Who is God? ‘We can apprehend God but we cannot comprehend Him.’ Thomas Torrance

Activity: Match verse to attribute Unchanging Creator Eternal James 1:17 Genesis 1:2-3 Genesis 1:1 Psalm 90:2 Self-existent

Activity: Match verse to attribute Spirit Omnipresent God alone Personal John 4:21-24 Isaiah 45:5 Genesis 3:8-9 Jeremiah 23:23

Activity: Match verse to attribute Holy Love All knowing Almighty 1 1 Peter 1:16 Hebrews 4:13 Matthew 19: John 4:8

Activity: Match verse to attribute Worthy of Worship Preserver Governor Matthew 4:10 Isaiah 40:25-26 Genesis 2

While focusing on God: How did you picture Him? … as a king on a throne? … Christ on a cross? … a shepherd in a field? … a wind moving over a grain field?

While focusing on God: When you pray whom do you address as the recipient of the prayer? To whom do you pray? (E.g. Do you address the Father and pray to the Son?)

Salvation Army Flag

Doctrine 3: ‘We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.’

Doctrine 3 - unpacked Persons – this is a reference to the three personal self-distinctions within the Divine being (Godhead). Father – God the Creator, Preserver and Governor as we mentioned earlier. Son – this is Jesus who was the Messiah, incarnate expression of God, the Christ, our redeemer and intercessor on our behalf with God the Father.

Doctrine 3 - unpacked Holy Ghost language – or who we commonly refer to in today’s as the Holy Spirit – the Comforter, Guide, Equipper, presence of God with us pointing us to Christ and working in us to make us Christ-like. Undivided in essence – refers to the common nature of Deity that binds them together being God. Co-equal – all parts of the Godhead are equal in importance and not subordinate to any other part.

The Trinity

Activity Briefly share with your neighbor your understanding of the Trinity, and a possible means of explanation to someone who claims the Trinity is proof that Christianity is Polytheistic (having many gods). Consider the analogies we’ve just discussed.

A Promise Made-Jeremiah "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

The Incarnation ‘God had adapted Israel to His purpose in such a way as to form within it a womb for the Incarnation of the Word and a matrix of appropriate forms of human thought and speech for the reception of the incarnational revelation.’ Thomas Torrance

The Incarnation The Old Testament provided the backdrop, the context and setting for the incarnational revelation to come and fulfill prophesy. This incarnational revelation of God is none other than Jesus – God’s Son.

Purpose of the Incarnation Reveals God the Father Brings Salvation Shows us how to live Focus of worship and praise 2 Cor. 5:19 Hebrews 2:11 Matt. 28:16-20 Luke 24:50-53 John 14:9

The Central Question “Who do you say I am?”

Philippians 2:6-11 Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:6-11 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Lord, Lunatic, Liar Jesus claimed to be God Not true True didn’t knowknew LiarLunatic LORD

Consider Thomas John 20:28 – he cries, “My Lord and my God.” What do you think Thomas has discovered about Jesus to provoke this exclamation? In what way is Thomas declaration significant to you? In small groups answers these questions.

The Holy Spirit “Spirit” in Hebrew: ‘ruach’ feminine gender noun: her “Spirit” in Greek: ‘pneuma’ neuter gender noun: it

Functions and Roles ‘But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.’ John 16:13

Functions and Roles 1.Spirit ___________ to the Son. 2.Spirit’s role in personal _________. 3.Spirit’s role in __________________. witnesses Salvation Christian living a.Consecrated. b.Fruit. c.Contemplation.

Functions and Roles 4. Spirit _________ for ministry. 5. The Spirit ________ the church into the future. 6. __________- Spirit connected with Truth. empowers b. Gifts c. Reconciliation guides Inspiration

Closing Activity 1.What is Paul saying about each person in the Godhead? 2.Why is this verse important for our image of God as Father, Son and Spirit? 3.How does this doxology (blessing) bless you? 2 Corinthians 13:14 ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.’