RC Sproul, Mystery of the Trinity Part 02
RC Sproul is an excellent Bible teacher and his works are recently becoming available in Arabic. Currently I am posting a series Dr. Sproul did on the Trinity.
The Trinity is one of the most disputed doctrines in Muslim and Christian dialogue and I offer Dr. Sproul as one who speaks both biblically and clearly on this most important topic. 1In RC Sproul’s book on Essential Truths of the Christian Faith Dr. Sproul writes,
The doctrine of the Trinity is difficult and perplexing to us. Sometimes it is thought that Christianity teaches the absurd notion that 1+1+1=1. That is clearly a false equation. The term Trinity describes a relationship not of three gods, but of one God who is three persons. Trinity does not mean tritheism, that is, that there are three beings who together are God. The word Trinity is used in an effort to define the fullness of the Godhead both in terms of His unity and diversity.
The historic formulation of the Trinity is that God is one in essence and three in person. Though the formula is mysterious and even paradoxical, it is in no way contradictory. The unity of the Godhead is affirmed in terms of essence or being, while the diversity of the Godhead is expressed in terms of person.
Though the term Trinity is not found in the Bible, the concept is clearly there. On the one hand the Bible strongly affirms the unity of God (Deuteronomy 6:4). On the other hand the Bible clearly affirms the full deity of the three persons of the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church has rejected the heresies of modalism and tritheism. Modalism denies the distinction of persons within the Godhead, claiming that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are just ways in which God expresses Himself. Tritheism, on the other hand, falsely declares that there are three beings who together make up God.
The term person does not mean a distinction in essence but a different subsistence in the Godhead. A subsistence in the Godhead is a real difference but not an essential difference in the sense of a difference in being. Each person subsists or exists “under” the pure essence of deity. Subsistence is a difference within the scope of being, not a separate being or essence. All persons in the Godhead have all the attributes of deity.
There is also a distinction in the work done by each member of the Trinity. The work of salvation is in one sense common to all three persons of the Trinity. Yet in the manner of activity, there are differing operations assumed by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father initiates creation and redemption; the Son redeems the creation; and the Holy Spirit regenerates and sanctifies, applying redemption to believers.
The Trinity does not refer to parts of God or even to roles. Human analogies such as one man who is a father, son, and a husband fail to capture the mystery of the nature of God.
The doctrine of the Trinity does not fully explain the mysterious character of God. Rather, it sets the boundaries outside of which we must not step. It defines the limits of our finite reflection. It demands that we be faithful to the biblical revelation that in one sense God is one and in a different sense He is three.
Summary
1. The doctrine of the Trinity affirms the triunity of God.
2. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a contradiction: God is one in essence and three in person.
3. The Bible affirms both the oneness of God and the deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
4. The Trinity is distinguished by the work assumed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
5. The doctrine of the Trinity sets the limits of human speculation about the nature of God.
In this second lesson on the Trinity, Dr. Sproul sets out:
1. To demonstrate the presence of the doctrine of the Trinity throughout the pages of Scripture.
2. To reveal the allusions to the Trinity in the Old Testament.
3. To reveal the affirmations of the Trinity in the New Testament.
Related Posts
Mystery of the Trinity Part 1
Mystery of the Trinity Part 3
Mystery of the Trinity Study Guide
References
God in three Persons has always been part of our Apostolic creed,and i thank God for the teachings of Dr. Sproul on the Trinity of the Godhead.
This debate on the controversial teaching on Trinity has been raging on from time immemorial,and we young ministers really thank God for sound,biblical teachings of bible teachers of the calibre of Dr Spoul and for all the painstaking efforts on his part to fully unpack,brainstorm,exegete,elaborate and clarify this most indispensable and critical of Theological doctrines.
…God hid himself, and the angel Michael drove them forth from paradise. Whereupon Adam, turning round, saw written above the gate, “There is only one God, and Mohammed messenger of God.” Whereupon, weeping, he said:”May it be pleasing to God, O my son that thou come quickly and draw us out of misery.” ‘And thus,’ said Jesus, ‘sinned Satan and Adam through pride, the one by despising man, the other by wishing to make himself equal with God.’
The Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 41
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
What does the Gospel of Barnabas have to do with biblical and historic Christianity?
Indeed its an absurd notion that 1+1+1=1, even a baby class child can reject this tally coz clearly no formala can fit this false equestion for centuries. For the Bible is clear about this i wounder why my christian brothers and sisters cant understand it.Deuteronomy
6:4 “Hear, O
Israel: The
LORD our God
is oneLORD:” (KJV)
Transliteration of Hebrew:
Shema yisra’el adonay
Eloheynu adonay ehad Mark 12:29 “And Jesus
answered him, The first of all
the commandments is, Hear, O
{Israel;} The
Lord our God is one Lord:”