Distinction between cognitive or factual knowledge and personal knowledge
Factual or cognitive knowledge is knowledge of facts concerning persons or things views as objects; i.e., living or dead persons or things which can be studied, investigated, researched, and analyzed.
Personal knowledge is knowledge of persons viewed as living, self-revealing subjects.
Cognitive or factual knowledge can be gained from the thought and experience of others or from one's own thought and experience.
Personal knowledge can be gained only from personal contact with, communication with, and relationship to living persons. Personal knowledge of another person can be acquired only when that person opens himself, discloses himself, reveals himself to us.
In Scripture we discover that true knowledge of God is possible, through God's special revelation of Himself, through Christ's incarnation, atonement, and resurrection, and through the new birth.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 -- "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the Lord."
John 1:14, 18 -- "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." . . . "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."
I John 5:20 -- "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."
I John 4:7-8 -- "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
I Corinthians 2:11-12, 14 -- "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, . . . But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."
In Scripture we also discover that exhaustive, perfect, complete knowledge of God is not possible, because of who and what God is, and because of who and what we are.
Psalm 147:5 -- "Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite."
Isaiah 55:8-9 -- "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
A. Historical Statement of the Doctrine
The Westminster Confession of Faith (A.D. 1647), Chapter II, sections I and II
I. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: he is alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them.
1. What is meant by "characteristics"?
A working definition:
The attributes of God are those constant characteristics, qualities, or perfections of God's nature, being, or essence, which are revealed in the Scriptures and (to some extent and degree) in the created universe.
2. Classification of God's characteristics or attributes
Although God's constant characteristics have been classified in many different ways, we will employ the incommunicable/ communicable distinction.
The incommunicable characteristics of God are those which are uniquely God's, which emphasize the absolute distinction between God and His creation.
The communicable characteristics of God are those of which we find some resemblance (on a finite, created level) in man, by virtue of his creation in God's image and likeness.
3. Enumeration of God's characteristics
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 4 asks: "What is God?" The answer given is:
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.
This answer may be diagrammed.
BEING
INFINITE WISDOM
POWER
GOD IS A SPIRIT ETERNAL IN HIS HOLINESS
JUSTICE
UNCHANGEABLE GOODNESS
TRUTH
4. Extremes to be avoided in representing God's characteristics
On the one hand, we should not think of or represent God as having separate parts or elements, so that part of Him is good, part is just, and part is powerful.
On the other hand, we should not think of or represent God as having no distinct attributes in Himself, either by reducing all of His characteristics to one, or by making them differ merely in our subjective conception.
How can we avoid these extremes? By thinking of God as being good, just, powerful, etc. through and through, so that each quality is totally characteristic of God throughout His entire nature.
a. The meaning of self-existence
Self-existence means that God exists from Himself, not from anything outside of Himself. It means that He has the ground of existence in Himself. The term "aseity" expresses this idea.
This characteristic is also spoken of as God's independence, as compared with the dependence of all created things. God alone is existence; all created things derive their existence from Him and depend for their existence on Him. He alone has life in Himself.
This quality is also spoken of as necessary existence. This does not mean that God is logically necessary. It is not possible to construct a valid argument which would prove that, even apart from the created universe, God must exist. There are no prior conditions outside of God which demand His existence; rather, God necessarily exists entirely in and from Himself.
b. Biblical teaching concerning God's self-existence
Exodus 3:13-14 -- "Then Moses said to God, 'Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?' And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God is the great I AM, the existing One. All other things come into existence; and some of them pass out of existence. God alone is the One who simply exists. All other things have existence; He alone is existence. He is the I AM.
Acts 17:24-25, 28 -- "The God who made the world and things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things. . . . for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.'"
Colossians 1:17 -- "And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." All created things depend on God for their existence.
Romans 11:35-36 -- "Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
Revelation 4:11 -- "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created."
The ground of God's self-existence then is based in His nature.
In view of God's self-existence, He may be seen to be the ground, the source, the point of reference, and the only correct interpreter of being, of life, of truth, of values, of justice, of power, and of love.
a. The meaning of infinity
By infinity is not meant that God is all there is, that His being is the only being, or that no other beings can be distinguished from His being.
As a characteristic of God, infinite simply means that there is no limitation to God's essence, nature, or attributes. For example, God is infinite Spirit. But this does not deny that finite, created spirits exist as distinct from Him.
b. God's infinity as perfection
God's absolute perfection refers to God's freedom from all limitation or defect in His characteristics. God is infinite Spirit, and is characterized by infinite knowledge and wisdom, infinite power, infinite holiness, infinite righteousness and justice, infinite love, mercy, and goodness, and infinite truth and faithfulness.
In this connection two Scriptures should be noted:
Matthew 5:48 -- "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Psalm 145:3 -- "Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable."
3. God's eternity
eternity = the state of affairs before the first act of creation and after the last event of the consummation; thus eternity may be spoken of in terms of eternity past and eternity future
In its most basic sense time means a unidirectional continuum of experience, including before and after relationships in sequential order.
