Craig Brittingham, Pastor
Hillside Baptist Church
July 21, 2024
“The Trinity” (part 2)
A definition of the Trinity: The Bible teaches that there is only one God, and that He exists
eternally as three equal and distinct persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
To more fully comprehend the doctrine of the Trinity, we need to understand the relationship
between two basic truths which at first glance seem contradictory: (1) There is one God. (2) God
exists as three persons.
1A. There is One God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!”
Isaiah 45:6 “That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
Romans 3:30 “since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”
James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!”
2A. God Exists as Three Persons: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
1b. Each of them is called God in the Bible
Colossians 1:3 “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always
for you,”
Acts 5:3-4 “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? 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.”
Hebrews 1:8 “But to the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.”
2b. Each of them is fully God as seen in their actions and attributes.
1c. God the Father is all powerful – He created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
2c. Jesus forgave sins (Luke 5:17-26).
3c. The Holy Spirit is everywhere present.
Psalm 139:7 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”
3b. The three persons are mentioned together so as to indicate equality (Mat. 28:19; 1 Cor.
12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14).
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Questions…
1. Why might the “the Angel of the LORD” or “the Angel of God” in the Old Testament be a hint of the Trinity? See Genesis 31:11-13; Exodus 3:1-6, then Genesis 16:11-12.
2. The three persons of the Trinity are each shown in the Bible to be God by their attributes or works. Please give at least one Biblical example for each person of the Trinity.
3. Why does including the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together indicate their equality? See Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.
4. What is Arianism? Why is it a heresy?
5. What is tri-theism? Why is it a false teaching?
6. What is modalism? Who was its first proponent? Why is it a false doctrine?
7. There is one God Who exists eternally as three equal and distinct persons. How does John 1:1 and 14 teach us that Jesus is God, but that He is not the Father?
