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Bible Study A simple way to understand the Trinity

Bazz1040

Bazz1040

Member
Part 1​


The Spirit of God​



The Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is God in action. Whenever the Holy Spirit is mentioned, it means that God is doing something….God would not be God if He could not act.​


Here are seven examples​

1​

Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV) ​

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ​


2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.​

2​

Numbers 24:2 (ASV) ​

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.​

3​

1 Chronicles 12:18 (ASV) ​

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.​

4​

Matthew 3:16 (ASV) ​

16 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;​

5​

Matthew 12:28 (ASV) ​

28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.​

6​

Luke 1:35 (ASV) ​

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.​

7​

Luke 1:35 (NKJV) ​

35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.​


The Word​


The Word, who became Jesus, was and is the mind and utterance of God as you will see from the Greek below. This is why Jesus is God, because the mind of God is what God is…its God’s identity. God could not be God if He could not think and speak/utter.​


John 1:1-4, 14 (ASV) ​

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.​


Jesus was God with us​


Matthew 1:23 (KJV) ​

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.​

Continues on part 2​
 
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Re: A simple way to understand the Trinity part 2

Part 2​


Notice that in John 1:3 it says all things were made by Him (the Word) and in Genesis 1:1 it says God created the heaven and the earth. To critics of the Bible this may seem to be a contradiction, but these verses only adds to the fact of what Jesus said that He and the Father are one. When Jesus does something it is the Father that is doing and when the Father is doing, it is the Holy Spirit that is doing, because they are one God. Also, there is no scripture that tells us that Jesus cease to be God when He became human; all that happened is the He added humanity to His divinity. In fact the scripture tells us that that one of His name is Immanuel.​


Isaiah 7:14 (ESV) ​

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.​




Immanuel​


Hebrew Word: ‏אֵל‎​


Transliteration: ēl​


Phonetic Pronunciation: ale​


Root: shortened from <H352>, Greek <G2241> and <G1664>​


Cross Reference: TWOT - 93a​


Part of Speech: n m​


Vine's Words: God​





shortened from <H352> ('ayil); strength; as adjective mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) :- God (god), × goodly, × great, idol, might (-y one), power, strong. Compare names in “-el.”​



Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.​



Word:​


Greek Word:λόγος​


Transliteration:logos​


Phonetic Pronunciation:log'-os​




Cross Reference: TDNT - 4:69,505​


Part of Speech: n m​







from [FONT=Courier New! important]<G3004>[/FONT] (lego); something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty or motive; by extension a computation; specially (with the art. in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ) :- account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say (-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.​



Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.​

Continues on part 3​
 
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part 3​


Quote from Holman Treasury of key Bible words​


(The) Word​



See also: Word (Hebrew) and Word (Greek)​


Greek expression: ho logos​


Pronunciation: haw; LAW gawss​




In the opening verse of John’s Gospel, he named the Son of God “the Word.” As “the Word,” the Son of God fully conveys and communicates God. The Greek term is logos; it was used in two ways by the Greeks. “The word” might be thought of as remaining within a person, when it denoted his or her “thought or reason.” Or it might refer to “the word” going forth from a person, when it denoted “the expression of his or her thought”—such as speech. As a philosophical term, the logos denoted the “principle of the universe,” even the creative energy that generated the universe. In both the Jewish conception and the Greek, the logos was associated with the idea of beginnings—the world began through the origination and instrumentality of “the Word.” This is seen in Genesis 1:3 where the expression “God said” is used again and again.​


John may have had these ideas about “the word” in mind, but most likely he originated a new term to identify the Son of God as the divine expression in human form (John 1:14). He is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), the express image of God’s substance (Heb. 1:3). In the Godhead, the Son not only reveals God, but also reveals the reality of God, which is a central theme throughout John’s Gospel. John used a similar title in his first epistle: “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1-3). And in Revelation 19:11-16, Jesus is presented as the King of kings and Lord of lords, who has a name on Him: “the Word of God.”​


Before coming to earth, “the Word” lived in the beginning with God and was Himself God. This is a paradox beyond explanation: how can one be with God and yet also be God? What we gather from the first verse is that “the Word,” who is both the Son of God and God, lived in face-to-face fellowship with God His Father. The last verse of the prologue (John 1:18) tells us that the Son was in the bosom of the Father. In Jesus’ intercessory prayer (John 17) He revealed that the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world. We cannot imagine the extent of their union and communion.​



