Part II: The Doctrine of God and Creation
Chapter VII: The Trinity
1. Statement of the Doctrine. The Bible teaches that, while He exists in three
Persons, called Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are not three persons in
the ordinary sense of the word; they are not three individuals, but rather
three modes or forms in which the Divine Being exists. At the same time they
are of such a nature that they can enter into personal relations. The Father
can speak to the Son and vice versa, and both can send forth the Spirit. The
real mystery of the Trinity consists in this that each one of the Persons
possesses the whole of the divine essence, and that this has no existence
outside of and apart from the Persons. The three are not subordinate in being
the one to the other, though it may be said that in order of existence the
Father is first, the Son second, and the Holy Spirit third, an order which is also
reflected in their work.
2. Scripture Proof for the Trinity. The Old Testament contains some
indications of more than one Person in God. God speaks of Himself in the
plural, Gen. 1:26; 11:7; the Angel of Jehovah is represented as a divine
Person, Gen. 16:7-13; 18:1-21; 19:1-22; and the Spirit is spoken of as a
distinct Person, Isa. 48:16; 63:10. Moreover, there are some passages in which
the Messiah is speaking and mentions two other Persons, Isa. 48:16; 61:6; 63:9,
10.
Due to the progress of revelation, the New Testament contains clearer
proofs. The strongest proof is found in the facts of redemption. The Father
sends the Son into the world, and the Son sends the Holy Spirit. Moreover,
there are several passages in which the three Persons are expressly mentioned,
such as the great commission, Matt. 28:19, and the apostolic blessing, II Cor.
13:13. Cf. also Luke 3:21, 22; 1:35; I Cor. 12:4-6; I Pet. 1:2.
This doctrine was denied by the Socinians in the days of the Reformation,
and is rejected also by the Unitarians and the Modernists of our own day. If
they speak of the Trinity at all, they represent it as consisting of the
Father, the man Jesus, and a divine influence which is called the Spirit of
God.
3. The Father. The name 'Father' is frequently applied in Scripture to the
triune God, as the creator of all things, I Cor. 8:6; Heb. 12:9; Jas. 1:17; as
the Father of Israel, Deut. 32:6; Isa. 63:16; and as the Father of believers,
Matt. 5:45; 6:6, 9, 14; Rom. 8:15. In a deeper sense, however, it is applied to
the First Person of the Trinity, to express His relation to the Second Person,
John 1:14, 18; 8:54; 14:12, 13. This is the original Fatherhood, of which all
earthly fatherhood is but a faint reflection. The distinctive characteristic of
the Father is that He generates the Son from all eternity. The works
particularly ascribed to Him are those of planning the work of redemption,
creation and providence, and representing the Trinity in the Counsel of
Redemption.
4. The Son. The second person in the Trinity is called 'Son' or 'Son of
God.' He bears this name, however, not only as the only begotten of the Father,
John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; Gal. 4:4, but also as the Messiah chosen of God, Matt.
8:29; 26:63; John 1:49; 11:27, and in virtue of His special birth through the
operation of the Holy Spirit, Luke 1:32, 35. His special characteristic as the
Second Person of the Trinity is that He is eternally begotten of the Father,
Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5. By means of eternal generation the Father is the
cause of the personal existence of the Son within the Divine Being. The works
more particularly ascribed to Him are works of mediation. He mediated the work
of creation, John 1:3, 10; Heb. 1:2, 3, and mediates the work of redemption,
Eph. 1:3-14.
5. The Holy Spirit. Though Socinians, Unitarians, and present day Modernists
speak of the Holy Spirit merely as a power or an influence of God, He clearly
stands out on the pages of the Bible as a Person, John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26;
16:1-15; Rom. 8:26. He has intelligence, John 14:26, feeling, Isa. 68:10; Eph.
4:30, and will, Acts 16:7; I Cor. 12:11. Scripture represents Him as speaking,
searching, testifying, commanding, revealing, striving, and making
intercession. Moreover, He is clearly distinguished from His own power in Luke
1:35; 4:14; Acts 10:38; I Cor. 2:4. His special characteristic is that He
proceeds from the Father and the Son by spiration, John 15:26; 16:7; Rom. 8:9;
Gal. 4:6. In general it may be said that it is His task to bring things to
completion both in creation and redemption, Gen. 1:3; Job 26:13; Luke 1:35;
John 3:34; I Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 2:22.
To memorize. Passages to prove:
a. The Trinity:
Isa. 61:1. "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon Me" (the Messiah),
cf. Luke 4:17, 18.
Matt. 28:19. "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit."
II Cor. 13:14. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God; and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
b. Eternal generation:
Ps. 2:7. "I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my
Son; this day have I begotten Thee."
John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we
beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace
and truth."
e. Procession of the Holy Spirit:
John 15:26. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you
from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He
shall bear witness of Me."
For Further Study:
a. In what sense can we speak of a general Fatherhood of God? I Cor. 8:6;
Eph. 3:14, 15; Heb. 12:9; Jas. 1:17. Cf. also Num. 16:22.
b. Can you prove the deity of the incarnate Son? John 1:1; 20:28; Phil. 2:6;
Tit. 2:13; Jer. 28:5, 6; Isa. 9:6; John 1:3; Rev. 1:8; Col. 1:17; John 14:1; II
Cor. 13:14.
c. How do the following passages prove the personality of the Holy Spirit?
Gen. 1:2; 6:3; Luke 12:12; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8; Acts 8:29; 13:2; Rom. 8:11;
I Cor. 2:10, 11.
d. What works are ascribed to the Spirit in Ps. 33:6; 104:30; Ex, 28:3; II
Pet. 1:21; I Cor. 3:16; 12:4 ff.? Questions for Review
1. Can we discover the doctrine of the Trinity from nature?
2. Are there three separate individuals in God?
3. Is one Person subordinate to another in God?
4. How can we prove the Trinity from the Old Testament?
5. What is the strongest proof for the Trinity?
6. What New Testament passages best prove it?
7. In what different senses is the name 'Father' applied to God?
8. What works are more particularly ascribed to each one of the Persons?
9. In what different senses is the name 'Son' applied to Christ?
10. What is the special characteristic of each Person?
11. How can you prove that the Holy Spirit is a Person?