WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT THE TRINITY

Mt. 28:19

The doctrine of the Trinity, are Tri-unity of God, is one of the most profound in the Bible.

Many deny this doctrine because of the difficulty in comprehending it. They deny the Trinity by either rejecting the Deity of Christ or the personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit.

I. THE MEANING OF THE TRINITY

A. There is one God.

1. There is but One Jehovah, who is the Living and Personal God (Deut. 6:4).

2. We are to love God with our all (Deut. 6:5; Mk. 12:29-30).

a. This commandment is first because it is the foundation of the entire law of God.

b. We are to love God and obey His commandments.

B. God manifests Himself in three personalities.

1. The term for the three persons in one is the Trinity (I Jn. 5:7).

2. The Trinity is a union of three Persons.

a. God the Father,

b. God the Son,

c. God the Holy Spirit:

- There are three Persons but one Godhead.

3. This, like the incarnation of Christ, is a great mystery.

II. THE FACT OF THE TRINITY

A. There is one God, yet three Personalities.

1. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct personalities (Mt. 3:16-17).

2. All three Personalities are recognized as God.

a. The Father is called God (Rom. 1:7).

b. The Son is called God (Heb. 1:8).

c. The Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4).

3. These three Personalities are one God.

a. Jesus spoke of being ONE with the Father (Jn. 10:30; 17:21).

- This means one in essence or nature.

b. The Lord Jesus is said to be ONE with the Spirit (II Cor. 3:17).

- Here we see three Personalities, yet one God.

B. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God.

1. The UNITY of God is emphatically taught in the Scriptures.

2. The Scriptures recognize the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as God.

3. The fact that all Three are equal is also revealed.

III. THE OFFICES OF THE TRINITY

A. Though there is equality in nature, there is voluntary subjection of One to the Other in the Trinity.

B. There is a distinction of office.

1. The Father has executive power; the Son has operative power; and the Spirit has energizing power.

2. In Creation:

a. The Father decreed creation (Gen. 1:1).

b. He created everything through the Son (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:2).

c. The Spirit supplied the power (Gen. 1:2).

3. In Redemption:

a. The Father initiated salvation, in electing us (I Pet. 1:2; Eph. 1:3-4).

b. The Son provided it through His death, burial and resurrection (Eph. 1:7).

c. The Spirit applies it to the believer (Eph. 1; 13).

CONCLUSION

1. The Trinity is purely an object of faith.

2. The only way we can pray to God the Father is in the Name of Christ and through the help of the Spirit.

3. We are to honor and obey all Persons in the Trinity.