(a continuum is something marked by absolute, uninterrupted extension in space or time)
If we diagram this definition, we arrive at something like the following:
----------A---------------------------B----------->
In this diagram the long horizontal line represents the continuum of experience, the arrow represents the unidirectional nature of the continuum, and points A and B represent two events that are sequentially ordered in the experience of the subject.
a. The relationship of God to this most basic conception of time
Is there time in this basic sense with God? Does God experience before and after relationships, not simply outside of Himself (in the created universe), but within Himself, in His self-experience (i.e., His experience of Himself)?
There are two great (and crucial) scriptural events which help us decide whether or not there is time with God in this sense.
The first such event is that of original creation.
GOD (before) | (after) GOD
----------------------------- -|------------------------------------->
|
CREATION
|
|
|------------------------------------>
THE CREATED UNIVERSE
Before the created universe began to exist, there was only God, nothing else. After the created universe began to exist, there was the Creator and the creature, the true God and His handiwork.
Thus in God's own self-experience there was a point before He created, and then a point when He created. These two points in His self-experience are sequentially related: the first point came before the second. Thus there was time with God in the sense of our definition: a unidirectional continuum of experience, including before and after relationships in sequential order.
The second crucial event in scripture that helps us decide whether or not there is time with God is that of the Incarnation of the Son of God.
PRE-INCARNATE SON OF GOD INCARNATE SON OF GOD
----------------------------------------||-------------------------------------------->
(divine nature)
| (divine nature) |
|
|
INCARNATION
|
|
INCARNATE SON OF GOD
|----------------------------------->
(human nature)
At the Incarnation the Son of God took into personal union with Himself a sinless human nature. Before the Incarnation the Son of God was God and had only a divine nature. After the Incarnation event the Lord Jesus Christ was the God-man, and had both a divine nature and a human nature.
In the self-experience of the Son of God there was a point before He became incarnate, and then a point when He became incarnate. These two points in His self-experience are sequentially related: the first point came before the second. Thus there was time with the Son of God in the sense of our definition: a unidirectional continuum of experience, including before and after relationships in sequential order.
These two great scriptural events help us decide the question whether or not there is time with God in this most basic sense. We are forced to the conclusion that there is time with God. We can properly speak of God before and after He created the universe, and of the Son of God before and after He became incarnate. And these events took place not simply in the space-time history of the created universe; they were genuine events in God's self-experience!
Psalm 102:24-27 -- "I say, 'O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, Thy years are throughout all generations. Of old Thou didst found the earth; And the heavens are the work of Thy hands. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, And Thy years will not come to an end."
Psalm 106:48 -- "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, 'Amen.' Praise the Lord!"
Ephesians 1:3-4 -- "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."
Psalm 90:1-2 -- "Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."
John 17:5, 24 -- "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. . . . Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world."
I Peter 1:20 -- "For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you"
c. How, then, shall we define God's eternity?
The proposal thus far is that there is time with God, that there is succession in God's self-experience, that there was a "before creation" and an "after creation" in God's self-experience, and that the designations, "B.C." and "A.D." are at least as meaningful to the Son of God as they are to us.
We further propose that God is dynamic and not static (i.e., active and not passive), that God's exercise of will and God's actions succeed one another in His self-experience, that there is past, present, and future with God, and that, although God knows the end from the beginning, He has not yet experienced the end.
We further propose that eternity is not timelessness, but rather infinite time.
Technically, we would then define eternity as:
an infinite, unbounded, unidirectional continuum of experience, including before and after relationships in sequential order.
We would further propose that God alone is eternal. The physical universe, angels, Satan, demons, and human beings are not eternal. Thus we would distinguish between God's existence and experience, which are eternal (i.e., unbounded by beginning or ending time); and man's existence and experience which are temporal and unending (i.e., bounded by a beginning time, but not by an ending time).
God's infinity as to time could then be represented as follows:
- . . . -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3, . . . +
But man's infinity as regards future time would need to be represented as follows:
0, 1, +2, +3, . . . +
a. The meaning of omnipresence
Just as the infinity of God in relation to time is His eternity, so the infinity of God in relation to space is His omnipresence.
God's omnipresence may be defined as the infinitude of His being in relation to all of His creatures, whether rational beings, nonrational living creatures, or nonliving material things.
Omni-presence means present everywhere; and this characteristic states that God's presence is everywhere and in all places. He is equally present with all of His creatures.
When God is said to be ubiquitous, it means that He is present everywhere at the same time.
When God is said to be immense, it does not mean that He is enormously large. Rather, it means that His essence or being fills all space. It means that He is completely present, in all of His qualities, in every location in space.
b. Views of God's relationship to the time-space universe
Deism holds that:
God is absent from the universe in location
God and the universe are made of different kinds of stuff
God and the universe are not identical
Theism holds that:
God is present in the universe, but transcends it in location
God and the universe are made of different kinds of stuff
God and the universe are not identical
Panentheism holds that:
God is present in the universe in location and confined to it
God and the universe are made of different kinds of stuff
God and the universe are not identical
Pantheism holds that:
God is present in the universe in location and confined to it
God and the universe are made of the same kind of stuff
God and the universe are identical; God is the universe, the universe is God
View of God Location with Universe His
Essence in relation with Universe God &
Universe
Deism absent
different
not identical
Theism present /transcends different not identical
Panentheism present/confined different not identical
Pantheism present/confined same identical
I Kings 8:27 (II Chronicles 2:6) -- "But will God indeed dwell on the earth?
Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee, how much less
this house which I have built?"
If, as we believe, the Israelites held to a three-level concept of heaven
(the first heaven being the air above the ground, in which the birds flew
and clouds drifted by; the second heaven being the sky (what we would call
space), where the sun, moon, and stars moved; and the third heaven or heaven
of heavens being the realm where God resided and the angelic hosts made their
home), then Solomon appears to be saying that God transcends even the heaven
of heavens. This is an advanced and profound concept!
Isaiah 66:1 -- "Thus says the Lord, Heaven, is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?"
Jeremiah 23:23-24 -- "Am I a God who is near, declares the Lord, And not
a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places. So I do not see him?
declares the Lord. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? declares the
Lord."
Here the Lord declares His omnipresence. He is both near and far at the same
time. Here we learn that the reason no one can find a secret place that will
hide him from the sight of God is not that God can see from a great distance
and look into dark places and pierce through the densest rock with His gaze,
but rather that God fills heaven and earth! Thus if a human being finds a
really remote secret place, he will not be hidden from God, for God already
fills that secret place, and thus sees everything!
Acts 17:27-28 -- "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being."
Psalm 139:1-12 1 O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. 3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all. 5 Thou hast enclosed me behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night," 12 Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee.
How can localized manifestations of God such as the various modes of special revelation and God's omnipresence be reconciled?
If space can be thought of in terms of realms or dimensions, so that the same space contains the realm of physical things, the realm of earthly human beings, the realm of angelic spirits, the realm of Satan and demonic spirits, the realm of God and heaven, and the realm of hades; and if these realms are coextensive but in different dimensions, then it would not be difficult to see how at death a human spirit could move from the realm of earthly human beings to the realm of heaven by simply passing from one dimension into the other without having to move any distance in space. In would be possible to see how demonic spirits could pass from their realm into the realm of earthly human beings simply by passing from one dimension to the other. And so on.
If the realm of God and heaven can be thought of as being all around us, but veiled from our eyes by a great invisible curtain, and if God can be thought of as breaking through from the other side of that invisible curtain from time to time in local and partial revelations, then perhaps we can begin to understand how the omnipresence of God can be reconciled with localized manifestations of God. Perhaps we can think of God's omnipresence as a universal background or field, and special revelation as expressions of that background in particular locations in space.
Thus when we think of God as "up," we can avoid the problem of "up" pointing in all directions in space by understanding "up" to refer to God's transcendence in the heavenly realm. God is greater, higher, and infinitely exalted above us; and thus it is appropriate to look up to Him.
(1) One implication of God's omnipresence is that God is everywhere without exception.
(2) However, presence is not manifestation. God is everywhere, but He does not reveal Himself everywhere in special manifestations of His power and glory, or in grace or judgment. And yet He does manifest His presence; and we have experienced His power and grace in our churches, etc
(3) A third implication of God's omnipresence is that God is always with each one of us personally.
(4) However, a fourth implication of God's omnipresence is that an objective acknowledgement of the truth of His omnipresence is not the same as a subjective realization and appropriation of the reality of His omnipresent presence, especially in favor and fellowship and blessing.
In the Scriptures the idea of the nearness of God is used a number of times.
In Psalm 34:18 we read that "the Lord is near to the brokenhearted."
In Psalm 145:18 we learn that "the Lord is near to all who call upon Him."
In Isaiah 55:6 we read: "Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near."
In Hebrews 7:25 the writer says that "He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
And in James 4:8 we read, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Now although "near" is a spatial term, these references have nothing whatsoever to do with the Lord being or drawing near in space. The nearness spoken of in these places in not proximity in space, but proximity in relationship. Drawing near to God means getting closer to Him in humility and in dependence, in love and in trust, in personal knowledge and in communion.
a. The meaning of unchangeability
According to William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology (reprint, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d.), Volume One, p. 351: "The Immutability of God is the unchangeableness of his essence, attributes, purposes, and consciousness".
Thus we find no change in God's nature or attributes, God's Plan or purposes, God's inscripturated Word, or God's predictive word where the prediction is unconditional.
Possibilities of change occur in God's predictive word where conditions are involved, God's anticipated actions in response to changes in human reactions, and God's intellectual and emotional reactions in response to changes in human actions.
b. Implications, for immutability, of the combination of God's characteristics of infinite perfection and eternity
If God is infinitely perfect (perfect without limitation), and if He is infinitely perfect eternally, then He is unchangeable. If He were less than perfect in some respect, then He could become more perfect in that respect; and thus would not be unchangeable. But if He is completely perfect in all respects, and has been so from all eternity, then he must be unchangeable.
c. The relationship of Christ's divine unchangeability to His incarnation
The Son of God actually became what He had not been before the incarnation. It is not that He "put on" human characteristics so as to appear like us; He actually became human. And He became human without ceasing to be divine. The Son of God became the God-man! The Word became flesh!
