The Trinity

I. Introduction: It is important to study God’s will but we must also reflect on God Himself. The more we know about God, the more we will love and praise Him. This morning we will talk about a profound concept in relationship to God: the Trinity.

II. Definitions

A. What does trinity mean?

B. “1. A set of three. 2. In Christian theology, the union of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in one Godhead.” Webster’s New World Dictionary Sometimes people use the word triune, to denote three united as one. The word trinity does not appear in the Bible.

C. The word Godhead does appear in the Bible

D. In the Bible it is used more in reference to the divinity or characteristics inherent in being God (Godhood), not the plurality of beings within the Godhead.

E. Colossians 2:9 – “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” This means that full divinity of God dwelt in Jesus, not that all three personalities that make up God dwelt in Him.“As manhood is that which makes a man a man, and childhood that which makes a child a child, so Godhead is that which makes God, God.” ISBEHowever, the modern use of the word Godhead does describe God as three personalities united as one. In this lesson, I will use it in that sense.

F. Personality

G. “1. the quality or fact of being a particular person. 2. distinctive individual qualities of a person collectively.” Webster’s New World Dictionary We use this word to make a distinction between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as parts of the Godhead.

III. Three separate personalities

A. Some have tried to argue that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the same personality

B. Some passages would be pretty ridiculous

C. Luke 23:46: “Father into your hands I commit my spirit” Acts 7:56 (Stephen) “I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”

D. Matthew 3:16:17

E. How did Jesus descend upon Himself? Did Jesus throw His voice when He was baptized?

F. The clear teaching of scripture opposes this idea

G. Chart: Relationship between personalities in Godhead (From Colly Caldwell chart)

H. Positive

I. There is one Father, Son, and Spirit, Ephesians 4:4-6 The Father is God, John 20:17 The Son is God, Hebrews 1:8 The Spirit is God, Acts 5:3-4.

J. Negative

K. The Father is not the Son, John 8:16-18 The Father is not the Holy Spirit, John 15:26 The Son is not the Holy Spirit, John 14:16; 16:7 The Bible regards them as three distinct personalities

L. Three personalities appearing simultaneously

M. Creation

N. Genesis 1:1-2 – Father and the Spirit

O. Jesus

P. John 1:1-4 Colossians 1:15-17

Q. Evidence of Trinity in creation accounts

R. Elohim, the first and most frequently used Hebrew name for God in the Bible—particularly here in Genesis 1—is plural in form but used a singular word. Genesis 1:26: “Let Us” Genesis 11:7 – “Let Us also used when languages confused

S. Baptism of Jesus

T. Matthew 3:16-17 The Son was baptized, the Spirit descended upon the Son, and the Father pronounced His pleasure with His Son.

IV. How can three be one?

A. Three witnesses

B. 1 John 5:6-7 – Three witnesses, yet the three are one If there is no Trinity, this passage is a lie. John 8:14-18 – Jesus would have lied about the witness as well

C. Is it polytheism (many gods)?

D. Islamic opponents claim that to worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as God is to claim a multiplicity of gods.1 John 5:6-7 acknowledges the three personalities but their unity as one in God. It is hard for our finite minds to grasp the infinite God, much less fully understand the interdependent relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

E. Jesus, who could understand it, used God’s unity as a model for the unity of the apostles and all believers.

F. John 17:9-11 – apostles John 17:20-23 – all believers Jesus was talking with the Father but proclaimed oneness with Him.

G. Subordination in work, not essence

H. Philippians 2:5-11 – Jesus is still God but subordinated Himself to the Father for the purpose of salvation.

I. Husband and wife

J. Mark 10:7-9 – Joined by God into one flesh

K. Are we still distinct personalities? Of course! However, God unifies us into a one-flesh relationship.

L. Here we also see the subordination in work yet not in essence.

M. The woman is not inferior to the man as a person nor as a Christian. However, God has subordinated the role of woman to man, as Christ subordinated Himself to the Father, 1 Corinthians 11:3. Just as the elders are not superior by nature, but because of their divinely appointed place of leadership the church must submit to them.

N. Christian and God

O. 1 Corinthians 6:17 – we are one with God’s spirit We still have a distinct spirit yet we are unified into God’s spirit

P. Our mind, body, and soul is united though we do not know how.

Q. I do not have to know how the Trinity works but must realize that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God and we must worship them as God.