No

Book
19
SALT
Servant and Leadership Training Courses
The Doctrine of the
Godhead
October 2003
D O C T R I N E O F T H E G O D H E A D
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................. 4
CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
WHO IS GOD?.................................................................................................................................................................... 5
In Central Asia, what have people understood about God? ................................................................................... 5
As a believer, what is your belief about God?........................................................................................................... 9
How has God revealed Himself to man? .................................................................................................................... 9
Why does God want to reveal Himself to man?...................................................................................................... 12
Discuss---....................................................................................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 15
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
What does God call Himself? ..................................................................................................................................... 15
God calls Himself by the Use of His Names---............................................................................................................. 15
A chart of the Names of God---................................................................................................................................. 16
God Reveals Himself by the Use of His Attributes---................................................................................................... 17
Seven Natural Attributes of God ...............................................................................................................................17
Four Moral Attributes of God..................................................................................................................................... 19
God Reveals Himself by His Name, the Creator God--- ............................................................................................. 20
God is Understood by the Term, “The Godhead or Trinity”----.................................................................................... 21
What does God call Himself in the New Testament? ............................................................................................. 21
Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Synoptic Gospels---................................................................................. 21
Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Letters ---.................................................................................................. 22
Discuss---....................................................................................................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24
WHO IS THE TRINITY? ................................................................................................................................................... 24
What is the definition of the Trinity? ......................................................................................................................... 24
Is the word Trinity found in the Bible?...................................................................................................................... 24
What does the Trinity signify? ................................................................................................................................... 24
Are there any misinterpretations of the Trinity? ..................................................................................................... 25
Does the Bible explain the relationships of the Godhead?................................................................................... 26
What are some important points about the Trinity?............................................................................................... 27
God is One in Regard to Essence--- ............................................................................................................................ 27
God is Three with Respect to Persons--- ..................................................................................................................... 28
The Three Persons Have Distinct Relationships--- ..................................................................................................... 29
The Three Persons are Equal in Authority--- ............................................................................................................... 31
Can we emphasize one Person of the Godhead over the other?......................................................................... 31
Does the Old Testament reveal the Trinity?............................................................................................................. 31
What is the New Testament teaching of the Trinity?.............................................................................................. 32
How do we worship God (the Trinity)? ..................................................................................................................... 33
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Discuss---....................................................................................................................................................................... 34
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CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 35
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT JESUS THE MESSIAH.................................................................................................... 35
IS REALLY GOD? ............................................................................................................................................................ 35
Jesus the Messiah’s deity is attested to:.................................................................................................................. 35
By His Claims-- .............................................................................................................................................................. 35
By His Deeds--- ............................................................................................................................................................. 36
By His Attributes---......................................................................................................................................................... 36
By His Atoning Death---................................................................................................................................................. 37
By His Resurrection--- ................................................................................................................................................... 39
By the Fact that He Accepted Worship---..................................................................................................................... 41
What are the Messianic Prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures? ........................................................................... 41
Does Jesus have any special Names? ..................................................................................................................... 43
Some Names of Jesus Explained---............................................................................................................................. 43
A Chart of the Names of Jesus--- ................................................................................................................................. 44
Discuss---....................................................................................................................................................................... 45
CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46
ARE THERE OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................ 46
ABOUT THE GODHEAD?............................................................................................................................................... 46
What is the meaning of the Nature of Jesus the Messiah?................................................................................... 46
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 46
The Meaning of Jesus’ Humanity ............................................................................................................................. 46
The Incarnation of the Messiah................................................................................................................................. 46
The Virgin Birth .......................................................................................................................................................... 46
Sinlessness................................................................................................................................................................ 47
Four Aspects of Jesus’ Person that Reveal His True Humanity................................................................................. 48
His Body..................................................................................................................................................................... 48
His Development ....................................................................................................................................................... 48
His Human Soul and Spirit........................................................................................................................................ 48
His Human Emotions................................................................................................................................................. 48
The Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the One Being – Jesus................................................................... 48
Explanation of the two Natures of the Messiah........................................................................................................ 49
Results of the two Natures of the Messiah............................................................................................................... 49
Obedience and Temptation .......................................................................................................................................... 50
Original Sin..................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Key Scripture Passages of Original Sin in Regards to the Messiah........................................................................... 51
A Concluding Thought on the Nature of the Messiah---.............................................................................................. 52
God the Holy Spirit ....................................................................................................................................................... 53
Sovereignty of God and Free Will of Man................................................................................................................. 54
A Simple Explanation of God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will---........................................................................... 54
Conclusion---.................................................................................................................................................................. 56
Discuss----...................................................................................................................................................................... 56
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
Welcome to SALT’s Leadership Training Courses. In the coming months, as you regularly
study God’s Word and work through the courses in SALT, we hope that you will develop a
closer walk with the Master and Author of the Bible.
This manual is an interactive course inviting your personal involvement. This course has five
lessons, which will each require 2 hours for completion. If you spend this kind of time in God’s
Word, we assure you, He will change your life. While you are taking the course, ask God what
He wants to say to you personally.
This book introduces five principle questions. Each question is derived from one of the five
lessons. Discussing the answers to these questions in a small group will help ensure each
person’s basic understanding of the material.
In addition to these five content-oriented questions, you will find personal discussion questions
in each lesson. These learning activities help group members personally apply the material to
their own lives. These are formatted for discussion.
No one will ever be expected to share personal experiences with the group. Sharing is strictly
voluntary and we hope no one will share anything causing himself/herself or others discomfort.
Please answer the questions in each lesson whether or not you choose to share them in the
small group. Any questions you skip will reduce the effectiveness of the study in your personal
life. We want you to get the very most out of this journey! God will do amazing things among us
if we grant Him full access to our minds, wills and emotions.
Each lesson will invite your full participation through Bible reading and various kinds of questions
and activities. These interactive exercises are designed for your sake.
Allow God to do a fresh work in your life for the courses ahead. Let every journey through His
Word be a new experience, a new opportunity. Resist comparisons to other studies. Welcome
change. Invite Him to have His perfect way in your life in the days you study these courses and
His Word.
P I C T U R E K E Y We conclude each lesson with a question asking you to consider how God
H Valuable information
wants you to respond to what He showed you today. Record what God
does and teaches you as you pursue this journey.
Test your knowledge
Discuss Pictures from the “Picture Key” will help you understand and locate
Read practical exercises throughout the manual.
Five Questions We Will Consider:
$ Who is God?
$ What is God like?
$ Who is the Trinity?
$ How do we know that Jesus the Messiah is really the Son of God?
$ Are there other important questions about the Godhead?
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C H A P T E R 1
Who Is God?
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine
nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are
without excuse.” ------ Romans 1:20
The God of the Bible, while being one God, is manifested as three persons [the Godhead]:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though God is revealed as the Trinity, He remains but One in
substance. To know the Bible, to defend the faith and to present the Gospel, believers in Jesus
as their Messiah must seek earnestly to understand this mystery.
The Importance There are three monotheistic religions in this world: Judaism, Islam and
of this Study of Christianity. In Central Asia, if we are going to proclaim the Gospel of God to
the Doctrine of the world, we must know what distinguishes Christianity.
the Godhead
We must be prepared to answer those critics of Christianity who accuse us of
teaching Tri-Theism, or three separate Gods --- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We must be prepared to speak about the Holy Trinity as presented in the Bible. The Trinity is
but one great Divine Being held in contrast to the polytheism (many gods) and the worship of
ancestors believed in by many religions. We must be prepared to answer the Unitarian or
Muslim who denies the absolute Deity of Jesus and the existence of the Holy Spirit as a
separate personality.
As we begin this study of the Godhead, let us look at what various people believe about God.
In Central Asia, what have people understood about God?

As we look at man’s understanding of who God is in Central Asia, let us consider five viewpoints
of God. The first is from an animistic or shamanistic point of view. The next four viewpoints are
from the prophetic standpoint of the following historical people: Zoroaster, Muhammed, Isaiah
and Jesus [although Jesus is more than a prophet].
Shamanism
Central Asia has been inhabited for thousands of years by diverse peoples, including those
whose culture has been described as "nomadic," and whose religious or spiritual traditions have
been described as "shamanistic."
For example, the Kazak peoples formerly and still today practice animism and ancestor worship.
"Animism" is the belief that non-human objects have spirits. "Ancestor worship" involves praying
and offering sacrifices to deceased ancestors. They consult “shamans” (priests who
communicate with the spirits intended to preserve the health and continuity of the family and
community).
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Inherent in Shamanism are words like "animism," "oral tradition" and "epic tradition.” Part of the
unseen world is the supreme being or god. He is often described as omniscient, eternal,
beneficent, omnipotent and righteous. He is the creator, the moral lawgiver, punishes those
who do evil, and blesses those who do well. However, this “being” distanced himself from man
and cannot be known personally. Legends abound that he was once near but was angered with
man and removed himself. He left men to their own ways and used lesser gods and spirits to do
his will and serve as his ambassadors.
In line after the supreme being, are a multitude of lesser gods who dwell in particular regions.
The spirits who often dwell in nature [and are confined to a specific area] are next in line after
the gods. Then there are the spirits of the ancestors, who reside in family locations and clans
and who continue to play a role with the living. The ancestors are the center of existence. The
clan life is the most important entity because an individual has meaning only in the context of a
community. Most of the worship goes to the lesser gods and spirits who are in direct contact
with humans.
There also exist unseen forces that include supernatural powers like fate, cosmic moral order,
the evil eye, magic and witchcraft. There are also impersonal energy forces in objects that give
the objects power. These objects are believed to give a person power to do good or evil. [Note:
Central Asian Islamic practices have been combined with these traditional folk religions.]
Zarathustra (Zoroastrianism) (6th century BC)
Zarathustra was an east Iranian prophet whose followers worshiped the deity Ahura Mazda. He
taught that god was not in any way identified with the powers of nature. He is not the sun, the
sky, or the thunder, like the gods whom the Aryans worshipped. He stands alone above all
these creatures. Zarathustra tried to describe god as purely spiritual, as the “wise lord,“ or
Ahura Mazda. He was creator of the whole universe. He was the omnipotent supreme god.
He tried to urge his followers to give undivided attention and utmost devotion to one god and
only one---the supreme deity.
Muhammed (Islam) (622 AD)
Muhammed believed in only one God, Allah. To him there was no sin so great as believing in
other gods. He briefly describes Allah in the 112th sura of the Quran. He confines himself
almost totally to the different “excellent titles” by which he calls Allah. These titles are indicative
of Allah’s attributes and thus of his nature. Specifically, Muhammed believed in a unique,
powerful and merciful lord. He believed in his unity, his absolute power and his eternal being.
Allah was one who moved him and who could be experienced and appreciated, and to whom
one could be related. Allah was utterly awe-inspiring because he exercised his dominion from
far away. From the Quran, Allah is near in his personality. Muhammed said that when one
prays there is no need to use a loud voice, because Allah even hears a man’s whispers.
Muhammed believed “Allah is not only over all and about all, not only at hand but in all.” Allah is
his own inner witness in the hearts of Muslims, according to Muhammed.
Isaiah (Judaism) (740BC – 681BC)
Isaiah was most likely a city prophet from Jerusalem in Israel. Isaiah’s understanding of God
comes from the after effects of his vision in chapter 6. He had a vision of God as a God of
cleansing and redeeming grace. He portrays God as both Creator and Redeemer. In
describing some general attributes of God, Isaiah depicts Him as One who is highly exalted,
enthroned over the universe. All beings are under Him and should give allegiance to Him. To
Isaiah, God was supreme, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. As far as the moral
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attributes of God are concerned, Isaiah saw Him primarily as the holy God. Isaiah has often
been called the prophet of divine holiness. The holiness of God was what separated God from
all things finite and created. He was a holy God in every aspect of His Being. There was, in
Isaiah’s writings, a distinctive note of a sort of ethical awesomeness. In Isaiah’s use of the term
“Adonai” for God, he brings in the meaning of Lordship. Like Muhammed later, Isaiah saw God
in relation to man. He realized that sinful man was responsible to an utterly holy God. To the
prophet, a confession of sin was equally a confession of helplessness. Lastly, we should add
that Isaiah saw that personal confession brought forth grace from God and that God is always
One who is seeking to save those who seek Him. Isaiah said in one instance that God is a just
(righteous) God and a Savior.
Jesus of Nazareth (Ministry 27- 30 AD)
Jesus of Nazareth is the last Prophet we will consider. He lived some 600 years after
Zarathustra, 700 years after Isaiah and about 600 years before Muhammed. Jesus, as the Son
of God, knew that He had a special relationship with the God in heaven. He called Him
“Father.” He described His heavenly Father as One who is kind, compassionate and merciful.
Some think that for Jesus the controlling fact about the nature of God is His justice. In the
parables that He taught, Jesus usually spoke of a certain tension between the love and wrath of
God. To Jesus, God is One whose love demands obedience. Jesus makes it clear that God
allows man complete freedom to choose. Jesus used the Old Testament way of describing
God. He used terms such as wisdom, power, mystery, Creator, Spirit, kingdom and Father. He
used these terms much as they are used in the Old Testament prophetic tradition. To Jesus,
God is love. His ministry was to bring God and man together in a new relationship. In His
“doctrine of God,” His sole aim was to draw men to the heavenly Father who loved them.
Discuss and fill in the box with a check.
Jesus of
Shamanism Zarathustra Muhammed Isaiah
Nazareth
Supreme Creator
One God
Worship of Ancestors
Deplored Idol Worship
Must give complete devotion to
God
Exercise authority from far away
God was utter holiness
God was perfect love
God related to mankind
Proclaimed to be God’s Son
Ministry to bring God and man
together in a new relationship
After looking at various beliefs in the Central Asia region, we might consider asking the following
question…
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Is Islam As with all world religions, there are tremendous differences between biblical
compatible with Christianity and Islam. A close examination of the two faiths will find their beliefs
Christianity? to be incompatible.
Muhammed claimed that the revelations given him by God were infallible, thus making
the Quran the standard by which the other Scriptures are to be tested. However, the
mere claim to revelations is meaningless unless backed up by some kind of adequate
evidence.
The evidence for the inspiration and historical reliability of the Bible is overwhelming,
while evidence for the infallibility of the Quran is lacking.
Muhammed also asserted that the Gospel portrait of Jesus is incorrect, while the proper
view was revealed to him by God. The Muslim thus believes the report in the Quran of
the life of Jesus, rather than the New Testament account. The Jesus who is revealed in
the Quran is not the same Jesus who is portrayed in the Gospels. Both accounts cannot
be true at the same time.
The Quran is in direct conflict with the Scriptures on the character of Jesus the Messiah.
“Jesus the Messiah, the son of Mary, was no more than an apostle of God” (Sura 19:92).
Furthermore, the Quran states that Jesus is a prophet only to the nation Israel, while
Muhammed is the last and greatest prophet to the whole world.
Contrast that with the biblical view of Jesus the Messiah:
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God” (John 1:1).
- “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
- “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
- “And the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being,
sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins,
He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3).
The Quran, speaking of the death of Jesus, states, “They neither killed nor crucified him;
it had only the appearance of it.”
The New Testament, however, makes the mode of Jesus’ death very clear:
- “When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him” (Luke 23:33).
- “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit.’ When
He had said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).
The Bible teaches that Jesus was the virgin-born Son of Mary, God in human flesh.
- “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with
God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name
Jesus’” (Luke 1:30, 31).
- “And the angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of
God’” (Luke 1:35).
Muslims teach that Jesus was born miraculously from Mary but they do not believe in the
biblical virgin birth. They believe that, as Adam was created from the earth, Jesus was
created by God in the womb of Mary. They say He is not a god or the Son of God.
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Although this would be a miraculous conception, it is not the same as the biblical virgin
birth.
Islam also teaches salvation by works: “They whose balances shall be heavy shall be
blest. But they whose balances shall be light, they shall lose their soul, abiding in hell
forever” (Sura 13:102–140). Thus if the scale tips in favor of good works, the Muslim will
reach paradise, but if this is not the case then he will be banished to hell.
The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works.
- “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith---and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God --- not as by works, so that no one can boast”
(Ephesians 2:8, 9).
- “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His
mercy” (Titus 3:5).
A major problem with accepting Muhammed’s account is that his testimony is 600 years
after the events occurred, while the New Testament contains eyewitness or firsthand
testimony of the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. Jesus made the distinction very
clear, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent” (John 6:29).
As a believer, what is your belief about God?

