What is the Trinity?

What is the Trinity?

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

“In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one

substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and

God the Holy Ghost.”

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

“In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one

substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and

God the Holy Ghost.”

Wayne Grudem

“God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God”

Wayne Grudem

“God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God”

Bruce Ware

“The doctrine of the Trinity affirms that God’s whole and undivided essence belongs

equally, eternally, simultaneously, and fully to each of the three distinct Persons of

the Godhead.”

Bruce Ware

“The doctrine of the Trinity affirms that God’s whole and undivided essence belongs

equally, eternally, simultaneously, and fully to each of the three distinct Persons of

the Godhead.”

Karl Barth

“The Doctrine of the Trinity gives us information on the concrete and decisive question, who is

God? The answer? The Trinity. The Trinity is how we define God,

how we look at Him, and see Him.”

Karl Barth

“The Doctrine of the Trinity gives us information on the concrete and decisive question, who is

God? The answer? The Trinity. The Trinity is how we define God,

how we look at Him, and see Him.”

Theory/Doctrine BeliefAtheism There is no GodAgnosticism God cannot be knownDeism God is not active in the

worldFinite Godism God is limitedPantheism God is the worldPantheism All is in GodPolytheism There are many

gods/goddessesMonotheism There is one GodTrinitarianism There is one God in

three persons

Affirmations of the Trinity:

Affirmations of the Trinity:

1. God is One 2. Three in One 3. Deity of Three

1. God is One 2. Three in One 3. Deity of Three

1. God is One

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deut. 6:4

1. God is One

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deut. 6:4

“will know that I am the Lord”

Ex. 14:4; cf. 6:7; 7:5, 17; 8:22; 10:2; 14:18; 16:6, 12; 29:46; 31:13; Deut. 4:35; 29:6; 1 Kings 8:43, 60; 18:37; 10, 13, 14; 7:4, 9,27: 11:10, etc.

“my name might be proclaimed in all the earth”

Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17

“will know that I am the Lord”

Ex. 14:4; cf. 6:7; 7:5, 17; 8:22; 10:2; 14:18; 16:6, 12; 29:46; 31:13; Deut. 4:35; 29:6; 1 Kings 8:43, 60; 18:37; 10, 13, 14; 7:4, 9,27: 11:10, etc.

“my name might be proclaimed in all the earth”

Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17

Paul tells Timothy:

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

1 Tim. 4:5-6.

Paul tells Timothy:

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

1 Tim. 4:5-6.

Is the idea of the Trinity found in the OT? Is the idea of the Trinity found in the OT?

Genesis 1 – “In the beginning God…”

Gen 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make man* in our image…”

Gen 3:22: Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.

Gen 11:7: Come, let us go down and there confuse their language…

Psa. 33:6   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,and by the breath of his mouth all their host

Genesis 1 – “In the beginning God…”

Gen 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make man* in our image…”

Gen 3:22: Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.

Gen 11:7: Come, let us go down and there confuse their language…

Psa. 33:6   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,and by the breath of his mouth all their host

Is the idea of the Trinity found in the NT? Is the idea of the Trinity found in the NT?

Paul mentions the three persons together in Romans 1:1-4; 5:1-5; 6:4; 8:1-4, 8-9, 11, 14-17; 15:16, 30; 1 Cor. 6:11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 3:3-4; 5:5-8; 13:14; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:18, 22; 3:2-5, 14-17; 4:4-6:5:18-20; Phil. 3:3; Col. 1:6-7; 3:16-17; 1 Thess. 1:2-6; 5:18-19; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Tim. 3:15-16; Titus 3:4-6.

Paul mentions the three persons together in Romans 1:1-4; 5:1-5; 6:4; 8:1-4, 8-9, 11, 14-17; 15:16, 30; 1 Cor. 6:11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 3:3-4; 5:5-8; 13:14; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:18, 22; 3:2-5, 14-17; 4:4-6:5:18-20; Phil. 3:3; Col. 1:6-7; 3:16-17; 1 Thess. 1:2-6; 5:18-19; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Tim. 3:15-16; Titus 3:4-6.

other NT accounts of Trinity:

(Heb. 2:3-4; 6:4-6; 9:14; 10:29-31; 1 Peter 1:2; 4:13-19; 1 John 4:2, 13-14; 5:6-12; Jude 20-21; Rev. 1:4-5).

other NT accounts of Trinity:

(Heb. 2:3-4; 6:4-6; 9:14; 10:29-31; 1 Peter 1:2; 4:13-19; 1 John 4:2, 13-14; 5:6-12; Jude 20-21; Rev. 1:4-5).

Distinction in Roles/Economy

1 Peter 1:2: the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and or sprinkling with his blood.

•The Father foreknew who he would save.•The Son shed his blood for our sins.•The Spirit transforms us into his image.

Distinction in Roles/Economy

1 Peter 1:2: the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and or sprinkling with his blood.

•The Father foreknew who he would save.•The Son shed his blood for our sins.•The Spirit transforms us into his image.

3. Deity of Three: The Father is God * “God the Father” (John 6:27).* “. . . there is one God, the Father”

(1 Cor. 8:6).

3. Deity of Three: The Father is God * “God the Father” (John 6:27).* “. . . there is one God, the Father”

(1 Cor. 8:6).

3. Deity of Three: The Son is God.

* “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).* “Truly, truly, I [Jesus] say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).* “Thomas answered him [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).* “. . . Christ who is God over all” (Rom. 9:5).* “. . . our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).* “. . . Jesus Christ. He is the true God” (1 John 5:20).

3. Deity of Three: The Son is God.

* “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).* “Truly, truly, I [Jesus] say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).* “Thomas answered him [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).* “. . . Christ who is God over all” (Rom. 9:5).* “. . . our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).* “. . . Jesus Christ. He is the true God” (1 John 5:20).

3. Deity of Three: The Spirit is God.

* “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17–18). * “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? . . . You have not lied to men but to God’” (Acts 5:3–4).

3. Deity of Three: The Spirit is God.

* “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17–18). * “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? . . . You have not lied to men but to God’” (Acts 5:3–4).

perichoresisperichoresis

implicationsof the Trinityimplicationsof the Trinity

1. Love. 2. Communal 3. Salvation

4. Transparent 5. Relationship

6. Marriage

1. Love. 2. Communal 3. Salvation

4. Transparent 5. Relationship

6. Marriage