously, make. The Father, the 
Son, and the Holy Spirit are One in Three / Three in One; the three persons in interpenetrative subject-in-being relationship constitute what is called the Divine Monarxia (Godhead). To think the Father as the top God, and the Son and Spirit, as the under Gods is to think in terms of what is called subordinationism and or also tri-theism (a type of “Christian polytheistic” false-doctrine). These are historically considered deeply heretical beliefs about who God is. Christians are indeed monotheists, we believe in One God, but we are Trinitarian Monotheists. The One is the Three / the Three is the One. Muslims and Jews are what is called Unitarian Monotheists; which entails the rejection of the mysterium Trinitatis (mystery of the Trinity).
Why does this matter?: Because, get God wrong get every other descending doctrine wrong.
The framing of manβs understanding of God apart from Godβs own divine revelation and illuminating spirit must always be reckoned essentially an assumed form of idolatry (in that it is derived by human, rather than divine reason). Moreover, the things of God make little sense to the natural man, as these things are spiritually discerned. Thank you, Bobby, for serving this clarifying and true briefβ¦ (βreβ)-turning us to the truth of Godβs very nature of being.
Amen, Richard. And yes, if we look elsewhere, like speculative systems to know God, then in my view, we have locked the door from the get-go. Since Christ is alive He does indeed have the capacity and power to confront us afresh anew in the concrete of His risen and ascended life, thus making knowledge of Himself within the Monarxia of God, a constant novum and new reality that transforms us from glory to glory. God is not static, but alive; and for us in Jesus Christ.
Bobby, do you have a problem with theologians, who are not subordinationists, who speak of the Father as the “first person of the Trinity” and give Him a type of preeminence within the classic doctrine of the Trinity?
Steve, yeah, I do; like the Cappadocians and more modernly, Zizioulas. TFT thinking of terms of the being of God as the Monarxia is the best way to go, even a very creative yet orthodox way to go, in my view.
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