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Friday, May 8, 2020
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Balancing the Commands to Love our Neighbor and to Assemble with Believers
"and let us
consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another; and all the more as you
see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25 NASB).
I have shared
concerns about obeying God’s command regarding assembly, it appears to me that
most believers my age whom I have talked to do not understand that a phone, or
virtual connect, or watching a livestream does not obey the commands of Heb
10:24-25 or the twenty some one-another commands[i]
in the New Testament.[ii]
It is impossible to obey the one-another command in Rom 16:16 without being in
close personal proximity to another believer. Heb 10:24 has three non-optional
commands for a follower of Jesus. These are imperatives in the original
language. My parents’ and grandparents’ generations understood the vital
importance of physically assembling with groups of believers. This
understanding is missing from our current culture and generation due to of our
constant adaptation to changing technology, ignorance of biblical theology, and
ignorance of the vital importance of the local church. Livestream is helpful
when one is providentially hindered from worship. He can mentally benefit from
the teaching and connect with a speaker on an electronic non-personal level.
However, it is not the same as being physically in someone’s presence. Just
like a man and a woman cannot get married on Skype or Zoom and then consummate
the marriage by virtual contact—technology cannot fully bridge the gap. This
would also include kissing the bride after the pronouncement of the official.
I cannot feed
my granddaughter while seeing her over Duo on my phone or wipe her hands and
face after she finishes eating. Duo and Skype are better than nothing, but they
are definitely not the same. Martin Lloyd Jones would not allow his sermons to
be recorded because the Holy Spirit works in the midst of the congregation
during the preaching of the Word in a way that is not reduplicated when a
sermon is later read, listened to, or watched. There is an individual and a
corporate work of the Holy Spirit and they are not the same. Instead of listing
my own experiences of the corporate work of the Spirit, I will just mention
that the book of Acts historically records such events during the days of the
Apostles. I am a Cessationist on the sign gifts but not concerning the Holy
Spirit working both corporately and individually when the Word is preached (See
Acts 16:13-14 [Note that Rabbis sat down to teach in the synagogue. If less
than ten Jewish males lived in a town, the Jewish group would meet at the river
on Saturday]). Thus, in my understanding, it is wrong to not obey Heb 10:24-25
and the twenty plus one-another commands when not significantly providentially
hindered (e.g. being in a nursing home, hospital bed, jail cell, POW, etc.).
On the other
hand, neighbor love, the second greatest commandment (Matt 22:39), must also be
considered. If I believe I might have been exposed to a contagious illness that
could harm my brother or sister, then I should not get within six feet of them,
touch, kiss, hug or shake hands with them. Putting other Christians above and more
important than myself out of love would require using accurate data to protect
them.
So we have an
ethical dilemma because a circumstance provides a situation where we struggle
with obeying both commands. Christians hold to different approaches on this.
When facing these, I am an ideal absolutist, which is just one of six
approaches taken by believers. I seek to find a third alternative that will
allow me to obey both commands.[iii] However, both a
non-conforming absolutist and graded absolutist (hierarchal) would respond
differently. The graded absolutist would choose the greater of the two commands
and move on. The non-conforming absolutist would repent for breaking one
command and obey the other. Likewise, there are other approaches taken by
evangelical Christians when addressing moral dilemmas.
In the COVID-19
situation with the current data and lower numbers of deaths occurring than
predicted, one can still do things to protect others. Wearing gloves, masks,
properly disinfecting areas, and practicing social distancing would be
necessary to obey neighbor love. But some type of regular physical gathering of
those not providently hindered should also be occurring. Those at high risk
because of existing health conditions are providential hindered. Thus, a person
with COPD would be taking excessive risks, putting the Lord to the test (See
Matt 4:7). They should not attend until it is safer.
However, this
assembly does NOT have to occur at or on property owned by a non-profit group
(e.g. a church-owned building). It does NOT have to be in groups above ten,
even though it would be more convenient to have one meeting with more people.
Our closest Wal-Mart allows 1050 customers in the building at one-time.
Nevertheless, convenience is never grounds to disobey the governing authorities
(Rom 13:1-10). These meeting of believers do NOT have to be at the same time of
day. Thus, many groups of ten could meet each day with 30-minute gaps between
them. This would allow a local body to obey both commands. Many members would
not attend anyway because of fear of the virus. There are other creative
alternatives that would also work that gifted elders could prayerfully
discover. One idea is using a radio broadcast to preach to those in cars that
are properly distanced in a church-owned parking lot. Again, for a Hierarchical
Ethicist (Graded Absolutist), they get to pick the greater command and just
follow it. A Non-conforming Absolutist picks one command and repents for
breaking the other.
But there is a
new twist to this situation. Once a church / assembly follows the initial
governor’s executive order to not meet, there is a new problem of determining
when to stop complying. They were already disobeying one command (assembly) and
only obeying the other (neighbor love). Some were disobeying out of fear. Most
Americans have accepted the propaganda of the news media and are not gathering
with other believers because of fear, but they are inconsistently going to grocery
stores, hardware stores and doing food curbside with people outside of their
families who could be virus carriers. One thousand-fifty people are currently
allowed in the Wake Forest Wal-Mart at the same time and their parking lots
holds enough cars to transport over three thousand people. That people would
fear worship but not Wal-Mart actually shows a low priority for the church.
Corporate worship is not equal to attending a play or a basketball game. Contra
the executive orders, a pastor is a much more essential occupation than an
exempt ‘essential’ news media reporter. Nevertheless, since the decision to not
have services was made, it becomes difficult, but not impossible, to justify
restarting them before the dates of the state’s phases that are just weeks
away. However, a case can be made if the decision to cancel a church service
was based on inaccurate information provided by sources with an agenda other
than the truth and only the truth and all the truth.
There are many
that are also concerned with the financial implications and the issue that we
live in a world with two kingdoms in conflict. There are many small churches
that did not have electronic funding available before this crisis that may not
be able to continue in July. There are Christians whose businesses may be in
bankruptcy or closed and they may be unable to give to their particular church
for many months to come.
What type of
people in our world might be in favor of the gospel light going out in a
community when a church closes no matter what means were used to be able to
shut it down? This would include communists, atheists, Satan, demons, and all
those under their influence. Are there any news media producers or political
leaders that can be described in these terms? Yes, there are. Is it biblical to
not comply with people motivated by these perspectives? Yes, in certain cases,
it is.
