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God Is Three
Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

Posted on 02/05/2016 4:09:36 AM PST by metmom

"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).

Though there is only one God, He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

God is one, but He exists in three distinct Persons. We call this the Trinity, a contraction of "tri-unity," meaning "three in one." The word Trinity doesn't appear in the Bible, but God's existence as three Persons in one God is clear from Scripture.

Old Testament evidence of God's plurality can be found in the very first verse: "In the beginning God . . ." (Gen. 1:1). The Hebrew word used for God is Elohim, which is a plural noun. Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Messiah: "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations." The Messiah says in Isaiah 48:16, "The Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit."

The New Testament is more explicit about God's triune nature. After Jesus' baptism, the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove, and the Father said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Matt. 3:17). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are together in the same scene.

Jesus says, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Paul closes 2 Corinthians by saying, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (13:14). Peter declares that believers are chosen "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2).

So God is one, but God is three. This is a profound mystery that no human illustration can adequately describe and no scientific explanation can prove. The Trinity is something we have to take on faith, because God has taught it in Scripture.

Suggestions for Prayer

Praise God that He is so far above our finite understanding, yet has chosen to reveal Himself to us.

For Further Study

Read John 14-16.

What does Jesus teach about His relationship with the Father and the Spirit? What do you learn here about the different functions or ministries of each member of the Trinity?


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: faith; grace; gty
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To: DouglasKC; one Lord one faith one baptism; Jeff Head
Does anyone claim there are three gods?

Well...



Jesus Christ is God's Son, spiritually and physically.

He calls Him Father, He prays to Him.
We are to pray to Him, God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son.
God's voice was heard at Christ's baptism, coming from Heaven while He was in the water. The Holy Sirit also descended.
Three seperate entities/Gods.

Santorum endorses one-time rival Romney

Thursday, May 10, 2012 12:32:46 AM 416 of 492
Jeff Head to stpio


101 posted on 02/06/2016 6:47:14 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
The verse never mentions the sabbath or holy days. Then just WHICH 'day' is it referring to? One person considers one day to be above another day.

I don't care. It's irrelevant to a discussion about the sabbath because it's about eating or not eating. It's not about sabbath worship.

Rom 14:3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

Rom 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

The verse you quoted is sandwiched (get it?) between two verses that clearly are talking about eating or not eating. Nine of the 23 verses in romans 14 specifically mention eating or drinking and all of the other verses are supporting or using these verses to make the point.

102 posted on 02/06/2016 6:51:40 AM PST by DouglasKC
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To: Mom MD; reed13k
While Christ was on Earth He voluntarily limited himself to a human body and being subject to space/time. He returned to full glory after His resurrection. During the time on earth he was voluntarily limited and that's why the Father would know some things He didn't

I agree Mom. I think Jesus temporarily limited himself. He was probably not aware of what was going on in the Philippines at the time He was on earth.

103 posted on 02/06/2016 7:50:40 AM PST by Mark17 (Thank God I have Jesus, there's more wealth in my soul than acres of diamonds and mountains of gold)
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To: DouglasKC
For every "three" reference I can give you 20 or 30 "two" references.

Sure can...So then you throw away the ones that don't match, eh???

104 posted on 02/06/2016 8:09:44 AM PST by Iscool (Izlam and radical Izlam are different the same way a wolf and a wolf in sheeps clothing are differen)
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
If a baby was born one minute before sundown and dies one minute after sun down, the Jews say the baby lived for two days.

I've got a feeling they will tell me the baby lived for two minutes, not 2 days...

105 posted on 02/06/2016 8:11:26 AM PST by Iscool (Izlam and radical Izlam are different the same way a wolf and a wolf in sheeps clothing are differen)
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To: Iscool
For every "three" reference I can give you 20 or 30 "two" references. Sure can...So then you throw away the ones that don't match, eh???

Not at all. Because they don't match at all. John 1 is the definitive definition of the Godhead:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made

The bible describes no other personage in the Godhead besides these two. Two in the beginning.

106 posted on 02/06/2016 8:12:53 AM PST by DouglasKC
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
Does the Bible show Christians keeping the 7th day Sabbath holy after Pentecost?

Temporarily...After Pentecost the gospel was still not taken among the Gentiles...The Jews were still under the law...

Later on as Paul was teaching the Gentile church he told people not to make any day holy...Seventh day, eighth day, eleventh day, none of them holy...Only God is holy...

107 posted on 02/06/2016 8:15:59 AM PST by Iscool (Izlam and radical Izlam are different the same way a wolf and a wolf in sheeps clothing are differen)
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To: metmom
Matthew 28

18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 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,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

108 posted on 02/06/2016 8:16:40 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: reed13k

The Trinity is a mystery. It takes trust. But it is in the Bible.


109 posted on 02/06/2016 8:17:53 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: metmom

And, remember that a different calendar was used in the days of Jesus.


110 posted on 02/06/2016 8:21:28 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: DouglasKC

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3393699/posts


111 posted on 02/06/2016 8:22:59 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: metmom
He arbitrarily assigned the days that HE thought Jesus died and rose again and it has brought confusion to the issue and given atheists ammunition to lob against Christians to try to show inconsistencies in the Christian faith.

