Holy Trinity 3 The First Person In One

Holy Trinity - 3 The First Person In One God 1

Experience �How many gods do you now have and obey? �How do you know you have a god? �What/who do you know most about? �What/who do you like to talk about most? �What/who do you turn to when you are down? �What do you do when you are bored? �What/who can you spend your money most easily on? 2

Experience �Most of us have one of the following gods… � 1. ourselves first and foremost � 2. our family � 3. our friends � 4. our favorite activities, sports, hobbies, etc. � 5. God �How many do you have, and in what order of importance? 3

Discussion & reflection: �We Believe in In One God �What does it mean “One? ” �What does it mean “God? ” 4

Discussion & reflection: � What if someone asked you for God’s name. What would you say? � Exodus 3: 13 Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the 5 people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ' and they ask me, 'What is his name? ' what shall I say to them? " 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. " And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you. '" 15 God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. ' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone says they worship an idol, what would you say? �Letter to Diognetus, (2 nd Century) Come and take a good look at those whom you claim are gods. Is not one of them a stone, just like the stones we walk on? Is not another brass, no different from those pots that we use every day? Is not a third wood, and that is already rotten…Are not all these made of rotting matter? …and in the end you become altogether like them! 6

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone laughs at you because you can’t explain the nature of God? �Gregory of Elvira (4 th Century, Spain) Whatever you say about God, you are only describing the effectiveness of his works and the activity of his acts of grace; you cannot explain what he is like or how great he is. God is defined as being indefinable; that is all there is to it. 7

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone says we really believe in three gods? �Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329 – 25 Jan. 389, Turkey) To us there is only one God because the Trinity is one, and everything that proceeds from him is referred to one, even though we believe in three persons. For no one of them is more or less God than the others, nor does one of them have priority over the others, nor are they divided in will or parted in power. 8

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone said that a perfect God would not want to deal with imperfect people? �Melito of Sardis (2 nd Century, Turkey) The whole creation saw clearly that for humanity’s sake the judge was condemned, the invisible was seen, the unlimited was circumscribed, the who could not be harmed suffered, the immortal died and the heavenly was laid in a grave. 9

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone says they can’t believe a good god would let bad things happen to his people? �Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 -215, Egypt) Nothing happens without the will of the Lord of the universe. Nevertheless, bad things happen because God permits them, not because he actively causes them. 10

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone doubts they can be saved for eternal life? �Is there something God cannot do? �Ireneaus (2 nd Century, France) Service to God adds nothing to him, and he has no need of human obedience. On the contrary, he grants life, incorruptibility and eternal glory to those who follow and serve him. 11

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone says they are afraid of the wrath of God? �Lactantius (c. 240 -320, Italy) In fact, his anger remains active against those who go on sinning, but those who stop sinning extinguish God’s anger toward them. 12

Discussion & reflection: �What if someone wonders if they can trust God to take good care of them? �Chrysostom (349 -407, Turkey) God earnestly desires our salvation. Where does such love, such affection for us come from? It comes his goodness alone, for grace itself is the fruit of goodness. 13

Written reflection Name: Date: �What was most important to you in today’s lesson? 14