Post #41 The Doctrine of God: The Old Testament and Jesus' Teaching On God the Father's Deity And His Relationship To The Son

 

Introduction:

    In the last post here http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/04/post-40-doctrine-of-god-jesus-teaching.html we focused upon Jesus' teaching about the unity He has with the Father and the Holy Spirit by way of their "mutual indwelling" with one another. We looked at key passages in the Gospels where Jesus used the "He-in-me, I-in-Him" language. Such phraseology indicated that Jesus had in mind two pillar doctrines that are essential for a Biblical understanding of the doctrine of God,

1. There is one, and only one true and living God that is one in nature or in His Godhead.

2. This Godhead (that is, "deity, Divine nature, Divine essence, God's very substance and being) is equally and wholly in each of the Divine Persons - The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    We can summarize these twin pillars of Biblical theology proper (i.e. the Doctrine of God) as God's unity of being and plurality of identity. Both pillar truths provide the basis for articulating the Doctrine of the Trinity. 

    It may surprise readers to know that in most respects, what Jesus taught about the Godhead in its unity and plurality of identity was revealed throughout the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament (albeit in progressive fashion). In other words, much of what Jesus taught in His doctrine of God was not novel. He simply added further insight to an already established theology proper revealed in the Old Testament. The famed 19th century theologian B.B. Warfield in his essay "The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity" in his "Biblical and Theological Studies", page 32, comments on how the New Testament authors handled the doctrine of God with respect to the Old Testament revelation

"The simplicity and assurance with which the New Testament writers speak of God as a Trinity have, however, a further implication. If they betray no sense of novelty in so speaking of Him, this is undoubtedly in part because it was no longer a novelty so to speak of Him. It is clear, in other words, that as we read the New Testament, we are not witnessing the birth of a new conception of God. What we meet with in its pages is a firmly established conception of God underlying and giving its tone to the whole fabric."

Jesus' teaching about Himself and God the Father

    As Jesus revealed Himself as the decisive revelation of God in human flesh, He always pointed to the Father.  Who exactly God the Father was in the Old Testament, as well as how Jesus conceived of Himself in relationship to the Father, will enable us to get more prepared for the New Testament's full revelation of the Trinity. 

    We can summarize the Old Testament revelation of God the Father under four headings. For this post, we will detail the first two of those headings, and deal with the remaining two in the next post. The four ways the Old Testament reveals the Father is as follows:

1. God the Father as truly God.

2. God the Father sharing the same equality of deity or Godhead with the Son.

3. God the Father being the Creator of the world.

4. God the Father being the Savior of His people.

    As I expound each heading, let the reader note how Jesus reiterates that truth in His own instructional ministry.

1. God the Father as truly God.

    He is the eternal one, being without origin by nature, expressing all the Divine attributes that we have looked at in previous posts. In the Old Testament, the Father is revealed as "God", "LORD", and other Divine names. Isaiah writes in Isaiah 63:15 "Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation....". Then Isaiah 63:16 "For You are our Father....". In Daniel 7:9, Daniel relays a vision of the Heavenly throneroom, speaking of the Father as "The Ancient of Days". In Malachi 1:6 and 2:10, we see reference to "The Father", the "LORD of Hosts", being His name. 

    In most of the 5766 places within the Hebrew Bible where we observe the personal name of God, Yahweh"/"LORD", as well as most of the 2706 places where we see the more general name "Elohim" mentioned, unless otherwise indicated, we can safely say the Old Testament is speaking of God the Father.  

    Jesus made a point to distinguish Himself in His humanity as submitted to the Father, to whom as truly man He regarded as the only true and living God by nature (Mark 10:18). He also made a point to show Himself, as truly God, being equal to the Father, with whom He said He was "One" (John 10:30). As truly God, the Son mutually indwelled with the Father, meaning they both shared the undivided nature or Godhead as One God (see the previous post in the this series). 

    The incarnate Son also claimed He could perform the same functions as the Father in forgiving sin (Mark 2:7), raising the dead (John 5:25-29; 11:25), and executing final judgment (Matthew 11:25-27; 25:31-46; 28:18).  

2. God the Father sharing the same equality of deity or Godhead with the Son.

    We've already noticed how the Father is called "Yahweh/LORD" throughout the Old Testament. In most cases, we can assume the Old Testament is speaking of Him. The only times where we find exception to this is when mention is made of another figure, "The Angel of the LORD" in passages such as Genesis 16:7-11; Exodus 3:6,14; 23:20-33; Joshua 5:13-15; Judges 2:1-5; 13:18; Malachi 3:1-4 and others. Or, where we see an occasional mention made of "two-Yahwehs" (a Yahweh in Heaven and a Yahweh on earth - Genesis 19:24; Job 19:25-28). 

