God in Three Persons
TCF Sermon – part 2
October 23, 2011
In our house church we’re studying the book of Acts, and this past Wednesday, we were in Acts 20, and talked about the story of Eutychus. If you don’t remember the story, Eutychus is the boy who fell asleep during Paul’s sermon which went on past midnight.
He nodded off while sitting in a third floor window and fell out the window and died. Paul raised him from the dead and then went on preaching until morning. I don’t tell you this so that you’ll be prepared for a long sermon. But, one of the things we talked about in the group was how we sometimes must deal with the challenge of staying awake in church.
This was Paul preaching when Eutychus fell asleep, so I rather doubt it was boring. So on the one hand, there’s the recognition that there could be many reasons you may struggle to stay awake, and it doesn’t necessarily mean the sermon is boring. But it occurred to me that last week’s topic, to be continued and concluded this week, is kind of deeply theological, and might be seen by some of the less holy among you as boring.
So, in an effort to help all of you stay awake, I offer as a public service this short list of things to do when you’re bored in church.
Pass a note to the worship leader asking whether he plays requests.
See if a yawn really is contagious.
Slap your neighbor. See if they turn the other cheek. If not, raise your hand and tell the preacher.
Raise your hand and ask for permission to go to the rest room.
Whip out a hankie and blow your nose. Vary the pressure exerted on your nostrils and trumpet out a rendition of your favorite hymn.
Twiddle your thumbs. Twiddle your neighbor's thumbs.
I hope these help. I also hope you don’t need to use these practical ideas.
Last week we began our two part look at one of the most important teachings of our faith. The Trinity, despite being quite challenging to our finite minds, is nevertheless a doctrine that the early church strongly defended. We learned that analogies can be useful and funny, like the one that went:
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
We also learned that analogies of God always break down at some point, even when they’re useful to some degree, because God is absolutely unique. We learned that some analogies of the Trinity can also lead to false doctrine if they are taken at face value and not examined carefully. But we also learned that we see reflections of the Trinity all around us, from things such as the different roles teammates play on sports teams to the way a symphony combines diverse instruments playing, into a unified and beautiful sound.
Some of these reflections of the Trinity help us begin to understand this doctrine, because unity and diversity are at the heart of the Trinity. We began to explore what the Trinity truly is, and what it isn’t. We began to look at the many different ways people have described the Trinity, and we looked at some very specific definitions that begin to open up this doctrine to us, and we’ll look at a few more here in a moment.
Perhaps one of the most important things we learned last week was that, as believers in Christ, we already know the Trinity by experience, whether we can articulate the doctrine well or not, whether we know that we know it or not.
We know it because God the Father has sent God the Son to die in our place, because we are not able to pay the price for our sin. We know it because God the Holy Spirit has drawn us to Christ, and has sealed us for the day of redemption, and lives inside us, enabling us to call God “Abba Father.”
We know the Trinity because we see it and experience it most clearly in the process of redemption.
The New Testament does not present a systematic presentation of the Trinity. The scattered segments from various writers that appear throughout the New Testament reflect a seemingly accepted understanding that exists without a full-length discussion. It is embedded in the framework of the Christian experience and simply assumed as true. The New Testament writers focus on statements drawn from the obvious existence of the trinitarian experience as opposed to a detailed exposition. Holman Bible Dictionary
Near the end of last week’s message, we looked at this diagram, which is helpful in highlighting the key aspects of the important biblical teaching of the Trinity. It’s on the cover of your bulletin, too, for your reference.
So, the doctrine of the Trinity tells us this:
There is One Eternal Being – God. This being is indivisible and infinite. This one being is shared by three co-equal, co-eternal persons. Co-equal essentially tells us all three persons are completely God, not each a 33% part of God.
Co-eternal means that this One Being, this One God, has always existed in the form of three persons, from before the beginning of time, in eternity past.
This reality taught in scripture is a good place to pause and consider the difference between the terms “being” and “person.”
Understanding how words are meant is always important when you’re discussing theology, and many other things. But there may not be a doctrine where words are more critical to understand than when we’re considering the Trinity.
It would be a clear contradiction to say that there are three beings within one being, or three persons within one person. But think of it this way. We recognize the difference between “being” and “person” daily. We can know what something is, while also knowing that there can be individual distinctions within a classification.
For example, we speak of the “being” of a man or a woman – a human being, right? But a rock has “being” too – as would a cat or a dog or a bird. However, we also realize
that there are personal attributes unique to human beings.
