Theology Proper Grace Bible Institute 2015 Theology Proper
Theology Proper Grace Bible Institute 2015
Theology Proper Grace Bible Institute 2015 Lesson 12 Trinity: the History and Views THE HISTORY
The heaviest obligation lying upon the Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him -- and of her. --A. W. Tozer
Before the Christian Church goes into eclipse anywhere there must first be a corrupting of her simple basic theology. She simply gets a wrong answer to the question, “What is God like? ” and goes from there. -- A. W. Tozer
Two Principles to determine truth • God has revealed all we need to know through His inspired word. • The Holy Spirit will teach and guide the church into all truth.
Two Principles to determine truth • God has revealed all we need to know through His inspired word. For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. [Rom 15: 4 NASB]
Two Principles to determine truth • The Holy Spirit will teach and guide the church into all truth. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. [Jhn 16: 13 NASB] As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. [1 Jo 2: 27 NASB]
2 nd Century conflict Gnosticism
3 rd & 4 th Century conflict Monarchianism • Dynamic Monarchianism – Jesus was a man given special power at his baptism by the Holy Spirit. (also called Adoptionism) • Modalistic Monarchianism – the Persons of the Godhead were modes in which the one God manifested Himself. • Patripassianism – God the Father manifested and suffered the crucifixion in the role of the Son. (West) • Sabellianism – the word person means roles or manifestation of divine essence. (East)
3 rd & 4 th Century conflict Monarchianism • No response brought confusion & disharmony to the church. • Main point: contention was over the divinity of the Son.
The Council of Nicea 325 AD – Arian conflict Three main parties…. Arians Homoousians Homoeousians
Parties in Conflict: Arians (heteroousios) = the Son is a different substance Arians taught that the son is of a different substance or nature or essence than the Father
Parties in Conflict: Arians The Son is not eternal but a second God created or brought into existence by the Father before creation. And the Holy Spirit was the first thing created by the Son. created
Parties in Conflict: Homoousians (homoousios) = the Son is the same substance Homoousians taught that the Son is of the same substance as the Father. The Son was generated in an eternal an internal act termed eternal generation. Being of God Eternal Son
Parties in Conflict: Homoeousians (homoiousios) = the Son is similar substance Homoeousians taught that the Son is of like substance with the Father. Being of God Eternal Son
The Council of Nicea 325 AD – Arian conflict Response: The Nicene Creed
The Council of Constantinople 381 AD Orthodox Christianity - officially ends of Arian controversy Arians Homoousians Issue of the Deity of the Holy Spirit resolved
Augustine (354 -430 AD) • each of the three Persons possesses divine essence. • each of the three Persons are interdependent. • The Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.
The Synod of Toledo (589) filioque clause “and from the Son” was added to the Nicene-Constantinople Creeds. Roman Easter Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church rejects this as heresy
The Synod of Toledo (589) An addition to the Nicene-Constantinople Creeds.
The Reformation Churches “…there is one divine essence which is called and is God…yet there are three Persons of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost”
The Reformation Churches “In the unity of the Godhead there be three Person, 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. ”
False Views of the Trinity v Tritheism F S H. S Three gods
False Views of the Trinity v Sabellianism Father (O. T. ) Son (N. T. ) Spirit (Present) Modalistic Trinity
False Views of the Trinity v Unitarianism F S H. S Creator Creature Impersonal
Heretical Progression Eternal Father v Arianism F Generated S Created H. S
Heretical Progression Eternal Father v Socinianism F Generated S Denies pre-existence of Son
Heretical Progression v Unitarianism F S Morally ascends to status of Son of God human
Heretical Progression v Unitarianism S Morally ascends Rejects miraculous acts & deity of Christ
Two Clues a teacher is an Antichrist • False teaching on a person of God • False teaching on the work of God in Salvation – works salvation
John’s Creed A confession of Christ’s incarnation & relationship to the Father • I John 2: 18 -3: 3 • I John 4: 1 -6 • I John 3: 23 • 2 John 7 -9
- Slides: 31