Christian Life Church
March 20, 2024 at 7:00 pm
TOUGH TOPICS DO CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THREE GODS?
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Wednesday 6:30 PM
TOUGH TOPICS MARCH 20, 2024
DO CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THREE GODS?
SCRIPTURE
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Shema / Mezuzah
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4
Singular / Yahweh + Plural / Elohim
“The Trinity is one divine Being without separation or division, yet with different functions as three distinct Persons.”
One God / Three Persons Within
EIGHT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRINITY
1/ The Trinity is complex.
“Try to explain it and you’ll lose your mind. But try to deny it and you’ll lose your soul.”
There are many illustrations that attempt to explain the Triune God.
Gregory of Nyssa / Rainbow / One Beam / Many Colors
St. Patrick / Single Leaf / Three Elements
Spring / Fount / Stream
They are distinguished but not separate.
Time / Past / Present / Future
Ultimately, all illustrations fall short.
God = Other
Understand / Never Understand
“But since (the Trinity) is based on clear Scripture, reason must be silent…and we must believe.” Martin Luther
2/ The Trinity is a Scriptural reality.
The Triune Godhead is seen in the Old Testament.
In the beginning, God (Father) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said (Son), “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-2
Later / John 1 / “Word”
Throughout Genesis 1, “Elohim” is used, which is a plural word for God.
Father – Creating / Word – Speaking / Spirit – Hovering
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor (Holy Spirit), Mighty God, Everlasting Father (Father), Prince of Peace (Son). Isaiah 9:6
Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, we see glimpses:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Lord – Lord – Lord / Holy – Holy – Holy
The Triune Godhead is seen in the New Testament.
The angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit) will come upon you, and the power of the Most High (Father) will overshadow you. So the Holy One will be born to you called the Son of God (Son).” Luke 1:35
Baptism / Jesus Dips / Spirit Descends / Father Discloses
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:18-19
“In The Name” – Singular / People – Plural
For through Him (Jesus) we both have access to the Father (Father) by one Spirit (Holy Spirit). Ephesians 2:18
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Son) and the love of God (Father) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit) be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:13
3/ The Trinity is orthodox Christianity.
“Later Development”
The early church was Trinitarian because the Bible is Trinitarian.
Tertullian / Augustine / Luther / Ignatius / Polycarp / Justin Martyr
To reject the Trinity is to reject Jesus as God.
4/ The Trinity is not three gods.
Tritheism is the belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three Gods.
Muslims
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4
We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”
1 Corinthians 8:4
This is not like Mount Olympus where the “gods” gather.
Distinct / Inseparable
5/ The Trinity is one Being, three Persons.
“God is one God, eternally existing in three Persons. Each of the three shares fully the one divine essence. God is not simply unity, but eternally exists in rich, loving fellowship as the one and only God.” Mark Driscoll
Modalism is the belief that God changes modes from Father to Son to Holy Spirit.
Vacant Heaven / ≠Scriptural
This is why we have to be careful when trying to explain the Trinity.
Man / Husband / Father / Brother = Modalism
God is one singular Being expressing Himself in three Persons.
≠Three Gods
“Suppose, just as Christ comes into His own creation at the incarnation, Tolkien had written himself into Middle-earth as a character of the story alongside Frodo and Merry and Pippin and the rest. Had Tolkien done so, he would not for that reason cease to exist in Oxford (in fact, his whole existence in Middle-earth depends on his continued writing from Oxford). Nor has the unity of Tolkien’s person been impaired, for one person can simultaneously be in Middle-earth and Oxford, because they are not two different ‘places’ within one realm but two different realms altogether. In other words, it is one thing to be in Oxford and Cambridge at the same time, but another thing to be in the Shire and Oxford at the same time.” Ray Ortlund
The Roles of the Father
Their distinct Personhood carries differing roles.
Loving Father / Head / Chooses Us
The Role of the Son
Beloved Son / Second Member / Redeems Us
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Active Agent / Third Member / Seals Us
6/ The Trinity is co-eternal and co-equal.
The Trinity is co-eternal.
God was never born and will never die.
Eternal – God / Everlasting – Angels
Jesus did not become God. He has always been God.
In the beginning the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word was with God (Father), and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him. John 1:14
≠Adoptionism
The Trinity is co-equal.
The Shield of the Trinity
7/ The Trinity is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
The Trinity is omnipotent.
God is all-powerful over all things.
When Christ became human, He imposed self-limitations on Himself.
Rest / Hunger / Thirst
But He never exchanged His deity for His humanity.
Accommodation / Wrestling / Children
The Trinity is omniscient.
God has perfect and complete knowledge.
Tube / Time & Space
The Trinity is omnipresent.
God is at every place in every moment.
Canada / Mars / Here
8/ The Trinity is social.
The Trinity is loving.
Before the world, there was a family.
“Father, You loved Me before the creation of the world.” John 17:24
God didn’t create humanity because He needed fellowship or friendship.
“Love Overflowed” / Michael Reeves
The Trinity is serving.
Jesus is not less than the Father in Being, but lovingly submits Himself in role.
Husbands & Wives / Same Value / Different Roles
The Trinity is connected.
Perichoresis / Perry-Choruses
The three mutually indwell or contain one another.
“Each are in each, and all in each, and each in all, and all are one.” Augustine
≠See God / ≠Seeing Three
CLOSE
The Triune God is not understood by rationale but embraced by faith.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” Deuteronomy 29:29
“It is better to adore the mysteries of the Godhead than to investigate them.” Jügen Moltmann (paraphrased)
DO CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THREE GODS?