    Biblical scholars refer to this Old Testament revelation of the Father and the Angel of the Lord or other designations of a second Divine Person as "the two-powers doctrine". It is well documented in the Jewish literature spanning between the 400 year gap of Malachi and Matthew the Jewish beliefs about a "Yahweh in Heaven" and a "Visible Yahweh".  

     Scholars such as Michael Heiser have noted that following the advent of Christianity and the Bar Kochba rebellion of 132 A.D., the Jewish Rabbis expunged any mention of such "two-powers teaching", thus eliminating their one-time held belief of the plurality of Divine Persons within the Godhead.                    

    As one studies the Old Testament revelation, as well as Jesus' own teachings, it is evident that within the Godhead there is a plurality of at least two, if not three Divine persons. Each Person is distinct, while equal in their possessing the entirety of the Godhead or Divine nature.  

    For instance, we find the Father "begetting" the Son in Psalm 2:7, a term Jesus used often in His teaching ministry about He and the Father's relationship (John 1:14, 18; 3:16). Proverbs 30:4 explicitly mentions the Persons of the Father and the Son. The Old Testament revelation gives us two general conclusions in regards to the Father's relationship to the Son. 

    First, the Father and the Son both share and reveal the totality of the Divine nature or Godhead. Then secondly, the two are to be distinguished from one another while exhibiting the same Divine perfections we would expect when talking about God. 

Conclusion for today

    In our next post we will continue noting how the Old Testament reveals God the Father as the Creator of the World and the Savior of His people. We will also draw conclusions as to how Jesus not only incorporated the revelation of the Old Testament's teaching of the Father into His own expositions, but also the additional light He shed upon the relationship shared between the Father and Himself. Such understanding will show the reader how the Old Testament and Jesus' teaching paved the way for the New Testament's full-orbed revelation on the Trinity. 

Post #40 The Doctrine of God: Jesus' Teaching On The Godhead And Mutual Indwelling Between The Three Persons Of The Godhead

Introduction:

    In our last post we began to pivot this entire series on "The Doctrine of God" from discussion of the unity of God's being expressed through His Attributes to how we plan to approach conversation of His Triune identity. I had pointed out three starting points for getting ourselves to the doctrine of the Trinity from considerations of the unity of His being.

1. The glory of God.

2. The Old Testament revelation of God and how it presupposed a plurality of personality within the Godhead.

3. Jesus' teaching on the mutual indwelling of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    It is the third of these I want to draw out attention to in this post, since the entire Old Testament revelation of God finds it harbor in the teachings of Jesus' doctrine of God. 

    Anytime we talk of the unity of God's being and attributes, the term used is what we call "the Godhead". I'll elaborate on that below. Also too, how the unity of the Godhead relates to the Three Persons of the Trinity (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) in such unity is what we find in Jesus' teaching on the mutual indwelling of the Three Persons. 

    For now, let the reader know that the particular subject of the Godhead and the mutual indwelling of the Persons of the Trinity is spelled out by Jesus in His teachings, providing a launching point for the remaining revelation of God in the New Testament. 

    As I noted already, in today's post we'll define the term "Godhead" and understand how it is handled by Jesus in a sample of His teachings. We will then introduce the reader to Jesus' teaching on the mutual indwelling He, the Father, and the Spirit have among themselves. 

What is meant by the term "Godhead"

    The reader may had noticed I made mention of the term "Godhead". The idea of "Godhead" is synonymous with everything we've looked at concerning God's being and attributes - that is, the Divine nature itself. The KJV uses this term "Godhead" in three places. As I list the three places, I'll use the NASB as a comparison for readers to see how this term is understood in modern English.

1. First verse with the term "Godhead", translated as "Divine nature" in the NASB 1995

Acts 17:29 "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." (KJV)

Acts 17:29 "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man." (NASB 1995)

2. Second verse using the term "Godhead", translated "Divine nature" in NASB 1995 

Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (KJV)

Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

3. Third passage with the term "Godhead", translated "Deity" in NASB 1995

Colossians 2:9 "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (KJV)

Colossians 2:9 "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." (NASB 1995).

    Thus what we find then the term "Godhead" is synonymous with "deity" and "Divine nature". In Acts 17:29, we have then the term "Godhead" speaking of God's substance of deity, not being made of physical material, leading to the conclusion, as Jesus taught, that the Godhead is "spirit" in John 4:24. Jesus certainly taught what theologians speak of concerning the "substance" of the Godhead, otherwise known as the Divine attribute of spirituality.  

    In the Romans 1:20 passage, we see the Divine nature or "Godhead" listed alongside one of the attributes - Divine power or "omniscience". Jesus taught that for God, all things are possible, since He is omnipotent. One of things we will see in future posts is how the term "God" could either refer to the Godhead or was Jesus' way of talking about His Father (context of course being the final deciding factor). At anyrate, when we speak of the Godhead expressed through the attributes or perfections of deity, we find this theologically termed "the character of God". 

