God Is Three

Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Though there is only one God, He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

God is one, but He exists in three distinct Persons. We call this the Trinity, a contraction of "tri-unity," meaning "three in one." The word Trinity doesn't appear in the Bible, but God's existence as three Persons in one God is clear from Scripture.

Old Testament evidence of God's plurality can be found in the very first verse: "In the beginning God . . ." (Gen. 1:1). The Hebrew word used for God is Elohim, which is a plural noun. Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Messiah: "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations." The Messiah says in Isaiah 48:16, "The Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit."

The New Testament is more explicit about God's triune nature. After Jesus' baptism, the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove, and the Father said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Matt. 3:17). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are together in the same scene.

Jesus says, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Paul closes 2 Corinthians by saying, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (13:14). Peter declares that believers are chosen "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2).

So God is one, but God is three. This is a profound mystery that no human illustration can adequately describe and no scientific explanation can prove. The Trinity is something we have to take on faith, because God has taught it in Scripture.

Suggestions for Prayer

Praise God that He is so far above our finite understanding, yet has chosen to reveal Himself to us.

For Further Study

Read John 14-16.

What does Jesus teach about His relationship with the Father and the Spirit? What do you learn here about the different functions or ministries of each member of the Trinity?

[Thales Miletus]

Thank you all for your patient and kind responses. I can see the inherent logic in all of them. From a scientific, logical, and philosophical point of view there must be a “creator”. The way the OP presented the article I could not see a difference between the “pagan” plurality and the Christian Trinity. The three of you (coincidence) did an outstanding job of casting light on a murky topic with out adding heat.

[Thales Miletus]

I have replied.

And the sum of your reply was to question my sincerity. There are three others that did manage to answer my question and did it with out casting aspersions.
Proverbs 12:25 A fearful word troubles the heart of a man and a good word gladdens it.
Proverbs 15:23 An appropriate answer brings joy to a person, and a well-timed word is a good thing.

[boatbums]

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.a ”

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spiritb gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘Youc must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”d

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.e 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,f 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”g

16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:1-21)

[SouthernClaire]

Thanks, Boatbums, and a very joyous AMEN to the Scripture you quoted!

[delchiante]

I downloaded a free computer application showing his sun,moon,stars,planets moving above us and watched them specifically at the set times He appointed to Israel..

That’s how I found out what day He was born.

But to take a picture, I can’t figure out how to do that.

[metmom]

How ironic that you quote Scripture at me.

Why are you doing that?

Am I supposed to melt down because someone threw some Scripture at me?

[metmom]

I did give you some examples and explained some of the different views on the Trinity.

You have not yet responded to what I posted to you. You’ve only thrown accusations at me.

The fact that you accused me of not answering and *casting aspersions* tells me that you are not really interested in a serious answer. Additionally, you kept referring to the OP and making negative comments without pinging me. and I’m supposed to take you seriously?

FWIW, I did not write the article. I only posted it.

[delchiante]

And that is taken from Ezekiel
45:17 and one thing that detailed was offerings that were to be given on those days. Somebody was teaching the Colossians they were to be doing the offerings.. And we know that the Messiah satisfied all those food and drink offerings at the Feasts, new Moons and sabbaths with His one sacrifice as the Lamb . Ezekiel 45:17 and its sister verse, Colossians 2:16, which Paul is referencing, were shadows of what is to come- future prophecy.. There will be a time of new offerings, believe it or not. But they were not to be doing those then or for us, now.
It is finished.

If one mistakes that, they will believe it means His New Moons, Sabbaths and Feasts, that prophets says do go on, have no more meaning-

Rather it is things like ‘ash Wednesday’ as the kind of thing he is talking about.

Paul taught Passover, Unleavened Bread, first Fruits.. Those are the actual days. He even says let us keep the Feast.(1 Cor 5:8)

Not rudimemt days like good goddess Friday, Holy satry day or easter sun day.

