THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY IS THE PATTERN FOR HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

INTRODUCTION

TEXTS: First chapter of first book of Old Testament Gen. 1:26 “Let Us”
Last chapter of the first book of the New Testament Matt 28:19
Jesus Tells us who the ”Us” is: “Father, Son, Holy Spirit.”

Gen. 1:26 “Let Us make man in Our image...” God speaks in Himself and says He will make us (man) in His image. A few weeks ago we talked about what the image is:

• Intelligence/ mind, will, emotions, reasoning, ability to organize,
• God’s image in us gives us moral awareness of right and wrong,
• Understanding consequences, ability to communicate multiple ways,
• Best of all by believing in Jesus we have eternal salvation.

But today I want to add another dimension - as we posess the image of God, the image includes relationship. The Trinity is the first community, the first relationship. Since we humans are made in the image of God, we too are to reflect God’s relationships in our human relationships.

• Each of us with God, our family, our church, neighbors, society...

Two resources are helping me present this to you today and next Sunday.

Three Fold Graphics of Natural Church Development

The Three Fold Art of Experiencing God, by Christian Schwartz

The Importance of the Doctrine of the Trinity

Father, Son & Holy Spirit - Relationships, Roles, Relevance. Bruce Ware

1. One of the most distinguishing doctrines of the Christian Church

• The early church fathers searched the Scriptures and sought to define indefinable. Comprehend the incomprehensible. Trinity. God is One, yet God is Three.
QUOTE: John Wesley “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the triune God!” (Tan 1982)


• Yet, as early as the middle of 2^nd Century - a form of Apostle’s Creed was already in place, follows a Trinitarian order. As time went on the Great Confessions were written, attempting to describe the Trinity - i.e. Westminster Confession of Faith 1646. Tonight I will give you...
(The Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 On the Trinity: “In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word (or Son) and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and Eternity, each having the whole Divine Essence, yet the Essence undivided. The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is Eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and Being; but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties, and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.”)


• If we are going to know God rightly, we need to know that He is Triune. He has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is Triunity = speaks of the threeness and the oneness.


• Remove this doctrine and Christianity collapses. This doctrine clearly separates us from other religions.
ILLUS: Jehovah’s Witnesses - Satan originated the doctrine of trinity.
Mormon have three Gods, God has flesh, Jesus became God, spirit electricity
The Koran - Infidels believe God is Three - page 75


• What do you believe about the Trinity? By faith believe God’s Word!

2. Our Prayer and Worship acknowledges of the Trinity

ILLUS: First Bible I bought 1974 New Scofield Study Bible
Scofield’s formula: “of the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit and unto the Father.” 1 Cor. 8:6; John 3:17; Eph. 3:5; Eph. 2:18 p. 1046.

• Prayer to the Father - Matthew 6:9 “Our Father in Heaven.”


• Through the Son - Jesus is the mediator 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” Healings in the name of Jesus Acts 4:10; 16:18. Thus we pray in Jesus name, through Jesus we have access to the Father. When you pray, begin to the Father, and conclude in Jesus’ name.


• By the power of the Holy Spirit Jude 20. Note Trinity in Jude 20-21


• Worship - Ephesians 1:3, 12-14
ILLUS: Is our music trinitian? Praise songs this AM addressed God or spoke of God generally, or Son specifically. Didn’t do any H.S. praise songs. I choose on purpose: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” We evangelicals stress Jesus, could sing/speak more of the Holy Spirit - several in our praise music list and in the hymnal do. Do you think about Who you are addressing?

3. Our Salvation and Sanctification is the work of the Trinity

• John 3:16, Father and Son; Context of 3:5-8 speaks of the Spirit.


• Context of Ephesians 1:1-14: v. 3, 12-14


• Gifts by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12:4-7


• Great benediction 2 Cor. 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
ILLUS: Do you see the Trinity in your own personal testimony? God loves you. Spirit promoted your heart to believe in Jesus who died and lived again for you, He is God’s Son. The Holy Spirit lives in you, revealing to you the truths of Jesus, so you can live for the glory of God.

4. There is community in the Trinity

• God is never alone. “He never experiences, whether with or without the world He has made, a sense of individual isolation and ‘loneliness.’” (20)


• God’s tri-Personal reality is inherent in His existence as the one God who alone is God. He is socially related within Himself. “Let Us”


• We see this community in the life of Jesus.
• Often said He was doing the works of the Father (John 5, 10).
• He prayed to the Father “Father, glorify Your Name” (John 12:28).
• Spoke of the Holy Spirit: John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

5. The Trinity is a pattern for human relationships

• The doctrine is practical. We are to mirror the Trinity in our relationships.


• Maybe this is a new concept for you. This is a new emphasis or revived emphasis in Christianity today, which is good to help in our relationships.


• We are called to possess the character of God, so also should we be like God in our relationships with one another.


• We can have something better, we can pattern our relationships after our Triune God who lives in perfect harmony.


• Our relationship with God, family order, church order, social order must flow from the very nature of who God is - “Let Us make man in Our image...”


• Next week some specifics on the how to live this Holy, Holy, Holy life.

ONE IMMEDIATE APPLICATION TODAY:

Natural Church Development survey - work on “Loving Relationships”

It is our minimum factor, or maximum opportunity for growth

GRAPHIC - NCD The Trinity in Loving Relationships

Justice	Righteousness, fairness, judges sin, rights wrongs.
Truth	"Speak the truth in love", Trustworthiness.
Grace	Undeserved acceptance, forgiveness, kindness.

If out of balance brings: legalism, or hypocrisy, or soft on sin. Are in balance at First Baptist Church of Colfax? Are we patterning our life after the Triune God in our relationships?