When we talk about a person, we realize there’s both a “what” and a “who.” Dave Troutman is a what – a human being. But Dave is also a unique person – he’s Dave, and no one else is this particular Dave.
What is personality? It’s the ability to have emotion. It’s the ability to express yourself – verbally, or with action, or both. It includes self-awareness and some understanding of who you are.
So, related to the Trinity, we are saying that this one, eternal, infinite being of God, is shared fully and completely by three persons. Last week in our Knights of the Square Table meeting, Kirk noted that the one human being named Kirk has three different personalities, if you will – in his three major roles in his life.
One is that he’s Kirk, the responsible worker at his job. Another is that he’s Kirk, the husband of Jania. Another is that he’s Kirk, the father of Markos and Isa. Now, it’s very important that we remember that these analogies cannot be used as an exact comparison, because God is unique. It’s a mistake to carry any human-based analogy of the Trinity too far.
But we use this one to illustrate, as just an incomplete and imperfect reflection, rather than a firm analogy, of some ideas about the Trinity.
About the Trinity, we are saying that this one, eternal, infinite being of God, is shared fully and completely by three persons. With the Trinity, we’re talking about one what, and three who’s. The one what is God, and there’s only one. The three who’s are the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, three unique persons within the one and only God.
And we also must remember that it’s sometimes important to explain, when discussing the Trinity, what we are not saying. And this is where our example is only a reflection, and breaks down, and proves inadequate to fully explain this doctrine.
Because while we can say that Kirk is the employee, Kirk is the husband, and Kirk is the father, we are not saying about the Trinity that the Father is the Son, or the Son is the Spirit, or the Spirit is the Father. Kirk the husband cannot fully separate that role from Kirk the father. He’s one human being, but he’s also still just one person, though these aspects of Kirk’s life reflect three different roles he fills as that one person.
But God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are not each other.
It is very common for people to misunderstand the doctrine as to mean that we are saying Jesus is the Father. The doctrine of the Trinity does not in any way say this! James White
Here’s another way to summarize this doctrine,
1. There is only one God
2. The Father is God
3. The Son is God
4. The Holy Spirit is God
5. The Father is not the Son
6. The Son is not the Holy Spirit
7. The Holy Spirit is not the Father
We see these things illustrated in the diagram on the front of your bulletin. They’re critically important in understanding the Trinity, and undermining or outright denying any of these statements about the Trinity can lead to all kinds of problems.
Throughout the history of the church, from its earliest days, all of the creeds, all of the big theological words, all of the philosophical apologetics, were about one very important thing: they were about protecting each one of these statements we just looked at, without denying any of the other statements.
What we see in church history is what we call creeds, arrived at by an incredibly meticulous process of explaining ideas, even by parsing words. But unfortunately, though parsing words has become the weasel excuse for politicians, in this case, it was necessary, because, as we’ve noted, this can be, and often is, a difficult doctrine to grasp.
So words, and how you define and use those words, are very important. Some critics of the doctrine of the Trinity have said, essentially, that these early church councils made up the doctrine, and that the Trinity wasn’t believed in, or taught by, the early church. This is not a true understanding of the early church councils. These councils created these creeds, using some language that’s not in the Bible, words like Trinity, to defend, and to define, the doctrine that the church already believed, as well as to limit this doctrine to what Scripture does teach and assume – in this case, the essential doctrine of the Trinity.
The Athanasian Creed puts it this way: “Now this is the catholic (small c catholic, meaning in this context universal Christian) faith: That we worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither blending their persons, nor dividing their essence. For the person of the Father is a distinct person, the person of the Son is another, and that of the Holy Spirit, still another. But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.”
There are two key words here. The first is essence. That’s used here in a similar way to the word we looked at earlier: being
Kevin DeYoung wrote:
When you read “essence”, think “Godness.” All three Persons of the Trinity share the same “Godness.” One is not more God than another. None is more essentially divine than the rest.
He goes on to say that when we read “persons” we should think: “a particular individual distinct from the others.” This truth about the Trinity is why the illustration about Kirk a few minutes ago is just a reflection of the Trinity and not a complete and perfect analogy.
These kinds of terms were used by those creating the creeds, and by theologians, because it’s important to express the relationship of three beings, that are equally and uniquely God, but not three Gods. That’s why we use language like being, and essence and persons. In doing so, we’re trying to be true to what Scripture teaches us, namely that there is an indivisibility and unity of God, One God, even though Father, Son and Holy Spirit can all be rightly called divinity.
