Where in the
Bible does the word Trinity appear ?
Jehovah
Witness’s
theology states that God is a single person; and those that teach
Trinitarianism teach a demonic doctrine. – God does not know everything and can
only be in one place at a time.
Mormons’ theology states that there
are three distinct GODS; God the father who has a body; God the Son who
has a body and God the Spirit who does not have a body. – There in not a
trinity.
New Age theology states – God is
a cosmic energy force - Jesus was not the only Messiah and definitely not God –
Spiritual instruction comes with communication from the spirit world – There is
No Trinity.
“I and the Father are one”. John 10:30 NIV
A Little Background
- The
Bible –
The word Trinity is NOT found anywhere in scripture, but the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit are alluded to frequently. – The entire NT is “Trinitarian”
to its very core. Once you read the
NT you can readily see the self-revelation of the implications of
the trinity in the OT.
- It is generally acknowledged that the
church father Tertullian (ca.
A.D. 145-220) coined the term “Trinity” with reference to God during the
post biblical period of the church.
- The doctrine of the trinity means that
within the being and activity of the one God there are three
distinct persons; The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. - Each person is
self-conscious and self-directing, yet never acting independently or in
opposition.
- The comparison is best explained as a rope with three strands
interwoven; each strand being separate and distinct from the other, but
woven together as integral parts of the rope.
- The most distinctive
characteristic
of the persons of the triune family is their selfless love for one
another. Each esteems and
defers to the other in a way that makes the original family of the trinity
a model for the Christian family of believers in the church.
- God is
communicable
– Just as the sun communicates light, heat and energy;
God reaches down to us through the Trinity to fellowship, communicate
and share with us according to our ability to receive.
- Notice in Matt 28:19 the scripture, known as the GREAT COMMISSION; the
word “Name” is singular indicating “the unity” of the three
persons.
Matt 28:19 – The Father –
The Son - The Holy Spirit
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the NAME of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, NIV
Matt 3:16-17 –Jesus –
Spirit of God – Voice from Heaven
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven
was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and
lighting on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, "This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." NIV
2 Cor 13:14 – Lord Jesus Christ – God – The Holy Spirit
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
NIV
Acts 2:38-39 – Jesus
Christ – The Holy Spirit - God
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 The promise is for you and your children and
for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." NIV
1 Cor 12:4-6 – Same Spirit
– Same Lord – Same God
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same
Spirit.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same
Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but the same
God works all of them in all men. NIV
Eph 4:4-6 – One Spirit –
One Lord – One God
4 There is one body and one Spirit- just as
you were called to one hope when you were called-
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all. NIV
1 Peter 1:2 – God the
Father – The Spirit – Jesus Christ
2 who have been chosen according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the
Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
NIV
Jude 20-21 – The Holy
Spirit – God – Lord Jesus Christ
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in
your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you
wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
life. NIV
Proof
- In the mouth of two
or three witnesses is a thing
established.
- The Father, Son and Holy
Spirit testify of God, as three
witnesses; The trinity
- The baptism, the cross
and the Holy Spirit testify of Jesus Christ - for all time.
Matt 18:16 - Witness
16 …every matter may be established by the testimony
of two or three witnesses.' NIV
2 Cor 13:1 - Witness
1 …"Every matter must be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses." NIV
1 John 5:7-8 – The Holy
Spirit, Baptism and crucifixion
7 For there are three that testify:
8 the Spirit, the water (baptism) and the blood (the Cross); and the three are in
agreement. NIV
The Holy Spirit is a person
- The Father sent the
Son – The Son sent the Holy Spirit.
- Paul describes the
Holy Spirit as a person; - bearing witness, speaking, teaching and acting
as a guide and even being grieved. – He is the dispenser of all blessings
and gifts within the sphere of redemption.
- The Spirit calls out Abba Father – Abba is Greek and translated into Aramaic
means father.
Gal 4:6 – Calls out to God
for us
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his
Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father. NIV
Rom 8:14 – Leads us
14 because those who are led by the Spirit
of God are sons of God. NIV
Rom 8:16 – Testifies for us
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God's children. NIV
Rom 8:26 – Helps us – intercedes for us
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in
our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes
for us with groans that words cannot express. NIV
Eph 4:30 – The Holy Spirit can be grieved
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. NIV
Intercession
- The
Holy Spirit
intercedes for us as we pray in the name
of the Son to the Father.
- Did you get that? We pray with the Holy Spirit – In the
name of the Son – To the Father.
Rom 8:26 – The Holy Spirit intercedes for us
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. NIV
John 16:23 -24 – Ask the Father in the name of the Son.
23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything.
I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my
name.
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my
name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. NIV
Paul’s
concept of God
- Paul spoke in “Trinitarian” terms, when he said “through Him” (Jesus)
we have access by “one Spirit” unto “the Father”.
