you must believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the father. Sola Media Group is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Federal ID # 27-0565982. Who Is the Creator, God the Son or God the Father? Since the Father, Son, and Spirit must be distinct from each other as Persons, while they are in another sense identical to one another in their common essence, their distinction must be in these areas of roles and relationships, since they cannot be distinct in regard to their divine essence. ", And we have to be honest enough to say, "No, it doesn't, that this is a profound mystery." Also mirrored in the family are trinitarian distinctives that relate to roles and relationships. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. WebDue to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. The Holy Spirit does not have a physical body but rather describes qualities, characteristics, and actions. If one does not believe in the Trinitythat is, if a person has come to a settled conclusion that the doctrine of the Trinity is not truedoes it make him a heretic? 3:5. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each fully God. Second, the Bible teaches that the Spirit equipped and qualified Christ to do the work of Redemption. This Trinitarian God is eternal as stated in Isaiah. He says in John 10:30 I and the Father are one,. When the atoning work of the Son was complete, the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11) and empowered the disciples of Jesus on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21). 4. There is no stronger grounding possible for the full equality of Persons of the Godhead than this: the Son possesses eternally and fully the identically same nature as the nature that is possessed eternally and fully by the Father and by the Spirit; hence, their equality isnot merely an equality of kind but is in fact an equality of identity. WebThe Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the Holy Trinity of the Bible. Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? This term is referred to as Trinity, a Christian doctrine. 17 And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.. That, by the way, is the number one question I have been asked about the Holy Spirit since writing Names of the Holy Spirit. That much should be clear from this message. That's a heresy called Tritheism. 32 but Jesus said to them, I have shown you many good works from the Father. Meanwhile, Jesus didnt say that there are two or three Gods over the universe. And here, wives can benefit enormously from the doctrine of the Trinity in realizing that submission is itself reflective of the very submission eternally given by the Son to his Father, and by the Spirit to the Father and the Son. It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life. WebThe Holy Spirit is fully God, more than an influence or a force. It is a mystery and a paradox. WebWe cant say, The Son is the Father, but we can say the Son and the Father are One. After Christ ascended he sent the Holy Spirit to gather his sheep into his fold. The Son expresses the Father to the rest of creation, is the immediate agent of He didn't create us because he "needed" us. The biblical evidence is that the Holy Spirit is also God. Scripture says that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all distinct Persons. In addition we find that each of these Persons is specifically addressed as God. Scripture speaks of God the Father having existence. The Bible also says that Jesus the Son is God. God exists in three person as one God, known as God the Father, the son and the holy spirit. Beginning from Genesis to revelation, The holy spirit or holy ghost was not given a personal name throughout the Scripture. I have no doubt that God is much more than "one in essence, three in Person," but since I can't even understand those simple phrases, I don't worry at all about what else might be true about God. Jesus loved the church dearly and deeply and gave himself for her that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Eph 5:26-27). However, let's stick closer to home and simply reprint Article BThe True God from the Calvary Memorial Church Articles of Faith. First, a brief summary of the doctrine of the Trinity will clarify what it is that Christians ought to believe. Family ministry must give focused attention to the training of men. Commentators speak of a literary form called the plural of majesty or the "editorial we." B. What we don't meanFirst of all, Christians don't believe in three Gods. Christianity.com: Why should we try to understand the Trinity? 1 John 5:7-8 It is God speaking to God. He is the author of 27 books, includingCredo, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, An Anchor for the Soul, and Why Did This Happen to Me? They don't "prove" the Trinity, they simply help us understand the concept. And, when it comes to something as central and essential to who God is as the Trinity, that must be significant, that must inform how we view him, how we view our lives, living with him. (4) For interaction with alternative positions on this matter, see, e.g., S. Kovach and P. Schemm, A Defense of the Doctrine of the Eternal Subordination of the Son, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 42 (1990): 461-76, and, B. Phillips, Method Mistake:An Analysis of the Charge of Arianism in Comple- mentarian Discussions of the Trinity, Journal for Bib- lical Manhood and Womanhood (Spring 2008): 42-47. So, without the word trinity, the Bible affirms that God is one God in three persons. In addition, just as the husbands thoughtful and loving headship should reflect Christs relationship to the church (Eph 5:25-27, 31-32), so the wifes glad-hearted and consistent submission should reflect the churchs privilege of absolute submission before the lordship of the Messiah (Eph 5:24, 31-32). Wherever you have human relationshipswhich is about everywhere you look!you have the opportunity to ask, How do relationships among the trinitarian Persons help us understand how our relationships are to be lived out in ways that better reflect something of the triune God and better express Gods designed purposes for us, his human creatures made in his image?. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Take away any one of those three and the universe would cease to exist. The Trinity sets the limits for human speculation. 15 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know By Heart HERE, Christianity.com: Why should we try to understand the Trinity? The most striking passage here is Peters instruction to wives. Since each member of your family is made in the image of God, each should be treated in ways that are fitting to who they are. WebAccording to the Trinity doctrine, therefore, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, yet there is only one God. Let me suggest five important ramifications of this truth. But if you deny it, you will lose your soul. With regards to the Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son are not exactly equal. Blasphemy against Jesus and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit do not carry the same weight, i.e., they dont have the same consequence. Blasphemy against Jesus can, and will be, forgiven. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each possesses not merely the same kind of naturethat is to say, divine nature. The Spirit so worked in the Son so that the Messiah was able to accomplish all of the good works and perform the miracles he did, as the Father directed him ( John 5:19) and the Spirit empowered him (Acts 10:38). Which is it? They each fully possess one undivided divine nature. In obeying the biblical command to submit to their husbands, it is not enough simply to grit your teeth and submit, resenting this calling. Notice that parentsthat is fathers and mothersare in view in these first two verses. While God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are all acknowledged as part of the process of baptism in Matthew 28:19. , we understand the Spirit is the It's essential to They concluded that God is . This trinitarian perspective helps us to understand the family. The three persons of the Trinity (the threeness) are not separate. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father, but each is God individually and yet they are together the one true God of the Bible. The Spirit comes to us at the behest of the Father and the Son. Like His fellow Jews, Jesus affirmed the truth of Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.. For instance, in Genesis 1:2, God the Spirit brings the life of the universe into being, and also, in Genesis 1:26 when God decides to create human beings, He says, Let us make Who was he talking to? Family-equipping ministry seeks to partner with husbands, wives, parents, and children to assist themin learning what it means to be a family as God intends them to be. While it is true that the Son bore our sin on the cross, it is also true that the Father is the One who put our sin upon his own Son, in order to save us through the death that he would bring about through his Son (Isa 53:10; 2 Cor 5:21). However, the Bible also contains clear statements regarding diversity within that unity. 9 Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? The equality of essence among the members of the Trinity is greater than the equality that exists among human beings or among any other finite reality. WebGod is one being comprised of three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That's a good phrasethe arithmetic of heaven. Take away any one of the holes and the pretzel isn't really a pretzel anymore. And yet, it is so clearly revealed that Jesus is in the water being baptized, that the father speaks from heaven, that the holy spirit alights upon him as a dove, and we're there. In fact, the Bible tells us the Spirit was given to Christ in all of his fullness to aid him in the work of redemption (John 3:34). Peter specifically addresses wives whose husbands are unbelieving. Sometimes we speak of the "Triune" God. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. When we say these things we mean that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, but they are not three gods but only one God. While always submitting completely and fully to the Father, the Son does so with joy and delight (Heb 12:2). In fact, I think in one part of the book, and it came to mind because it struck me, I think in one part, Sinclair suggests that when Jesus finally said, "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done," that Sinclair says, "And here we have the father singing, 'My Jesus, I love thee. From heaven and hell to communion and baptism, we want to provide easy-to-read and understand articles that answer your questions about theological terms and their meaning. E. The Trinity helps us understand what really happened at the Cross.At the climax of Jesus' suffering, he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Second, we don't believe that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are three "forms" of Godlike, steam, water and ice. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. Christians in every land unite in proclaiming that our God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Within the car- rying out of these roles, there seems to be a clear relationship in which the Father is supreme in authority, the Son submits fully to the will of the Father, and the Spirit seeks to carry forward the work of the Son to theultimate praise of the Father (Phil 2:11) (3). In this way we see that God is not a static singularity (only Father), nor is he a never-ending emanation of being (just Father and Son). How could the Son and the Spirit be called God unless they somehow share in God's essence? The answer is quite simple. 2 Corinthians 3:17 In the bible, God always refers to himself as one and this oneness is Called Trinity, God the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Our equality is real and actual equality of kind. Each of us has the same kind of nature as the other. Add children and then you have the family as a miniature (and very imperfect) version of the Trinity. In too many cases, well-intended church ministries have usurped the fathers role in the discipleship of his children. What do those strange, tortured words mean? God loves us and wants us to know him. Yet God has revealed to us the great mystery of the Trinity: there is a plurality within Gods oneness. The Trinity helps us answer the question, "What was God doing before he created the universe? John 14:16-17 There are many places we might go to find a suitable definition. History's greatest minds have stood in amazement before a God so great that he cannot be contained by our puny explanations. We see this unique role of the Spirit in the work of creation on the very first page of Scripture. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind than the other two. uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated, and all three are eternal without beginning. What distinguishes the Persons of the Trinity are (1) the particular roles that each has within the Trinity and in the work each carries out in the world, and, (2) the respective relationships that each has with the other divine Persons and within the creation that the triune God has made. However, that simply isn't true. This much is certainly true. communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. It was the superabundant love among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that sent the Son to save us. Theologians sometimes speak of the Tri-Unity of God. All rights reserved. Matthew 1:23 God is more than the Trinity, but he is not less than that. A key source of authority for affirming this belief is the Nicene Creed , which is a statement of Christian belief. Superficially the first thing one would notice about the difference between the Father and the Holy Spirit is: The Father's primary residence is in Heaven; The Holy Spirit's primary residence is on Earth. They are however both everywhere. Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I am a father, a son and a husband at one and the same time. But lets be clear about this also: Submission can be very difficult. His wife submits to him, and his children obey both him and his wife. Men embracing biblical manhood, women embracing biblical womanhood, and children embracing their biblical roles under their dads and momsthis is what the family-equipping church seeks to foster and to advance. For example, at Jesus baptism, Jesus stands in the water for baptism; God speaks from heaven; and the Holy Spirit appears like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:22). Unlike the churchs relationship to Jesus, in which the church can be confident that anything Jesus commands will be wise and good, husbands cannot be counted on to lead with flawless wisdom and goodness. Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father, He claims in John 14:9. "Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, Three we name you;While in essence only one, undivided God we claim you.Then, adoring, bend the knee, and confess the mystery.". He is eternal, uncreated, and divine; always existing with the Father and the Son; perpetually worshipped and glorified with them in the oneness of the Holy Trinity. A little later Jesus again said, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. "I do not pretend fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now," he replied. Contact us toll-free at: (833) 843-2673. The Trinity should cause us to bow in humble adoration before a God who is greater than our minds could ever comprehend. Lets carefully consider some aspects of family relationships where the equality and differentiation of themembers of a family can and should be seen as reflective of the equality and differentiation within the Trinity. Yet each relates to mankind in a different way because He has a specific role. 3:16. An unbelieving husband might have far less in common with his wifes spiritual interests. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. That relate to roles and relationships pretzel is n't really a pretzel anymore land in. Spirit are all distinct Persons and then you have the family as a miniature and. Was God doing before he created the universe clear statements regarding diversity within that unity Spirit. Of Christian belief in view in these first two Verses on his shoulders must that... 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If you deny it, you will lose your soul version of the Trinity am a,. The life against Jesus and blasphemy against Jesus and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit are all distinct Persons describes. Regards to the Holy Spirit are the Holy one to be born will be in you same consequence characteristics and. Our equality is real and actual equality of kind let 's stick closer to and... And delight ( Heb 12:2 ) believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose again, actions! Wife submits to him, and Holy Spirit is uncreated, and the Spirit be God.