SCRIPTURE
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Shema / Mezuzah
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4
Singular / Yahweh + Plural / Elohim
“The Trinity is one divine Being without separation or division, yet with different functions as three distinct Persons.”
One God / Three Persons Within
EIGHT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRINITY
1/ The Trinity is complex.
“Try to explain it and you’ll lose your mind. But try to deny it and you’ll lose your soul.”
There are many illustrations that attempt to explain the Triune God.
Gregory of Nyssa / Rainbow / One Beam / Many Colors
St. Patrick / Single Leaf / Three Elements
Spring / Fount / Stream
They are distinguished but not separate.
Time / Past / Present / Future
Ultimately, all illustrations fall short.
God = Other
Understand / Never Understand
“But since (the Trinity) is based on clear Scripture, reason must be silent…and we must believe.” Martin Luther
2/ The Trinity is a Scriptural reality.
The Triune Godhead is seen in the Old Testament.
In the beginning, God (Father) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said (Son), “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-2
Later / John 1 / “Word”
Throughout Genesis 1, “Elohim” is used, which is a plural word for God.
Father – Creating / Word – Speaking / Spirit – Hovering
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor (Holy Spirit), Mighty God, Everlasting Father (Father), Prince of Peace (Son). Isaiah 9:6
Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, we see glimpses:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Lord – Lord – Lord / Holy – Holy – Holy
The Triune Godhead is seen in the New Testament.
The angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit) will come upon you, and the power of the Most High (Father) will overshadow you. So the Holy One will be born to you called the Son of God (Son).” Luke 1:35
Baptism / Jesus Dips / Spirit Descends / Father Discloses
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:18-19
“In The Name” – Singular / People – Plural
For through Him (Jesus) we both have access to the Father (Father) by one Spirit (Holy Spirit). Ephesians 2:18
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Son) and the love of God (Father) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit) be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:13
3/ The Trinity is orthodox Christianity.
“Later Development”
The early church was Trinitarian because the Bible is Trinitarian.
Tertullian / Augustine / Luther / Ignatius / Polycarp / Justin Martyr
To reject the Trinity is to reject Jesus as God.
4/ The Trinity is not three gods.
Tritheism is the belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three Gods.
Muslims
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4
We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”
1 Corinthians 8:4
This is not like Mount Olympus where the “gods” gather.
Distinct / Inseparable
5/ The Trinity is one Being, three Persons.
“God is one God, eternally existing in three Persons. Each of the three shares fully the one divine essence. God is not simply unity, but eternally exists in rich, loving fellowship as the one and only God.” Mark Driscoll
Modalism is the belief that God changes modes from Father to Son to Holy Spirit.
Vacant Heaven / ≠Scriptural
This is why we have to be careful when trying to explain the Trinity.
Man / Husband / Father / Brother = Modalism
God is one singular Being expressing Himself in three Persons.
≠Three Gods
“Suppose, just as Christ comes into His own creation at the incarnation, Tolkien had written himself into Middle-earth as a character of the story alongside Frodo and Merry and Pippin and the rest. Had Tolkien done so, he would not for that reason cease to exist in Oxford (in fact, his whole existence in Middle-earth depends on his continued writing from Oxford). Nor has the unity of Tolkien’s person been impaired, for one person can simultaneously be in Middle-earth and Oxford, because they are not two different ‘places’ within one realm but two different realms altogether. In other words, it is one thing to be in Oxford and Cambridge at the same time, but another thing to be in the Shire and Oxford at the same time.” Ray Ortlund
The Roles of the Father
Their distinct Personhood carries differing roles.
Loving Father / Head / Chooses Us
The Role of the Son
Beloved Son / Second Member / Redeems Us
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Active Agent / Third Member / Seals Us
6/ The Trinity is co-eternal and co-equal.
The Trinity is co-eternal.
God was never born and will never die.
Eternal – God / Everlasting – Angels
Jesus did not become God. He has always been God.
In the beginning the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word was with God (Father), and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him. John 1:14
≠Adoptionism
The Trinity is co-equal.
The Shield of the Trinity
7/ The Trinity is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
The Trinity is omnipotent.
God is all-powerful over all things.
When Christ became human, He imposed self-limitations on Himself.
Rest / Hunger / Thirst
But He never exchanged His deity for His humanity.
Accommodation / Wrestling / Children
The Trinity is omniscient.
God has perfect and complete knowledge.
Tube / Time & Space
The Trinity is omnipresent.
God is at every place in every moment.
Canada / Mars / Here
8/ The Trinity is social.
The Trinity is loving.
Before the world, there was a family.
“Father, You loved Me before the creation of the world.” John 17:24
God didn’t create humanity because He needed fellowship or friendship.
“Love Overflowed” / Michael Reeves
The Trinity is serving.
Jesus is not less than the Father in Being, but lovingly submits Himself in role.
Husbands & Wives / Same Value / Different Roles
The Trinity is connected.
Perichoresis / Perry-Choruses
The three mutually indwell or contain one another.
“Each are in each, and all in each, and each in all, and all are one.” Augustine
≠See God / ≠Seeing Three
CLOSE
The Triune God is not understood by rationale but embraced by faith.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” Deuteronomy 29:29
“It is better to adore the mysteries of the Godhead than to investigate them.” Jügen Moltmann (paraphrased)