Holy Trinity:Father, Son, and

Holy Spirit

What is the essence of God?

• Essence: what makes a “thing” what it is.• So, what is the essence of God?

LOVE

1 JOHN 4:16

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in Him.”

LOVE1) EROS

* Completely selfish* Self-gratifying* Narcissistic* English word = erotic

2) PHILIA* Brotherly love* English words = filial, Philadelphia

3) AGAPE* Love spoken of in the NT* Love that completely gives of itself for the sake of the other

Basic Tenets of Revealed Truth about God

*1 God, not 3* Sign of the Cross

*3 Persons* Father* Son* Holy Spirit

*Through their own will established a hierarchy of equality

* Does not relegate greatness or power – but helps us understand how the Trinity works within itself.

God the FATHER

• Source of the Trinity

• Don’t let language confuse you

• Source does not mean the Son & Holy Spirit are lesser than the Father

God the SON

• Not created, but begotten

•In fact, eternally and infinitely begotten

God the HOLY SPIRIT

• Not created, not begotten

• Present at Creation (Gen 1:2)

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

- New American Bible

Transcendence

God is transcendent and beyond all of creation – so all ideas and speech about God is going to somehow

be lacking in fully explaining who God is.

Father Revealed by the Son

• God is Father in as much as he is the Creator of the world• God is Father because of the covenant he made with Israel to send his firstborn Son.• Father is the first origin of everything•Father shows his goodness and loving care for his children•Jesus Himself reveals God as the Father and Creator•Eternally God is Father by his relationship with His only Son•AD 325 – Council of Nicea: Son is consubstantial with the Father

Father & Son Revealed by the Spirit

• Jesus promises to send the spirit

• The sending of the Spirit is after Jesus’ glorification

• Holy Spirit is not the “spirit” of the Father

•Spirit least understood of the Trinity

How Do We Understand the Trinity

How Do We Understand the Trinity

How Do We Understand the Trinity

How Do We Understand the Trinity

Dogma of the Trinity

• One Divine Nature consisting of three Divine Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit• No one of the three Divine Persons is either of the other Divine Persons – but rather each Person of Trinity is wholly Himself• The Father is the one true God, the Son is the one true God, and the Holy Spirit is the one True God.•There are not three Gods, but one God.

Father Revealed by the Son

• If you were to ask God:

• Who are you?God would respond together, “GOD!”

• Who are you?They would each respond, “Father”, “Son”, or “Holy Spirit.”