KNOWING GOD MESSAGE 2A

F. Trinity - One God Exists In Three Persons

1. The word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture.

This doctrine was developed because of two clear teachings found in the Bible:

a. There is only one true God

b. Three distinct Persons are known as God - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

2. Scriptural evidences of the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

a. The Trinity is implied in the Old Testament:

(1) Elohim, one of the primary names for God, is plural - Gen 1:1

Genesis 1:1 KJV 1900

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(2) Plural pronouns (“us / our”) are used of God - Gen 1:26; 3:22; Isa 6:8

Genesis 1:26 KJV 1900

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.

Genesis 3:22 KJV 1900

22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Isaiah 6:8 KJV 1900

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.

(3) Plural titles are used of God - “Creator” (Eccl 12:1) and “Maker” (Isa 54:5) are plural.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV 1900

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Isaiah 54:5 KJV 1900

5 For thy Maker is thine husband; The Lord of hosts is his name; And thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

(4) There are indications of the Son in the Old Testament - Ps 2:7, 12; Isa 9:6-7

Psalm 2:7 KJV 1900

7 I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee.

Psalm 2:12 KJV 1900

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, And ye perish from the way, When his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Isaiah 9:6–7 KJV 1900

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. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

* The “Angel of the Lord” normally refers to Christ - Gen 22:11-15; Exo 3:2

Genesis 22:11–15 KJV 1900

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. 15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

Exodus 3:2 KJV 1900

2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

(5) There are indications of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament - Gen 1:2; Isa 11:1-2

Genesis 1:2 KJV 1900

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.

Isaiah 11:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

(6) There are indications of all three Persons of the Trinity in one passage - Isa 63:7-10 * The Lord - vs. 7 (Father)

Isaiah 63:7–10 KJV 1900

7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, And according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 8 For he said, Surely they are my people, Children that will not lie: So he was their Saviour. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, And the angel of his presence saved them: In his love and in his pity he redeemed them; And he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. 10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: Therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

* The angel of his presence - vs. 9 (Son)

* His holy Spirit - vs. 10 (Holy Spirit)

b. The Trinity is clearly taught in the New Testament

(1) The three Persons of the Trinity are each recognized as being God.

* Father - Jn 6:27; I Pet 1:2

John 6:27 KJV 1900

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.

1 Peter 1:2 KJV 1900

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

* Son - Jn 1:1, 14; Jn 20:28

John 1:1 KJV 1900

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 KJV 1900

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 20:28 KJV 1900

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

* Holy Spirit - Acts 5:2-4; II Cor 3:17

Acts 5:2–4 KJV 1900

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 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.

2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV 1900

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

(2) The attributes of God are applied to all three Persons Father Son Spirit Eternity Ps 90:2 Rev 1:8 Heb 9:14

Psalm 90:2 KJV 1900

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Hebrews 9:14 KJV 1900

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Infinite power I Pet 1:5 II Cor 12:9 Rom 15:19

1 Peter 1:5 KJV 1900

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV 1900

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Romans 15:19 KJV 1900

19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Omniscience Jer 17:10 Rev 2:23 I Cor 2:11

Jeremiah 17:10 KJV 1900

10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Revelation 2:23 KJV 1900

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

1 Corinthians 2:11 KJV 1900

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Omnipresence Jer 23:24 Mt 18:20 Ps 139:7

Jeremiah 23:24 KJV 1900

24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

Matthew 18:20 KJV 1900

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Psalm 139:7 KJV 1900

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Holiness Rev 15:4 Acts 3:14 “Holy Spirit” throughout Truth Jn 7:28 Rev 3:7 I Jn 5:6

Revelation 15:4 KJV 1900

4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Acts 3:14 KJV 1900

14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

John 7:28 KJV 1900

28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

Revelation 3:7 KJV 1900

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

1 John 5:6 KJV 1900

6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Benevolence Rom 2:4 Eph 5:25 Neh 9:20

Romans 2:4 KJV 1900

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Ephesians 5:25 KJV 1900

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Nehemiah 9:20 KJV 1900

20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

Disposition for Communion I Jn 1:3 I Jn 1:3 II Cor 13:14

1 John 1:3 KJV 1900

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3 KJV 1900

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:14 KJV 1900

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.

3. Key Scriptures:

a. Mt 28:19 - All three Persons of the Trinity are mentioned, yet the word “name” is singular, not plural. This indicates oneness.

Matthew 28:19 KJV 1900

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:

b. Mt 3:16-17 - All three Persons of the Trinity are present at the baptism of Christ.

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.

c. II Cor 13:14 - The “Apostolic Benediction” includes all three Persons of the Trinity.

2 Corinthians 13:14 KJV 1900

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.

d. Jn 14:16, 26 - All three Persons of the Trinity are mentioned as Christ promises that the Father would send the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16 KJV 1900

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26 KJV 1900

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

e. I Pet 1:2 - Peter mentions all three Persons of the Trinity in His greeting.

1 Peter 1:2 KJV 1900

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

4. Definition by B. B. Warfield: “The doctrine that there is one only and true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and co-equal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.”

(Quoted by Charles Ryrie in Understanding Bible Doctrine, pg. 42)

5. Errors to Avoid:

1. There are three separate individuals in the Godhead (Tritheism).

2. The Trinity is only one Person manifesting Himself in three ways (Modalism).

3. There is only one God. The Son and Holy Spirit are lesser beings created by God.