The qualities of divine essence I. OUR GOD IS A PERSON II.OUR GOD IS THE SPIRIT God is not ⮚GOD ISN’T – SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE GOD ISN’T – SOME FORCE GOD ISN’T – SUPER MIND GOD ISN’T – SOMETHING OVER US God has such characteristics A WILL(1-Thess.4:3) THE MIND(Rom. 11:34) CONSCIOUSNESS(Ex.34:6) RESPONSIBILITY(Ez.24:14 ) FEELINGS & EMOTIONS(Is.65:19) God is a Person has different feelings & emotions ⮚GEN.6:6 – REGRET ⮚1-KING.11:9 – ANGRY ⮚DET.6:15 – JEALOUS ⮚REV.3:19 - LOVE All personal pronouns in the Scripture confirm that God is a Person God is the Spirit John 4:24 What does this mean? ✔GOD IS EVERYWHERE (IS.57:15) ✔DOESN’T HAVE FLESH AND BONES (LK. 24:39) ✔INVISIBLE (1-TIM. 6:16) ✔UNLIMITED (JOB. 11:7-9) Nicene creed ▪ APOSTLES’ CREED ▪ SYMBOL OF FAITH ▪ CONFESSION OF FAITH ▪ STATEMENT OF BELIEF ▪ WE BELIEVE Newsboys – We believe Newsboys – We believe WE BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HE'S GIVEN US NEW LIFE WE BELIEVE IN THE CRUCIFIXION WE BELIEVE THAT HE CONQUERED DEATH WE BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION AND HE'S COMIN' BACK AGAIN, WE BELIEVE Nicene creed DEFINITION – ALSO CALLED NICENO-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED, A CHRISTIAN STATEMENT OF FAITH THAT IS THE ONLY ECUMENICAL CREED BECAUSE IT IS ACCEPTED AS AUTHORITATIVE BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC, EASTERN ORTHODOX, ANGLICAN, AND MAJOR PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 325 – first counsil of Nicaea (318 bishops, more than 2month ) 381 – second counsil of Constntinople(186 bishops) Nicene creed DEFINITION – A FORMAL STATEMENT OF DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH ADOPTED AT THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA IN AD 325 TO DEFEND ORTHODOXY FROM ARIANISM AND EXPANDED IN LATER COUNCILS. 1.Explicity – obviously, clearly New Testament 2.Implicity – indirectly, hidden Old testament 1.God – Creator of the world; one man and one woman – is a family; Jesus died on the cross 2. Jesus in Old Testament; abortion – is a sin; suicide- is a sin And doctrine of Trinity - implicity Old Testament Elohim - “divinity in multiplicity” Gn. 1:26 – “let us make man in our image after our likeness ” Gn. 3:22 – “Then the Lord God said, “Behold the man has become like one of us…” Gn. 11:7 – “let us go“ Is. 6:8 – “who will go for us?” Old Testament Dt. 6:4 – “hear, o Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” 2Sam. 7:23 – “One nation” – many people Rom. 12:5 – “One body we have many members” Old Testament Gn.1:1-3 – God, Word, Spirit of God Ps.110:1 – “the Lord says to my Lord” Is. 48:16 – “and now the Lord God has send me, and his Spirit.” Is. 63:10 – “but they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit” new Testament Mt. 3:16-17 – the Father – speaks; the Son – submerged into Jordan; the Holy Spirit – descends like a dove. Mt. 28:19. – “In the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit” 2-Cor. 13:13 – “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” new Testament Jn. 14:16 – “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another (such as I) counselor.” Eph. 1:3,5,13 – principle(method) of Trinity Eph. 4:4-6 – one Spirit, one Lord, one God Father Jude 1:20-21 – praying in the Holy Spirit; keep in the love of God; waiting for the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ. 