Eph 2:17-18 - Trinity
18 For through him (Jesus) we both have access to
the Father by one Spirit NIV
John 15:26 – The Counselor – The Father – Jesus Christ
26 "When the Counselor (Holy Spirit) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me
(Jesus). NIV
Plurality
- The first book of the
Bible begins with God self revealing Himself in the plural form. At first look you could easily assume
that there were many gods present, but He is speaking of His plurality of
persons, not of gods. The Bible is the revelation of God
through the Trinity
- The
Father
is whom revelation proceeds,
- The Son incarnates the
revelation,
- The
Holy Spirit
applies the revelation to man.
- The angels called out
in plurality – Holy, Holy, Holy suggesting three persons of the Trinity.
Gen 1:26 – Let US
26 Then God said, "Let us make
man in our image, in our likeness, NIV
Gen 3:22 – One of US
22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now
become like one of us, knowing good and evil. NIV
Isa 6:8 – Go for US
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said,
"Here am I. Send me!" NIV
Isa 6:3 – Angels call out
Holy, Holy, Holy
3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy,
holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his
glory." NIV
One God
- Mankind has a desire
to worship something - We make up other gods to serve that do not exist or
things of nature like the sun, moon, stars, earth, water, animals, tree
limbs, rocks or maybe money, power,
objects, drugs, and sex. They
become gods in our life, but they are all just dead objects of devotion.
- The scriptures clearly
point out that there is only one
True God.
Deut 6:4 – One God
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is
one. NIV
1 Cor 8:4 – There is only
one God
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:
We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God
but one. NIV
Deut 32:39 – There is no
God but me
39 "See now that I myself am He! There is
no god besides me. NIV
James 2:19 – The Demons
believe in one God
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even
the demons believe that-and shudder. NIV
Isa 46:9 – There is none
like me
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I
am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
Eph 4:4-6 – One God – The
Father, son and Holy Spirit
4 There is one body and one Spirit- just as
you were called to one hope when you were called-
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is
over all and through all and in all. NIV
THE
ATTRIBUTES OF THE TRINITY
Deity
- Note in the scriptures
that the deity of God is
aligned with “the Word” (His Son), and with the Holy
Spirit.
Rev 21:3 – The Father
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They
will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
NIV
John 1:1 – The Son
1 In the beginning was the Word, (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. NIV
Acts 5:3-4 – The Holy
Spirit
3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that
Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and
have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And
after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of
doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
NIV
Self Existence
- God refers to Himself
as; He is, because He is.
Ex 3:14 -15 – The Father
14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.
This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.'"
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the
Israelites, `The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the
name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. NIV
John 8:58 – The Son
58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus
answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" NIV
Gen 1:2 – The Holy Spirit
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness
was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering
over the waters. NIV
From Eternity
- He is eternal - The Trinity was
before the world began.
Ps 90:2 – The Father
2 Before the mountains were born or you brought
forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are
God. NIV
John 17:5 – The Son
5 And now, Father, glorify me (Jesus) in your presence with the glory I had with you before the
world began. NIV
Heb 9:14 – The Holy Spirit
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the
living God! NIV
Omniscience
- He is
all Knowing
- The
Father
searches the hearts and the minds of men – The Son knows our thoughts and The Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God.
Jer 17:10 – The Father
10 "I the LORD search
the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according
to what his deeds deserve." NIV
Matt 9:4 –
The Son
4 Knowing their
thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your
hearts? NIV
1 Cor 2:11 – The Holy Spirit
11 For who among men knows
the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no
one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. NIV
Omnipresent
- He is
everywhere all at once.
- Can anyone hide from God?
Jer 23:24 – The Father
24 Can anyone hide in secret places so that I
cannot see him? "declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and
earth?"
declares
the LORD NIV
Matt 28:20 – The Son
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age." NIV
Ps 139:7 – The Holy Spirit
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where
can I flee from your presence? NIV
Omnipotence
- God is
All Powerful
Ps 62:11 – The Father
11 One thing God has spoken, two things have I
heard:
that you, O God, are strong, NIV
Heb 1:3 – The Son
3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the
exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful
word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty in heaven. NIV
Job 33:4 – The Holy Spirit
4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath
of the Almighty gives me life NIV
Goodness & Love
- God loved us while we
were yet still sinners.
Rom 2:4 – The Father
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his
kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness
leads you toward repentance? NIV
Eph 5:25 – The Son
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
loved the church and gave himself up for her NIV
Neh 9:20 – The Holy Spirit
20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct
them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them
water for their thirst. NIV
Rom 5:8 – Loved us even
though we sinned.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us
in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. NIV
Holiness
- The Trinity is Holy
Lev 11:44 – The Father
44 I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves
and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any
creature that moves about on the ground. NIV
Acts 3:14 – The Son
14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you. NIV
John 14:26 – The Holy Spirit
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you
of everything I have said to you. NIV
Truth
- God is Holy and true
John 7:28-29 – The Father
28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple
courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am
not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,
29 but I know him because I am from him and he
sent me."
