Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition - Mentor's Guide

M E N T O R N O T E S / 1 2 9

• Ezekiel 37.9 in the English Standard Version (below), the New American Standard (NASB), and the New English Bible (NEB) versions of the Scriptures. Note the references to the Spirit: “breath,” “spirit,” and “wind.” Ezek. 37.9 (ESV) – Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath ; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath , Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath , and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” John Calvin follows the ancient theologians of the Church in distinguishing between the members of the Trinity in the following manner: This distinction is, that to the Father is attributed the beginning of action, the fountain and source of all things; to the Son, wisdom and counsel, and arrangement in action, while the energy and efficacy of action is assigned to the Spirit [emphasis mine]. While all three persons are fundamentally united in every action take by God, we can speak of God the Father as being the basis of each action, God the Son (Logos) as ordering each action, and God the Spirit powerfully accomplishing each action. Thus the Old Testament view of the Spirit as the power of God in action is completely harmonious with the role of the Spirit found in the fully Trinitarian theology of the New Testament. NOTE: When we talk about the functions of each person in the Trinity we are speaking about the “economic doctrine of the Trinity” (i.e. the ways in which Father, Son and Spirit act toward their creation) as opposed to the “ontological doctrine of the Trinity” (i.e. the ways in which the Father, Son and Spirit exist – i.e., the Father always begetting [generating], the Son always begotten, and the Spirit always proceeding).

& 8 page 245 Outline Point II-B-2

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~ Institutes , I.xiii.18.

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