On the other
hand, could a group of elders be motivated by keeping their jobs, lifestyle
level or protecting their traditional place of worship as their primary
motivation? To defy the executive orders (which are not laws approved by both
houses and then signed by the governor in a Constitutional Representative
Republic), their motives must be carefully considered. If money or traditions
are the primary motives, then they would be following a sinful and fleshly
motivation. This would be wrong as a primary motive for civil disobedience.
However, it is not practical to require financial concerns of the elders to not
be a secondary or lower motive along with a biblical primary motivation. The
financial concerns can also be considered because a man who does not provide
for his household is worse than a pagan according to the Apostle Paul (1 Tim
5:8).
The Bible gives
a number of circumstances where the elect are required to defy the government.
The books of Exodus, Esther, Daniel, Acts and Revelation are very helpful in
this matter. Examples include the Hebrew mid-wives (Exod 1:15-22), Hebrew
mothers (Exod 2:1-2), Moses vs. Pharaoh (Exod 9:13-30), Mordecai vs. Haman
(Esth 3:2-5), Daniel and the other three Hebrew young men against the empire’s
orders on diets, idolatry and forbidding prayer (Daniel 1, 3, 6). Likewise,
there is the case of the Apostles’ response to the highest Jewish leaders, the
Sanhedrin, when they were ordered to not preach in Jesus’ name (Acts 4:19-20).[iv] Furthermore, the elect are marked by God
(Ezek 9:4; Rev 7:3) and are not to receive the legally required symbol (Rev
20:4) of the Beasts or worship them or their idols (Rev 13:11-17, 14:11, 16:2,
19:20). Defying this governmental order prevents the elect from being able to
buy or sell food and goods legally.
Outside of the
Bible, life in the Roman Empire, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, China, most of
Asia, Southeast Asia and Northern Africa required Christians to regularly not
follow government regulations. John Bunyan spent twelve years in jail for
preaching in England without a license from the Anglican Church in the 1600s.
This is where he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress
as a Baptist pastor. When we must disobey the government, we do need to take
their punishment willingly and display love for them as our enemies whenever
possible (Matt 5:44).
Unfortunately, the news media wanting to
influence political leaders has spread massive fear and is constantly using
fear to motivate the population. Immoral celebrities giving hypocritical Skype
lectures to the population that are also shown on TV have joined the news
media. One Christian pastor friend who is spot on recently wrote: “I am not
afraid of COVID-19, or of sickness or death from any other disease, because God
is in absolute control and has all my days numbered.”
Worry is a sin
(Matt 6:31-34). Not trusting God is a sin (Zeph 3:1-5). Lacking faith in God is
a sin (Rom 14:23). If a person rode in an automobile and ate at a restaurant in
August 2019, they were doing statistically risky behavior that actually exceeds
the risk of dying from COVID-19 at this point.
What is
changing in May 2020 is that the warmer temperatures, sunlight, and higher
humidity will also lower the risk of spreading any viruses in the coming weeks.
However, the media has not allowed this event to be viewed in comparison to
SARS, the swine flu, or the bird flu. We did not restrict anyone’s
constitutional rights to assemble and to freely practice religious duties for
these epidemics. The statistical death
toll of COVID-19 does not come anywhere close to percentage of the population
lost to the Spanish flu or the bubonic plaque in proportion to the world
population in those times. Christians were allowed to meet and were on the
front lines helping victims during both of these pandemics.
Some additional
problems with the current reaction is that the regular flu killed more people
in 2019 in many states than have died by COVID-19. In NC, 520 people have died
of COVID-19 out of 7.5 million. Yet during the 2019 flu season, thousands of
small businesses in the state were not destroyed because of influenza. Many
businesses may be gone in July 2020 that were functioning well in January. When
AIDS showed up in California, a quarantine could have wiped it out, but because
of political correctness, the government did nothing like this to protect the
population. For many years HIV killed every person who contracted it (COVID-19
has not). HIV used to have a one-to-one ratio and the government response was
free needles and something else I won’t mention, but no quarantine. Consistency
has not been used in the fight against diseases that are contagious. Because of
this, it makes it painful to see that many small churches throughout the
country might have to close because of this different reaction to a virus.
How should we
respond if we disagree with the churches that have won their right to assemble
in courts or those who have chosen to peacefully meet according to the same CDC
guidelines that Wal-Mart is using? The concept of theological triage will help
us here. Biblical doctrines’ importance is on three levels. Crossway has just
released a book explaining this.[v]
On theological
triage, the matters discussed above are all third level doctrines except the
commands listed. Third level doctrines are ones that we lovingly work together
with those who hold to different views than we do on these non-essential
doctrines. Husbands and wives and church staff members, elders, deacons and
church members can hold to different positions on any third level doctrines and
still loving function and work together in unity.
The commands to
assemble and love our neighbor are second level doctrines. You can be wrong on
these and still enter heaven, but you cannot serve closely with those who would
clearly and intentionally live in violation of either command. Love for them
would make conversations unpleasant as they were called to renewed obedience to
these biblical commands clearly applied to believers in the New Testament as
well as the Old Testament. Nothing touched on in this response is a level one
doctrine.
Level one
doctrines include the virgin birth, trinity, deity and humanity of Christ,
blood atonement, salvation by grace, justification by faith alone and by Christ
alone, etc. Those who hold the wrong view on these, especially after being
exposed to the truth, are not saved and our contact is not one of fellowship
but relational evangelism. For those actively teaching in cults, we must even
distance ourselves from them (2 John 10).
The bottom
line—even though it would be exhausting, I would enthusiastically support any elder who would personally
vote to schedule multiple groups of ten people following CDC protocol at different
times at a safe location as a way to comply with God’s command and the
government until they are offered a better and more creative way to do it. I
believe there are creative minds in the church that should discuss these issues
together. Together they can come up with even better ways to both show love for
neighbor and assemble with believers. Godly elders can discover win-win
alternatives in discussions and prayer. Then, in each phase of reopening, adapt
to the new lesser restrictions. After all the true factual data is gathered
from these past months, there may be grounds in the autumn season to not comply
with parts of executive orders that violate biblical commands if proper
preventative polices are put in place to prevent the spreading of contagious diseases.
END NOTES
[i].
