Sermon Audio

To listen to the audio of the sermon please click this Dropbox LINK

The Trinity: Part II

Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31 "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

 

Introduction

This morning we continue our study of the Trinity and as we do so I want us to pick up where last week’s sermon left off.

 

Now remember last week we saw that the notion of the Trinity is not a theological invention or human theory about God. Rather, Trinity is who God tells us He is in both the Old and New Testament (what the Old introduces, the New clarifies and expounds).

 

Next, we saw that the Trinity is not just taught by Scripture, it is taught at every key point and in reference to every major doctrine of Scripture. In fact, we concluded last week by noting that every verse, passage, and promise of the Bible is what it is because God is triune. Deny the Trinity and not one verse, passage, or promise of Scripture is true.

 

This morning I want us to pick up where we left off

So far we have seen that the Bible teaches the Trinity.

This morning I want us to look at what the Bible teaches about the Trinity.

 

 

 

III. The Doctrine of the Trinity- when we take all that Scripture says about the Trinity, we may summarize it as follows:

God is one Being and three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

The doctrine of the Trinity maintains 5 vital points:

 

 

(1) God is one- There are not three gods. Rather, there is but one true and living God and this God is infinite, eternal, and undivided.

Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one; (c.f. Deut 6:4)

 

 

(2) There are three distinct persons in the Godhead- That is, the names “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” do not describe different modes or aspects of God. They name the three distinct members of the Godhead. Notice then, throughout Scripture, we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit acting and interacting in distinction from one another at the same time and in the same act. (Gen 1:26; Ps 110:1; Dan 7:13-14; Isa 48:16)

Matthew 3:16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (c.f. Isaiah 48:16)

 

 

(3) Each member of the Trinity is fully God and is in full possession of the divine nature- The divine nature is not divided up among the persons of the Godhead like a pie. Rather, the whole of the divine nature, power, and attributes belong fully and completely to each member of the Trinity. Therefore, each member of the Trinity is equal to the other members in deity, power, and glory. Likewise, each is equally worthy of our worship and praise.

Colossians 2:9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (What we say of the Lord we say of the Spirit)

 

 

(4) The members of the Trinity are equally ultimate- That is, God the Father did not create the Son nor did the Father and Son create the Spirit. Rather, each person of the Godhead is of Himself is fully and eternally God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God,

 

Importance: It is vital to note that whenever Scripture speaks of the Son as begotten or the Spirit as proceeding forth from the Father and the Son, it is always in regards to their role in the work of the Godhead- and not their origin or being. Notice then:

·      The Father is called Father not because the Son and the Spirit are derived from the Father but because the Father’s role in the work of the Godhead is to set forth and initiate the will, character, and plan of the Godhead.

         ·      The Son is called Son and begotten not because He is derived from the Father but because His role in the work of the Godhead is to come forth from the Godhead and accomplish the Father’s will and plan

        ·      The Spirit is called Spirit and is said to proceed from the Father and Son not because the Spirit is derived from the Father and Son but because His role in the work of the Godhead is to bestow the life set forth by the Father’s plan and accomplished by the Son’s work.^FN#1

 

 

(5) There is a working relationship between the members of the Trinity- thus while Scripture teaches that every work of God is a work of the entire Trinity ^FN#2, it attributes certain aspects of these works more particularly to specific persons of the Trinity. Thus:

1)    The Father plans

Ephesians 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (Gal 1:3-4)

2) The Son accomplishes

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ

2)   The Spirit applies

Ezekiel 36:27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

 

 

IV. How do I respond?

Mark 12:30 YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. ^FN#3

 

Footnotes

1] In other words, the Father is called Father because His role in the work of the Godhead always has reference to the work of the other members of the Trinitarian family (He sets forth the plan of the Godhead).

In turn, the Son is called begotten because His role in the work of the Godhead always has reference to the Father’s plan. He comes forth from the Godhead, is the spitting image of His Father. Thus, to see Him is to see the Father. In turn, to watch Him is to see the Father’s plan unfold.

Finally, the Spirit is said to proceed forth from the Father and Son because His role in the work of the Godhead always has reference to the Father’s plan and the Son’s accomplishment.

 

2] Two quick examples: first notice that Scripture calls God (not just Christ) our savior because salvation is the work of the whole Trinity

1 Timothy 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

In the same way Christ’s resurrection is a work that Scripture attributes to each person of the Trinity

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men, nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

John 10:18 "No one has taken My life away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

 

 

3] Far from being a peripheral or esoteric teaching, the Trinity is at the very heart of Scripture and at the very heart of your Christian walk.

·       There is nothing you know about God that is not a knowledge of the Trinity

·       There is no disclosure of God that is not a disclosure of the Trinity

·       There is no encounter with God, that is not an encounter with the whole of the Trinity

·       Our walk and fellowship with God is a walk and fellowship with the entire Trinity

·       When we pray, our prayers are attended by the whole of the Trinity

·       Every verse and passage of Scripture reveals God as He is, which is Triune

·       Our personal relationship with Jesus, is a personal relationship with the whole of the Godhead with whom Christ has reconciled us

·       Being filled with the Spirit is being filled with the Father and Son through the Spirit (John 14:23)

In the end, whenever we are confronted with God (be it in our walk, prayer, or His Word) we encounter the whole of the Trinity. As such, the Trinity is central to every aspect of the Christian life and thought.