sunday seminary - trinity - 09022012

7/31/2019 Sunday Seminary - TRINITY - 09022012

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Q6: Are there more Gods than one?

A: There is but one only,

the living and true God.

Q7: How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A: There are three persons in the Godhead:

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

and these three are one God,

the same in substance,

equal in power and glory.


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Definition/Foundations Summary/Scriptural Basis

History/Heresies

Distinctions in the Godhead

Application


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...let me ask of my reader, wherever, alike withmyself, he is certain, there to go on with me;wherever, alike with myself, he hesitates,

there to join with me in inquiring; wherever herecognizes himself to be in error, there toreturn to me; wherever he recognizes me tobe so, there to call me back: so that we mayenter together upon the path of charity, and

advance towards Him of whom it is said,"Seek His face evermore." [Psalm 105:4] AndI would make this pious and safeagreement,... [with] those which inquire into

the unity of the Trinity, of the Father and theSon and the Holy Spirit; because in no othersubject is error more dangerous, or inquirymore laborious, or the discovery of truth moreprofitable.

- Augustine of Hippo, On the Trinity, 400A.D.


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Here, indeed, if anywhere in the secret mysteriesof Scripture, we ought to play the philosophersoberly and with great moderation; let us usegreat caution that neither our thoughts nor our

speech go beyond the limits to which the Word ofGod itself extends. For how can the human mindmeasure off the measureless essence of Godaccording to its own little measure, a mind as yetunable to establish for certain the nature of the

sun's body, though men's eyes daily gaze uponit? Indeed, how can the mind by its own leadingcome to search out God's essence when itcannot even get to its own? Let us then willinglyleave to God the knowledge of himself... he isthe one fit witness to himself, and is not knownexcept through himself. But we shall be 'leavingit to him' if we conceive him to be as he revealshimself to us, without inquiring about him

elsewhere than from his Word.- John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1536


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Col. 2:2-3 - ...[attain] to all the wealth that comesfrom the full assurance of understanding, resulting ina true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, ChristHimself, in whom are hidden all the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge.

2 Pet. 3:18 - ...grow in the grace & knowledge of ourLord and Savior Jesus Christ...

Matt. 22:37 - '...LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD

WITH ALL YOUR HEART, & WITH ALL YOURSOUL, & WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

John 4:23 - ...worship the Father in spirit & truth; for

such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.


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The single greatest reason peoplestruggle with the doctrine of theTrinity is miscommunication. It is

very rare that anyone actuallyargues or debates about the realdoctrine of the Trinity. Mostarguments that take place at the

door, or over coffee, or at theworkplace involve two or morepeople fighting vigorously over twoor more misrepresentations of the

doctrine itself. It is no wonder somany encounters create far moreheat than they do light.

- James White, The Forgotten Trinity, 1998


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Definition/Foundations

Language Issues

Defining Terms

Inadequate Language Itself


9/18

Isa. 40:18 - To whom then will you liken God?

Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

Isa. 40:25 - 'To whom then will you liken MeThat I would be his equal?' says the Holy One.


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Q6: Are there more Gods than one?

A: There is but one only,

the living and true God.

Q7: How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A: There are three persons in the Godhead:

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

and these three are one God,

the same in substance,

equal in power and glory.


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Summary/Scriptural Basis

Three foundations which summarize

the Biblical teaching

1. Monotheism: There is only one God

2. God is three persons

3. Each person is fully God

(coequal and coeternal)


12/18

These three foundations not only provide thegrounds upon which the Trinity is based, theyexplain to us why Christians who accept all of the

Bible believe this doctrine. This is very important.Often the discussions Christians have with othersabout the Trinity flounder and go in circles becausewe do not identify these three truths as biblical

teachings. When someone says, How can youclaim to only believe the Bible, when you useterms like `Trinity' that don't appear in the Bible?we must be quick to point out that we are forced to

do so by the teaching of the Bible itself on thesethree points. Every error and heresy on thisdoctrine will find its origin in a denial of one ormore of these truths.

- James White, The Forgotten Trinity, 1998


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Deut. 6:4 - Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God,the LORD is one!

Deut. 32:39 - See now that I, I am He, And thereis no god besides Me...

2 Sam. 7:22 - For this reason You are great, OLord GOD; for there is none like You, and there

is no God besides You, according to all that wehave heard with our ears.

2 Sam. 22:32 - For who is God, besides the

LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?

Monotheism: There Is Only One God


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Isa. 44:6-8 - Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel andhis Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:'I am the first and I am the last,

And there is no God besides Me.Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;

Yes, let him recount it to Me in order,From the time that I established the ancient nation.

And let them declare to themthe things that are comingAnd the events that are going to take place.

Do not tremble and do not be afraid;Have I not long since announced it to you

and declared it?And you are My witnessesIs there any God besides Me,Or is there any other Rock?

I know of none.'


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John 5:44 - ...the one and only God

John 17:3 - ...the only true God

1 Cor. 8:6 - ...there is but one God...

Gal. 3:20 - ...God is only one.

1 Tim. 1:17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.Amen.

James 2:19 - You believe that God is one You do well; thedemons also believe, and shudder.

1 Tim. 2:5 - For there is one God...


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sunday seminary - trinity - 09022012

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