God is a person and not persons. A child is with understanding as to the necessity to rightly divide the word of truth. A simple mind would know to find the Lord's interpretation of Genesis 1 line 26 can be found in the very next line: Genesis 1: [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 1: [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (So God created man in (his) own image, ) Not: (So God created man in (their) own image, (in the image of God created (he) him; Not: (in the image of God created (they) him;) (male and female created (he) them.). Not (male and female created (they) them.). Therefore who was this one person God speaking to when (he) said (us) in Genesis 1 line 26?: Genesis 1: 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. (Interpretations belong to God and not to the traditions of men. Therefore we must rightly divide the word of truth according to 2 Timothy 2:15, Isaiah 29:9 through 13, Isaiah 34:16,17 and Leviticus 26:10 and search the scriptures): Question: who was with the Holy One when God said (us) in Genesis 1 line 26? Job 38: 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Revelation 1: 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 1 Timothy 1: 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. Isaiah 29: 24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. (Take heed the (he) that was manifest in 1John 3:5 is the (Father) in 1John 3:1): 1 John 3: 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (God is one person and Job worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth when he gave a great witness and warning when he interpreted the 3 names we read in 1John 5:7 with Job 13:6-10) and Jesus fulfilled Job's warning when he rebuked Philip for not knowing Jesus is the Father): 1 John 5: 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. Job 13: 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. John 14: 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 1 John 2: 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Isaiah 9: 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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Deuteronomy 6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Zechariah 13: 6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. John 20: 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Revelation 21: 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Acts 20: 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Revelation 1: 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 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. 1 Timothy 6: 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. John 8: 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Mark 7: 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Isaiah 28: 9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
The Doctrine of the Trinity I. THE TRINITY DEFINED Perhaps the meaning of the Trinity of God has never been better stated than it is stated by A. H. Strong- "in the nature of the one God there are three eternal distinctions which are represented to us under the figure of persons, and these three are equal" (Systematic Theology, p. 144). The principles of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary set forth the doctrine of the Trinity as follows: "God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being." In consideration of these definitions, note: 1. THE TRINITY CONSISTS OF THREE DISTINCTIONS. The doctrine of the Trinity does not mean that God merely manifests Himself in three different ways. There are three actual distinctions in the Godhead. The truth of this will appear more clearly later. 2. THESE THREE DISTINCTIONS ARE ETERNAL. This is proved, on one hand, by the immutability of God. If there was ever a time when these distinctions did not exist, then when they came to exist God changed. It is proved again by the Scriptures which assert or imply the eternity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. See Joh_1:1-2; Rev_22:13-14; Heb_9:14. "It is no reply to this, that the expressions ‘begotten,’ and ‘proceedeth from,’ involve the idea of the antecedent existence of him who begets, and from whom there is procession. For these are terms of human language, applied to divine actions, and must be understood suitably to God. There is no greater difficulty here than in other cases in which this principle is readily recognized" (Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology, pp. 138, 139). Just as there can be logical order without chronological sequence, and just as a cause and its effect can be simultaneous, so we have the eternal Father, the eternal Son, and the eternal Spirit. "If there had been an eternal sun, it is evident that there must have been an eternal sunlight also. Yet an eternal sunlight must have evermore proceeded from the sun. When Cyril was asked whether the Son existed before generation, he answered: ‘The generation of the Son did not precede His existence, but He always existed, and that by generation’" (Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 165). 3. THESE THREE DISTINCTIONS ARE REPRESENTED TO US UNDER THE FIGURE OF PERSONS, BUT THERE IS NO DIVISION OF NATURE, ESSENCE, OR BEING. The doctrine of the Trinity does not mean tritheism. When we speak of the distinctions of the Godhead as persons, we must understand that we use the term figuratively. There are not three persons in the Godhead in the same sense that three human beings are persons. In the case of three human beings there is division of nature, essence, and being; but it is not so with God. Such a conception of God is forbidden by the teaching of the Scripture as to the unity of God. 4. THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE TRINITY ARE EQUAL. Many of the same attributes are ascribed to each member of the Trinity, and the attributes thus ascribed are such as could not be possessed without all other divine attributes. The equality of the members of the Trinity is further shown by the fact that each one is recognized as God, as we shall see later. II. SCRIPTURAL PROOFS OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY 1. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ALL RECOGNIZED AS GOD. (1) The Father Recognized as God. This occurs in such a great number of passages that it is both unnecessary and impracticable to quote all of them. The two following ones will suffice: "Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed" (Joh_6:27). "Elect . . . according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1Pe_1:1-2). (2) The Son Recognized as God. A. He is Called God. Joh_1:1; Rom_9:5; 1Jn_5:20. B. Old Testament Passages Referring to God are Applied in the New Testament to the Son. Mat_3:3-alluding to Isa_40:3; Joh_12:41-alluding to Isa_6:1. C. The Son Possesses the Attributes of God. Eternity: Joh_1:1; Omnipresence: Mat_28:20 and Eph_1:23; Omniscience: Mat_9:4 and Joh_2:24-25 and Joh_16:30 and 1Co_4:5 and Col_2:3; Omnipotence: Mat_28:18 and Rev_1:8; Self-existence: Joh_5:26; Immutability. Heb_13:8; Truth: Joh_14:6; Love: Joh_8:16; Holiness: Luk_1:35 and Joh_6:39 and Heb_7:26. D. The Works of God are Ascribed to the Son. Creation: Joh_1:3; 1Co_8:6; Col_1:16; Heb_1:10. Preservation: Col_1:7; Heb_1:3. Raising the dead and judging: Joh_5:27-28; Mat_25:31-32. E. He Receives Honor and Worship Due to God Alone. Joh_5:23; Heb_1:6; 1Co_11:24-25; 2Pe_3:18; 2Ti_4:18. (3) The Holy Spirit is Recognized as God. A. The Attributes of God are Ascribed to Him. Eternity: Heb_9:14; Omniscience: 1Co_2:10; Omnipresence: Psa_139:7; Holiness: all passages that apply the term "holy" to the Spirit; Truth: Joh_16:13; Love: Rom_15:30. B. He is Represented as Doing the Works of God. Creation: Gen_1:2; moved mean "brooded;" Regeneration: Joh_3:8; Tit_3:5; Resurrection: Rom_8:11. 2. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ASSOCIATED TOGETHER ON AN EQUAL FOOTING. This is done- (1) In the Formula of Baptism. Mat_28:19. (2) In Apostolic Benediction. 2 Corinthians 13:14. 3. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE DISTINGUISHED FROM ONE ANOTHER. (1) The Father and Son are Distinguished From Each Other. The Father and the Son are distinguished as the begetter and begotten; and as the sender and the sent. The distinction between the Father and Son was manifested at the baptism of Jesus when God’s voice from Heaven was heard saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mat_3:17). Christ distinguished Himself from the Father when He prayed to the Father, as He often did. That the distinction thus implied was not a temporal one, continuing only so long as Christ was In the flesh, is proved by the fact that Christ still intercedes with the Father (Heb_7:25; 1Jn_2:1). He is a perpetual mediator between God and man (1Ti_2:5), and thus is perpetually distinguished from God the Father. (2) The Spirit is Distinguished from the Father. The Spirit is distinguished from the Father when He is said to proceed from and to be sent by the Father (Joh_15:26; Joh_14:26; Gal_4:6). (3) The Son is Distinguished from the Spirit. Jesus referred to the Spirit as "another Comforter" (Joh_14:16). And Jesus spoke of Himself as sending the Spirit (Joh_15:26). 4. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONE GOD. Trinity means tri-unity, or three-oneness. We have shown that there are three distinctions in the Godhead. Now, in order to prove the doctrine of the Trinity, rather than the doctrine of Tritheism, we must show that the three, while being distinguishable from one another, are yet one. This is proved: (1) By All Passages Teaching the Unity of God. The student is referred here to the chapter on the nature and attributes of God, where these passages are noted. (2) By The Fact that Each One of the Three is Recognized As God. We have already shown that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are severally recognized as God in the Scripture. This shows their unity, because God is represented as being the supreme being. For that reason there could not be three Gods. Supremacy is possible to only one. (3) By the Fact that the Three are Equal. We have already discussed the equality of the members of the Trinity. Absolute equality is impossible without identity of essence, nature, and being. III. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY IS A MYSTERY INSCRUTABLE AND INSOLUBLE TO FINITE MINDS; BUT IT IS NOT SELF-CONTRADICTORY. We make no attempt to deny or to explain away the mystery of the doctrine of the Trinity. It is a high mystery that human minds can never fathom. Yet the doctrine of the Trinity is not self-contradictory. God is not three in the same sense that He is one. He is one in essence, nature, and being; but in this one essence, nature, and being there are three eternal distinctions that are represented to us in such a way that we call them persons. Who can say that such distinctions are impossible in the nature of God? To do that one would have to have perfect understanding of God’s nature. So we do well to accept what the Scripture teaches, and leave the mystery for solution when we have further light, if such light as will enable us to explain and understand it is ever given to us. The mystery comes because of our inability to understand fully the nature of God.
God is a person and not persons.
A child is with understanding as to the necessity to rightly divide the word of truth.
