Doctrinal Statement of the Holy Trinity

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT ON THE HOLY TRINITY
A Paper Presented to Dr. Nathan Holsteen Dallas Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course ST102 Trinitarianism
by P.J. Beets, Nxxx Xxxxx, Buddy Head, Rick Meyer, and Kristen Zion April 12, 2012


We believe in one God, who is eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead mutually indwells each other yet is distinct in personhood and role. The Old Testament and New Testament attest to both the oneness and the plurality of personhood within the Godhead.


We believe that while there is unity within the members of the Godhead there is also diversity. These distinctions are illustrated through their roles and relationship with each other. Thus the Father is the architect of the plan of redemption.
The Son executes the plan of redemption, has his being from the Father, and was only submissive to the Holy Spirit during His incarnation. The Holy Spirit has his being from the Father, is sent by both the Father and the Son, was authoritative over the Son during His incarnation, had as his chief role to mediate the presence of Christ to believers, and has been resident with us (the church) since Pentecost.


  We believe in God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, who is Almighty and the Maker of heaven and earth. He can be known through Jesus, the Word, the Holy Spirit, and love. He is eternal, forgiving, good, gracious, holy, incomprehensible, infinite, invisible, long-suffering, loving, merciful, and wise. He is mystery, self-existent, simple, free, perfect, and impassable. His character, ways, life, truth, and purposes do not change. He is sovereign, judge, reconciler, and all will return to Him. The Father is the principle of the Trinity but not the cause. The Father begat the Son and sent the Holy Spirit.


We believe in God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. He eternally exists equally with indivisible from, and yet distinct from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe in the complete deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God in human flesh and the only begotten from the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus is fully God and fully man, but without sin, consisting of a divine nature and a human nature, but existing as one person.
 Jesus came to earth to take the form of a man in order to suffer and die on a cross and to pay the penalty of sin for all mankind. He physically rose from the dead on the third day, providing the way of salvation for all who believe in him. Jesus is the sacrifice for sin and way of salvation. Because Jesus Christ is God, he is worthy of the praise and worship of all creation. He will come again to judge the world.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, eternally coexisting as one substance (Gk. homosteses) with the Father and the Son, while differing in personhood and function. He instigates life — Christ —and regenerates our souls. The Spirit of truth convicts the soul of sin and glorifies the Father and Son. He speaks through the prophets , authors all scripture, and writes God’s laws on our hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit provides comfort and counseling to all believers. We receive fruits of the Spirit, whom also seals our inheritance.


End Notes The foundational truth of Judaism (and then Christianity) is discovered in Deuteronomy 6.4 – “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” Based on this text, both Judaism and Christianity are monotheistic.
Orthodox Christians have always and only affirmed the existence of one God. The first phrase of the Nicene Creed (325 AD) is “We believe in one God.” See Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 1169. Gen 21:3; Deut 33:27; Psa 90:2; Psa 145:13; Isa 9:6; Isa 40:8; Jer 10:10; Dan 7:14; 27; Rom 16:26; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; Heb 9:14.


The first person to use the term triad to indicate the three persons of God was Theophilus of Antioch. Irenaeus developed this triadic view of God, using Scripture to stress both the unity of God and the equal deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Tertullian argued against modalism and used the terms trinity (trinitas in Latin) and person (persona in Latin) to describe the fact that God is one in substance yet three in form. For more discussion, see Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 90-101.


The doctrine of perichoresis, though not named until much later, was emphasized by Athanasius and the Cappadocians. Perichoresis indicates “the full mutual indwelling of the three persons in the one being of God” (Letham, 178). John of Damascus developed this concept, stressing the inseparability and unbreakability of union within the Trinity. A belief in perichoresis is a defense against the threat of tritheism. For discussion, see Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 178-183.


The church developed language in the first four centuries AD which would adequately explain the oneness and threeness of God. Linguistic confusion was common.


The Greek terms homoousias and hypostasis could be used interchangeably and many did not recognize them as distinct terms. Thus, confusion over the exact relationships between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were common, even after Nicea. Basil the Great was the first to clearly distinguish the homoousias (the identical ontology of God) from the hypostases (the three separate persons of God).


Other Cappadocians, including Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory Nazianzen, followed Basil’s focus on the hypostases and also discussed the interrelations between the persons of the Godhead. Says Letham, “A more flexible vocabulary, developing around 362, allowed terms like homoousios, ousia, and hypostasis to be reformulated in a way that opened the door to a new understanding of the Trinity” (Letham, 166). For more discussion, see Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 118-121; 146-166.