1-Pet. 1:2 – foreknowledge of God the Father; sanctification of the Spirit; obedience to Jesus Christ. ✔The Father – is God ✔The Son – is God ✔The Holy Spirit – is God One God – Three Person One purpose – three functions ✔The Father – is not the Son Certain order and submission ✔The Son – is not the Father Different expression of power ✔The Son – is not the Holy Spirit Different types of actions ✔The Holy Spirit – is not the Son Three manifestation of one essence ✔The Holy Spirit – is not the Father Three Persons – One essence ✔The Father – is no the Holy Spirit History ❖NO TRINITY IN THE BIBLE ❖APOCRYPHAL BOOKS ❖ HERESIES ❖CHURCH REACTION Tertullian (160-225) • was the first to use the word “trinity” • doctrine of the Trinity • “if you try to explain it – you will lose your mind; if you try to reject it – you will lose your soul” AUGUSTINE (354-430) Spent a long time over the Scripture, trying to understand and explain the Trinity of God. And the Lord sent him a revelation. In a dream, Augustine saw a little boy trying to empty ocean. Practical meaning ▪ Mission – Father sent Son; Father and Son sent Holy Spirit; Trinity sent Church ▪ Worshiping and praying – for all Three Persons and every single Person ▪ Unity – this is the highest example ▪ Blessings – from every Person are different blessings, because they have different functions Philip Schaff German-educated Protestant theologian and ecclesiastical historian, who spent most of his adult life living and teaching in the United States. «DIVERSITY IN UNITY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY - SUCH IS GOD'S LAW IN NATURE AND HISTORY.» The Divine Manhood of Jesus Christ The Divine Manhood of Jesus Christ CHRISTOLOGY ⮚ Person ⮚ Nature ⮚ Role ⮚ Ministry & actions Person Jesus Christ in the four Gospels ❑ Mark ▪ Son of God (powerful) ▪ Son of Man (crucified) ❑ Matthew ▪ King/Messiah (Son of David) ▪ Teacher (like Moses) ❑ Luke ▪ Lord (of ALL nations) ▪ Savior (esp. the needy) ❑ John ▪ Logos/Word (revealer) ▪ Only-begotten Son (sent from the Father) Person Mark 8:27 “AND JESUS WENT ON WITH HIS DISCIPLES TO THE VILLAGES OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI. AND ON THE WAY HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES, “WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM?”” ✔Historical Person ✔Son of Mary ✔Prophet ✔Great Teacher (heb.Rabbi) ✔Messiah (gr. Christos - anointed) nature At the same time 100% God Jesus Christ 100% Man “AND IN ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SON OF GOD, BEGOTTEN FROM THE FATHER BEFORE ALL AGES, GOD FROM GOD, LIGHT FROM LIGHT, TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD, BEGOTTEN, NOT MADE; OF THE SAME ESSENCE AS THE FATHER. THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE. FOR US AND FOR OUR SALVATION HE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN; HE BECAME INCARNATE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE VIRGIN MARY, AND WAS MADE HUMAN.” nature Human Born like a man - Gal.4:4 Temptation – Lk.4:1-13 Hungry – Mt.4:2 Thirsty – Jn.19:28 Weariness – Jn.4:6 Cry – Lk.19:41 Support – Lk.22:43 In all things – Heb.2:17-18 In All points tempted – Heb.4:15 We believe God manifested in the flesh (1-Tm.3:16) Memorizing Verse 1-Timothy 3:16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world ,taken up in glory. nature Divine Supernatural conception – Mt.1:18 Fullness of deity dwells bodily – Kol.2:9 Jesus never objected that he is God – Jn.11:21, 13:13, 20:28 “Emmanuel” – Mt.1:23 Same attributes as God-Father: Omnipresent(Mt.18:20,28:20) Creator(Kol.1:17) Almighty(Rev.1:8) Eternal(Jn.1:1-3) . Role Savior (Jn. 4:42) Redeemer (Is. 59:20) Intercessor/Advocate (1-Jn. 2:1) High Priest (Hb. 9:11) Mediator (1-Tm. 2:5) King (1-Tm. 6:15) Why this is important? From the point of view of our salvation, it is essential to understand the human nature of Christ correctly – because only real man could save humanity! Jesus was truly God – because only perfect God could save humanity!.