Matthew 3:13-17 (Turn to this while introducing Trinity Sunday)
Trinity Sunday!
We have just come through at time period where we have witnessed God the Father sending His Son in the form of a man fully God and Fully Human. A few months later we remembered the death and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God and just last week we celebrated the giving of God the Holy Spirit to who came to indwell us, teach us and comfort us.
(Read Matthew 3:13-17 here)
However, many don’t believe that the Trinity is a true Biblical concept because the word does not exist in the Scriptures. So, let’s see what the Scriptures say …
There is ONLY ONE GOD!
Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Isaiah 44:6-8 NLT
“This is what the LORD says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: ‘I am the First and the Last; there is no other God.
“Who is like Me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future.
“Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim My purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses - is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock - not one!”
When Moses asked the LORD, “Who should I tell them sent me?” the LORD replied in Exodus 13:14 AMPC
“And God said to Moses, I Am Who I Am and What I Am, and I Will Be What I Will Be; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites: I Am has sent me to you!”
This is the God known to Israel as YHWH.
YHWH - LORD or GOD
Adonai - Lord
Elohim - God
Adonai YHWH - Lord GOD
YHWH Elohim - LORD God
This “I AM” of the OT is referred to as God the Father or God in the NT.
God the SON
We have already seen that Jesus is the Son of God in our opening Bible reading.
But, is the Son of God the same as God the Father? Am I one with my father? Is Josh one with me? No … but we are not God either.
What does the Bible say?
John 10:30 NIV
“I and the Father are one!” - Jesus
John 8:58 AMP
“Jesus replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.’”
Revelation 22:6-16 (Look up and read from the Bible)
Vs 6 “The Lord, God sent His angel”
Vs 9 “Don’t worship an angel … worship God!”
Vs 13 The speaker of the message given to the angel is eternal
Vs 16 “I, Jesus, Have sent My angel …”
The Father = God = Jesus
So, what about …
God the HOLY SPIRIT
All One God is present at the Baptism of Jesus
Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends from Heaven as a dove and God the Father speaks an acknowledgment of His Son.
We see the Holy Sprit present at the beginning of Creation.
Genesis 1:1-2 NASB
“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.”
But … many say that the Spirit referenced here and elsewhere in the Bible was just God’s Spirit and not a third person of the Trinity.
Jehovah's Witnesses deny the deity, personality, and masculinity of the Holy Spirit. They teach that the "holy spirit" (always lower case) is merely an impersonal force.
In the JW bible - “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” turns into - “But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things”.
But what does every other translation of the Bible say???
Acts 5:3-4 NIV
“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit … you have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
Acts 28:28 NIV
“The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when He said through Isaiah the prophet …”
Acts 13:2 NASB
“While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”
We don’t have a trio of Gods operating as a committee called the Godhead!
We have One God in three persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
I know I’ve shown you this illustration in the past and drawings will never be able to illustrate the amazingness of the Holy Trinity, but, here it is …
In the 4th century AD there was a great heresy arising in the church called the Arian heresy. The Arian heresy says that Jesus is an exalted creation but not God. The Jehovah Witnesses are actually repackaged Arians.
Athanasian creed: (Partial - regarding the Trinity)
[W]e worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence.
For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Spirit.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Spirit unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite.
So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty.
So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God.
And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Spirit Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian [faith]; to acknowledge every Person (of the Trinity) by Himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden … to say, there are three Gods, or three Lords.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another.
But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.
So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him think of the Trinity in this way.
The amazingness of the Trinitarian Godhead just boggles my mind!
The completeness of God in every capacity …
God the Father
- The YHWH
- I AM who I AM
- The Great I AM
- King of Glory
God the Son
- came to show us the Father
- came to be the sacrifice for our sin
- raised to life for our salvation
- ascended to heaven to be our mediator
God the Holy Spirit
- came to lead us into all truth
- came to be our Counselor, Comforter, Advocate
- came to make us holy
- helps us in our prayer
God the Son
- coming again to raise all of the dead of humanity
- coming to judge the saved and the unsaved for eternity
Here’s something this world and many who profess Christ do not know …
God does not exist to serve us, we exist to serve Him!
The Holy Trinity wants you to be saved, to come into the Kingdom of God, to become a child of God, to know the companionship of the Holy Spirit in this life and to have eternal life with Him forever.
In all of the other religions of the world that I have examined god is either unknowable or impersonal and any hope for eternity is based on your good works outweighing your bad deeds.
The gods of those religions could care less where you spend eternity.
Thank God that the great I AM is not like that!
He saw that we were lost and sent His son to save us
He sent the Holy Spirit to draw us to faith in Jesus and to guide us to holiness
Salvation
For all have sinned
The wages of sin is death
For God so loved the world
If we confess our sin
For it is by grace
Whoever believes is not condemned
The Holy Spirit never leaves us wondering about our standing with God.
What is your choice today?
