"TRINITARIANS"

Dr. Glen A. Thorp June 19, 2011
Romans 8:15-17, Isaiah 6:1-8 (Trinity Sunday)
(All Rights Reserved)

TRINITARIANS:
(“Worshiping One God, not Three”)

INTRODUCTION: Christians are often accused of being tri-theists
by Muslims and Jews. We are not. We are Trinitarians.
Today, Trinity Sunday in the Christian calendar, I am going to try explaining the concept and implications of believing in a Triune God.

“The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the deepest and most sacred in the Christian system.”* Yet it is one of the most confusing of Christian doctrines.

The term “Trinity” came from man (Tertullian, 220 AD) and
not expressed in a creed until the Council of Nicea (325 AD)
from which came the first Christian Creed: “Nicean Creed.”

The Triune Nature of God is NOT a human invention.
Nor is the term “Trinity” simply a metaphysical attempt of describing God.

Both the unity and tri-unity of God are revealed in Scripture.
“Reason shows unity of God; only Revelation shows Trinity of God.”+
Although the term “Trinity” is not found in Scripture,
the concept definitely is Biblical.

The term “trinity” designates Facts that help us better understand the Implications of what God has revealed about God’s self to us.

The First Fact is: There is but One God.

We do not believe in three Gods. Along with Muslims and Jews we affirm the powerful phrase in Deuteronomy 6:4
"The Lord our God is One Lord."
“In the midst of the most seductive forms of polytheism, it was necessary that the Israelites be thoroughly instructed in divine unity.”*
St. Patrick of Ireland used a Shamrock, 3 leaf clover in explaining the Trinity. Three leaves yet one clover. By the way that is why all those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day wearing green and Shamrocks.
I wonder how many realize they are affirming their belief in the Trinity.

The first and foundational on the Ten Commandments was
You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
I could list many other Scripture stating there is but One God.

The Second Fact is: God is Revealed in Three Ways.

From the first verse of the Bible:
"In the beginning God ... Elohim-the Hebrew word for God is plural
created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:26 states:
"God ... Elohim, said:
'Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness." In Genesis 3:22:
The Lord said, this man has become like one of us. Isaiah 6:8:
"The Lord said: Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?"

Even the sacred phrase for Jews, Muslims and Christians:
"The Lord, Elohim (Our Gods) is One Lord."

When Jews and Muslims are asked to explain these verses, their response is: “this is a council in Heaven of which God is the Moderator.”
Jews acknowledge God’s Spirit came upon prophets and priests, but will not say the Spirit is God. Numbers 11:24-24 tells of God’s Spirit being given to seventy elders who had be chosen to assist Moses.
"The Lord took of the Spirit that was on him (Moses)
and put the Spirit on the seventy elders." (11:25)

Though there is but One God, God is revealed in the Three Ways.
The Greek word hypostasis means “substance” and became the technical term explaining that God is One revealed in Three Ways.

A. The Father is recognized as God.

For the Jews and Muslims this is no problem.
Many Scriptures affirm the Father as God. Two:
John 6:27 "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

I Peter 1:2 "Peter as apostle of Jesus Christ ... chosen and destined by God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit for the obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood."

The Lord’s Prayer begins: "Our Father in Heaven ..."

For us to address God as Father is a privilege given by Jesus.

B. The Son, Jesus Christ, is recognized as God.

This is what separates Christians from Jews, Muslims and every other religion. Each acknowledges Jesus was a great prophet who lived a exemplary life. But saying that Jesus born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth and crucified in Jerusalem was God is blasphemy. This is the accusation that ultimately lead to Jesus’ death. Again there are many
Scriptures declaring Jesus was God. Two:

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, (Greek is Logos) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

This chapter and the Gospel affirm that the Word was Jesus.

John 20:28 One of Jesus’ resurrection appearances was to the
Apostle Thomas, who did not believe Jesus was alive. Jesus said:
"Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop doubting and believe." Notice Thomas’s response:
"My Lord and My God!"

While Jesus was on earth he prayed to the Father:
"I do what the Father tells me to do."
How can God be in two places at once?
We say God is omnipresent,God can be in all places at once.
(Try Comprehending one God being both on earth in a physical human form and yet be transcendent, not bound by earth’s restrictions.)

