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The Trinity

The Trinity. The Mystery of the Trinity. The term “ Trinity ” does not appear in the Bible. Trinitas was first used by the church father Tertullian around AD 200. Nevertheless, the doctrine is certainly taught in the Scriptures.

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The Trinity

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  1. The Trinity

  2. The Mystery of the Trinity • The term “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible. • Trinitas was first used by the church father Tertullian around AD 200. • Nevertheless, the doctrine is certainly taught in the Scriptures. • At the same time, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity cannot be understood apart from historical arguments, formulations, and creeds.

  3. The Mystery of the Trinity • Is. 55:8-9 This doctrine is beyond the grasp of reason alone. God will always be incomprehensible to Man.

  4. REVEALED, NOT DISCOVERED • Trinity ‘discovered’ through special revelation, NOT philosophical speculation • Trinity in Church History – our understanding comes from Historical Theology.

  5. REVEALED, NOT DISCOVERED • Tertullian – coined the word, ‘Trinity’, and defined it as “one substance consisting in three persons.” *Unity of the Godhead – same essence *Diversity – different roles

  6. Tritheism There are three separate gods Father Son Spirit Modalism: God revealed in different modes Father Arianism The Son is not “of the same substance” as God. He is a created being Spirit Son Son Father False Concepts of the Trinity Monarchianism Emphasizes unity of God but not the diversity of persons

  7. Definition of the Trinity • “God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God.” • “There is one only and true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance, but distinct in subsistence.”

  8. Definition of the Trinity • The Nicene Creed (AD 381) “I believe in one God the Father...and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God. He is begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

  9. God is… • One in Essence/Substance • Deuteronomy 6:4 • I Tim. 2:5 • James 2:19

  10. God is… • Three in Person – “baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 • The Father is God – I Cor. 8:6 • The Son is God – John 1:1 • The Spirit is God – Acts 5:3-4

  11. OT Verses Gen. 1:26, let US make man in OUR image Gen. 3:22, man has become like one of US Gen. 11:7, let US go down Elohim – plural (‘plural of majesty’, a grammar description to avoid the Trinity?

  12. NT Verses Father: 1 Cor. 8:6; John 6:27 God the Father (not a necessary title if no ‘Son’) Son: John 1: & 14 & 18 God the Son; Heb. 1:8 (Ps. 45:6) – Christ is God; Isa. 43:11 – the work of Yahweh will be done by the Messiah. Matt. 1:21 Holy Spirit: Acts 5:3-4; all same attributes

  13. Distinctive Relationships within the Trinity Only the Father is Unoriginate. He is not begotten nor does he proceed! The Son is Eternally Begotten. • “Begotten” is a biblical word used in a theological sense to describe the Father/Son relationship in the Trinity. The Father generates the Son

  14. Only the Father is Unoriginate. He is not begotten nor does he proceed! The Son is Eternally Begotten. The Father generates the Son Distinctive Relationships within the Trinity “When the Helper . comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,” John 15:26 The Spirit eternally proceeds from Father and Son. “Procession” is the theological term to describe the Spirit’s relationship to the Father and Son.

  15. The Problem of Abstraction • The Immanent Trinity • Describes the inner workings of the Godhead: Father as unoriginate, Son as begotten, Spirit as proceeding. • The Economic Trinity • Describes the relationships of the Trinity as they exist for the sake of creation. • “The Immanent Trinity is the Economic Trinity.” • Scripture reveals that God as He is “in Himself” is a God who is steadfastly “for us”!

  16. SAME / DIFFERENT • IF THE MEMBERS OF THE TRINITY DID NOT HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES, HOW WOULD THEY BE DIFFERENT?

  17. DIFFERENT ROLES • Jesus’ baptism, Matt. 3:16ff • Great Commission, Matt. 28:19 • Corinth, 2 Cor. 13:14 • Salvation, 1 Pet. 1:2 • Spiritual Gifts, 1 Cor. 12:4-6

  18. Different Roles • Father – creator • Son – Reconciler, redeemer, savior • Spirit - Sanctifier

  19. The Father wills to seek us out for relationship. The Son obediently becomes the instrument for relationship. The Spirit empowers us for relationship. Implications of The Trinity

  20. Social Trinity? • Augustine – How the Trinity relate to each other: ‘Social Trinity’ • Love requires an object (except for self-love) • God can have self-love, because He is God. • ‘Good’ love requires 2 people; ‘Perfect’ love requires 3 people. [Implications?!]

  21. A Serious Mystery! • Augustine, On the Trinity, 400-416. • ALL models are deficient!

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