The Simplicity of The Trinity

Simplicity of the Trinity

Michael, it’s okay if you can’t understand the Trinity the way that I understand it...I don’t expect you to.

You can’t explain the trinity in simplicity

I will, however, attempt to do just that.

Why Do We Need To Grasp The Trinity?

Without a clear, biblical understanding of what the Trinity is or who the Persons of the Trinity are we are sure to be susceptible to some form of Heresy.

Arianism, Modalism (Sabellianism), Monarchianism were and still have some influence in heresies in the church.

With the acceptance of the Trinity we are able to see God through the Son Jesus Christ.

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (Jn 1: 18)

II. What The Trinity is Not

The Trinity is Not:

Three Gods - “Tritheism”

Christianity is Monotheistic

Jesus and HS Created - “Arianism”

Jesus and HS were created before anything in the Creation story. (Gen 1: 1)

Jesus or HS Power of God - “Monarchianism”

Jesus was simply sent to redeem and sacrificed His deity after His death...He was a tool sent from God for a time.

“God the eternal heart of love, Christ the rational expression of the eternal heart, and the Spirit the accomplisher of the work of both, make up the Godhead.” - Adam Clarke

These three popular heresies were created because of bad interpretations of Scripture.

Steer clear of basing doctrine on one verse.

What The Trinity Is

Biblical Christianity stands or falls with the doctrine of the Trinity.

It’s of utmost importance to have a good handle of the Trinity.

The Doctrine of the Trinity supports monotheism or One God.

The Father is the Creator.

[Is. 44: 24]Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.

Father God is the Creator of the planet, the moon, the stars, man and woman, life.

He is the original originator.

As sin crept in to the heart of man, it was recognized that man was in need of redemption.

Jesus is Redeemer.

[Eph. 1: 7] “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”

Jesus was the One who was sent by God, while still possessing absolute Deity, was sent by the Father to redeem the sinful man.

[Rom 3: 23-25] “...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed”

[John 16: 13-14] “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Father and Son send the Spirit of Truth to the believers.

Holy Spirit is Revealer

[Acts 5: 1-4] “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Focus in on one thing in this passage that Peter refers to the Holy Spirit as God.

It is essential for our foundational Christianity to see Father, Son, Holy Spirit as One God in three Persons.

They are all unique in their duties yet united in their diety.

So that we understand that the Trinity is One God in Three Persons, this is key for our faith.

Salvation can only be understood when accompanied by a Biblical interpretation of the Trinity.

1. Father sends Son

2. Son Redeems Man

3. Man sealed by Spirit

All Persons of the Trinity are an intricate part of our Salvation.

It is vital to understand that every Person of the Trinity is cooperating with the Other. There is not One Person who is doing their own work apart from the Trinity.

That would be polytheistic.

Remember that this is a Christian doctrine.

Christian doctrines are intertwined into the Redemption story.

Subordination

Athanasian Creed states:

The Father Uncreated, The Son Uncreated, The Holy Spirit Uncreated Incomprehensible- Father Son Spirit Eternal- Father Son Spirit

*The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.

The Son was neither made nor created; he was begotten from the Father alone.The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten; he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

There is a sense of Hierarchy but not one Person of the Trinity is in authority or Lord over the other.

Each Person is fully God.

There is order to the Trinity it seems but the essential truth of the Trinity is that, though there seems to be cooperation of efforts within the Trinity [Heb 9: 14]

*Sacrificial Blood of Jesus offered...

*Through The Holy Spirit To...

*God The Father for the Redeeming of Man...

They are all unique in their duties yet united in their diety.

[Matthew 28: 18-20] It is One Name in Three Persons.

Confusion- The essence of the fact that the Trinity is difficult to grasp, begs me to believe it’s Truth. If it was complex and yet easy to grasp, I would have reason to believe that it was man inspired and not divinely inspired.