TRINITY OF THE GODHEAD
TRINITY OF THE GODHEAD
TEXT: Matthew 3:16,17; 28:19; John 10:30; 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2
The Godhead and its Trinity is one of the deep mysteries of the Kingdom of God revealed to us in Scripture. It is one of the greatest tenets of the Christian faith that is better believed than mentally understood because it is anchored on the nature and person of God. The subject has, through the ages, confounded the wise and prudent but conferred on the faithful, trusting believer, the blessings of simplicity of faith.
Through reasoning, man can never attain the Trinitarian conception of the Almighty God, neither can he by research or logical inquiry understand the nature of God. The error many people have fallen into is an obsessive desire to rationalize this teaching.
Some contend that the word ‘Trinity’ is not in the Bible; and this has hindered their acceptance and belief of it. They have forgotten that the word, ‘Bible’ is not in the Bible, yet they use the term without reservation. They also fail to note that the word, ‘Rapture’ is not in the Scripture. But, shall we disbelieve the scriptural teaching on the Rapture because the word is not directly written in the Bible?
Another reason some find it difficult to comprehend this Scriptural teaching is that they try to compare the human structure with the divine. They reason that it is incomprehensible to talk about one and only God, yet with a Son and Spirit that are co-equal with Him. They have forgotten that it is not possible to know everything about God, else He would cease to be God. Yet, we make bold to say that there is enough evidence in the Scripture to give us all the profitable knowledge we need to have about the nature and attributes of God. He has sufficiently revealed Himself in His Word so that every sincere seeker may come to the knowledge of His will. Believers must therefore be on their guard not to fall into the same temptations but come with open minds into the sanctuary of God so that He might reveal His will to us. Let us, once and for all, lay up this truth in our hearts and be free from being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14).
What should be our attitude to the doctrine of Trinity?
May we, therefore, categorically state that just as we have believed the facts of atomic or nuclear energy, solar energy or the computer, even before we understood their nature, we must, likewise, accept the fact of the Trinity as a teaching revealed in God’s word, and that it is doctrinally sound. Every believer must accept the gospel truth of the Trinity by faith, recognizing that God remains the eternal repository of all mysteries (Deuteronomy 29:29).
CONCEPT OF THE DOCTRINE OF TRINITY
(Genesis1:1; 1:26; 3:22; 11:6,7; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 14:26)
What is the basis for teaching and believing the doctrine of Trinity?
The doctrine of Trinity is a revealed teaching, that is to say, it embodies a truth that cannot be discovered by human natural reason but through divine revelation and understanding. With all his search, man has not been able to discover for himself the deep things of God. In fact, we cannot fully grasp the pearls of God’s Word except through the revelation of His Spirit.
The notion or concept of the Trinity of the Godhead is embedded in the Word of God. The word which is translated ‘God’ in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim, the plural of El (‘The Strong One”). Elohim therefore, means, ‘The Strong Ones’. This uni-plural noun appears more than 2,700 times in the Old Testament.
It is interesting to note that God Himself, from the beginning, used plural nouns to explain the work of creation. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). The use of the pronouns, “us” and “our” implies the involvement of more than one personality in the creation of man. Similar application continues in other references. For example, at the excommunication of man from the Garden of Eden, God said, “Behold, the man is become as one of us…” (Genesis 3:22). And, on the threshold of God’s perfect desire to curb the foolish excesses of man, by wisely confounding him with diverse languages, the same pronoun is used (Genesis 11:7).
THE WORD ‘TRINITY’.
Trinity therefore emphasizes the unity of three Persons in one God. The word, “Trinity” is a coinage from Three-in-Unity or Tri-unity to underscore the perfect, pure relationship between the Personalities in the Godhead. Doctrinally, it expresses that there is only one God, one divine nature who is tri-personal and also involves the distinctions of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are joint partakers of the same divine and majesty of God. There is one only and true God but in the unity of the Godhead there are three co-eternal and co-equal Persons; and they are the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.
CLEAR TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE ON THE TRINITY
(John 15:26; 1 Peter 1:2; Psalm 89:26; 45:6,7; Acts 5:3,4; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2,3)
The Scripture clearly teaches that the Godhead consists of three separate, distinct, and recognizable Personalities and qualities, perfectly united together. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are different Persons in the Godhead, not merely three names for one Person. The Father is called God (1 Corinthians 8:6; Psalm 89:26; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Isaiah 63:16; Matthew 6:9); the Son, Jesus Christ, is called God (Psalm 45:6,7; Isaiah 9:6,7; John 20:28); and the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3,4; 1 Corinthians 3:16,17; 6:19,20; Hebrews 3:7-9; 10:15,16).