See a list of one-another commands and statements athttp://conservativeevangelicals737.blogspot.com/2020/05/what-does-reciprocal-living-mean-nt-one.html and http://conservativeevangelicals737.blogspot.com/2020/05/nt-one-another-commands-and-statements.html
[ii].
For this same reason I agree with the Pillar Network’s position that a pastor
needs to be present with his people during preaching and not just viewed on a
screen at a satellite worship location. A new church should be planted with an
actual man rather than an electronic video image that cannot hold their hand at
a hospital or graveside. They need a person who can see, listen, and speak.
[iii].
See my view on moral dilemmas at this link http://conservativeevangelicals737.blogspot.com/2019/07/a-personal-evaluation-of-moral-dilemmas.html
[iv].
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is
right in the sight of God to give heed to you
rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop
speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20 NASB).
[v].
Gavin Ortlund, Finding the Right Hills to
Die on: The Case for Theological Triage, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
NT One Another Commands and Statements
(John 13:34-35 NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. {35} "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
(John 15:12 NKJV) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
(John 15:17 NKJV) "These things I command you, that you love one another.
(Romans 12:5 NKJV) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
(Romans 12:10) Be devoted to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
(Romans 12:16 NKJV) Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
(Romans 13:8 NKJV) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
(Romans 14:13 NKJV) Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.
(Romans 15:5 NKJV) Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
(Romans 15:7) Therefore accept (receive) one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
(Romans 15:14 NKJV) Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
(Romans 16:16 NKJV) Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
(1 Corinthians 11:33 NKJV) Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
(1 Corinthians 12:25 NKJV) that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
(1 Corinthians 16:20 NKJV) All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
(2 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV) Greet one another with a holy kiss.
(Galatians 5:13 NKJV) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
(Galatians 5:26 NKJV) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
(Ephesians 4:2 NKJV) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
(Ephesians 4:25 NKJV) Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
(Ephesians 4:32 NKJV) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
(Ephesians 5:19 NKJV) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
(Ephesians 5:21 NKJV) submitting to one another in the fear of God.
(Colossians 3:9 NKJV) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
(Colossians 3:13 NKJV) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
(Colossians 3:16 NKJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 3:12 NKJV) And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
(1 Thessalonians 4:9 NKJV) But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
(1 Thessalonians 4:18 NKJV) Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV) Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
(Hebrews 3:13 NKJV) but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(James 4:11 NKJV) Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
(James 5:9 NKJV) Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
(James 5:16 NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
(1 Peter 3:8 NKJV) Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
(1 Peter 4:8-10 NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." {9} Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. {10} As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
(1 Peter 5:5 NKJV) Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
(1 Peter 5:14 NKJV) Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
(1 John 1:7 NKJV) But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1 John 3:11 NKJV) For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
(1 John 3:23 NKJV) And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
(1 John 4:7 NKJV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
(1 John 4:11-12 NKJV) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. {12} No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
(2 John 1:5 NKJV) And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
(John 15:12 NKJV) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
(John 15:17 NKJV) "These things I command you, that you love one another.
(Romans 12:5 NKJV) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
(Romans 12:10) Be devoted to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
(Romans 12:16 NKJV) Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
(Romans 13:8 NKJV) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
(Romans 14:13 NKJV) Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.
(Romans 15:5 NKJV) Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
(Romans 15:7) Therefore accept (receive) one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
(Romans 15:14 NKJV) Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
(Romans 16:16 NKJV) Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
(1 Corinthians 11:33 NKJV) Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
(1 Corinthians 12:25 NKJV) that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
(1 Corinthians 16:20 NKJV) All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
(2 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV) Greet one another with a holy kiss.
(Galatians 5:13 NKJV) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
(Galatians 5:26 NKJV) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
(Ephesians 4:2 NKJV) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
(Ephesians 4:25 NKJV) Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
(Ephesians 4:32 NKJV) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
(Ephesians 5:19 NKJV) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
(Ephesians 5:21 NKJV) submitting to one another in the fear of God.
(Colossians 3:9 NKJV) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
(Colossians 3:13 NKJV) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
(Colossians 3:16 NKJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 3:12 NKJV) And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
(1 Thessalonians 4:9 NKJV) But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
(1 Thessalonians 4:18 NKJV) Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV) Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
(Hebrews 3:13 NKJV) but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(James 4:11 NKJV) Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
(James 5:9 NKJV) Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
(James 5:16 NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
(1 Peter 3:8 NKJV) Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
(1 Peter 4:8-10 NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." {9} Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. {10} As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
(1 Peter 5:5 NKJV) Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
(1 Peter 5:14 NKJV) Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
(1 John 1:7 NKJV) But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1 John 3:11 NKJV) For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
(1 John 3:23 NKJV) And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
(1 John 4:7 NKJV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
(1 John 4:11-12 NKJV) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. {12} No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
(2 John 1:5 NKJV) And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
Monday, April 27, 2020
The Doctrine of the Trinity, especially in Paul’s writings
Textual: Ephesians 1-6, Colossians 1, Philippians 2
Introduction
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. James White, The Forgotten Trinity. Hank Hanegraaff, says, in the trinity, we are talking about one what and three who’s. The one what is the Being or essence of God; the three who’s are the Father, Son, and Spirit.
The relationship between the three is eternal. Each person is eternal, coequal with the others as to their divine nature. Each fully shares the one Being that is God. The Son is not 1/3 God, nor the Father, nor the Spirit. There never was a time when the Father was not the Father, the Son was not the Son, or the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son.
The Problem is with our minds grasping something totally unique, which cannot be compared to anything else without including some error in the parallel.
We can’t explain from experience on life on earth God’s infinity and eternity—He is the creator of time, above time, and can move around in time and back out of it. This is beyond our understanding or simple explanation, but it is biblical truth.
We can’t explain God’s Omnipresence and unchangeableness, even our views of spirits or smoke, includes a limitation of the space and area they cover. Not so with the triune God. But the term trinity is not in the Bible. That is right, but the concept is there, and trinity or tri-unity is the best way in English to label what we find. We have many theological labels that are not in the Bible.
We can’t explain God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, neither person having a body or any containment like we understand of created things on earth
So we bring confusing baggage to the terms person and being because God is totally unique and cannot be illustrated by anything in creation that will not diminish His glory or at the same time imply wrong views as well as correct ones
In theology person and being are not the same. Being is the essence, substance, or nature of something or someone. There are not 3 beings who are God. God is one in Being, yet three in persons.
