The Doctrine of the Trinity The Athanasian Creed

The Doctrine of the Trinity

The Athanasian Creed, named after Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria in the fourth century, who fought for the views it expresses, said this in regard to the Trinity: “The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. Not three incomprehensibles but one incomprehensible. ”

Guess who said this: “When we shall have done away with the incomprehensible jargon of the Trinitarian arithmetic, that three are one, and one is three; when we shall have knocked down the artificial scaffolding, reared to mask from view the very simple structure of Jesus; when, in short, we shall have unlearned everything which has been taught since his day, and got back to the pure and simple doctrines he inculcated, we shall then be truly and worthily his disciples. ” - Thomas Jefferson

In the preface to Edward Gibbon's History of Christianity, we read: "If Paganism was conquered by Christianity, it is equally true that Christianity was corrupted by Paganism. The pure Deism of the first Christians. . . was changed, by the Church of Rome, into the incomprehensible dogma of the trinity. Many of the pagan tenets, invented by the Egyptians and idealized by Plato, were retained as being worthy of belief. "

So go ahead…. Explain and Defend the Trinity!

“To those outside the Christian faith, the doctrine of the Trinity seems a very strange teaching indeed. It seems to violate logic, for it claims that God is three and yet that he is one. How can this be? And why would the church propound such a doctrine? It does not appear to be taught in Scripture, which is the Christian’s supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. And it presents an obstacle to faith for those who otherwise might be inclined to accept the Christian faith. Is it a teaching that perhaps was a mistake in the first place, and certainly is a hindrance and an embarrassment to Christianity?

Could it be omitted from Christian faith and theology, without any loss and even with considerable gain? I submit that the doctrine of the Trinity is of great importance in our time, and therefore needs to be examined carefully, for several reasons. ” Millard J. Erickson, Making Sense of the Trinity

• Historically, the first doctrine the church felt needed to be elaborated. • Numerous cults and sects, as well as some liberal Christians in traditional denominations, deny this doctrine. • Major distinguishing feature of Christianity. • If not true, our understanding of salvation must be modified. (e. g. Christ’s voluntary sacrifice)

Three Guiding Questions 1) Is the doctrine of the Trinity biblical? 2) Does the doctrine of the Trinity make sense? 3) Does the doctrine of the Trinity make any difference?

1) Is the doctrine of the Trinity biblical? • The unity of God • The Deity of each person of the Godhead • The Three-in-oneness of God

2) Does the doctrine of the Trinity make sense? • Its logical implications • Inadequate Historical Explanations • Helpful and Not-so-helpful analogies

3) Does the doctrine of the Trinity make any difference? • Addressing objections to God’s ‘aloofness’ • Distinguishing Christianity as unique • Implications for Prayer and Worship • Believers’ relationships to each other

“It [the doctrine of the trinity] does not appear to be taught in scripture…. ” Kerygma (Proclamation) Keryx – ‘Herald’ vs. Dogma (Doctrine) ‘Axiomatic Truth’ The doctrine of the trinity emerges as we work through the logical implications of the truths that scripture proclaims.

Westminster Confession of Faith (Chap. 2, Paragraph 3) In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

The Athanasian Creed (Excerpt) Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Spirit uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensibles, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible.

The Belgic Confession (1618) • In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties-- namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Son is the Word, the Wisdom, and the image of the Father. • The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. • Nevertheless, this distinction does not divide God into three, since Scripture teaches us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each has his own subsistence distinguished by characteristics-- yet in such a way that these three persons are only one God.

The Belgic Confession (Cont’d) • It is evident then that the Father is not the Son and that the Son is not the Father, and that likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. • Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. • For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. • The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. • There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy.

Feel ready for the task ahead? (1 Peter 1: 13) “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ”

The TRINITY…. think about it….