    Then we thirdly see in Colossians 2:9 how the Divine nature or Godhead is possessed by the Son. Jesus will unpack this point of the Godhead or Divine nature being an entire possession of not only Himself, but of the Father, who makes common to Him the Godhead or Divine nature by His act of begetting (John John 1:18; 5:26). This third use of the Godhead introduces us into discussion of the doctrine of the Trinity. 

    Thus far, we've noticed how the term "Godhead" contemplates God's Divine substance and character, and how both are possessed wholly by the Father, the Son, and as we shall see in later posts, the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus' teaching on the mutual indwelling between Himself and the Father and the Holy Spirit

    As we move on from having defined the term "Godhead", we can now pivot to starting to discuss how Jesus conceived of the "oneness" of the Godhead or Divine nature on the one hand, and then how He understood the Godhead functioned in, among, and through the Father, Himself, and the Holy Spirit. 

    Jesus often used what theologians call "mutual indwelling" language when highlighting both the union of deity and distinction between Himself and the Father, or between Himself, the Father, and the Spirit. This phenomena in Jesus' teaching on the Godhead would inolve phrases such as "I in Him, and He in me". Take for instance John 10:38 "But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." We see Jesus using similar phraseology in how He describes the unity between He and the Father in John 14:10,11 (2x He states "I am in the Father and the Father is in me). In Jesus' High-priestly prayer in John 17:21 He prays "that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You". This isn't a mere unity of activity, but of being. We similarly see how He, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit mutually indwell one another in how they work in and through believers (see John 14:23). 

    In the first four centuries of the church, certain theologians such as Gregory of Nyssa, Basil the Great, and others took notice of this descriptive terminology of Jesus. They grasped that what Jesus was teaching was nothing other than the two most fundamental tenets of Trinitarian theology,

*There is one, and only one true and living God.

*This one Godhead is in the Father, as well as in the Son, and equally in the Holy Spirit.

    Theologians came to use the term "perichoresis" (Latin "circumincession") to describe how the Persons of the Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit mutually indwelled or "co-inhered" within one another. Theologian Vern Poythress explains this idea in his book "The Mystery of the Trinity", page 91, 

"The coinherence of the persons means that each is completely present to the others. Each has complete knowledge of the others. Each acts with the others in the works of God in creation, redemption, and consummation."

    Poythress later adds,

"Coinherence (that is, the mutual indwelling of the The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit) presents us with a kind of harmonious bridge between the biblical teaching on the distinction of the persons. The persons are indeed distinct, but they are also profoundly one, through coinherence. Each person is fully God, the one God."

Conclusion for now

    In the next post I plan to pick up more on Jesus' teaching on this doctrine of mutual indwelling, and specifically what He had to say about the Person of the Father. For today at least I wanted to alert readers to some examples of Jesus' teaching on the Godhead, and the doctrine of mutual indwelling. As we shall see in forthcoming posts, Jesus brings together everything taught in the Old Testament on the doctrine of God, as well as setting the tone for how the New Testament would bring into full view the Triunity of God. 

More next time....

Defending The Resurrection Of Jesus From The Dead And Noting Its Importance For Today

 

Matthew 28:6 "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Note to reader: I have included links to videos in this post which readers can click on and view to visualize what I have written in the post below.

Introduction:

    

      No other event or Christian doctrine is more proclaimed, more attacked, and more crucial than Christ's resurrection. We will first note four key areas of consideration when talking about the event of the empty tomb. Afterwards, we will then consider how three top "Christian apologists" or "defenders of the faith" handle the resurrection of Jesus in their communication of the Christian faith. Then lastly, we will consider why the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are crucial to connecting the Christian faith today to what followed from the empty tomb during that first Easter morning.

Four key areas involved in discussing the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

1. Jesus' burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Jesus' post resurrection appearances to His followers

4. Changed lives of Jesus' followers

       Now why are the four above categories important? Whether one is a committed Christian or a skeptic, the four above areas are those which the majority New Testament scholars (whether conservative, non-conservative or skeptical alike) agree as those events which require explanation. It is one thing to find a majority consensus on "what happened". Yet, it is quite another matter when exploring the explanations for what happened. Readers may check out two videos which lay out the events associated with the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhQRMhUK1o&t=26s and the explanations given for the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SbJ4p6WiZE Both videos together provide a compelling example of how one could present the historical argument for Jesus' resurrection. 

Explanations of what brought about the empty tomb, and the only one which show itself superior to all the others.

       There are only two sorts of explanations for the empty tomb on that first Easter. First, there are naturalistic explanations (examples being: Jesus fainted and was revived in the tomb; Jesus' body was stolen; a look-alike was placed on the cross; the disciples hallucinated; the location of the tomb was mis-identified). Then the second sort of explanations is the supernatural explanation (God raised Jesus from the dead). When anyone puts forth an explanation, the way to test each of these is to see which one explains the four facts above and which one outperforms the rival explanations. I won't go any further but to say the above summary is typical of how the event of Jesus' resurrection is approached as a historical event. 