On the other hand, God is living, dynamic, active. He thinks thoughts, feels emotions, purposes to do certain things, and puts forth efficiency to produce effects. Immutability does not deny the distinction between the infinite potential of God's power and the actual expressions of that power. That is, the assertion that there are some things in God's Plan that He has not yet done but will do (e.g., create new heavens and a new earth) does not conflict with the doctrine of immutability, since in this assertion a distinction is made between the infinite, unchanging perfection of God's attributes, and the ongoing, unfolding, changing expression of those attributes in actions.
But what is a person? A person is a being with a personal nature, personal faculties and powers, and distinct, individual existence or personality
Personal faculties include the intellect, the emotions, the will, the conscience, and self-consciousness.
Personal powers include believing, thinking, reasoning, knowing, discriminating, feeling, desiring, purposing, deciding, evaluating, judging, and interacting with other beings.
a. The meaning of knowledge
(1) According to Webster's New World Dictionary
Knowledge 1. the act, fact, or state of knowing; specif., a) of acquaintance or familiarity (with a fact, place, etc. b) aware-ness c) understanding 2. acquaintance with facts; range of information, awareness, or understanding 3. all that has been perceived or grasped by the mind; learning; enlightenment 4. the body of facts, principles, etc. accumulated by mankind
(2)According to Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Washington: Scribner, 1871), Volume One, p. 393:
By knowledge is meant the intellectual apprehension of truth. It presupposes a subject and object; an intelligent subject that apprehends, and something true that is apprehended.
Charles Hodge states:
This knowledge of God is not only all-comprehending, but it is intuitive and immutable. He knows all things as they are, being as being, phenomena as phenomena, the possible as possible, the actual as actual, the necessary as necessary, the free as free, the past as past, the present as present, the future as future. Although all things are ever present in his view, yet He sees them as successive in time. The vast procession of events, thoughts, feelings, and acts, stands open to his view.
This infinite knowledge of God is not only clearly and constantly asserted in Scripture, but is also obviously included in the idea of an absolutely perfect being. Such a being cannot be ignorant of anything; his knowledge can neither be increased nor diminished. The omniscience of God follows also from his omnipresence. As God fills heaven and earth, all things are transacted in his presence. He knows our thoughts far better than they are known to ourselves. This plenitude of divine knowledge is taken for granted in all acts of worship. We pray to a God who, we believe, knows our state and wants, who hears what we say, and who is able to meet all our necessities. Unless God were thus omniscient, He could not judge the world in righteousness. Faith in this attribute in its integrity is, therefore, essential even to natural religion.
-- Ibid., p. 397.
The Scriptures teach that God knows Himself, all things possible, and all things actual.
He knows all things possible by knowing His potential power. Since God is all-powerful, there is no limit to what He could do, except the limits inherent in His own nature. For example, God cannot lie, cannot fail, cannot break His promise, etc.
He knows all things actual by knowing His Plan, His purposes. God has a Plan, in which He has foreordained everything that comes to pass. God foreknows as actual what He has foreordained. Whatever does not exist, or whatever will not come into existence, or whatever is only possible, cannot be known as actual. Only that which is or will be actual can be known as a certainty.
God is infinite, without limitation. His knowledge is infinite. But can we say something meaningful concerning the basis of His knowledge?
God knows all things in Himself and from Himself. He knows all things by knowing Himself.
He knows all things possible by knowing His potential power. Since God is all-powerful, there is no limit to what He could do, except the limits inherent in His own nature. For example, God cannot lie, cannot fail, cannot break His promise, etc.
He knows all things actual by knowing His Plan, His purposes. God has a Plan, in which He has foreordained everything that comes to pass. God foreknows as actual what He has foreordained. Whatever does not exist, or whatever will not come into existence, or whatever is only possible, cannot be known as actual. Only that which is or will be actual can be known as a certainty.
In this way God's foreknowledge may be seen to depend on the foreordination of His all-inclusive Plan.
d. Implications of God's infinite knowledge (omniscience)
Disclosure (editor's note): Note that this sub-section is presented from a Calvinist viewpoint (and not all committed Christians would subscribe to the viewpoints in this sub-section).
(1) God knew that, after He created human beings, they would fall from their original state, and experience much sin, suffering, and sorrow. Yet He decided to go ahead in spite of this knowledge.
(2) God knew that, if human beings were to be saved from their sins and the terrible results of their sins, it would cost Him a great deal. Yet He decided to send the Son to become incarnate, and to live a perfect life and die a sacrificial death.
(3) God knew the end of history from the very beginning, as well as every detail of every real circumstance that would come into the lives of His redeemed people. He knew this as actual because He ordained it as such. And having determined to cause all good things and permit all evil things, He determined that He would work all things together so that they would bring Him glory and bring His redeemed people good.
(4) Although God knows all things, He knows as actual only those things He has decided to actualize in His Plan. He does not know as actual, things that are only possible (although he knows them as possible).
e. The question of the "eternal Plan of God"
But what does this do to the omniscience of God's foreknowledge? Does it imply that God did not know what He was going to do before He freely decided what He was going to do? Does it imply that omniscience includes in its objects only what God knows as actual? Does it imply that the content of God's foreknowledge increases with each aspect God decides to incorporate into His Plan? The proposal presented here implies all of the above!
