Forty Five Below PT.3 Notes
A PERSONAL PROFILE OF GOD Pt. 2
· When we try to describe what God looks like, there's a word that comes to mind and that’s the word Trinity.
Definition of the word Trinity: Within the unity of the Godhead, (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) there are three co-equal, co-eternal persons, equal in substance, but distinct in subsistence..(or their existence). There's one God, made up of three distinct persons...
C.S. Lewis said: "God Himself, has told us how were to talk about Him."
What the scripture is quick to point out is: There is one God, but yet at the same time the Father is called God, the Son is called God and the Holy Spirit is called God... Each one are distinct and separate beings, but yet one God!
· There are many clues in the Old Testament of God’s triune nature.
Gen 1:1 the word "God" is plural... In Gen 1:26, "let us make man"...
Gen 11:7 " Let us go down and there confuse their language."
UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH OF GOD'S TRINITY.
We can know what light is, without fully understanding waves and particles or the Quantum theory - In that same way, we can know about God is, without hearing about or fully understanding the doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity isn't found in just one verse of the Bible. It's the end result of a long process of thinking about the way that God is present and active in his world.
Chasies Ryrie: "Maybe "Tri-unity" would be a better word.”
St. Patrick's used the picture of the three-leafed shamrock to identify the Trinity. Others have used water. For example, under pressure, and in a vacuum, at a given temperature below freezing, exists simultaneously as both liquid, gas, and ice; yet it's always identifiable as water (H20), its basic nature. In physics this is called “the triple point of water.”
Apologists Dr. Walter Martin: "So those who cry 'impossible' where the Trinity of God, or a similar events of the supernatural are concerned--must compare its chemical counterparts in the natural world." (There are many things that we can see, and can’t really understand) God always exists simultaneously as Father, Son, and Spirit...and yet as one God.
Martin Luther: "It is God who handles us, and not we who handle God."
THE TRUTH OF THE TRINITY GROWS OUT OF OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT...
I: God is one. Three persons, but yet one God. (I Kings 5:15, Ps. 86:8, Hos. 13:4,
John 17:3, 1 Tim. 2:5)
"The LORD our God, the LORD is one." Deut.6:4 (NIV)
"I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me." Isa. 46:9 (NIV)
SECONDLY: The Father, the Son, and the are all called God.
First of all: The FATHER is God.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 1:7 (NIV)
JESUS is called God. “Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!” John 20:28 (NIV)
God called Jesus God.
"8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” Heb. 1:8-9 (NKJ)
The SPIRIT is called God.
“No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
1 Cor. 2:11 (NCV)
THIRDLY: Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct from one another. The Godhead is not one person wearing three hats, or taking on three different roles.
· Jesus is distinct from the Father. (Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17).
· The Spirit is distinct from the Father
(John 14:26).
Conclusion: GOD IS ONE IN BEING, BUT HE EXISTS IN THREE PERSONS. This is where you get the term Trinity, that has been taught for 2000 years.
B. Now there are some GLIMPSES OF THE TRINITY in the Old Testament.
· There are 4 places God speaks of Himself as “we” in the Old Testament. (Gen. 1:26, 3:22, 11:7, Isa. 6:8)
· All three were involved in Creation (The Spirit -Gen. 1:2, The Father -Heb.1:2, and the Son Col. 1:16).
· We are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit... (Notice; name, not names.)
"19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matt. 28:19 (NKJ)
· All three at Jesus' baptism
(Mark 1:10-11)
· At Jesus' birth announcement.
(Luke 1:35)
· All three involved in the Jesus' resurrection.
" 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it
up.” John 2:19 (NKJ)
· The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead.
" 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Rom 8:11 (NKJ)
· The Father raised the Son from the dead.
" 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” Acts 3:26 (NKJ)
· Paul's prayer in 2 Cor. 13 reveals the Trinity:
"14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." 2 Cor. 13:14 (NKJ)
· Jesus prays to the Father for the Holy Spirit to be a part of our lives.