In the box below, write what you believe about God.
We have looked at what you and different people in history have believed about God. The truth
is --- GOD is and He may be known. Since the existence of God cannot be proved, He must
be understood by faith. Since God surpasses all His creation, He can be known only by
revealing Himself to His creation. Therefore, we must ask the question….
How has God revealed Himself to man?

The question that has been asked through the ages is, "How can man who is physical know
God who is invisible?" Man's faculties for knowing are his five senses: sight, touch, taste,
smell and hearing. These enable man to relate to the material world, but can these senses
be used in knowing God? God is not the same as the material world, nor is God known in
the same way that man knows physical objects about him.
Since God cannot be known directly through experiences of the senses, He must make
Himself known to man before man can know Him. God's activity in making Himself known
to man is called revelation. Revelation is God’s communication to people concerning
Himself, His moral standards and His plan of salvation. Revelation is not man's discovery
of God, but God's disclosure of Himself to man. God has revealed Himself to man in ways
9
that make it possible for man to perceive, to see, hear, touch, taste and smell the truth
about God.
General revelation refers to what can be known about God through nature in a general way
by all people. Special revelation refers to what God made known about Himself to a
particular people by acting in their history in a special way. There are three ways which
God has used in revealing Himself to man.
Three Ways God Reveals Himself to Man
General Revelation: Nature God’s Revelation Special Revelation: The Bible
Special Revelation: Jesus the Messiah
Let us look at God’s revelation of Himself to man through His Word in Psalm 19. Please look at
this psalm in your Bible. We see that our understanding of God comes from three levels of His
self-disclosure:
The general The heavenly bodies are proof that a powerful, creative GOD exists. The
revelation of heavens are “God’s preachers in the sky” all day long, proclaiming that God
Himself through exists. In verses 3 and 4, they speak a universal language.
nature
(Psalm 19:1 – 6) As we have already said, revelation is the process by which God unveils Himself
and His will to human messengers. As love, God reveals Himself. God reveals
Himself through nature (Psalm 19:1 and Romans 1:19 – 20) and the human conscience
(Psalm 19: 12 – 14 and Romans 2:1 – 14). God has made Himself known to all people
everywhere in the marvels of nature and in the human conscience, which is able to
distinguish right from wrong. Because this knowledge is universal and continuous, by it God
has displayed His glory to everyone.
The special God’s special revelation is His Law. It is described by five synonyms: law,
revelation of His testimony, statutes, commandment and judgments. His law is precious and
Word desirable.
(Psalm 19:7 – 11)
As believers in Jesus as the Messiah, we believe that the Bible is the inspired
written record of God’s revelation to men. God the Holy Spirit illumined men’s minds and
spirits to write God’s Holy Word. Illumination is the Holy Spirit’s work as He enlightens the
human mind with spiritual understanding in order that persons might grasp the revealed truth
of God’s Word. Illumination refers to the supernatural guidance of the writers of Scripture by
the Spirit of God, so that what they wrote was the divine Word of God, transcribed
accurately, reliably and without error in the original manuscripts (“autographs”).
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In Old Testament times, those who received God’s revelation did not always fully understand
it. For instance, David in Psalm 22 and Isaiah in Isaiah 53 wrote more about Jesus on the
Cross of Calvary than they comprehended. These great truths were fulfilled in Jesus the
Messiah. In New Testament times, the Holy Spirit also illumined the minds of the Gospel
writers, Paul and other New Testament writers, so that they might understand and interpret
the events for all ages to come. The apostles did not fully comprehend Jesus’ words to
them. Nevertheless, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would help them understand all
things that He had said to them. The Spirit still illumines the minds and hearts of serious
students of God’s Word so that they may discover truths thus far unknown to them.
Even this lack of full understanding on the part of the Old Testament writers is evidence of
the Bible’s divine inspiration. The writers were enabled to look down the centuries and to
see things, though dimly, which a natural human mind could not have perceived. This
inspiration applies to both Testaments. Inspiration refers to God’s ”breathing” His Word into
the chosen human messengers through the Holy Spirit. He enabled them by His divine
guidance to deliver or record God’s revealed message. In the scriptural sense, “inspiration”
means God “breathing” into His messenger. Second Timothy 3:16-17 uses this word, which
literally says the Scriptures were “God-breathed”—that is, the breath or Spirit of God infused
the minds of the writers with His perfect will and truth (2 Peter 1:20 – 21). Not everything
written by an apostle or a prophet was necessarily inspired. Paul wrote at least three letters
to the Corinthians, but apparently, only two were inspired records (1 Corinthians 5:9).
Samuel, Nathan and Gad each wrote accounts of David’s life. However, only one of these
prophets produced an inspired record (1 Chronicles 29:29).
The particular The man of faith responds with a prayer that he will be kept from both hidden
work of God in (verse 12) and willful (verse 13) sins. He wants his words and his thoughts
one’s individual to be pleasing to God (verse 14).
life
(Psalm 19:12 – 14)
However, revelation in its fullest expression is in Jesus the Messiah, which is
recorded in the Bible. It is a full, complete revelation to be followed by no other
revelation.
Look up these verses. Write how Jesus is the fullest expression of God.
Hebrews 1:1 – 2 __________________________________________________________________
John 1:18 _______________________________________________________________________
John 14:9 _______________________________________________________________________
John 17:8 _______________________________________________________________________
1 Peter 3:18 _____________________________________________________________________
2 Peter 3:2 ______________________________________________________________________
2 Timothy 3:15 ___________________________________________________________________
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Why does God want to reveal Himself to man?
There is a need Man is a spiritual being as well as a physical being. Man was made for
for special fellowship with God. Man sinned and because of his sin, man was separated
revelation. from God. Because of being separated from God, man cannot find peace and
purpose in his life. He lost the power of understanding the truth about God
through his sin. Therefore, man is incapable of establishing a right relationship to God. Since
man cannot fully understand God, and because of God’s great love of man, God reveals
Himself to man. He does this by revealing Himself in nature, in His Word and through His Son,
Jesus the Messiah.
Through God's GENERAL REVELATION in nature, man knows of the existence of God. Because of
his spiritual nature, man wants to have a relationship with God, but man's sinful nature results in
his willingness to accept a substitute for God. Left to his own strength and wisdom, man fails in
his search for a right relationship to God.
The Bible says that man has not been abandoned to human resources. However, God, in
grace, searches for man and saves him from his frustration and condemnation. Divine grace
reaches down to man in his hopeless situation and provides salvation. It is through these
special redemptive activities that man comes to know God in a personal way.
The Bible records God's SPECIAL REDEMPTIVE REVELATION. The Old Testament is a record of
God's special dealings with a nation. The New Testament is a record of God's special
revelation through His Son. These special acts were not evident to people in general but were
acts of revelation to a particular people. The obligation of these people was to make God's
redemptive activities known throughout the world.
The particular people to whom God revealed Himself was the nation of Israel, often called
"God's chosen people." The fact that they were chosen did not mean that they were God's
favorites. Rather, it meant that they were chosen to be the carriers of God's revelation to all
other nations.
The Bible teaches that God has control over the histories of all nations, and uses various
nations to accomplish His purposes. However, God worked in Israel's history in a special
redemptive way. Through these special redemptive activities, God became known as a just and
righteous Judge, a merciful God and a loving Father.
Both human and divine participation were involved in the special historical events of revelation.
God controlled the historical action and gave inspiration to the prophets and other biblical
authors as they interpreted for Israel the divine meaning of those events. The Bible does not
attempt to prove the existence of God. The biblical writers assume that man is conscious of
God and is in need of knowing how to relate to God.
SPECIAL REVELATION originated in the lives of people who faced real problems. God responded
to the needs of these people in special, historical actions. The Bible continues to be relevant
because it deals with real human problems. Even though civilization, society and cultures have
changed, man's nature remains the same. His fundamental problems have not changed. They
have only taken on new environments.
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In Hebrews 1:1 – 3, we see that BIBLICAL REVELATION is progressive. The Old Testament
prepared the way for the New Testament. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old.
Without the sacrificial system, the moral commandments, the writings of the prophets and the
experiences of the Davidic Kingdom, the life, purpose, death and resurrection of Jesus would
not have been understood.
There is a need Since man's nature [we share in the divine nature after our spiritual birth ] is like
for the special God's, man can understand something of God's personal nature. To fully reveal
revelation of His personal nature, it was necessary for God to give His highest revelation
Jesus the through a person. When God gave to man His complete and final revelation, it
Messiah. was in the Person of His Son, Jesus the Messiah. The writer of Hebrews states
that in these last days God has spoken to us through His Son in a complete and
final way (Hebrews 1:1 – 2 and 2 Peter 1:4).
One of the clearest New Testament statements concerning God's revelation through Jesus is
given in John 1:1 - 14. Jesus is called the Word, which was with God: "And the Word was God"
(John 1:1).
Words are human means of communicating truth and personality. The words of a man reveal
his thinking, his desires and his purpose in life. Therefore, words reveal the inner being or
personality of man. John refers to Jesus as the Word because Jesus communicated the hidden
Being of God to man. In revealing God, the Word, which communicated God's nature, took on
tangible expression in a human's body (John 1:14). This tangible Word was not a passing
fantasy, but a living Presence. Man could know the invisible Father through the sense of sight.
Jesus could say to Philip, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Jesus
possessed the majesty, glory, grace and truth of God. Jesus came from the Father to reveal the
Father to man.
Paul writes, "God was reconciling the world to Himself in the Messiah" (2 Corinthians 5:19). He
also tells us that Jesus has made the invisible God known to man (Colossians 1:15,19).
Jesus revealed the Father to man through His teaching----

- Jesus illustrated the goodness of God by stating that God provides for all people, not
only for good people (Matthew 5:43 – 48).
- Jesus taught that God is concerned about every need of man (Matthew 7:7 – 11).
- Jesus taught that God is merciful to sinners in the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin
and the lost son (Luke 15:1 – 32). Although God is loving and merciful, He is also
righteous.
- Jesus taught that men should not take sin lightly nor rebel against God who has power
over the soul as well as the body (Matthew 10:28).
- Jesus spoke about the loving Father, and He demonstrated the love of the Father by
giving His life as a sacrifice for sinners. The highest revelation of God's nature was
through the act of redemption on the cross (Romans 5:8 – 11).
Although God's complete and final revelation is Jesus the Messiah, the human mind cannot fully
understand God. One reason for this is that Scripture does not record all the actions and
teachings of Jesus (John 21:25). Another reason is the limitation of the human mind. How can
our finite minds understand the infinity of God? It is not possible. Although we cannot fully
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understand God, we still can know Him. We know Him through a personal relationship of faith
and through a study of what the Bible teaches about His nature.
Discuss---
Let us review and discuss the lesson.
1. What are the three monotheistic religions of the world?
2. What do these three believe about God?
3. What do ancestor worship and shamanism believe about God?
4. Do believers mix ancestor worship and shamanism with their belief in God? If so,
how?
5. What do the Muslims believe about the Christian God?
6. What are some differences between Islam and Christianity?
7. By what three ways has God revealed Himself to the world?
8. Explain how God is seen in nature.
9. Explain how God reveals Himself through His Holy Word.
10. What do “illumination” and “inspiration” of God’s Holy Word mean?
11. What is meant by the statement – Jesus the Messiah is the complete revelation or
expression of God?
< How does God want you to respond to what He has showed you?
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C H A P T E R 2
What Is God Like?

