What is the three-part nature that Christians believe God has.docx

What is the three-part nature that Christians believe God has?

Almost nothing is known about Jesus beyond biblical accounts, although we do know quite a bit

more about the cultural and political context in which he lived—for example, Jerusalem in the

first century. What follows is an introductory historical summary of Christianity. It hardly needs

stating that there are many interpretations and disagreements among historians.

Jesus v. Rome

The biblical Jesus, described in the Gospels as the son of a carpenter, was a Jew and a champion

of the underdog. He rebelled against the occupying Roman government in what was then

Palestine (at this point the Roman Empire stretched across the Mediterranean). He was crucified

for upsetting the social order and challenging the authority of the Romans and their local Jewish

leaders. The Romans crucified Jesus, a typical method of execution—especially for those

accused of crimes against the government.

Jesus’ followers claim that after three days he rose from the grave and later ascended into

heaven. His original followers, known as disciples or apostles, traveled great distances and

spread Jesus’ message. His life is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,

which are found in the New Testament. “Christ” means messiah or savior (this belief in a savior

is a traditional part of Jewish theology).

Old and New Testaments

Early on, there were many ways that Christianity was practiced and understood, and it wasn’t

until the 2nd century that Christianity began to be understood as a religion distinct from Judaism

(it’s helpful to remember that Judaism itself had many different sects). Christians were

sometimes severely persecuted by the Romans. In the early 4th century, the Roman Emperor

Constantine experienced a miraculous conversion and made it legally acceptable to be a

Christian. Less than a hundred years later, the Roman Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the

official state religion.

The first Christians were Jews (whose bible we refer to as the Old Testament or the Hebrew

Bible). But soon pagans too converted to this new religion. Christians saw the predictions of the

prophets in the Hebrew Bible come to fulfillment in the life of Jesus Christ—hence the “Bible”

of the Christians includes both the Hebrew Bible (or the Old Testament) and the New Testament.

In addition to the fulfillment of prophecy, Christians saw parallels between the events of the

Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. These parallels, or foreshadowings, are called typology.

One example would be Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and the later sacrifice

of Christ on the cross. We often see these comparisons in Christian art offered as a revelation of

God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.

Different Christianities

Unlike Greek and Roman religions (there was both an official “state” religion as well as other

cults), Christianity emphasized belief and a personal relationship with God. The doctrines, or

main teachings, of Christianity were determined in a series of councils in the early Christian

period, such as the Council of Nicea in 325. This resulted in a common statement of belief

known as the Nicene Creed, which is still used by some churches today.

Nevertheless, there is great diversity in Christian belief and practice. This was true even in the

early days of Christianity, when, for example, Arians (who believed that the three parts of the

Holy Trinity were not equal) and Donatists (who held that priests who had renounced their

Christian faith during periods of persecution could not administer the sacraments), were

considered heretics (someone who goes against official teaching). Today there are approximately

2.2 billion Christians who belong to a multitude of sects.

The two dominant early branches of Christianity were the Catholic and Orthodox Churches,

rooted in Western and Eastern Europe respectively. Protestantism (and its different forms)

emerged only later, at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Before that there was essentially

just one church in Western Europe—what we would call the Roman Catholic church today (to

differentiate it from other forms of Christianity in the West such as Lutheranism, Methodism

etc.). Christianity spread throughout the world. In the 16th century, the Jesuits (a Catholic order),

sent missionaries to Asia, North and South America, and Africa often in concert with Europe’s

colonial expansion.

Doctrines

Christianity holds that God has a three-part nature—that God is a trinity (God the father, the

Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ)* and that it was Jesus’ death on the cross—his sacrifice—that

allowed for human beings to have the possibility of eternal life in heaven. In Christian theology,

Christ is seen as the second Adam, and Mary (Jesus’ mother) is seen as the second Eve. The idea

here is that where Adam and Eve caused original sin, and were expelled from paradise (the

Garden of Eden), Mary and Christ made it possible for human beings to have eternal life in

paradise (heaven), through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Christian practice centers on the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is sometimes referred to as

Communion. Christians eat bread and drink wine to remember Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of

humankind. Christ himself initiated this practice at the Last Supper. Catholics and Eastern

Orthodox believe that the bread and wine literally transform into the body and blood of Christ,

whereas Protestants and other Christians see the Eucharist as symbolic reminder and re-

enactment of Christ’s sacrifice.

Christians demonstrate their faith by engaging in good (charitable) works (works of art—like the

frescoes by Giotto in the Arena Chapel—were often created as good works). They often engage

in rituals, or sacraments, such as partaking of the Eucharist or being baptized. Traditional

Christian churches have a hierarchical structure of clergy. Devout men and women sometimes

become nuns or monks and may separate themselves from the world and live a cloistered life

devoted to prayer in a monastery.

The Holy Trinity: Meaning of One God in Three Persons@

Do all Christians believe the doctrine of the Trinity? If one does not believe in the Trinity—that

is, if a person has come to a settled conclusion that the doctrine of the Trinity is not true—does it

make him a heretic?

