INTRODUCTION 1. The word, Trinity 2. The priority of the doctrine 3 INTRODUCTION 1. The word, Trinity 2. The priority of the doctrine 3. Obstacles to understanding 4. Basic definition 5. Orthodoxy vs heresy

Truth Heresy

Truth There is one God Heresy There are three Gods (Polytheism)

Truth There are three who are divine Heresy Only one is truly and fully divine (Arianism)

THE DEITY OF THE FATHER • THE DEITY OF THE FATHER • . . . yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live . . . (1Cor 8:6) • Jesus often used the titles “God” and “Father” interchangeably.

THE DEITY OF THE SON

1 JOHN 1 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

1. THE WORD IS JESUS CHRIST 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

2. THE WORD IS ETERNAL 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

3. THE WORD IS DISTINCT FROM GOD 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

4. THE WORD IS IN COMMUNION WITH GOD 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

5. THE WORD MAKES ALL THINGS 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

6. THE WORD HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

7. THE WORD IS GOD 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

THE DEITY OF THE SON Colossians 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him . . . Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form . . .

THE DEITY OF THE SON Philippians 2:5-7 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

THE DEITY OF THE SON Hebrews 1:2-3 THE DEITY OF THE SON Hebrews 1:2-3 . . . 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

THE DEITY OF THE SON Hebrews 1:6. “Let all God's angels worship him THE DEITY OF THE SON Hebrews 1:6 . . . “Let all God's angels worship him.” Hebrews 1:8 But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever . . .”

THE DEITY OF THE SON Romans 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. Titus 2:13 . . . while we wait for the blessed hope-- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ . . .

THE DEITY OF THE SON Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 1John 5:20 And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

THE DEITY OF THE SON John 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."

THE DEITY OF THE SON • Titles reserved for God, applied to Jesus • The meaning of the title “Lord” as applied to Jesus in his risen and ascended state • Only God is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End • Jesus believed he was God

Truth There are three who are divine Heresy Only one is truly and fully divine (Arianism)

Truth The three are distinct persons Heresy There is only one person; he manifests himself in 3 different modes (Modalism)