Condensed Theology, Lecture 15: Theology, God as Trinity: One True God; God in Three Persons

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    Condensed Theology

    A Primer in Systematic Theology

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    Theology Proper:

    The Doctrine of God

    What does the Bible teach about

    God?

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    Where Were Going

    Ten (or more) lectures covering foursubjects:

    The existence of God The attributes of God

    God as Trinity

    Gods works of creation & providence

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    God as Trinity

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    God as Trinity: Preliminaries

    The Bible nowhere uses the word Trinity.

    So there is no way that anyone can cite asingular text of Scripture to prove theTrinity;

    Rather, to speak about the doctrine of theTrinity is to speak summarily about three

    interrelating, inextricable doctrines thatmay be set forth in the followingpropositions:

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    God as Trinity: Preliminaries

    1. There is only one true and living God.

    2. God exists in three persons.

    3. The three persons are each fully God.

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    God as Trinity: Preliminaries

    Each of the propositions may bedemonstrated from Scripture.

    Taken together, these three propositionshave come to be known as the doctrine ofthe Trinity:

    The one God exists in three fully divinepersons.

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    God as Trinity: Preliminaries

    One final note on the relationship betweenthe doctrine of the Trinity and the

    attributes of God: Since the one God exists in three, fully

    divine persons, all of the attributes applyequally and fully to each member of the

    Godhead.

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    Proposition 1

    There is only one true and living

    God

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    Deut 4:35: To you it was shown that you mightknow that the LORD, He is God; there is no otherbesides Him.

    Deut 6:4: Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, theLORD is one!

    1 Kgs 8:59-60: And may these words of mine, withwhich I have made supplication before the LORD,be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He

    may maintain the cause of His servant and thecause of His people Israel, as each day requires, sothat all the peoples of the earth may know that theLORD is God; there is no one else.

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    Isa 45:5-7: I am the LORD, and there is no other;Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though youhave not known Me; That men may know from therising to the setting of the sun That there is no onebesides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other,The One forming light and creating darkness, Causingwell-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD whodoes all these.

    Isa 45:21: Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, letthem consult together. Who has announced this fromof old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, theLORD? And there is no other God besides Me, Arighteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    Mark 12:29: Jesus answered, Theforemost is, HEAR, O ISRAEL! THELORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD

    Rom 3:29-30: Or is God the God of Jewsonly? Is He not the God of Gentiles also?Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed Godwho will justify the circumcised by faithand the uncircumcised through faith isone.

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    1 Cor 8:4: Therefore concerning the eating ofthings sacrificed to idols, we know that there isno such thing as an idol in the world, and that

    there is no God but one. 1 Tim 2:5: For there is one God, and one

    mediator also between God and men, the manChrist Jesus

    Jas 2:19: You believe that God is one. You dowell; the demons also believe, and shudder.

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    Is it really necessaryin a discussion of theTrinity to say that

    there is only one trueand living God?

    You bet!

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    Proposition 1: Only One God

    There are two reasons to say that there isonly one true and living God in adiscussion of the Trinity: First, the Bible teaches that God exists in

    three persons (Prop. 2).

    Second, the Bible teaches that the threepersons are each fully God (Prop. 3).

    From these two propositions alone wemay conclude that there are threeChristian gods; thus denying monotheism.

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    Proposition 2

    God exists in three persons

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons There are three persons who make up the

    Godhead: Father Son Holy Spirit

    Matt 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples ofall the nations, baptizing them in the name of theFather and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

    2 Cor 13:14: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,and the love of God, and the fellowship of theHoly Spirit, be with you all.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons To say that the one God exists in three persons

    does not mean That the one God is three human beings, or even

    should be conceived of as human beings; That the one God can be divided into three parts;

    That the one God can exist separately orindependently of any of himself;

    Rather, to say that the one God exists in three

    persons means that the one God is made up ofthree distinct self-conscious egos who act indistinct yet coordinate ways.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons To understand this proposition more clearly, we

    can formulate it in this way:

    The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God;

    yet The Father is not the Son

    And neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy Spirit

    To say that the Father is not the Son and that

    neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy Spiritindicates that there are genuine distinctionswithin the Godhead.

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    Proposition 2: God in Three

    Persons Is it really necessary

    to say that the Fatheris not the Son and

    that neither the Fathernor the Son is theHoly Spirit?

    Absolutely!

