Christian Foundations

In our last post, we laid out the importance of knowing not only what we believe but also why we hold such faith before we can share it with otherwise. 

We presented the Place and Importance of Scriptures, the Bible that we hold to as the foundation for all doctrines and beliefs.  Only when we have a firm foundation can we face the Challenges to the Christian faith.

 Continue with me as we explore the teachings about ‘The Trinity’,

 D.  THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY

 Much controversy has come into the church in trying to logically understand the ‘Godhead’, especially when trying to separate the Three from each other. The doctrine of the Trinity is central to Biblical Christianity, describing the relationship of the three members of the Godhead –God, the Creator, the Holy Spirit and Jesus, the Christ.   They are united, yet distinct, co-equals yet different to each other, omnipresent, yet with separate missions and functions.

 1.  Monotheism or three in one?

The Trinity was a consternation for the early Jewish believers who had come from a ‘monotheistic’ view.  Jehovah was one God, not three!  Various heresies emerged as people tried to explain the Trinity.  The height of this controversy occurred at the Council of Constantinople in AD 381.  It was at this Council that today’s orthodox view of the Trinity was discussed and documented.

 They debated such questions as:  ‘Was Jesus Christ fully God or a created, subordinate being?  Was Jesus’ function distinct from the Father?  Was the Holy Spirit co-equal with the Father and Son?  Was Jesus in the beginning?    Is the Holy Spirit subordinate to Jesus or the Father?  Whose will and actions are being carried out in this Age?’           

 2.  A Biblical foundation for the trinity

 a)  The Father – a distinct Person, self-existent, which no man has seen, 2 Tim. 6:16, eternal, receiving all things back to Himself at the end of time, 1 Corinthians 8:4, John 6:27, 1 Peter 1:2, Deut. 32:4, 2 Samuel 7:14, Psalms 89:26, Matthew 6:9, Mark 11:25, Luke 12:30, John 4:21-24, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Philippians 4:19.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “Then God said “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” Genesis 1:1, 26.

“Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19.

 b) Another great controversy existed over who Jesus is.  Many questioned the ‘pre-existence’ of the Person Jesus Christ.  The ‘Word’, distinct Person, co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit, was involved in creation as God’s Word.  The ‘Word’ was with God in the beginning.  This ‘Word’ was made manifest in the flesh and became the human Jesus.  The Son is worshipped as God – John 1:14-18. 

 Also see Matthew 11:27, 28:18, Luke 20:41-44, John 3:13, 31, Acts 10:36, Ephesians 1:20-22, Hebrews 1:5-6:4, 1 Peter 3:22, Revelation 3:14.

 So what we are saying is that there is no recorded existence of a Person called Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.  If He pre-existed with Jehovah, where is He?  I, as the author of this blog, believe that He was there …..as God’s very Words!  It was this spoken Word that created, that may have appeared in angelic form but was not as a Person in the Old Testament.  It was only as the ‘Word’ became flesh as that baby in Bethlehem that Jesus of Nazareth existed.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God”.  “The Word became flesh…”    John 1:1, 14.   “God was manifest in the flesh…” 1 Timothy 3:16.

“As soon as Jesus was baptized,… “At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:16.

 God become flesh. He broke through time and space to become that baby because He loves us so much.  No, He did not send a pre-existent Jesus to come and die for us.  Father God, Creator, Jehovah came Himself!  That is the heart of the Gospel, that God so loved  us that He came……

 c)  The Holy Spirit – a distinct Personality, co-equal and co-eternal, Genesis 1:2, 6:3, Isaiah 63:10, Joel 2:28, Matthew 10:20, Luke 12:12, John 14:16-17,15:26, Acts 2:4, 5:3-4, Romans 8:14, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, Hebrews 2:4.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”  Genesis 1:2.

Ephesians 4:30   “….and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption”.

 The Bible declares this Mystery:  that Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead yet fully man as well.  The three Persons of the Godhead are unique, yet co-honouring, distinguishable yet indivisible.  We can either accept this as fact or become too intellectual, losing the amazing reality of their love. 

 Some people have described it this way: an egg has three parts and yet it is whole egg – shell, white and yoke.  …or if you look at water, you have three substances from the same water – ice, steam and liquid water.  Both t he egg and water has separate and distinctive substances but are part of one whole.

