Lesson 3: The Trinity

(1) The student will be able to explain:

• How the Trinity answers the question “Who is God?”
• How our belief in the Trinity helps us to pray and worship in a deeper way.
• How the Trinity is revealed in the gospel.
• Key Bible passages for the doctrine of the Trinity.
• The importance of the specific words we use to speak about the Trinity, and which words should be used.
• How the Trinity explains God’s purposes in creation, redemption, and the church.
• A statement of Christian beliefs about the Trinity.

(2) The student will be able to recognize false teachings that represent God as divided into parts or that fail to distinguish the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Imagine meeting someone for the first time.[1] When they ask, “Who are you?” would you say “I am strong, wise, and good”? or “I am a human being—I have a body and soul”? Of course not! These answers tell us what you are (a strong, good, wise human being), but they do not tell us who you are. When someone asks us who we are, we give our personal name—for example, “I am John” or “I am Mary.”

Now, consider the question, “Who is God?” Many people would say “God is almighty, perfectly good, and perfectly wise” or “God is a divine being; he is spirit.” These things are all true and very important. However, these answers tell us what God is (an almighty, good, and wise spirit). The best way to answer the question is to say, “God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This is who God is, and understanding it enables us to better relate to God. There is something three about who God is. The Latin word trinitas (Trinity) means “three.” The Trinity is the answer to the question “Who is God?”

It is good to say, “I believe in God,” or to pray, “God, help me.” But even a Jew or Muslim can speak and pray this way. Only a Christian can say, “I believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit.” Only a Christian can pray, “Father, provide for me. Jesus, forgive me. Holy Spirit, guide me.” Only a Christian knows who God truly is. This is why Gregory the Theologian wrote, “When I say ‘God,’ I mean ‘Father, Son and Holy Spirit.’”[2]

If the Trinity is the answer to the question “Who is God?” then our study of the doctrine should help us to know and glorify God. The doctrine of the Trinity deepens our prayer life because it enables us to worship God for who he is. Below is an example of the type of prayer that helps us grow in personal relationship with the Trinity.

► Read the prayer together as a class.[1] If you are studying this lesson in the afternoon or the evening, you can say “Good afternoon, Heavenly Father” or “Good evening, Heavenly Father.”

Good morning, Heavenly Father.

Good morning, Lord Jesus.

Good morning, Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I worship you as the Creator and sustainer of the universe.

Lord Jesus, I worship you as the Savior and Lord of the world.

Holy Spirit, I worship you as the sanctifier of the people of God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me. Amen.

In the Old Testament, God taught his people to confess that there is only one God. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord [Yahweh] our God, the Lord [Yahweh] is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This belief set Israel apart from other nations that believed in many gods. Jesus and the apostles continued to teach that there is one God (Mark 12:29, 1 Timothy 2:5). There are not three gods or 10 gods. There is only one invisible, almighty spirit that we call “God.”

At the same time, there are hints in the Old Testament that there is something three or plural in the one God. When God makes Adam and Eve, he says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). To whom is God speaking? Why does he say “our image” (plural)? When Isaiah has his vision of God in the temple, he hears the angels crying “Holy, Holy, Holy…” (Isaiah 6:3), and the Lord says, “…who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). In Psalm 110:1, Yahweh speaks to another who is identified as David’s Lord. How can the Lord speak to the Lord?

The best answer to these questions is provided in the New Testament. The Bible is one great story. There are some truths that the author chose not to disclose until the end of the story, when we would be better prepared to receive them. God revealed the deepest truth about who he is when God the Father sent his Son to become incarnate and when he later sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The gospel shows us that there truly is something three about the one God. The Trinity is God’s greatest revelation of himself to humanity. It is at the center of the Christian faith.

God revealed more about himself when, in the fullness of time, “…God sent forth his Son…” (Galatians 4:4).[1] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” (John 3:16). If God sent his Son, then the one God must be a Father who has a Son. If the Son was sent into the world, then he was God’s Son before he was sent.

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God in a unique way that made him equal with God the Father. John 5:18 says, “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” When Jesus said, “…before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), he was claiming to be Yahweh (Exodus 3:14). In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul affirms Deuteronomy 6:4 (“…the Lord is one”), but includes the Lord Jesus Christ within the identity of the one Creator God.