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons There are two reasons to say that the Father is

    not the Son and that neither the Father nor theSon is the Holy Spirit: First, as we have seen, the Bible teaches that God is

    one (Prop. 1). Second, the Bible teaches that the Father is God, the

    Son is God, and the Spirit is God (Prop. 3).

    From these two propositions alone we mayconclude that the language of Father, Son, and

    Spirit are simply different modes or expressionsor behaviors of the one God; thus denying thatGod exists in three distinct self-conscious egos.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Father is not the Son

    John 1:1-2, 14: In the beginning was the Word, andthe Word was with God, and the Word was God. Hewas in the beginning with God.14And the Word

    became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw Hisglory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father,full of grace and truth.

    John 17:1, 24: Jesus spoke these things; and liftingup His eyes to heaven, He said, Father, the hour hascome; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify

    You.24Father, I desire that they also, whom Youhave given Me, be with Me where I am, so that theymay see My glory which You have given Me, for Youloved Me before the foundation of the world.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Father is not the Son

    Heb 7:25: Therefore He is able also to saveforever those who draw near to God throughHim, since He always lives to makeintercession for them.

    1 John 2:1: My little children, I am writingthese things to you so that you may not sin.And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate withthe Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Father is not the Son

    Gal 4:4-5: But when the fullness of the timecame, God sent forth His Son, born of awoman, born under the Law, so that He mightredeem those who were under the Law, thatwe might receive the adoption as sons.

    See Eph 1:3-12

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy

    Spirit

    Mark 1:9-11: In those days Jesus came fromNazareth in Galilee and was baptized by Johnin the Jordan. Immediately coming up out ofthe water, He saw the heavens opening, andthe Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;and a voice came out of the heavens: "Youare My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy Spirit

    1 Pet 1:2: according to the foreknowledge ofGod the Father, by the sanctifying work of the

    Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled withHis blood: May grace and peace be yours in thefullest measure.

    Acts 10:38: You know of Jesus of Nazareth, howGod anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with

    power, and how He went about doing good andhealing all who were oppressed by the devil, forGod was with Him.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the

    Holy Spirit

    2 Thess 2:13-14: But we should always givethanks to God for you, brethren beloved bythe Lord, because God has chosen you fromthe beginning for salvation throughsanctification by the Spirit and faith in the

    truth. It was for this He called you through ourgospel, that you may gain the glory of ourLord Jesus Christ.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the

    Holy Spirit

    Titus 3:4-6: But when the kindness of Godour Savior and His love for mankindappeared, He saved us, not on the basis ofdeeds which we have done in righteousness,but according to His mercy, by the washing of

    regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,whom He poured out upon us richly throughJesus Christ our Savior.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy

    Spirit

    Rom 15:13: Now may the God of hope fill youwith all joy and peace in believing, so that you willabound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Jude 20-21: But you, beloved, buildingyourselves up on your most holy faith, praying inthe Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love ofGod, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our LordJesus Christ to eternal life.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the Holy

    SpiritEph 1:13-14: In Him, you also, after listening to the

    message of truth, the gospel of your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with theHoly Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of ourinheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's

    own possession, to the praise of His glory.Eph 2:18: for through Him we both have our

    access in one Spirit to the Father.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Neither the Father nor the Son is the

    Holy Spirit

    Eph 4:4-6: There is one body and one Spirit,just as also you were called in one hope ofyour calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,one God and Father of all who is over all andthrough all and in all.

    Gal 4:6: Because you are sons, God has sentforth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts,crying, "Abba! Father!"

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    Distinctive Persons with

    Distinctive Roles

    The Economic Trinity

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The distinction between the Father, Son,

    and Holy Spirit, evident in the previousScriptures, indicates differences in role

    and relationship. These differences are most apparent to us

    in what has come to be known as theeconomy of the Trinity, or the Economic

    Trinity, where economy refers to theactivities of the different members of theGodhead with respect to creation andredemption.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Son is subordinate to the Father

    in role and relationship

    1 Cor 11:3: But I want you to understand thatChrist is the head of every man, and the manis the head of a woman, and God is the headof Christ.

    1 Cor 15:28: When all things are subjected to

    Him, then the Son Himself also will besubjected to the One who subjected all thingsto Him, so that God may be all in all.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Son is subordinate to the Father

    in role and relationship

    In creation Heb 1:1-2: God, after He spoke long ago to the

    fathers in the prophets in many portions and inmany ways, in these last days has spoken to us inHis Son, whom He appointed heir of all things,through whom also He made the world.

