Lesson 16 - The Godhead - Part 1

Lesson 16THE GODHEAD
Part 1

By Ruth Mahoney Swaim

Let's talk about God. 

This reminds me of former neighbors who sent their little guy to Sunday School for the first time.  When he returned his mother asked him what he learned.  He said "I learned about God."  She said "What about him?"  He said "He's bigger'n me."

In the next few lessons we are going to study about the big guys.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Three and yet one.  So big He considers the earth His footstool, yet miraculously He can live in you and me. What a wonder!

What is so Important about this study?

It has been said that "the proper study of mankind is man."  Equally true then, the proper study of God's elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead.  No greater expansion of the mind can occur than to contemplate the divinity.  A subject so vast that our thoughts are lost in its immensity.

These are very basic foundations of doctrine which can guide your life.  You may ask, "Ruth, what is so important about knowing about these foundational doctrines?"

The purpose of doctrinal and theological studies is to set forth in a systematic order the things which are most surely believed among the true believers.  It is to instruct the believer that he may know the certainty of these truths.  It is to encourage the believer to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.  Luke 1:1-4; Jude 3.

One reason it is important is so you won't wander off into error and begin to worship false Gods, false teachings and meandering mental philosophies.

Another reason is that knowledge of who and what God is builds faith in your life. This knowledge enables you to reach out to Him and receive from Him, especially in times of trial and adversity.

When you gain an understanding of the fact that He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present and many other attributes which will be discussed in a later teaching, this gives you something to hold onto during those low valley experiences.  And it also gives you an appreciation of Him during those mountain top triumphs enabling you to experience the thrill of your faith and praise level soaring to great heights.

Keep in mind that no human pen or tongue can define God by mere words.  The finite mind of man cannot explain the mystery of the infinite Godhead. The Scriptures do not attempt to explain the mystery; they simply declare it. Colossians 2:2; I Timothy 3:16.

Also, so that you do not get entangled in semantics with an unbeliever, the scriptures do not explain the existence of God. They simply assume it.

Three In One

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

You may remember the account of John 14:8 where Philip says to Jesus 'show us the father.'

Jesus answer was in the next verse.  "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?  He that hath seen me hath seen the father and how sayest thou then, show us the father?"He was so closely identifying Himself with the Father...they were so joined...that He actually upbraided Philip for the question.  He was saying: "We are one.  If you've seen me, you've seen Him."

The interesting thing about the Godhead is that they are truly one and yet three personalities.  They operate in such unity that they literally morph in and out of each other. There is really no earthly example to use to try to explain their holy union.

We will, however, in this teaching attempt to outline their roles and place in the great doctrine of the Godhead.

The term "Godhead" is found in Acts 17:29; Colossians 2:9; Romans 1:19, 20.

The Word tells us that in the Eternal Godhead there are three which are spoken of as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 28:19; 3:17-17; I John 5:7-8; John 14:6-17.

The three are linked together in the baptismal command of Matthew 28:19 showing that there is co-existence, co-equality.

Kevin Conner: "God is one undivided and indivisible Essence, but in the one true God there are three eternal distinctions, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

In the scripture we see that God is always revealed as One in Three and Three in One.  A tri-unity.

Two Streams

The Bible gives us two streams concerning His person. God is one, and God is three.

If either of these streams are over-emphasized then heresy results. 

If the stream concerning the fact that God is one is overemphasized, then we lapse into the heresy of Unitarianism, that is, a numerical number one God.

On the other hand, if the stream of Scriptures is over-emphasized concerning the fact that God is three, then it results in the heresy of Tritheism, that is, the worship of three separate Gods.

It is well to remember the phrase that most balanced statements of faith contain: "We believe in one God, existing in three Persons, distinguishable, but indivisible."

God is one - indivisible
God is three - distinguishable

Trinity in the Old Testament

The Father  Isaiah 62:16; Malachi 2:10
The Son  Psalms 45:6-7; 2:6-7, 12; Proverbs 30:4; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6
The Holy Spirit  Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 11:1-3; 48:16; Genesis 6:3; 61:1; 63:10

Trinity in the New Testament

Matthew 3:16, 17
The Father's Voice which spoke from heaven
The Son of God in Jordan's waters of baptism
The Holy Spirit descending bodily in the shape of a dove

John 14:16, 17
The Father hears the prayer of the Son
The Son prays to the Father
The Holy Spirit as the Comforter will be given

Ephesians 2:18
Access unto the Father
Through Him, the Son
By one Spirit, the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one Lord - the Son
There is one Spirit - the Holy Spirit
There is one God - the Father

The scriptures recognize three as God
The Father is God  John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 1:7
The Son is God  John 1:1, 18; Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5
The Holy Spirit is God  Acts 5:3, 4

Symbols and Types of Tri-unity in Scripture

The Lord graciously gives us types and shadows of the tri-unity both in nature and in His dealings with us.

The Ark of Noah: Genesis 6:14-22.  It took a triune ark to bring salvation to Noah and his family.  The ark had three stories, or three levels.

First story of the Ark: The Father, Foundation, Beginning
Second story of the Ark: The Son, the Door, the Way.  John 10:9
Third story: The Holy Spirit, the Window, the Illuminator.  John 14:26

The Rod, the Rock and Waters.  Exodus 17:1-8

The Rod: The Father God.  He smote the Son on Calvary.  It pleased the Father to bruise His son.  Isaiah 53:10.  God gave His Son an offering for sin.  John 3:16
The Rock: The Son.  Smitten for us. They drank of that Rock which followed them.  I Corinthians 10:4
The Waters: The Holy Spirit.  John 7:37-39.  The Holy Spirit flows from the Son as refreshing, life giving waters.  The thirsty may come and drink.

The Burning Bush.  Exodus 3:1-6

The Voice: The Father God.  Exodus 3:4-6
The Bush: The Son, the Root, the Branch.  Isaiah 11:1-2
The Fire: The Holy Spirit.  Hebrews 12:19

The EndIn the next lesson we will study the roles and characteristics of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.


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