E.  WHO IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE CHIRST?

 C.S. Lewis once summarized the life and death of Jesus by stating:  “Jesus either is a Liar, Lunatic or Lord!”  What we believe about Jesus is the most important consideration in the history of all mankind. 

1.  His Virgin Birth – Jesus was conceived by God the Holy Spirit, in the virgin womb of Mary.

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:  His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but  before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”  Matthew 1:18.

 2.  Jesus fulfils Prophecies of the Old Testament

 a)  Some 46 Old Testament prophecies describe what this ‘Christ’, the One sent from God, would be like.  Jesus matched these prophecies perfectly – all were completed in His actions and life.

 b)  He captured the people’s heart with 32 parables and some 35 miracles.  He walked on water and even stilled violent storms.  Demons recognised His authority and obeyed His commands.  Jesus even forgave sins – the exclusive right of God alone!

 c)  Jesus also showed the Father’s heart of compassion.  He was touched by people’s pain and grief many times.  He had one main message:  ‘to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was come and that everyone needed to receive this fact’.  As a result of His teachings, miracles and the work of the Holy Spirit, many people believed in Him.

 3. Jesus’ death and resurrection

 If the enemy can discredit Jesus’ resurrection, he destroys one of the foundational teachings of Christianity.  Some of the arguments:

“I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”  John 11:25-26.

Various rumours were circulated about His actual death.  Many ‘Christian’ cults used those rumours as a basis for their false teachings, leading others astray.

 a)  Matthew 28:11-15 records the Jewish chief priests’ and elders’ bribery of the (16) guards at the tomb, instructing them to say:  “Someone (probably His disciples) came in the night and stole His body away”.  Would the disciples, few in number and fearful, take the time to remove the multiple layers of grave clothes and fold them neatly?  What would their motive be?  Death would have been the penalty, if caught; so why die for something they would have known was a hoax?  Eventually all the disciples were martyred for their faith – for a lie?  Unlikely! 

 b)  “Jesus really fainted and was revived in the cool tomb.”  Roman soldiers were good at their job, making sure each person was really dead before taking them off the cross.  In piercing His side, separated blood and water gushed out, a sure sign that death had occurred.  Anyone surviving the horrific experience of crucifixion would never have survived the poisonous spices and layers of cloth wrapped around the body. 

 c) “Jesus actually fainted and was removed from the cross.”  Or “It was all an illusion”.  Again, there are too many facts to support this theory.

 4.  The Bible records Eight main proofs of His Resurrection: 

 a)  The two Marys saw an empty tomb, Mat. 28:5-6.

b)  Angels added their witness of Jesus’ resurrection.

c)  People spoke with Jesus after His death and resurrection.

d)  He was seen by many, in no less than 12 separate appearances.  Over 500 saw Him during the 40 days before He went to the Father, 1 Corinthians 15:6, Acts 1:3.  He showed His wounds to many, especially to Thomas. 

e)  Jesus ate food showing that He was body as well as spirit. 

f)  The first Christian martyr saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father, Acts 7:56.

g)  Paul added his testimony about His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. 

h)  The apostles witnessed that He was raised from the dead.  Each one was martyred for their belief about Jesus. 

 Only God can raise the dead so even God is a witness for Jesus.  If such facts were not true, an outcry would have occurred by those who were ‘supposed witnesses’.  Undermining the facts challenges the deity of Jesus, the existence of God and that salvation comes through Jesus. 

F.  IN CONCLUSION

In this post, we are continuing with the theme of having Biblical truth to base and to share our faith.  We looked at the existence of ‘The Trinity’, especially the proof of Jesus of Nazareth being the Christ, the third person of the ‘Godhead.  Christian Foundations sets firmly on the facts of the teaching, handed down from the beginning of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

In our next post, we will look more at the proof and work of the Holy Spirit.  Who is He and what is God’s relationship with Jesus, the Christ?  If you have questions about what we believe, see our ‘About Us & Contact Us’ page on this blog.  So join us again,

Susanne Fengler, Blog Editor

www.christianfoundations.jesus-treeoflife.info   

Tags: The Trinity
Filed under: Challenges to the Christian Faith