Summer time allows us to do quite unique things apart from the rest of the year. As we are currently experiencing, it means short term missions trips for some who normally don’t go the rest of the year. It tends to be wedding season, like we are preparing for now and it also means special outings like going to the beach.
Illustration: Augustine, a Bishop of Hippo, in northern Africa, while puzzling over the doctrine of the Trinity, was walking along the beach one day when he observed a young boy with a bucket, running back and forth to pour water into a little hole. Augustine asked, “What are you doing.” The boy replied, “I’m trying to put the ocean into this hole.” Then Augustine realized that he had been trying to put an infinite God into his finite mind.( Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching : Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
• This is the challenge for us, like Paul, as we saw with Romans 11:33-36: To fathom the infinite God by our finite mind.
• It has been one of the most challenging and contentious topics in church history is over the nature of the tri-unity of God.
• The term Trinity is a word not found in Scripture, but used to express the doctrine of the unity of God as subsisting in three distinct Persons. This word is derived from the Gr. trias, first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183), or from the Lat. trinitas, first used by Tertullian (A.D. 220), to express this doctrine.
The essence of the propositions involved in the doctrine are that: 1. God is one, and that there is but one God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; Isa. 44:6; Mark 12:29, 32; John 10:30). 2. That the Father is a distinct divine Person (hypostasis, subsistentia, persona, suppositum intellectuale), distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit. 3. That Jesus Christ was truly God, and yet was a Person distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit. 4. That the Holy Spirit is also a distinct divine Person. (Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton’s Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
In dealing with challenging things, we tend to isolate particular elements that we can understand, and almost forget the others. This message this morning is only an overview of the topic, to give us some of the essential elements. If we spend dedicated time in considering the Tri-unity of God, we not only come to see the impact of each person of the Godhead in salvation, have a richer worship but come to see more clearly prayer and even a solid defense of the faith.
Scripture clearly shows the Tri-unity of God. First in being that:
1) The Tri-unity of God is One God Deut. 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; Isa. 44:6; Mark 12:29, 32; John 10:30
His unity is stressed in the Bible in order that we might not fall into the very common error of polytheism, even when talking about the God of the Bible.
Deuteronomy 6:4 [4]"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (ESV)
• This passage is known as the Shema (Heb. for “hear”), has become the Jewish confession of faith, recited twice daily by the devout, along with 11:13–21 and Nu 15:37–41. The LORD … LORD is one! The intent of these words was to give a clear statement of the truth of monotheism, that there is only one God. Thus, it has also been translated “the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” The word used for “one” in this passage does not mean “singleness,” but “unity.” The same word is used in Ge 2:24, where the husband and wife were said to be “one flesh.” Thus, while this verse was intended as a clear and concise statement of monotheism, it does not exclude the concept of the Trinity.( MacArthur, J. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible : New American Standard Bible. (Dt 6:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• God is one being (quantitatively) because there is only one Lord (qualitatively) (John Frame: The Doctrine of God. P&R publishers. 2002. p[. 622)
Please turn to Mark 12
When Jesus was explaining that God is One God, the essence of monotheistic faith, he quoted Dt. 6:4, He also began to explain His relation to the oneness of God
Mark 12:28-37 [28]And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" [29]Jesus answered, "The most important is, ’Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30]And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ [31]The second is this: ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." [32]And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. [33]And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." [34]And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. [35]And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? [36]David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, "’The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’[37]David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly. (ESV)
• Jesus argues that, while the Messiah is descended from David, His royal dignity and power far surpass those of David, for David addresses this King as my Lord (Ps. 110:1).
Jesus in summarizing His being said:
John 10:30 [30]I and the Father are one." (ESV)
Naturally this is difficult to understand:
Quote: 1982 To Comprehend God
John Wesley said: “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the triune God!” (Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.)
1) The Tri-unity of God is One God and
2) The Tri-unity of God in Three Persons
Further, the God of the Bible is not one Person who shows Himself to human beings in three ways or forms (an error called Sabellianism). There are three separate Persons comprising one God. (This is suggested or taught in such passages as Gen. 1:26; 11:7; Ps. 2:7).
• One author put it as 1 What and 3 who’s (Giesler).
This doctrine is not so much declared as intimated in the Old Testament. The focus of the Old Testament message seems to be the unity of God. Yet the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly intimated in a four-fold way:
• First: In the plural names of the Deity; e. g., Elohim
• Second: Personal pronouns used of the Deity. Gen. 1:26; 11:7; Isa. 6:8
• Third: The Theophanies, especially the “Angel of the Lord.” Gen. 16 and 18
• Fourth: The work of the Holy Spirit. Gen. 1:2; Judges 6:34
(Evans, W., & Coder, S. M. (1998, c1974). The great doctrines of the Bible. Includes index. (Enl. ed.) (26). Chicago: Moody Press.)