NIV
Rev 3:7 – The Son
7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of
David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. NIV
1 John 5:6 – The Holy
Spirit
6 This is the one who came by water and
blood-Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And
it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
THE WORKS
OF THE TRINITY
Before Creation
- In the beginning
before anything else existed the Trinity was.
Ps 102:25 – The Father
25 In the beginning you laid the
foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands. NIV
16 For by him all things were created:
things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers
or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. NIV
Gen 1:2 – The Holy Spirit
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness
was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering
over the waters. NIV
Inspiration
- Everything we read in
scripture is God breathed by the Trinity for teaching and training.
2 Tim 3:16 – The Father
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
NIV
1 Peter 1:10-11 – The Son
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who
spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with
the greatest care,
11 trying to find out the time and circumstances
to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the
sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. NIV
2 Peter 1:21 – The Holy Spirit
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the
will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit. NIV
The Birth
Gal 4:4 – The Father
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent
his Son, born of a woman, born under law, NIV
Heb 10:5 – The Son
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he
said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you
prepared for me; NIV
Luke 1:35 – The Holy Spirit
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So
the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. NIV
Salvation
John 1:13 – The Father
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of
human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. NIV
John 1:12 – The Son
12 Yet to all who received him, to those
who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- NIV
John 3:5-8 - The Holy Spirit
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no
one can enter the kingdom of God
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit
gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You
must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with
everyone born of the Spirit." NIV
The Indwelling
Eph 4:6 – The Father
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through
all and in all.
NIV
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the
Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory. NIV
1 Cor 6:19 – The Holy Spirit
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are
not your own; NIV
Protection
John 10:29 – The Father
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. NIV
John 10:28 – The Son
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. NIV
Eph 4:30 – The Holy Spirit
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. NIV
His Presence
2 Cor 3:5-6 – The Father
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim
anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new
covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the
Spirit gives life NIV
1 Tim 1:12 – The Son
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given
me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
NIV
Acts 20:28 – The Holy Spirit
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God
Summary of the Trinity
- Think of “Tri” as
three - Think of “Unity” as being one – Think TRI-UNITY – Three united as
one
- Let’s
Look at Water -
Or perhaps the three distinct stages of water; liquid, ice and steam. They are all different from each other,
but they all are composed of water.
- There is only one God
– Not three – “Hear, O
- Get ready
to get upset.
- We often say “Father God”, which is correct to
say, as this statement is identifying the person of the “Father” as God; but
let’s take a look at all the terms and let me mess with your mind a little.
- The
Father is God
– But, the Father is not the Son, nor the Holy Spirit.
- The Son
is God
– But, the Son is not the Father, nor the Holy Spirit.
- The
Holy Spirit is God – But, the Holy Spirit is not the Father, nor the Son.
- The Father, Son and
Holy Spirit
are three distinct persons of God. – The Trinity.
- It is through the
Trinity that God communicates shares and fellowships with
fallen man.
- The
Holy Spirit
intercedes for us as we pray in the name
of the Son to the Father
- The
Bible is the REVELATION of God through the Trinity.
- The
Father
is whom revelation proceeds,
- The Son incarnates the
revelation,
- The
Holy Spirit
applies the revelation to man.
- There is a trinity of three primary colors;
Red, Green, and Blue: All the rest of the colors are a derivation from
them. - Pure White is made up of all
colors – Darkness is the absence of all colors - God’s word contains all
the colors. - The more we read God’s Word, the further from darkness we
get and the closer to pure light we become. - SELAH
- Paul’s
threefold prayer
- “May the grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GOD, and the
fellowship of the HOLY SPIRIT be with you all” 2 Cor
One God – Three distinct Persons – The Trinity
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I
am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical
information, and scripture verses.
Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further than I
otherwise ever could have.
An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words – W.E. Vine
Biblical Ethics
– Robertson McQuilkin
Bible Almanac:
The – Packer Tenny White
Bible Dictionary – Harper
Expositor’s Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Great Doctrines of the Bible: Soteriology – W.A. Criswell
Historical Atlas of the Bible; The – DR. Ian Barnes
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale
International Dictionary of the Bible: The- Zondervan
International Dictionary of the Bible:- Douglas - Tenny
King James Version of the Bible – KJV
Nave’s topical Bible - Zondervan
New International Version Bible - NIV
Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The– Zondervan Tenny
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible - Guideposts
Unraveling the Big
Questions about God –
Kenneth Boa
Victor Journey through the Bible: The – V. Gilbert Beers
Webster’s New World College Dictionary – Webster
Where to find it in the Bible – Ken Anderson
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