We can explain God by saying ---
There is one and only living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual and personal Being. He is the
Creator, Redeemer, Preserver and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other
perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. The eternal God reveals
Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature,
essence or being.
A
theologian was asked to explain God. He said, “ God is the supreme personal Spirit. He
is perfect in all His attributes. He is the source, support and end of the universe, which
guides it according to the wise, righteous and loving purpose revealed in Jesus the
Messiah. He indwells all things [believers] by His Holy Spirit, seeking ever to transform
men according to His own will and bring them to the goal of His kingdom.”
Above is a concise explanation of God. However, to understand more clearly an explanation of

God, let us look at the Names of God. The titles or names given to God throughout the Bible in
the ancient world express whom God is. Names in Biblical times also gave a person who knew
the name a special privilege that offered access to that person’s thought and life. God favored
His people by revealing Himself by several names that offered special insight into His love and
righteousness.
What does God call Himself?
God calls Himself by the Use of His Names---

Through the Names of God, we can see what God is like. Let us look at three names for God in
the Old and New Testament:
ELOHIM is the first name for God found in the Bible (Genesis1:1). This form is a Hebrew
plural form used more than 2000 times in the Old Testament. It is usually
termed a “plural of majesty” of the general name for God. The abbreviated name, El, has a root
meaning “to be strong” (El Shaddai - Genesis 17:1, 28:3, 35:11) or “to be the greatest.” El is
usually translated “God.” Elohim emphasizes God’s transcendence. This simply means that
God is above all others who are called god. The name Elohim is also the plural form of El.
These biblical terms for God, El and Elohim, seem also to be interchangeable (Exodus 34:14,
Psalm 18:31 and Deuteronomy 32:17, 21). In some passages, such as Isaiah 31:3, El draws
the distinction between God and man so that El signifies the power and strength of God and the
defenselessness of human enemies (Hosea 11:9).
ADONAI has the basic meaning of Lord or Master. Adonai occurs 449 times in the Old
Testament and 315 times in conjunction with Yahweh. Adhon emphasizes the
servant-master relationship (Genesis 24:9) and thus suggests God’s authority as Master---One
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who is sovereign in His rule and has absolute authority (Psalm 8:1 and Hosea 12:14). Adonai
should probably be understood as meaning “Lord of all” or “Lord par excellence”
(Deuteronomy 10:17 and Joshua 3:11). It carries the thought of personal relationships or that of
a helper in time of need. It is also possible to understand Adonai as a personal address to
another person meaning “my Lord.”
YAHWEH is the name most often used for God. It distinguished Israel’s God from false
gods. The Hebrew form is YHWH. Because the name was originally written
without vowels, it is uncertain how it should be pronounced. Hence, many people translate it
“Jehovah,” whereas most modern translations render it “ LORD ” (to distinguish it from Adonai,
“Lord”). Jewish scholars have generally pronounced it “Adonai” instead of actually pronouncing
YHWH, out of respect for the sacredness of the covenant name. At the burning bush, God
revealed Himself to Moses as Yahweh. Although there is considerable discussion concerning
the origin and meaning of the name, this common designation (used 6,828 times in the Old
Testament) is likely related to the verb “to be.” Thus, in Exodus 3:14 – 15, the Lord instructs
Moses to tell the Egyptians, “I AM WHO I AM...The LORD ...has sent me to you….. This is My name
forever.” This has particular significance to the “I AM” claims of Jesus the Messiah (John 6:35,
8:12, 10:9, 11 and 11:25, 14:6, 15:1). In these statements, He claimed equality with Yahweh.
By the name Yahweh, God identified Himself in His personal relationship with His people, Israel.
It was to this name that Abram responded in acknowledging the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis
12:8). By this name, God brought Israel out of Egypt, delivered them from bondage, and
redeemed them (Exodus 6:6 and 20:2). Whereas, Elohim and Adonai were designations known
in other cultures, the revelation of Yahweh was unique to Israel.
A chart of the Names of God---
Name Description Reference

Abba Daddy – close relationship Mark 14:36
(Aramaic) with father
Almighty The All Powerful God Ruth 1:20
(Hebrew – Shaddai)
Ancient of Days God is active in history Daniel 7:9
(Aramaic – Attiq Yomin)
The Everlasting God The Eternal God Genesis 21:33
(Hebrew – ‘El Olam)
Father The first person of the 2 Samuel 7:14
(Hebrew – ‘Ab) Trinity
God The Creator Genesis 3:3
(Hebrew – ‘Elohim [plural])
The-God-Who-Sees The Responder to needs Genesis 16:13
(Hebrew – ‘El Roi)
The Holy One of Israel The set-apart God of Isaiah 1:4
(Hebrew – Qedosh Yisra’el) Israel
Judge The Leader who Genesis 18:25
(Hebrew – Shapat) pronounces judgment
Lord The Master Psalm 2:4
(Hebrew – ‘Adonai)
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LORD – Yahweh “I Am Who I Am”, the 1 Samuel 1:20

(Hebrew – YHWH) personal, most intimate
name God assigned to
Himself, the God of
Promise, the God of
Covenant
The LORD is my Banner Yahweh protects Exodus 17:15
(Hebrew – YHWH - Nissi)
The LORD of Hosts Yahweh of the armies 1 Samuel 1:3
(Hebrew – YHWH – Sabaoth)
The LORD is Peace Yahweh is peace Judges 6:24
(Hebrew – YHWH – Shalom)
The LORD will Provide Yahweh provides Genesis 22:14
(Hebrew – YHWH-Yireh)
The LORD our Righteousness The Righteous One Jeremiah 23:6
(Hebrew – YHWH – Tsidkenu)
The LORD is my Shepherd The God who provides Psalm 23:1
(Hebrew – YHWH-Rohi) loving care
Most High The Exalted One Daniel 7:25
(Aramaic – Illaya)
The LORD who sanctifies me The LORD Your Sanctifier Exodus 31:13
(Hebrew-YHWH – M’Qadash)
God Most High Emphasizes the Genesis 14:18 - 22
(Hebrew - El Elyon) supremacy of God. He is
above all so-called gods.
Melchizedek recognized
God as God Most High
inasmuch as He is
possessor of heaven and
earth (verse 19).
God Reveals Himself by the Use of His Attributes---

God may be described in terms of attributes. An attribute is an inherent characteristic of a
person or being. While we cannot describe God in a comprehensive way, we can learn about
Him by examining His attributes as revealed in the Bible. We can list seven natural and four
moral attributes.
Seven Natural Attributes of God

Self-existence God exists because of what He is in Himself. He is eternal in being. He was
not created. The Bible makes no effort to prove the existence of God. It
opens with the simple statement, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"
(Genesis 1:1). Also see Isaiah 57:15.
Unchangeableness God does not change His character, nature or purpose (Malachi 3:6). He is
active, progressive and free to choose and He experiences both joy and
sorrow. Nevertheless, while changing His methods, He never changes in His nature or
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purpose. The author of Hebrews expressed his confidence in this unchanging God in
Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus the Messiah is the same yesterday and today and forever." People
may change, and certainly circumstances change, but God is unchangeable.
In the verses below, how is God unchangeable?
Deuteronomy 4:26 – 38______________________________________________________

Jeremiah 31:31 – 34 ________________________________________________________
Matthew 21:33 – 45 ________________________________________________________
2 Peter 2:4 – 10 ___________________________________________________________
Eternal God has no beginning nor end. He is related to events in time, yet He is not
confined to time. Past, present and future are one to Him (Isaiah 40:28 and
Psalm 90:2).
Omnipresence God is present at all times in every part and time of His universe
(Psalm 139:7-12). He is not limited by time or space, but is a free, personal
Spirit. There is no point of space nor moment of time where God is not present.
Omniscience This refers to God's perfect and eternal knowledge of all things. He knows all
things simultaneously. His knowledge is immediate, without the processes of
thought or reason. God has perfect knowledge and knows man as he is, not as he appears to
be. He knows man's heart and thoughts (Acts 15:8, Psalm 139:1-6). His knowledge of each
person is so intimate that Jesus said, "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered”
(Matthew 10:30).
Prophecy is possible because of God's omniscience. He knows the future as well as the past
and the present. He knows the workings of His natural, physical, moral and spiritual laws, which
work toward definite ends. God knows man's nature so well that He knows man's action and
response beforehand. Man is free to choose in light of these laws, and is responsible for his
choices. God knows these choices beforehand, but does not predetermine them.
Omnipotence God possesses all power. God says, "…I am He. No one can deliver out of My
hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:13). God can do anything in
keeping with His nature and purpose. The only limits to His power are self-imposed. He cannot
lie or act contrary to His own laws, character and purposes. However, these limitations are
evidences of God's power, not of His weakness.
Miracles are acts of God contrary to man's knowledge of natural law. God works miracles in
accord with His will and purpose.
God has imposed limitations on His own power with regard to man. God respects the will and
freedom of man and does not force man to act against his will. To disregard man's freedom and
to force him to do the will of God would be to rob man of the freedom of choice. If man had no
choice, he would cease to be a person, and would lose his potential fellowship with God.
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Four Moral Attributes of God

Holiness Many times in Scripture God is called the Holy One, because no other term
expresses the nature of God as well as does "holy." There are two principal
concepts in the idea of God's holiness. One is that God's holiness is His separateness from
men and the rest of His creation. It is what He is as God (Exodus 15:11). The other is that
God's holiness is His moral perfection, light in contrast to darkness (1 John 1:5).
Isaiah saw the Holy God "high and exalted" (Isaiah 6:1 - 8). A vision of the holiness of God
brought conviction and condemnation to Isaiah. Not only did he see his own sin in the light of
God's holiness, but also he became aware of the sins of those about him. Man is required to be
holy also (1 Peter 1:15 - 16). Because God is holy, He demands holiness in His people
(Leviticus 11:44).
Righteousness God is upright in character (Psalm 11:7). God's righteousness not only means
the absence of evil, but also includes His opposition to evil. God's righteousness
does not tolerate evil. There are at least three important facts regarding God's righteousness,
which we must consider. God's righteousness demands righteousness in man. God's
righteousness condemns sin in man. God's righteousness moves God to redeem sinful man.
The Ten Commandments expressed the righteous nature of God. The prophet Amos said, "But let
justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24)! Many of the
prophets emphasized the importance of man's doing right to avoid the judgment of God. Men
were to hate evil and love good. Jesus stressed the inner character of righteousness. Not only
are men to avoid murder, but also they must not be angry (Matthew 5:21 - 22). Lust is
condemned along with adultery (Matthew 5:27 - 28).
A righteous God must condemn sin. Man's falling short of God's standard of righteousness brings
him under condemnation. The righteous God who condemns sin is also a God of mercy who
justifies man by His grace of redemption through Jesus the Messiah (Romans 3:22 - 24). God's
righteous character is consistent even though He forgives sinful man, because out of His own
mercy and grace He pays the penalty for man's unrighteousness. He is just, and the justifier of
him who believes in Jesus (Romans 3:25 - 26).
In God's act of redemption, He makes man righteous and enables him to be righteous. Sinful man is made
righteous by God's gift of His Son. Forgiven man is given the power to be righteous by the
indwelling Holy Spirit. The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). Read Romans 10:1 – 13.
Write 2 Corinthians 5:19 - ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Truth God is the source and basis of all truth. God's essential character is truth. We
can always count on Him to be Himself. He is who He says He is. He wants us
to be that which He says He wants us to be. He does what He promises He will do. We can
confidently commit ourselves to His care (1 Peter 5:7).
God is the standard by which all thoughts and acts shall be judged, for all truth is of God. Any
error is a departure from God's nature (John 17:17). Jesus answered man's eternal search for
truth when He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father,
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except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus the Messiah is the incarnation (embodiment) of truth
(John 1:14, 17 and 14:6). In Him dwells all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
(Colossians 2:3).
Love Love is the attribute that permeates all of God's attributes (1 John 4:7-10). “God
is love” (1 John 4:7 – 10). John 3:16 tells us that godly love sacrificed the
supreme gift for needy man. This love was not a mere sentiment that did nothing. It was the
active expression of the nature of the Eternal One, who constantly gives Himself, even for His
enemies. God loves us not for what He can get, but rather because it is His nature to love.
God's love is redemptive. Because of His love, God gave His Son, Jesus the Messiah, to die on
the cross. It is only through the tremendous love of God that forgiveness is offered to sinful man.
In forgiveness, God takes the responsibility and the penalty of sin upon Himself (Romans 5:8).
When sinful man is redeemed, God's love makes a new creature of him (2 Corinthians 5:17).
God's love is the standard for man's love (1 John 4:11). True love seeks the highest good of the one
loved. Man's sinful nature is opposed to love. Sin is selfish, seeking its own well-being. Love is
the willingness to sacrifice for the well-being of others. God is love.
Re-read the nine attributes of God. In each attribute, underline key words that reveal the
essence of the attribute. How does the last attribute (love) relate to you in a personal way?
God Reveals Himself by His Name, the Creator God---

Where did this world come from? The simplest answer is: Our heavenly Father made it long
ago.
A little girl pauses while playing with her toys to ask, "Mommy, where did my toys come from?"
"Daddy made them years ago for your sister," is the simple answer. “He shaped them and
painted them. Some of the toys have been broken by your brothers and sisters, but they were
all lovely when Daddy had finished making them." In addition, the little girl pauses to think of the
wonder of a daddy who could make such toys. Then she goes happily on with her playing,
satisfied that she knows all that she needs to know about the making of her toys. So, God
answers His children. It is still a wonderful world, although we and our brothers and sisters have
spoiled and broken some of it. It was wonderful when God finished it.
This is all we need to know. However, man would like to know just when God created the
heavens and the earth. Man searches among the rocks and fossils, which belong to an
earlier age. By various calculations, he tries to determine how long ago these early ages
may have been. But the important truth is that God, the God of the Bible, created His
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universe a long time ago, and that He has a plan and a purpose for doing so. The account
of this creation is given in Genesis 1:1-31. However, the Old Testament showed that God
created the world on His own initiative. He chose to do it. Because God chose to create
the world, He could deal with it in any way He wished (Isaiah 40:28 and Romans 1:20).
The Bible teaches that God created the world perfectly and made man in His own image,
but man chose to rebel against God (Genesis 3).
The crown of God's creation was man. He was to be superior to all other orders of creation.
God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…." (Genesis 1:26 - 28).
How is man in the image and the likeness of God? To be in the image of God demands some
essential resemblance. If God creates, so on a lesser scale must man, by forming and
fashioning new things. If God controls and directs, so must man. If God possesses the
absolute will, so must man have some degree of freedom of will. If God rules, so then must
man. Dominion over all living things is his.
The image of God in man was marred by the fall of man (Genesis 3). However, it was not
completely lost. It is restored completely in Jesus the Messiah, and ultimately in those who are
changed into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Christian doctrine of salvation stood upon the
fact that God created the human race. Even this was unpopular in Jesus’ day.
God is Understood by the Term, “The Godhead or Trinity”----

Godhead is another term or word for God. This term’s emphasis is that which makes the triune
God essentially one and is found in Romans 1:20 and Colossians 2:9.
In Romans 1:20, Paul used the term Godhead to describe what mankind ought to see in nature
as a result of God’s creative handiwork—“His eternal power and Godhead.” [Some translations
use the word “Deity.”] This entire passage in Romans describes how the human mind fails to
understand the exalted Godhead because of its sinful rebellion and distortion of truth.
In the Colossians passage, Paul declared that in Jesus “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead
[Deity] lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). This is in contrast to the “tradition of men”
(Colossians 2:8). In the Son of God who took on human form, the essential quality and
character of God are wholly present. This was Paul’s way of emphasizing that Jesus is not a
mere “divine man” like the heroes of the Greek-Roman world, but truly God—the Godhead or
God Himself in human form. We will discuss more on this subject in Chapter 3.
What does God call Himself in the New Testament?