Just showing from one approach, since the beginning of Genesis, there is a projection of the plurality of the Godhead:
Genesis 1:26 [26]Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (ESV)
Genesis 11:7 [7]Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech." (ESV)
Isaiah 6:8 [8]And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." (ESV)
There is an interesting shift in this revelation from the Old Testament to the New.
B.B. Warfield put it like this:
Quote: “The Old Testament may be likened to a chamber richly furnished by dimly lighted; the introduction of light brings into it nothing which was not in it before; but it brings out into clearer view much of what is in it but was only dimly or even not at all perceived before. The mystery of the Trinity is not revealed in the Old Testament; but the mystery of the Trinity underlies the Old Testament revelation, and here and there almost comes into view. Thus the Old Testament revelation is not corrected by the fuller revelation which follows it, but only perfected, extended and enlarged”. (Benjamin Brekinridge Warfield, “The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity,” in his Biblical Doctrines (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981), p. 141-142).
Threfore, the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly taught in the New Testament; it is not merely intimated, as in the Old Testament, but explicitly declared. This is evident from the following:
• First: The baptism of Christ: Matt. 3:16, 17. Here the Father speaks from heaven; the Son is being baptized in the Jordan; and the Spirit descends in the form of a dove.
Matthew 3:16-17 [16]And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; [17]and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (ESV)
• Second: In the Baptismal Formula:
Matthew 28:19 [19]Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (ESV)
• Third: The Apostolic Benediction:
2 Corinthians 13:14 [14]The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (ESV)
• Fourth: Christ Himself teaches it in John 14:16—“I will pray the Father … He will give you another Comforter.”
• Fifth: The New Testament sets forth:
A Father who is God, Rom. 1:7.
A Son who is God, Heb. 1:8.
A Holy Spirit who is God, Acts 5:3, 4.
(Evans, W., & Coder, S. M. (1998, c1974). The great doctrines of the Bible. Includes index. (Enl. ed.) (26). Chicago: Moody Press.)
All of these underscore the equality of and agreement between the persons. The many passages that teach the deity of Christ and of the Spirit demonstrate that each Person is just as much God as the others.
The most useful bit of information in understanding the Godhead is that we can know “what” but not “how”. Whenever you are challenged either externally or internally with doubt, go to the word of God to find out the what: the attributes of God and the marvelous implications. But, since we are not God and are finite in our understand we will not understand the “how” of how God operates.
Illustration: Someone once said: “Here’s the beautiful thing: you don’t need to fully understand the Trinity to worship the Trinity, pray to the Trinity, and enter into the life of the Trinity.
They tell me that deep within the core of the sun, the temperature is 27 million degrees. The pressure is 340 billion times what it is here on Earth. And in the sun’s core, that insanely hot temperature and unthinkable pressure combine to create nuclear reactions. In each reaction, 4 protons fuse together to create 1 alpha particle, which is .7 percent less massive than the 4 protons.
The difference in mass is expelled as energy, and after one million years, through a process called convection, this energy from the core of the sun finally reaches the surface, where it’s expelled as heat and light.
Now that was all kind of interesting, but you know what? I didn’t need to know all that in order to get a tan”.
(http://preachingtoday.com/illustrations/weekly/08-05-19/6051908.html)
1) The Tri-unity of God is One God 2) The Tri-unity of God in Three Persons but
3) The Tri-unity of God Can be Confused
The two issues facing the church (historically) concerning the Trinity were (showing) the unity of God on the one hand and affirming the deity of Christ on the other hand.
The first heresy connected with the Trinitarian controversy was Monarchianism of which there were two forms. The less influential form was dynamic monarchiansim, which stressed the unity of God at the expense of the person of Christ.
• This doctrine was advanced by Theodotus of Byzantium in A.D. 190 and later by Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch.
• The designation modalistic stressed the idea that God was one God who variously manifested Himself as Father, other times as the Son, and other times as the Holy Spirit. Even though modalistic monarchianists spoke of three persons, they nonetheless believed that there was but one essence of deity who variously manifested Himself in three different modes. Hence, the Father was born as the Son, the Father died on the cross and the Father also raised Himself from the dead. (Enns, P. P. (1997, c1989). The Moody handbook of theology (419). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.)
Since God is Spirit (1 Tim. 1:17) and we are corporeal, or physical, we tend to want to explain the trinity in physical terms like analogies.
• I’d like to deal in detail with some of the common analogies so we can better understand the nature of the Trinity and how the various analogies stack up.
