class: center, middle ## Introduction - The Trinity in the Bible (Derived from https://ichthys.com/1Theo.htm) --- ### Summary In this lesson, we go over how the Trinity can be a tricky concept to understand and explain, which makes it very important to keep our focus on the Bible when discussing it. Otherwise, we might otherwise end up off in the weeds, which is certainly not where we want to be in our understanding of this core doctrine of Christianity. --- #### Outline - [Review](#4) - [The Trinity can be hard to explain properly](#5) - [So keeping the focus on the Bible is necessary](#6) --- ### Review The definition of the Trinity which best does justice to the biblical statements on the subject is the one we have previously stated, namely, that *God is **one** in essence and **three** in person*. We get an even clearer picture of what the Bible has to say about the Trinity when we combine this traditional definition with the four corollaries we've just gone through: - All three members of the Trinity are divine persons. - All three members of the Trinity are unique persons. - All three members of the Trinity have coequal and coeternal essence. - All three members of the Trinity share the same divine essence. --- ### The Trinity can be hard to explain properly As can be seen from the numerous heresies (touched on some in our previous lessons) that have sprung up to challenge orthodox statements about the Trinity, the doctrine can be a difficult one to state in a proper, biblical way. This is especially true the further any definition of the Trinity moves away from actual statements contained in the Bible (which, as we have already stated, were felt to be sufficient by the Apostles and Apostolic Fathers). It should be noted here that even the terms "essence" and "person" were felt by some theologians of the early church to be controversial. We may talk of Man's essence (we are all cut from the same spiritual cloth), and Man's personality (we are all unique individuals), but the essence of God is different from the essence of Man (for one thing, all members of the Trinity share *the same* divine essence), and the idea of personality in the Trinity is different from that of human persons (to take but one example, the absolute unity of agreement and purpose of the Trinity throughout all eternity is not only quantitatively but also qualitatively beyond human experience). --- ### So keeping the focus on the Bible is necessary The lesson here is that rationalistic speculation---always dangerous when expounding the Bible---is even more to be avoided in the case of the Trinity, a doctrine that was only fully revealed with the arrival of the New Testament. What God *has* chosen to reveal about this doctrine, He has revealed carefully and gradually. We will cover the subject of the Trinity in the Old Testament more fully in future lessons, but it may be said here that a large part of the reason for this guarded revelation of the doctrine (beyond our human limitations in comprehending it) may be the all too obvious fact (see our prior discussions) that *wrong* ideas about the nature of the Trinity have historically posed such a dire threat to the entire basis of our Christian faith. Just a little leaven in the loaf, and Satan can make the Trinity seem as an association of "gods" (and so no different from paganism) or one "god" with three hats (thus completely eliminating the importance and efficacy of Christ's incarnation and sacrifice). In His loving wisdom, God has told us what we most need to know without giving us either information that could be misinterpreted, or less than accurate illustrations that might do more harm than good. --- <!-- Footnote List --> <div class="footnotes"> <ol> </ol> </div> --- #### Outline - [Review](#4) - [The Trinity can be hard to explain properly](#5) - [So keeping the focus on the Bible is necessary](#6)