To arrive at a biblically comprehensive picture of God we have looked at the names of God, the
nature of God and the attributes of God. Even then, the infinite God remains incomprehensible.
However, while the synoptic gospels provide just one portion in the study of God, the writers of
the New Testament all share the view of God that is seen in the Old Testament.
Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Synoptic Gospels---

The providence of God is seen in His provision for the birds (Matthew 6:26 and 10:29).
The Fatherhood of God emphasizes His provision for His children (Matthew 6:32).
The grace of God is given to believers and unbelievers alike (Matthew 5:45).
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The kingship of God is stressed: He has a throne (Matthew 5:34 and 23:22). He is Lord
(Matthew 4:7, 10 and Luke 4:8, 12).
The judgment of God is equitable to all (Matthew 3:7; 7:1, 2 and Luke 3:7). Greater
privileges will call for greater judgment (Matthew 11:22 – 24). He will avenge His own
(Luke 18:7).
The glory of God was revealed to the three on the Mount of Transfiguration
(Matthew 17:1 – 8; Mark 9:2 – 8 and Luke 9:28 – 36).
The goodness of God is incomparable (Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18 – 19).
The power of God is exhibited in His ability to raise the dead (Mark 12:24 – 27). With God,
all things are possible (Mark 10:27, Luke 1:37 and 18:27).
The Trinity of God is revealed at the baptism of Jesus the Messiah (Mark 1:9 – 11) and at
the commissioning of the apostles (Matthew 28:19).
The sovereignty of God is explained by Luke as Jesus’ death resulting from the purpose
and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23). [The purpose (or, decree) of God means His
counsel is predetermined and inflexible.] In the midst of persecution, the apostles
encouraged themselves in the sovereignty of God (Acts 4:24 – 31).
God’s existence and common grace is seen at Lystra where Paul declared the “living God” to
his hearers, reminding them that God is Creator and has given them rain and fruitful
seasons (Acts 14:15 – 18). Paul also reminded the Athenians that God had given them
life and breath and had also marked out the times and boundaries (Acts 17:22 – 31).
Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Letters ---

Paul’s view of represents a high point in terms of a theology of God. Paul portrays God using
God various terms.
God as sovereign is seen by God revealing Himself in grace through Jesus the Messiah
(Romans 1:16 – 17 and 3:21, 1 Corinthians 2:10 and 2 Corinthians 12:7). The coming of
the Messiah, which God purposed from all eternity, has now been revealed in His time.
That revelation is a manifestation of “our Savior, the Messiah Jesus, who has destroyed
death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10
and 1 Timothy 3:16). The gospel, which Paul preached, was not of human origin, but
Paul received it directly from the Lord (Galatians 1:12 and 2:2). Through the death of the
Messiah, God remains just but He is free to justify the person who believes in Jesus.
God has revealed Himself in judgment to unbelievers (Romans 1:18, 2:5 and
2 Thessalonians 1:7). Wrath expresses the deep-seated anger of God against sin. This
anger arises from His holiness and righteousness. Because of His holiness God cannot
overlook sin.
God will reveal Himself in glorious blessing to believers (Romans 8:18–19; 1 Corinthians 1:7,
3:13, 4:5 and 2 Corinthians 5:10). “Glory” suggests the glorious radiance at the
triumphant return of Jesus the Messiah, with all the attendant blessings for believers
(Romans 8:18).
God has revealed Himself through His program for the church that was previously a mystery
(Romans 16:25, Galatians 3:23 and Ephesians 3:3, 5). Satan attempts to hinder the
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revelation of God (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the work of the church by blinding unbelievers
so that the gospel cannot enlighten them.
James’ view of reflects concepts from Israel’s conditional relationship with God under the
God Mosaic law: Obedience brings blessing. Disobedience brings chastisement
(Deuteronomy 28).
Thus, James presents the sinner as an enemy of God: friendship with the world makes
one an enemy of God (4:4 – 5).
When the rich oppress the poor they can only expect misery and judgment (5:1 – 8) —
this also is a common theme of the Old Testament prophets (Amos 2:6 – 8).
Conversely, the obedient can expect blessing. The one who asks in faith receives
wisdom (1:5).
The one who has persevered under trial will appreciate “every perfect gift” coming down
from the Father of lights (1:17).
Discuss---
Discuss and write the answers to the questions below.
1. Explain how God reveals Himself through the names of God – Elohim, Adonai and
Yahweh.
2. If you were to witness to a person in your culture, which of the seven natural attributes of
God would you use to explain who God is, and why?
3. If you were to witness to a person in your culture, which of the four moral attributes of God
would you use to explain who God is, and why?
4. How does God reveal Himself as Creator God?
5. If you were to tell people about God from the New Testament which verses would you
use? Select characteristics from the Synoptic Gospels and from the Letters and tell why.
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C H A P T E R 3
Who Is The Trinity?
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14
What is the definition of the Trinity?

In reality, the Trinity cannot be fully or properly defined. Then how can one describe God? The
Trinity affirms that God exists in one Godhead, having eternal distinction within His being.
Those distinctions correspond to what was manifested in the history of salvation as recorded in
Scripture. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit---three in one.
Is the word Trinity found in the Bible?

The word "trinity" does not occur in the Bible, yet the teachings of the New Testament clearly
point to the Trinity. When Jesus gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 - 20, part of it
was "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." All three
are mentioned at the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:21 - 22). Paul mentions all three in the
benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14. In the light of these Scriptures and others, the Trinity is a vital
part of the New Testament message.
What does the Trinity signify?

The Trinity signifies that in the one essence of the Godhead we have to distinguish three
"Persons." “They” are neither three Gods nor three parts of the existence of God, but rather
equally and eternally God.
The New Testament reveals an understanding of God, which cannot be expressed in anything
less than the Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are recognized as God, yet they are
distinct. God cannot be identified absolutely with either the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit.
Neither is God fully described in each individual concept of Father, Son or Holy Spirit. God as
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Guide is known inclusively in the three Persons of the Trinity.
According to John's Gospel---

The Father sent the Son (John 5:23).
The Son revealed the Father (John 8:19).
The Holy Spirit enables man to understand the Father as revealed in the Son
(John 16:13 - 15).
The Holy Spirit is distinct from Jesus and the Father, yet related to them in such a way that His
presence means that the Father and Son are present.
- Jesus stated, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me.” (John 15:26).
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- In John 14:15 -17, John writes that the Holy Spirit came from the Father. These verses
express the relationship as well as the distinction between the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit.
Write 2 Corinthians 13:14:
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit each have a distinctive task, but the work of each is the work of
all.
The work of the Son is that of the Father.
The Father works in and through the Son.
The work of the Messiah is carried on through the Spirit.
Each, however, has a distinctive function.

The Father is the source of creation and providential care.
The Son reveals the Father and provides for man's redemption.
The Holy Spirit is the inner reality of the being of both Father and Son, and is the means
of the presence of the Father and the Son with the believer.
Are there any misinterpretations of the Trinity?

Tri-theism In early church history, men taught a belief in three Gods---the view that in
heaven there are or will be three thrones. On the central throne is God, and on
His right hand is the Son, and on the left hand is the Holy Spirit. (The third throne may not be
firm in most people’s minds.) Tri-theism speaks of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit as three
separate individuals.
Modalism Sabellius began this teaching around AD 200. He erred in the opposite direction
from that of Tri-theism. Although Sabellius spoke of Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
he understood all three as simply three modes of existence or three manifestations of one
God. The teaching is thus also known as modalism because it views one God who variously
manifests Himself in three modes of existence: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Some examples of this thought are:

The clover has three leaves.
Water, ice and steam---this has no simultaneous unity.
Father, son and person---This idea has some strengths. I am the father of Zaur, I am the
son of Elnur and I am an individual person. The weakness----was there ever a time I
was not father? Yes - being a son precedes being a father.
Sun, light and fire.
The teaching of Modalism implies also that the Father Himself was born, suffered and died.
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Adoptionism This group of people wanted to save the unity of God by denying the full deity of
the Messiah. The Messiah, they said, was a man who was endowed with a
special gift of power, which set Him apart from other beings. God adopted Jesus as Son and
filled Him with a divine quality. Usually, this is associated with the experience of baptism. The
power left Him at His crucifixion. God and Jesus are viewed as one in will, purpose and
disposition, but in this belief, they are not equal in being or essence. The Messiah is not God,
just “inspired by God and endowed with special divine power.” Paul of Samosata was
condemned by the Synod at Antioch in 268 AD for holding such a view.
Arianism Arian doctrine had its roots in Tertullian (160 – 220 AD). He subordinated the
Son to the Father. Origen (185 – 254 AD) carried Tertullian’s concept further by
teaching that the Son was subordinate to the Father “in respect to essence.” This ultimately led
to Arianism. Arianism denied the deity of Jesus the Messiah. Arius taught that only the Father
was the uncreated One. Because Jesus was begotten of the Father, it meant Jesus was
created by the Father. According to Arius, there was a time when Jesus the Messiah did not
exist. Arius and his teaching were condemned at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.
Unitarianism This makes Jesus only a man. Maybe a special man, but this does not go along
with the New Testament teachings.
Does the Bible explain the relationships of the Godhead?

The New Testament does not fully explain the structure or the relationships that exist within the
Godhead. Instead, the emphasis of the New Testament is on the function or work of the three
Persons of the Trinity.
In other words, a clear role relationship exists between these three equally divine persons. The
Son, for example, asked the Father to send the Holy Spirit to minister to the disciples
(John 14:16). When the Son ascended to the Father, the Son sent the Holy Spirit to testify
concerning Himself (John 15:26, Acts 2:33). It is only possible to describe the particular role of
each person in a general way.
However, the Bible does not teach that the Trinity merely represents three modes or ways in
which the one God operates. The three Persons of the Godhead each have eternal existence.
The term Trinity is not the best one because it emphasizes only the three persons but not the
unity within the Trinity. A proper term then must include the distinctness and equality of the
three persons within the Trinity as well as the unity within the Trinity. The word Tri-unity may
better express the doctrine.
God's nature is a unity, which exists in three Persons. The divine nature is present in each of
these distinct Persons.
No amount of discussion will ever explain all the questions that could be asked about the Trinity.
Many illustrations have been given, yet none completely explains the Trinity. However, we
could use the illustrations below to inadequately explain the Trinity---
A triangle = three sides but just one triangle

Time = It is past, present and future
Space = It has length, depth and height
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Let us look at the Triune God, who is one God.

God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
Below is an ancient diagram of the Trinity. Use the example of the picture on the left side of
the page to draw the same picture on the right side of the page.
What are some important points about the Trinity?

As we look at the diagram above and study the points below, think about how the three
Persons of the Trinity relate.
God is One in Regard to Essence---

Early in church history the question developed whether Jesus the Messiah was the same as the
Father in substance or in essence. As we have said above, Arius taught that Jesus was like the
Father in substance, yet the Father was greater than Jesus was. Hence, although some people
defined the words “substance” and “essence” the same, the proper way to designate the Trinity
became “one in essence.”
The essential oneness of God is linked to Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our
God, the LORD is one” (Hebrew- “echad” --- compound unity or united one). This statement
stresses not only the uniqueness of God but also the unity of God (James 2:19). It means all
three Persons possess the summation of the divine attributes. Yet, the essence of God is
undivided. Oneness in essence also emphasizes that the three Persons of the Trinity do not act
independently of one another. This was a constant theme of Jesus in rebuffing the charges of
the Jews (John 5:19, 8:28, 12:49 and 14:10).
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Write the following verses in the blanks below.
John 5:19 - _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
John 8:28 - _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
John 12:49 - ________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
John 14:10 - _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
God is Three with Respect to Persons---

The word Persons tends to detract from the unity of the Trinity. It is readily recognized that the
word “Persons” is an inadequate term to describe the relationship within the Trinity. The term
Persons is nonetheless helpful because it emphasizes not only a manifestation but also an
individual personality.
In suggesting God is three with respect to His Person, it is emphasized that---

Each has the same essence as God.
Each possesses the fullness of God.
In God, there are no three individuals alongside of, and separate from, one another. There are
only personal self-distinctions within the Divine essence. This is an important difference from
modalism (or Sabellianism), which teaches that one God merely manifests Himself in three
various ways.
The work of each is inclusive of the others. All three participated at the burning bush, the
feeding of the 5000, and at the tongues of fire at Pentecost. This unity within three Persons is
also seen in Old Testament passages such as Isaiah 48:16 where the Father has sent the
Messiah and the Spirit to speak to the restored nation. In Isaiah 61:1, the Father has anointed
the Messiah with the Spirit for His mission. These references emphasize both the equality and
the unity of the three Persons.

Isaiah 48:16 - _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Isaiah 61:1 - _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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The Three Persons Have Distinct Relationships---

The identity of the three divine persons in the Trinity --- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit---
grows out of the eternal relationship between them. Our knowledge of this comes directly from
the Bible. Jesus commissioned the disciples to baptize in the name ---
“of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…..” Matthew 28:19.
By the word, “distinct,” we mean a distinctive, conscious presence.

In Jesus is the presence of God
- Romans 5:6 – 8 - God’s love is the activity of Jesus.
- John 1:18 - The Son is at the Father’s side.
- Matthew 11:27 - The Father and the Son are reciprocal (Luke 10:22,
1 Corinthians 8:6 and 1 Timothy 2:5
In the Holy Spirit is the presence of God (John 7:37 – 39)
- The Holy Spirit is the presence of God as the character of Jesus within and
among the believers (John 14:16 – 17, 15:26 and 16:7 – 11).
- The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in and among His people. This is seen in
the stories of Acts.
Though the Trinity is distinctive, there is the mutual giving and receiving that makes the divine
Persons what they are only in their relationship to each other. The consciousness of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit are distinct but there is a “mutual giving and receiving.”
God’s life is Trinitarian (see figure below). God does not simply act on our behalf, but invites us
to be partners in His life and work. In that way, it is proper to speak of an openness in the
Trinity---the believer can participate in the relationship that flows between the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The Spirit moves out from the Father through the Son to the believer. The believer
moves in the Spirit through the Son to the Father.
God has never been without the Son---The Son is the begotten.
The Son has never been without the Father---The Father begets.
The Spirit proceeds from the Father---but also from the Son.
God the Father The first person of the Trinity is the Father. He is “First” in order, though not first
in deity, for the Son and the Spirit are of equal deity with the Father. His role of
fatherhood is being the Father of the Son. Though God is our Father (Romans 8:14 –15) and
we His children (Romans 8:16), this is different from His being the Father of the second Person.
In that relationship, He is the Father because He has “begotten” (that is, generated) the Son.
The Father is not begotten nor does He proceed from any person. The Son is eternally
begotten from the Father (John 1:18, 3:16, 18 and 1 John 4:9).
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John 1:18 - __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
John 3:16, 18 - _______________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
1 John 4:9 - __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
God the Son

The Bible calls the second Person of the Trinity “the Son of God” (Romans 1:4).
The Father begot or generated the eternal begotten Son. Because the Son
is eternal, the generation of the Son by the Father is not an event at a certain
point in time, but is an eternal generation. This was a part of the Messianic hope in the Old
Testament. For example, let us look in the Book of Proverbs for an example of this.
< The poetic figure of “wisdom” (Proverbs 8:12), pictured as a craftsman (Proverbs 8:30)
working at God’s side, speaks of being “appointed” and “given birth” before the beginning
of time (Proverbs 8:23, 25). This craftsman is further identified as God’s Son
(Proverbs 30:4).
The Son is generated by the Father, but not created. He and the Father coexist eternally.
It should also be kept in mind that the generation of the Son by the Father does not refer to the
birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. Jesus the Messiah was born (John 1:14) into the family of
David (Romans 1:3) at a specific point in time (Luke 2:1 – 2), but He (the Son) had eternally
existed with the Father from all eternity (Micah 5:2 and John 1:1).
The Son is the one through whom God made Himself known to humanity (John 1:1 and
Hebrews 1:2) and through whom God works. The two great works of God---creation and
redemption, are the specific accomplishments of the Son (John 1:3, 17 and Hebrews 1:2, 3).
God the Holy The Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 14:26 and
Spirit John 16:7). The word proceed suggests the Trinitarian relationship of the
Father and the Son sending the Spirit.
It is important to note, however, that these terms denote a relationship within the Trinity and do
not suggest inferiority in any way.
John 14:26 - ________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
John 16:7 - __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
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The Three Persons are Equal in Authority---

Although terms like begot and proceed may be used in referring to the functioning within the
Trinity, it is important to realize that the three Persons are equal in authority.
The Father is recognized as authoritative and supreme (1 Corinthians 8:6)
The Son is also recognized as equal to the Father in every respect (John 5:21 – 23)
The Spirit is likewise recognized as equal to the Father and the Son (Matthew 12:31).
(The topic of authority will be developed further under the discussion of the deity of
the Messiah and the deity of the Holy Spirit.)
Can we emphasize one Person of the Godhead over the other?