Those new moons, sabbaths and feasts are the Son’s..

Which is why Rome can be shown to have created another Jesus and another gospel..

And that Roman Jesus is only possible with romes calendar.

Conforming, even conforming to the ‘judeo-christian’ world blinds to people to His Days. Satan is that subtle.

And His Days are the Kingdom days..

I as a protestant havent had to live in a tent for 7 days or eat Unleavened Bread.

And the best part of His Calendar is everytime His Feasts begin, it starts on a natural weekly Sabbath, where He called for all, not just Jewish people, to rest..

Something Judaism doesn’t even understand.. Why sould they. They are ‘antichrist’ according to Scripture..

People again are waiting for antichrist to change times and laws and its already happened. And Revelation 13 is happening too.. Just not the way people expect..

It really does take the blinders off..
And helps to understand things like who is least in the Kingdom and who is great in the Kingdom..

Never saw it while calling today Woden’s Day..

He gets the glory!

And every one is free to do what they want. I have been blessed to follow Him..

[delchiante]

The first sliver of a crescent.at sunset shows the next ‘day’ is the 1st Day of His month- any of His months-
The bible might call it the first day of the month or a New Moon Day.

It is what was seen(sliver crescent) at sunset on September 25, 2014. And then all day , September 26, the moon traveled down to the woman’s ‘feet’ while the woman stayed clothed by the sun.
Revelation 12:2

Same thing happened on the evening of October 13 with a sliver crescent and the next ‘day’, October 14th, the moon traveled down to under her feet.

Both are the New Moon Day of 2 different months of His, but still New Moon Days.

The King of Kings was born on a New Moon Day,according to Scripture and Creation- in the summer. Actually born at the end of one.

New Moon Days were appointed Days where the eastern gate of the temple was open,banquets and Feasts were held and the businesses and markets were closed.

It would be like the pope’s Christmas once a month.

The moon phase averages 29.5 days so it is possible that one Pope Gregory month can have two of His months start in one.. But His Calendar is a luni-solar calendar. Not a lunar (like Muslims) or solar (like Rome).

[Elsie]

I’ll print it so others will not have to waste their time looking it up.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

[Elsie]

Oh, I see it was an appeal and not a command.

You said it was a COMMAND from Jesus.

I showed it wasn't.

Why the huffiness?

Lol, so Paul would have been fine if someone withdrew fellowship from the Corinthian Church and started a new denomination.

[Elsie]

One Lord, 30,000 faiths and two baptisms.

Tell me again why there is no unity in the Catholic Church.

[Elsie]

I tried to give an explanation based in what Jesus answered when His disciples ask a similar question of Him, found in John 14, where Philip says 'Show us The Father God and that will suffice.'

Rome says:

We've shown you the Mother; why won't that suffice?

[Elsie]

How many times have you been born from above?

http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/zero

[Elsie]

But to take a picture, I can't figure out how to do that.

It's a bit lengthy, but here goes...

There's a button on the keyboard prt sc which grabs an image of your screen.

That can be pasted into an e-mail or other document; but it will still not be available for posting on the web.

I paste the image into my Photoshop® wannabe PaintShopPro and clean it up to my satisfaction.

I then post it to a photosaving website. I use Photobucket.

Once it's there, I can post it to FR, since it now will have a unique URL address.

[Elsie]

What calendar do Muslims use?

I know they’re really big on them moon slivers.

[delchiante]

They are lunar on their calendar. And they stumble into His Sabbath from time to time.

It is quite a thing to observe..

They probably pay attention to the Savior’s real birthday than Judaism and Christianity..unknowingly.

Which is telling.. Satan plays in all religion

[delchiante]

I thank you! When it comes around next October in the sky I will attempt it!

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

Everything in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is from Jesus and about Jesus.
He is the Word of God.

[MHGinTN]

Use the decoder ring ...

Yes, looks like zero likelihood.

But how does one get through to such an one?

Carry on ...