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While the word Trinity is not specifically stated in Scripture, it aptly describes the existence of a threefold personality in One Divine Being. Over the years, Trinity has become a technical term of the three members of the Godhead – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.
You may question, “How can one God exist in three Persons?” The finite mind cannot on its own grasp the Infinite. Therefore the Ministry of the Holy Spirit is that of revealing Spiritual Phenomena and Spiritual Truths.
A SUMMARY OUTLINE OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
1). The trinity is defined as ONE God subsisting in THREE modes of existence. Declared in 2 Samuel 23:1-3; Isaiah 48:16; 63:7-10; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Acts 2:33; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1. The Trinity is affirmed in the Old Testament by the use of the plural pronoun “US” for God in Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7.
2). The Trinity is affirmed in the Old Testament by the use of the plural pronoun “US” for God in Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7. Also, the use of the plural Hebrew word “ELOHIM” – the “IM” is plural (Deuteronomy 6:4), and the Jewish Tetragrammation YHWH or Jehovah, referring to a singular member of the GODHEAD.
3). When the Bible refers to God as One, it refers to His Essence or Uniqueness (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9).
4). When the Bible distinguishes between Members of the Godhead, it refers to the activity or function of a specific Member, “Father, Son or Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:2,3).
5). The Bible assigns to each Person in the Godhead a particular function in Salvation:
a). The Father “Planned” Salvation (Isaiah 14:27; John 4:34; 5:17; 12:44; 1 Corinthians 8:6a; Ephesians 3:11).
b). The Son “Executed” Salvation (John 4:34; 5:7; Hebrews 10:7).
c). The Holy Spirit “Reveals” Salvation (John 16:8-11)
6) Each Person in the Trinity performs a different function in God’s Plan for us. God’s Plan contains three parts: Part One is Salvation; Part Two is The Believer in Time or The Christian Way of Life; Part Three is The Believer in Eternity.
a). In Part One, Jesus Christ made our Salvation possible, executing God’s Plan, He paid the penalty for our personal sins, which originate from our sin nature, by dying on the Cross (Romans 5:6-8).
b). In Part Two, The Holy Spirit reveals Salvation and the Christian Way of Life which begins the moment we accept (receive) Christ as Savior. His work continues until we die or the Rapture occurs, whichever comes first. The Christian way of life is called The Believer in Time (John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10).
c). In Part Three, The Father executes His plan for the Believer in Eternity. (John 14:1,2).
7). Jesus Christ is the ONLY visible Member of the Godhead (Trinity) (John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12).
8). Each member of the Godhead is One in ESSENCE (identical essence), but each Member is a separate Person. This is illustrated by the word “light” in 1 John 1:5.
Light has three components: Actinic, Luminiferous, and Calorific. These three parts of light are manifested in three different ways, therefore they are an analogy of each Member of the Trinity in particular.
For example:
a). ACTINIC is not seen nor felt – The FATHER.
b). LUMINIFEROUS is both seen and felt – The SON.
c). CALORIFIC is not seen but felt – The HOLY SPIRIT.
God is described as LIGHT in many other passages: (Matt. 5:14; Luke 2:32; John 1:4,9; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35; Revelation 21:3
9). Each Member has different functions yet they never act independently or in opposition to the other.
DIVINE ESSENCE
THE ESSENCE OF THE TRINITY (GODHEAD)
If we were to sum up everything that God is in one word, that word would be “INTEGRITY!” Everything that God is stems from His Absolute Integrity. God’s very Being is that of Integrity.
When we speak of God’s Essence we are talking about His Character, His Attributes, His Holiness, His Deity. God is Absolute in all His Characteristics. Now let’s briefly examine the Characteristics of God’s Essence. Each member of the Godhead has identical Essence.
1). God is SOVEREIGN. He is the Supreme Being of the Universe. He is Infinite. He has always existed and always will exist. God has Supreme Volition – Self Determining (Deuteronomy 4:39; 1 Samuel 2:6-8; 1 Chronicles 29:11; 2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalm 47:2; 83:18; 93:1; Isaiah 45:5,6; Matthew 6:13; Revelation 4:2,3; Job 9:12; Psalm 115:3; 135:6; Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 4:35; Acts 5:39; Hebrews 6:13; Psalm 93:2; Ephesians 1:5; Revelation 22:13).
2). God is RIGHTEOUS. His Absolute Righteousness is His Holiness. He is Absolute Perfect Righteousness (Deuteronomy 32:4b; Leviticus 19:26; 1 Samuel 2:2; Leviticus 19:26; Psalm 11:7; 22:3; 25:8; 34:8; 47:8; 97:6; 111:3,9; 119:68; 137a; Luke 18:19; John 17:11; Romans 1:17; 10:3; 1 John 2:29; Revelation 3:7; 6:10).
3). God is JUSTICE. Since man’s fall in the Garden, God deals with man through His Justice. Prior to the fall, man’s point of contact with God came from God’s Love. Man before the Fall is called “innocent” because he knew no sin. This means man was originally created “perfect”. God is Perfect. He therefore cannot create anything that is not perfect. It’s an absolute impossibility! Therefore, this period before man’s fall should be called “perfection” not “innocence.”
God, because of His Absolute Righteousness and Justice, is impartial and unprejudiced. Therefore, as believers, we either adjust to the Justice of God, resulting in blessing, or God’s Justice will adjust to us, resulting in discipline (Isaiah 45:21; Psalm 89:14; 2 Chronicles 19:7 Romans 3:26; Revelation 15:3).
