Lesson 17 - The Godhead - Part 2

Lesson 17

The Godhead
Part IIby Ruth Mahoney Swaim

 God is one and yet three.  This concept is really beyond our ability to grasp but we simply accept it by faith and live in the vast blessing of God as our Father, Jesus as our Savior and the Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Teacher.

In this lesson we will give a brief outline of the characteristics of each one.

God the Father

The Father is all the Fullness of the Godhead, invisible, without form, whom no man hath seen or can see.  John 1:18

The Father planned redemption.

The Father is eternally the Father.  The Father is not the Son, nor the Holy Spirit.

Characteristics of the Father:

    He is the First Person in mode of operation
    The First Cause
    The Original
    The Source
    The Beginning  Genesis 1:1
    The Commencement
    The Fountainhead of all Wisdom
    The Absolute
    The Foundation of our Redemption  John 3:16
    The Covenant-Maker and Keeper, the Covenant Promiser
    The Architect, Designer, Controller and Sustainer
    The Light, Life and Love
    The Glory, Majesty, Unapproachable Light, Holiness and Fire. 
        I Timothy 6:16; Hebrews 12:29
    The Begetter  John 3:16; 1:10-12

One of the most comforting passages in the scripture which draws me to God the Father is found in Luke 11.  Jesus was praying.  When he had finished one of his disciples asked Him to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples.

Jesus immediately answers this request and says: "When you pray say, Our Father...."

Can you imagine?  I can hardly fathom this.  We have the same father as Jesus.  He specifically says 'OUR Father.'  He was revealing to us the wonderful and precious truth that we have the same privilege as He.  We share the same Father.

I can come to the Father any time I want and He hears me.  He is a loving, hearing Father and we have access to Him at any time through the precious blood of Jesus. Hebrews 4:16

What a wonder!!

God the Son

God the Son is the second person in mode of operation, for the purpose of redemption.  Not inferiority, not inequality, but submission and obedience in redemption's plan to the Father's will.  The obedient Son.

The Son is eternally the Son.  The Son is not the Father, nor is He the Holy Spirit.

Characteristics of the Son:

    The Eternal Word   John 1:1-3
    The Mediator, Medium, Umpire between God and man
    The Intercessor
    The Advocate
    The God-Man.  The union of the divine nature and human nature in the one person.
    The Word made flesh.
    God manifest in the flesh  John 1:14-18
    The Only Begotten Son.  The fullness of the Godhead bodily in human form.  Colossians 1:19, 2:9.
    The Redeemer, Savior, Grace of God personified
    The Sacrificial body and blood.  The ratification of the covenant by blood.
    The Head of the Church
    The Central Person of the Godhead.  The one in the midst.
    The Visible Revelation and expression of the invisible God in human form.  Romans 1:19-20; Hebrews 1:3.
    Co-Equal in power, nature, attributes and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

This eternal being, our Savior, is the substitute for what should be our punishment.  His name, before he took on human flesh and humbled Himself to come to fallen humanity, was THE WORD. That was His name.  "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."  John 1:1 and John 1:14.

When you understand that truth, then you can understand Psalm 138:2: "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God, a distinct personality.

He is not merely an influence, but a divine Person, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.

The Holy Spirit is not the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit the Son.

The third Person in mode of operation for the purposes of redemption.  Not inferiority, nor inequality, but the servant person in the Godhead, pointing to the Father and the Son.  He is the 'doer' of the Godhead.

Whenever we need anything done, it is the Holy Spirit who does it.  He is the 'action' of the Godhead.

Characteristics of the Holy Spirit:

    Proceeding from the Father, through the Son.  John 15:26; John 16:16
    The Inspirer
    The Revelator (revealer)
    The Illuminator of the Word, the written and living Word    The Communicator
    The Teacher
    The Quickener
    The Unction
    The Anointing  I John 2:20, 27
    The Sanctifying Power
    The Indweller in the multitude of believers
    The Presence in the Church
    Fruitfulness, Fruit of the Spirit
    Mother characteristics
    The Symbolized One, as rivers, rain, fruit, oil, fire, wind, dove, seal, gifts, etc.
    Eternally the Spirit
    Invisible
    Co-equal in nature, power, attributes and glory with God the Father and God the Son.

Without the Holy spirit you would not be saved.

It is the Holy Spirit who woos and draws us to Jesus for salvation and it is Jesus who then ushers us into the presence of God the Father.  Romans 8:16; I Peter 3:18; I John 3:24

This Holy Union

We have no perfect illustration here on earth with which to portray this holy union. 

This is one of those wonderful truths of God which we must take on faith and simply enjoy.

God is our wonderful Father...and yet much more!

Jesus is our magnificent Savior...and yet much more!

The Holy Spirit is our comforting and working God...and yet much more!
I urge you now to dig deep in this outline.  Get out your concordance and look up all the scriptures you can find to reference these characteristics of God and let them burn deep into your heart and spirit.  Expand your study on each of these characteristics and then stand back and behold how big God really is.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father: You are a big God.  Thank you that even though you are vast, you still have the very tiny hairs of my head numbered and are aware of all things concerning me at all times.  Your eye is ever on me. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you that you sent Him to die for me.  Thank you Jesus that you sent the Holy Spirit who is in me and with me. Thank you Holy Spirit that you abide with me continually and are ever at work perfecting me into the image of Jesus.  I ask you now to open your Word to me and illuminate more of Jesus to me every day.  Amen.


This teaching is distributed free of charge and may be reproduced, expanded upon and reprinted.
Copyrighted by Ruth Mahoney Swaim for protection from commercial use.