TheHoly

Trinity: Father, Son, &

Holy Spirit

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Father Keith Mathur fr.mathur@stmchurchallentown.org 610-433-7413 x40

Mr. Kevin Damitz kevin@stmchurchallentown.org 610-437-3491

Useful Information

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What is the essence of God?

Essence: what makes a “thing” what it is.

So what is the essence of God?

LOVE

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1 JOHN 4:16

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in

Him.”

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LOVE1) EROS

Completely selfish Self-gratifying Narcissistic English word erotic

2) PHILIA Brotherly love English words filial, Philadelphia

3) AGAPE Love spoke of in the NT Love that completely gives of itself for the sake of the

other

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Love

God is the same way

God is infinite, so He infinitely gives and infinitely receives

love.

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Basic Tenets of Revealed Truth about God

1 God, not 3 Sign of the Cross

3 Persons Father Son Holy Spirit

Through their own will established a hierarchy of equality Does not relegate greatness or power – but helps

us understand how the Trinity works within itself – still a mystery folks!

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God the FATHER

Source of the Trinity

Don’t let language confuse youSource does not mean the Son & the Holy Spirit are lesser than the Father

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God the SONNot created, but begotten

In fact eternally and infinitely begotten

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God the HOLY SPIRIT

Not created, nor begotten

He is SPIRATED

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Genesis 1:26“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

- New American Bible

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Attribution Father – Creator – creates and makes all

things possible.

Son – Redeemer – saves humanity from their sins by becoming human.

Spirit – Sanctifier – continually makes things holy as a gift sent from the Father and the Son.

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Transcendence

God is transcendent and beyond all of creation – so all ideas and speech about God is going to somehow be lacking in a fully

explaining who God is.

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Father Revealed by the Son God is Father in as much as he is the Creator of

the world God is Father because of the covenant he

made with Israel to send his 1st born Son Father is the first origin of everything Father shows his goodness and loving care for

his children Jesus Himself reveals God as the Father and as

Creator Eternally God is Father by his relationship with

His only Son AD 325- Council of Nicaea- Son is

consubstantial with the Father

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Father & Son Revealed by the Spirit

Jesus promises to send the SpiritThe sending of the Spirit is after

Jesus’ glorificationHoly Spirit is not the “spirit” of the

FatherSpirit least understood of the Trinity:

marked difference in the Eastern & Western Church (both Catholic & Orthodox)

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How Do We Understand the Trinity

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How Do We Understand the Trinity

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How Do We Understand the Trinity

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How Do We Understand the Trinity

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Dogma of the Trinity1. In the 1 Divine Nature (when we say nature,

philosophically it means the essence of being – so there is 1 Divine Nature consisting of 3 Divine Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

2. No one of the 3 Divine Persons is either of the other Divine Persons – but rather each Person of Trinity is wholly Himself.

3. The Father is the 1 true God, the Son is the 1 true God, and the Holy Spirit is the 1 True God.

4. There are not 3 Gods, but 1 God.

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The Importance of Words in Theology and Philosophy

Possessive Statements Very important for natures

Who vs. What What = nature (1 God) Who = person (3 Persons)

Nature decides what I can do Person describes who we are If you were to ask God:

Q: What are you? A: God would respond together, “GOD!” Q: Who are you? A: They would each respond “Father, “Son,”

or “Holy Spirit.”

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! ! !You are now all EXPERTS on the Most Holy Trinity

! ! !