What top Christian apologists or defenders of the Christian faith say about Jesus' resurrection from the dead

       Apologetics is that branch of Christian doctrine which expresses why a Christian believes what they believe and defends the Christian faith against common objections. Three top Christian Apologists today list the above four areas in their short list of what lies at the core of the Biblical narrative of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  I want the reader to note the last element in each of their listings, since the importance of Jesus' post-resurrected appearances will be discussed toward the end of this post.

       First, Josh McDowell in his book: "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" lists the following elements of what he calls "the resurrection scene":1

1. Jesus was dead

2. The tomb

3. The burial

4. The stone

5. The seal

6. The guard

7. The disciples

8. The post-resurrection appearances 

        The second Christian apologist, Liberty University Professor Gary Habermas, lists out a very similar short list in the argument he gives for the resurrection that he calls the "minimal facts argument":2

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Post resurrection appearances

4. Changed lives (especially of the Apostle Paul).

       Dr. Habermas' argument leans heavily on Paul's statements in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10, noting that the material represents early information that takes the reader back to within a year after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  

       The third Christian Apologist who argues for the historicity and reliability of the resurrection accounts of Jesus Christ is Dr. William Lane Craig, a world renowned expert and debater who frequently engages with formidable opponents of the Christian faith.  In his presentations, I have heard Dr. Craig list in a similar fashion the following essential elements to the account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead:

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. The post resurrection appearances

4. The changed lives of the disciples

5. The conversion of the Apostle Paul

The one area among these elements that merits further focus and explanation: Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to various people.

         The particular matter of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, and how to explain the dramatic change in the disciples' lives will be reserved for the end of this post. For now, the reader should know that, in the last 30 years, academic scholarship has shown increasing interest in testing explanations for what took place on that first Easter morning. 

       For any Christian, the explanation or hypothesis: "God raised Jesus from the dead", not only represents the Biblical position but also has shown itself the most able to explain the four areas above and to consistently outperform its naturalistic rivals.  Exploring how the post resurrected Jesus radically changed the lives of his disciples in the wake of His resurrection, as well as how He is still changing lives today lends immense credibility to the truth of the resurrection narratives. 

What we observe in the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus

         Whenever we consider the four Gospel records, the Book of Acts and 1 Corinthians 15, we find a dozen episodes featuring Christ's post- resurrection appearances.  Furthermore, we find three common themes among them all:

1. Desperate condition of the people before His appearances.

2. Direct encounter with the Risen Christ during the appearances.

3. Dramatic change that resulted from the appearances.

        Eight individuals or groups stand out in these post-resurrection appearance narratives, what we could call "post-resurrection profiles". 

1. Mary Magdalene

2. Peter

3. Emmaus Road Disciples

4. Thomas

5. The Disciples in general

6. Group of 500 people

7. James, the half brother of Jesus 

8. Paul

        In scanning over these eight people or groups, we discover that in each case, their lives before, during and after each post-resurrection appearance leads to the conclusion that Christ indeed not only raised from the dead, but is alive and operating among His people. Such post-resurrection power is the basis for the salvation and Christian growth of every Christian living today.

Closing thought

        The importance of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances cannot be over-estimated.  Not only is such a truth a vital component in communicating and defending the truth of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, but also is vital in explaining how Jesus is able to change lives today. In closing, this is why we come across such statements as 1 Peter 1:3. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 

      May we think on such truths and live our lives for the living, risen and exalted Jesus Christ!

Endnotes:

1. Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict - Volume 1. Here's Life Publishers. Page 189.

2. Dr. Habermas' minimal facts presentation can be found at the following link at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M

Salvation Paid In Full - Why "Good Friday" Is So Good

 

Introduction

       Today is what Christians the world-over refer to as "Good Friday". Why the adjective "Good"? The Son of God incarnate, Jesus Christ, who perfectly, flawlessly, lived the only sinless human life before men, offered Himself up to death on a merciless cross. That act was at once a depiction of human hatred and Divine love (see Acts 2:23; Romans 5:8). 

    What made Jesus' death on the cross good on the Friday He died was what it achieved. Jesus uttered 56 words in the six hours he hung on the cross. 56 words, stretched over seven sayings, emphasized His intent, His love, and His achievement of redemption. His accomplishment signalled the "good" of Good Friday. His forthcoming resurrection proved that what He did was accepted by the Father. That's the good news of the Gospel. 

     At the church where I pastor, we annually celebrate Good Friday by having what is called "The Seven Sayings of Jesus from the Cross" service. The words that Jesus spoke during His crucificxion are what I alluded to above, and which are the focus of the service we'll have at the church this evening. Let me draw your attention to one of those statements expressed by our Lord in the final hours before He died on the cross.

Salvation "paid in full"

    

    One of the final words Jesus would express before breathing His last is recorded by John the Apostle in John 19:30 -

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. 

