We Believe in one God, eternally existing as three distinct Persons, Namley the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
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Intro
Intro
Up next in our Series of Doctrine is what we believe regarding God.
As you can probibly guess from the title, this doctrine is regarding the Trinity, or the Triune Nature of God.
Now, as we look as various confession of faith from church history we notice how important this doctrine was to them. However, i have afeeling that not many people really care about this doctrine anymore, and if they do, its not at the forfront of their faith.
Lets just think about it for a momet: If i were to say to you “Church, I am now a Modalist, that is I believe in 1 God, who manifests Himself as as 3, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
What would that do to you? Would you kick me out of this church? Or would it not really matter?
Or maybe you cannot even tell the difference between “1 God eternally existing as 3 persons” and “1 God manifesting Himself as 3”.
Well today we will follow our same pattern as before, We will ask What this doctriner means, why we believe it and why it matters.
What Does the Doctrine of the Trinity mean?
What Does the Doctrine of the Trinity mean?
There is no doubt that the Trinity doctrine is a very tough doctrine to explain, in fact it cannot be fully explained. It exists as a mystry of God.
Many attemps have been made, the water analogy, the egg analogy, the hudband, father, pastor analogy - but none of them are sufficient.
The water, ice, steam fals because although they are all H2O, the 3 ststes do not exist simulnaniously, so its more of a Modalist view.
The egg shell, white and yoke analogy fails, because they are just discribing diferent part of the whole egg, and the son is not jjust a part of God, He is God, likewise so the Father and Holy Sprit.
Let me state the Docrtine and then explain it.
We believe in 1 God, not 3.
4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!
However, scripture reveals something fascanating about God, though He is 1, he exists as 3 distinct persons: The Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit.
But these are NOT 3 parts of a whole, and they are distinct.
The Father is God, but he is not the Son nor the Spirit.
The Son is God, but he is not the Father nor the Spiit.
The Spirit is God, but he is the Father nor the Son.
This 3 in 1 existance is where we get the word “trinity” or Triune God.
Now, why do we believe in such a confusing doctrine? Because this is what God has reveald about Himself in Sripture.
Let me show you:
Why do we believe in the Trinity?
Why do we believe in the Trinity?
As soon as you open the bible you immedietly begin to notice that something if off, or strange about God.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
In the Origional Hebrew the word used for God is the Word Elohim. And that is where the problem begins.
The Word Elohim is singular, however the grammer and sentence structure places this singular word in a plural form.
You cannot see it in english but let me give you an example:
“Rudy is gatherded here to preach”.
In this sentewnce Rudy is obviously singular, but the phrase gathered, implies more than 1 ie plural.
That is singular God, Elohim, is present in plural.
It does not say “In the begining God’s created the heaven and the earth.”
But 1 God, in a plural form.
As we read one we notice even more hints that something is strange about this 1 God.
When the singular God, Elohim creates man he says:
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Now we have 1 God, refering to Himself in plural form: Let US make in OUR...
This goes on and one, God gradually revealing himself to us througout the OT.
Then in the NT Jesus gives us the full revelation and we see clearly all 3 persons manifested at once. Most notible at the Baptism of Jesus.
16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
The Fathers Voice, The Son in the water and the Spirit descending.
Now lets make sure we have scriptual grounds for our belief:
1st: That they are distinct Persons
1st: That they are distinct Persons
We have already seen one example at Jesus baptism, but here are few more:
Jesus makes it clear at the great commision:
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Notice that there is only 1 name, not names, but 3 persons: Father Son and Holy Spirit.
Pauls Benediction:
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
2nd: That they are each fully God
2nd: That they are each fully God
That the Father is God is easily seen in many scriptures:
20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
That is Jesus is fully God is also seen clearly in scripture, in fact we looked at this verse last week:
1 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, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The word (Jesus) was/is God.
and Finally we see that the Holy Spirit is God.
In Axts we see Ananias and Sapphira sell their house but lie about the price they got for it. Notice the Apostles words:
3 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?
4 “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.”
By lying to the Holy Spirit we see in the next verse that they were in fact lying to God, because the Holy Spirit is God.
So from this we can see this doctrine clearly, even if we do not fully understand it.
There is 1 God.
Who exists as 3 distinct Persons: father , Son and Holy Spirit.
Each of these persons is fully God, but they are not the same as each other.
But Why does it matter?
But Why does it matter?
Given the difficlt nature of this doctrine, why does it really matter? Does it really matter if One person believe in 1 God eternally existing as 3 persons, or another person believes in 1 God manifesting himelf in 3 ways?
Why does the doctrine of the Trinity matter? What are its applications for me?
Well, it matters because God matters.
God has revealed himself to us in a very specific way. He has revealed His Triune Nature to us through Scripture. That alone means that it matters.
Imagine your child loved you and drew a beautiful piocture. A picture full of amazing fine details, shades of colour and meaning.
Now say you had very bad eyes sight and need glsses, without them you could not read.
If you child brings you this picture for you to see, you will need to put on your glasses to see.
Imagine if you left off your glasses, saw the blurry mess and said” Oh thats nice”.
Now without your glasses, you might be able to tell, if there is a lot of blue, thats its a picture of the sea, or if there is a lot of green its a picture of a forest, or lots of reds it may be a sunset.
And you lack of intrest would say a lot about your attitude towards your child, but you would not get to behold all the love, nuance, detail and beauty in the picture.
God has lovengly revealed himself to us in scripture, and yes, some revelations like the trinity may require an effort of faith for you to put yoour spiritual glasses on and study and read and meditate.
But the rewards are so wonderful and you see God clearly in all scripture.
For example:
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Here we see God love:
The love of the Father for you, the love between the Father and the Son.
The love of the Son as he came to save us from sin.
We see the function of the Holy Spirit as He brings this everlasting us to us as he dwells in us.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
The Trinity helps us know how to pray:
The Trinity helps us know how to pray:
23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
I have heard prays, I ask Father, Jesus, holy Spirit… confusion.
We pray to the Father.
In the Name/Authority of of the Son
In the Power and leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Trinity gives us comfort:
The Trinity gives us comfort:
26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Notice all 3 persons are involed here:
The Father send Him. The Son made Him avalible and the Spirt Helps.
The Trinity allows us to experience God’s Presence
The Trinity allows us to experience God’s Presence
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
The Father is Providing. The Son is Interceeding and the Spirit is always present with us. And because the Holy Spirit is God, like Jesus is God.
When He is with us, it is as if Christ is with us, even thoufgh Christ is seated in Glory. Thats why Jesus said:
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus is with us, God is with us. The Spirit is With us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God is bigger and greater than our finite, small, mortal minds can ever comprehend.
The Doctrine of the Trinity proves this. We cannot fully eplain how 1 God exists as 3 distinct person, without being dilutaed, or split in 3.
How the Father can be full God and the son full God and the Spirit fully God, all at the same time.
But in teruth, we do not need to understand it to believe it, appriciate it and rejoyice in it.
I do not understand how a microwave works, but i enjoy it and appriciate iut.
I do not understand how my phone is sharing this video with all of you, but i enjoy it and i appriciate it.
And I do not know how the Trinity works. But i believe it, i love it and i rejoying in it.