The document discusses evidence for the Trinity from Scripture. It provides arguments that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God based on their titles, actions, and interchangeable references with God in the Bible. It also examines the Trinity as three distinct persons in one essence, and how this corresponds to human needs for reference, role models, and help. The overall message is that a Trinitarian understanding of God grows over time through study and experiencing relationships.

1. THE TRINITY
“It is not a case of artificially weaving these
persons into his [Paul’s] presentation; it is
rather that his consciousness is so formed by
and to faith in the triune God that he cannot
but express himself in these terms”
(John Murray)
NIV Commetary, Romans 15:17-19

2. “One God who exists as three
distinct Persons”
“God is One – monotheism – by
virtue of the common essence or
substance, and three by virtue of
the distinction of the persons
within the Godhead” (Olson 2002, 138).

3. Jesus is God: Four Pieces
of Evidence
1. His remarkable claims (3)
2. Constantly given the title
“Lord”
3. referred to as God
4. OT/NT Refs.  God/Jesus

4. “We have almost forgotten that God is
a person and, as such, can be cultivated
as any person can”
(Tozer 2002, 4)
Draper, Edythe. 2002. The Pursuit of God, The Pursuit of Man: Devotional
Readings by A. W. Tozer. Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications.

5. The Holy Spirit is God:
Evidence from Scripture
1. His Full Title
2. Referred to as “the Spirit
of God” in both OT & NT
3. NT writers’ use of OT
passages

6. The Holy Spirit is God:
Evidence from Scripture
4. Paul’s uses interchangeably
“God,” “Christ,” & “Spirit”
5. OT/NT Place Spirit lives

7. The Holy Spirit is Personal.
-- “Has all the qualities we
usually associate with
persons” (except …..)
-- Constantly spoken of in
personal terms.

8. The Holy Spirit’s activities in
the Bible are those we
associate with persons:
1. Intelligence
2. Feelings
3. Will

9. The Personal Nature of the
Holy Spirit.
-- Significant passages
-- Metaphors for Spirit vs.
Paul’s avoidance of such

10. The Holy Spirit is a distinct
person from God the Father.
-- Strongest possible evidence:
The many biblical passages that refer to
each of the three persons, with each
having a distinctive role in our
salvation.

11. Increasing a Trinitarian
understanding in the Bible
-- Language and ideas constantly
appear.
-- Word not used in the Bible.
-- Experience led in this direction.

12. “It is not a case of artificially weaving
these persons into his presentation; it is
rather that his consciousness is so
formed by and to faith in the triune
God that he cannot but express himself
in these terms”
(John Murray)
NIV Commetary, Romans 15:17-19

13. Points for Clarification (3):
1. The unity of the Trinity
2. The submission of Jesus to the
Father; the submission of the Spirit
to the Father and to the Son
3. Glimpses of the Trinity in the Old
Testament

14. Two Heresies:
1. Arianism
2. Modalism

15. Trinitariograms:
1. Hierarchy
2. Origin
3. Communal Unity

16. The Trinity: Does it all make
sense?
1. The personality of God
2. The love of God

17. Does it all make sense?
3. The correspondence of the Trinity to
our basic needs:
a. We need a point of reference.
b. We need a role model.
c. We need a facilitator to help us
get there.

18. Three final thoughts
1.Focus on unity and diversity.
2.We long for community!
3.A theology of the Trinity = a
theology of relationships

19. Does it all make sense?
Understanding only grows with study
and experience . . . as in any
relationship.