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of theFather and of

the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19)

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (Genesis 1:26)

All Christians believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. If you do not believe this—that is, if you

have concluded that the doctrine of the Trinity is not true—you are not a Christian at all. You

are, in fact, a heretic. Those words may sound harsh, but they represent the judgment of the

Christian church across the centuries. What is the Trinity? Christians in every land unite in

proclaiming that our God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those who deny that

truth place themselves outside the pale of Christian orthodoxy.

Having said that, I admit that no one fully understands it. It is a mystery and a paradox. Yet I

believe it is true.

I can think of at least three reasons for believing in the Trinity:

1. The Bible teaches this doctrine.

2. Christians everywhere have always believed it.

3. No other explanation makes sense.

Someone has said it this way: If you try to explain the Trinity, you will lose your mind. But if

you deny it, you will lose your soul. Let's take a look at the definition of the Trinity and the

role of each Person in the Trinity today:

The Trinity Defined

There are many places we might go to find a suitable definition. Any of the great ecumenical

creeds would serve us well in this regard. However, let's stick closer to home and simply reprint

Article B—The True God from the Calvary Memorial Church Articles of Faith.

We believe in one living and true God who is the Creator of heaven and earth, who is eternal,

almighty, unchangeable, infinitely powerful, wise, just, and holy.

We believe that the one God eternally exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit, and that these three are one God, co-equal and co-eternal, having precisely the same

nature and attributes, and worthy of precisely the same worship, confidence, and obedience.

Matthew 3:16, 17; Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3, 4; II Corinthians 13:14.

While I am sure that this statement is biblically accurate, I also understand that it can seem very

intimidating. Let's break it down into six smaller statements about the Trinity that are

easier to understand:

One God and One Only@

Exists in three Persons@

Equal and Eternal@

Worthy of equal praise and worship@

Distinct yet acting in unity@

Constituting the one true God of the Bible

As you might imagine, the early church struggled mightily over this doctrine. They eventually

reduced their belief in the Trinity to two short statements. They concluded that God is …

One in Essence

Three in Person

When we say these things, we mean that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is

God, but they are not three gods but only one God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the

Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father, but each is God individually, and yet they are together the one

true God of the Bible.

Have you ever seen the word "Godhead?" Theologians sometimes use that term when they want

to refer to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as three divine Persons in one

God.

At this point, I think we should acknowledge the chief objection to the doctrine of the Trinity,

which is that it is absurd. Sometimes the Jehovah's Witnesses (who pointedly deny the Trinity)

ridicule it with this little equation: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3. In their minds, Christians worship three Gods,

not one. The answer is quite simple. The doctrine of the Trinity is not absurd if that's what the

Bible teaches. Furthermore, there is more than one way to play with equations. You could also

say it this way: 1 x 1 x 1 = 1!

The Trinity Explained

What exactly do we mean when we speak of the Trinity? Let's start with the negative and work

toward the positive.

A. What we do not mean

First of all, Christians don't believe in three Gods. That's a heresy called Tritheism. Second, we

don't believe that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are three "forms" of God—like steam,

water, and ice. That's the heresy called Modalism. Third, we don't believe that the Father, Son

and Holy Spirit are "parts" or "pieces" of God. That would imply that Jesus is 1/3rd God, the

Father is 1/3rd God, and the Holy Spirit is 1/3rd God.

B. Where do we find the Trinity doctrine in the Bible?

I would answer that the Trinity is taught in both the Old and the New Testaments. It is taught by

implication in the Old and by a direct statement in the New.

For instance, the Bible contains numerous clear statements regarding the unity of God:

Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us that "the Lord is one." 1 Corinthians 8:4 adds that "there is no God but

one." 1 Timothy 2:5 explicitly says "there is one God." All Christians heartily affirm this truth.

However, the Bible also contains clear statements regarding diversity within that unity. For

instance, in the very first verse of the Bible, we are told, "In the beginning God." The Hebrew

word for God is Elohim, which is actually a plural form of the word el. In other contexts, it's a

word that is sometimes translated as "gods," referring to heathen deities. Later in the same

chapter, we have one of the most striking statements of diversity-in-unity:

Then God said, ‘‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish

of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures

that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he

created him; male and female, he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

Notice the shift in pronouns. "Let us … in our image … So God created man in his own image.

… he created him." From us and our to him. Why the shift? Commentators speak of a literary

form called the plural of majesty or the "editorial we." This much is certainly true. If Genesis 1

does not explicitly teach diversity-in-unity within the Godhead, it certainly leaves room to

develop it later in the Bible.

Isaiah 48:16 seems to explicitly refer to all three Persons of the Trinity (with my additions in

parentheses): "And now the Sovereign LORD (the Father) has sent me (the Son), with his Spirit

(the Holy Spirit)." I'm not suggesting that Isaiah fully understood the Trinity or that the Jewish

readers would have understood what it meant, but I do think that in the light of the New

Testament, we can say that this seems to be a clear statement of the Trinity in the Old Testament.

Consider further this line of evidence. All Three Persons are called God in different places in the

Bible.