The Trinity & How it reflects what Paul did in Acts 17.

A.W. Tozer who lived from 1897-1963 said, “ What you think of God is the most important thing about you.” meaning our spiritual growth is dependent upon our concept of God! It is a psychological fact that we tend to become like what (or whom) we admire the most.

Many of you might of heard that Jesus NEVER spoke of a trinity, in fact you will not find the word trinity in any bible version. The Council of Nicaea more or less originated this concept when they declared that Jehovah God the Father and Jesus were of the same “substance”.

Little discussion took place at the Council of Nicaea regarding the Holy Spirit. First, there was not as much agreement on the relation of the Spirit in the Trinity as there was regarding the Son. Secondly, Athanasius and others who held to an orthodox view understood that once it is established that Jesus is of the same essence as the Father, it naturally follows from the biblical data that the Spirit is as well. Once they demonstrated the Biblical and philosophical possibility of two persons of the divine substance, it was a small step to demonstrate the third person. The Arians could no longer hide in ambiguous language with the application of the term homoousios (Greek word that means of one substance.)

The Trinity

The Trinity is the teaching that there is only one God who exists as three simultaneous and eternal persons:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  By “person” is meant the characteristics of self-awareness, speech, having a will, emotions, etc. Therefore, there are three persons.  The Father is not the same person as the Son; the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father–as each of them has a will and they speak to each other and to people.  They are not three separate gods and are not three separate beings.  They are three distinct persons; yet, they are all the one God.  They are in absolute perfect harmony–consisting of one substance.  They are coeternal, coequal, and co-powerful.  If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God.

When we speak of God existing in three Persons, we mean that God’s existence is comprised of three distinct centers of intellect, emotion, and will. Each Person of the Trinity had a unique role in creation and in the salvation of mankind. The Holy Spirit is unique and is not the Father or the Son (He proceeds from the Father and the Son, John 15:26). The Father and the Son are also unique (when Jesus prayed to the Father, He was not praying to Himself, Luke 23:34). Each is God, but each is a separate “Person.” Using the word person is one of the only ways our language has to describe this concept. All three Persons of the Trinity comprise the one, perfectly unified God. They share the same nature and essence, and they are all the same God, but each individual Person of the Trinity is distinct and unique. The fact that God exists in three Persons is important for several reasons. For instance, God is love (1 John 4:8). But, in eternity past, before God created any other being, could He have truly been love? That is, can love exist where there is no one to be loved? Because God exists in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons, love exists, too. Eternal love has been expressed eternally among the Persons of the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Spirit have always loved each other, and so love is eternal. Once we lay aside the notion that a “person” can only be a “human person,” we can more readily understand how God can correctly be said to exist in three “Persons.”

The Hypostatic Union

The Hypostatic Union is the teaching that the Word of God became flesh, and we call Him Jesus (Talk about John 1:1-3).  Therefore, Jesus is God in human flesh.  He is not half God and half man.  He is fully divine and fully man.  That is, Jesus has two distinct natures: divine and human.  As the Scripture says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . 14 and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us . . . ” (John 1:1, 14). This means that the divine word became flesh in the single person of Jesus, who is thus both human and divine in nature.  The divine nature was not changed.  It was not altered in this union.  Rather, the divine holy nature of the Word remains as it is.

Furthermore, Jesus is not merely a man who “had God within Him,” nor is he a man who “manifested the God principle.” He is the second person of the Trinity. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Heb. 1:3, NIV). Jesus’ two natures are not “mixed together,” nor are they combined into a new God-man nature.  They are separate yet act as a unit in the one person of Jesus.  This is called the Hypostatic Union.

Also, in the incarnation, Jesus was made for a while lower than the angels (Heb. 2:9) and under the law (Gal. 4:4).  This means that Jesus cooperated with the limitations of being a man (Phil. 2:5-8).  In other words, He really was a man and as a man exhibited the proper restrictions of His humanity such as growing taller, eating, growing in wisdom, etc., which would be expected of a real human being.

Now lets see how this relates to Paul in the book of Acts 17.

You see if you are about to defend something you would need to know a lot about what you are defedning and hoping that whateever you are defending does not change over the corse. You see when we speak of God we are saying that God is immutable, which is God Immutability. (SHOW PIC OF MEANING)

and (SHOW PIC OF GOD OUTSIDE OF TIME)

Now talk about Acts and breakdown the chapter.

Paul embarked on four main missionary journeys, traveling about 9,150 miles (14,725 km) in 14 years. His willingness to travel great distances to preach of Christ helped establish Christianity throughout the Mediterranean.

Acts 17 continues Paul's second missionary journey. He and Silas have traveled through Galatia in modern-day Asia Minor, visiting the churches Paul and Barnabas established in their first journey. In Lystra, they found a young man named Timothy and brought him along. After receiving guidance from the Holy Spirit to bypass the western and northern provinces, the three traveled to the western port town of Troas. There, they met Luke, the narrator and author of the book of Acts. All four took a ship across the Aegean Sea to Philippi. In that city, they planted a strong church, but Paul and Silas were also arrested, beaten, and imprisoned overnight (Acts 16).