Our relationship with God goes wrong when we over stress one of the Persons of the
Godhead.
Emphasizing the Father. We associate power and dominion with the Father. If we sing praise
songs to an “awesome Father,” we ignore the Son and the Holy Spirit. Thus, we distort the
Trinity by ignoring the unity. If we think of the Father apart from the Messiah and the Spirit, then
this is a distortion. A right relationship with Jesus will lead us through Him both to the Father
that He comes from and to the Spirit that He sent.
Emphasizing the Son. The New Testament never views Jesus in isolation. Jesus Himself is not
our destination, but the true and living way to the Father. We believers are related through
Jesus to the Father.
Emphasizing the Spirit. Often we associate charismatic excess with the Spirit. Religious
experiences, in and of themselves, are a danger. The Spirit is known because He enables us to
know God as our Father (Galatians 4:6) and Jesus as Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). The Spirit
takes the things of the Messiah and shows them to us.
Does the Old Testament reveal the Trinity?

While there is no definitive or explicit statement in the Old Testament affirming the Trinity, it is
fair to say that the Old Testament allows for the Trinity. It implies that God is a triune being in a
number of passages.
In the creation account of Genesis 1, both God the Father and the Holy Spirit are seen
in the work of creation. It is stated that God created heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1)
while the Holy Spirit hovered over the earth to infuse it with life (Genesis 1:2).
The term God in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim, which is a plural form for God. Even though
this does not explicitly teach the Trinity, it certainly allows for it as seen in the plural
pronouns “us” and “our” in Genesis 1:26.
In Psalm 110:1, David recognized a distinction of persons between “LORD” and “my
Lord.” David implies that Messiah is One greater than an ordinary human king
because he refers to Messiah with an ascription of deity, “my Lord.”
In the prophecy concerning the Messiah in Isaiah 7:14, the Lord makes it clear that
the One born of a virgin will also be Immanuel, “God with us.” It is an indication of the
Messiah’s deity.
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Two additional passages previously mentioned that imply the Trinity are Isaiah 48:16
and Isaiah 61:1. In both of these passages, all three Persons of the Godhead are
mentioned and seen as distinct from one another.
What is the New Testament teaching of the Trinity?

Ultimately, to demonstrate that the Scriptures teach the Trinity, two things must be affirmed:
That there is only one God
That all three Persons are called God
While a fuller explanation of the deity of each member of the Godhead is discussed under the
respective categories, the teaching can be concisely stated here.
The Father is called God (1 Corinthians 8:6)
The Son is called God (Hebrews 1:8 – 10)
The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:34)
God is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Combining these four statements affirms the Trinity. There are additional New Testament
passages in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are seen in such a relationship as to affirm
both their unity and equality. For example, see the following verses:
In the act of making disciples, Jesus commanded the apostles to baptize the new
disciples “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18).
It seems clear that the equality as well as the unity of the three Persons is intended.
In Mary’s conception, the Trinity is involved: the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, the
power of God overshadowed her, and the resultant offspring was called the Son of
God (Luke 1:35).
All three are also seen as distinct at the baptism of Jesus (this is a denial of
modalism--Luke 3:21 – 22).
In John 14:16, the unity of the three is again mentioned: the Son asks the Father who
sends the Spirit to indwell believers forever. [It is noteworthy that Jesus used
eroteso from erotao, a term used by one on equal footing or familiarity. Jesus never
used aiteo, an inferior requesting something of one who is superior.] The unity of the
three is clear.
In Romans 8:9 – 11, all three are mentioned as indwelling the believer.
The benediction of 2 Corinthians 13:14 surely is a strong affirmation of both the
equality and unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:4 – 8 and
Revelation 1:4 – 5).
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How do we worship God (the Trinity)?

Worship is a celebration of and a sharing in the relationships between Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. The worshipper should celebrate God. He should be drawn into the life and relationship
of the triune God. This is the “openness” of the Trinity, and applies only in the worship
experience. The Spirit moves out from the Father through the Son to us. We move in the Spirit
through the Son to the Father.
Worship and prayer are an invitation to participate in the relationship between the Father, Son
and Spirit. The Spirit prays in us. Prayer in the Spirit suggests depths of a personal relationship
in God that cannot be fully expressed in terms of Father and Son alone. Our leaning upon the
relationship between Father and Son is the movement of the Spirit. He holds a place open for
us within God. God eternally chooses to be an “open Trinity,” including us in His own fellowship.
Our mission rides on the mission of the Son---as the Son was sent so we are sent. Our leaning
on the Father and the Son is the movement of the Spirit. The Spirit holds a place open for us
within God. Therefore, as we worship God (the Trinity), we enter into the presence of the Father
and the Son through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
The Trinity is a summary of Christian theology. It tells of one God and Father who invades
our world as Jesus the Son to provide salvation and fellowship. God is now present in the
ongoing life of His people by the Spirit.
The Trinity is the Christian doctrine of God.

Because the Trinity corrects the false teaching of deism—God created and then left
the creation to natural laws.
Because the Trinity corrects the false teaching of subordinationism--- that Jesus is
less than God.
Because the Trinity corrects the false teaching of polytheism---that there are several
gods of whom Jesus is one. Trinitarianism is monotheism. God is one.
The Trinity is the inner life of God. In Himself, God is eternally what He reveals Himself to be
in Jesus the Messiah.
The Trinity invites participation. The Trinity is best experienced as an invitation for the
worshipper to participate in fellowship with the triune God.
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Discuss---
Discuss and write the answers to the questions below.
1. How would you define the Trinity or the Godhead?
2. Is the word Trinity found in the Bible?
3. In the Trinity, who sent the Son?
4. In the Trinity, who reveals the Father?
5. In the Trinity, who helps man to understand the Father?
6. In the Trinity, who testifies about the Son?
7. What is the function of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?
8. What is Tri-theism?
9. What is Modalism?
10. What is Adoptionism?
11. What is Arianism?
12. If you had to use a concrete illustration to explain the Trinity, what illustration would you
use? How would you explain the Trinity by this illustration?
13. What are some important facts about the Trinity?
14. How do some people emphasize one Person of the Trinity over the other Persons?
15. Name some Old Testament and New Testament teachings of the Trinity.
16. How should we worship God the Trinity?
17. Use the following verses to write your definition of the Trinity: John 1:14 – 18,
Colossians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 2:9,10 and Ephesians 5:18.
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C H A P T E R 4
How Do We Know That Jesus the Messiah

Is Really God?
“For in the Messiah all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” ----- Colossians 2:9
Christianity in its entirety rests upon this proposition: Jesus the Messiah was and is the
divine Son of God possessing all the power and attributes of God.
Christianity is neither a system of ethics nor a code of laws. It is a LIFE. It is the life of the Lord
Jesus the Messiah---possessed, enjoyed and manifested in and through the lives of all who trust
Him as their personal Savior.
Remove the name of Buddha from Buddhism, Confucius from Confucianism, or Muhammed
from Islam and the doctrines of these religions would remain undisturbed. Whatever practical
value they had would not be lessened. However, remove the name of Jesus the Messiah from
Christianity and nothing remains----absolutely nothing.
If Jesus the Messiah is merely a moral miracle, a master teacher, a deluded maniac or imposter,
then the entire foundation of Christianity is crushed and its house crumbles and falls. If Jesus is
not divine, then He was an illegitimate child of an impure woman. Christmas carols would be
mythological children’s songs.
If Jesus the Messiah is not divine, His miracles are mere legends, His words are false and the
universal problem of man’s redemption from sin remains unsolved.
If Jesus the Messiah is not the Son of God, and if there were no “empty tomb,” then sin, death
and hell are not conquered. The believer’s hope of a glorious future is shattered. The believer
is still in his sins and most miserable. The desperately needed message of hope and peace is
lost and the world is again gripped by hopelessness and despair
(Read 1 Corinthians 15:1 – 26).
Jesus the Messiah’s deity is attested to:
By His Claims--
1. That the Old Testament Scriptures testified of Him as being the Messiah (John 5:39).
2. That He existed before Abraham and was the I AM of Exodus 3:13 -14, 6:3. I AM was
the name for Yahweh and asserted the self-existence of God (John 8:57 - 59).
3. He said, “I AM the Bread of Life” (John 6:35, 48) and that all who believed in Him would
never hunger, thirst or die (John 6:35 - 48).
4. He said, “I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12, 9:5).
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5. He said, “I AM the Door of the sheep” (John 10:7), and all who enter that door are
saved (John 14:6).
6. He said, “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). He claimed that none
could come to God the Father except by Him.
7. He said, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life,” (John 11:25) and that all who believed in
Him would live and never die.
8. He claimed equality with God the Father (John 10:30 - 33, 14:8,9).
9. He claimed pre-existence, before the creation of the world (John 17:5).
By His Deeds---
1. He forgave sin (Matthew 9:2 – 6, Mark 2:5 – 7, Luke 7:47 – 50). They accused Jesus of
blasphemy because they knew that only God could forgive sin. Therefore, Jesus the
Messiah was either God or a blasphemer.
2. He performed miracles that only God could do.
He raised the dead (Luke 7:12 – 15, Luke 8:52 – 55, John 11:41 – 44).
He made the blind to see (John 9:4 – 7).
He transformed water into wine (John 2:7 – 11).
He fed about 20,000 people (5,000 men besides women and children) with just five
loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:15 – 21).
He healed all manner of diseases (Mark 2:10 – 11, Luke 6:17 – 19).
He commanded and controlled the sea (Luke 8:22 – 24, Matthew 8:23 – 27).
By His Attributes---
1. The attributes of God are the unchanging characteristics and powers of the triune God.
2. There are two classifications of attributes.
Natural: Those characteristics that reveal God in relation to Himself. They are
absolute and not subject to the will.
Moral: Those characteristics that account for God’s revelation of Himself to His
creatures.
3. There are nine Natural attributes and nine Moral attributes.
The NATURAL attributes are those which relate to:
- The Life of God: Life, Spirituality and Personality
- The Person of God: Unity, Eternity and Unchangeableness.
- The Power of God: All-knowing, All-powerful and All-present
The MORAL attributes are those which relate to:
- The Nature of God: Love, Grace and Mercy
- The Character of God: Holiness, Righteousness and Faithfulness
- The Government of God: Wisdom, Truth and Sovereignty
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4. Some illustrations
Jesus the Messiah is Eternal – John 1:1 – 3, Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:10 – 12
and Revelation 1:8, 18.
Jesus is Unchanging – Hebrews 1:11 – 12, Hebrews 13:8
Jesus is All-knowing (having universal and unlimited wisdom and knowledge of all
things)
- Matthew 9:4 – He knew their thoughts.
- John 5:22 – All judgment has been committed to Him.
- Revelation 20:11 – He will be the judge of all sinners.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 – He knows what is in every heart.
- Colossians 2:3 – In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Jesus is All-powerful (having universal and unlimited power)
- Colossians 1:16,17 – All things have been created by Him and are sustained by
Him.
- Matthew 28:18 – All power has been given to Him.
- Matthew 14:19 – 21 – Note His creative power.
- Luke 8:24 and Matthew 14:26 – Note His mastery over nature.
Jesus is SOVEREIGN (the state of having absolute authority to do anything
according to His own will and purpose).
- John 5:21, 22 – The Messiah gives life to whom He will.
- Matthew 28:18 – All power (authority) is given to Jesus.
- Philippians 2:10, 11 – Every knee must bow to Him.
By His Atoning Death---