    What the Father spoke the Son carried out andsustains.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Son is subordinate to the Father

    in role and relationship

    In redemption 1 John 4:14: We have seen and testify that the

    Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of theworld.

    John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that Hegave His only begotten Son, that whoever believesin Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Son is subordinate to the Father

    in role and relationship

    In redemption John 6:38: For I have come down from heaven,not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sentMe.

    Phil 2:8: Being found in appearance as a man, He

    humbled Himself by becoming obedient to thepoint of death, even death on a cross.

    Heb 5:8: Although He was a Son, He learnedobedience from the things which He suffered.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Son is subordinate to the Father

    in role and relationship

    Like a human father and sonrelationship, the Heavenly Fatherdirects, guides, leads, and commands

    while the Eternal Son, submits,follows, and obeys.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Holy Spirit is subordinate to the

    Father and the Son in role and relationship In redemption

    John 14:26: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,whom the Father will send in My name, He willteach you all things, and bring to yourremembrance all that I said to you.

    John 15:26: When the Helper comes, whom I

    will send to you from the Father, that is theSpirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,He will testify about Me.

    Implied in Eph 1:3-14.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The Holy Spirit is subordinate to the

    Father and the Son in role and

    relationship. The Holy Spirit is the Fathers and

    Sons agent in carrying out their

    purposes in creation and redemption.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Watershed texts depicting the

    differences in role and relationship

    between the members of the Trinity:John 14:16-26

    John 16:5-14

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons The roles and relationships of the members of

    the Godhead are depicted below. The Holy Spirit is subordinate in role and in

    relationship to the Father and the Son.

    The Son is subordinate in role and in relationship tothe Father.

    Father

    Son

    Holy Spirit

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    Distinctive Persons with

    Distinctive Roles

    The Ontological Trinity

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons Summary:

    The distinction between the Father, Son, andHoly Spirit indicates differences in role and

    relationship. These differences are most apparent to us in

    what has come to be known as the economyof the Trinity, or the Economic Trinity, where

    economy refers to the activities of the differentmembers of the Godhead with respect tocreation and redemption.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons In addition, the differences in role and

    relationship are not arbitrary or artificial or

    even a product of the members activities; Rather, the differences in role and

    relationship exemplified by the EconomicTrinity flow from the differences in role and

    relationship that inhere in God as God.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons In other words, God has always

    existed as three persons, eternally

    before creation and redemption. This is what has come to be known

    as the Ontological Trinity, or the

    ontology of the Trinity, whereontology refers to the being of God.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons We can say that the tri-personality of

    God is an eternal, ontological reality

    for the following reasons: God is immutable (he cannot change).

    Therefore if he exists now as Father,Son, and Holy Spirit, he has alwaysexisted as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons We can say that the tri-personality of God

    is an eternal, ontological reality for the

    following reasons: The Father and the Son acted together asFather and Son before time began.

    Eph 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord JesusChrist, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the

    heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him beforethe foundation of the world, that we would be holy andblameless before Him.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons We can say that the tri-personality of

    God is an eternal, ontological reality

    for the following reasons: The Father and the Son acted together

    as Father and Son before time began. John 17:5: Now, Father, glorify Me together with

    Yourself, with the glory which I had with Youbefore the world was.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons We can say that the tri-personality of God

    is an eternal, ontological reality for thefollowing reasons:

    The Father and the Son acted together asFather and Son before time began. John 1:18: No one has seen God at any time; the only

    begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He hasexplained Him.

    John 3:17: For God did not send the Son into the world to

    judge the world, but that the world might be saved throughHim. Gal 4:4: But when the fullness of the time came, God sent

    forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.

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    Proposition 2:

    God in Three Persons We can say that the tri-personality of

    God is an eternal, ontological reality

    for the following reasons: The Father and the Son acted togetheras Father and Son before time began.

    Heb 1:1-2: God, after He spoke long ago to thefathers in the prophets in many portions and inmany ways, in these last days has spoken to us inHis Son, whom He appointed heir of all things,through whom also He made the world.

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    Conclusion

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    Conclusion

    Proposition 1: There is only one true andliving God.

    Proposition 2: God exists in three persons. The persons are self-conscious egos.

    The persons have different roles andrelationships in the very being of God (the

    Ontological Trinity) that work themselves outin the activity of God (the Economic Trinity).