" 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17 (NKJ)
Key Personal Perspectives
Question... Why is this important?
Theologically: The Trinity prevents us from adopting inadequate views of God. It prevents us from seeing Jesus and the Spirit as less than God, It prevents us from seeing Jesus and the Father, as exactly the same, rather than distinct persons. It prevents us from believing that these three are three gods, rather than just one. And not only does it help us theologically, but it understanding this also help us Personally!
Personally: The Trinity is a reminder of the majesty and mystery of the God, who gave Himself for us on the cross.
So you trust the truth of the Trinity: When you ask for salvation
The Spirit convicts - (Jn. 16:9-11)
The Son sacrifices - (Heb. 10:10)
The Father gives - (John 3:16).
If Jesus wasn't God, His sacrifice on the cross would be meaningless for us. Only God can remove sin.
* Every time you pray
The Spirit communicates - (Rom. 8:26)
Jesus intercedes - (Rom. 8:34)
The Father answers - (John 16:23-24).
II. GOD IS REVEALED
(Isa 65:1, Jer. 24:7, Ps. 98:2, Rom 10:20).
" 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." 1 Cor. 1:18-21 (NKJ)
· The bible says, Jesus came to give us understanding...
"20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20 (NKJ)
· Jesus choose to reveal the Father to us:
"27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Matt. 11:27 (NKJ)
· The clearest revelation of Him is Jesus Christ.
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." Heb. 1:1-3 (NKJ)
· God revealed Himself through Prophets.
"Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7 (NKJ)
· In New Testament times, God reveals himself through His Son.
" 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." John 1:18 (NKJ)
"8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." John 14:8-11 (NKJ
III. GOD IS RELATIONAL
The popular idea is... God is distant.
The real truth is... God is near. (Deut. 4:7)
"7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You."
Ps. 139:7-12 (NKJ)
The popular idea is... God watches over all our actions.
The real truth is... God is intimately involved every detail of our lives. You couldn't live or breathe without the assistance of God. (Matt. 6:25-30).
The popular idea is...God is anxiously waiting to judge those who do wrong.
The real truth is...God is waiting for everyone to wake up to the fact that they're forgiven in Christ.
"4 ...who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth." I Tim. 2:4 (NKJ)
Four Characteristics of God:
1. God's Immanence: God is near.
2. God's Omnipresence: God is everywhere (Omni = all + present).
3. God's Omniscience: God knows everything (Omni = all + scient = knowing).
4. God's Omnipotence: God is all mighty (all + potent).
· God is first and foremost the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but He’s also our Father. We're His offspring.
(Matt. 3:17, John 5:17-23)
· Even though we are all Gods offspring
God isn't the Father of us all (Acts 17:29),
(John 8:42-47)
· God's only the personal Father of those who believe in Christ.
(Gal. 3:26, John 20:17).
2. How does God relates to us as a “perfect Father?”
1. Our Father made sacrifices. He sent the Son into the world to die as our Savior
(John 3:16, 5:37, 1 John 4:14).
2. Our Father has compassion and loves on His children (Ps. 103:13, 2 Cor.1:3).
3. Our Father guides His children (Prov. 3:12).
4. Our Father knows our needs before we ask (Matt. 6:8, Matt. 7:9-1 1) ...
5. Our Father rewards us. (Matt. 6:19, Heb. 11:6).
6. Our Father made us His heirs. (Rom. 8:15)
7. Our Father encourages us (2 Thess. 2:16).
8. Our Father shows no favoritism among His children.
· He gives access to all equally
(Eph. 2:18).
· He blesses all richly
(Rom. 10:12).
· He judges each person impartially
(I Peter 1:17).
· Now how do we get to know this Father? Jesus told us, "He who has seen me, has seen the Father (John 14:8-9).
Key Personal Perspectives
Now some people may have a hard time thinking of God as a "father," because of the role model of a father they had, as they were growing up. However, a breakthrough might occur as you begin to see God as the father you never had, to see God as the Father, that fulfills what your father never did.