Presented, December 20, 2009 am
STUDY OF GOD (14)
The Godhead
Are Jesus and the Holy Spirit God?
Today, we continue our study of God.
We have established the existence of God and spent considerable
time studying His nature and character.
It is my hope that we are convinced that the God is of the Bible
truly is the ONE true God.
Now we move to another subject concerning God that is
controversial, and has always been so.
We want to examine the deity of Jesus and Holy Spirit.
This will be examined as we notice the Godhead.
a.
What is
the Godhead?
i.
The Bible
does not give a specific term for the triune nature of God.
We will be using the term, Godhead (some use the term “trinity”
though the original concept of that term involved some error), to
describe the Biblical concept of the persons of God.
While God is ONE, yet He is three distinct persons – the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
ii.
In an
article addressing the “Trinity” by Dr. Robert D. Luginbill, he gave the
following paragraph.
“The simplest, best, and most
traditional definition of the Trinity is that God is one in essence, and
three in person. To put the doctrine in complete terms, the Father is
God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God; yet at the same time the
Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit, the Son is not the Father or
the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son.”
(Bible Basics: Essential Doctrines of the Bible,
Part I, Theology: the Study of
God, p. 10
http://www.ichthys.com/1Theo.htm#II.%20The%20Persons%20of%20God:%20The%20Trinity)
iii.
The Term
Godhead is found 3 times in KJV & ASV, 2 times in NKJV and not in the
NASU. The verses referenced
are Acts 17:29 (KJV & ASV only, NKJV uses “divine nature”), Romans 1:20
and Colossians 2:9. Each of
these verses is addressing the nature of God in some form or another.
All three are different (though related) words.
None actually deals specifically with the number of persons that
are God.
b.
Doctrinal
errors and concerns
i.
NOTE:
Time will not permit a discussion of these various errors in this
lesson. They are mentioned
simply to make us aware of the division that exists on this subject.
An examination of the truth actually does dismiss these things.
ii.
“Oneness”
doctrine – teaches that there is only one person in God.
This is taught by many Pentecostal groups (though not all).
iii.
The Holy
Spirit is not a person – Some teach that the Holy Spirit rather than
being a distinct being of the Godhead, is simply the essence of Jehovah
God. There is debate over
whether Jesus and God are different persons.
iv.
Jesus was
a created being – Taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and others.
Believes that Jesus was the first created being and is NOT God,
but rather given by the Father characteristics of deity (or not).
v.
The term,
“trinity” not found in the Bible.
Therefore, while we use the term, we need to make sure we DEFINE
what we mean because it is NOT universally understood the same way in
all denominations.
c.
God is 3
persons - plurality
i.
The word
God is often used in a plural sense, including:
Gen. 1:1, 26, 3:22, Isaiah 6:8,
“Also I heard the voice of the
Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will
go for Us?’
Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”
ii.
It is in
the New Testament where we find emphasis on the three persons who make
up God. There are several
passages that mention all three –
Matt. 28:18-19 – “baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 – “The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.”
Matthew 3:16-17, “When He had
been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him,
and He saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘this is
My beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.’”
iii.
What
about ONE God?
The reason there is such debate is because of numerous passages
that speak of ONE God.
1.
Deut. 6:4,
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our
God, the LORD is one!”
2.
1
Corinthians 8:4,
“Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know
that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other
God but one.”
3.
Galatians 3:20,
“Now a mediator does not mediate for one only,
but God is one.”
Sometimes, the reference to
ONE God is distinguishing the Father (cf. 1 Cor. 8:6, Eph. 4:6)
4.
But
often, it is simply identifying the unity and purpose of the Godhead.
They are in all things UNITED, though three distinct persons.
For example:
John 10:30, Jesus said, “I
and My Father are one.”
John 4:34 & 16:13-15 note
that both Jesus and the Holy Spirit intended to do the work of the
Father.
5.
The point
Moses was making was to contrast God of heaven with the false, non-gods
of the nations around them.
That is the point of ONE true God.
It is also the implication of ALL texts addressing the ONE true
God.
6.
John 17:20-21 – a good
passage to illustrate this.
Jesus prayed of all His disciples, “That
they all may be one, as You,
Father are in Me, and I in you.
That they also may be one
in us, that they world may believe that You sent Me.”
NOTICE how we, as His disciples are to be ONE in Him.
It does not mean we merge together and become one person, but we
are UNITED with Him to the same degree that Jesus is ONE with the
Father.
It is in this sense, that God is
ONE! All who comprise the
ONE true God are United.
a.
Jesus
is God
John 1:1, 14 establish
this fact.