See the next four paragraphs for discussion of the interrelations and distinct roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. OT texts that stress the oneness of God are Deut 6:4, 32:29, Isa 42:8, 43:10, 45:21-22, and Mal 2:10. Yet, plurality in the Godhead can be seen in the OT, veiled though it may be. Plural terms for God include Elohim (all throughout OT), Most High Ones (Dan 7:18, 22), Makers (Eccl 12:1), and Husbands (Isa 54:4). Other texts which reveal the plurality within the Godhead are Psa 45:6-7, 110:1, Isa 44:6, 48:16, Dan 7:13-14, and Zech 12:10. The NT provides the clearest scriptural descriptions of the Trinity. Some key texts include Matt 28:19, Rom 15:30, 1 Cor 12:3-6, 2 Cor 13:14, Gal 4:4-6, Col 1:3-8, 2 Thess 2:13-14, and Titus 3:4-7. Triadic patterns appear most frequently in John (14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7; 20:21-23) and Ephesians (2:18; 4:3-6; 3:14-17; 5:18-20; 6:10-11). Deut 6:4; John 10:30 Bruce Ware, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 69. Ephesians 1:9-12 1 John 4:14 John 5:26 Bruce Ware, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 87-94. John 15:26 John 14:16-17; 15:26 Matthew 4:1 J.I. Packer, Keeping in Step with the Spirit (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, 1984), 49. Acts 2 For language of Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed, see Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 1169; Gen 1:1; Exod 6:3. John 14:7, 9 J.I. Packer, Knowing God, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 37. For discussion of the Westminster Confession of Faith, see Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 1179; Deut 33:27; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:5; Ps 103:8; Isa 6:3; Rom 11:33-34; 1 Tim 1:17; Exod 20:6; Lam 3:22; Deut 4:31; Jer 10:12. Nathan D. Holsteen, “Trinitarianism,” class discussion for ST102 (Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring Semester, 2012); Deut 29:29; Isa 40:12-28; 1 John 1:5. Packer, Knowing God, 77-80. Fountainhead. St Athanasius, On the Incarnation: The Treatise De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, rev. ed. Popular Patristics Series, trans. and ed. a Religious of C. S. M. V. (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1996), 28. Isa 2:4 2 Cor 5:18-19 1 Cor 15:24-28 Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing Company, 2004), 232. For language of Chalcedonian creed, see Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 1169-70; Ps 2:7; The word “begotten,” monogenēs, means “only” or “unique“ not “born of.” See E. E. Carpenter and P. W. Comfort, Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 349. John 14:16-17 The Son is equal with the Father and the Spirit in that each is fully God and the Son is of the same essence as the Father and Holy Spirit. This concept was confirmed by the defining of the term homoousios by the Council of Nicea. For further discussion on the Nicene Creed and the language affirmed by the Council see Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 115-126. Jesus Christ is portrayed as divine in the Scriptures in relation to his attributes, works, titles, and the worship he receives. Some passages that display his omnipotence include Matthew 8:26-27, 14:9, 28:18, and John 2:1-11. Passages that reveal his omnipresence are Matthew 18:20, and 28:20. Other passages such as Mark 2:8, John 2:25, 6:64, 16:30, and 21:17 attribute omniscience to him. For further study on Christ’s divinity in relation to his attributes, divine titles, and works see Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 543-552.


For a list of passages further confirming Christ’s deity also see Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 53-54. According to John 1:14, Jesus was begotten by the Father and became flesh. The conception by the Holy Spirit and virgin birth are confirmed in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35. This belief stands on the creed spelled out at the Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451. For an English translation of the creed, see the following Philip Schaff’s translation in Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 557. The scriptural evidence for Christ’s divinity has already been laid out above. According to Hebrews 2:17 the Son had to be made like man in every way in order to make propitiation for the sin of mankind. It is important to note that he was without sin. If Christ had been sinful then he could not have served as a proper sacrifice for sin. This is affirmed by the following passages: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 1:2-3, and Colossians 1:13-23. Scripture testifies to Christ’s sacrifice for sin in Romans 10:8-9, Hebrews 9:8-15, and 10:14. In the pages of Scripture Jesus is clearly worshiped. In passages such as Matthew 2:11, 21:14-16, 28:9, Luke 19:38-40, John 20:28, his followers worship him and in Philippians 2:8-11it is predicted that one day all will worship Christ. Some of the passages foretelling his second coming include the following: Matthew 24:44, John 14:3, Acts 1:11, 2 Peter 3:10, 1 John 3:2 and Revelation 22:20. Holsteen “Trinitarianism” class notes: 1. Intelligence (John 14:26, John 15:26, Romans 8:27, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13) 2. Personal Will (Acts 8:29, Acts 13:2, Acts 16:6, 1 Corinthians 12:11) 3. Manifests Emotions (Ephesians 4:30, Hebrews 10:29) 4. Stands Parallel to Son as the other Counselor (John 14:26, Romans 8:26) 5. Blasphemy against the Father or Son can be forgiven, NOT against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31) 6. Comforts (Acts 9:31, Romans 8:26, John 16:13-14), Acts 2:38. Genesis 1:1-2 Genesis 1:26; John 1:18; John 1:20; John 6:63-65 Mt. 1:18 Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 56. The Holy Spirit acts in every stage of redemption, including the conception and ascension of Jesus Christ. The angel, Gabriel, compares the Holy Spirit’s role in the conception of Mary (Luke 1:35) with creation (Genesis 1:2). John 16:12-15 John 16:8 In both Luke 3:22 and John 1:32-33 the Spirit descends on Christ in the form of a dove. 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 3:2 Hebrews 10:15-16 Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2004), 58. In John 14:16, the “Spirit” (paraclētos or paraclete) is often translated “comforter” or “counselor.” It is believed this connotation favors a “defense attorney” (i.e. Counselor), representing believers to diabolos (devil). Also, see John 14:26 – “…But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” Galatians 5:22 Ephesians 1:13