A simple mind would know to find the Lord's interpretation of Genesis 1 line 26 can be found in the very next line:
Genesis 1:
[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 1:
[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
(So God created man in (his) own image, )
Not:
(So God created man in (their) own image,
(in the image of God created (he) him;
Not:
(in the image of God created (they) him;)
(male and female created (he) them.).
Not
(male and female created (they) them.).
Therefore who was this one person God speaking to when (he) said (us) in Genesis 1 line 26?:
Genesis 1:
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.
(Interpretations belong to God and not to the traditions of men. Therefore we must rightly divide the word of truth according to 2 Timothy 2:15, Isaiah 29:9 through 13, Isaiah 34:16,17 and Leviticus 26:10 and search the scriptures):
Question: who was with the Holy One when God said (us) in Genesis 1 line 26?
Job 38:
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Revelation 1:
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
1 Timothy 1:
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
Isaiah 29:
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
(Take heed the (he) that was manifest in 1John 3:5 is the (Father) in 1John 3:1):
1 John 3:
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
(God is one person and Job worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth when he gave a great witness and warning when he interpreted the 3 names we read in 1John 5:7 with Job 13:6-10) and Jesus fulfilled Job's warning when he rebuked Philip for not knowing Jesus is the Father):
1 John 5:
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Job 13:
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
John 14:
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
1 John 2:
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Isaiah 9:
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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Deuteronomy 6:
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Zechariah 13:
6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
John 20:
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Revelation 21:
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Acts 20:
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Revelation 1:
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
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.
1 Timothy 6:
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
John 8:
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
Mark 7:
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Isaiah 28:
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
The Doctrine of the Trinity
I. THE TRINITY DEFINED
Perhaps the meaning of the Trinity of God has never been better stated than it is stated by A. H. Strong- "in the nature of the one God there are three eternal distinctions which are represented to us under the figure of persons, and these three are equal" (Systematic Theology, p. 144).
The principles of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary set forth the doctrine of the Trinity as follows: "God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being."
In consideration of these definitions, note:
1. THE TRINITY CONSISTS OF THREE DISTINCTIONS.
The doctrine of the Trinity does not mean that God merely manifests Himself in three different ways. There are three actual distinctions in the Godhead. The truth of this will appear more clearly later.
2. THESE THREE DISTINCTIONS ARE ETERNAL.
This is proved, on one hand, by the immutability of God. If there was ever a time when these distinctions did not exist, then when they came to exist God changed. It is proved again by the Scriptures which assert or imply the eternity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. See Joh_1:1-2; Rev_22:13-14; Heb_9:14.
"It is no reply to this, that the expressions ‘begotten,’ and ‘proceedeth from,’ involve the idea of the antecedent existence of him who begets, and from whom there is procession. For these are terms of human language, applied to divine actions, and must be understood suitably to God. There is no greater difficulty here than in other cases in which this principle is readily recognized" (Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology, pp. 138, 139). Just as there can be logical order without chronological sequence, and just as a cause and its effect can be simultaneous, so we have the eternal Father, the eternal Son, and the eternal Spirit. "If there had been an eternal sun, it is evident that there must have been an eternal sunlight also. Yet an eternal sunlight must have evermore proceeded from the sun. When Cyril was asked whether the Son existed before generation, he answered: ‘The generation of the Son did not precede His existence, but He always existed, and that by generation’" (Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 165).
3. THESE THREE DISTINCTIONS ARE REPRESENTED TO US UNDER THE FIGURE OF
PERSONS, BUT THERE IS NO DIVISION OF NATURE, ESSENCE, OR BEING.
The doctrine of the Trinity does not mean tritheism. When we speak of the distinctions of the Godhead as persons, we must understand that we use the term figuratively. There are not three persons in the Godhead in the same sense that three human beings are persons. In the case of three human beings there is division of nature, essence, and being; but it is not so with God. Such a conception of God is forbidden by the teaching of the Scripture as to the unity of God.
4. THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE TRINITY ARE EQUAL.
Many of the same attributes are ascribed to each member of the Trinity, and the attributes thus ascribed are such as could not be possessed without all other divine attributes. The equality of the members of the Trinity is further shown by the fact that each one is recognized as God, as we shall see later.
II. SCRIPTURAL PROOFS OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
1. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ALL RECOGNIZED AS GOD.
(1) The Father Recognized as God.
This occurs in such a great number of passages that it is both unnecessary and impracticable to quote all of them. The two following ones will suffice:
"Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed" (Joh_6:27).
"Elect . . . according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1Pe_1:1-2).
(2) The Son Recognized as God.
A. He is Called God.
Joh_1:1; Rom_9:5; 1Jn_5:20.