There are many who say Jesus was a Son of God, just like you and I are Children of God. That is Not What Scripture says. It was against that heresy the Council of Nicea met and drafted what we call the Necean Creed.
(Read the Creed at the end of this meditation**) Notice that Jesus is
described as Substance that is the Greek word: hypostasis.

In Jesus, God revealed God’s self to us.
In Jesus, we who were separated from God by sin were
brought to God through our faith in Jesus, his dying on
a cross and resurrection from the dead. From John and
other Scriptures we read Jesus was present at creation.
We believe that God revealed as the Son is Elohim.

C. The Holy Spirit is recognized as God,

Jesus says to his disciples: (John 14:16)
"I will never leave you or forsake you.
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor."

Last Sunday we studied Pentecost, time when the promised Counselor,
the Holy Spirit, came and permanently dwelt among Jesus’ followers.
It was the Holy Spirit’s presence who enabled the disciples to boldly speak about Jesus. Two Scriptures: First Peter’s response to Ananias & Saphiria.

Read Acts 5:1-12 to understand who they were and why Peter said the following:

"How is that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself of the money you received for the land. 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." (Acts 5:3-4)

Notice how the Holy Spirit is God.

I Corinthians 3:16:
"Don’t you know that you yourselves
are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?"

Throughout the New and Old Testaments the Spirit of God,
the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, the Guide and other
names given to that manifestation of God, is God.

That is why we Christians believe that though God is One,
God is also Triune. Bringing together these two diametrically opposed opinions was the struggle of the early Christian Community, which developed the term Trinity.

Reading the Scriptures: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are interchangeable. Each has a particular function. Each in interconnected with the other. Father is primarily revealed as Creator,
Son is primarily revealed as Redeemer and
Holy Spirit is primarily revealed as Enabler.

An illustration: The Formula H2O = Water. Combining 2 molecules (hypostasis) of Hydrogen and 1 molecule of Oxygen results in water.
It is liquid and can be swallowed. Same liquid cooled to at least 32*F results in a solid object. Still H2O - different form.
Heat that solid and it becomes liquid and then steam vapor.
That same H2O can be taken to different locations and used in the three forms all at once.

Any analogy trying to illustrate the Trinity is difficult and falls short of explaining the different ways God has revealed God’s self to humanity.

Some of you are asking: “What difference does it make whether we believe in a triune God?” or “I don’t understand the Trinity but I am willing to accept that God is revealed in Three Ways in Scripture.”

There are Three Implications for us.

1. Understanding that we may be accused of worshiping more than one God.

We do Not Worship Three Gods, Only One.
Some say God is ultimate. Jesus is subservient and
the Holy Spirit is at the bottom of the authority grid.

That is Not what Scripture says.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all equal. They are God.

2. God did not create us because it was necessary for God to have relationships. God already had relationships, Elohim.
Elohim wants a relationship with humanity,
but not because God was lonely. God created humanity out of love.

3. God is not restricted to a transcendent state, that is God is not just in Heaven, God the Holy Spirit dwells with us in this 21st century.
God’s presence is God’s Spirit.
We serve God enabled and empowered by The Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God joins with our spirit testifying that we are God’s children; and if God’s children, then heirs.

"The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
We are God’s heirs and Christ’s fellow-heirs." (Rom. 8:16-17)

CONCLUSION: Trinity is Not a human invention.
It is an aspect of God revealed in Scripture.
As Trinitarians we “believe in a God who is revealed in three different ways.” Each of the Elohim has a particular relationship to us, as God’s children. Each brings a depth of relationship that would not be present if we had only one aspect of God revealed to us.

God may be called Father, Son or Holy Spirit.
Each posses all the substance and all the attributes of the deity.
God is not: Three and One, but Three in One.

The Trinity is not a partnership in which each member can sign for the name of the firm; this is unity of council and operation only (Synchronicity) not essence. God’s nature is not an abstract but an organic unity.

Footnotes: * H. Orton Wiley, Christian Theology, Vol. 1
(Beacon Hill Press: Kansas City, 1969. 393, 395)

+ Augustus H. Strong, Systematic Theology.
(The Judson Press: Valley Forge, 1907, 1967. 304)

The Nicene Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life;
who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.