Wayne Grudem, in my opinion, the best systematic theologian on the planet today, said:
Quote: “Sometimes people have used several analogies drawn from nature or human experience to attempt to explain this doctrine. (Unfortunately) they all turn out to be inadequate or misleading on further reflection. To say, for example, that God is like a three-leaf clover, which has three parts yet remains one clover, fails because each leaf is only part of the clover, and any one leaf cannot be said to be the whole clover. But in the Trinity, each of the persons is not just a separate part of God, each person is fully God. Moreover, the leaf of a clover is impersonal and does not have distinct and complex personality in the way each person of the Trinity does.
Others have used the analogy of a tree with three parts: the roots, trunk, and branches all constitute one tree. But a similar problem arises, for these are only parts of a tree, and none of the parts can be said to be the whole tree. Moreover, in this analogy the parts have different properties, unlike the persons of the Trinity, all of whom possess all of the attributes of God in equal measure. And the lack of personality in each part is a deficiency as well.
The analogy of the three forms of water (steam, water, and ice) is also inadequate because (a) no quantity of water is ever all three of these at the same time, (b) they have different properties or characteristics, (c) the analogy has nothing that corresponds to the fact that there is only one God (there is no such thing as “one water” or “all the water in the universe”), and (d) the element of intelligent personality is lacking.
Other analogies have been drawn from human experience. It might be said that the Trinity is something like a man who is both a farmer, the mayor of his town, and an elder in his church. He functions in different roles at different times, but he is one man. However, this analogy is very deficient because there is only one person doing these three activities at different times, and the analogy cannot deal with the personal interaction among the members of the Trinity. (In fact, this analogy simply teaches the heresy called modalism.)
Another analogy taken from human life is the union of the intellect, the emotions, and the will in one human person. While these are parts of a personality, however, no one factor constitutes the entire person. And the parts are not identical in characteristics but have different abilities.
So what analogy shall we use to teach the Trinity? Although the Bible uses many analogies from nature and life to teach us various aspects of God’s character (God is like a rock in his faithfulness, he is like a shepherd in his care, etc.), it is interesting that Scripture nowhere uses any analogies to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. The closest we come to an analogy is found in the titles “Father” and “Son” themselves, titles that clearly speak of distinct persons and of the close relationship that exists between them in a human family. But on the human level, of course, we have two entirely separate human beings, not one being comprised of three distinct persons. It is best to conclude that no analogy adequately teaches about the Trinity, and all are misleading in significant ways”. (Wayne Grudem: Systematic Theology. http://200.46.204.191/theo/grudem/st-Index.html)
• One is with an egg--you have the egg shell, the egg yolk, and the egg white. They are three distinct parts—the analogy breaks down because none of them on their own can express the totality of an age. The yoke itself is not fully an egg, but Christ himself if fully God.
• Each of the other analogies like water--a glass of water, an ice cube, or steam—or as St. Patrick explained the Trinity with a shamrock. all fail in crucial areas.
A second, more common heresy today is reflected by the most prominent name in the Trinitarian controversy Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria. In opposition to modalistic monarchianism, Arius taught that only one who is called God is eternal and, in fact, is incomprehensible. For him, to suggest that Christ is eternal would be to affirm two Gods. Arius taught that the Son had a beginning; there was a time when the Son did not exist. The Son was not of the “same substance” (Gk. homoousios) as the Father; the Son was created by the Father—also referred to (incorrectly) by Arius as being generated by the Father. Arius further taught that Christ was created prior to all other creation, He being the medium through which God later created. As such, Christ is the highest ranking of all created beings, however Christ is subject to change because He is not God.
• Arius was opposed by the highly capable Athanasius of Alexandria. Athanasius stressed the oneness of God while maintaining three distinct Persons within the Godhead. He also propounded the eternal existence of the Son. (Enns, P. P. (1997, c1989). The Moody handbook of theology (419). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.)
Please turn to the Nicene Creed, which is number 138 in your hymnals
Because of the Arian controversy, the Council of Nicea met in A.D. 325 to deal with the problem. Three hundred bishops attended. The council rejected Arianism and any concessions to Arius and, with the approval of the emperor, adopted the following creed:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance [ousias] of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance [homoousion] with the Father, through whom all things came to be, those things that are in heaven and those things that are on earth, who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and was made man, suffered, rose the third day, ascended into the heavens, and will come to judge the living and the dead.
In the Nicean creed, the designation homoousion rendered “substance”, stressed that Christ is not merely like the Father but He is of the identical substance as the Father. The terms “God from God” and “true God from true God” further stressed the deity of Christ. At the same time “begotten, not made” and “came down” stressed His eternality.
