The Trinity

Answers In Genesis - Life Group Lesson 4 Week 1

Introduction

What do you know about the Trinity? What have you heard about the Trinity?

(The answer is 4 key points)

Key Points

Only One God

One God, Three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The Father is not the Son, the Son, is not the Spirit, etc… But they are all One Creator God (separate yet equal)

Isaiah 46:9 ““Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,”

All Three Persons Are Called God

In Christ all the fullness of deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9 “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”). The Holy Spirit and God are both referred to as God (Acts 5:3–4 “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.””)

All Three Persons Are Eternal

Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

All Three Persons Are Creator

Genesis 1:1–3 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

The Father created, the Spirit was moving/hovered, the Son spoke

Views

Modalism - God appeared in different “modes:” mode of the Father in OT, the mode of the Son in Jesus’ earthly ministry, and the mode of the Spirit now

Arianism - the Son and Spirit were created by the Father

Adoptionism - Jesus was an ordinary man that was “adopted” by the Father at His baptism in Matt. 3 and given supernatural powers by the Spirit

Unitarianism - single God with no distinct persons. Jesus was not pre-existent before the virgin birth (He was created)

Why does this matter? How does it effect our view?

What we believe about the Trinity effects our biblical understanding about God’s attributes (everlasting, uncreated), atonement, justice, Jesus’ work on the cross, and the presence of the Spirit

If the Trinity is nonexistent, then can Jesus be God? He prayed to His Father, but if the Trinity doesn’t exist then how can He be God at the same time as the Father? If Jesus was the earthly “mode” of God then how could He pray to His Father after they fed the 5,000 and Jesus and Peter walked on the water?

Having a biblical understanding of God as Triune, to the best of our finite ability, leads to answering questions in Scripture that we may not otherwise be able to

The most important reason is because of salvation. If Jesus is not God then mankind cannot be saved… Jesus had to be fully human to redeem fallen humanity and He also had to be God to stand in our place and take on the sin of the world perfectly…

Gen. 1:1-3

Why is important that every Person of the Trinity had a role in creation?

They all carry the same power and authority; they all have their own role (not mode, role - role infers action not “being”)

John 1:1-5

What does this passage teach us about the Trinity?

Jesus is everlasting - He and the Father are One

Jehovah’s Witness’ change something, what is it?

New World Translation - “a god”

What does this change?

Makes Jesus a created being meaning that he can’t be God. It is against God’s nature to be created

We learn here that Jesus is eternal and One with the Father

Col. 1:15-17

What does firstborn mean?

Carries the idea of birthright and authority, not literally being born

Jesus has the right and authority over all of creation

Jesus created all things - He is Creator

He is everlasting - “before all things” v. 17

What does it mean that “in Him all things hold together”?

Jesus is the sustainer of the universe. Without Him, everything would fall apart

Matt. 3:13-17

Background of John - lived in the woods and ate locusts and honey; announced and made the way for the Christ to come (3:3, 11)

Why do you think Jesus was baptized? What does this signify?

The beginning of His public ministry (30 years old)

John recognized Jesus as the Messiah, saying he wasn’t worthy to baptize Him

How do we see the Trinity present here?

The Son was baptized, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father spoke from heaven

This again shows Jesus as the Messiah and as God

Close

Do we see the word Trinity in any of these verses?

No

If we don’t see the word, then how do we know that He’s there?

The evidence points to it

How does this effect my daily life?

God is so much greater than my understanding in a good way, not in a way of doubt. It leads me to worship Him and all that He has done for me throughout all of time

Every Person of the Trinity has the same power and authority that I can fully trust

What does this have to do with sharing the Gospel?

Part of the role of the Holy Spirit in sharing the Gospel is to reveal the work of Jesus the Son, Who appeased the wrath of the Father

Jesus is God means that He could take on our sin and punishment

The Holy Spirit always resides within us as God, leading and guiding us as we share, and because He is God we can trust Him to not only give us the words to say, but to give us a burden for the lost and to change the heart of those we share with

The Trinity is important because it teaches us about Who God is and shows us how magnificent He truly is

Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”