A person has personality, mind, volition, likes, dislikes, preferences, emotions, intellect, knowledge, understanding, ability to communicate, to discern, to judge between options or directions, etc.
Pillar # 1: is Monotheism: There is only one God
Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and will all your soul, and with all your might. (Deu 6:4-5 WEB)
Pillar # 2: There are three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, (Mat 28:18 ESV)
Who gave him the authority? God the Father. Why just one name, it is singular, for three persons?
Because God is one in being, three in persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so the name is singular for one.
Pillar # 3: The persons are coequal and coeternal in sharing the divine being.
Mark: And [John the Baptist] preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." 12 The Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. (Mar 1:7 ESV)
Eternity for God is not just a long period of human time. It is a way of existence that does not involve a progression of events and moments. We have no earthly idea how a day can be like a 1,000 years and a 1,000 years like a day from our perspective on this planet. Let’s be humble enough to admit that. We see growth, change, progression, destruction, and death. We cannot create matter out of nothing with our words. We have not even yet discovered what is the force that holds the particles in atoms together. It effects can be observed, and the atom bomb can reverse it, but it is beyond our knowledge.
So don’t bring the baggage of a person being the same as a being. In Christian theology there is a difference as can be seen with the Holy God of Scripture. This means He is pure, but also that He is like no other.
Peter wrote: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Pet 1:1 ESV) 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Pet 1:1-2 HCSB)
So this is what we find as we read our Bible, and especially the NT, that God is one, yet also three.
Our Baptist Forefather in 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
· THERE is but one, and only one, living and true God. He is self-existent and infinite in His being and His perfections. None but He can comprehend or understand His essence. He is pure spirit, invisible, and without body, parts, or the changeable feelings of men. He alone possesses immortality, and dwells amid the light insufferably bright to mortal men. He never changes. He is great beyond all our conceptions, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty and infinite. He is most holy, wise, free and absolute . . .
· God is all-sufficient, and all life, glory, goodness and blessedness are found in Him and in Him alone. He does not stand in need of any of the creatures that He has made, nor does He derive any part of His glory from them. On the contrary, He manifests His own glory in and by them. He is the fountain-head of all being, and the origin, channel and end of all things. Over all His creatures He is sovereign . . .
· Three divine Persons constitute the Godhead-the Father, the Son (or the Word), and the Holy Spirit. They are one in substance, in power, and in eternity. Each is fully God, and yet the Godhead is one and indivisible. The Father owes His being to none. He is Father to the Son who is eternally begotten of Him. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These Persons, one infinite and eternal God not to be divided in being, are distinguished in Scripture by their personal nature or in relations within the Godhead, and by the variety of works which they undertake. Their tri-unity (that is, the doctrine of the Trinity) is the essential basis of all our fellowship with God, and of the comfort we derive from our dependence upon Him.
Some biblical passages use the term God intending to include all three persons, some refer to just one person of the trinity, some passages list two or all three persons. The Old Testament divine name Yahweh is used for one of three persons of the trinity separately in some passages and in others texts the divine name is used of the three persons together as one being. It is not exclusive to just God the Father in every passage.
Jesus always being God, on the first Christmas also became a man. He lived a holy life in our place. He died in our place to pay for our sins. He arose in the same body from the tomb. He will remain God and Man in His glorified body forever. Yet being fully God He possesses all the divine attributes, characteristics, essence, and abilities, including omnipresence, even when He was on the earth.
We hold on to these facts and the full mystery involved in them with the humility to admit our small brains cannot illustrate them, demonstrate them, or explain them so a 5 year old can grasp them. Our God is too big and too unique for that.
We are going to a few of the Apostle Paul Epistles and see the trinity worked out in the text of Scripture to churches with real problems and real needs that Paul is going to address.
Direction
1. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
2. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Colossians chapter 1.
3. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2.
So to begin, let’s consider
I. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
A. In chapter one he separates out the work of the three persons of the trinity.
1. God the Father has a plan and a people vs 3-6, 9-11
2. God the Son redeems, ransoms, purchases the people vs 7-8, 12-13d
3. God the Holy Spirit seals us and is our down payment to prove our final deliverance is a sure thing vs 13e-14
4. We could also go verse by verse in this chapter and see the clear distinction between the three persons of the trinity, Father, Son, Spirit
B. Ephesians chapter 2
1. The Father caused our spiritual deadness to be reversed by raising us from the dead and saved us by grace giving us the gift of faith 1-11
2. The Son is perfect life and cross work has fulfilled the ceremonial law and brought unity between Gentile and Jewish believers in Yeshua the Messiah 12-16
3. The trinity in * vs 18
4. Membership in the one body of Christ by the Son, Father, and Spirit 19-22
C. Ephesians chapter 3
1. The Son, the Father, the Spirit vs. 1-5
2. The Son, Father, Spirit, read vs 14-19 (10-21)
D. Ephesians chapter 4
1. Three persons, yet God is one, read vs. 1-6
2. Proof of the personhood of the Spirit * vs. 30 Has anyone grieved the wind or electricity? You cannot disappoint or displease a force.
E. Ephesians chapter 5
1. God as the trinity, then the Son and the Father * vs. 1-2
2. The Kingdom of Christ = Kingdom of God vs. 5
3. The term “Lord” is used for all three persons at once vs. 10
4. The Father, Son, Spirit vs. 18-20
F. Ephesians chapter 6
1. The Holy Spirit, 17-18, The Holy Spirit inspired the word, superintended the prophets, and illuminates the word, indwells the believer, convicts, and assists us when we pray
2. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace, love, faith vs. 23
Argumentation: Is this the only book Paul does this in? No, it is in all his letters.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (1 Tim 3:16 NKJV)
Jesus is truly God
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
(Titus 2:13-14 NASB)
Jesus the Messiah is our great God and Savior, but in both of these books, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are separate persons, but one in being, nature, essence, substance. All three are truly and fully God.
ILL. Vance Havner said, “I don’t understand how electricity works and produces light. But I am not going to sit in the dark until I do.” Embrace what the Bible says about God’s nature, affirm what it affirms, deny what it denies. That is all you need to do. You don’t have to explain it on a child’s level. Hold firmly to the trinity, God is one in being, three in persons, and these three are equal in power and glory.
II. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Col 1:12-23.
A. Background to Colossians is a heresy Paul is refuting. An early form of Gnosticism, Greek philosophy, mixed with Jewish ceremonies. You can see this influence in the writings of Philo Judeas of Alexandria, Egypt. Matter is evil, Spirit is good, so it was the 8th emanation of the good God that created matter.
B. No Greek philosopher would want a resurrection; they wanted to be free from the prison house of the body. So they denied the deity of Jesus the Messiah and is oneness with God the Father. They used angels as the beings that created when mixed with Judaism.
C. Read Col 1:12-23
1. The Father transferred us to the Kingdom of the Son, whom He loves 12-13
2. Jesus is the one through whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins 14
3. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, one in nature with the Father, who is spirit (John 4)
* vs 15
4. Jesus is the firstborn, the privileged and preeminent one over all of creation. Vs 15
He will call to Me, 'You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation.' 27 I will also make him My firstborn, greatest of the kings of the earth. 28 I will always preserve My faithful love for him, and My covenant with him will endure. (Psa 89:26-28 HCSB)
ANE treaty the emperor called the governors his sons and they called him father, his first born, is his favorite chosen governor that he has a treaty with who is not kin to him at all. This is first applied to David, not the first person God had a covenant with or his first creation, and then to the Messiah, Yeshu’a. vs 15
5. Note Jesus creates all things, not some, not the rest, all vs 15
6. Again, everything visible and invisible, angels, planets, minerals, atoms
All were created by King Jesus. He is God.
7. He is not the 8th emanation or an angel, He is before all things vs 17
8. He holds all the atoms together by the word of his power
If he lets go, atomic explosion. He still did this work while on earth. 17
9. Jesus is the beginning, He is the first in privilege to have a resurrected glorified body, He is the preeminent one in everything LORD * vs 18
10. All the fullness of God dwells in Yeshu’a, Paul uses their terms against them * vs 19 Jesus is God
11. Read 20-23 The eternal Son of God came to earth, became a man to die for sinners. Do you know Him? Do you belong to Him? Has he rescued you yet? You embrace the Christ by Repentance and faith with a full surrender to His Lordship. Like Thomas, you say, My Lord and My God. He is the boss, and He is God.
A. ILL. JW, When the Russelites come to your door and want to tell you that Jesus was a created being, a subordinate being, actually Michael the Archangel, and the Holy Spirit is a force, and God is Jehovah, one person and one being, don’t you believe that heresy for a minute. The Watchtower is in error and they have twisted the Bible, especially their New World Translation. They even have the wrong name for God, besides their attack on the person and work of Jesus. They deny his bodily resurrection and salvation by grace. Do not let them into your house as 2 John vs. 10 commands.
III. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2:5-11.
A. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S MENTAL PERSPECTIVE. Read vs 5-7
Explanation: Context is two women fighting in the church, see chapter 4. Youoweme and Sotochie. For unity to be maintained in the church, the members have to be humble. Christ modeled this better than anyone, so He is Paul’s example. Mind – Form: outward appearance – displays - inside Honey Jar –clear to all in Heaven Jesus – God –outside – inside – 6 - Clutch – glory veiled – perspective opposite – pride – selfishness – Jesus never ceased – God – added not subtracted – 7- no reputation (empty), glory veiled Christ always God became man hypostatic union of the two full natures, fully God and fully man. He was always God the Son, but he stepped into time and history to become man. That act was one of humility. He possessed no splendid form for us to see, no desirable appearance. (Isa 53:2 CEB)
Argumentation: In Matt. 17 we see the one instance Jesus removed the veil for 3 disciples and they got a glimpse of His glory, but to everyone else He looked just like an ordinary man. Mark. I came not to be served but to serve and to give . . .No greater love has a man than this, to lay down his life for His friends, there is no self-seeking here! Paul is making a case, if the greatest one, the God-Man can be a slave, should not also the lesser ones, His disciples be slaves? Sure, Euodia & Snytyche, can serve others.
Application: What does this model teach us? We are to not try to get things done our way only & look out for only our interests. The model here is the Messiah’s perspective, His attitude, mindset was one of humility. Now if he was only a man or an angel or just a created being, he could not humble himself by not fighting to retain his former heavenly glory. Only a divine uncreated person could humble himself in this way. Just a man would be in deep sin if he tried to obtain the divine prerogatives and he would have never had them to begin with as a mere man. You cannot fight to keep what you never had. Jesus was no mere man. He is the eternal Son of God with no beginning and no end. He added humanity to his person-hood as the second person of the trinity in order to rescue us from our sin.
4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created. (John 17:4-5 CEB)
A mere man could not have said this. No angels shared equal glory with God the Father or God the Son. When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God's angels must worship Him. (Heb 1:6 HCSB)
And in Jesus prayer in John 17 you have God the Son speaking to God the Father. Two divine persons, yet one in being, essence, nature, and glory.
B. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATTERN. Read vs. 8
Explanation: Appeared as a man, He was – God-Man, fully God – fully Man, He humbled … death – cross, 5 descents – 1) from heaven, 2) glory hidden, as a man 3) slave among men, 4) death, 5) cursed death on cross (Electric Chair, concentration camp) He was crushed for the rebellion of his people to whom the punishment was due (Isa 53) He bore our curse, humbled for us, His pain, our gain
Argumentation: The Bible teaches Jesus is God. Heb. 1:8 “But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God is forever and ever.” And Jesus became Man as well, Heb. 2:14 “just as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death.” Mat. 1:23 “they shall call His name, Immanuel, God with us.” As hard as it is to grasp, we must repeat what the Bible teaches without dumbing it down into a heretical position.
C. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATIENCE. Vs. 9-11
Explanation: Waiting for God’s timing, waiting for heaven to settle certain issues requires patience. Jesus did it! Look – “Therefore” reason for Christ’s exaltation – humility first. He was raised (past tense) highest point. This is at his ascension, recorded in Psa 24 as the King of glory returns back to heaven. He was given a title above all other titles Look at the word “LORD” -- worship of men and angels. In the Old Testament translation into Greek, called the Septuagint, about 250 BC they used the Greek word kurios to translate Yahweh the most. That is the Greek term Paul uses here. And he puts it first. Kurios is Yeshu’a the Messiah. Yahweh is Yeshu’a the Messiah. LORD is Jesus Christ. It is most certainly a term that means boss, master, but it most assuredly means God. He is Lord. Yahweh. Jesus is fully God and all beings in the universe SHOULD acknowledge it right now. The ones who belong to Jesus, men and angels, bow to worship whenever they here this phrase and title given to the exalted and glorified God-man at His coronation when He ascended in Acts 1 and returned to His former glory have finished the work he was sent to do. LORD is Yeshu’a the Messiah! When you say this as an act of worship you are not only pleasing the Son of God, but you are bringing glory to God the Father.
