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I John 5:7 declares: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (Memorize for test). There
are four things that are clearly taught in this verse: (1) The Father is God. (2) The Word
(Jesus Christ) is God when compared to John 1:1. (3) The Holy Ghost or Spirit is God
when compared with Acts 5:3-4. (4) That the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are essentially
one God, a trinity in unity. The Trinity is a revealed doctrine of the Word of God which
can be clearly proven from the Scriptures. Yet at the same time the doctrine of the Trinity
is a definite mystery which is hard to comprehend with our finite mind. It is said that on
one occasion Daniel Webster and a friend listened to a sermon upon the Trinity. As they
walked home from church the friend said: “Mr. Webster is not that doctrine a
mathematical impossibility?” Mr. Webster replied: “According to the mathematics of
earth it seems to be; but I’m not thoroughly acquainted with the mathematics of Heaven.”
The Trinity, like every other doctrine of the Word of God, must be received by faith. J.M.
Pendleton wrote: “In contemplating the doctrine of the Trinity as an unspeakable mystery
we must ever guard against looking on it as a profitless speculation, without practical
influence. The very fact that the subject is so far above our comprehension should inspire
us with reverential modesty and humility. The highest flights of reason cannot reach it,
yet the doctrine is among ‘the true sayings of God.’ Alas, how little we know! God is
infinite, we are finite, and can know but little of Him and the mode of His existence.
Where we cannot understand, let us wonder and adore.”
A. A.H. Strong wrote: “In the nature of the one God there are three eternal
distinctions which are represented to us under the figure of persons, and these
three are equal.”
B. The first real defender of the Trinity was Athanasius who fought against the Arian
heresy of his day. Athanasius defined the Trinity thusly: “We worship one God in
trinity and trinity in unity, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the
substance. We worship one God. We are monotheists and that one God in three
persons.
C. Thomas Watson the Puritan wrote the following in his Body of Divinity: “God is
but one, yet are there three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead. This is a
sacred mystery, which the light within man could never have discovered. As the
two natures in Christ, yet but one person, is a wonder; so three persons, yet but
one Godhead. Here is a great deep. The Father God, the Son God, the Holy Spirit
god,; yet not three gods, but one God. The three persons in the blessed Trinity are
distinguished, but not divided; three substances, but one essence. Our narrow
thoughts can no more comprehend the Trinity in unity, than a nutshell will hold
all the water in the sea.”
D. Abstract principles of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary formulated in
1858 states in Article Three concerning the Trinity: “God is revealed to us as
Father, Son, and holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without
division of nature, essence, or being.” (Know definitions A and D for test).
a) He is expressly called God in John 1:1, Romans 9:5; I Timothy 3:15; and I
John 5:20
b) Old Testament passages referring to God are applied in the New Testament to
the Son. Matt. 3:3 alluding to isa. 40:3; John 12:41 alluding to Isa 6:1. Also
compare Isa. 42:8 with John 17:2 and Isa. 9:6-7 with Rev. 1:8.
c) The Son possesses the attributes of God.
Eternity: John 1:1; Omnipresence: Matt. 28:20 and Eph. 1:23; Omniscience: Matt.
9:4; John 2:24-25; 16:30; I Cor. 4:5; and Col. 2:3; Omnipotence: Matt. 28:18; Rev.
1:8; Self existence: John 5:26; Immutability: Heb. 13:8; Truth: John 14:6; Love: I
John 3:16; Holiness: Luke 1:35; John 6:39; Heb. 7:26
d) The works of God are ascribed to the Son.
Creation: John 1:3; I Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:10.
e) Jesus Christ receives honor and worship that is due to god alone.
1) The Father and Son are to receive equal honor (John 5:23).
2) The Son is Worshipped and exalted as God (John 20:28 where Thomas
recognizes Christ as God; and Heb. 1:6-8 where the Father exalts the Son
as God).
3) Glory is ascribed to Christ as God (I Cor. 11:24-25; II pet. 3:18).
f) Jesus is declared to be the express image of God (John 14:7; II Cor. 4:4&6;
Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3).
g) Those who deny the essential deity of Christ are to be marked as having the
spirit of antichrist (I John 2:22; II John 7-9).