The Godhead

March 5, 2014 Weve reached some wonderful chapters in Genesis that deserve appreciation and Im excited to preach them, but the theme of Genesis is fairly consistent all the way through. What that means is we might start to get a little numb to what were reading, and I dont want that, so were going to take a little break to study something different. The doctrine of the Godhead (or the Trinity) has been on my mind lately and Id like to spend a while telling you some of my thoughts on it. Before we begin, I think its important to address a popular error. No man can ever truly understand the depths of God, but a lot of people use this as an excuse: Since we cant understand the Godhead, we might as well not even try. And because of this weve ended up with all kinds of unbiblical views of God. For instance: Is the Holy Spirit an individual being or is He only a force? Does He have a beginning? Is He on the same level as the Father and the Word? Moreover, who is Jesus? Why is He also called the Word? Did God die on the cross? If Jesus is God did He really die? Does He have a beginning? How could He be born? What about the Father? Why is He called that? Is He the greatest God of the three? And what about the nature of the Godhead? Is it one being wearing many faces? Is it three separate Gods? So you can see why people just sort of shrug and give up, cant you? But I hope to show you that its all written for us and not as difficult as some say. Perhaps the reason some things are so hard to understand is because we arent willing to adjust what we think we already know. We hear something that sounds new and so we instantly just write it off because it doesnt fit with what weve been taught. And so my challenge to you is just to listen and read and think for yourself. Dont try to think deep thoughts; just read what it says and accept it.

Now, why is this important? What difference does it make if we understand this stuff? Well, theres no more basic and fundamental question than who is God? Jesus asked Peter, Who do men say that I am? If we dont take the time to understand the Godhead, well never accurately understand Christ. And so, were going to start this study. Lets begin in First John: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (1 Jn. 5:7). There are three witnesses in heaven and we see they have three different names. But how can there be three and one? The most helpful illustration I can find is the one of marriage. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh (Eph. 5:31). Paul goes on in that passage to say that hes actually talking about Christ and the church. When two people are married they are cut off from their blood family and united together as one person in the eyes of God. Of course they are still two separate people, but they share a spiritual union that makes them one. While in the garden Jesus prayed that all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one (Jn. 17:2122). There are three in number in heaven, but they are one in union. They are bound together inseparably to form one God. And so we must ask, who are these three? From our text we read that they are the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. Ill suggest to you now that each of these has a name that corresponds with His role in the covenant of grace towards Gods elect. Each one serves a special purpose: Lets start with the Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. [] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:1-2, 14). Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:5-8). What we see from these two verses is that the Word has two natures. He was with God and He was God. He was in the form of God before He took on the form of a servant. What does that mean? Well, the Word exists and has existed in such a way that He can be God and with Him. He exists and has existed as a form which can be called God. As an omnipresent spirit He is called the Word. As a form (and a Man) He is called Jesus who is Gods only begotten Son. Why does He exist as both? The Greek word for Word is ( , logos) and its where we get our English word for logo. 1 The Words role is to reveal God who has never been seen. This is why He has two natures; He exists as God in spirit and He exists as Man in flesh. Now, before I go on I want to be very careful to say that His two natures are inseparable. He isnt one or the other; He is both. He is God and Man. He is God-Man. There are some who say He stopped being God when He was born to Mary but thats not true. He had set aside the form of God to take on the form of a servant. He laid aside His glorified body to take on a body in the likeness of men. He laid
1

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=logogram&allowed_in_frame=0

aside a body that needed nothing and could not die to take on a body that would tire and grow and suffer. He did this because He is the Logo: [Christ] is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). He is the icon ( , eikon) of God. He is the representation, the image, the likeness of Him. In Hebrews it says that He is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person (Heb. 1:3). Youll remember from our study in Hebrews that the Greek word for express image is (character); like the character stamps on a typewriter. He is the exact representation of God. In [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9). The Greek word for Godhead simply means divinity or something thats divine. 2 So when we see Jesus we see all of the divine nature; we see the invisible God. And so this is His part in the covenant. He reveals God to us: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (Jn. 17:3). Now lets look at the Father. First of all, why is He called that? What purpose does He serve in the covenant of grace? Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
2

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=qeothtos&la=greek#lexicon

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel. 10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the 11 earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (Ps. 2). The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. 7He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head (Ps. 110). For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this (Is. 9:6-7). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). The Father is called that because He has a Son. The Word exists as both God and Man, and as Man He is Gods only begotten. But why is this important? You have to remember that salvation is an inheritance. An inheritance is something that passes from father to son. A

covenant was made between the Father and the Son. This covenant includes our salvation and it includes Christs rule over all creation. The Father gave His Son, and the Son gave His own life. He was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4) and He now sits at the Fathers right hand waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool and for His bride to be made His wife. This is the covenant that we now look to. We believe the Father gave His Son and that we are partakers with Christ. If we are joined with Him then we share in all the promises of blessing made by the Father. With are co-heirs with Christ. We are Christs brothers. We are Gods sons. This is why Hes called Father. Finally, lets look at the Holy Spirit. We read in First John that He is a witness in Heaven. Throughout Scripture Hes identified distinctively (as a dove and as fire), but what is His purpose? How does He fit into the covenant of grace towards Gods elect? Well, I can think of a couple verses: The kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7). The Greek word for renewal is (palingenesias). If youll look carefully youll see that it contains a word very similar to genesis or beginning. The word here means again beginning. Its a new birth; a new creation. It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of

righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you (Jn. 16:7-15). He comforts us. He reproves the world. He guides us in truth. After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:13-14). He seals us as a down payment. He guarantees to us that well see the completion of what God started. Conclusion And so we can see that the Godhead isnt some mystical doctrine that cant be explained or understood. God is one in union but multiple in persons. God is the Father, the Word, and he Spirit. The Father loves us and gave His Son for us. He draws us and guarantees that all the heirs will receive the promise. The Word reveals God to us and secures all the promise on our behalf. Without Him we no way to understand God. This is why all to Him. This is what were looking for in the source of and object of our faith. the blessings of have no hope and Scripture points Genesis. This is

The Spirit regenerates us, renews us, comforts us, guides us, and seals us. These three all work together to accomplish the will of God in our salvation!

Praise Praise Praise Praise

God from whom all blessings flow. Him all creatures here below. Him above ye heavenly hist. Father, Word, and Holy Ghost!

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