Following His rejection by the nation Israel, Jesus retold His sufferings in Jerusalem:
Matthew 16:21, 17:22, 20:18 – 29 and 26:1 – 5
Mark 8:31, 9:31 and 10:32 – 34
Luke 9:22, 44 and 18:31 – 33
In these passages, Jesus foretold:
- Who would initiate His death
- Who would kill Him
- How He would be killed
- That He would suffer additional things
- That He would be raised after three days.
Jesus taught the disciples that His death would be a substitutionary atonement
(Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45). The statement that He would give His life as a ransom for (in
place of) many implies substitution. In this statement, Jesus also used the word ransom
(Greek- lutron), which meant the ransom money paid to free a slave.
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Jesus the Messiah paid the price—His death—to free many from the bondage of sin. At the
institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus indicated that the bread and cup depicted the body and
blood of the Messiah. The blood would be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins
(Matthew 26:26 – 29, Mark 14:22 – 25 and Luke 22:15 – 20). The price of redemption is
described as His blood. The scope of redemption is many. The result of redemption is
forgiveness. Through His death, Jesus brought about a New Covenant providing forgiveness
that the Old Covenant (the Mosaic law) could not achieve.
The crucifixion of Jesus was the greatest crime of the ages. Yet, it was the supreme
demonstration of the love of God (John 3:16 and Romans 5:8). This is the greatest of all
illustrations of God's ability to change curses into blessings. The enemies of Jesus the Messiah
thought the crucifixion was their greatest victory, but God turned it into their greatest defeat.
Through the cross, salvation for a lost world was won. Jesus did not go to the cross because
He was helpless in the hands of His enemies. Jesus could have asked for and received twelve
legions of angels to protect Him (Matthew 26:52 - 53). Concerning His death, Jesus said,
“The reason my Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again. No one
takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and
authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.” John 10:17-18
Jesus came into this world to die for sin (Matthew 20:28). It was not the manner of Jesus’ death
that was important, but the meaning of it. Others have been crucified. In His death, Jesus
opened the way of salvation for sinful man. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death
(Romans 6:23). It also says that all are guilty before God (Romans 3:23). How then could God
save sinful man and still maintain His own righteousness and uphold His own law?
The sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross is the answer (Romans 3:24 - 26). Many theories of
the atonement have been suggested, but the Bible teaches that the death of Jesus was
substitutionary. Jesus took man's place before the broken law of God and suffered and died
for him. He “paid the price” that a holy God demanded.
The substitutionary death of Jesus was foretold in the Old Testament (Isaiah 53:4 - 6). It is
plainly taught in the New Testament. Jesus had us in His heart when He went to the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become
the righteousness of God.”
Galatians 3:13 “The Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for
it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24 “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.”
Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with
glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might
taste death for everyone.”
1 John 2:2 “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins
of the whole world.”
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There will never be another Savior, because the world will never need another. Jesus the
Messiah is sufficient for all men, for all time. There will never be another Calvary, for the
atonement accomplished there meets the needs of sinful men everywhere. Jesus our Lord and
Savior died once for all (Hebrews 9:25 - 28).
By His Resurrection---
The deity of the Messiah is the foundation of the Christian faith, and the resurrection of the
Messiah is the cornerstone of the Gospel.
Had Jesus died and done nothing more, He would have been a martyr but not a Savior. The
glorious truth is that "the Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, …that He was
raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3 - 4). Thus, He is the Son
of God with power to save by His resurrection from the dead. He is both the crucified Savior
and the living Lord.
Jesus predicted His resurrection on several occasions:
- Matthew 16:21, 17:22 – 23, 20:19
- Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34
- Luke 9:22, 18:33
Moreover, He specified that He would rise on the third day (a clear example of His
being all-knowing).
All the gospels stress the physical resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28, Mark 16,
Luke 24 and John 20).
The bodily resurrection of Jesus is one of the most clearly proven events in all of history. All four
Gospels describe it as seen above, and the remainder of the New Testament proclaims it. Paul
states that if the Messiah were not resurrected, Christianity would have nothing to proclaim
(1 Corinthians 15:12 - 20). As with the birth of Jesus, Luke the physician, scientist and historian
gives the most complete account of the resurrection. All efforts to deny or explain away the
empty tomb have failed.
There were numerous witnesses of His resurrection:

- Mary Magdalene and the other women (Mark 16:2 – 8 and John 20:1)
- Peter and John (John 20:2 – 10)
- Mary Magdalene (John 20:11 – 18)
- The other women (Matthew 28:9 – 10)
- Two disciples traveling to Emmaus (Luke 24:13 – 32)
- The ten disciples gathered in the Upper Room (John 20:19 – 25)
- The eleven disciples gathered a week later (John 20:26 – 31)
- The disciples fishing at Galilee (John 21:1 – 25)
- The eleven in Galilee (Matthew 28:16 – 20)
-The disciples in Jerusalem (Luke 24:44 – 49)
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John described the face cloth in the empty tomb as being still “rolled up” (John 20:7). It retained
the circular shape as though the head were still in it but lying “in a place by itself.” It was
detached from the rest of the wrappings, but the shape of the headpiece and the wrappings told
John what had happened. The body of the Lord Jesus the Messiah passed through the
wrappings—He rose from the dead!
The resurrection proves the deity of the Messiah. It makes real His death. It assures believers
of Jesus' daily companionship. It is the guarantee of the believer’s own bodily resurrection.
In Jesus' day, the Sadducees, the ruling elite, rejected belief in “resurrection.” However, the
Pharisees embraced it. For early believers of the Way, the meaning of resurrection was tied to
their affirmation that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.
The resurrection of Jesus made His birth and ministry significant. Without Easter, there would
be no Christmas. It also made evangelists out of His apostles, whom the Gospels describe as
utterly dejected by the Crucifixion. For them, there is no distinction between the Jesus of history
and the Messiah of faith. "And if the Messiah has not been raised, our preaching is useless, and so is
your faith," Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:14. For believers, the resurrection is the single most
important event of their faith, and the celebration of the resurrection is the high point of the
church calendar. Salvation is possible only because Jesus died and arose.
Some people say, "Belief in the resurrection does not depend on what happened to His corpse."
This is nonsense. There are many people who have written things about the resurrection that
have tried to confuse people about what the early church was claiming. The best explanation
for the empty tomb and New Testament talk of resurrection is that Jesus was seen alive – bodily
resurrected – after His crucifixion. It was this new bodily life after death that the early believers
were affirming when they talked about what happened to Jesus.
For first-century Jews, “resurrection” was tied to their belief in the goodness of creation and the
ultimate triumph of God's justice. Their belief in the rising of dead bodies was rooted in
passages of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Resurrection did not mean that a corpse had been
resuscitated; rather it was transformed into a new physical embodiment. Because of the
resurrection of Jesus, the believers saw the crucifixion as a victory instead of a defeat.
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9).
There He is reigning in His heavenly kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:25). In the meantime, Jesus is
the one Mediator whereby lost men may be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19 - 21). A
mediator is one appointed to bring together two alienated parties. He must perfectly represent
both parties, and do all that is necessary to bring them together. As the God-man, Jesus does
this. He has the nature of both God and man, and in Him, they meet in reconciliation. He
indwells all believers as the living and ever-present Lord.
The Messiah looks to the time when He shall present a redeemed universe to the Father, that
God may be in all (1 Corinthians 15:24 - 28). At the end of the age, the Lord Jesus will return in
great glory and power (Acts 1:10 - 11, 1 Thessalonians 4:14 - 18 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7 - 10).
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By the Fact that He Accepted Worship---

Since true worship is reserved for God alone, for Jesus the Messiah to accept worship to
Himself and even to command it makes Him either to be God or to be guilty of gross arrogance
and pride.
- Matthew 14:33 – They “worshipped Him.”
- Matthew 28:9 – “They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshipped Him.”
- John 20:28 – Thomas worshipped Him.
- Philippians 2:10, 11 – All men will someday worship Him.
What are the Messianic Prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures?

Acts 17:2 – 4
“As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned
with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise
from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said. Some of the
Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks
and not a few prominent women.”
Acts 18:4 – 5
“Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. When
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching,
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.”
What Scriptures did Paul use to reason with the Jews in the synagogues and with the Greeks?
Why were so many people confused about the Messiah? In Old Testament Scripture, the term
Messiah means “God’s anointed one.” The basic idea of the “Messiah” is that He has been
“anointed” by Yahweh. Therefore, let us consider the appropriate way to understand messianic
prophecy in the Old Testament. These prophecies would be the Scriptures that Paul used.
As we look at prophecy, we can think of it as “Promise and Fulfillment.” In this way, prophecy
has a predictive element but must also have a historical context. The Word of God has
historical basis but it also may have even greater consequence beyond the historical event. The
danger of our day is that we read the prediction contained in the passage and miss the historical
happening. This can lead to a distortion of Scripture.
Paul looked at the “Promises” as a fulfillment of Jesus the Messiah.
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in the Messiah. And so,
through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20
All promises have meaning to those to whom the promises are given, but the full and complete
meaning is in Jesus the Messiah. This was Paul’s insight and the way that he presented Jesus
as the Messiah in the synagogues. There is the historical event and the later fulfillment in
Jesus. Therefore, when Paul reasoned with those in the synagogues, he would have been
making this approach.
On the following page, please study the Old Testament “Messianic Prophecies” that are listed
and read their New Testament fulfillment.
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Prophecies of the Messiah --- Fulfilled in Jesus
Prophetic Scripture Subject Fulfillment

Genesis 3:15 Offspring of a woman Galatians 4:4
Genesis 12:3, 18:18 Promised Offspring of Abraham Matthew 1:1, Acts 3:25
Genesis 17:19 Promised Offspring of Isaac Matthew 1:2, Luke 3:34
Numbers 24:17 Promised Offspring of Jacob Matthew 1:2, Luke 3:34
Genesis 49:10 Will descend from the tribe of Judah Matthew 1:2 - 3, Luke 3:33
Isaiah 9:7, Jeremiah 23:5 Heir to the throne of David Matthew 1:1, Luke 1:32 - 33
Psalm 45:6 - 7, 102:25 - 27 Anointed and eternal Hebrews 1:8 - 12
Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4 - 7
Daniel 9:25 Time for His birth Luke 2:1 – 7
Isaiah 7:14 Born of a virgin Matthew 1:18
Luke 1:26 - 35
Jeremiah 31:15 Slaughter of the infants Matthew 2:16
Hosea 11:1 Escape into Egypt Matthew 2:14
Isaiah 40:3 - 5 The way prepared Luke 3:3 - 6
Malachi 3:1 Preceded by a messenger Luke 7:24 - 27
Malachi 4:5 - 6 Preceded by Elijah Matthew 11:13 - 14
Psalm 2:7 Declared the Son of God Matthew 3:17
Isaiah 9:1 - 2 Ministry in Galilee Matthew 4:12 - 16
Psalm 78:2 - 4 Speaks in parables Matthew 13:34 - 35
Deuteronomy 18:15 A Prophet like Moses John 6:14
Psalm 110:4 A Priest like Melchizedek Hebrews 6:20
Isaiah 61:1 - 2 Came to release the oppressed Luke 4:18 - 19
Isaiah 11:2 Characteristics Luke 2:52
Isaiah 53:3 Rejected by His own people, the Jews John 1:11
Zechariah 9:9 His triumphal entry John 12:13 - 14
Psalm 8:2 Adored by children Matthew 21:15 - 16
Isaiah 53:1 Would not believe in Him John 12:37 - 38
Psalm 41:9 Betrayed by a close friend Luke 22:47 - 48
Zechariah 11:12 Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Matthew 26:15
Zechariah 11:13 Money returned for a potter’s field Matthew 27:6 - 7
Psalm 109:7 Judas commits suicide Matthew 27:3 - 5
Psalm 27:12 False witnesses accuse Him Matthew 26:60 - 61
Isaiah 53:5 Silent when accused Matthew 26:62 - 62
Isaiah 50:6 Struck and spit upon Matthew 26:67, Mark 16:65
Psalm 69:4 Hated without a cause John 15:23 - 25
Isaiah 53:4 Suffered vicariously Matthew 8:16 -17
Isaiah 53:12 Crucified with sinners Matthew 27:28
Zechariah 12:10 Hands and feet pierced John 20:27
Psalm 22:6 - 8 Mocked and insulted Matthew 27:39 - 40
Psalm 69:21 Given gall and vinegar John 19:29
Psalm 22:8 Hears prophetic words repeated in mockery Matthew 27:43
Psalm 22:18 Soldiers cast lots for His clothes Mark 15:24
Psalm 22:1 Forsaken by God Matthew 27:46
Psalm 34:20 Not a bone to be broken John 19:33
Zechariah 12:10 His side to be pierced John 19:34
Isaiah 53:9 To be buried with the rich Matthew 27:57 - 60
Psalm 16:10 His resurrection Matthew 28:9
Psalm 68:18 His ascension to God’s right hand Luke 24:50 - 51
1 Corinthians 15:4
Ephesians 4:8
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Does Jesus have any special Names?

Yes, the names of Jesus have a special significance. The Name means the nature of Jesus.
Let us look at some of the “Names of Jesus.”
Some Names of Jesus Explained---
Son of David Matthew stresses Jesus as the Son of David (Matthew 9:27, 12:23, 15:22,
20:30 – 31, 21:9 –15 and 22:42 ).
- In Matthew 9:27, it is clear that the blind men understood the Son of David to be the
Messiah. The Son of David could do the work of Messiah — such as open the eyes of the
blind (Isaiah 35:5), which is a work of God (Psalm 146:8).
- The use of the name in Matthew 21:9 reveals its significance as the coming Redeemer
who would bring salvation to the nation and rescue her, bringing in a time of blessing
(Psalm 118:25 – 26).
Messiah Matthew continually presents Jesus as the Messiah who fulfills the Old
Testament predictions concerning Messiah (Matthew 1:22 – 23; 2:5 – 6; 3:3;
4:14 – 16; 8:16 – 17; 11:5; 12:17 – 21; 13:34–35; 21:4 – 6, 9, 16, 42; 23:39; 24:30; 26:31, 64).
- In Matthew 16:16, Jesus readily accepts Peter’s confession of Him as the Messiah, the
Anointed One.
- In Mark 14:61 – 62, Jesus answered the high priest’s question as to whether He is the
Messiah by the affirmative “I AM.”
Son of Man The origin of the term Son of Man is Daniel 7:13. There He is pictured as
triumphantly delivering the kingdom to the Father. The position of the Son of
Man at the right hand of the Father relates it to Psalm 110:1 and the One who is Lord (Adonai).
Matthew 26:63 – 64 indicates the term, Son of Man, is basically synonymous with Son of God.
The term emphasizes various themes:
- Authority (Mark 2:10)
- Glorification (Matthew 25:31)
- Humiliation (Matthew 8:20)
- Suffering and death (Mark 10:45)
- Relationship with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:32)
- Salvation (Luke 19:10)--- Jesus thought of Himself in terms of the heavenly Messiah
fulfilling a ministry on earth, on men’s behalf, that would culminate in scenes of final glory.
Son of God Jesus is the Son of God in an absolutely unique sense. Jesus spoke of God as
“the Father,” “My Father,” “My heavenly Father” and “your heavenly Father” —
fifty-one times in all. Jesus indicated His awareness of this unique relationship (Matthew 11:27),
as did the Father (Matthew 3:17 and Mark 1:11). God the Father was saying that Jesus, His
Son, is deity because He is of the same essence as He, the Father, is.
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A Chart of the Names of Jesus---
Name Description Reference