It’s critical to note that these persons are not three gods – that’s a heresy called polytheism – we’ll look at how this has manifested itself in errors in history in a moment.
The three great ecumenical creeds—the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed—are all structured around our three in one God, (highlighting) the essential importance of Trinitarian theology. Augustine once commented about the Trinity that “in no other subject is error more dangerous, or inquiry more laborious, or the discovery of truth more profitable.” Kevin DeYoung
So, the early church believed this doctrine, indeed, they had experienced its reality – having seen God the Son, having seen the coming of the Holy Spirit, having heard the voice of God – all eyewitness experiences recounted in the gospels and Acts. But as the gospel spread beyond those early eyewitnesses, the inevitable confusion set in, and some began to twist elements of the Trinity into falsehood and heresy.
A man in the third century named Sabellius got it wrong when he described the Godhead in terms of modes. His idea affirmed the unity of God, but denied the distinct persons of the Trinity. It came to be called Sabellianism, or modalism, because Sabellius taught that the members of the Trinity existed only one mode at a time, as God did certain things in history.
For instance, modern-day modalists believe that God manifests himself as Father only when he is creating and giving the law, as Son only in redemption, and as Spirit only in the church age.
This is wrong because scripture teaches, as we’ve noted, that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all at the same time, in eternity past, present and eternity future.
This is perhaps one of the most difficult of the heresies related to the Trinity, because, again, you must define terms and be precise. That makes it challenging because they can often sound so much like believers with an orthodox and historical understanding of the Trinity, until you dig a bit deeper.
What’s more, most of their other beliefs would line up with what we would believe. Modern-day modalists include Oneness Pentecostals like T.D. Jakes, and the singers Phillips, Craig and Dean.
Modalists describe the action of the Trinity as three “manifestations” of God – not three persons. Three manifestations of God in three different times.
But remember what we’ve learned so far. Words mean something. The Trinity is One God, three persons, co-eternal and co-existent, or eternally co-existent. Anything less denies the Biblical teaching about the Trinity.
One of the most fundamental ways some misunderstand the doctrine of the Trinity is something we’ve already mentioned, and it’s the opposite end of the spectrum of false doctrines that have arisen about the Trinity.
Whereas modalists deny the personhood, of the three members of the Godhead, in defense of the oneness of God, the other end of the spectrum misunderstands the Trinity as three gods. Polytheism, or more specifically in this case, tritheism.
This overemphasizes the distinctions between the three persons of the Trinity and ends up with three gods – little “g.” This is essentially what Mormons believe. Of course, Mormons also believe that Jesus is a spirit-child of God, just like you and I are spirit children of God. And Mormon belief includes the idea that we can all become gods.
Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. They will talk about the unity of three personages, but the unity is (only) a relational unity in purpose and mind, not a unity of essence. The three separate beings of the Godhead are three distinct gods. Jesus was born of the Father just like all spirit children. God is his Father in the same way he is Father to all. Whatever immortality or Godhood Jesus possesses, they are inherited attributes and powers. He does not share the same eternal nature as the Father. Jesus may be divine, but his is a derivative divinity. As one Mormon theologian puts it, Jesus “is God the Second, the Redeemer.” DeYoung
Both tritheism and modalism deny the Biblical balance between the one being or essence of God, and His eternal existence in three persons.
Another error related to the Trinity is to deny the deity of God the Son, Jesus, and to deny the deity of the Holy Spirit. A man named Arius, essentially started this heresy. This heresy includes the idea that the Son and Spirit are created beings. Arius taught that Jesus was a being created by God, higher than man, but less than God. This idea has also been called subordinationism.
This idea, as well as the others, was challenged by Athanasius at Nicea (A.D. 325), and the council decided for the position of Jesus as “of the exact same substance as the Father.”
Modern-day proponents of this heresy include Jehovah’s Witnesses. They deny the deity of Christ. Here’s another diagram that might help you understand the three main heresies growing from a misrepresentation or misunderstanding of the Trinity.
The three sides of the triangle illustrate the three Biblical doctrines, which help us define the Trinity. We have one God – Monotheism. We have this one God in three separate persons. And we see that these three persons are all equally and completely God.
