The Trinity Doctrine Explained (100 Days Of Discipleship — Day 68) by Apostle Emmanuel Iren: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Why You Shouldn't Expect God to Make Complete Logical Sense

In primary school, arithmetic teaches that you cannot subtract a larger number from a smaller one. Then algebra introduces negative numbers and that "rule" is surpassed. Similarly, demanding that the nature of God fit perfectly into human logic is a category error.

Exodus 15:11: "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" There is nothing on earth you can use to fully describe God — He is in a category alone. God created mathematics. He is not bound by it. When the Bible teaches the Trinity, the believer's posture is: if God said it, I believe it.

The Definition — Three Who, One What

Within one being that is God, there exist three co-equal and co-eternal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Those two words — co-equal and co-eternal — are essential. Remove either, and the doctrine falls.

Two doctrinal pillars hold the Trinity together:

1. The Distinction Pillar — The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. The Spirit is not the Father. They are three distinct persons who interact with each other (e.g., at the baptism of Jesus — the Father spoke, the Spirit descended as a dove, the Son was baptised).
2. The Equality Pillar — All three are equally God. Each person is 100% God — not one-third. Jesus's submission to the Father was in His incarnate, human nature — not an eternal, ontological subordination.

Common Misconceptions to Reject

• Modalism — The idea that God simply appears in different modes (like water as solid, liquid, and gas). Wrong — all three persons exist simultaneously. When Jesus was baptised, all three were present at the same time.
• Partialism — The idea that the Father is one-third God, the Son one-third, the Spirit one-third. Wrong — the Father is 100% God, the Son is 100% God, the Spirit is 100% God.

The Hebrew Word "One" Confirms the Trinity

Deuteronomy 6:4: "The Lord our God, the Lord is one." Critics claim this disproves the Trinity. But the Hebrew word for "one" here is echad — a compound unity. The same word appears in Genesis 2:24: "A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Two persons — one flesh. Compound unity. Echad confirms the Trinity, it does not contradict it.

Biblical Evidence Is Abundant

• Hebrews 1:8 — The Father addresses the Son: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." The Father calls the Son God.
• Acts 5:3-4 — Peter says to Ananias: "You have not lied to men but to God." He equates lying to the Holy Spirit with lying to God.
• Daniel 7:9-13 — Daniel sees the Ancient of Days enthroned, and one like the Son of Man coming to Him — two distinct persons in the Old Testament vision of heaven.
• Isaiah 48:16 — "The Lord God and His Spirit have sent me" — distinction of persons even in the Old Testament.

Whether or not your educated mind can fully grasp it — let God be true and all men liars. Don't be surprised that when you discover who God really is, He is nothing like anything you have ever known. He is God. He is holy. There is none like Him.