According to Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Washington: Scribner, 1871), Volume One, pp. 401-402:
Wisdom and knowledge are intimately related. The former is manifested in the selection of proper ends, and of proper means for the accomplishment of those ends.
According to William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology (reprint, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d.), Volume One, pp. 356-357:
Wisdom is a particular aspect of the Divine knowledge. I Tim. 1:17, "God only wise." It is the intelligence of God as manifested in the adaptation of means to ends.
b. The end, goal, or final cause of God's wisdom
Henry C. Thiessen, in his Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 126, says:
Wisdom is the intelligence of God displayed in the choice of the highest ends and of the fittest means for the accomplishments of those ends.
a. The meaning of power
According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:
power (1) the ability to act, the ability to exert effort (2) exerted energy, force, might
b. The potential and the actualization of God's power
Stephen Charnock, in The Existence and Attributes of God (reprint, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1958), pp. 363-364, states:The power of God is not to be understood of his authority and dominion, but his strength to act . . .
Henry C. Thiessen, in his Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 126, states:By the omnipotence of God we mean that He is able to do whatever He wills,
c. God's power and His nature
William G. T. Shedd, in Dogmatic Theology (reprint, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d.), Volume One, p. 360, states:
God cannot do anything inconsistent with the perfections of the Divine nature. Under this category, fall the instances mentioned in Heb. 6:18, "It is impossible for God to lie;" and 2 Tim. 2:13, "He cannot deny himself;" and James 1:13, "God cannot be tempted." God cannot sin:
d. The limitations on God's power
William G. T. Shedd, in his Dogmatic Theology (reprint, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d.), Volume One, pp. 359-360, states:
The Divine power is limited only by the absurd and self-contradictory. God can do anything that does not imply a logical impossibility.
e. Summary of these emphases
The power of God is that attribute or characteristic whereby He is able to do whatever He pleases, whether immediately or mediately, whether apart from means or by means of existing materials and/or secondary causes, whether in regard to nonliving things, nonpersonal living things, or persons.
f. The sovereignty of God
Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology (Washington: Scribner, 1871), Volume One, pp. 440-441, states:Sovereignty is not a property of the divine nature, but a prerogative arising out of the perfections of the Supreme Being.
g. Practical implications of God's power (physical, moral, or spiritual)
(1) God has the power to supply everything that would be good for us.
(2) God has the power to do for us that which is wise and loving. We know that He does all things well.
(3) God has the power to do great and mighty things in and through us to forward His kingdom. He has the power to give us grace, boldness, and courage to witness for Him, and is able to melt the stony hearts of those to whom we witness.
(4) God has the power to make us victorious in our daily lives. He can enable us to overcome sin, self, the world, temptation, and Satan. He is able to renew our strength to walk in the Spirit, to live in and for Christ, and to live above adverse circumstances.
(5) God has the power to bring revival to our hearts, our churches, and our country.
(6) God has the power to carry us safely through death, to bring us safely to heaven, and to keep us safely forever.
"Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God" (Psalm 62:11)
"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."(Ephesians 3:20-21)
In the Scriptures the idea of holiness appears to have two basic areas of meaning. On the one hand the holiness of God is that attribute by which God is distinct from and infinitely exalted above all His creatures in glorious majesty. On the other hand the holiness of God is that attribute by which He is free from all moral impurity and characterized through and through by moral perfection.
Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology (Washington: Scribner, 1871), Volume One, pp. 413-414, says:
Holiness of God. This is a general term for the moral excellence of God. In 1 Sam 2:2, it is said, "There is none holy as the Lord;" no other Being absolutely pure, and free from all limitation in his moral perfection. "Thou Holy One of Israel," is the form of address which the Spirit puts into the lips of the people of God. "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is Holy." (Ps. 99:9) "Holy and reverend is his name." (Ps. 111:9) "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." (Hab. 1:13) "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for Thou only art Holy." (Rev. 15:4) Holiness, on the one hand, implies entire freedom from moral evil; and, upon the other, absolute moral perfection. Freedom from impurity is the primary idea of the word. To sanctify is to cleanse; to be holy, is to be clean. Infinite purity, even more than infinite knowledge or infinite power, is the object of reverence.
The glorious exaltedness of God's holiness may be seen in several Scriptures:
Psalm 99:5, 9 -- "Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His footstool; Holy is He." "Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill; For holy is the Lord our God."
Exodus 3:4-5 -- "When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, 'Moses, Moses!' And he said, 'Here I am.' Then he said, 'Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.'"
Isaiah 57:15 -- "For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.'"
Revelation 4:8-11 -- "And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.' And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.'"
Exodus 19:10-13, 23 -- "The Lord also said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.' . . . And Moses said to the Lord, 'The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for Thou didst warn us, saying, 'Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.'"
I Samuel 6:19-20 -- "And He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, 'Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?'"
The moral perfection of God's holiness may also be seen in several Scriptures:
Joshua 24:19 -- "Then Joshua said to the people, 'You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.'"
Habakkuk 1:13 -- "Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil, And Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor."
Isaiah 59:1-2 -- "Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short That it cannot save; Neither is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear."