Argumentation: Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all of the house of Israel know for sure that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” A past event.
12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son . . .
16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:12-17 NASB)
13 "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.
14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He [the Spirit] takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. (John 16:13-15 NASB)
ILL. LDS, When they come on their bikes and try to tell you that Elohim sired Jesus spirit from one of his 100 wives on his far away planet and then later came down and had a physical relationship with Mary of Nazareth so Jesus could have a physical beginning and could later become a god from a man just like Elohim did, don’t tolerate that heresy at your house. They had a faulty leader, Joseph Smith and they have several faulty books, including the book of Mormon. The trinity is not up for debate. This is a first level doctrine that you may not compromise on one little bit.
Conclusion
Review
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
3 Foundations
a. God is one in being, nature, essence, attributes
b. God is three in persons, Father, Son, Spirit
c. These three persons are coequal and co-eternal
Look for these foundational elements as you read your Bible. They are there over and over again so that you can embrace the truth about the God who created the world, and the God who saves sinners.
You need to get these elements right, and accept the mystery of all that they imply by faith.
We need to also state what is untrue about the biblical doctrine of the trinity as well as what is true.
There are not three Gods. There are not three beings called God.
There is not only one person in heaven pretending to be three or one person with three different titles.
The Son of God is not a created being and he is totally separate from Michael the Archangel, a person and being He created, contra JW’s.
The Holy Spirit is not a mere force like electricity or the wind, but is a full person. He is not an “it,” He is to be referred to as a He, a person with a mind, will, and divine emotions and all the attributes and power of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ.
What is true, God is one in being, but the godhead described in the Bible is at the same time, three in persons, namely the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Son of God and the Holy Spirit have always existed and are outside of time as is God the Father.
The false gods of the cults and world religions cannot deliver your soul from sins power, control, and everlasting punishment. Only Jesus, who is fully God and fully man can save you from the wrath to come. Run to Jesus.
Introduction
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. James White, The Forgotten Trinity. Hank Hanegraaff, says, in the trinity, we are talking about one what and three who’s. The one what is the Being or essence of God; the three who’s are the Father, Son, and Spirit.
The relationship between the three is eternal. Each person is eternal, coequal with the others as to their divine nature. Each fully shares the one Being that is God. The Son is not 1/3 God, nor the Father, nor the Spirit. There never was a time when the Father was not the Father, the Son was not the Son, or the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son.
The Problem is with our minds grasping something totally unique, which cannot be compared to anything else without including some error in the parallel.
We can’t explain from experience on life on earth God’s infinity and eternity—He is the creator of time, above time, and can move around in time and back out of it. This is beyond our understanding or simple explanation, but it is biblical truth.
We can’t explain God’s Omnipresence and unchangeableness, even our views of spirits or smoke, includes a limitation of the space and area they cover. Not so with the triune God. But the term trinity is not in the Bible. That is right, but the concept is there, and trinity or tri-unity is the best way in English to label what we find. We have many theological labels that are not in the Bible.
We can’t explain God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, neither person having a body or any containment like we understand of created things on earth
So we bring confusing baggage to the terms person and being because God is totally unique and cannot be illustrated by anything in creation that will not diminish His glory or at the same time imply wrong views as well as correct ones
In theology person and being are not the same. Being is the essence, substance, or nature of something or someone. There are not 3 beings who are God. God is one in Being, yet three in persons.
A person has personality, mind, volition, likes, dislikes, preferences, emotions, intellect, knowledge, understanding, ability to communicate, to discern, to judge between options or directions, etc.
Pillar # 1: is Monotheism: There is only one God
Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and will all your soul, and with all your might. (Deu 6:4-5 WEB)
Pillar # 2: There are three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, (Mat 28:18 ESV)
Who gave him the authority? God the Father. Why just one name, it is singular, for three persons?
Because God is one in being, three in persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so the name is singular for one.
Pillar # 3: The persons are coequal and coeternal in sharing the divine being.
Mark: And [John the Baptist] preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." 12 The Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. (Mar 1:7 ESV)
Eternity for God is not just a long period of human time. It is a way of existence that does not involve a progression of events and moments. We have no earthly idea how a day can be like a 1,000 years and a 1,000 years like a day from our perspective on this planet. Let’s be humble enough to admit that. We see growth, change, progression, destruction, and death. We cannot create matter out of nothing with our words. We have not even yet discovered what is the force that holds the particles in atoms together. It effects can be observed, and the atom bomb can reverse it, but it is beyond our knowledge.
So don’t bring the baggage of a person being the same as a being. In Christian theology there is a difference as can be seen with the Holy God of Scripture. This means He is pure, but also that He is like no other.
Peter wrote: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Pet 1:1 ESV) 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Pet 1:1-2 HCSB)
So this is what we find as we read our Bible, and especially the NT, that God is one, yet also three.
Our Baptist Forefather in 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
· THERE is but one, and only one, living and true God. He is self-existent and infinite in His being and His perfections. None but He can comprehend or understand His essence. He is pure spirit, invisible, and without body, parts, or the changeable feelings of men. He alone possesses immortality, and dwells amid the light insufferably bright to mortal men. He never changes. He is great beyond all our conceptions, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty and infinite. He is most holy, wise, free and absolute . . .
· God is all-sufficient, and all life, glory, goodness and blessedness are found in Him and in Him alone. He does not stand in need of any of the creatures that He has made, nor does He derive any part of His glory from them. On the contrary, He manifests His own glory in and by them. He is the fountain-head of all being, and the origin, channel and end of all things. Over all His creatures He is sovereign . . .