Philippians 2:6, He did
not consider it robbery to be equal with God (the Father)
1 Timothy 3:16, “And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.”
Hebrews 1:8, “But to the
Son He says, “Your throne,
O God, is forever and ever…”
2 Peter 1:1, “To
those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness
of our God and Savior Jesus
Christ.”
Immanuel –
Matthew 1:23, “…Which is
translated, ‘God with us.’”
b.
He is NOT the Father NOR the
Holy Spirit
This is established by the numerous passages that make a distinction
between them.
i.
Jesus is
NOT the Father -
2 John 3 – “Grace,
mercy and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord
Jesus Christ.”
Luke 23:34, “The
Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’”
Also consider that Jesus prayed in the garden,
John 17:1, “Father,
the hour has come. Glorify
You Son, that Your Son also may glorify You…”
Also Matthew 26:39 where Jesus prayed to the Father.
This makes NO sense if Jesus IS the Father!
ii.
Jesus is
NOT the Holy Spirit -
Acts 10:38, “How
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power…”
John 14:26, the Holy
Spirit would be sent in His (Jesus) name by the Father.
Also
John 16:5-15 where we are
told He, the Spirit would testify of Jesus.
c.
Jehovah in some texts referred to Jesus
Consider
Joel 2:32 fulfilled in
Acts 2:21 & Romans 10:13.
Joel 2 uses the name Jehovah.
Also
Isaiah 44:6, cf. Rev.
22:12-13
Psalm 23:1, “The
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
See John 10:11, 14.
d.
The
work of Jesus.
As you study the New Testament you see that Jesus had many roles,
chief of which was saving us.
i.
But among the roles He fulfilled
– He revealed the Father (and nature of God) to us –
John 14:9,
Jesus said to Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”
Hebrew 1:3 identifies
Christ as “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His
person…”
John 1:18 says,
“No one has seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has
declared Him.”
ii.
And He intercedes for us
–
Hebrews 2:17-18; 7:25,
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to
God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Romans 8:34 says, “Who is He who
condemns? It is Christ who
die, and furthermore is also rise, who is even at the right hand of God,
who also makes intercession for us.”
a.
Holy
Spirit is God
1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Do
you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God
dwells in you?”
Acts 5:3-4, where Ananias
and Sapphira both lied.
Peter said in vs. 3, “Why has
Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” and in vs. 4, “You
have not lied to men but to God.”
b.
Referred to as a person –
while time will not permit an extensive discussion of this, we mention
that scripture continually refers to the Holy Spirit as a person rather
than an impersonal force.
That is seen in various
emotions attributed to Him (can be grieved – Eph. 4:30; loves –
Romans 15:30, can be insulted – Heb. 10:29, etc.);
He has the ability to reason
and act (speak – John 16:14; guide – John 16:13; lead – Matt.
4:1; send others out – Acts 13:1-4, etc.)
Referred to as a person by the
pronoun, “He” –
John 16:13,”
However, when
He,
the Spirit of truth, has
come, He will guide you into
all truth; for He will not
speak on His own authority,
but whatever He hears
He will speak; and
He will tell you things to
come.
He will glorify Me, for
He will take of what is Mine
and declare it to you.”
c.
He is
NOT the Father NOR Jesus
That He is not Jesus – see above passages.
That He is not the Father – see
John 14:26 says, “But
the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in
My name, He will teach you all things…” the Spirit whom the Father
will send in My name…”
d.
He too
is referred to as Jehovah
-
Jeremiah 31:33 says, “But
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the LORD: I
will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will
be their God, and they shall be My people.”
NOW consider
Hebrews 10:15-16 which
says, “But the
Holy Spirit also witnesses
to us; for after He had said
before, ‘This covenant that I will make with them after those days, says
the LORD: I will put My laws
into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them…”
NOTE how the message was the HOLY SPIRIT speaking.
Also
Isaiah 6:8-10, which a
portion is quoted in
Acts 28:25-27.
Isaiah refers to “the LORD” speaking while Acts 28:25 attributes
it to the Holy Spirit.
e.
His
role – among the roles of the
Holy Spirit who gives us strength, we also find that:
i.
He guides us into all truth
– revealing God through His word.
John 16:13, 14:26
1 Corinthians 2:10
speaking of the message of God says, “But
God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
ii.
He too intercedes for us
–
Romans 8:26-28 speaks of
our inability to say the right things when we pray.
Paul notes that in such times the Spirit intercedes on our
behalf.
Ephesians 2:18 says, “For
through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”
Here is a chart describing the Godhead (Trinity)
And thus we have a
brief glimpse into the persons of God.
We have seen that God IS indeed three persons and each is
identified in scripture as God and helpful to us as we strive to serve
Him. Both Jesus and the
Holy are part of the Godhead, just as is the Father.
Let us, with renewed reverence, always seek to learn of God and
serve Him.