In John 14:28, Jesus says, “…the Father is greater than I.” This verse cannot mean that the Son is less than fully God, since John’s entire gospel affirms the full equality of the Son and the Father.[1] John 14:28 must be read in context. Jesus told his disciples, “…If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Jesus is contrasting himself as a human being on earth (with all his suffering) to his Father in heaven (with all his glory). He is telling his disciples that if they love him, they will want Jesus to be glorified in the Father’s own presence with the glory that he had with the Father before the world existed. (See John 17:5.) Remember: Jesus is truly God and truly human at the same time. As God (according to his divine nature), the Son is equal with the Father. As human (according to his human nature), the incarnate Son is inferior to and submissive to the Father. Augustine explains, "We should acknowledge the two natures of Christ—the divine, in which he is equal with the Father, and the human, in respect to which the Father is greater."

As the Son of God the Father, Jesus is not the Father. A son is not the same person as his father. In John 1, Jesus is called “God” (1:1) and “the only God” (1:18), yet he is said to be “with God [the Father]” (1:1) and to be “the only Son from the Father” (1:14). The Son was sent by the Father (John 5:23), prayed to the Father (Matthew 26:39), and asked the Father to glorify him so that he could glorify the Father (John 17:1). If the Son were the Father, then the Son sent himself, talked to himself, and asked himself to glorify himself so that he could glorify himself. That would not make any sense!

There is a real distinction between the Father and the Son, but they are perfectly united as one God. In John 14:11, Jesus said, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me…” The Father and the Son dwell completely in one another because they are one eternal, invisible spirit. They are not two separate spirits or two separate gods.

The doctrine of the Trinity is the result of serious reflection on these teachings of Jesus, as well as his teaching about the Holy Spirit.

Jesus constantly spoke about his Father, but he also spoke about another: the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised to ask the Father to send the Spirit (John 14:16–17). He also promised to send the Spirit who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). Jesus assured the disciples that the Father would send the Spirit in his name (John 14:26). After his resurrection and ascension, Jesus received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, and poured out the Spirit on his disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:33).

As the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son. When a man lied, Peter asked him, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…? You have not lied to man but to God” (Acts 5:3–4). The Holy Spirit is God. He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14) and all-knowing (1 Corinthians 2:10–11).

At the same time, the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. The Holy Spirit is another person, just as the Son is another (not the Father). The Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son, speaks only what he hears from the Father and the Son (John 16:13), and comes to glorify the Son (John 16:14). If the Spirit were the Father and the Son, then the Spirit sent himself, speaks what he hears from himself, and seeks to glorify himself. That would not make any sense!

Matthew 3:13–17 is significant to the doctrine of the Trinity because it shows the interaction of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is baptized, the Father speaks from heaven (“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”), and the Holy Spirit reveals his invisible presence by appearing like a dove and coming to rest on Jesus. It would not make sense to say that the Father is the Son or that the Holy Spirit is the Son. If those were the case, then the Son would be throwing his voice up into heaven to say how pleased he is with himself, while descending upon himself to rest upon himself! There are three at the baptism of Jesus.

The baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 is central to Christian teaching on the Trinity: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In the Old Testament, God put his name (Yahweh) upon his people, and called them to bear his name to the nations (Numbers 6:27, Deuteronomy 28:10). In the New Testament, God puts the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit upon his people, and sends them into the world on mission. This indicates that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are each God, yet each of them is distinct from the others. The doctrine of the Trinity helps disciples to understand what it means to be baptized in the name of the Trinity. In fact, all Christian theology is developed from this central point.

► The diagram on this page is called “The Trinity Shield.” It summarizes some of the important truths that we have learned so far. Draw a copy of this diagram; this will help you to remember it.

The gospel reveals that there is something three about the one God. However, God is not three and one in the same sense. There are not three gods and one god. That would be a contradiction (and a rejection of clear biblical teaching!). We need words to explain the sense in which God is three, and the sense in which “…the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

Most in the early church spoke Greek or Latin, and they spent centuries discussing which words to use. It should not surprise us that it is sometimes difficult to find language to use to speak about God. Human language cannot perfectly describe God. Yet, nothing is more important than what we believe about God, so we must choose our words very carefully so that we do not confuse or mislead others.

The words ousia (Greek) and substantia (Latin) were recognized as the best words to point to what is one about God—what is common to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord is one ousia or substantia. These words point to what something is (recall the illustration from the beginning of this lesson). God is one invisible spirit, eternal, perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness. In English, the word substance (from the Latin substantia) is used for what is one about God. The words nature, being, or essence are also used. There is only one divine substance or being.

The words hypostasis (Greek) and persona (Latin) were used to point to what is three in God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three real and distinct hypostases or personae. These words point to who someone is. Again: The Trinity is the answer to the question “Who is God?” In English, the word persons (from the Latin personae) is used for what is three in God. We do not use the words people or individuals, since that implies separate beings or substances.