       In the underlying Greek text of this passage, the words, “It is finished” are one word - "τετέλεσται" ("te-tell-es-tie"). Moulton and Milligan’s Greek Lexicon (i.e dictionary), page 630, cites examples from ancient receipts where this word was used to express “payment in full”. I'm sure most readers have had that thrilling experience of making a final payment on something. To see a "zero" balance at the bottom of the bill signals you're no longer underthreat of penalty for late payments, nor the weight of debt owed. The bill is satisfied. 

    Better yet, for perhaps fewer persons who have had someone pay the balance of a long-standing debt, what emotions come to the surface when you realize that someone else satisfied a debt you had accrued? Gratitude? Humility? Wondering why? That's all included in this one little word in the Greek that we translate into the phrase "it is finished". 

    The verb "τετέλεσται" ("te-tell-es-tie") is in what we call the "perfect tense", which means that a particular act, having been done in the past, has abiding consequences into the present. Quite literally, what is intended in the phrase "it is finished" is "it has been finished, and is still finished, never to be repeated". What Jesus said from the cross over 2,000 years ago has ripple effects that changes the life of anyone who receives all He has done and is by faith (Ephesians 1:7). So, what exactly was He claiming to have “paid in full”? 

The cross and the empty tomb demonstrate that the benefits of salvation were paid in full

    The Four Gospels tell us about the events of cross and empty tomb. The Book of Acts contains the preaching of the cross and empty tomb. It is in the New Testament letters and Revelation that we find the meaning of the cross and empty tomb. What follows is a sample of all the benefits of salvation “paid in full” on the cross. As you read each verse below, note the underlined words.

1. Freedom from condemnation. 

Galatians 3:13 "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”

2. Forgiveness of sins. 

Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."

3. Full pardon. 

Colossians 2:14 "having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

4. Flourishing spiritual life. 

Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age."

5. Final defeat of Satan. 

Hebrews 2:14 "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."

6. Freedom to live for God. 

1 Peter 2:24 "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

7. Forever adoption. 

Revelation 5:9 “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation."

    Every benefit can only become reality in someone's life when they receive what Jesus accomplished by faith. Apart from faith, the debt of sin and judgment is owed (see Romans 6:23).

Closing thoughts for this Good Friday

    When Jesus said those words, all of these, and more, were “paid in full”! For all who receive Him by faith apart from good works, the debt is paid in full. Reflect on what Jesus has done. I close with words from a dear old Hymn "Jesus paid it all" - "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow". 

Post #39 The Doctrine of God - Bridging How To Discuss God As One God To His Triune Identity

Introduction:

    In the last post I gave readers links to all 37 posts that detailed God's being and attributes here http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/03/post-38-doctrine-of-god-gods-glory-in.html. The point of the last post was to bring together this series for readers to grasp the "big-picture" of what we mean when we study theology proper or the doctrine of God in regards to His being and attributes. In my very first post of this series I noted how there are five ways to begin one's study of theology proper here http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/07/post-1-doctrine-of-god-map-to-explore.html. The series up until this point has focused on the first major area of the doctrine of God, namely the oneness of God in His being. 

    In any work of systematic theology, we constantly bump up against that perfection of God which is identified as God's "incomprehensibility". This means God is by no means comprehensively exhausted or mastered by the human intellect. We can truly know God because of Divine revelation (Job 42:1-5; Philippians 3:7-10), yet we can never comprehend Him. This is proved by such Biblical phrases as God "dwelling in unapproachable light, which no man has seen nor can see" (1 Timothy 6;16). 

    As we push on ahead, I want to use all the prior posts as our launching point for the next leg of our study of the doctrine of God - the doctrine of the Trinity. Much like we did in the very first post, where we enumerated various starting points for studying the doctrine of God as a whole, I want to lay out ways we may begin to bridge our conversation and study between God's Divine nature (also called His "Godhead", the subject of the last 38 posts in this series) to that of His Triune identity.

1. The glory of God as a bridge between discussion of the Divine nature and the Trinity. 

    I hinted at this in the last post and will continue to draw on this throughout the remaining posts. Scripture certainly points us in this direction. 

    For example, Psalm 19:1 tells us how "the heavens decalre the glory of God", with "glory of God" gesturing toward contemplation of God in all that He is as revealed through the general revelation of creation. We then see God's glory as a theme in a key Trinitarian passage, reminding us in Hebrews 1:3 of how the Son is "the radiance of God's glory, and the exact representation of His being". The term "God" in Hebrews 1:3 refers to the Person of the Father, of whom the Son discloses in His effulgence as the Divine Son. God's glory bridges any discussion of the Divine Godhead to the Persons in the Godhead. 

2. The Old Testament's preparation for the full revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament. 

    Not only does God's glory help us bridge between discussion of God's oneness of being and Triune identity, but also the Old Testament revelation of God. Genesis 1 reveals what we could call the "twin pillars" of any Biblical doctrine of God - God's oneness of being and plurality of personhood. 