The last Adam The first Adam brought death 1 Corinthians 15:45
through sin; Jesus, “the last
Adam,” brought life through His
righteousness.
Alpha and Omega The Beginning and the End Revelation 21:6
Bread of Life The one essential food John 6:35
Chief Cornerstone A sure foundation of life Ephesians 2:20
God The Father of all Hebrews 1:8
High Priest The perfect Mediator Hebrews 3:1, 4:14
Immanuel (God with us) The One who always stands Matthew 1:23
with us
Jesus (Yahweh saves) His personal name Matthew 1:21
King of Kings, Lord of Lords The Sovereign Almighty Revelation 19:6
Lamb of God Offered His life as a sacrifice for John 1:29
sins.
Light of the world One who brings hope and gives John 9:5
guidance.
Lord Savior and Lord of glory Romans 10:9
1 Corinthians 2:8
Mediator Redeemer who brings forgiven 1 Timothy 2:5
sinners into the presence of Hebrews 8:6, 9:15
God.
Messiah (the Anointed One) This title makes clear Jesus’ Matthew 16:16
redemptive mission and affirms John 1:41
Him as the fulfillment of Old Hebrews 5:5, 13:8
Testament prophecy. He is the
coming Prophet, Priest and
King.
Prophet Faithful proclaimer of God’s Luke 13:33
Word
Rabbi/Teacher A title of respect for one who John 3:2
teaches the Scripture.
Savior One who delivers from sin and John 4:42
death.
Shepherd One who gives guidance and John 10:11
protection 1 Peter 5:4
Hebrews 13:20
Son of David A title connecting Jesus with the Matthew 9:27
Davidic throne, affirming God’s
covenant with David.
Son of God A title of deity, signifying Jesus’ Matthew 27:54
unique intimacy with the Father. John 20:31
Word (Logos) A unique, open communication John 1:1
of God to man from creation
until now
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Discuss---
Discuss and answer the questions below.
1. What proposition does Christianity rest upon? Why is that important?
2. What are the five things that give evidence of Jesus being the Messiah?
3. By using the claims of Jesus to speak about His being deity, which claims would you use
to share with someone who is not a believer? Tell why.
4. What are the deeds of Jesus to show that He is God? Which of these would you use in a
Bible study with a non-believer?
5. In a short paragraph, using the attributes of Jesus the Messiah, write how you would
explain your understanding of God the Son to a non-believer.
6. What does “substitutionary atonement” mean?
7. Did Jesus know that He was going to die for the sins of mankind before He suffered and
died for our sins?
8. What was the importance of the substitutionary death of the Son of God for the sinner?
9. Explain how God turned a curse into a blessing. Use the crucifixion as your illustration.
Back up what you have to say with Scriptures verses.
10. As you look at the chart on the “Prophecies of the Messiah,” think about which
prophecies you would use to share about Jesus being the Son of God and the only way
for salvation. How would you present the gospel message to an unbeliever in your area
using these prophecies?
11. The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Gospel. Why is the resurrection important?
12. As you read through the Names of Jesus the Messiah, which names would you use to
explain Jesus as God?
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C H A P T E R 5
Are There Other Important Questions

About The Godhead?
The Bible teaches the fact and the necessity of both the Messiah’s human nature and His
divine nature. So, …
What is the meaning of the Nature of Jesus the Messiah?
Introduction
The Meaning of Jesus’ Humanity

The doctrine of the humanity of the Messiah is equally important as the doctrine of His deity.
Jesus had to be a man if He was to represent fallen humanity. The Apostle John in his first
letter wrote to dispel the doctrinal error that denies the true humanity of the Lord Jesus
(1 John 4:2). If Jesus was not a real man, then His death on the cross was an illusion. He had
to be a real man to die for humanity. The Scriptures teach the true humanity of Jesus.
However, they also show that He did not possess man’s sinful, fallen nature (1 John 3:5).
The Incarnation of the Messiah

The word “incarnation” means “in flesh” and denotes the act whereby the eternal Son of God
took to Himself an additional nature, the human nature, through the virgin birth. The result is
that the Messiah forever remains unblemished deity, which He has had from eternity past. This
human nature is true and sinless in one Person forever (John 1:14 and Philippians 2:7 – 8).
There are two genealogies that describe the incarnation of Jesus: Matthew 1:1 – 16 and
Luke 3:23 – 38. There is considerable discussion and controversy concerning the relationship
of these two genealogies. One thing is noteworthy: both genealogies trace Jesus to David
(Matthew 1:1 and Luke 3:31) and thereby emphasize His rightful claim as heir to the throne of
David (Luke 1:32 – 33). It appears that Matthew describes Joseph’s lineage (Matthew 1:16),
and because an heir made his claim through the father, Jesus’ right to the Davidic throne comes
through Joseph, His adoptive father. Luke cites Jesus’ descent through Mary to Adam,
connecting the Messiah with the predicted Seed (descendant) of the woman.
The Virgin Birth

The Messiah was distinguished from all other beings as the Son of God in two respects:
First, by His life – a life of perfect holiness
Second, by His death and resurrection
His Spirit was essentially and absolutely holy. His sinlessness marked Him off from all mere
human beings. This uniqueness involves the supernatural character of His birth. All who have
been born naturally have been tainted with sin. The Messiah was sinless (Hebrews 4:15,
1 Peter 2:22 and 1 John 3:5). Therefore, His birth was supernatural.
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Pre-existent as the Son of God, and therefore essentially one with the Father, He became
incarnate as a human descendant of David. His sinlessness, during the days of His flesh and
ever since, testifies to His deity as the Son of God.
The virgin birth was the means whereby the incarnation took place and guaranteed the sinless
state of the Son of God. For this reason, the virgin birth was essential. Isaiah 7:14 predicted the
virgin birth and Matthew 1:23 provides the explanation, indicating its fulfillment in the birth of the
Messiah. Matthew 1:23 identifies Mary as a “virgin” (Greek – “parthenos” – clearly denoting a
virgin).
The texts of Matthew and Luke are both clear on the teaching of the virgin birth.
Matthew 1:18 emphasizes Mary was pregnant before she and Joseph lived together.
The very same Scripture indicates that her pregnancy was due to the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:22 – 23 stresses that the birth of Jesus was in fulfillment of the prophecy of
the virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14.
Matthew 1:25 emphasizes that Mary remained a virgin until the birth of the Messiah.
Luke 1:34 states that Mary had not had contact with a man, while in Luke 1:35 the angel
explains to Mary that her pregnancy was due to the “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit.
Sinlessness
The virgin birth is an essential and Biblical doctrine. The virgin birth was necessary if Jesus was
to be sinless. If He had been born of Joseph, He would have possessed the sin nature.
There is considerable evidence in the gospels affirming the virgin birth of the Messiah. As you
read Matthew 1:2 – 15, notice that the active form of the verbs is used throughout, such as
“Abraham fathered Isaac.” In verse 16, however, there is a deliberate change to the passive
form in describing the birth of Jesus. The verb in the phrase “of whom was born Jesus” is
passive and emphasizes that, in contrast to all the preceding men who fathered their sons,
Joseph did not father Jesus.
Jesus’ miraculous birth does in fact point to His deity and to the reality of the creative power
that operates in our new birth (John 1:13). Jesus’ humanity was sinless, and the circumstances
of His birth call attention to the miracle that was involved when Mary, a sinner (Luke 1:47), gave
birth to One who was not “in Adam.” Mary was “in Adam” and therefore needed a Savior.
However, Jesus was not “in Adam.” It was through the maintained sinlessness of His perfect
human nature that He became the perfect sacrifice for human sins. He thus became the Savior
of His mother and the rest of the church with her.
Therefore, the human nature of the Messiah was sinless. Although Jesus had a fully human
nature, it was not stained by sin. Although He was born of a human mother, the conception by
the Holy Spirit guaranteed the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus. This fact reveals why the doctrine
of the virgin birth is so important. If Jesus had a human father, He would have been no different
from anyone else. The testimony to the sinlessness of the Messiah is evident as Jesus claimed
for Himself: “there is nothing false about Him” (John 7:18). John the apostle also declared that –
“in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).
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Four Aspects of Jesus’ Person that Reveal His True Humanity
His Body
The body of Jesus was like the bodies of other men except for those qualities which have
resulted from human sin and failure. Luke 1 – 2 describes Mary’s pregnancy and her giving birth
to the child Jesus, affirming the Savior’s true humanity. Jesus was not a phantom as the early
Docetists taught. Later in life, He was recognizable as a Jew (John 4:9) and as the carpenter
who had earthly brothers and sisters (Matthew 13:55). Ultimately, He suffered greatly in His
human body: He experienced the pain of flogging (John 19:1), the horror of crucifixion
(John 19:18), and on the cross, He thirsted as a man (John 19:28). These elements [and many
others] emphasize the true humanity of the Lord Jesus.
His Development
In Luke 2:52, we see the description of Jesus’ development in four areas: mental, physical,
spiritual and social. He continued to mentally develop in His knowledge of things. He grew in
His physical body. He developed in His spiritual awareness (there was no interaction with sin, of
course, since He was sinless from birth until death). He developed in His social relationships.
His development in each of these four areas was perfect.
His Human Soul and Spirit

Jesus was a complete human being, having a body, soul and spirit. Before He went to the
cross, Jesus was troubled in His soul at the anticipation of the cross (John 12:27). There was a
self-consciousness that He was to bear the sin of the world, and Jesus was overwhelmed at the
prospect. John 11:33 describes in strongest terms the emotion that Jesus felt in His human
spirit at the death of His friend Lazarus. At the thought of His crucifixion, Jesus was troubled in
His human spirit (John 13:21). When He ultimately died, He gave up His spirit (John 19:30).
His Human Emotions

When Jesus had fasted in the wilderness, He became hungry (Matthew 4:2). When He and the
disciples walked through Samaria, He became tired and stopped at the well to rest (John 4:6).
He was thirsty from the day’s journey in the heat (John 4:7). Jesus also experienced human
emotions. For example, He wept over the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). He felt
compassion for the people because they were without capable leaders (Matthew 9:36) and He
experienced grief and wept over the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37 and Luke 19:41).
The Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the One Being – Jesus
Bible scholars speak about:
“The second person [of the Trinity], the pre-incarnate Messiah, who came and took to
Himself a human nature and remains forever absolute Deity and true humanity united in one
person forever.”
When Jesus the Messiah came, a Person came, not just a nature. He took on an additional
nature, a human nature. He did not simply dwell in a human person. The result of the union of
the two natures is the “God-man.”
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Explanation of the two Natures of the Messiah

The two natures of the Messiah are inseparably united without mixture or loss of separate
identity. He remains forever “God – man,”--- fully God and fully man. There are two distinct
natures in one Person forever. However, Jesus sometimes operated in the sphere of His
humanness and in other cases in the sphere of His deity. In all cases, what He did and what He
was could be attributed to His one Person. Even though it is evident that there were two natures
in the Messiah, He is never considered a “dual personality.” In summarizing the union of the
two natures of the Messiah, three facts are noted:
The Messiah has two distinct natures: human and divine.
There is no mixture or intermingling of the two natures.
Although He has two natures, Jesus is one Person.
Results of the two Natures of the Messiah

Both natures are necessary for redemption.
As a man, the Messiah could represent man and die as a man.
As God, the death of Jesus could have infinite value that is sufficient to provide
redemption for the sins of the world.
The eternal priesthood of the Messiah is based on this union.

Through the incarnation, He became Man and hence could act as a human priest.
As God, His priesthood could be everlasting after the order of Melchizedek, and He
properly could be a mediator between God and man.
What about the “(He) made Himself nothing” [Greek – ekenosen] or, “He emptied Himself.” The
critical question is: Of what did the Messiah empty Himself? Some liberal
interpretation of
Philippians 2:7theologians have said that Jesus emptied Himself of His deity, but it is evident
from His life and ministry that He did not do this. His deity was displayed on
numerous occasions. Two main points may be made:
The Messiah merely surrendered the independent exercise of some of His
attributes. He did not surrender the absolute attributes in any sense. He was always
perfectly holy, just, merciful, truthful and faithful.
Jesus took to Himself an additional nature. The context of Philippians 2:7 provides
the best solution to the problem of Jesus “emptying Himself.” The “emptying” was not a
subtraction but an addition. The four following phrases of Philippians 2:7 – 8 explain the
“emptying:”
- Taking the very nature of a servant
- Being made in human likeness
- Being found in appearance as a man
- He humbled Himself and became obedient to death
The “emptying” of the Messiah was the taking on of an additional nature, a human nature
with its limitations. His deity was never surrendered.
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Obedience and Temptation

The New Testament clearly tells us that the Lord Jesus was entirely free from all sin (John 8:46,
2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 7:26, 1 Peter 2:22 and 1 John 3:5). This means not only that
He never disobeyed his Father but that He loved God’s law and found wholehearted joy in
keeping it. In fallen human beings, there is always some reluctance to obey God, and
sometimes resentment amounting to hatred at the claims He makes on us (Romans 8:7). But
Jesus’ moral nature was not a “fallen” nature, as was Adam’s nature after he sinned. In Jesus,
there was no prior inclination away from God for satan to play on, as there is in us. Jesus loved
His Father and His Father’s will with all His heart, mind, soul and strength.
Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without
sin.” This means that every type of temptation that we face —
Temptations to wrongfully indulge natural desires of body and mind
To evade moral and spiritual issues
To take “moral shortcuts” and the easy way out
To be less than fully loving and sympathetic and creatively kind to others
To become self – protective and self – pitying, and so on
— came upon Him, but He yielded to none of them.
Overwhelming opposition did not overwhelm Him. Through the agony of Gethsemane and the
cross, He fought temptation. He resisted sin to the point where His blood was shed. Believers
must learn to do likewise (Hebrews 12:3 – 13 and Luke 14:25 – 33).
Jesus’ sinlessness was necessary for our salvation. Had He not been “a lamb without blemish
or defect,” His blood would not have been “precious” (1 Peter 1:19). He would have needed a
Savior Himself, and His death would not have redeemed us. His active obedience (perfect
lifelong conformity to God’s law for mankind, and to His revealed will for the Messiah) qualified
Jesus to become our Savior by dying for us on the cross. The Lord’s passive obedience
(enduring the penalty of God’s broken law as our sinless substitute) crowned His active
obedience to secure the pardon and acceptance of all who believe in Him (Romans 5:18 – 19,
2 Corinthians 5:18 – 21, Philippians 2:8 and Hebrews 10:5 – 10).
The temptation that came to the Messiah was from without. However, for sin to take place,
there must be an inner response to the outward temptation. Since Jesus did not possess a sin
nature, there was nothing within Him to respond to the temptation. People sin because there is
an inner response to the outer temptation.
Original Sin
Man is born with original sin. “Original sin” is not a biblical phrase (Augustine invented it), but
its meaning is derived from our origin. God did not make man with sin or with original sin. In
addition, original sin is not passed down through reproduction and birth (the uncleanness
connected with childbirth in Leviticus 12 and 15 was ceremonial only, not moral and real).
However, original sin means that:
Sinfulness marks everyone from birth, and is there a motivationally twisted heart,
prior to any actual sins.
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This inner sinfulness is the root and source of all actual sins.
We receive it in a very mysterious way from Adam, our first representative before
God.
The assertion of original sin makes the point that we are not sinners because we sin, but rather
we sin because we are sinners, born with a nature enslaved to sin.
Key Scripture Passages of Original Sin in Regards to the Messiah

