Knowing God Part 7
What We Believe, and Why We Believe It! • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Fact: The word “Trinity” never appears in Scripture. This has led some to believe it is a “false teaching” and should not be taught.
Fact: The word “Bible” does not appear in Scripture either, should we declare the Bible to be false and not teach it as well? (Certainly some “churches” take this approach).
What the Bible States About the Trinity
What the Bible States About the Trinity
The Trinity is taught in both OT and NT Scriptures
The Bible declares that there are:
Three persons of the same substance and power
They are:
Co-equal
Co-eternal
They exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Simply put:
The God of the Bible is one God who exists as a trinity or three persons
All three persons possess the same substance, power, and attributes.
Old Testament Proofs
Old Testament Proofs
The Uni-plural noun “Elohim” is found in Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
This noun form is used around 2300 times int eh OT referring to God and involves all three members of the Trinity.
It is found in the creation account:
The Father - Psalm 102:24-25
Psalm 102:24–25 (KJV 1900)
24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: And the heavens are the work of thy hands.
The Son - John 1:1-3
John 1:1–3 (KJV 1900)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The Holy Spirit - Genesis 1:2
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
There instances in which God is referred to with plural pronouns:
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
There are some passages that mention more than one person when referring to God
6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, there am I: And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Haggai 2:5–6 (KJV 1900)
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, So my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. 6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, And I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
There are passages that make definite distinction between the Father and the Son
1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
This is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Abraham saw “three men” but the context indicates that he knew they were more than just men, and one of them he knew to be the Son of God.
These are but a sampling of OT passages referring to the Trinity. Now let us look at
New Testament Proofs of the Trinity
New Testament Proofs of the Trinity
Consider the baptism of Jesus:
Matthew 3:16–17 (KJV 1900)
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
In this passage alone we see the Father speaking form heaven, the Son is on the earth, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove.
Not only the baptism of Jesus, but the pattern for baptism which Jesus gives recognizes three Persons within the Godhead
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Paul, in his closing of 2 Corinthians refers to three disitinct persons of the Trinity
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
We read of the Trinity in Paul’s salutations in his letters
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Last, but not least, the NT Scriptures ascribe Deity to each member of the Godhead.
The Father is called God - Matthew 27:46
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Hebrews 10:7–9 (KJV 1900)
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
The Son is called God - Jn. 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
The Holy Spirit is called God - Acts 5:3-4
Acts 5:3–4 (KJV 1900)
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Take Away
Take Away
Why study the Trinity? Becasue some today argue there is no Trinity
The JW’s argue that the Trinity is a “Contradiction in arithmetic and those who believe in it are believing in three gods.” They contend there is only on God called Jehovah and that Jesus was a created angel, the “agent of creation”.
When faced with their false belief we should remind them of the prophecies concerning the birth of Christ in Isaiah 7 and 9 call HIm “God with us”
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Also of interest is the OT word “Jehovah” is equivalent to the NT word “Lord” - Matthew 3:3
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
What we should always bear in mind when dealing with those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ it is best to stand on what the Bible says about it 1 Tim. 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.