B. Old Testament Passages Referring to God are Applied in the New Testament to the Son.
Mat_3:3-alluding to Isa_40:3; Joh_12:41-alluding to Isa_6:1.
C. The Son Possesses the Attributes of God.
Eternity: Joh_1:1; Omnipresence: Mat_28:20 and Eph_1:23; Omniscience: Mat_9:4 and Joh_2:24-25 and Joh_16:30 and 1Co_4:5 and Col_2:3; Omnipotence: Mat_28:18 and Rev_1:8; Self-existence: Joh_5:26; Immutability. Heb_13:8; Truth: Joh_14:6; Love: Joh_8:16; Holiness: Luk_1:35 and Joh_6:39 and Heb_7:26.
D. The Works of God are Ascribed to the Son.
Creation: Joh_1:3; 1Co_8:6; Col_1:16; Heb_1:10. Preservation: Col_1:7; Heb_1:3. Raising the dead and judging: Joh_5:27-28; Mat_25:31-32.
E. He Receives Honor and Worship Due to God Alone.
Joh_5:23; Heb_1:6; 1Co_11:24-25; 2Pe_3:18; 2Ti_4:18.
(3) The Holy Spirit is Recognized as God.
A. The Attributes of God are Ascribed to Him.
Eternity: Heb_9:14; Omniscience: 1Co_2:10; Omnipresence: Psa_139:7; Holiness: all passages that apply the term "holy" to the Spirit; Truth: Joh_16:13; Love: Rom_15:30.
B. He is Represented as Doing the Works of God.
Creation: Gen_1:2; moved mean "brooded;" Regeneration: Joh_3:8; Tit_3:5; Resurrection: Rom_8:11.
2. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ASSOCIATED TOGETHER ON AN EQUAL FOOTING.
This is done-
(1) In the Formula of Baptism. Mat_28:19.
(2) In Apostolic Benediction. 2 Corinthians 13:14.
3. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE DISTINGUISHED FROM ONE ANOTHER.
(1) The Father and Son are Distinguished From Each Other.
The Father and the Son are distinguished as the begetter and begotten; and as the sender and the sent. The distinction between the Father and Son was manifested at the baptism of Jesus when God’s voice from Heaven was heard saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mat_3:17). Christ distinguished Himself from the Father when He prayed to the Father, as He often did. That the distinction thus implied was not a temporal one, continuing only so long as Christ was In the flesh, is proved by the fact that Christ still intercedes with the Father (Heb_7:25; 1Jn_2:1). He is a perpetual mediator between God and man (1Ti_2:5), and thus is perpetually distinguished from God the Father.
(2) The Spirit is Distinguished from the Father.
The Spirit is distinguished from the Father when He is said to proceed from and to be sent by the Father (Joh_15:26; Joh_14:26; Gal_4:6).
(3) The Son is Distinguished from the Spirit.
Jesus referred to the Spirit as "another Comforter" (Joh_14:16). And Jesus spoke of Himself as sending the Spirit (Joh_15:26).
4. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONE GOD.
Trinity means tri-unity, or three-oneness. We have shown that there are three distinctions in the Godhead. Now, in order to prove the doctrine of the Trinity, rather than the doctrine of Tritheism, we must show that the three, while being distinguishable from one another, are yet one. This is proved:
(1) By All Passages Teaching the Unity of God.
The student is referred here to the chapter on the nature and attributes of God, where these passages are noted.
(2) By The Fact that Each One of the Three is Recognized As God.
We have already shown that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are severally recognized as God in the Scripture. This shows their unity, because God is represented as being the supreme being. For that reason there could not be three Gods. Supremacy is possible to only one.
(3) By the Fact that the Three are Equal.
We have already discussed the equality of the members of the Trinity. Absolute equality is impossible without identity of essence, nature, and being.
III. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY IS A MYSTERY INSCRUTABLE AND INSOLUBLE TO FINITE MINDS; BUT IT IS NOT SELF-CONTRADICTORY.
We make no attempt to deny or to explain away the mystery of the doctrine of the Trinity. It is a high mystery that human minds can never fathom.
Yet the doctrine of the Trinity is not self-contradictory. God is not three in the same sense that He is one. He is one in essence, nature, and being; but in this one essence, nature, and being there are three eternal distinctions that are represented to us in such a way that we call them persons. Who can say that such distinctions are impossible in the nature of God? To do that one would have to have perfect understanding of God’s nature. So we do well to accept what the Scripture teaches, and leave the mystery for solution when we have further light, if such light as will enable us to explain and understand it is ever given to us. The mystery comes because of our inability to understand fully the nature of God.