Picturing Theology

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P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

God’s Three-In-Oneness: The Trinity (continued)

B. The Deity of Three is asserted (Erickson, p. 98). Each person of the Godhead, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is described as possessing the attributes which are affirmed of God alone. 1. The Father is God (universally asserted). 2. The Son is God (Phil. 2.5-11; John 1.1-18; Heb. 1.1-12; John 8.58, etc.). 3. The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5.3-4; John 16.8-11; 1 Cor. 12.4-11; 3.16-17; Matt. 28.19; 2 Cor. 13.14). 4. All three of these biblical personages share the same attributes together. a. Eternal, Rom. 16.26 with Rev. 22.13; Heb. 9.14 b. Holy, Rev. 4.8, 15.4, Acts 3.14, 1 John 9.14 c. True, John 7.28, John 17.3, Rev. 3.7 d. Omnipresent, Jer. 23.24, Eph. 1.23; Ps. 139.7 e. Omnipotent, Gen. 17.1 with Rev. 1.8; Rom.15.19; Jer. 32.17 f. Omniscient, Acts 15.18; John 21.17; 1 Cor. 2.10-11 g. Creator, Gen. 1.1 with Col. 1.16; Job 33.4; Ps. 148.5 with John 1.3, and Job 26.13 h. Source of eternal life, Rom. 6.23; John 10.28; Gal. 6.8 i. Raising Christ from the dead, 1 Cor. 6.14 with John 2.19 and 1 Pet. 3.18 C. God as THREE?: logical inference or biblical teaching (Erickson, p. 99) 1. Textual clues: the problem of 1 John 5.7 2. The plural form of the noun for God: Elohim, Gen. 1.26, Isa. 6.8 3. The Imago Dei in humankind, Gen. 1.27 with 2.24 4. Equal naming: unity and plurality, Matt. 3.16-17; 28.19; 2 Cor. 13.14 5. John the Apostle’s threefold formula a. John 1.33-34