From the foregoing references, it is clear that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct Persons, co-eternal and co-existent in power and divine attributes.
Why do we believe that God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are co-equal and co-eternal in nature with Supportive from the Scripture?
The Trinity is foreshadowed in Daniel 2:47 as three personalities united in one God. The Personalities are God, the Lord and the Revealer of secrets or the Holy Spirit (also Romans 8:26,27; 1 Corinthians 2:10). These three Personalities are the uncreated Beings. They have always been and will continue to be. And they are united in every sense. There is no possibility of disagreement between them because they are one in mind, character and purpose. In every action, the Three are equally active. The Father is the Creator (Genesis 1:1,2; Psalm 100:3; John 1:3), yet the works of creation are ascribed to the Son and the Spirit (Job 26:13; 33:4; Colossians 1:12-16; Hebrews 1:2,3). The work of regeneration and redemption is ascribed to the three Personalities: the Father in Matthew 3:17; The Son in John 5:19-21 and the Spirit in John 15:26. The Spirit sanctifies, yet the Father and the Son are present and active in the work of sanctification. The Father judges but by the Son, Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31; John 5:22). The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit receive honour (John 5:23; Matthew 12:32).
Christ’s assertion of unity in the Trinity is of sufficient strength to prove to every man that there are three distinct Personalities in the Godhead and the three are united. A fourth century Christian creed puts it this way: “We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity… for the Person of the Father is one, of the Son another and the Holy Ghost another. But of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost there is one divinity, equal glory and co-eternal majesty… the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet there are not three eternals but one eternal… Thus, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God… Therefore, there is one Father not three Fathers; one Son not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity, there is nothing first or last, nothing greater or less. But all the three co-eternal Persons are co-equal among themselves so that through all... Trinity in unity is to be worshipped.”
Further proof of the truth about the Godhead became clear at the baptism of Jesus Christ when the Father sent the Holy Ghost in bodily form as a dove upon Christ, and God Almighty Himself made a public proclamation of Jesus as His beloved Son (Matthew 3:16,17). Even at the outset of His ministry, Jesus affirmed the companionship of God the Father and the Holy Spirit with Him. It was only by their combined workings that He was to fulfil His multi-pronged ministry of preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and delivering the captives (Luke 4:18). In addition, the work of redemption which Jesus Christ completed on the Cross was a joint venture with the Father and the Holy Ghost (Hebrews 9:14).
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF TRINITY
(John 14:9; 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:12; John 16:12-15)
The doctrine of the Trinity, as have been established, is pre-eminently given to the Church by revelation. And while it brings before us one of the greatest mysteries or revelation and transcends finite comprehension, it is essential to the understanding of the Scripture. And as we shall see, it has its great value and uses.
The doctrine of the Trinity and unity of the Godhead has been called “a bulwark of Christian-theism.” It gives us a glimpse into the wonderful but complex being of God, while at the same time it constantly proclaims the impossibility of comprehending God. While it is a stumbling block to rationalism, it is for those who accept it a safeguard against all tendencies towards rationalism or intellectual pride.
Benefits of believing the doctrine of the Trinity of the Godhead
In the teaching of the Trinity, we behold, first, not only a God who is exalted far above us, but also Christ who is with us and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Second, the doctrine of the Trinity is essential to God’s revelation of truth. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, and the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Christ is the revelation of the Father and the express image of His person. “Jesus saith unto him... he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9). Now if there is no Trinity, then Christ is not God and cannot perfectly know or reveal God.
Christianity is the only true religion because Christ is the only true revelation of God; but if Christ be not God then we cannot be sure of His revelation of God, and Christianity will be just another religion like all other religions having its portions of truth and portions of error. Christ is God; the Bible declares that He is. And Christianity is the absolute revelation of God’s will for mankind.
The same is true of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to His disciples: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:12-15). The Holy Spirit is the One who guides us into all truth. How can He do that unless Christ and the Holy Spirit are as God the Father?
Third, the legitimacy, validity and veracity of the gospel depend upon this truth; for Christ is most clearly seen to be God’s unspeakable gift, the bringer of eternal salvation when we recognize His essential oneness with the Father. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is thus seen to be, in His relation to a sinful world, and the Church as well as to individual believers, the infinite Source of hope and a new, holy life.
https://apologia-truth.blogspot.com/2018/09/evidence-of-christ-moral-perfection.html
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