Key Verses​





“The Word’s” first act was to work with God in creating the universe. His second great act was to come to men as the light of life. The essential nature of “the Word” is “life” (Greek, zōē), and this life gives light to people who live in darkness. The divine life resided in “the Word,” and He made it available to all who believe in Him.​


— Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words​

Continues on part 4​
 
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part 4​


Jesus said that He issued from God; If Jesus is, or was a separate being from God He would not use this word. This was not simply a departing from the Father’s as one would if you were standing in the presence of another person, then departing…..when you do that it would not be said that you issue or issued from that person. Jesus issued from God, like water coming from a tap or pipe. Jesus issued from God because He is the mind and utterance of God….that’s why He is referred to as the word in John.​


John 16:27-28 (KJV) ​

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. ​

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.​







Came out/ came forth:​


Greek Word: ἐξέρχομαι​


Transliteration:exerchomai​


Phonetic Pronunciation:ex-er'-khom-ahee​




Cross Reference: TDNT - 2:678,257​


Part of Speech: v​


Vine's Words:Come, Came, Depart, Get, Got, Gotten, Proceed​





from [FONT=Courier New! important]<G1537>[/FONT] (ek) and [FONT=Courier New! important]<G2064>[/FONT] (erchomai); to issue (literal or figurative) :- come (forth, out), depart (out of), escape, get out, go (abroad, away, forth, out, thence), proceed (forth), spread abroad.​



Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.​



Jesus and His Father are one​


John 10:30 (ASV) ​

30 I and the Father are one.​





One:​


Greek Word: εἷς​


Transliteration: heis​


Phonetic Pronunciation:hice​


Root: (including the neuter [etc.] hen)​


Cross Reference: TDNT - 2:434,214​


Part of Speech: numeral​


Vine's Words: One, Other​





(including the neuter [etc.] hen); a primary numeral; one:- a (-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some. See also [FONT=Courier New! important]<G1527>[/FONT] (heis kath' heis), [FONT=Courier New! important]<G3367>[/FONT] (medeis), [FONT=Courier New! important]<G3391>[/FONT] (mia), [FONT=Courier New! important]<G3762>[/FONT] (oudeis).​



Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.​

Continues on part 5​
 
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Re: A simple way to understand the Trinity part 5

part 5


Jesus said He was in heaven though He was on the earth



John 3:13 (KJV)


13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.


Jesus was able to say this because as He said, “I and the Father are one.†What Jesus is saying is that He and the Father is the same God.



But at the same time, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are also distinct.



John 1:1-2, 14 (ASV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.


Matthew 3:17 (ASV)


17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


John 16:13-14 (ASV)

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.








God made mankind in His image


When God said let us make man in our image, it was God the Father who was doing the uttering, just as you or I would utter something. Our utterance, which is simply our thoughts being heard, is the person. Without your mind you will not be you….your mind is your identity. This is why we are in the image of God. When you understand truly what is meant when God said, “let is make man in our imageâ€, then the Trinity will not seem like a mystery.



Genesis 1:26 (ASV)


26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.


We are in the image of God because we can think and speak; we can act or take action to do what we have in our thoughts. And we are like God because out thoughts are subjected to us the one doing the uttering and doing.



So in a sense we are a trinity, mind, body and spirit.​
 
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I think in order to understand God and the Bible we have to go back to the beginning of time when God created the heavens and the earth .

The Creation ( Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis )

"In the beginning God created ''... This to me is most important because it is the real beginning and if we can believe the first verse of the Bible , then we can believe the whole book.

Other ancient religions , when speaking of creation , indicate that it came about out of something that was already there.
They see history as occurring in cycles. The Bible looks at history in a linear way, with a God- given goal.
God had a plan in creation , and He will carry it out.

"God"---- It neither explains the nature of God nor argues for the fact of His existence.

Elohim ( Hebrew name for God ) the name that links Him with creation . " El" which means " mighty , strong , prominent"

" Created"--- Hebrew word " Bara"--- activity that only God can do ,called
into existence with no prior existence.

" Spirit of God was hovering ( moved over the waters) . The presence of the Holy Spirit indicates expectancy of life, for from the beginning , the Holy Spirit has been the divine channel of life.

