Beth-El Baptist Church
6/19/05
What is the Biblical view of the Trinity?
For the past several weeks we have been evaluating the publication by the Jehovah’s Witnesses entitled “Should You Believe in the Trinity?” and the questions they raise regarding the doctrine of the Trinity. If the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ view of the Trinity is incorrect, how should Bible believing Christians explain and understand the doctrine of the Trinity?
1. Why do you teach the Trinity?
Matthew 3:16-17
Mark 1:10
Luke 3:22
John 10:30-33
1 John 5:7-8
Essentially the Trinity is taught because it is what we believe the Bible teaches about the nature of the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since there is only one God and each is referred to as being God yet they are each completely independent and separate from each other, the doctrine of the trinity is our best way at explaining it.
2. How could it be possible for Jesus to be both human and God?
Deuteronomy 6:5; 11:13; 13:3; 30:6
Matthew 22:37
Mark 12:30
Luke 10:27
Romans 1:3-4
According to Genesis 1:27 God created mankind in his own image. When he made mankind in the image of himself, he did not make one, but two. At a minimum this points to a plural nature already of God. Remember as well that it was God that walked in the garden with Adam and Eve. There were not two communing in the garden, but three. Pointing to the reality that not even Adam and Eve are complete with just one another. They also need God himself to be complete. There are three beings that are to be one in order to be complete.
Notice the creation of man. God formed him from the dust – physical, like Jesus. God breathed the breath of life – spirit, like the Holy Spirit. He became a living soul. The nature and makeup of mankind is a plural nature as well. In particular he is triadic within himself. He is physical, spiritual, with an eternal soul.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul and might. Again pointing to a tri-component that needs to be focused together to love God. In the New Testament – heart, soul, mind, strength. Heart and soul are similar.
3. Can any other being be perfect as God is perfect?
Exodus 33:20 cmp John 1:18
Isaiah 40:18; 46:5 cmp John 5:18; Philippians 2:6
Isaiah 41:26 cmp 1 John 2:1
Isaiah 42:8 cmp Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; John 1:14; 17:24;
cmp Hebrews 4:15
Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19
Since there is nothing that can be compared to God, there is nothing as perfect as God is. The only person that is compared to God and is found to match is Jesus himself and God does not give his glory to another, yet Jesus had the glory of God.
4. Was it necessary for Jesus to be God in order to be our sacrifice and redeemer?
Exodus 12:5 cmp Hebrews 9:12-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19
John 10:17-18
Hebrews 10:11-12
The sacrifice that was necessary to not cover, but remove our sins were to be a perfect sacrifice. One that is blameless, spotless, and perfect. Only God himself is perfect. Only God himself would be spotless and blameless so only God could be the perfect sacrifice. Since God is infinitely perfect, Jesus, being God, being put to death on the cross was infinitely satisfying to the Father for our sins so that death itself could not hold him (Acts 2:24).
5. Why should I believe in the Trinity?
John 5:18; 8:54; 20:17
Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:3
1 Peter 1:2-3; 2 Peter 1:17
Jude 1:1
Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12 cmp Revelation 1:11, 17-18; 2:8; 22:13 – “first and the last”
Deuteronomy 32:39 – “I am he”
cmp Isaiah 41:4; 43:10-13; 25; 46:4; 48:12; 51:12; 52:6
cmp John 8:24, 28; 13:19; 18:5-8
Jeremiah 17:10 cmp Revelation 2:23 – “I search the reins and the heart”
Isaiah 43:3, 11; 45:21; 49:26; 60:16 – “Saviour”
Cmp Hosea 13:4
Cmp Luke 1:47; 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; 13:23; Ephesians 5:23;
Cmp Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:1; 4:10; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:2-4; 2:13
Cmp Titus 3:4-6; 2 Peter 1:1, 11
Deuteronomy 6:4
Psalm 29:10; 44:4; Zechariah 14:9 cmp Matthew 2:2; 21:5; 27:11, 42-43 – “ King”
Cmp Mark 15:2, 9-12; 15:32;
Cmp Luke 23:2-3, 37; John 1:49; 18:33-37; 19:12-15; 1 Timothy 1:17
Cmp Revelation 15:3
Psalm 5:1-2; 10:16; 24:7-10 cmp 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16 – “King of Kings”
Psalm 45:6 cmp Hebrews 1:8 – “Thy throne, O God”
Isaiah 9:6-7 – Counselor (Holy Spirit), mighty God, everlasting father
Isaiah 61:1
Matthew 12:28
John 4:24
Acts 5:3-4
Romans 8:9
1 Corinthians 2:11-14; 12:3
1 Timothy 3:16
Believe the doctrine of the Trinity because it is what the Bible teaches. Jesus Christ is God in flesh.
Yahweh is redeemer, ‘I am he’, ‘tries the reins’, saviour, Lord, King of Israel, King of Kings, throne is forever.
Jesus is redeemer, ‘I am he’, ‘tries the reins’, saviour, Lord, King of Israel, King of Kings, throne is forever.
That which describes Yahweh in the Old Testament is the same thing that describes Jesus in the New.
6. What if I don’t believe that Jesus is God in flesh?
Isaiah 45:23 cmp Philippians 2:10-11
1 Corinthians 12:3
1 John 4:2-3
2 John 1:7
Rejecting Jesus as God is to reject the notion that the Christ came in the flesh (Christ means anointed one, which is the King, which is only God). Rejection Jesus is to be an anti-christ. It is to be against God.
Looking at the scriptures it is clear to see that doctrine of the Trinity, although we essentially only looked at Jesus as Yahweh, is in the scriptures from the very beginning. The very best description of the Trinity is that the Father as Yahweh, the Son as Yahweh and the Holy Spirit as Yahweh is what the scriptures teach.