THE GODHEAD

WHAT IS TRINITY?
• "Tri" = Three
• "Unity“=One
• Tri+Unity = Trinity or Unity of One.
• There is plurality, unity and equality amongst the members of
the Godhead.

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“SHIELD OF THE TRINITY”

“There is plurality, unity, and

equality among the members of the
Godhead.”

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• God is the greatest mystery that can engage the human mind
(Col. 2:1-3).
• He chooses to reveal himself to us in nature (Ps. 19:1-3),
through the prophets, (Heb. 1:1); through Jesus Christ and the
Scriptures.
• Our knowledge of God is limited by how much He chooses to
share with us (Deut. 29:29).

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 BIBLICAL DATA
 God in the New Testament is often called the Father
• John 3:16: God loved the world, He gave his only “son.”
• Luke 22:42: Jesus addressed God in prayer as his “Father.”

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 BIBLICAL DATA
 Jesus is also called God
• John 1:1,2,14 – In the beginning was the word and the word was
with God and the word was God ... he became flesh and dwelt
among us.
• John 20:28 – worshipped by Thomas – “My Lord and my God.”
• John 10:30 – The Father and I are one
• Phil 2:6-7 – In the form of God, Equal with God
• John 1:1 – The Creator
• Mark 2:5-6 – Forgave sins

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 BIBLICAL DATA
 The Holy Spirit is also called God
• Heb. 9:14: Holy Spirit is described as eternal
• I Cor 2:10-11: Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God
• Mat 12:31-32: Blaspheming against the HS is even more serious than
blaspheming against God.
o The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are God. Yet, they are three distinct
persons.
o There are at least three persons in that one God. These three form a unity.
o The “threeness” of God does not contradict the “oneness” of God rather
claims that there are three persons (Father, Son/Holy Spirit) and yet they
are one. They are one in purpose, mind, character and existence.

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 THE ONENESS OF GOD
• Deut 6:4 – Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one God
• Rom 3:30 – Since God is one ...
• James 2:19 – You believe God is One. You do well.
• Each of the member of the trinity has a particular function
unique to himself for a period of time. This is to be understood
as a temporary role to achieve a certain end, not to change his
status or essence.
 “There is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a unity of three
co-eternal persons….”

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H2O ANALOGY
H20 is the inside of the
water: liquid, solid and
gas but appears
different from the
outside.
So the members of the
trinity are exactly the
same on the inside –
“God” – but manifest
themselves differently
(Father, Son and HS).
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THE FATHER, SON AND THE HS ARE
OFTEN GROUPED TOGETHER AS THOUGH
EQUAL

 Baptised in the name (singular) of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit (Mat 28:18)
 Baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:16).
 Creation (John 1:1-3)

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WHY THE STUDY OF TRINITY IS IMPORTANT?
 Inner Relationships of God ─
Relationship is in the unity of
trinity
 God desires relationship with
human
 The whole trinity is involved in
our salvation, past, present, and
future. God wants to forgive sin
but he has to pay the price and
that is Jesus to die.

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• The God of the OT does not differ from the God of the New
Testament.
• “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last
days, He has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of
all things and through whom he made the universe.” Heb. 1:1-2.

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 1. GOD OF RELATIONSHIPS

• I John 4:16 … God is love (not loving). Whoever lives in love lives in
God and God in him.
• For love to be expressed, it requires a partner.
• Ez 16 – God finds Israel as an abandoned baby; cares for her, when
she is of age he marries her but she is unfaithful to him.
• like a human lover; God wants love and faithfulness in return.
• Ex 34:14 – “A jealous god” – fully committed to the relationship with
us; and looking for commitment in return.

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GOD PASSIONATELY DESIRES A RELATIONSHIP
WITH HUMAN BEINGS

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The Tabernacle was erected so God could dwell with his people – Ex 25:8

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 “See the home of God is among mortals.
God will dwell with the saints as their
Incarnation: God became a man and “dwelt
God, they will be his peoples, and God
among us” – John 1:14; Matt 1:23
himself will be with them.” Rev 21:3 .

“Immanuel- God with “The dwelling of God is

us” with men”

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2. GOD IS HOLY AND JUST
• Lev 20:26 – “Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy.”
• This was a constant theme throughout the Bible. “Holy” not in a sense of
“being pure,” or “being sinless” but rather “morally upright.” The quality
of being utterly different from “ordinary things” or ”pattern of this
world,” (Rom 12:2)
• This stands a real contrast to the other gods worshipped in the ancient
world
• Molech – child sacrifices (Jer 32:35).
• Baal and Asheroth – fertility rites
• Gods of Greece and Rome: violent, immoral
• God is holy and righteous so demands holiness and morality from his
worshippers.

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3. GOD IS DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
(AT GREAT COST)
• Evil began in Lucifer’s heart (Isa. 14:12-14).
• God came up with several options to deal with the rebel
a.Ignore the rebellion— other angels would do the same.
b.Destroy the rebels — serve God with fear not love
c.Allow the rebellion to go ahead until all are convinced of the rightness of
God’s position.
• God acted decisively against evil. He was not a distant observer rather he
actively involved in rescuing the world (John 3:16).
• God sees what’s going on today, he will finally remove evil from the universe
along with those who are too closely attached to it.
• God has given time have living relationship with him – God not willing that
any should perish (II Pet 3:9).

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 4. GOD IS BEST KNOWN IN JESUS
• Jesus is the best representation of God. Jesus came not only to
save us from sin but also to show us who is father is like.
• John 14:9 – Jesus answered … Anyone who has seen me has seen
the father.

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GOD’S CHARACTER WAS WELL DEMONSTRATED
THROUGH JESUS’ LIFE ON EARTH.
A friend of sinners, who received them
and ate with them (Lk 15:1-2)
Compassionate to those in need – tending
to the sick, weeping with the grieving,
touching the lepers.

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GOD’S CHARACTER WAS WELL DEMONSTRATED
THROUGH JESUS’ LIFE ON EARTH.
Died for us
Taught the Fatherhood of God (Luke
15: 11-31; Matt 6:28-30) Jesus experienced the fear of
death; shrank from the pain; but
went through with it

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• Rom 5:7-8 “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous
person, though for a good person someone might possibly
dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

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