Sermon Central
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Seeing God In 3d Series
Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 16, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: God clearly reveals Himself. We as those called to seek Him with all our hearts need to look for His clear revelation not our own personal opinion as to how He is revealed. Our biblical heart is made up of our intellect, emotions, and our will. We were
Intro: One of the greatest things about the Bible is that it never argues God. It clearly communicates and reveals the God of History. This God who is revealed in the Bible is bigger, more intelligent, more powerful, and definitely a lot better than we are. Augustine of Hippo said in his writings on the Trinity, “In no other subject is error more dangerous, inquiry more difficult, or the discovery of the truth more rewarding.”
The Bible clearly reveals God in 3D. Tertullian coined the phrase Trinity during his lifetime from 150-220 AD. Some would argue that the term is never used in the Bible. Tertullian coined it to communicate simply the complete truth of God’s nature revealed by His Spirit through the scriptures.
Patrick Henry Reardon, Orthodox leader, “The relationship that exists within the Godhead is the basis for the unity in every human relationship, be it marriage, family, or church.”
Athanasian Creed
“We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity, neither confusing the Persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person for the Father, another for the Son, yet another for the Holy Spirit. But the divinity of the Fahter, Son, and Holy Spirit is one. . .thus, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but there is one God.
I. Oneness of God revealed biblically
A) Three distinct persons
There are many arguments from texts, from history, and from opinions about the nature and character of God. Remember 1 Corinthians 2.14 “A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them.”
Genesis 1.1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Hebrew word Elohim is used. Elohim is a plural word which can be argued away or understood as God’s beginning of revelation. Even putting aside the use of the plural we have God creating and then the Holy Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 2 “Let us make man in our image.” Isaiah 6, “Who will go for us and whom shall we send?” According to biblical scholars there is no record of any Hebrew king ever using the plural response such as we accept. Why would this idea be planted in the scriptures?
B) Perfect picture of unity
Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord.” The word is also used in Genesis 2.24 “That is why a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and they will become one flesh”
The Hebrew word Echad carries the idea of unity. The man and woman become one in the covenant of marriage relationship. God has been and always will be in perfect harmony and unity of relationship.
Augustine says if you deny the trinity you lose your soul, if you try to explain it lose your mind.
From the beginning of God having His prophets write and reveal His character it the picture was in 3D. The purpose of this revelation was to clearly and completely reveal the perfect relationship we are invited to.
C) False teachings about God’s nature
o Polytheism – Multiple God’s . Father, Son, Holy Ghost are not different gods.
o Modalism Sabellianism or Monarchianism – No distinctness in God head. Father, Son, Holy Spirit , are just roles or masks God puts on. Instead of distinct persons.
o Aryanism – Jesus is a created being not fully God.
II. Oneness of relationships Jesus’ Goal
John 17.21 “I pray that all of these people continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.” (Read Philippians 2-4)
A) Life under the triune God is communal
B) Life under the triune God is submissive
C) Life under the triune God is revealing
D) Life under the triune God is loving
CS Lewis, “If God was a single person than before the world was made He was not love.”
The early church fathers, they had a little word called perichoresis to explain this. The root of it is choreo – it’s choreograph. We get our word choreograph from that. You think choreograph, what does that conjure up in your mind? Well, dancing. And they use the language of the Trinitarian dance of God, that God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit – that to some degree their life as one God is like a dance of joy and of life and of gladness. And the early church fathers used that word to say, “We are able, by the grace of God, to enter into the dance of God. God loves us. We love him. And we enter into the dance with God, and that’s life on the earth.”
