THE HOLYTRINITY

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

(Matt 28:18-20 ESV)

GROUPON

MANWICH

UNIVERSE

BATBALLMITT

BASES DUGOUT

BOTTOM LINE:

1 in ESSENCE (STUFF)

3 in PERSON

BOTTOM LINE:

1 in WHAT, 3 in WHO

1) There is ONEand only ONE

GOD

2) This one GOD isrevealed in

THREEeternally distinct

PERSONS

3) Each person shares FULLY in the Divine Nature

HOW can God be at the same time 1

& 3 without contradiction!?

ContradictionParadoxMystery

The Child andthe BIG Book

The Christian faith affirms logic not as a law above God but as an aspect built into Creation which flows from His own character….

Talking in contradictions is nonsense, regardless of how transcendently profound it

may sound.–R. C. Sproul

A cursory glance at these questions dispels the idea that they contain

contradictions. The classical formulation of the Trinity asserts

that God is one in essence and three in person. Hence God is one in A and three in B. We need not be

able to comprehend the fullness of the divine mystery to see that the

formula is sound.

If we declared that God were one in essence and three in essence, or one in person and three in person

at the same time and the same relationship, we would have a

bona fide contradiction. We have unity in one sense (essence) and diversity in another (persons).

–R. C. Sproul

DIVINITY OF THE FATHER

Mal 2:10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?...

1 Cor 8:4 …“there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom

we exist,…

FATHERTAKEN FOR GRANTED

In the Beginning…?

In the Beginning…WAS

In the Beginning…

GOD

In the Beginning…

was the WORD

In the Beginning…

God | created

In the Beginning…

the Word | made through

Him

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God || created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. || 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Heb 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?

Or again, “I will be to him a father,

and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn

into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Heb 1:7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds,

and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,the scepter of uprightness is the scepter

of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated

wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed

you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

Heb 1:10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the

work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up,

like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same,

and your years will have no end.”

Col 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

19 For in him all the fullness (plērōma) of God was pleased to dwell (katoikeō), 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Col 2:9 For in him the whole fullness (plērōma) of deity (theotēs) dwells (katoikeō) bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

2 Sam 7:5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in (katoikeō)?

DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 5:3 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? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

Acts 5:9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? (pneuma theou) Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

2 Sam 23:2 “The Spirit of the LORD (pneuma theou) speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me…

1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

What the Trinity is NOT

NOT Tritheism

NOT Modalism

NOT Arianism

"There once was a time when the

Son was not"

What the Trinity IS

Athanasian Creed (4th AD)

1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty.14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. 21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten.

22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another.

26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

Isa 48:11-16

Eph 1:1-14

BOTTOM LINE:

1 in ESSENCE (STUFF)

3 in PERSON

BOTTOM LINE:

1 in WHAT, 3 in WHO

1) There is ONEand only ONE

GOD

2) This one GOD isrevealed in

THREEeternally distinct

PERSONS

3) Each person shares FULLY in the Divine Nature

MODALISM

TRITHEISM/DIVIDED ESSENCE and/or

ARIANISM

1-Essence3-Distinct

1-Essence/Nature3-Distinct Persons

PRAXIS

THE HOLYTRINITY