Even these terms have their weaknesses and limitations, and they must be carefully explained to avoid misunderstanding. In every language, theologians must think carefully about which words to use. Sometimes a language does not have good words to use. But finding widely recognized and understood words is very helpful. For example, these words help us to clearly explain what John 10:30 does and does not mean. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one,” he meant, “I and the Father are one being or substance”; he did not mean, “I and the Father are the same person.” When John wrote, “…the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1), he meant, “The Son was with the person of God the Father, and the Son was the same divine being (or of the same substance) as the Father.”

While these distinctions are helpful, the Trinity is still difficult for us to understand. In part, this is because our finite human minds can never fully understand the infinite God. But it is also because there are no other beings in all creation that are three persons of one single substance. We usually learn by comparing new things with what we already know, but there is nothing comparable: There is no other single being that is three persons.

Consider a human being. In each human body and soul that exists, there is only one person—“John” or “Mary.” If a single human being claimed to be more than one person, it would not make sense, because we know that this is not how human beings exist. However, God is not human! God is a completely different kind of being from any other kind of being that we can observe. God has revealed to us that in the one divine being, there truly are three persons. We simply receive and believe by faith what God has revealed. Our minds cannot fully understand God, but we rejoice in what God has revealed and wait to know and enjoy God better when we are in heaven.

Some people try to fit the Trinity into their own understanding, based on what they can observe in creation. Trinitarian believers are careful not to: (1) divide the one substance of God, (2) confuse the three persons in God, or (3) treat any divine person as inferior or unequal to another in substance.

1.    Do not divide the substance. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three parts that make up a whole. God is without parts. God is not like one egg with three parts (the shell, the yoke, and the white). God is not like one flower with three petals. These illustrations reflect a heresy called partialism.

2.    Do not confuse (fail to distinguish) the persons. Some people claim that the Son is just the Father wearing a different mask, or that the Spirit is just the Son showing up in a different form. However, as we have already seen, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit relate to one another as distinct persons. The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Holy Spirit. God is not like a single water molecule which can exist in three modes (as a frozen solid, a liquid, or a gas). God is not like a man who puts on three different hats or masks. God is not like a man who has three roles (a father, a husband, and an employee). These illustrations reflect a heresy called modalism which denies that the Son and the Spirit are distinct persons. Modalism is also called Sabellianism (named for a false teacher in the third century named Sabellius).

3.    Do not treat any person as inferior or unequal in substance. Another destructive teaching is that the Son is inferior to the Father. Some people claim that the Son was the first and greatest being created by the Father. They may exalt Jesus and call him “divine,” but they do not teach that he is equal with the Father or that he has always existed. This heresy is called Arianism (named for a false teacher in the fourth century named Arius). Arians teach that the Son is merely of a similar essence as the Father, and is inferior. However, the Bible teaches that the Son is “of the same essence as the Father” (as stated in the Nicene Creed). The Son and the Spirit are equal with the Father in power, glory, and eternity. They are worthy of worship and able to save us by their almighty power.

► Have you heard any other illustrations for the Trinity? Why might they be misleading or problematic?

To truly understand the doctrine of the Trinity, we need to take a closer look at the three persons. Why are the first and second persons called “the Father” and “the Son”? Why is the third person called “the Holy Spirit”? The names are not meaningless. The names tell us something true and eternal about God. Even before the creation of the world, God was the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

“The Father” and “the Son”

Although God is our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9), the first person of the Trinity is not called “the Father” for this reason. The first person is called “the Father” because he is the eternal Father of a Son! Likewise, the second person is called “the Son” because he is the eternal Son of the Father. The names Father and Son indicate their eternal relationship with one another. The Father and the Son both have in themselves the eternal, uncreated life which belongs to God alone, but this life is granted to the Son by the Father (John 5:26).

Since the Father and the Son are both eternal, the Father did not “grant” life to the Son in a moment of time. The Father did not create the Son. The Father eternally “begets” or brings forth the Son in a way that is known only to God. This is a central teaching of the Nicene Creed: “We believe in… one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all ages; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made.”

This is a great mystery. We can barely understand human birth! How much less can we understand what it means for God the Father to eternally bring forth the Son? The church fathers often pointed to Hebrews 1:3, which says that the Son is “…the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature...” A light always has its radiance.[1] As long as a candle is burning, it radiates light. Since the Father is an eternal Light, he always radiates his Son. The Father never began to radiate the Son. He will never stop radiating the Son. The Father and the Son exist in an eternal relation of what could be called “radiating” and “being radiated.” Jesus is “God of God [the Father], Light of Light [the Father]” (Nicene Creed).

