Great Doctrines of the Bible
Lesson 3
Our Triune God
(The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity)

Introduction
The God of the Bible, while being one God, is manifested as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though revealed as a trinity, God remains but one in substance. To know the Bible, to defend the faith, and to present the Gospel, Christians must seek earnestly to understand this mystery.

Importance of this Lesson

• There are three monotheistic religions in this world: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. If we are going to proclaim the GOSPEL OF GOD to the world, we must know what distinguishes Christianity from all other religions.
• We must be prepared to answer those critics of Christianity who accuse us of teaching TRI-THEISM, or three separate Gods – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• The fact that the Holy Trinity presented in the Bible is but one great Divine Being is held in contrast to the polytheism (many gods) believed in by many religions.
• We must be prepared to answer the Unitarian who denies the absolute deity of Jesus and the existence of the Holy Spirit as a separate personality.
• To know the God of the Bible we must repent toward God (Acts 20:21), receive Christ (John 1:12), and be born of the Spirit (John 3:5).

  The major importance of this lesson then is this: if we are to know and understand and proclaim the God of the Bible, we must experience all three manifestations and understand how all three reveal Him to be but one glorious, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and loving God.

Include this form on your page

The Lesson

I. THE BIBLE ASSERTS THE UNITY OF GOD

1. Isaiah 45:22 – “Look… for I am God, and there is none else.”
2. Isaiah 45:5 – “…there is none else, there is no God beside Me.”
3. Isaiah 44:6 – “I am the first…beside Me there is no God.”
4. 1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is ONE God….”
5. 1 Corinthians 8:4 – “…an idol is nothing…there is none other God but one.”
6. Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear , O Israel: the Lord our God is ONE Lord.”
7. Ephesians 4:5 – “ONE Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

• Unity is one of the NATURAL attributes of God. A definition: “Unity is the state of one indivisible, perfect being, eternally existing and manifesting Himself to us in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
• Our primary responsibility, which is our total devotion to the Lord, is based upon this unity: “… The Lord our God is ONE Lord: And, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

II. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF MANY MULTIPLE THINGS AS BEING ONE

1. Genesis 2:24 – “…and they (two people) shall be ONE flesh.”
2. Genesis 11:6 – “…Behold, the PEOPLE is ONE….”
3. 1 Corinthians 3:6,8 – He that plants, and he that waters are ONE.
4. 1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For by One Spirit are WE ALL baptized into ONE body….”
5. John 17:22 – “…that they may be ONE, even as WE are One.”
6. Galatians 3:28 – “…for YE are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus.”

III. THUS SIMILARLY, GOD HIMSELF, WHILE REPRESENTED AS BEING THREE IN MANIFESTATION, IS NEVERTHELESS ONE GOD

• In all of the above scriptures, the word ONE is used in a collective sense, and the UNITY referred to is a compound unity, such as BE YE ALL OF ONE MIND, or, THEY ALL AROSE AS ONE MAN, etc.
• The word used in the Hebrew language for ONE (yacheed) meaning “THE ONLY ONE” is NEVER used to express the unity of the Godhead. Always, the word (echad) is used, which denotes a compound unity as found in the above scriptures.

1. The Divine name for God is a plural word.
   Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning GOD” (Elohim). Elohim is a plural noun and suggests more than one person in the Godhead; however, it does not prove the Trinity. It is the most common name for God in the OLD TESTAMENT.
2. God uses plural pronouns, when He speaks of Himself.
   1. Genesis 1:26 – “…Let US make man in OUR image….”
   2. Genesis 3:22 – “…Behold, the man is become as one of US….”
   3. Isaiah 6:8 – “…Whom shall I send, and who will go for US?…”

• The reference to US in Genesis 1:26 does NOT refer to God consulting with angels. Isaiah 40:14 says that God takes counsel from no one. Man is not made in the image of angels, but in the image of God.

IV. THAT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS A TRIUNE GOD IS TAUGHT IN BOTH THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENTS

1. In the Old Testament:
   1. The many theophanies – The visible appearances of the angel of the Lord.
      Illustration: To Hagar (Genesis 16:7-13); to Abraham (Genesis 18); to Moses (Exodus 3:2); to Gideon (Judges 6:11); to David (2 Samuel 24:16). (These appearances are clearly identified with the Lord Himself in His manifestation to men.)
      1. Genesis 31:11-13 – “…I AM the God of Bethel….”
      2. Exodus 3:2-6 – “…I AM the God of thy father…”
      3. Genesis 18:13 – “And the LORD said unto Abraham….”
   2. The great ministry of the Holy Spirit
      (Genesis 1:2; 6:3 and 41:38; Exodus 28:3 and 31:3; Numbers 11:17,25).
   3. The PLURAL names used for God like ELOHIM.
   4. The PLURAL pronouns used by God in speaking of Himself, “Let US make man.…”
2. In the New Testament: (Here, it is not simply intimated or alluded to, but specifically taught.)
   1. At the baptism of Christ (Matthew 3:16-17).
      Here, the SON is baptized; the FATHER speaks from heaven; and the SPIRIT descends like a dove.
   2. In the Great Commission to the Church (Matthew 28:19-20).
      We are to baptize disciples in the name of the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT.
   3. In the Apostle Paul’s benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14) – “The grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GOD (the Father), and the COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST …be with you.”
   4. In 1 Peter 1:2, GOD the FATHER elects, the SPIRIT sanctifies, and CHRIST cleanses through His blood.
   5. In John 14:16, I (God the Son) will pray the Father (God the Father), that He will send you another Comforter (God the Holy Spirit).
   6. Boardman, a theologian, sums it up this way: “The Father is the invisible fullness of the Godhead (John 1:18); the Son is the fullness of the Godhead in visible manifestation (John 1:14-18; Colossians 2:9); and the Holy Spirit is the fullness of the Godhead acting immediately upon us (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Ephesians 5:18).”

V. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE TRINITY ¨ While nothing could fully or perfectly present the glorious mystery of the TRIUNE God, some simple illustrations might prove to be helpful.

A Triangle = three sides, but just one triangle.

A Three-Leaf Clover = three leaves, but just one clover.

Three identical glasses of water = one in substance, but three in manifestation.

TIME - - - It is past, present, and future.
SPACE - - - It has length, breadth, and height.

Conclusion:
While the doctrine of the Triune God is a glorious mystery no human mind can ever fully understand, it is a truth clearly presented in the Scriptures. We are, therefore, to bow humbly before it, teach it, proclaim it, and cherish it. While all three members of the Godhead are one, each has his own office work to perform; and we are to appropriate the manifold ministry of all three and rejoice greatly in the God of our salvation.

Examination

This is the end of this lesson. In order to proceed with the examination, you must be preregistered* as a student with Rogma International. If you are ready to proceed with the examination, click one of the buttons below:

This version is recommended if you have a reliable internet connection. The exam must be completed during your open session, otherwise you risk losing any answers that you may have already completed.		If you are unable to complete the exam online, we suggest that you download this Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the exam and write your answers in the body of an e-mail message to your assigned grader.

* Although registration is not required, registered students can earn a Certificate of Accomplishment, Certificate of Achievement, or a Diploma. In addition, registered students are assigned a personal grader who will monitor their ongoing progress. If you would like to register first, click below. A student identification number and access codes will be e-mailed to you within a few business days. Click to register.