If we deny any of these three teachings about the Trinity, the other two sides point to the inevitable result of this denial. Quoting author and apologist James White, whose book The Forgotten Trinity we mentioned last week:
Hence, if one denies that there are Three Persons, one is left with the two sides of Full Equality and One God, resulting in the "Oneness" teaching of the United Pentecostal Church and others. If one denies Full Equality, one is left with "subordinationism" as seen in Jehovah's Witnesses, the Way International, etc. And, if one denies One God, one is left with polytheism, the belief in many gods, as seen clearly in the Mormon Church, the most polytheistic religion I have encountered. James White
So, we’ve spent the better part of two different messages outlining what the Trinity is, and what it isn’t, and what the words mean. We’ve seen how a misunderstanding of this doctrine can lead to false doctrine and heresy. But, let’s ask as we near our conclusion:
Who cares? More specifically, why should we care? Aren’t these just theological questions like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin? What does this doctrine mean to us in the here and now?
Let me first note that doctrine and theology are never just dry exercises in discussion or debate. They may challenge us to think, but taking a closer look at important teachings of our faith can, and should be, life-giving, because they reveal to us a God who’s not like us, a God who’s holy, and so far beyond our complete understanding, that any attempt to grow in understanding is helpful, if only to know Him better as He reveals Himself to us.
As we noted last week, our heart’s desire is to worship Him in truth, that is, as He reveals Himself, and not as we think He should be or might want Him to be.
So, a true and accurate knowledge of the Trinity is a blessing in itself. And though we’ve noted that we cannot find a place in the Old or New Testament where someone wrote: “Now this is the doctrine of the Trinity… A…. B…. C, etc.”, it’s also true that the Trinity is assumed, and referenced, in more places in scripture than we can possibly mention in even two sermons.
Last week we looked at the rich Trinitarian imagery in the gospel of John, chapter 1. We also saw the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all active in the baptism of Jesus. We also see the Trinity clearly in the great commission:
Matthew 28:19 (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
If, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, we want to be transformed into His image, we can’t help but see the importance of the Trinity.
1 Peter 1:2 tells us "we’ve been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father (there’s one person), through the sanctifying work of the Spirit (there’s two), for obedience to Jesus Christ (there’s 3) and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."
There’s our One God, in three persons, having all played a part in redemption, and sanctification – that transformational change that God desires to do in us after we’ve come to Him to receive His saving grace.
A practical implication of the Trinity is that it makes a definite revelation of God possible. Last week, we read John 1:18, which says: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
So, the reality of the Trinity enables us to see God through the person of Jesus, in a way we could not before the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. What’s more, the Trinity makes the atonement possible. Our redemption was accomplished through the activity of each person in the Trinity. Their actions were distinct from one another, but unified in God’s ultimate purpose of redemption for us.
Heb. 9:14: “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God”
Here’s another important reason the Trinity is important to us today.
Because God is triune, he has eternally been personal and relational in his own being. (As such), the Trinity provides the ultimate model for relationships within the body of Christ and marriage (1 Cor. 11:3; 12:4-6; Eph. 4:4-7) ESV Study Bible
We worship a triune God who is in constant and eternal relationship with Himself, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here at TCF, even though there are many things we can and hope to do better, one thing we do well is community.
Within our Christian understanding of the Trinity, community and relationships are reflections, or expressions, of the love of God.
It is only with a Trinitarian God that love can be an eternal attribute of God. Without a plurality of persons in the Godhead, we would be forced to think that God created humans so that he might show love and know love, thereby making love a created thing (and God a needy deity). But with a biblical understanding of the Trinity, we can say that God did not create in order to be loved, but rather, created out of the overflow of the perfect love that had always existed among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who ever live in perfect and mutual relationship and delight. Kevin DeYoung
What a wonderful thing, that as followers of Christ, we can reflect, in our relationships with one another, the love of God that has existed for eternity.
Perhaps the most important reason we should care about this doctrine is something we already touched on last week, and were reminded of in today’s message. The Trinity matters because it’s revealed to us in the very action of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in saving us – in our redemption.
The only reason we’re sitting here this morning, as brothers and sisters in Christ, is because we know who God is by what He has done to bring us to Himself.
(He’s) The Father, loving His people and sending the Son. (He’s) The Son, loving us and giving Himself in our place. (He’s) The Spirit, entering into our lives and conforming us to the image of Christ. The disciples were indeed experiential Trinitarians. They had walked with the Son, heard the Father speak from glory, and were now indwelt by the Holy Spirit. James White
The disciples weren’t the only experiential Trinitarians. So are we today. I hope that understanding the Trinity a little more than we did a few weeks ago, will energize our prayer, and our Kingdom service, and deepen our love for the amazing God we serve.
Let’s close with Paul’s Trinitarian blessing – a good way to finish this series – as Paul gives a blessing to the Corinthian church, even as he affirms our Trinitarian understanding of our great God.
2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Pray