    Genesis 1:1 squarely tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. The Hebrew text utilizes a singular masculine verb in the third person to tell us of a singular God verbalizing everything into existence. Yet, the subject of the sentence, "God", is the Hebrew name for God "Elohim", which is a plural masculine noun. We see this same sort of phenomenon in Genesis 1:26, with the third masculine singular verb for "make" in reference to the making of man as male and female. Yet, the subject of that verb in the sentence is the Hebrew name of God "Elohim". 

    Furthermore, Genesis 1:26 also includes pronoun "our" in reference to the image He would stamp into the moral and spiritual make-up of the man and woman. God is no doubt a singular entity, Creator of all things. At the same time, this one God is a plural personality. 

    Throughout the Old Testament revelation we see references hinting at the personages in the Godhead. For instance, we see "The Spirit" (Genesis 1:2) and "The Son" in Psalm 110:4 and Proverbs 30:4. 

    The Old Testament doesn't get to the level of detail we find in the New Testament revelation to how it ties together the oneness of God with the plurality of personality. Nonetheless, The Old Testament sets up for what would be that eventual bringing together of the complete picture of "One God in Three Persons" observed in the New Testament.  

3. The mutual indwelling of Father, Son, and Spirit as One God by nature.  

     Jesus' teaching on the doctrine of God is a quantum leap forward in the progressive revelation of Scripture in bridging God's oneness of nature and plurality of personality. As only Jesus could do, He utilizes the language of what theologians call "mutual indwelling", which is to say the "Father is in me and I in the Father" type of expressions. For instance, we read Jesus' words in John 14:10-11

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves."

    What Jesus taught in John 13-17 about Himself, the Father, and Holy Spirit being One in unity and distinct in identity moves our understanding forward in formulating a Biblical doctrine of God that affirms a oneness in being and three in identity.  

Closing thoughts for today

    As I have read various theologians and studied God's Word over the years, it appears there are at least three ways of bridging our discussion of God's oneness of being to His Triune identity. Such bridging is comprised of three conceptual truths.

    First, God's glory, revealing the inner reality of His nature, attributes, and relationships between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Secondly, grasping how the Old Testament introduces to the main points of the doctrine of the Trinity, followed by how the New Testament draws those points together into a coherent picture of the Triune God. Then thirdly, studying the words of Jesus as He taught the doctrine of God, especially in His final teaching before His crucifixion in John 13-17. The posts that will follow will attempt to map out the main contours of the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity, and how that brings a complete picture of our overall understanding of God in His oneness of being and threeness of identity. 

More next time....

Post #38 The Doctrine of God - God's Glory In His Being And Attributes: Links To All Previous Posts In Our Study Of The Doctrine Of God

Introduction:

    For the last 37 posts I've endeavored to give readers an introduction to the doctrine of God or theology proper. The links to the past 37 posts, along with topical headings, are given now for the reader to click upon who wants to review posts related to the doctrine of God in His existence, being, and attributes. The latter part of today's post will then detail the glory of God and how His glory ties together our study of God in His being, attributes, Triune identity, and actions in creation, providence, and redemption.

Posts #1-#7 God's existence, nature, and revelation of Himself.

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/07/post-1-doctrine-of-god-map-to-explore.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-2-doctrine-of-god-gods-existence.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-3-doctrine-of-god-how-names-of-god.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-4-doctrine-of-god-mans-inner.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-5-doctrine-of-god-role-of.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-6-doctrine-of-god-necessity-for.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-7-doctrine-of-god-by-nature-god.html

Posts #8-#37 God's nature in His attributes.

Introduction to the attributes 

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-8-doctrine-of-god-introduction-to.html

Divine Aseity (God's self-existence)

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-9-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine immutability or unchangeableness 

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-10-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine eternity

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/08/post-11-doctrine-of-god-attribute-of.html

Divine omniscience

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-12-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine spirituality (God's non-physicality, immateriality)

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-13-doctrine-of-god-p1-gods.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-14-doctrine-of-god-p2-gods.html

Divine truthfulness

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-15-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine invisibility (God's unseeableness) 

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-16-doctrine-of-god-gods.html

Divine Wisdom

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/09/post-17-doctrine-of-god-p1-reflections.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/10/post-18-doctrine-of-god-p2-gods.html

Divine attribute of peace

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/10/post-19-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine Wrath

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/10/post-20-doctrine-of-god-attribute-of.html

Divine Love

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/10/post-21-doctrine-of-god-p1-attribute-of.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/11/post-22-doctrine-of-god-p2-attribute-of.html

Divine attribute of perfection

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/11/post-23-doctrine-of-god-p1-gods.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/11/post-24-doctrine-of-god-p2-attribute-of.html

Divine omnipotence

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/12/post-25-doctrine-of-god-gods-attribute.html

Divine Mercy

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/12/post-26-doctrine-of-god-p1-gods.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/12/post-27-doctrine-of-god-p2-gods.html

Divine impassibility (God's constant emotional life)

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/12/post-28-doctrine-of-god-gods-constant.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2023/12/post-29-doctrine-of-god-p2-introduction.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/01/post-30-doctrine-of-god-p3-divine.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/01/post-31-doctrine-of-god-p4-divine.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/01/post-32-doctrine-of-god-p5-divine.html

Divine omnipresence and immensity

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/01/post-33-doctrine-of-god-p1-divine.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/02/post-34-doctrine-of-god-p2-divine.html

Divine Simplicity (God has no parts, He is all that He is, He is one God undivided, and all that is in God is God, thus we have His undivided attention).

