Pdf the historical development of the doctrine of trinity. It is the doctrine that there is only one god, not three, and that the one god exists in three persons. There will be a presupposition that god is knowable, yet not discoverable by human reason. The doctrine of the trinity recognizes that god is one god, coexisting in three distinct persons of the father, son and holy spirit. This provides historical and theological accounting, but ends with an important chapter on living in the trinity, for we know god as trinity in god s work of salvation in christ through the holy spirit. Representing god as one, the scriptures also as cribe divinity to father, son and holy spirit. The trinity is one of mainstream christianitys most widely accepted and revered doctrines. The three persons of god offer us a model of community, purpose, and love. What is this, they urge, if not an appearance of, or even a triple temporary incarnation of the three persons within gods nature. If the doctrine of the trinity is true, then those who deny it do not worship the god of the scriptures.
Sproul gives a sweeping overview of this important doctrine, explaining difficult concepts, exploring biblical teaching, and defining what the term mystery means. Although the word trinity is not found in the bible neither is the word incarnation, the teaching it describes is clearly found there. Box 8500, charlotte, nc 28271 phone 704 8878200 and fax 704 8878299 1 statement dt160 the biblical basis of the doctrine of the trinity i. God in trinity chapter 3 of the mystical theology of the eastern church st. The apophaticism characteristic of the theologicai thought of the eastern church is not an impersonal mysticism, an experience of the absolute divine nothingness in which both the. Oct 26, 2012 if god were simply one person, he could not be love. The trinity and humanity an extract from tim chester, delighting in the trinity monarch, 2005 we were made in the image of the triune god. The catechism of the catholic church tells us, the mystery of the holy trinity is the central mystery of the christian faith and of the christian life. Theology refers to the mystery of gods inmost life within the blessed trinity and economy. To say that god exists as a trinity does not mean there are three gods, or that one god merely manifests himself as either father, son, or holy spirit on various occasions.
Every christian needs to understand that statement. The intellectual triunity of god joel parkinson the doctrine of the trinity is essential to the orthodox christian faith. Every significant concept in this statement god, exists, as or in, equally divine, person has been variously understood. We are made in gods image, created to live in relationship. Trinity history of trinitarian doctrines stanford encyclopedia of.
Briefly defined, the doctrine of the trinity stands for the concept that god eternally exists as three persons, father, son and holy spirit, and each person is fully god, and there is one god. In his second letter to the corinthians, he bids farewell to them. This study will focus upon the first person of the trinity, god the father. The trinity is the teaching that god is one in essence, yet three in person. Because we know god in terms of persons, who are in relationship, our faith should be relational and egalitarian. But none of these is divorced from the origin from which it derives its own properties. The trinity is the manner in which catholics believe god is revealed to the world. The grace of the lord jesus christ, and the love of god, and the fellowship of the holy spirit, be with you all 2 cor. The lie that made god a mystery one god, three persons. These two express declarations which go beyond the witness of the bible are the twofold content of the church doctrine of the trinity emphasis added. Neither the word trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the new testament, nor did jesus and his followers intend to contradict the shema in the old testament. The trinitythe trinity t he complex doctrine of the trinity is so sim ply wonderful and wonderfully simple as to demand a divine origin. And god seeks people to worship him in spirit and truth john 4. The trinity in the old testament page 3even in sexual union, a man and a woman are still two distinct people.
Practices for living in light of eternity intervarsity press. Thus the trinity derives from the father by continuous and connected steps. This guide is a practical companion to life in the presence of god. Introduction in this chapter we shall attempt to set forth in as clear language as possible the basic truths which the church holds concerning the doctrine of the trinity. This passage offers a paradigm statement of the orthodox understanding of the trinity. Learn more about the history and evolution of the doctrine. In the work of redemption and salvation, the three persons have different roles or functions. Catherine mowry lacugnas contribution to trinitarian theology. As the second person of the trinity, christ is god and sovereign, but as the godman who died for our sins and was raised from the dead, he is the preeminent head of the body of christ, the church. Pdf the doctrine of the trinity paigepatric j d samuels. Therefore, the doctrine of the trinity is arrived at by looking at the whole of scripture, not in a single verse.
Yet a proper understanding of this doctrine is essential to the health and welfare of the church. By the trinity is meant the unity of three persons in one godhead. The trinity is god, and if we could fully understand him, he would not be much of a god. We shall first present the scripture evidence on which the doctrine rests and then we shall present the credal statements. The bible does not teach polytheism, which says that there are three separate gods called the father, son and holy spirit. To understand more fully what god is like is a way of honoring god. The trinity sets the limits on human speculation about the nature of god. God the father, god the son, and god the holy spirit. The father is god, the son is god, and the holy spirit is godbut there is only one god. In our material existence, the concept that god is one god, yet exists as three distinct persons, is foreign to us. The intellectual triunity of god trinity foundation.
Trinitarian thought pervades the new testament and is presupposed in the central doctrines of the incarnation luke 1. As the second person of the trinity, christ is god and sovereign, but as the god man who died for our sins and was raised from the dead, he is the preeminent head of the body of christ, the church. Understanding the trinity also helps us better understand who god created us to be. According to the catechism of the catholic church, the fathers of the church distinguish between theology theologia and economy oikonomia. In the good god, michael reeves writes about growing in our enjoyment of god and seeing how gods triune being makes all. Just as there is both unity and plurality in god, so communal identity should not suppress individual identity and individual identity should not neglect. Unfortunately, many who claim to be christians agree with your approach, rejecting doctrines because they cannot fully understand or explain them. While the core aspects of the trinity are clearly presented in gods word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear. If you get a plural word somewhere for god elohim, we cannot rush up to three.