We begin with " the heavens and the earth" , but when God chooses to deal with the earth , not the heavens : the theme from then on is God's program on earth . Having chosen the earth, God now bypasses the angels ( fallen angels included) and elects to deal with man.
 
Dusty said:
I think in order to understand God and the Bible we have to go back to the beginning of time when God created the heavens and the earth .

The Creation ( Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis )

"In the beginning God created ''... This to me is most important because it is the real beginning and if we can believe the first verse of the Bible , then we can believe the whole book.

Other ancient religions , when speaking of creation , indicate that it came about out of something that was already there.
They see history as occurring in cycles. The Bible looks at history in a linear way, with a God- given goal.
God had a plan in creation , and He will carry it out.

"God"---- It neither explains the nature of God nor argues for the fact of His existence.

Elohim ( Hebrew name for God ) the name that links Him with creation . " El" which means " mighty , strong , prominent"

" Created"--- Hebrew word " Bara"--- activity that only God can do ,called
into existence with no prior existence.

" Spirit of God was hovering ( moved over the waters) . The presence of the Holy Spirit indicates expectancy of life, for from the beginning , the Holy Spirit has been the divine channel of life.

We begin with " the heavens and the earth" , but when God chooses to deal with the earth , not the heavens : the theme from then on is God's program on earth . Having chosen the earth, God now bypasses the angels ( fallen angels included) and elects to deal with man.
Click to expand...

It still does not explain the Trinity though. We need the entire Bible in order to understand why the Holy Spirit is God, and why Jesus is God and why the Father is God, even though there is only one God.
 
Mujahid, and others. I soft deleted MA's post while this is being considered. We have to remember that this is a Bible Study Forum. This isn't an area to debate doctrine or hash out essential things such as the Trinity. It's a place to dig into scripture in our search for the Message from our God.

Mujahid, although you always take a very thoughtful approach toward Christians on this board, I felt the need to keep this in a Bible Study format. Feel free to PM me if you do not agree with this. I see that a response was posted including his input. If the participants and Bazz would prefer this be relocated to the Theology Forum, I can un-delete the soft deleted posts. For now, perhaps we stick to a Bible Study format.

Thank you,
Mike
 
Bazz1040 said:
It still does not explain the Trinity though. We need the entire Bible in order to understand why the Holy Spirit is God, and why Jesus is God and why the Father is God, even though there is only one God.
Click to expand...

That's true and it is such a complex study . I will try to find some of my studies but just thought at least if we start at the beginning we would get an idea of who God is and that all three were there at the beginning of creation . Father ., Word (Christ ) and Holy Spirit ( Spirit of God ) .
 
Mike said:
Mujahid, and others. I soft deleted MA's post while this is being considered. We have to remember that this is a Bible Study Forum. This isn't an area to debate doctrine or hash out essential things such as the Trinity. It's a place to dig into scripture in our search for the Message from our God.

Mujahid, although you always take a very thoughtful approach toward Christians on this board, I felt the need to keep this in a Bible Study format. Feel free to PM me if you do not agree with this. I see that a response was posted including his input. If the participants and Bazz would prefer this be relocated to the Theology Forum, I can un-delete the soft deleted posts. For now, perhaps we stick to a Bible Study format.

Thank you,
Mike
Click to expand...

I would not have a problem with that.
 
Dusty said:
That's true and it is such a complex study . I will try to find some of my studies but just thought at least if we start at the beginning we would get an idea of who God is and that all three were there at the beginning of creation . Father ., Word (Christ ) and Holy Spirit ( Spirit of God ) .
Click to expand...

The good news in all of this is that God has included human beings in the trinity......man is now part of the Godhead.
 
Bazz1040 said:
The good news in all of this is that God has included human beings in the trinity......man is now part of the Godhead.
Click to expand...

Amen and amen ... That's the greatest news and where would we be if not for the Father , Son and Holy Spirit .?

I like all your Summery . It is very concise. Thanks .

Some of my notes :

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and ofthe Son and ofthe Holy Spirit [Matthew 28:19].

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all [2 Corinthians 13:14].

To God’s elect. . .who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood [1 Peter 1:1-2].
 
