The Trinity
Historical Christian Teaching: The One God is a Trinity
Before I teach on the Apostles Creed, it is essential to talk about God as the Trinity.
Caution: If we are not careful, prayerful, and teachable, we will get an inaccurate understanding of what our God is like.
THE TRINITY: I need to refresh our memory about the biblical teaching of God as a trinity. We believe that God is a plural unity of three distinct identities (or persons). These are God (the Father), the Word (the Son), and the Holy Spirit. God is therefore referred to as a Trinity ----- three in one.
Each of the Members of the Trinity (separately) are Called God.
The Unity of These Three Persons of the Godhead is essential for our understanding of God's nature.
Jesus prayed that the believers would be one as he and the Father are one.
Gen 2:24 For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
The Doctrine Defined: It was challenging to find human terms in which to express the unity of the Godhead and, at the same time, the reality and distinctiveness of the persons. We are aided in our understanding by the Word of God.
There are two kinds of unity expressed in the Hebrew language,
Gen. 22:2 "Upon one of these mountains….."
Amos 8:10 "The mourning of an only son…."
Jeremiah 6:26 "As for an only son… "
Examples of Compound unity: One = (Echad) only
Ezra 3:1 "The people gathered themselves as one man"
Ezek 37:17 "And they shall become one in my hand."
Deut. 6:4 "Hear o Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord."
Jabellianism: = Oneness, teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply three aspects or manifestations of God. They erroneously teach that Jesus is the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The following is an exercise in rational thought showing that Jesus is not all three. Everywhere the word father or a pronoun for God the father is used, insert the name Jesus and see if it follows the sense of the paragraph.
John 17:1-5
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
From a sermon series: The Apostles Creed by John A Bridges at New Hope Worship Center
Historical Christian Teaching: The One God is a Trinity
Before I teach on the Apostles Creed, it is essential to talk about God as the Trinity.
Caution: If we are not careful, prayerful, and teachable, we will get an inaccurate understanding of what our God is like.
THE TRINITY: I need to refresh our memory about the biblical teaching of God as a trinity. We believe that God is a plural unity of three distinct identities (or persons). These are God (the Father), the Word (the Son), and the Holy Spirit. God is therefore referred to as a Trinity ----- three in one.
Each of the Members of the Trinity (separately) are Called God.
- Jesus Called The Father "God" During His Crucifixion. Matt 27:46 about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
- The Apostle Thomas Said That Jesus Is God upon encountering Jesus after the resurrection. John 20:27-28 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (see also Rm. 9:5; Heb. 1:8; 1Jn. 5:7, 20: John 1:1, 18; Philippians 2:6-11)
- The Apostle Peter Called The Holy Spirit God. Acts 5:3-4 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
The Unity of These Three Persons of the Godhead is essential for our understanding of God's nature.
Jesus prayed that the believers would be one as he and the Father are one.
- John 17:11-12 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name you gave me -- so that they may be one as we are one.
- John 17:22-23 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Gen 2:24 For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
The Doctrine Defined: It was challenging to find human terms in which to express the unity of the Godhead and, at the same time, the reality and distinctiveness of the persons. We are aided in our understanding by the Word of God.
There are two kinds of unity expressed in the Hebrew language,
- absolute (Echad) and compound (yachidh). The expression "one (Echad) man" conveys the thought of absolute unity because it refers to one person.
- compound unity: When we read that man and wife shall be "one (yachidh) flesh" as in Gen. 2:24 we are speaking of a compound unity because a union of two persons is meant.
Gen. 22:2 "Upon one of these mountains….."
Amos 8:10 "The mourning of an only son…."
Jeremiah 6:26 "As for an only son… "
Examples of Compound unity: One = (Echad) only
Ezra 3:1 "The people gathered themselves as one man"
Ezek 37:17 "And they shall become one in my hand."
Deut. 6:4 "Hear o Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord."
Jabellianism: = Oneness, teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply three aspects or manifestations of God. They erroneously teach that Jesus is the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The following is an exercise in rational thought showing that Jesus is not all three. Everywhere the word father or a pronoun for God the father is used, insert the name Jesus and see if it follows the sense of the paragraph.
John 17:1-5
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
From a sermon series: The Apostles Creed by John A Bridges at New Hope Worship Center