PONDERING... How Many Persons Are There In God?

This is part of a catechism study we're doing on Sunday mornings.

How many persons are there in God?

There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

• 2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV - "14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
• Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV - "4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."
• Jeremiah 10:10 ESV - "10 But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation."
• Matthew 28:19 ESV - "19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"

BREAKDOWN

One God-

John Piper makes this observation: "The word "Godhead" is needed because we shouldn't say that there are three persons in God. No, there are three persons who are God."

This is crazy complicated, but complication does not negate truth. One God--only one.

Three Persons-

"...the term "persons" in relation to the Trinity does not signify the limited individuality of human persons, it does affirm the personal relationship, particularly of love, within the triune Godhead."--The Portable Seminary pg 93

Same in Substance-

Last week we talked about "what" God is. All three members of the trinity are everything that God is.

Equal in Power and Glory-

Those God demonstrates submission and humility through His trinitarian nature (The Son submits to the Father; the Father glorifies the Son; the Holy Spirit points to the Son...etc), there is no hierarchy. This is a common misunderstanding that comes from forgetting that they are one God. (I know, we can't even speak of it without almost muddying the waters...)

SUMMARY

This is probably one of the most difficult, and often controversial, discussions in Christianity. Basically, we need to come to terms with what we can and cannot understand. Faith is not blind. As we have addressed many times, we have evidence to support belief in the Bible as the Word of God. This Bible teaches that God is Trinitarian--One God. Three Persons. We cannot wrap our minds around this. Then again (as I've said before), we're not God.

RESOURCES TO CONSIDER:

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2013/04/24/what-do-we-mean-by-person-and-essence-in-the-doctrine-of-the-trinity/

http://carm.org/trinity