TheHoly
Trinity: Father, Son, &
Holy Spirit
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Father Keith Mathur [email protected] 610-433-7413 x40
Mr. Kevin Damitz [email protected] 610-437-3491
Useful Information
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What is the essence of God?
Essence: what makes a “thing” what it is.
So what is the essence of God?
LOVE
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1 JOHN 4:16
“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in
Him.”
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LOVE1) EROS
Completely selfish Self-gratifying Narcissistic English word erotic
2) PHILIA Brotherly love English words filial, Philadelphia
3) AGAPE Love spoke of in the NT Love that completely gives of itself for the sake of the
other
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Love
God is the same way
God is infinite, so He infinitely gives and infinitely receives
love.
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Basic Tenets of Revealed Truth about God
1 God, not 3 Sign of the Cross
3 Persons Father Son Holy Spirit
Through their own will established a hierarchy of equality Does not relegate greatness or power – but helps
us understand how the Trinity works within itself – still a mystery folks!
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God the FATHER
Source of the Trinity
Don’t let language confuse youSource does not mean the Son & the Holy Spirit are lesser than the Father
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God the SONNot created, but begotten
In fact eternally and infinitely begotten
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God the HOLY SPIRIT
Not created, nor begotten
He is SPIRATED
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Genesis 1:26“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
- New American Bible
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Attribution Father – Creator – creates and makes all
things possible.
Son – Redeemer – saves humanity from their sins by becoming human.
Spirit – Sanctifier – continually makes things holy as a gift sent from the Father and the Son.
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Transcendence
God is transcendent and beyond all of creation – so all ideas and speech about God is going to somehow be lacking in a fully
explaining who God is.
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Father Revealed by the Son God is Father in as much as he is the Creator of
the world God is Father because of the covenant he
made with Israel to send his 1st born Son Father is the first origin of everything Father shows his goodness and loving care for
his children Jesus Himself reveals God as the Father and as
Creator Eternally God is Father by his relationship with
His only Son AD 325- Council of Nicaea- Son is
consubstantial with the Father
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Father & Son Revealed by the Spirit
Jesus promises to send the SpiritThe sending of the Spirit is after
Jesus’ glorificationHoly Spirit is not the “spirit” of the
FatherSpirit least understood of the Trinity:
marked difference in the Eastern & Western Church (both Catholic & Orthodox)
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How Do We Understand the Trinity
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How Do We Understand the Trinity
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How Do We Understand the Trinity
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How Do We Understand the Trinity
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Dogma of the Trinity1. In the 1 Divine Nature (when we say nature,
philosophically it means the essence of being – so there is 1 Divine Nature consisting of 3 Divine Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
2. No one of the 3 Divine Persons is either of the other Divine Persons – but rather each Person of Trinity is wholly Himself.
3. The Father is the 1 true God, the Son is the 1 true God, and the Holy Spirit is the 1 True God.
4. There are not 3 Gods, but 1 God.
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The Importance of Words in Theology and Philosophy
Possessive Statements Very important for natures
Who vs. What What = nature (1 God) Who = person (3 Persons)
Nature decides what I can do Person describes who we are If you were to ask God:
Q: What are you? A: God would respond together, “GOD!” Q: Who are you? A: They would each respond “Father, “Son,”
or “Holy Spirit.”
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! ! !You are now all EXPERTS on the Most Holy Trinity
! ! !