Thus, the father is god, the son is god, and the holy spirit is god. The belief that god is three persons coexisting in one being or substance, as the doctrine is often defined, is held by millions of catholics, protestants and orthodox believers alike. Trying to deal with the issue of the trinity apart from monotheism add up to the difficulty of understanding of the whole issue. The doctrine of the trinity is not merely speculation, but lies at the root of every mans. Historical background of the trinity 4 the complete word study old testament 1994 to the jew, deut. The doctrine of the trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the entire history of the christian church. Understanding the biblical doctrine of the trinity godhead. The trinity 69 protecting the oneness of god we must make sure we protect the concept of the oneness of god by being careful with the terms that we use to describe the trinity. He instructs us that there is a kind of trinity discernible in man, who is the image of god, viz. God uses threeinone design extensively throughout his creation. Jan 23, 2006 the trinity is first of all important because god is important. God is more than the trinity, but he is not less than that. Moses is teaching not only the priority of belief in one god, but also a means to preserve. Trinity means functioning simultaneously in three different ways.
But we already know from gods word that at his core god is love. It is a way of acknowledging what the bible reveals to us about god, that god is yet three persons who have the same essence of deity. Millions of professing christians believe in, speak of and week ly sing about god as a trinityfather, son and holy spirit. It is used to summarize the teaching of scripture that god is three persons yet one god. Anu was the primary god of heaven, the father, and the king of the gods. It is asaph, not the lord, who calls the judges elohim in psa. Trinity, in christian doctrine, the unity of father, son, and holy spirit as three persons in one godhead. The lie that made god a mystery what many believe the christian religion in its three classic forms of roman catholicism, eastern orthodoxy, and protestantism acknowledges one god in three persons. Jul 16, 2008 the church father tertullian ad 155220 was the first to use the word trinity in an effort to summarize a great amount of biblical truth. Representing god as one, the scriptures also ascribe divinity to father, son and holy spirit. And why have so many great christians throughout church history fought so tenaciously in defending it. The unconditional covenant in contemporary debate pdf one of the gravest threats to the reformed churches since the synod of dordt is the contemporary denial of justification by faith alone.
Hagensick the rabbi s deep voice echoes through the dusk, hear, o israel. It has been, is, and forever will be an indisputable. It should be noted that the word trinity is never given in the bible. Understanding the biblical doctrine of the trinity. Doctrine of god the father trinity reformed baptist church. The biblical basis of the doctrine of the trinity by robert. Enlil, the wind god was the god of the earth, and a creator god. Many of us, when asked about the trinity, unknowingly offer heretical answers.
There is so much we would like to know about god, but our finite minds cannot comprehend it. The work each member of the trinity is involved in is also very complicated. Trinity is a clear view of the one god, as we will see later. The doctrine of god the father the person and work of the first person of the trinity trinity baptist church discipleship training november, 2004 introduction. The persons of the trinity are the father, the son, and the holy spirit. May the grace of the lord jesus, and the love of god, and the fellowship of the. So, moses was not making the point that jehovah god is a single god, although christians do believe in one god. In fact, the god of the bible is never described as being part of a trinity. In a very accessible way michael reeves writes about god as trinity in order for both our understanding and faith to grow. The church father tertullian ad 155220 was the first to use the word trinity in an effort to summarize a great amount of biblical truth. The traditional christian doctrine of the trinity is commonly expressed as the statement that the one god exists as or in three equally divine persons, the father, the son, and the holy spirit. It is simple to say, yet the explanation has evaded man since the subject was undertaken for study. However, the doctrine of the godhead trinity is without questions revealed in gods word.
The apophaticism characteristic of the theologicai thought of the eastern church is not an impersonal mysticism, an experience of the absolute divine nothingness in. Why does the doctrine of the trinity matter to us today. Trny pdf with over 300 bible verses, oppenheimers trinity book will serve as both a standard and a witnessing tool in understanding the triune nature of god from a biblical perspective. Further, we should allow the fact that god is triune to deepen our worship. Doctrine of the trinity biblical research institute. B the biblical witness to the trinity arises from the dual statements that god is one deut 6. This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true god. Briefly defined, the doctrine of the trinity stands for the concept that god eternally exists as three persons, father, son and holy spirit, and each person is. The problem why should my words, i love the trinity, sound strange to anyone. This small book is not a theological research in the traditional sense. God the father planned the redemption and sent god the son into the world to carry out the plan of redemption. We cannot explain the how of the trinity only the fact of it. What ryrie is ar see how god could be genu guing in a roundabout way, inely personal or be without. God the holy spirit was active in crea tion, brooding over the face of the waters genesis 1.
This booklet examines this heresy in light of its claim that it is grounded in the truth of the covenant. The trinity in creation inspiration and the trinity the trinity and. Feel free to adapt or try a different exercise within the same category. I am passionate about the trinity, because i love god, and i am bound to the revelation of scripture. If it is false, the trinitarians, by paying divine honor to the son and to the holy spirit, are equally guilty of idolatry. However, the doctrine of the godhead trinity is without questions revealed in god s word. As it makes clear, the doctrine requires not only that god exists in three persons, but that each of the following is true as well.
It is about the meaning of the holy trinity in terms of how god reveals himself to. To say that god exists as a trinity does not mean there are three gods, or that one god merely manifests himself as. Karl barth admits that the bible nowhere states that the father, the son. You, whose name is jehovah, you alone are the most high over all the earth.
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