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/02/post-35-doctrine-of-god-introduction-to.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/02/post-36-doctrine-of-god-gods-divine.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2024/02/post-37-doctrine-of-god-praying-through.html

    In our study, we've looked at "what God is" by nature and "how he is" in the attributes that fully express His nature. 

God's glory: what it is and how His glory ties together everything

    Jonathan Edwards, the great Puritan writer and preacher of the 17th century, wrote an essay entitled "The end for which God created the world". The essay represents one of the most comprehensive discussions anywhere on the subject of the God's glory. Edwards gives the following definition of God's glory,

"The thing signified by that name, the glory of God, when spoken of as the supreme and ultimate end of all God’s works, is the emanation and true external expression of God’s internal glory and fullness."

    In this series so far, we've hardly touched what I feel to be "the hem of the garment" of God's glory. When I survey the various Hebrew words translated "glory" in the Old Testament, as well as the various Greek words rendered by the same word in the New Testament, such meanings as "weight" and "honor" and "brightness" and "effulgence" and "radiance" come to mind. 

    In this first part of our overall study, we've surveyed but a portion of the major attributes of God. We've explored God's existence, being, and attributes. God's glory of His otherwise invisible Divine essence is manifested gloriously in His perfections. This survey of the Divine essence and attributes is but the first part of our overall study, and but the beginning of our gaze at the glory of God. 

    When we consider God's glory, we do indeed understand it as He manifests His glory by way of His perfections. Moses requests God to show him His glory in Exodus 33:18-23

"Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

It is then in Exodus 34:6-7 that God sets forth His glory, expressing His attributes, before Moses

"The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord. 6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

    Paul reminds us of God's glory in 1 Timothy 6:16 "who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen"

    God's glory in His grace enables us by faith to apprehend Him who cannot be comprehended by the finite mind. This is why we have the mediation of the Second Person of the Trinity, the incarnate God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. We see God's glory in His attributes, and we also see His glory in the Persons of the Trinity. 

    The doctrine of God covers not only God as He is in His existence, being, and attributes, but also who He is in the three members of the Godhead. 

    God's glory manifests through His acts in creation, providence, miracles, the angels, and even the unwilling participation of Satan and the angels. We see God's glory in His ways of salvation, with all that is entailed from His decrees in eternity past to final judgment and glorification of sinners and saints in eternity future. 

Closing thoughts

    Truly, God's glory ties together theology proper and all other branches of theological inquiry. In forthcoming posts, I intend to continue this series by exploring God's glory in the Trinity. The Trinity answers for us "Who God is". Soli deo gloria (to God be the glory!)

Post #37 The Doctrine of God - Praying through God's Attributes and How Divine Simplicity Grounds The Prayer-life

Introduction:

    In this blog series, we've navigated through the being and attributes of God. I wanted to devote a couple posts to the important truth of Divine simplicity, and its particular application to our prayer life. My hope is these current posts are causing us to seek God at a deeper level. Eventually, we will devote future posts to what I will call "part two" of our study of the doctrine of God or "Theology Proper" - the doctrine of the Trinity. 

    

    For now, I want to take today to show the reader the benefit of praying through God's attributes, what that looks like, and conclude with why the doctrine of Divine simplicity is the basis for our prayer life. 

    It wasn't to long ago that I found myself having one of those days that left me anxious about a whole host of life's areas. As I prayed, I asked God to help me arrive at a point of peace about the situations in question (Philippians 4:6-7). As I continued to pray and wrestle with the thoughts going through my mind, a sudden idea occurred: "why not select an attribute of God and pray about the situations through that attribute?" 

    I don't doubt that at that very moment, the Holy Spirit was illuminating me to an insight in connection with the Scripture (compare 1 Corinthians 2:10-13). So, I sought the Lord at that moment as God that is always loving, always merciful, always opposed to sin, always happy with Himself, unchanging in His love for me, and always loyal in knowing about my circumstance. In praying that way, I dwelled respectively on His love, mercy, holiness, blessedness, immutability, and omniscience. 

    Do you know that the instant I prayed that prayer, an enormous peace came over me! Since that day, I have pondered on what it would be like to base one's prayer-life on the attributes of God. Let me assure the reader that this notion is not novel. Millennia attest to the scores of Christian writers who have expounded at length on using the perfections of God as a means of prayer.  

