Lesson 6

The Holy Trinity

  1. What is meant by the truth of the trinity?
    That God is one in being and three in Persons.

  2. How is God both one in being and three in Persons?
    There are three divine individuals, each subsisting in His own personally distinct manner in the one divine being.

  3. Who are these three Persons?
    God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

  4. Where is this doctrine of three Persons taught in Scripture?
    There are many texts that speak of a plurality of persons, as: Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:22; Genesis 19:24; Psalm 110:l. The three Persons are often distinctly mentioned in the New Testament as in the Baptism Formula and the Apostolic benediction.

  5. Does Scripture teach also that these three Persons are one being? Yes, all Scripture testifies that God is one, and some texts specifically state this, as Deuteronomy 6:4; I John 5:7.

  6. Why are these Persons called the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?
    Because in these three names their distinct personal properties are indicated.

  7. What is the distinct personal property of each of these divine Persons?
    Of the Father that He generates the Son; of the Son that He is generated by the Father; of the Holy Ghost that He proceeds from both the Father and the Son. John 14:26; 15:26; Galatians 4:6; John 1:14; Psalm 2:7.

  8. Of what significance is this doctrine of the trinity?
    That God triune dwells in perfect covenant fellowship with Himself and establishes a covenant relationship with us.

  9. Does each Person have His own work in creation and salvation?
    No, the Triune God creates, redeems, and sanctifies.

EXTRA WORK:

  1. Prove from the following texts the divinity of Christ: John 1:1; John 10:30; Revelation 1:17.
  2. Prove from the following texts the Personality of the spirit: John 15:26; I Corinthians 2:10; I Corinthians 12:11.
  3. Prove from John 15:26 that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
  4. Read Question and Answer 24 of the Heidelberg Catechism and explain this in the light of question 9 above.
  5. How does the doctrine of the trinity teach that God is a covenant God?
Go to Lesson 6 > Discussion
Bible reading for the lesson

Q/A 1-4 A Trinity of persons

  • Gen. 1:26-27;
  • Matthew 28:19
  • II Corinthians 13:14

Q/A 5 Unity of being

  • Deutronomy 6:4
  • I Timothy 2:5
  • Galatians 3:20

Q/A 6,7 Personal properties

  • John 1:14
  • John 14:26
  • John 15:26
  • Matthew 28:19

Q/A 8 Unity of works

  • Psalm 33:6
  • Luke 1:35
  • Galatians 4:4
Go to Lesson 6 >Discussion
Lesson 5
Top
 Lesson 7