Good as it was, the Nicene Creed only affirmed “We believe in the Holy Ghost.” There was no clear doctrinal formulation concerning the Person of the Holy Spirit. Arius, meanwhile, taught that the Holy Spirit was the first creation of the Son. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, taught that the Holy Spirit was a creature, like angels, subordinate to the Son. Athanasius emphasized that the Holy Spirit was also of the same substance (homoousian) as the Son and the Father. It was not until the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381, however, that the matter was settled. The council adopted the following statement: “We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.”
The statement emphasized that the Holy Spirit was not subordinate to the Son nor the Father but was of the same substance as Father and Son. (Enns, P. P. (1997, c1989). The Moody handbook of theology (419). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.)
There is only one true God, existing as a single Being comprised of three Persons who are equal in every way, yet distinct in their tasks and relations to humanity.
Please turn to Philippians 2
• The modern popular proponents of Aryanism are the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Doctrinally, they are a cult of false witnesses who misrepresent the Godhead in the say way Arius did.
Groups like the Jehovah’s witness, point to various passages to justify their claims. They point to passages such as Phil. 2:5–8,
Philippians 2:5-8 [5]Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6]who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7]but made himself nothing, 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. (ESV)
• They point to passages like this to claim that Jesus was the first created being.
When we turn to John 1:1 to claim the deity of Christ, John 1:1 [1:1]In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (ESV)
• The Jehovah’s Witnesses show their mistranslation of the Bible, the so called New World Translation to say that Christ is just, “a” God. A created God. Not only does this verse so Christ was with God at creation, showing the distinct personhood of the Godhead, but just two verses later it shows:
John 1:3 [3]All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (ESV)
• We must understand of the Persons of the Trinity are distinguished by certain things they do. In Phil. 2 for example, the incarnate second Person is said to change voluntarily subordinate Himself—as the God-man—to the will of the Father in order to go to the cross for His elect.
Illustration: 2704 “Firstborn Of Every Creature”
A Christian minister once had a member of a well-known Jehovah’s Witness cult in his audience who constantly interrupted the meeting by shouting and heckling. “You cannot prove that Jesus is the eternal Son of God,” he said. “He was the FIRST-BORN of every creature; so He could not be deity. The eternal Father must therefore be older than His Son; and if Christ is not as old as His Father, then He is not eternal, if He is not eternal, He cannot be God.”
The preacher carefully considered the statement, “A father must be older than his son”; then he gave this withering reply: “While you might make such a point concerning an earthly parent, it certainly does not apply when we speak of God. I will prove that you by your own words.
“You have just called God the eternal Father. But how can God be the eternal FATHER (not just God) without having an eternal Son? Eternal FATHERHOOD demands eternal SONSHIP! When did your own paternal parent begin to be your father? At the very moment you became his son, and not before! While time must elapse before one can become a human father, this is not true of God. He is the eternal Father, and therefore He must have an eternal Son!” The critic fell silent as he pondered the preacher’s words. (Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.)
1) The Tri-unity of God is One God 2) The Tri-unity of God in Three Persons 3) The Tri-unity of God Can be Confused and finally:
4) The Tri-unity of God impacts us
To begin with, each of the Persons is equally worthy of worship, equally powerful and equally glorious. We often tend to forget to be thankful for each Person, perhaps thinking only of the work of the incarnate second Person. But all deserve our praise.
• Note the special presence of the Holy Spirit to teach and encourage us (Jn. 14:25), and the distinctive and crucial work of the Son in providing high priestly victory over temptation (Heb. 4:14).
• One of the key features of the Son’s work was to provide access to the presence of the Father (Heb. 10:19–22). The Son is now occupied with keeping that way open, lest sin somehow close it (Heb. 7:25). He is the permanent bridge to the Father. As such we go to the Father through Him, and of course all our approaching is done through prayer. That is the reason our prayer is to be directed to the Father on the basis of the work of the Son (Heb. 7:25; 10:19–22). Certainly all three Persons are aware of our praying, but approaching the Father through the Son indicates that we understand the roles of the Persons concerning our salvation, and that pattern is also the one presented in the New Testament in the prayers that we have recorded after the cross.
Another often neglected teaching associated with the Trinity is that the believer actually has all three Persons within him. We think most often of the Spirit’s presence (Eph. 1:13; Jn 14:17), but Col. 1:27 and Jn. 14:20 and 23 teach the indwelling of the Son and Father. This alone—the spiritual presence of all three Persons of the Godhead—provides every believer with all the comfort, teaching, and encouragement that he will ever need. None of us ever needs more of God, although we do need to submit ourselves more. And all three are active in keeping the believer secure (Eph. 1:13; Heb. 7:25; Jn. 10:29). (Karleen, P. S. (1987). The handbook to Bible study : With a guide to the Scofield study system. "This book is intended as a companion to the Scofield Reference Bible"--Pref.; Includes indexes. New York: Oxford University Press.)