We have said that Jesus had no sin. Let us look at the way some of the New Testament writers
state the sinless nature of the Messiah. It is stated according to their personal characteristics.
Peter, the man of action, says, “He committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22).
Paul, the man of knowledge, writes, “Him who had no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
John, the disciple of intimate acquaintance with Jesus while on this earth, says, “In
Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).
Thus, the Spirit of God completely safeguards the character of the Lord Jesus through the
testimony of the New Testament. Now, let us examine some of the pertinent Scriptures
concerning the nature of Jesus.
Romans 8:3 - “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God
did by sending His own Son in the likeness [homoioma] of sinful man [flesh] to be a sin offering. And so
He condemned sin in sinful man,”
Philippians 2:7 - “but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human
likeness [homoioma].”
In Romans 8:3 and Philippians 2:7, Paul uses the word “likeness” with reference to the
Messiah’s earthly life.
In Romans 8:3, he stresses the reality of Jesus’ humanness by saying that He came in
the “likeness” of sinful flesh.
In other words, He entered into the realm of human sin but without becoming subject to the
power of sin, as would be implied if Paul had simply said “in sinful flesh.” The Greek word
[homoíōma] denotes likeness in appearance but different in essence. This is very important.
With the human body, the intrinsically sinless Messiah becomes the representative of sinful
humanity in order that by destroying His body God might cancel human sin. Jesus is not just a
heavenly being with an external human form. He is fully and truly human, but not a sinner.
Hebrews 4:15 - “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but
we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin.”
Our heavenly High Priest is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He has been
tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. The Greek perfect tense
(pepeirasmenon – “has been tempted”) implies that the exalted Jesus carries with Him His
earthly experiences of resisting sin. Thus, He continues to know what it was like to be tempted
just as we are. However, Jesus’ knowledge of our weaknesses does not come from a position
of having actually sinned (Hebrews 9:14, John 8:46, 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 John 3:5).
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He was made like us “in every way” (Hebrews 2:17, 4:15: Greek – kata panta). He has been
tempted as we are “in every way.” However, to be tempted is not the same as to sin. Jesus
was like Adam before Adam rebelled against God. Jesus had no history of sin and had the
freedom not to sin. This did not make Him any less human. As Jesus struggled to do the
Father’s will in the face of every difficulty (Hebrews 5:7 – 8, 12:2 – 3), He proved Himself to be a
man with a difference and the only one who could possibly save us from the power and penalty
of sin.
Literally, the verse reads this way: “ ... having been tempted according to all, according to
likeness, apart from sin.” It does not say that He was tempted in every particular temptation that
man can be put to. It does say that His temptations were in all the areas in which a man can be
tempted: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The particular
temptations within those areas were entirely different for Him from the ones for us. The phrase
“according to likeness” apparently means that He could be tempted because He took the
likeness of sinful flesh. “Apart from sin” means that He “was without sin.”
1 John 3:5 - “But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin.”
The emphasis here is not on sins (plural), but on sin (singular): “And in Him is no sin.” Sins are
the fruit, but sin is the root. Observe how a noted New Testament Greek scholar wrote about
this passage:
“And in Him is no sin” [Greek – kai hamartia en autōi ouk estin]: Literally, ‘And sin (the
sinful principle) in Him is not’ – This is just as Jesus had claimed about Himself
(John 7:18 and 8:46) and as is repeatedly stated throughout the New Testament
Scriptures (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 7:26 and 9:13).”
A Concluding Thought on the Nature of the Messiah---

Consider the words of this Bible scholar concerning Jesus and His human nature:
“Jesus, the Creator, thus became a human being, conceived of the Holy Spirit in a virgin,
thereby avoiding the taint of original sin. He then lived a sinless life.”
In summary, regarding Jesus the Messiah, the Bible asserts His full deity and perfect humanity
[a pre-fall human nature, not a sin nature] in one Person. This phenomenon is difficult to
comprehend. However, to do justice to the Word of God, one must hold these four important
truths about the nature of Jesus the Messiah:
The reality of His two natures: human and divine
The integrity of His two natures
There is no mixture or intermingling of these two natures
Although He has two natures, Jesus is one Person.
Finally, as we noted above – between the Messiah and a human being there is a likeness in
appearance but a difference in essence. He is truly the God–man, fully God and fully man.
Yet, His human nature is not our sinful nature. The essence of His human nature is different
from ours. The virgin birth guaranteed this difference. It enables Him to become the sinless
Savior that we need. Amen.
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God the Holy Spirit

We will touch lightly on the teaching about the Holy Spirit since you will be able to study the
SALT book No. 13 - “Doctrine of the Holy Spirit” – later on in your training.
The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of God" and the "Spirit of the Messiah." Thus, He is God in
spiritual manifestation. As God is a Person, so is the Holy Spirit a Person. He possesses all the
attributes of God and all elements of personality.
The Holy Spirit is presented in both the Old and New Testaments.
-In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is seen as active in creation (Genesis 1:2). He came upon
men to enable them to do mighty works for God (Judges 14:5 - 6). Wisdom and skill come from
the Holy Spirit, who endowed the prophets with wisdom and revealed God's truth to them
(2 Peter 1:21).
-In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was the agent in Mary's conception of Jesus
(Luke 1:34 - 35). The Holy Spirit was present at Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:21 - 22) and temptation
(Luke 4:1). Note that Jesus performed no miracles until after He was anointed by the Holy Spirit
at His baptism.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God sent forth to do His work. The Holy Spirit revealed
God's Word and will to men. He inspired chosen ones to record it. He enlightens men's minds
that they may understand it.
It is seen clearly in Acts how the Holy Spirit works through men. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit
transformed the fearful disciples into bold men, giving them a new understanding of Jesus'
redemptive work. He enabled them to speak in languages other than their own, thus enabling
them to preach to the people gathered in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit stood with the disciples
before their opponents. He guided the early believers in their decisions. Each new
development in the spread of the Gospel was at the command of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit works with lost people. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin,
righteousness and judgment (John 16:8 -11). The Holy Spirit enables a lost sinner to turn to
Jesus in faith, and in His power, the sinner is born of the Holy Spirit and becomes a child of
God. The Holy Spirit seals and sanctifies the believer as God's possession.
The Holy Spirit works in the believer. When a person becomes a believer, the Holy Spirit
takes up residence in that individual's life. Paul speaks of the believer as the temple of the Holy
Spirit.
Before Jesus returned to the Father, He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to be with His
followers. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you
forever" (John 14:16). "Another" means another of the same kind, like Jesus. The Holy Spirit
comforts in sorrow, encourages in depression, and exhorts to holy living for Jesus. He teaches,
guides and brings understanding of God's Word. What He hears from the Father He speaks.
He gives believers spiritual gifts with which to serve God.
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The Holy Spirit does not reveal Himself. He reveals God in the Messiah. This is one way of
explaining why a person understands Jesus better than He does the Spirit. Jesus said, "He will
bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you" (John 16:12 - 15). He will
glorify Jesus the Messiah, not Himself. This would suggest that any system of religion, which
magnifies the Holy Spirit above Jesus, is not of God.
The Scripture tells us not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Holy Spirit
(Ephesians 5:18). One is not to find his boldness and exhilaration for a limited time through
alcohol, but should have a permanent boldness and joy through surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit lives in every believer (John 14:16 - 17). One may have
the Holy Spirit living in him, but he may not be filled with His power. In order to be filled with His
power, one must be submissive and available to the indwelling Spirit. It is not how much of the
Holy Spirit the believer has, but how much of the believer the Holy Spirit has.
The fruit of the Spirit is not some ecstatic manifestation. It is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22 - 23). Paul said to the
believers in Galatia, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature"
(Galatians 5:16).
If one lives in the Spirit, he should walk in the Spirit. Thus, he will glorify God. The fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth.
Sovereignty of God and Free Will of Man
A Simple Explanation of God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will---

God's sovereignty means that He can act as He wills without any outside counsel or permission.
However, God has placed certain limitations upon Himself. In that sense, His sovereignty must
be seen as His power to act as He wills in keeping with His own laws and according to His
nature as righteousness and love.
On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man possesses a free will. God made him so.
While man is free to choose, he is responsible for his choices. This truth is made clear in
Genesis 3, and in the first three chapters of Romans, as well as in many other places in the
Scriptures.
The sovereignty of God is the phrase by which we express the truth that God is
supreme. He is King. He is the Almighty. Perhaps David expressed it as well as it could be
stated: "Yours, 0 Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the
splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, 0 Lord, is the kingdom; You are
exalted as Head over all" (1 Chronicles 29:11). Dominion belongs to the Lord, and He rules over
the nations.
The sovereignty of God derives from the fact of creation. God made all things; therefore,
He has the right to govern them. He has the right to determine their purposes, because He
made them.
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God not only made the universe, but He continues to maintain it. God is both the Creator
and the Sustainer of the world. God is so intimately involved with His creation that Jesus could
say that the death of a small sparrow can occur only by the will of God (Matthew 10:29).
God's sovereignty is exercised in determining the purpose of His creation. God created
this universe for His own glory. God's creation was a self-directed, self-expressive, self-
satisfying act. Just as an artist "creates" a masterpiece to express himself, so God created to
express Himself and to declare who He is.
The sovereignty of God is seen in His selection of the people of Israel as a nation
through which to work (Deuteronomy 7:6 - 11). God chooses us as His people, not only to
save us, but also to be God to us. He wants to be the one source of all our joy, the one object of
all our love, and the one end of our very being. God becomes involved with His own people.
It is very difficult to harmonize God's sovereignty and man's free will. God in His
sovereignty has established certain natural laws. However, man is free to live by them or to live
contrary to them. Without a doubt, he is left with the consequences. Nevertheless, he is still
free to choose. The same is true of God's spiritual laws. Man can choose to live by them and
be blessed, or he can rebel against them and be cursed (Galatians 6:7 - 8). God does not force
His will upon man. It is man’s choice.
God's purpose is to save man, but God will not do it against man's own desires. God is
known in the New Testament as a seeking God. Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek
and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). Luke 15 portrays God as being like the shepherd who
seeks the lost sheep, like the woman who seeks the lost coin, like the father whose love follows
the wayward son.
Jesus made it clear that it is impossible for man to initiate his movement toward God.
Jesus said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has enabled him"
(John 6:65). In John 15:16, it is made clear that the initiative in salvation is not on man's side:
"You did not choose me, but I chose you…." This choice has not been forced, for man is given
the freedom to accept or reject. Man can say “yes” or “no” to God, only because God has given
man this freedom. However, remember, "your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these
little ones should be lost" (Matthew 18:14). In 2 Peter 3:9, the Scripture says that the Lord "is not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
God never violates human personality. He wants all men to be saved, but He will not save a
man against the man's own will. He knocks at the door of the heart, but He will not force the
door to open (Revelation 3:20).
God allows men to respond freely. He speaks to men through their God-given faculties, the
Bible, the church, evangelism, education and missionary endeavors. Nevertheless, man
chooses how he will respond.
Although God wills that all men would be saved and obediently follow the teaching of
the Bible, let us never think that man's fate is determined for him. This is not a "rigged
election." God is not playing with toys nor manipulating puppets. God is seeking men who
stand in awesome freedom and have the choice to accept or reject the salvation and guidance
that God alone can offer.
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Conclusion---
These conclusions concerning Paul’s teaching on sovereignty ought to be observed---
God’s purpose is to save man.
God Himself initiates salvation – He chooses man.
God never forces [goes against] man’s free will.
God allows man to respond freely to Him.
God’s sovereignty and man’s free will are both basic Christian doctrines – difficult to
understand and to reconcile with each other, nevertheless both are true.
Discuss----
Discuss and write:
1. From what you have learned about the nature of the Messiah, discuss and write a short
paragraph explaining the nature of the Messiah. Refer to the book.
2. What did God reveal to you this week about Himself?
3. What was new that you had not thought about before?
4. After studying this book, was there something you knew about the Godhead, but about
which you were unclear and this book helped you understand it more clearly? What was
made clear to you?
5. Think about how you will teach this book to another person or other persons. What will
you do to prepare to teach this book? How will you teach this book to others?
We have studied five basic questions concerning the Doctrine of the Godhead. We hope you
have enjoyed this study and have learned more about who God is. We hope that you have
grown in your knowledge of God. As He draws you to Him, we know you will get closer to Him
spiritually and we hope you will follow Him daily. We close this study of the “Doctrine of the
Godhead” with words from Paul:
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just
as the Messiah loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God……May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and the love of
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
------Ephesians 5:1 - 2 and 2 Corinthians 13:14
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Book

The Doctrine of the

Five Questions We Will Consider:

In Central Asia, what have people understood about God?

 Discuss and fill in the box with a check.

As a believer, what is your belief about God?

How has God revealed Himself to man?

Three Ways God Reveals Himself to Man

General Revelation: Nature God’s Revelation Special Revelation: The Bible

Special Revelation: Jesus the Messiah

Hebrews 1:1 – 2 __________________________________________________________________

John 1:18 _______________________________________________________________________

John 14:9 _______________________________________________________________________

John 17:8 _______________________________________________________________________

1 Peter 3:18 _____________________________________________________________________

2 Peter 3:2 ______________________________________________________________________

2 Timothy 3:15 ___________________________________________________________________

Why does God want to reveal Himself to man?

Jesus revealed the Father to man through His teaching----

1. What are the three monotheistic religions of the world?

2. What do these three believe about God?

3. What do ancestor worship and shamanism believe about God?

5. What do the Muslims believe about the Christian God?

6. What are some differences between Islam and Christianity?

7. By what three ways has God revealed Himself to the world?

8. Explain how God is seen in nature.

9. Explain how God reveals Himself through His Holy Word.

10. What do “illumination” and “inspiration” of God’s Holy Word mean?

What Is God Like?

Above is a concise explanation of God. However, to understand more clearly an explanation of

What does God call Himself?

God calls Himself by the Use of His Names---

A chart of the Names of God---

Name Description Reference

LORD – Yahweh “I Am Who I Am”, the 1 Samuel 1:20

God Reveals Himself by the Use of His Attributes---

Seven Natural Attributes of God

Deuteronomy 4:26 – 38______________________________________________________

Four Moral Attributes of God

Write 2 Corinthians 5:19 - ___________________________________________________

God Reveals Himself by His Name, the Creator God---

God is Understood by the Term, “The Godhead or Trinity”----

What does God call Himself in the New Testament?

Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Synoptic Gospels---

Some of God’s Attributes Portrayed in the Letters ---

4. How does God reveal Himself as Creator God?

Who Is The Trinity?

What is the definition of the Trinity?

Is the word Trinity found in the Bible?

What does the Trinity signify?

According to John's Gospel---

Write 2 Corinthians 13:14:

Each, however, has a distinctive function.

Are there any misinterpretations of the Trinity?

Some examples of this thought are:

Does the Bible explain the relationships of the Godhead?

A triangle = three sides but just one triangle

Let us look at the Triune God, who is one God.

What are some important points about the Trinity?

God is One in Regard to Essence---

Write the following verses in the blanks below.

John 5:19 - _________________________________________________________________

John 8:28 - _________________________________________________________________

Discuss and fill in the box with a check.