· Three divine Persons constitute the Godhead-the Father, the Son (or the Word), and the Holy Spirit. They are one in substance, in power, and in eternity. Each is fully God, and yet the Godhead is one and indivisible. The Father owes His being to none. He is Father to the Son who is eternally begotten of Him. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These Persons, one infinite and eternal God not to be divided in being, are distinguished in Scripture by their personal nature or in relations within the Godhead, and by the variety of works which they undertake. Their tri-unity (that is, the doctrine of the Trinity) is the essential basis of all our fellowship with God, and of the comfort we derive from our dependence upon Him.
Some biblical passages use the term God intending to include all three persons, some refer to just one person of the trinity, some passages list two or all three persons. The Old Testament divine name Yahweh is used for one of three persons of the trinity separately in some passages and in others texts the divine name is used of the three persons together as one being. It is not exclusive to just God the Father in every passage.
Jesus always being God, on the first Christmas also became a man. He lived a holy life in our place. He died in our place to pay for our sins. He arose in the same body from the tomb. He will remain God and Man in His glorified body forever. Yet being fully God He possesses all the divine attributes, characteristics, essence, and abilities, including omnipresence, even when He was on the earth.
We hold on to these facts and the full mystery involved in them with the humility to admit our small brains cannot illustrate them, demonstrate them, or explain them so a 5 year old can grasp them. Our God is too big and too unique for that.
We are going to a few of the Apostle Paul Epistles and see the trinity worked out in the text of Scripture to churches with real problems and real needs that Paul is going to address.
Direction
1. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
2. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Colossians chapter 1.
3. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2.
So to begin, let’s consider
I. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
A. In chapter one he separates out the work of the three persons of the trinity.
1. God the Father has a plan and a people vs 3-6, 9-11
2. God the Son redeems, ransoms, purchases the people vs 7-8, 12-13d
3. God the Holy Spirit seals us and is our down payment to prove our final deliverance is a sure thing vs 13e-14
4. We could also go verse by verse in this chapter and see the clear distinction between the three persons of the trinity, Father, Son, Spirit
B. Ephesians chapter 2
1. The Father caused our spiritual deadness to be reversed by raising us from the dead and saved us by grace giving us the gift of faith 1-11
2. The Son is perfect life and cross work has fulfilled the ceremonial law and brought unity between Gentile and Jewish believers in Yeshua the Messiah 12-16
3. The trinity in * vs 18
4. Membership in the one body of Christ by the Son, Father, and Spirit 19-22
C. Ephesians chapter 3
1. The Son, the Father, the Spirit vs. 1-5
2. The Son, Father, Spirit, read vs 14-19 (10-21)
D. Ephesians chapter 4
1. Three persons, yet God is one, read vs. 1-6
2. Proof of the personhood of the Spirit * vs. 30 Has anyone grieved the wind or electricity? You cannot disappoint or displease a force.
E. Ephesians chapter 5
1. God as the trinity, then the Son and the Father * vs. 1-2
2. The Kingdom of Christ = Kingdom of God vs. 5
3. The term “Lord” is used for all three persons at once vs. 10
4. The Father, Son, Spirit vs. 18-20
F. Ephesians chapter 6
1. The Holy Spirit, 17-18, The Holy Spirit inspired the word, superintended the prophets, and illuminates the word, indwells the believer, convicts, and assists us when we pray
2. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace, love, faith vs. 23
Argumentation: Is this the only book Paul does this in? No, it is in all his letters.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (1 Tim 3:16 NKJV)
Jesus is truly God
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
(Titus 2:13-14 NASB)
Jesus the Messiah is our great God and Savior, but in both of these books, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are separate persons, but one in being, nature, essence, substance. All three are truly and fully God.
ILL. Vance Havner said, “I don’t understand how electricity works and produces light. But I am not going to sit in the dark until I do.” Embrace what the Bible says about God’s nature, affirm what it affirms, deny what it denies. That is all you need to do. You don’t have to explain it on a child’s level. Hold firmly to the trinity, God is one in being, three in persons, and these three are equal in power and glory.
II. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Col 1:12-23.
A. Background to Colossians is a heresy Paul is refuting. An early form of Gnosticism, Greek philosophy, mixed with Jewish ceremonies. You can see this influence in the writings of Philo Judeas of Alexandria, Egypt. Matter is evil, Spirit is good, so it was the 8th emanation of the good God that created matter.
B. No Greek philosopher would want a resurrection; they wanted to be free from the prison house of the body. So they denied the deity of Jesus the Messiah and is oneness with God the Father. They used angels as the beings that created when mixed with Judaism.
C. Read Col 1:12-23
1. The Father transferred us to the Kingdom of the Son, whom He loves 12-13
2. Jesus is the one through whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins 14
3. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, one in nature with the Father, who is spirit (John 4)
* vs 15
4. Jesus is the firstborn, the privileged and preeminent one over all of creation. Vs 15
He will call to Me, 'You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation.' 27 I will also make him My firstborn, greatest of the kings of the earth. 28 I will always preserve My faithful love for him, and My covenant with him will endure. (Psa 89:26-28 HCSB)
ANE treaty the emperor called the governors his sons and they called him father, his first born, is his favorite chosen governor that he has a treaty with who is not kin to him at all. This is first applied to David, not the first person God had a covenant with or his first creation, and then to the Messiah, Yeshu’a. vs 15
5. Note Jesus creates all things, not some, not the rest, all vs 15
6. Again, everything visible and invisible, angels, planets, minerals, atoms
All were created by King Jesus. He is God.
7. He is not the 8th emanation or an angel, He is before all things vs 17
8. He holds all the atoms together by the word of his power
If he lets go, atomic explosion. He still did this work while on earth. 17
9. Jesus is the beginning, He is the first in privilege to have a resurrected glorified body, He is the preeminent one in everything LORD * vs 18
10. All the fullness of God dwells in Yeshu’a, Paul uses their terms against them * vs 19 Jesus is God
11. Read 20-23 The eternal Son of God came to earth, became a man to die for sinners. Do you know Him? Do you belong to Him? Has he rescued you yet? You embrace the Christ by Repentance and faith with a full surrender to His Lordship. Like Thomas, you say, My Lord and My God. He is the boss, and He is God.
