In this message we seek to understand the 3-in-1 ness of the God revealed in Scripture, otherwise known as the trinity. Someone has said, “try to understand the trinity and you will lose your mind, reject it and lose your soul.” Come along with us to seek to discover greater light on God’s intrinsic nature.

Teaching Notes:

The God of the Bible is a Trinity

Intro:

We have discovered that the God of the Bible does everything for His own glory.  He is  Eternal, Unchanging, Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent.

What is at stake in determining whether God is a trinity or not?  The atonement is at stake. If Jesus merely created being, then hard to see how He, a creature, can bear God’s full wrath against our sins. Can the creature, no matter how great, save us?

Also, we need to know whether to pray to or worship Jesus & Spirit. If Jesus is not God, then worshipping Him is idolatry.

1.  Definition of the Doctrine of the Trinity:

Meaning of Trinity: word not found in Bibles. Tri = 3 (tricycle, triplet, triple). Unity = 1. Means “tri-unity” or “three-in-oneness.” Definition: “There is only 1 God, and this God eternally exists in the 3 distinct persons of Father, Son, & Spirit, and each of these persons is fully God.” Contradiction! How can be 1 God and 3 Persons? Scripture doesn’t ask to believe in contradiction — “There is 1 God and there is not one God”; “God is 3 persons and God is 1 person.” To say “God is 3 persons & there is only 1 God” is not contradiction; it is a mystery. Shouldn’t trouble us as long as this mystery is clearly taught in Scripture.

A.  God eternally exists in 3 distinct persons: this means Father not Son. Son not Spirit. Spirit not Father.

The Son is a Distinct Person: Jn.1:1 (“with” shows distinction of persons); 17:24 (rel. of love shows distinction of persons). 17:3 – Father sent Son. Father did not die for our sins. 1Jn.2:1 (in order to be our advocate w/ the Father, He must be distinct person from Father).

The Spirit is a Distinct Person: Jn.14:26; 15:26. But is the H.S. a person? Some think He is only power or force. He is linked w/ Father & Son (Mt.28:19; 2Cor.13:14). Since Father & Son both persons, coordinate expression strongly intimates Spirit person also. He teaches, bears witness, intercedes, is grieved, speaks, can be blasphemed & resisted, strives, equips, directs, gifts, regenerates, inspires, convicts, guides, and discloses. A power can’t do all of that!

B.  Each Person Is Fully God: Father: Eph.4:6. Son: Jn.1:1; 20:28; Heb.1:8; Tit.2:13; 2Pet.1:1; Rom.9:5. Spirit: Acts 5:3-4; Mt.28:19 (imagine Jesus saying, “baptizing them in name of Father, Son, and archangel Michael!) 1Cor.3:16 (God’s temple is place where God dwells, which Paul explains w/ God’s Spirit dwells in it).

All 3 Possess The Same Divine Attributes:

Attribute                     Father             Son                              Holy Spirit

Eternality                     Ps.90:2            Is.9:6; Mic.5:2             Heb.9:14

Omnipotence                Rev.1:8           Is. 9:6                         Rom.15:19

Omniscience                 1Jn.3:20          Jn.21:17                      1Cor.2:10-11

Omnipresence               Jer.23:24         Mt.28:20                     Ps.139:7

Holiness                       Ex.15:11          Acts 3:14                    Acts 1:8

Truth                           Jn.7:28            Rev.3:7                       1Jn.5:7

Goodness                     Ps.100:5          Acts 10:38                  Neh.9:20

All 3 Perform Divine Works:

Creation of World         Gen.1:1            Jn.1:3                         Gen.1:2

Creation of Man           Gen.2:7            Col.1:16                      Job 33:4

Raises the Dead            Jn.5:21             Jn.5:21                       Rom.8:11

C.   There Is Only 1 God: Deut.6:4-5; James 2:19; 1Tim.2:5; Is.45:5-6; 21-22.

2.  Deviations from the Doctrine of the Trinity: Man likes to have system can understand. Early on some deviated from Scriptural teaching cuz couldn’t stand to live in tension w/ Biblical truth. Needed to confine God to own understandings. Whenever deny any of above 3 truths have heresy.

Modalism: Denies 3 distinct persons. Believed 1 God & F,S,& HS all fully God, but not distinct persons from one another. One persons appears in 3 different modes. God appeared as Father in OT; same divine person appears as Son in Gospels; same person reveals Himself as H.S. after Pentecost. Or Same actor changing clothes and appearing as 3 different characters in course of a play. Sometimes known as Sabellianism after Sabellius who lived in Rome in early 3rd century. In 1916 group broke off from Assemblies of God when required ministers to hold to trinitarian statement of faith. Became United Pentecostal Church (Jesus Only). Same ancient heresy dressed up in different garb. Illustrating: man can be father, son, and elder in church. Yet always same man. Illustrates modalism, not Trinity.

Arianism:  Denies Son and Spirit fully God. Comes from Arius, a bishop of Alexandria. Taught God created Son, and before that time Son and Spirit did not exist, only the Father. Emphasized texts stating Christ is “only begotten” Son. Reasoned if begotten must mean brought into existence.  Col.1:15 – “first-born of all creation.” Verse teaches Christ has rights or privileges of the first-born – that is, the right of leadership or authority in family. Christ has rights & privileges of authority and rule w/ respect to whole creation. NIV – “the firstborn over all creation.”  In 319 A.D. Bishop Alexander called meeting of the elders. Was discussing Father, Son & Spirit. Interrupted by Arius. He announced, “If the Father begat the Son, then He who was begotten had a beginning existence, and from this it follows there was a time when the Son was not.”  Erupted into huge debate w/ much controversy. Emperor Constantine only interested in preserving peace in Roman empire. Convened council in Nicaea to settle issue. Invited 1,800 bishops – only 400 came. At meeting Arius stood up and repeated his view of God. Great debate

Finally a creed was written to put down Arius’ view which says: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, very God from very God, begotten not made, of the same substance as the Father, through whom all things were made, both things in Heaven and things in earth; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was made flesh, was made man, suffered and rose again the third day, ascended into Heaven, and shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost. And those who say “There was a time when he was not” and “He did not exist before he was made” and “He was made out of nothing” or those who pretend that the Son of God is “of another hypostasis or substance” or “created” or “alterable” or “mutable,” the Catholic Church anathematizes.” In end Constantine ordered all books of Arius’ burned “so that his depraved doctrine shall be entirely suppressed and so that there shall be no memorial of him left in the world.” Punishment was death! Yet Arius’ views continued to hold sway in many places and grew. Died a slow death. All controversy over 1 word. Homoousios (of the same nature) & Homoiousious (of a similar nature). Homo = same. Homoi = similar. Arius happy to say Christ was similar to God in his nature. Difference was in 1 letter iota. But 1 letter marked difference between Biblical Christianity or heresy. What about H.S.? Later in Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. a section added to creed which read: “and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, who proceeds from the Father, who is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Son.” Doctrine of Trinity remained virtually unchanged after 381 A.D. Orthodox Christianity embraced this view.

Today still have Arianism in Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine. Christ first & greatest creation of God. H.S. is a force or power.

Tritheism: Denies only 1 God.  God is 3 persons and each person fully God. Few persons held this view in history of church. Would result in confusion. Which God should we give ultimate allegiance to?

Conclusion: Worship Father, Son, & Holy Spirit as God!  Trust in Christ’s work on Cross – cuz He is God will save you! Appreciate unity in diversity (family, church).