Building Blocks Week 7 “The Trinity

The Trinity- A doctrine of Christianity in which the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead.  The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the core Christian affirmations.

 

The word Trinity is not in the Bible, and this is where most arguments start, however, the substance of the Trinitarian doctrine is throughout the Bible. 

 

What is the Doctrine of the Trinity?

There are six propositions that are the core of the doctrine of the Trinity.

1.      There is one God

2.     This one God is a single divine being, called Adonai or Yahweh.

3.     The Father of Jesus is God, the Lord.

4.    The Son, Jesus is God, the Lord.

5.     The Holy Spirit is God, the Lord.

6.    The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct from each other.

 

In these six statements is where we find that some who adopt Modalism (three forms of God under one God, rather than three distinct persons) or other anti-Trinitarian thoughts.

 

There is One God-

To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

- Deuteronomy 4:35

 

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.”

- 2 King 5:15

 

In our corner of Christianity, we know this point all too well.  In our singing or reciting of the “Shema” from Numbers 15.

 

Adonai (Yahweh) is a jealous God and will not share His glory or adoration with any other Gods. 

 

Other Scriptural references:  Deuteronomy 4:39, 2 Sam. 22:32, Is 37:20, 43:10, 45:5, 46:19, John 5:44, Romans 3:30, 16:27, 1 Cor. 8:4-6, Gal. 3:20, James 2:19, Jude 25.

There is None Like God (essence)-

And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.

- Exodus 8:10

 

For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

- Exodus 9:14

 

We see explicit statements from God Himself, but we also see times where the devil attempts to twist what appears to be a known fact like in Genesis 3:5 where the adversary twists and promises something he knows I cannot give.

 

Other Scriptural references: Genesis 3:22-25, Exodus 15:11. 2 Sam 7:22, 1 Chr. 17:20, Ps. 86:8, Is. 40:18, 40:25, 44:7, 46:5, Jer. 10:6-7, Micah 7:18, John 8:44.

 

This One God Is the Single Divine Being Known as Yahweh-

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

- Mark 12:29

“‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

7 “‘You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

8 “‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 9 You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

- Deuteronomy 5:6-10

The Bible lays out that Yahweh is Elohim and that He is one and there is only one.  The Bible rejects the concept or teaching that Yahweh is a group of different deities. 

Other Scriptural references: Gen. 1:26, 2:4-9 15-22, 3:1 22, 11:7, Exodus 3:6,9:30, Deut. 4:35, 6:4-5, 13, Ps. 72:18, 84:11, Josh 22:34, 1 Kings 8:60, 18:21, Jonah 4:6, Mark 12:29, Acts 17:29, Gal 3:20, Job 13:8, John 5:18, 2 John 3, Rom. 10:9-1315:6, 1 Peter 1:3, Eph. 1:17, Acts 20:28, Heb. 1:10)

The Father of Jesus is God-

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

- John 5:18

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

- 1 Corinthians 8:6

We also see that in Romans 15:6 the phrase “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” is used and we find little argument throughout the Bible to dispute these matters.

Other Scriptural References: John 6:27, 17:1 and 3, 20:17, 2 John 3, 2 Cor. 1:3, Eph. 1:3, Col. 1:3, 1 Pet. 1:3, Rev 1:6, 2 Cor. 11:31.

The Son, Jesus, Is God-

He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

- Mark 12:27

 

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

- Romans 10:9-13

 

For more on this specific topic I invite you to go back to our previous Building Blocks class on Who is Jesus for more in depth Scripture references.

 

The Holy Spirit is God-

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

- Acts 5:3-4

 

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.

- Hebrews 9:14

 

For more on this specific topic I invite you to go back and review our previous Building Blocks class on Why the Holy Spirit for more in depth Scripture references and attributes of how throughout the Bible the Holy Spirit is considered God.

 

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are Distinct from Each Other-

I encourage you all to go back and review the teachings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit from our previous Building Blocks as it helps flesh out the distinct roles and outlines them in Scripture.  We will be doing the same on God, the Father in upcoming Building Blocks classes.

 

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,

- Matthew 28:19

 

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

- Acts 2:38

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

- Philem 1:3

 

Throughout the Scripture we see each distinct person has serving together and serving is specific roles.  It helps us understand the divine nature and make up of God.  Through this divine make up we see how these distinct parts of God are used to offer us life abundantly in God.

 

Other Scriptural References:  John 14:15, 15:26, Rom. 8:26-27, 1 John 2:1, Luke 3:22, 2 Cor. 3:17, Acts 13:33, Heb. 1:3-5, 2:17, 5:1-5, Col. 1:17, 2:9, Gal. 1:1, 2 Thess. 1:1, James 1:1, 2 Pet. 1:2, 1 Cor. 15:45)

 

Conclusion-

It is true that there is not a specific mention of the term Trinity in the Bible.  Yet we can see a consistent and thematic triune nature of God throughout the entire New Testament.  Through understanding the specific roles and natures of each part of God it helps us understand the sovereignty, majesty, and mysteries of God.  Through this understanding it should encourage in us in how we pray, worship, love and walk in sonship through humility and unity in the truth of the word of God, and the triune nature of God.