“The Spirit”

The name Spirit also points to something that is eternally true of the third person of the Trinity. The phrase Spirit of God is not like the phrase spirit of Moses or soul of Abraham, in which “spirit” or “soul” refers to the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being. God is only spirit and does not have parts. Instead, the phrase “Spirit of God” indicates that the Spirit is from the Father, even as the Son is from the Father. The biblical word for Spirit can also be translated as “Breath.” As a person breathes his breath, the Spirit “proceeds” from the Father (John 15:26). Many Christians believe that the Spirit also eternally proceeds from the Son.[2]

Since the Spirit is eternal, the Spirit is not brought forth in a moment of time. The Spirit is not created by the Father. The Father eternally breathes the Spirit. We do not know exactly what it means for the Spirit to eternally “proceed” from the Father, but we do know that it is not the same as being “begotten.” Otherwise, the Father would have a second Son!

The key truths that need to be known by all believers are summarized in the Athanasian Creed:

1.    The Father is not from anyone. He is not created or begotten. (He is unbegotten).

2.    The Son is from the Father alone. He is not made or created. He is eternally begotten.

3.    The Holy Spirit is from the Father [and from the Son]. He is not made, created, or begotten. He eternally proceeds.

4.    Therefore, there is one Father, not three Fathers. There is one Son, not three Sons. There is one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.

This teaching explains why we ordinarily speak of the Father, Son, and Spirit (in that order), instead of the Spirit, Son, and Father (or some other order). The three persons are equal in power and authority because they are one God; however, the Father is the eternal source of the Son, and the Father [and the Son] are the eternal source of the Spirit. Therefore, it is fitting to refer to them in the order of Father, Son, and Spirit.

This teaching also explains why the Bible says “Son of God” and “Spirit of God” instead of “God the Son” or “God the Holy Spirit.” Since the Son and the Spirit are both God, we may refer to them in this way. However, it is fitting to refer to the Son and the Spirit in relation to the Father. The phrase “God the Son” emphasizes that Jesus is God; the phrase “Son of God” indicates that Jesus is “God of God” (Nicene Creed).

Finally, this teaching helps us to better understand the gospel. Any person of the Trinity could have become human to save us. However, it is fitting that the Son who is eternally begotten of the Father would be sent by the Father. It is fitting that the Son who is eternally begotten of the Father without a mother would be born of a mother in time without a father. It is fitting that the Spirit who eternally proceeds from the Father [and the Son] would be sent by the Father and the Son to give us life. The gospel reflects something eternally true about God!

When we study the doctrine of the Trinity, we begin to better understand who God is, and this helps us to understand why God does what he does. In conclusion, consider three key points.

1.    The Trinity explains what it means to say “God is love.” Imagine if a man lived alone in a cabin in the middle of a desert and never talked to anyone. Then, after 20 years, he came out of his cabin and said to you, “I am loving.” Would you believe him? Probably not! A loving person lives in relationship with others. He does not isolate himself from everyone. The Bible says, “…God is love” (1 John 4:8). If God is only one person, who was God loving before he created the world? But if God is three persons, then it makes sense to say that God is love. Jesus prayed to the Father and said, “…you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). If you could go back to eternity before Genesis 1:1, there would only be one thing left: God loving. The Father loving the Son and the Spirit; the Son loving the Father and the Spirit; and the Spirit loving the Father and the Son. What a beautiful picture! In the very being of the one God is a communion of loving persons! God is love!

2.    The Trinity explains why God created and redeemed the world. God did not create the world because he was lonely. God did not need someone to love. But it is the nature of love to share itself and to bring forth new life. God created the world out of pure love and goodness. He created human beings to share in his love. Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). Human beings were created to know, love, and enjoy the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We were created for the Trinity! When human beings chose to disobey God and fell into sin, God did not abandon us. The Father sent the Son and the Spirit to save us so that we could recover the purpose for which we were made. The purpose of salvation is to bring us home to the Trinity!

3.    The Trinity explains the purpose of the church and the church’s final destiny. God created human beings in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26), and said that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We reflect the love of the Trinity when we live in loving relationship with one another. Some people take pride in being alone. They say, “I don’t need anyone else!” This is a sad result of the Fall. Perhaps they have been hurt by other people and want to protect themselves. God did not intend for us to live this way. Because God is the Trinity, we must take the risk of living in a loving community with others. In the church, God is reuniting humanity, which has been divided by sin. In John 17:22, Jesus prayed that the church would become one even as he and the Father are one. Obviously, the many members of the church do not become one human being. But when we live in unity and harmony, we reflect the perfect unity of the Trinity. In heaven, the church will live in perfect fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful day that will be!

