I Believe The Triune God
- The doctrine of the Trinity was concretely developed in the early church of this dispensation.
- The early church took the concepts about God revealed in Scripture and used words to describe these concepts.
- The words “trinity” and “person” are not in the Bible, but the concepts conveyed are Scriptural.
- “Person” is that which says, “I” in a rational-moral being – 3 such in the Godhead
- The true church always maintained that the oneness of the Godhead is essential; there are not multiple gods.
- There is only one true God, and He is one in Being (Deut. 6:4).
- The plurality of persons does not and may not destroy His oneness.
- The true church never questioned the individuality and deity of the Father, not the individuality of the Son.
- They first proved the deity of the Son - Nicene, Athanasian, Chalcedon Creeds.
- Each divine Person is not a part of God; but each arises out of the essence or being of God.
- The Persons are distinguished by their name.
- The Biblical proof for the Trinity.
- There is more than one Person because of the use of “us” Genesis 1:26,27; 3:22.
- The New Testament clearly shows that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God.
- Divine names are given and divine works are ascribed to Jesus and to the Spirit (John 20:28).
- The clearest evidence is found in the baptism formula (Matt. 28:19) and in the apostolic benediction (II Cor. 13:14).
- Scripture teaches both the deity of the Son and God’s unity, without any contradiction.
- John’s narrative affirms the deity of Christ, without denying the unity of the Godhead.
- Jesus never refused worship, and even commanded such honor (5:22,23)
- Jesus even declared Himself and the Father to be one (10:30 with 33).
- The significance.
- The biblical data concerning God must be turned into praise and prayer to be genuine knowledge.
- The activity of the three Persons in relationship to each other shows that God is living - a living God.
- The oneness of the Being means perfect unity in God, no conflict or strife, only perfect fellowship and unity.
- The experience of this life is in redeemed humanity.
- The redeemed are given to know God, namely, the Three Persons in their relationships with each other.
- We experience a living relationship with God through Christ; and then we experience it with each other.
- Further, we experience a diversity and harmony within our unity with each other.