He nor the rest of the Catholics for the last sixteen hundred years knew enough bible to know that there was more than one Sabbath celebrated that week...There was more than one preparation day...

As a result their formula for 3 days and 3 nights doesn't/can't work...So they jump thru hoops even going so far as to claim WE don't understand what 3 days and 3 nights meant to the Jews back then...

What charlatans...And the sheeple go baa, baa, baa...

112 posted on 02/06/2016 8:23:37 AM PST by Iscool (Izlam and radical Izlam are different the same way a wolf and a wolf in sheeps clothing are differen)
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism

I do my best with His help. Same with all His Commandments. That is the sanctifying Work He does in us. Having our flesh submit to His Will.

And if one counted like He taught Israel, people would see what the 30,60,100 means in His Parable of the Sower for His Kingdom.

And the answer He showed me is in the Exodus and it is quite a journey!
And that Truth is something that can’t be taught in Judaism or Christianity right now.

It will have to start with people first losng faith in Rome and its teachings, even no brainer ‘givens’ like today being Saturday. Or Jesus being raised on Sunday.

To Rome and the world it is.
To the Creator and Redeemer, it’s a different day. For both.

And it makes a big difference in one’s mind and heart transformation..
And Scripture is not silent on conformity to the World- even it is a seemingly Judeo-Christian centered ‘world’ like it can be argued to be today.
The enemy is that subtle..

And I know how much enmity I have with the world today. Even with people of faith. I can’t help to see how the enemy does what Scripture says he would try to do..

New eyes that only He can give us!
We have much to learn and maybe most importantly, much to unlearn.

And His Word and His Creation can lead to fullness of Truth. His Word is Truth..
And the truth is, Jesus didn’t raise from the grave on Rome’s sun day, He rose from the grave on His 1st Day.
The third day from His 6th Work Day. Which is the 6th Day even if it lands in the popes tiws day or Woden’s Day.

I pray all people of faith test and prove all things. With His Word.
It is humbling! But mysteries can be known and false teachings and doctrines get exposed so quickly!

All for His Glory!


113 posted on 02/06/2016 8:34:12 AM PST by delchiante
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To: Iscool
Later on as Paul was teaching the Gentile church he told people not to make any day holy...Seventh day, eighth day, eleventh day, none of them holy...Only God is holy...

Right...and Paul said "Hey and you know that bible I'm preaching from...don't worry about what it says." Good luck with that!

Act_17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

What would they find...hmmm...

Exo_16:23 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.' "

Exo_20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo_31:14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

Exo_31:15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Exo_35:2 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Lev_23:3 'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Lev_23:24 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.

Deu_5:12 Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

Neh_9:14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant.

Neh_10:31 if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year's produce and the exacting of every debt.

Isa_58:13 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,

114 posted on 02/06/2016 8:40:46 AM PST by DouglasKC
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To: Elsie

Context anyone?

Jesus was referring to his second coming in that verse, not what day he died and rose.

The Scriptures are crystal clear, he died on the sixth day and rose early before daybreak on the first day.


115 posted on 02/06/2016 9:00:42 AM PST by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: DouglasKC

One composed of two divine personages.


What year did this false teaching emerge on the world scene? Is this Ellen G White?

The Holy Spirit is a person according to the Bible, you can’t lie to a force or power.
And Acts 5 declares the Holy Spirit to be God, there is no way around it.

The Trinity was believed from the Apostolic time, only when Arius attacked the doctrine in the early 4th century was it defended officially.


116 posted on 02/06/2016 9:05:23 AM PST by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: DouglasKC

No verse was provided.

To use your line of thinking, we should still practice circumcision.

Paul warns against keeping new moons, festivals and sabbaths.

We are not obligated to follow the Mosiac law, Christ fulfilled it and nailed it to the cross.

The old covenant was replaced by the new covenant.


117 posted on 02/06/2016 9:08:06 AM PST by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: DouglasKC

Ha, you better get better, smarter rabbis.

There is no way to know how long Jonah was in the fish. could have been as long as 72 hours or as short as 24 hours and two seconds.

If you don’t understand how Jews counted days and understood their idiomatic expressions, you wind up with all kinds of false doctrines.

Ask your rabbis if someone dies on Wednesday and will rise on the third day, to a Jewish way of counting, on what day will he rise?


118 posted on 02/06/2016 9:11:39 AM PST by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
What year did this false teaching emerge on the world scene?

Before time began:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

The Holy Spirit is a person according to the Bible, you can’t lie to a force or power.

A "person" who never appears in the Godhead in scripture. A person who never appears on a throne. The holy spirit also can be poured out. Can be quenched. Can be drank. Is a gift. But nowhere does scripture state that holy spirit is a member of the Godhead. Again, it's a historical fact that his wasn't officially "decided" until over 300 years after the death of Christ.

119 posted on 02/06/2016 9:16:36 AM PST by DouglasKC
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To: Iscool

I have a feeling you don’t know any rabbis and know even less about how days are counted in the Scriptures.

Thanks for playing though.


120 posted on 02/06/2016 9:19:17 AM PST by one Lord one faith one baptism
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