I Peter 1:14-16 -- As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Leviticus 20:26 -- "Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine."
Revelation 21:2, 3, 27 -- "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. . . . and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."
A consideration of God's holiness should produce certain effects in our lives:
(1) A sense of God's holiness should produce an awe, a reverence, a godly fear before the majesty on high, the high and Holy One.
(2) A sense of God's holiness should produce a sense of unworthiness, an awareness of our sinfulness, in the presence of the One who cannot look favorably on sin.
(3) A sense of God's holiness should produce a hatred of sin, a love for holiness, and a true desire for purity.
(4) A sense of God's holiness should produce a great carefulness about our thoughts, words, and actions, lest we offend the infinite majesty and awful purity of the One who is pure light and a consuming fire!
(5) A sense of God's holiness should produce in us a true regard for the Person, Name, Word, Worship, and Will of the one, true, living, and holy God.
Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology (Washington: Scribner, 1871), Volume One, pp. 416-417, states:
The word justice, or righteousness, is used in Scripture sometimes in a wider and sometimes in a more restricted sense. In theology, it is often distinguished as justitia interna, or moral excellence, and justitia externa, or rectitude of conduct.
When we regard God as the author of our moral nature, we conceive of Him as holy; when we regard Him in his dealings with his rational creatures, we conceive of Him as righteous.
But evil inflicted for the benefit of the sufferer, is chastisement, and not punishment. Punishment, properly speaking, is evil inflicted in satisfaction of justice.
Distributive justice is God's rectitude in the execution of law, both in reference to the good and the evil. It relates to the distribution of rewards and punishments.
Distributive justice is twofold: (a) remunerative justice; (b) retributive justice. Remunerative justice is the distribution of rewards both to men and angels. . .
Remunerative justice is the expression of the divine love ( ), as retributive justice is of the divine wrath
Thus the justice of God is that attribute whereby God imposes righteous laws and impartially executes them, and whereby He righteously distributes rewards and punishments. These two aspects are frequently spoken of as God's rectoral justice and God's distributive justice. God's distributive justice may be distinguished into remunerative and retributive justice.
In connection with these distinctions we may state that Scripture represents God as a righteous ruler and a just judge.
The goodness of God is that characteristic of God by which He manifests His delight in those reflections of the perfections of His nature which are found in His creatures, for their benefit and well-being.
Goodness includes benevolence, love, mercy, grace, and lovingkindness.
Benevolence is God's concern for the welfare of all conscious beings, expressed in the outpouring of benefits upon them.
Love is a settled purpose of desire and will to seek the well-being of the one loved. Agape-love is love that involves some form of sacrifice on the part of the lover.
Mercy is kindness toward the miserable. It includes pity, compassion, longsuffering, and gentleness.
Grace is unmerited favor toward unworthy, guilty sinners. It is "everything for nothing to those who deserve the exact opposite." It is the undeserved favor of God; and takes two basic forms: common grace and special grace. It may also be distinguished in various modes, such as preparatory (or prevenient) grace, saving grace, enabling grace, overcoming grace, dying grace, etc.
Lovingkindness is God's covenant favor toward His people.
This is the captain attribute that leads the rest to act; this attends them, and spirits them all in his ways of acting. This is the complement and perfection of all his works; had it not been seen in creation, nothing of his compassions had been seen in redemption.
Augustus Hopkins Strong, in his Systematic Theology (Philadelphia: Judson, 1907), Volume I, pp. 260-262, says: By truth we mean that attribute of the divine nature in virtue of which God's being and God's knowledge eternally conform to each other.
Integrity The cluster of attributes which we are here classifying as integrity relates to the matter of truth. There are three dimensions of truthfulness: (1) genuineness--being true; (2) veracity--telling the truth; and (3) faithfulness--proving true. . . . 1. Genuineness God is real. He is what he appears to be. 2. Veracity God represents things as they really are. 3. Faithfulness
His faithfulness means that he proves true. God keeps all his promises.
B. Biblical Teaching Concerning the Doctrine
Benjamin B. Warfield summarizes the data nicely in his article on the Trinity in Biblical and Theological Studies. He writes:
The older writers discovered intimations of the Trinity in such phenomena as the plural form of the Divine name Elohim, the occasional employment with reference to God of plural pronouns ("Let us make man in our image," Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; Isa 6:8), or of plural verbs (Gen. 20:13; 35:7), certain repetitions of the name of God which seem to distinguish between God and God (Ps. 45:6, 7; 110:1; Hos. 1:7), threefold liturgical formulas (Num. 6:24, 26; Isa. 6:3), a certain tendency to hypostatize the conception of Wisdom (Prov. 8), and especially the remarkable phenomena connected with the appearances of the Angel of Jehovah (Gen. 16:2-13; 22:11, 16; 31:11, 13; 48:15, 16; Exod. 3:2, 4, 5; Judges 13:20-22) . . . Passages like Ps. 33:6; Isa. 61:1; 63:9-12; Hag. 2:5, 6, in which God and His Word and His Spirit are brought together, co-causes of effects, are adduced. A tendency is pointed out to hypostatize the Word of God on the one hand (e.g., Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:6; 107:20; 147:15-18; Isa. 55:11); and, especially in Ezek. and the later Prophets, the Spirit of God, on the other (e.g., Gen. 1:2; Isa. 48:16; 63:10 Ezek. 2:2; 8:3; Zech. 7:12). Suggestions -- in Isa. for instance (7:4; 9:6) -- of the Deity of the Messiah are appealed to.
