What Baptists Believe: Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Last week we spoke of the unity of God. God is one in essence but exists in three distinct Person. This is called The Trinity. We see the Trinitarian formula in Scripture.

Here (Matt. 28:19)

2 Cor. 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

1 Peter 1:2

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Jude 20-21

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life,”

As Baptists we believe in the Trinity because Scripture clearly teaches it. Tonight we will discuss briefly each Person of the Trinity and see that Scripture shows that each of them is clearly God.

1. God the Father.

Jesus taught us to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9).

Jesus told us He was sent by the Father (John 6:37-40)

Turn there.

Here we see clearly Jesus is sent by the Father to the earth to accomplish a task.

Jesus prayed to the Father in Matthew 26:39

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

The allegiance that Christ has to God the Father clearly shows the Father is God.

Here is our statement on God the Father:

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

Matthew 10:28-33

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

God the Father cares for His creation. He provides for His creation.

He is not everyone’s Father. He is the Father to those who come to Christ.

John 1:12-13

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Through Christ we can call God our Father.

Romans 8:15

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

2. God the Son.

He is God in the flesh (John 1:14).

Philippians 2:6-8

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

His conception- born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23).

His miraculous life. When Jesus calmed the storm the disciples asked “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey Him? (Matthew 8:27)

His Words.

I and the Father are One- John 10:30.

Before Abraham was I am- John 8:58.

The words of others:

Thomas- My Lord and My God (John 20:28).

Paul- waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

Peter- Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: (2 Peter 1:1).

God the Father- But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8)

He receives worship:

The wise men at His birth - And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. (Matthew 2:11)

The disciples when Jesus walked on water- And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God. (Matthew 14:32-33)

The women after Jesus rose- And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him (Matthew 28:9)

Jesus is given titles reserved for God:

The Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8)

The beginning and the end (Rev. 22:13)

King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16).

Jesus does things only God can do:

Jesus is the Creator- All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17).

Jesus is the Judge of the universe:

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. (John 5:22-23)

Revelation 19

3. God the Spirit.

He is a Person not a Power.

He teaches. (John 16:13)

He can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).

We can sin against the Spirit.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4)

He leads us (Romans 8:14).

He speaks (Acts 8:29).

He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14).

He is everywhere (Psalm 139:7) “Where can I go from Your Spirit?”

The Spirit of God convicts us of our sin (John 16:8).

The Spirit of God regenerates us (John 3:6).

The Spirt of God seals us (2 Cor. 1:22).

The Spirit of God gifts us (1 Cor. 12:7).

The Spirit of God enables us to understand God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:13-14).

Now we see how we have concluded that there are three distinct Persons in the Trinity. It is the only way to make sense out of Scripture without believing in three separate Gods.

God has eternally existed as a Triune Being. Scripture reveals this to us. Scripture is the only place we can go to discover who God is.