What are God's attributes?

    An attribute of God is a perfection that is an expression of His essence as God. To take but one example, we read in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love". For God, love is not just an attribute that God possesses as a feature, but rather, love is God's very essence expressing itself perfectly as love. In other words - "God is love", incapable of being less or more in how that expression could ever be expressed from the standpoint of what He is as God. 

    Another example is found in Psalm 99:5, were we read: "holy is He". God doesn't merely "have" holiness", He is Holy". Holiness is a perfection that is an expression of His very essence.  

    As we think about God and His attributes, all of His attributes are rooted in His very essence. No one single attribute is better than the other. All of them, without exception, capture and grant to us all of who God is (as Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and what God is (the One, undivided God). 

    Concerning that last statement of "what God is", we come to find that God is indeed the "undivided God" or what theologians refer to as "Divinely simple". Thus, in the above examples, God is "lovingly-holy" and "holy-loving".

Divine simplicity and the believer's prayer-life

    Divine simplicity means God is not composed of parts, whether we speak of attempting to separate God's attributes from His Divine being or presupposing some cause that brought about God. Put another way, Divine simplicity means every attribute equally grants us God, His eternal perfections, and identity.  When we bring Divine simplicity down to the most practical level of prayer, we refer to how God is never at odds with Himself, and thus undivided when we come to Him in prayer. One writer has noted that due to God not being composed of parts, that means that when I'm falling apart, God can hold me together by virtue of His Divine simplicity.

    Divine simplicity may very well be an attribute which is hardly discussed today, yet, it can help us in gaining confidence in God in prayer. How is it that we can pray to God according to His Divine simplicity?

1. Praying through Divine simplicity affirms we have God’s undivided attention. Romans 11:33-35

    Sometimes Debi, my wife, will ask: "are you here?" because my mind is thinking in different directions. We all have “divided-attention”. We all, like every other created thing, can never be all nor give all of ourselves to everything. God alone can because He is "Divinely-simple”. Wherever you see Biblical phrases like “God is” or “is He” or God acting out an attribute, that points us to God’s divine simplicity. Consider the following passages: 

1. Psalm 99:5 “Holy is He”. 

2. Malachi 3:6 “I the Lord do not change”. 
    
3. James 1:17 “…with whom there is no variation or shifting of shadow.” 

4. 1 John 4:8 “….God is love”.   

    The Apostle Paul in Romans 11:33-36 indicates how God is undivided with respect to His abilities to give attention. Paul references God's Wisdom, Knowledge and ways as undivided and thus - unfading. My favorite passage in all the New Testament hints at God's Divine simplicity, namely Romans 11:36 - "for from Him, and to Him and through Him are all things". 

    Therefore, no matter what I am praying about, I realize that to God, past, present and future are one-big eternal now with respect to His omniscience, and that particular attribute grants me access to all His other attributes which He steadily applies in bringing about His will in my life. God's Divinely simple nature as "the undivided God" means I have His undivided attention. But notice also how this attribute strengthens our faith in prayer...

2. Praying through Divine simplicity affirms we have God’s undivided ability at hand. Romans 11:36 

    No creature is good at everything. Even in our universe, we see varying levels of stars, things wearing out, things changing (see Psalm 102). God’s ability alone never diminishes. His attributes, or perfections, never fade. Such thoughts grant confidence in prayer. How?   Practically, as mentioned above, God won’t ever fall-apart because He has "no parts" as defined by the doctrine of Divine simplicity. In other words, God's essence or "what He is" and existence or "that He is" are not divided and are not separated from His perfections. 

    As Divinely simple, God is incapable of improvement and without need of anything. When it comes to prayer, God is our all sufficiency in prayer because    He needs nothing to make Him better. We on the other hand need God, since without Him and His perfection of omnipotent, I can never have that endless source of strength needed to get through everyday life.

    Again, certain passages imply to us God's Divine simplicity by the way they mention other attributes. For example, God's immutability or His inability to change, as stated in Numbers 23:19 

“God is not a man, that He should     lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" 

Or again, the prophet Malachi writes in Malachi 3:6 

“For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."

    One more example in the New Testament, James 1:17 

“For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."

    Since God's Divine simplicity grants me access to every attribute that He is as God, this means that at any given point, I have all of God's unending ability to bear on the things I pray about in everyday life. Put another way, Divine simplicity teaches that since every attribute equally grants us God, we have perfections and Personal identity involved with us every step of the way.

Closing thoughts

    Today we emphasized praying by way of God's attributes. This led us to focus upon God's Divine simplicity, which refers to God being "undivided", whether in terms of His attributes, being or existence. Such a God grants us all the confidence we need in prayer. As Divinely simple, God grants to us His undivided attention and undivided power by how we have accesses to all that He is and who He is in prayer.