Challenging questions are often put before us:
- Is the word ‘Trinity’ ever used in the Bible?
- Did Jesus Christ ever say that He was God?
- In Mathew 16:15-17 Jesus Christ asked his disciples: "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus Christ gave him 100 marks. Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
- Are we allowed to add or subtract from what the Scripture says?
- He is only the Son of the living God, then why do you call him God?
- The most quoted verse in the Bible is John 3: 16 calls Jesus Christ ‘the only begotten son of God’
- He is begotten, not created, but why don’t you acknowledge his begotten ness even if you cannot explain it?
- John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. A mistake in your understanding in this are will result in your eternal life being at stake
- Is there any verse in the Bible to show that Jesus Christ had no beginning?
- Micah 5:2 referring to Jesus Christ says of his ‘origins/goings forth is from of old, from ancient days’ NIV, RSV, Malayalam. Why deny that?
- Does the Scripture tell us anywhere that the Father and the Holy Spirit are co-equal?
- Any where in Scripture do you find the Holy Spirit being worshiped?
# 1. Because the Bible does not use the word Trinity I too avoid it. I prefer to speak of ‘The God of the Bible’
# 2. If man were able to understand and comprehend God fully, who would be greater, man or God? Being created beings, we cannot expect to be comprehended and understand God fully.
# 3. The Bible, Gods revelation to man about Himself presents various truths about God without attempting to explain how these truths are consistent with each other. We must allow that tension to remain between unresolved truths and humble ourselves to the fact the God being God is beyond our full comprehension.
# 4. Just because certain things are beyond our understanding it doesn’t mean that they are illogical. They are only super logical and beyond the capability of man to understand
# 5. The God of the Bible is summarised for us in the Athanasian Creed written by an unknown author:
- The Father is God
- The Son is God
- And the Holy Spirit is God
- And yet there are not three Gods but one God
Let us now consider each of these statements one by one:
1. The Father is God
1 Cor 8:6 There is but one God, the Father
Was Incarnate Jesus Christ God?
While it is true that Jesus Christ himself did not make a direct statement that He was God:
A. OT and NT refer to him as God
[1] Isaiah 9:6
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace
[2] Mathew 1: 23
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb, and will bear a son. And they will call His name Emmanuel," which being interpreted is, God with us.
[3] Romans 9: 5 NIV/NKJV
of whom is the Christ according to flesh, He being God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
[4] Colosians 2: 9
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
[5] Titus 2: 13
looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
[6] 2 Peter 1: 1
in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (World English Bible)
[7] 1 John 5: 20 NIV
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
B. Jesus Christ accepted worship
Mathew 14: 33; 28: 9; 17; John 9: 38 Jesus Christ himself had said that worship was due only to God (Mathew 4: 10; Revelations 22: 8, 9)
C. Jesus Christ did things that only God should do
Luke 5: 20, 21
When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
D. Jesus Christ was perceived as claiming Himself equal with God
John 5: 18;
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 10: 33
The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."
F. He did not correct the confession of Thomas
John 20: 28 “My Lord and My God”
H. God the Father calls Jesus Christ God
Hebrews 1: 8
But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever”
Is the Holy Spirit God?
1 Corinthians 3: 16
Do you not know that you are the
Why is it that you are called the temple of the living God? Because the Holy Spirit dwells in you.
Acts 5: 3, 4
v.3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
v.4 "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
Deut 6: 4 The LORD (Jehovah) is our God, the LORD (Jehovah) is one
Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me.