Conclude this lesson with praise and worship. Christian worship is Trinitarian from start to finish, because the Trinity is who we worship!

► Say the following prayer of praise together. This ancient prayer of praise to the Trinity is still used by many believers in daily prayer and in every church service.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

► Say 2 Corinthians 13:14 together. This blessing is also used by many followers of Christ in daily prayer and in their church services.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with [us] all.

► Read the statement of beliefs together at least two times.

In the one true and living God, there are three persons who must be distinguished: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are of one substance, power, and eternity, which must not be divided. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father [and the Son].

Note to class leader: It is not necessary to read this during class.

The Athanasian Creed is named in honor of Athanasius of Alexandria, who defended the Christian faith in the fourth century when it was under attack by the false teacher Arius. It begins with a warning to those who do not “keep” the faith—that is, to those who have received the true faith but then make a choice to reject it. Many churches read this creed in public worship on Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost.

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic [universal] faith.
Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic [universal] faith:

That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,
neither confusing [failing to distinguish between] their persons
nor dividing their substance [essence, being].

For the person of the Father is a distinct person,
the person of the Son is another [distinct person],
and that of the Holy Spirit still another [distinct person].

But the Godhead [divinity, divine substance] of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.

The Father is uncreated,
the Son is uncreated,
the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

The Father is immeasurable [cannot be measured],
the Son is immeasurable,
the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

The Father is eternal,
the Son is eternal,
the Holy Spirit is eternal.

And yet there are not three eternal beings;
there is only one eternal being.

So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;
there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Similarly, the Father is almighty,
the Son is almighty,
the Holy Spirit is almighty.
Yet there are not three almighty beings;
there is only one almighty being.

Thus the Father is God,
the Son is God,
the Holy Spirit is God.
Yet there are not three Gods;
there is only one God.

Thus the Father is Lord,
the Son is Lord,
the Holy Spirit is Lord.
Yet there are not three Lords;
there is only one Lord.

Just as Christian truth compels us
to confess each person individually
as both God and Lord,
so catholic [universal] religion forbids us
to say that there are three gods or lords.

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.

The Son was neither made nor created;
he was begotten from the Father alone.

The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;
he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Accordingly there is one Father, not three Fathers;
there is one Son, not three Sons;
there is one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.

Nothing in this trinity is before or after,
nothing is greater or smaller;
in their entirety the three persons
are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier,
we must worship their trinity in their unity
and their unity in their trinity.

Anyone then who desires to be saved
should think in this way about the trinity.

But it is necessary for eternal salvation
that one also believe in the incarnation
of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.

Now this is the true faith:

That we believe and confess
that our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,
is both God and human, equally.

He is God from the essence [substance] of the Father,
begotten before time;
and he is human from the essence [substance] of his mother,
born in time;

completely God, completely human,
with a rational soul and human flesh;

equal to the Father as regards divinity,
less than the Father as regards humanity.

Although he is God and human,
yet Christ is not two, but one.

He is one, however,
not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
but by God's taking humanity to himself.

He is one,
certainly not by the blending of his essence,
but by the unity of his person.

For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh,
so too the one Christ is both God and human.

He suffered for our salvation;
he descended to the dead;
he arose from the dead;
he ascended to heaven;
he is seated at the Father's right hand;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

At his coming all people will arise bodily [in body]
and give an account of their own deeds.
Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic [universal] faith:
one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.

(1) Passage Assignment: Each student will be assigned one of the passages listed below. Before the next class session, you should read the passage and write a paragraph about what it says about the subject of this lesson.

• John 17:1–5
• Ephesians 1:3–14
• Ephesians 1:15–23
• Colossians 1:9–19
• Hebrews 1

(2) Test: You will begin the next class with a test over Lesson 3. Study the test questions carefully in preparation.

(3) Teaching Assignment: Remember to schedule and report your out-of-class teaching times.

(4) Carefully read the Athanasian Creed above.

(1) What is the best answer to the question “Who is God?”

(2) How does the doctrine of the Trinity deepen our prayer life?

(3) Through what two major New Testament events did God reveal himself as the Trinity? Which person of the Trinity was revealed in each?

(4) Is God like an egg? Why or why not?

(5) Is God like one man with three masks? Why or why not?

(6) Why are the first and second persons of the Trinity called “the Father” and “the Son”?

(7) For what purpose were human beings created?