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Season 2, Episode 8
For Wednesday, August 12, 2015
“Three Persons, One God”
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Episode Transcript:
Welcome to The New You, where we focus on maintaining and accentuating the new that Christ has created in you. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s scripture:
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat. 3:16-17).
These are the events which transpired at the time of Jesus’ baptism. We know the Lord chose to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mat. 3:15), and, when He did, the Spirit descended like a dove and the Father spoke regarding His Son. It is an amazing scene.
This scene also teaches us about God. Yesterday, we noted that God is one. Here in Matthew three, we see the Father, the Son, and the Spirit all together. They are three, distinct Persons, yet they are all called “God” throughout the Scriptures. How can this be?
Think about this: If the Bible teaches there is one God, and if the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each distinct Personalities, and yet are referred to as God, then the Bible teaches that there are three distinct Personalities in one Godhead.
This is such an important truth to grasp! Consider the following.
1. The Father is God.
In 1 Corinthians 1:3, Paul wishes grace and peace to be upon the Corinthian Christians “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” While the Father is God, we should also note that the Father is not the Son. Jesus prayed to God (John 17). If He and the Father are the same person, then to Whom did He pray? Further, the Father is not the Spirit, as evidenced in the scene of Jesus’ baptism.
2. The Son is God.
John chapter one states that “the Word was God” (John 1:1-2). Verse fourteen makes it clear that “the Word” refers to Jesus. The Bible is also clear, though, that the Son is not the Father. Hebrews 1:5 says, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.” Further, the Son is not the Spirit. Jesus said that the Father would send the Holy Spirit when Jesus ascended back to heaven (John 14:26).
3. The Spirit is God.
Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3), and, in so doing, lied to God (Acts 5:4). The Spirit is not the Father (Mat. 3:16-17), and the Spirit is not the Son (John 15:26).
Let’s wrap it up: Is this just a bunch of technicality? Well, these are some details, but they are important details! The Bible teaches that there is one Divine Nature, God. There are three distinct Persons who are unified in that Nature: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
What a blessing that we can know the Father, the Son, and the Spirit because God has been revealed to us through the Bible. What a privilege to be adopted into the family of God, to be “born again” (John 3) into that family! Don’t skirt these details. They are so important. They will make you more godly.
Memory Verse: This week’s verse discusses that Divine Nature, contrasting it with frail morality. Acts 17:29 is the verse.
Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising (Acts 17:29).
Thanks for listening to The New You. This podcast is brought to you by The Light Network. Visit us online at thelightnetwork.tv. Please subscribe to The New You in iTunes or in your favorite podcast app to automatically receive each new episode.
Tomorrow, I want to offer you six reasons why studying the Trinity, or the Godhead, is so important. I’ll meet you then for The New You.
