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The Doctrine of the Trinity is the single most essential teaching that makes Christianity “Christian”. And a rejection of the Trinity has been characteristically plagued with further false teachings and missing God’s design for worship. We must rediscover that the gospel itself is wholly and thoroughly Trinitarian.
Preliminaries:
- False Teachings are statements of theological error
- Heresy is a kind of false teaching about the nature of God
- Heresy leads to heterodoxy & heteropraxy
Observations:
- “Baptize” is meant to convey the immersion of an identity-defining doctrine
- This command makes trinitarian instruction the first instrument of disciple making
- The persons of God are named in identifying their unique relationships to one another
– Innascibile Paternity – The non-born nature of the Father in relationship to the Son
– Filiation – The attribute of “sonship” defining the Son by the Father
– Common Spiration – Breathing out of the Spirit by the Father and Son
– Procession – The Holy Spirit’s relationship having proceeded from the Father and the Son
Conclusions:
- The Christian God is singular in His being
- The Christian God is three in His persons
- This tri-unity is to define global Christian discipleship
– a rejection will lead to heresy and all kinds of false teachings = false disciples
Application:
- Engulf the gospel and your Christianity as Trinitarian
- Experience life in the tri-personal God through worship
- Engage the mystery of Trinitarian doctrine as God’s true nature
2 Peter 2:1
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
Psalm 45:6
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”
Hebrews 1:8
“But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”
Isaiah 6:1
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.”
Revelation 5:6a
“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.”
John 12:39-41
“For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.”
Romans 8:15-17
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
1 Peter 1:2
“To God’s elect… who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
1 Corinthians 8:4-6
“So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
Galatians 4:4-7
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Ephesians 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Ephesians 3:14-17
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
Ephesians 1:17
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
John 17:3
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”