Here are three passages in Scripture, one on the lips of Jesus, and the other two from leading apostles, each bringing together the three Persons of the Godhead in an unmistakable way. But these are only a sampling of other similar passages. Among others are the following: Romans 14:17-18; 15:16;
1 Corinthians 2:2-5; 6:11; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18-22; 3:14-19; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 1:6-8; 1Thessalonians 1:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Titus 3:4-6. Note how God (Father), Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit are brought together as instruments of our salvation.


It is written, FOR THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN,
THE FATHER,
THE WORD,
AND THE HOLY GHOST:
AND THESE THREE ARE ONE-1 Jn 5:7. There are three separate Persons of the Trinity. These three are illustrated here.

( Continued next post )
 
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( Continued )


1. God, the Father.

2. God, the Son, which is Jesus. THE WORD is Jesus. It is written, HIS NAME (Jesus) IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD-Rev 19:13. Also it is written, IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD (Jesus), AND THE WORD (Jesus) WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD (Jesus) WAS GOD. Note, Jesus is the Word and He is God. AND THE WORD (Jesus) WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US-Jn 1:1,14
.
3. God, the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.
This is further illustrated, as it is written, GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF (1) THE FATHER, AND OF (2) THE SON, AND OF (3) THE HOLY GHOST: Once again, we have the Trinity. It did not say FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST as of one, but "AND OF" as of three separate Persons-ref Mt 28:19.

THE (1) SPIRIT OF THE (2) LORD GOD IS UPON (3) ME;-Isa 61:1. Again, we note that there are three separate Persons.
FROM THE BEGINNING; FROM THE TIME THAT IT WAS, THERE (1) AM I: AND NOW THE (2) LORD GOD, AND HIS (3) SPIRIT, HATH SENT (1) ME-Isa 48:16. Again we note that there are three separate Persons.

BEHOLD MY SERVANT, WHOM I UPHOLD; MINE ELECT, IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH; I (1) HAVE PUT (2) MY SPIRIT UPON (3) HIM: HE SHALL BRING FORTH JUDGMENT TO THE GENTILES-Isa 42:1. Again we note that there are three separate Persons.
AND THERE SHALL COME FORTH A ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE, AND A BRANCH SHALL GROW OUT OF HIS ROOTS: AND THE (1) SPIRIT OF THE (2) LORD SHALL REST UPON (3) HIM-Isa 11:1,2. Again we see the three Persons of the Trinity.

AND THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID; AND DARKNESS WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. AND THE (1) SPIRIT OF (2) GOD MOVED UPON THE FACE OF THE WATERS-Gen 1:2. Here we note two Persons of the Trinity.

Because of the three Persons of the Trinity, we can now understand why God uses the word "Us" in the following verses.
Adam had sinned. THE LORD SAID, BEHOLD, THE MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US (plural)-Gen 3:22. The "Us" is referring to more than one—the Trinity.

AND GOD SAID, LET US (more than one) MAKE MAN IN OUR (plural) IMAGE, AFTER OUR (plural) LIKENESS-Gen 1:26. The "us" is referring to more than one, the Trinity.
There are many other Scriptures that also show two or three Persons of the Trinity. Some of them are listed here. Job 26:13; 27:3; 33:4; 1 Cor 12:4-6; Ps 2:2,7,12; Isa 63:6-16; Ps 51:1; Zech 7:12.
 
Psalms 2

[7] I [will declare the decree:] the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; [this day have I begotten] thee.


Acts 13

[30] But God raised him from the dead:
[31] And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
[32] And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that [the promise] which was made unto the fathers,
[33] God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, [this day have I begotten thee.]

Heb. 1

[1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
[2] Hath in these last days [spoken unto us by his Son,] whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also [he made the worlds;]

[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
[4] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
[5] For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

[6] And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
[7] And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

[8] But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
[9] Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
[10] And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
[11] They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
[12] And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
[13] But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
[14] Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

But not so with God/Christ or God/Jehovah! + the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost/God! Gen. 3:22 with both having an IMAGE! Gen. 1:26

Rom. 4:17's last part of this truth is Eternally foreknown by the Godhead...

[16] Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
[17] (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

And that is exactly what Inspiration has told us that the Godhead has & had done. Of the Three, God/Christ was to become Christ the Son.

--Elijah


 
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