Again, Warfield summarizes this data:
The fundamental proof that God is a Trinity is supplied thus by the fundamental
revelation of the Trinity in fact: that is to say, in the incarnation of
God the Son and the outpouring of God the Holy Spirit. In a word, Jesus Christ
and the Holy Spirit are the fundamental proof of the doctrine of the Trinity.
This is as much as to say that all the evidence of whatever kind, and from
whatever source derived, that Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh,
and that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, is just so much evidence for
the doctrine of the Trinity; and that when we go to the New Testament for
evidence of the Trinity we are to seek it, not merely in the scattered allusions
to the Trinity as such, numerous and instructive as they may are, but primarily
in the whole mass of evidence which the New Testament provides of the Deity
of Christ and the Divine personality of the Holy Spirit.
A most excellent work in this subject area is that of Edward Henry Bickersteth, entitled The Trinity (reprint, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1957). The book is subtitled Scripture Testimony to the One Eternal Godhead of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and it is filled with Scripture and solid exposition. This work was formerly published under the title The Rock of Ages; and is well worth having in a theological library.
John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Galatians 4:4 -- "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law."
Hebrews 1:6 -- "And when He again brings the first-born into the world, He says, 'And let all the angels of God worship him.'"
I John 4:9 -- "By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him."
John 14:26 -- "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
John 15:26 -- "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,"
John 16:7 -- "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
Galatians 4:6 -- "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'"
Mark 1:10-11 -- "And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: 'Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.'"
Matthew 11:25-26 -- "At that time Jesus answered and said, 'I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight.'"
Matthew 26:39 -- "And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.'"
John 11:41-42 -- "And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, 'Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me.'"
John 12:27-28 -- "Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.' There came therefore a voice out of heaven: 'I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.'"
Romans 8:26 -- "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;"
Matthew 3:16-17 -- "And after being baptized, Jesus went immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'"
Matthew 28:19 -- "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
I Corinthians 12:4-6 -- "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons."
II Corinthians 13:14 -- "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
I Peter 1:1-2 -- "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure."
These Scriptures stress mainly the distinctions between the Persons of the Godhead. Further Scripture evidence for the Trinity may be found in those references which reveal the deity of Christ and the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible does not use the word "trinity," but it does teach each of the distinct truths out of which the theological doctrine of the Trinity has been constructed. The Bible simply tells us that God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4); and that there are three distinct Persons who are God. The Father is called God (Jude 1 -- "to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father"); the Son is called God (Titus 2:13 -- "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."); and the Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4 -- "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.'").
Negatively, the doctrine does not teach that God is one Person. God is three Persons.
The doctrine does not teach that God is three Gods. God is one God.
The doctrine does not teach that there are three divine essences. There is only one essence that is divine.
Positively, the doctrine of the Trinity teaches that there is one Being that is divine, but that three Persons participate in that one Being.
The doctrine teaches that there is only one God, but that there are three Persons who are that one God.
The doctrine teaches that there is one essence (combination of characteristics) that is fully divine, but that there are three divine Persons who fully share that essence.
Thus God is a "tri-unity," a "three-in-one," a trinity, because God is at the same time one and three (but in different senses). God is one in divine essence, and three in divine Persons.
The Trinity, therefore, is the doctrine that there are three Persons who are characterized, through and through, by a unique combination of divine attributes, qualities, and perfections, which combination is the same for all three.
However, although the Persons of the Trinity are equal in essence, they are subordinate in their working. This is the theological distinction between essential equality and economic subordination.
The three Persons of the Godhead are equal in essence (they all have the same essential qualities or attributes), but they are unequal in their working. They accomplish different functions in the outworking of God's Plan; and are involved in superordinate/ subordinate working relationships even while they are equal in essence.
It would appear that all three Persons are active in the divine works of creation, providence, redemption, and judgment, but that they do different things in carrying out these works. To take one of these divine works as an example, the Father initiates redemption by sending His Son into the world, the Son accomplishes redemption by becoming incarnate and by making an atonement for our sins, and the Spirit applies redemption by uniting us to Christ and to the benefits of His atoning work. While the three Persons of the Trinity are implementing the Plan of the Trinity, they are involved in unequal working relationships. Scripture teaches, for example, that the Father sends the Son. The Son does not send the Father. Here is a definite order in working relationships. And Scripture teaches that the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not send the Father or the Son. Again there is an order in their working.
However, even as we distinguish the plurality of Persons and the subordination of their working, we must stress the unity of the Godhead. God is One.
Deuteronomy 6:4 exhorts and commands: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" And James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder."
Isaiah 44:6 says, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
And His Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and the last, And there is no God besides Me.'"
The Scriptures that speak of God's unity on the one hand and God's uniqueness on the other hand send the message that God is one, and that there is only one true and living God. But how are we to understand this scriptural stress? Does it mean that God is one in the sense of a numerical oneness -- one individual or one Person?