A. ILL. JW, When the Russelites come to your door and want to tell you that Jesus was a created being, a subordinate being, actually Michael the Archangel, and the Holy Spirit is a force, and God is Jehovah, one person and one being, don’t you believe that heresy for a minute. The Watchtower is in error and they have twisted the Bible, especially their New World Translation. They even have the wrong name for God, besides their attack on the person and work of Jesus. They deny his bodily resurrection and salvation by grace. Do not let them into your house as 2 John vs. 10 commands.
III. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2:5-11.
A. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S MENTAL PERSPECTIVE. Read vs 5-7
Explanation: Context is two women fighting in the church, see chapter 4. Youoweme and Sotochie. For unity to be maintained in the church, the members have to be humble. Christ modeled this better than anyone, so He is Paul’s example. Mind – Form: outward appearance – displays - inside Honey Jar –clear to all in Heaven Jesus – God –outside – inside – 6 - Clutch – glory veiled – perspective opposite – pride – selfishness – Jesus never ceased – God – added not subtracted – 7- no reputation (empty), glory veiled Christ always God became man hypostatic union of the two full natures, fully God and fully man. He was always God the Son, but he stepped into time and history to become man. That act was one of humility. He possessed no splendid form for us to see, no desirable appearance. (Isa 53:2 CEB)
Argumentation: In Matt. 17 we see the one instance Jesus removed the veil for 3 disciples and they got a glimpse of His glory, but to everyone else He looked just like an ordinary man. Mark. I came not to be served but to serve and to give . . .No greater love has a man than this, to lay down his life for His friends, there is no self-seeking here! Paul is making a case, if the greatest one, the God-Man can be a slave, should not also the lesser ones, His disciples be slaves? Sure, Euodia & Snytyche, can serve others.
Application: What does this model teach us? We are to not try to get things done our way only & look out for only our interests. The model here is the Messiah’s perspective, His attitude, mindset was one of humility. Now if he was only a man or an angel or just a created being, he could not humble himself by not fighting to retain his former heavenly glory. Only a divine uncreated person could humble himself in this way. Just a man would be in deep sin if he tried to obtain the divine prerogatives and he would have never had them to begin with as a mere man. You cannot fight to keep what you never had. Jesus was no mere man. He is the eternal Son of God with no beginning and no end. He added humanity to his person-hood as the second person of the trinity in order to rescue us from our sin.
4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created. (John 17:4-5 CEB)
A mere man could not have said this. No angels shared equal glory with God the Father or God the Son. When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God's angels must worship Him. (Heb 1:6 HCSB)
And in Jesus prayer in John 17 you have God the Son speaking to God the Father. Two divine persons, yet one in being, essence, nature, and glory.
B. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATTERN. Read vs. 8
Explanation: Appeared as a man, He was – God-Man, fully God – fully Man, He humbled … death – cross, 5 descents – 1) from heaven, 2) glory hidden, as a man 3) slave among men, 4) death, 5) cursed death on cross (Electric Chair, concentration camp) He was crushed for the rebellion of his people to whom the punishment was due (Isa 53) He bore our curse, humbled for us, His pain, our gain
Argumentation: The Bible teaches Jesus is God. Heb. 1:8 “But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God is forever and ever.” And Jesus became Man as well, Heb. 2:14 “just as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death.” Mat. 1:23 “they shall call His name, Immanuel, God with us.” As hard as it is to grasp, we must repeat what the Bible teaches without dumbing it down into a heretical position.
C. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATIENCE. Vs. 9-11
Explanation: Waiting for God’s timing, waiting for heaven to settle certain issues requires patience. Jesus did it! Look – “Therefore” reason for Christ’s exaltation – humility first. He was raised (past tense) highest point. This is at his ascension, recorded in Psa 24 as the King of glory returns back to heaven. He was given a title above all other titles Look at the word “LORD” -- worship of men and angels. In the Old Testament translation into Greek, called the Septuagint, about 250 BC they used the Greek word kurios to translate Yahweh the most. That is the Greek term Paul uses here. And he puts it first. Kurios is Yeshu’a the Messiah. Yahweh is Yeshu’a the Messiah. LORD is Jesus Christ. It is most certainly a term that means boss, master, but it most assuredly means God. He is Lord. Yahweh. Jesus is fully God and all beings in the universe SHOULD acknowledge it right now. The ones who belong to Jesus, men and angels, bow to worship whenever they here this phrase and title given to the exalted and glorified God-man at His coronation when He ascended in Acts 1 and returned to His former glory have finished the work he was sent to do. LORD is Yeshu’a the Messiah! When you say this as an act of worship you are not only pleasing the Son of God, but you are bringing glory to God the Father.
Argumentation: Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all of the house of Israel know for sure that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” A past event.
12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son . . .
16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:12-17 NASB)
13 "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.
14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He [the Spirit] takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. (John 16:13-15 NASB)
ILL. LDS, When they come on their bikes and try to tell you that Elohim sired Jesus spirit from one of his 100 wives on his far away planet and then later came down and had a physical relationship with Mary of Nazareth so Jesus could have a physical beginning and could later become a god from a man just like Elohim did, don’t tolerate that heresy at your house. They had a faulty leader, Joseph Smith and they have several faulty books, including the book of Mormon. The trinity is not up for debate. This is a first level doctrine that you may not compromise on one little bit.
Conclusion
Review
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
3 Foundations
a. God is one in being, nature, essence, attributes
b. God is three in persons, Father, Son, Spirit
c. These three persons are coequal and co-eternal
Look for these foundational elements as you read your Bible. They are there over and over again so that you can embrace the truth about the God who created the world, and the God who saves sinners.
You need to get these elements right, and accept the mystery of all that they imply by faith.
We need to also state what is untrue about the biblical doctrine of the trinity as well as what is true.
There are not three Gods. There are not three beings called God.
There is not only one person in heaven pretending to be three or one person with three different titles.
The Son of God is not a created being and he is totally separate from Michael the Archangel, a person and being He created, contra JW’s.
The Holy Spirit is not a mere force like electricity or the wind, but is a full person. He is not an “it,” He is to be referred to as a He, a person with a mind, will, and divine emotions and all the attributes and power of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ.
What is true, God is one in being, but the godhead described in the Bible is at the same time, three in persons, namely the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Son of God and the Holy Spirit have always existed and are outside of time as is God the Father.
The false gods of the cults and world religions cannot deliver your soul from sins power, control, and everlasting punishment. Only Jesus, who is fully God and fully man can save you from the wrath to come. Run to Jesus.
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