Acts 17:16–21 finds Paul in uncharted territory. Athens is the first Greek city he has been to, and he is unprepared for the overwhelming number of idols that fill the city. He splits his time between the synagogue—filled with Jews as well as Gentiles who worship the Jewish God—and the marketplace, where the Athenian philosophers find him. Although they have the same law against foreign gods as other Roman territories, the Greeks love to talk about new religions, so they invite him to the Areopagus to speak.

Acts 17:16–21“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

This passage from Acts 17:16-34, where Paul addresses the philosophers and people of Athens at the Areopagus, offers a rich array of applications for modern life, especially in terms of how to engage with others about faith, navigate cultural pluralism, and speak into contemporary worldviews. Below are some reflections and applications:

### 1. **Engage with Culture Respectfully and Thoughtfully**

- **Application**: Paul, while distressed by the idolatry in Athens, did not simply criticize or condemn the city. Instead, he took time to understand the culture, observed the religious practices, and engaged with them thoughtfully. For example, he used their own altar dedicated "to an unknown god" as an entry point to introduce the gospel (v. 23). This teaches us to engage with those around us by first understanding where they’re coming from and finding common ground, rather than simply attacking or dismissing their beliefs. In our conversations with people of different worldviews, whether secular or religious, we should aim to be respectful, thoughtful, and intentional, opening up space for meaningful dialogue.

**Modern Example**: If you’re speaking to someone who holds different spiritual beliefs or has a secular worldview, you could look for touchpoints in their own experiences or thoughts that could lead them to see the relevance of the Christian faith.

### 2. **Acknowledge Human Longing for Meaning**

- **Application**: Paul acknowledges that the Athenians were "very religious" and searching for meaning (v. 22). This is true for people today as well; whether someone identifies as religious or not, there’s a universal human longing for purpose, significance, and understanding of life’s deeper questions. Paul connects with this by pointing out their desire to know the “unknown god,” showing that there is an innate longing for the true God, even if they do not yet know Him.

**Modern Example**: People today often seek purpose in many places—career, relationships, self-help, and even spiritual practices. This passage encourages us to meet people where they are, acknowledging that their search for meaning is real, while pointing them toward the truth of the gospel, which satisfies that deep longing.

### 3. **God is Not Restricted by Human Constructs**

- **Application**: In verses 24-25, Paul emphasizes that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, not limited to temples made by human hands, nor in need of anything from us. This challenges the common human tendency to try to "contain" or control God through rituals, objects, or ideologies. It reminds us that God is bigger than our limited perceptions and human attempts to define Him.

**Modern Example**: Sometimes, people try to "box" God into a set of doctrines, practices, or experiences that they are comfortable with, but this passage encourages us to recognize that God is much larger than we can fully grasp. We need to be open to discovering God outside of our own preconceived notions or religious practices and allow Him to reveal Himself in new and unexpected ways.

### 4. **The Universal Call to Repentance**

- **Application**: Paul declares that God now commands all people everywhere to repent (v. 30). This universal call challenges the relativistic notion that all paths lead to the same place or that one’s actions don’t matter in the end. In a world that often downplays the seriousness of sin or the need for repentance, this verse reminds us of the urgency and universality of the gospel message.

**Modern Example**: We live in a society that often champions personal freedom and relativism, where people are encouraged to live according to their own truth. However, the gospel calls all people—regardless of their culture or background—to turn away from self-sufficiency and sin and to seek the living God. This doesn’t mean rejecting people’s autonomy, but rather offering them the opportunity to recognize the freedom and life found in Christ.

### 5. **Hope in the Resurrection and Judgment**

- **Application**: Paul points to the resurrection of Jesus as the proof of God's justice and the coming judgment (v. 31). In a world where many reject the idea of judgment or the resurrection as fantasy, this passage offers a clear reminder that history is heading toward a climax in which God will judge the world with justice, through the person of Jesus Christ. This brings both a challenge and a comfort.

**Modern Example**: For those who are skeptical of the resurrection or dismiss judgment as irrelevant, this passage encourages us to offer both the hope and the urgency of Jesus’ return. It’s a reminder that the resurrection of Jesus is not just a theological idea—it is the proof of God’s authority over life and death, and it validates our hope in Him.

### 6. **Recognizing the Power of the Gospel to Change Lives**

- **Application**: In verses 33-34, we see that some of the people in Athens sneered at Paul’s message, while others were intrigued and some even believed. This highlights the reality that not everyone will accept the message, but some will. It’s an encouragement to continue sharing the gospel even when we face resistance or indifference. The gospel has the power to transform hearts, even in the most unlikely of places or people.

**Modern Example**: As you share your faith, don’t be discouraged by rejection or ridicule. Like Paul, we are called to be faithful in proclaiming the truth, trusting that God will work in people’s hearts. Even in our culture of skepticism, the gospel still holds the power to change lives, as it did for Dionysius, Damaris, and others in Athens.

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