Both Dynamic Monarchianism and Modalistic Monarchianism understood God's unity in this way. But in doing so Dynamic Monarchianism denied the personal nature of the Logos, and asserted that Jesus was merely a man. And Modalistic Monarchianism (or Sabellianism) asserted that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit were simply one divine Person who reveals Himself in different modes according to circumstance.
On the other hand, could God's oneness be understood in the sense of a dynamic unity which allows for a plurality of Persons?
It is fascinating to note that the word translated "one" (ECHAD) in Deuteronomy 6:4 is also used in Genesis 2:24, where we read: "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." Here in Genesis 2 ECHAD is used of two persons who become one in a dynamic unity even while they remain two persons. In the Trinity, the unity of God is located in the dynamic unity of three divine Persons who share one divine essence and life. And yet it is not a unity that is formed by three Persons who become one; it is an eternal unity of a single, simple, and indivisible essence. Without this emphasis, the doctrine of the Trinity can easily drift into Tri-theism, in which the three Persons are viewed as three Gods.
The Unitarians and Jehovah's Witnesses both believe that the doctrine of the Trinity does reduce to Tri-theism, and that this can be shown by simple reason. "After all," they claim, "if the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God, doesn't that add up to three Gods?"
Of course, the only meaningful response to this criticism is to emphasize the clear teaching of Scripture. And Scripture clearly teaches that God is One, and teaches with equal clarity and force that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are equally, distinctly, and contemporaneously God.
The oneness and uniqueness of God has been mentioned. And the distinctness of the Persons has been shown in the cases of interaction between them. We cannot dismiss either aspect of this truth. And we cannot smooth out the problem by viewing interaction between the Persons as mere appearance contrary to reality.
Thus we are shut up to the scriptural assertions and representations, and must formulate the doctrine so as to fit the biblical data, rather than ignore or distort the biblical data to favor a preferred theological model.
1. The mode of this triune existence is inscrutable.
2. The Doctrine of the Trinity is not self-contradictory
This would be, only if it declared God to be three in the same numerical sense in which he is said to be one. This we do not assert. We assert simply that the same God who is one with respect to his essence is three with respect to the internal distinctions of that essence, or with respect to the modes of his being. . . .
3. The doctrine of the Trinity has important relations to other doctrines.
A. It is essential to any proper theism.
B. It is essential to any proper revelation.
C. It is essential to any proper redemption.
D. It is essential to any proper model for human life.
4. Important truths to be stressed when presenting the doctrine of the Trinity
a. The unity of being and plurality of Persons of the Trinity are equally ultimate. These distinctions are inherent, basic, and eternal.
The triune God (Father, Son and Spirit) is one personal Being. The three members of the Trinity are three interacting Persons with distinct existence. Scripture does not permit this doctrine to be understood in terms of Monarchianism, in which God is one Being and one Person who manifests Himself in differing forms or modes at various times; or in terms of Tri-theism, in which God is three Persons and three Beings. The correct representation is that God is one Being and three Persons.
b. The three Persons of the Trinity interpenetrate one another, not only in terms of essence (defined as the sum of all characteristics or attributes of God's nature), but also in terms of thinking, feeling, willing, and acting.
Each of the three Persons thinks, feels, wills, and acts in harmony or consonance with each of the others, even when one of the Persons is the primary agent in carrying out some specific aspect of the Plan of God. Of course, when we introduce the incarnation of the Son of God, we must make some qualifications in terms of mutual interpenetration, once the Son became incarnate. For example, the Father and the Spirit did not think, feel, or will all of the things the incarnate Son thought, felt, or willed, even through they knew all of His thoughts, empathized with all of His feelings, and acquiesced in all of His decisions. In addition, the Father and the Spirit did not do all of the things the incarnate Son did. The incarnate Son alone grew in wisdom and understanding, the incarnate Son alone completely subordinated Himself to the Father's will and the Spirit's leading, the incarnate Son alone suffered weariness and hunger and thirst and suffering, the incarnate Son alone prayed, "If it is your will, Father, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will but yours be done," the incarnate Son alone experienced the agonies and cruel death of the cross, and the incarnate Son alone was resurrected to newness of life.
c. The essential equality and economic subordination of the Persons of the Trinity must be kept distinct. The three Persons are eternally equal in essence (defined as the sum total of characteristics or attributes), but assume superordinate/subordinate relationships in the outworking of God's Plan.
The fact that different Persons of the godhead carry out different functions in the implementation of God's purpose implies nothing about essential subordination, but only expresses the subordinate relationships the three Persons have assumed in order to carry out the design of the triune god.
a. The three Persons of the Trinity share a Unity of Being while preserving Distinctness of Personality (oneness and individuality)
b. The three Persons of the Trinity share a Mutual and Harmonious Interpenetration of one another, while preserving Distinctness of Individual Activity (sameness, harmony, uniqueness)
c. The three Persons of the Trinity share an Equality of Essence, while assuming Subordinate Relationships and carrying out Differing Functions in implementing the Plan of the triune God (equality, inequality, difference)