God’s Justice and Righteousness are propitiated (satisfied) by Christ’s life and death on the Cross (Col. 2:14). Therefore God is free to forgive individuals by their belief, by their faith in Christ (Romans 8:1; 1 John 5:11, 12); or He is free to condemn individuals who reject Christ (John 3:18,36). The Justice of God administers what the Righteousness of God demands. No part of God’s Character is ever compromised by any other part of His Character.
4). God is LOVE. God is Perfect Love. God Loves Himself and the other members of the Godhead. They all love each other with the same Perfect Love. God’s Love is incorruptible. It cannot be influenced by anything other than Absolute Perfection. God can only express His Love toward man on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary atonement for man on the Cross. God’s Righteousness and Justice were propitiated (satisfied) by Christ, therefore He is free to express His Love to man through Grace. This is Christ’s reconciling sacrifice for the redemption of mankind. (Romans 5:8 and 10-21; 6:23; 8:1; John 3:16, 17; 1 John 10-12. Isaiah 53:5; Daniel 9:24; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 2:17).
5). God is ETERNAL LIFE. God is Eternity! He has always existed without beginning or end. There never was a time when He didn’t exist. There is no time in Eternity. There is no death in Eternity. Death came by sin. Both death and time will cease to exist immediately after all fallen beings are cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death and the last of death which also ends time. Eternity continues without time, without death, without sin, and without end.
We will then co-exist with God, eternally sharing His Eternal Life in Jesus Christ Our Lord. Ultimate Sanctification and Ultimate Imputation will result in our Ultimate Glorification and Ultimate Immutability, eternally in Christ. Therefore our volition towards God can never change because it becomes Ultimate Volition, which guarantees our eternal state. God’s Plan is the Ultimate Plan for restoration and relationship.
We are ultimately completed in the body of Christ in ultimate perfection in Eternity.
Eternity never changed. Volition changed in God’s created beings. God’s Volition restored creation and gave it the Ultimate Position in Christ. Creation is now unique by and in the Unique God-man Jesus Christ. The Alpha and Omega. The Great “I AM”. Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 57:15; 60:15; Mark 10:30; John 3:15, 16; 10:28; 17:2,3; Romans 5:21; 6:23; 2 Corinthians 4:17, 5:1; Ephesians 18; 3:11; 1 Timothy 6:12,19; Hebrews 5:9; 9:15; 1 John 1:2; 2:25; 5:10,11,13,20; Revelation 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Hebrews 7:25; Psalm 90:2; Proverbs 8:23; 10:25; Isaiah 9:6; 26:4; 35:10; 51:11; 61:7; 45:17; 54:8; 55:13; 56:5; 60:19; 63:12,20; Jeremiah 31:3; Matthew 19:29; Luke 18:30; John 3:36; Galatians 6:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Revelation 14:6).
6). God is OMNISCIENCE. All knowledge, all knowing. God knows everything. He has always known everything and always will.
God’s knowledge has nothing to do with time. God does not live within the limitations of time, He exists in Eternity where life and His FULL KNOWLEDGE have always existed. We are in bondage to time and this includes our being in bondage to limited knowledge. God’s Eternal Life and Knowledge are, shall we say, superimposed over time (Exodus 8:10; 18:16; 31:3; 2 Chronicles 1:12; Psalm 119:66; Proverbs 1:4; 2:6; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Isaiah 28:9; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:33; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 11:25; 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:5; 2:12; 12:8).
7). God is OMNIPOTENT – all powerful without limitation (Revelation 19:6; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7,14; 19:15; 21:22).
8). God is OMNIPRESENT. God is everywhere at the same time. He sees everything. Nothing is hidden from His face. God exists everywhere simultaneously (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; Psalm 139:12; Isaiah 66:1; Acts 17:28). Wherever there is life, there is God. There is no life apart from God.
9). God is IMMUTABLE, UNCHANGEABLE. Therefore God is perfectly faithful.
There is no variation or instability in Him. Jesus Christ the same yesterday (eternity past) today (eternity present) and tomorrow (eternity future). Reference Hebrews 13:8; Romans 2:11. God is always consistent with His own character. His Essence is never compromised. In dealing with finite man, our Infinite God communicates to us via His Word by using human characteristics to explain His actions or thoughts. For example, the human feelings or actions of repent, grieve, anger, hate, forget, remember, etc., are not really Characteristics of God but are there to accommodate our understanding. This is called Anthropopathisms.
Anthropomorphism, on the other hand, ascribes some human form to God, such as “eyes of God,” “hand of God,” “arm of the Lord,” etc. (Psalm 33:11; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17).
10). God is VERACITY. He is Absolute Integrity and Perfect Truthfulness.
God’s Veracity is expressed and proven in His Written Word and His Living Word. God reveals Himself to man in His Eternal Word and in all creation and future events proving His Veracity by witness before man (Psalm 33:4; Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19).
All Divine Attributes form one consistent indivisible whole – His Total Person in the Trinity, the Godhead, which is God. This outline of God’s Characteristics is divided to help us understand His Attributes, but while doing so we can’t help but see the indivisibleness of God’s Essence. And so it is with the Trinity. We are finite, yet God relates His Infinite Self to us through the Godhead with complete Revelation.
God is the cause and origin of time (Deuteronomy 32:40; Psalm 90:2; 102:27; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:17). Time is the way in which God manifests eternity to us, His Eternal Life to us. Eternal life is the hope (faith) of every believer. It means we never die and this is our Blessed Hope IN CHRIST.
Yet it is more than that – Eternal Life Encompasses ALL that GOD IS and all that He personally guarantees. We will share with Him forever and ever. Christ is God’s manifestation of Himself to humanity and for humanity. God’s Holy Spirit reveals these Truths to us. God’s Son made it all possible! BLESSED TRINITY.
Happy Studying!