Evangelism Training Resources What is the Trinity? From where did this doctrine originate?
 |
 |
|
WHAT IS THE TRINITY? From Where Did This Doctrine Originate? The Trinity Doctrine is the belief that the three Divine Persons mentioned in the Bible — the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit— are one God. They are distinct in their Personhoods, yet they maintain unity of substance as the one true God. The best definition of the Trinity can be found in the Athanasian Creed that was codified by the Church in the fourth century. THE CREED OF ATHANASIUS (Excerpts): “…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 Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. …The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost 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 Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden …to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man. God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born into the world. Perfect God and Perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by Unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ…” The Creed was written in Response to THREE HERESIES Infiltrating the Early Church:
BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF THE TRINITY: There is Only ONE God
ISAIAH 46:9: “…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me.” 1. ISAIAH 43:10-11: “…understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me.” ISAIAH 44:6, 8: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me… And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.’ ” ISAIAH 45:21-22: “…Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” 1 TIMOTHY 1:17: “Now to the King eternal… the only God.” 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-6: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.” MATTHEW 28:19: “...baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” THE TRINITY SCRIPTURE CHART - DIVINE ATTRIBUTES
THE TRINITY SCRIPTURE CHART - DIVINE ACTS
================ 1. All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible |
Testimonials
I LOVE this site!
“I just wanted to write and tell you that your website is absolutely FANTASTIC and invaluable. Thank you so much for providing fantastic resources that true Christians can use to reach out in love to those caught in the lie of Mormonism and the Watchtower Society. I love this website.”
Your site is the best!
“Just want you to know that I love your website. What a wealth of information …I have been looking for a website to aid in my witnessing to my Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness friends. This is the best one I have seen by far. Please keep up the good work!!!!”
Your website is crucial in my witnessing efforts!
“Your website is crucial in my witnessing efforts to Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. I cannot get the Mormons to come back anymore, but I had my first study with the Jehovah’s Witnesses today. ...One has been in the Society for over 50 years!!! I was very intimidated by this. ...But the thing that really got them squirming in their seats today were the questions I got off your website regarding the use of the Divine Name. It was almost as if they had never heard questions like this before. ...thank you so much for what you do. God has used your talents in such a wonderful way to bring glory and honor to our King Jesus Christ.”
I appreciate the loving tone of your website...
“I need to say thank you so much to the people involved in this website! I am a Christian and have been in contact with a Jehovah's Witness for several months, and at the beginning I was very unfamiliar with Jehovah's Witness teachings. Your website has helped me tremendously. I feel much better acquainted with Jehovah's Witness teachings and able to question her on her beliefs, and point her to the Truth of Jesus in the Bible. I enjoy the thoughtful, loving tone your website has in pointing out the error of the Watchtower organization, and the error of Jehovah's Witness beliefs.”
Thanks for providing the documentation to back up what you're saying.
“I recently became acquainted with a girl who was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, and I am a solid evangelical Christian. Despite our differences, we have become good friends ...I have had the hardest time talking to her about my concerns regarding the Watchtower because I understood so little about it. In my search for resources online, it is so refreshing to find a website that is not slanderous or based on opinion, but that simply provides the facts. Thanks for providing documentation to back up what you're saying. This is legitimate journalism and it has been incredibly useful to me.”
I Feel So Much Better Equipped!
“I just wanted to say thanks for the tremendous amount of effort it must have taken to put together this website. I am a Christian who has been visited by Jehovah’s Witnesses for about 7-8 years… I was online …when I came across your site. Having found what I was looking for, I continued on with browsing your site. There is so much useful information here! Recently, one of the young Witnesses that had previously come to my door ...came back to my door alone. … After reading many pages on your site, I feel so much better equipped to speak with her. …I hope to show her the joy that is in the freedom we have in Christ.”
What's New!
