Christians serve one God, who eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As orthodox Christians, we confess as do devout Jews, that the Lord [Yahweh] our God is one Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4). However, we go on to say, that the one Lord God in whom we believe, eternally exist’s in three persons, namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and we believe in the one God who is a holy Trinity, not because we can fully comprehend this divine reality, nor because we can explain it to the satisfaction of human curiosity, but because God has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture as one God who is father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we accept this by faith.

GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY

A. Our Almighty Father

Gen 17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect (blameless).

Gen 17:2  And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

……. The Bible begins with the phrase, “in the beginning God”. All that follows in the entire Bible is based on this fact: God is, and he is not only the creator of everything that has been created, He also has chosen to reveal Himself and His will to humans. In the Bible, Abraham is identified as a person to whom, and through whom, God chose to reveal Himself for the benefit of the whole human race. The story about Abraham is told in Genesis chapter 11 through chapter 25.

Many may say that it must have been so much easier for Abraham to believe since there were so many Godly promises on his life, I say not so. We have an entire Bible full of Spiritual miracles and facts, Abraham simply had only what God spoke to him. We have a World Wide Web full of Biblical facts, Abraham only had a memory of a promise. And thinking on the note that Abraham had only the memory of a promise, we have His Spirit living inside us that not only reminds us daily but also empowers us daily! What is our excuse?!

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

…….Our relationship with the Lord accompanies the desire and strength to remain separated from the world. By remaining true to this command, we gain strength to endure and continually remain separated from the world. It could be compared to miraculous investment that grows by leaps and bounds as you invest into it!

Though it is up to us personally to remain faithful to God, He always gives us reasons to have faith. For some of us, it is the way he provides the assurance that we don’t need the pleasures of the world as we did before salvation. From a person who in times past indulged in worldly pleasures, that now becomes nearly sick to think of how the enemy in times past controlled me in them. Only a Heavenly Father could make such a miracle!

B. The Creator of Everything

…….The Apostle Paul here is dealing with superstitious philosophers who believed in idol gods of mythology. They weren’t against what Paul was speaking about but willing to add to what they had already attained.

Act 17:24 (Paul speaking) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him (verify by contact, to touch, handle), and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

…….These philosophers were teaching and practicing idol worship to gods that have never done a thing or shown any interest in man. They were making up stories to gain the attention of a crowd. Paul encourages with the truth that we can actually get a response from the Lord we seek after!

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

GOD THE SON, JESUS CHRIST

A. Jesus Revealed as God’s Son

Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

…….God loves the world of humanity so much, He gave His Son, His only begotten (the only one of His kind), to save us from our sins and give us everlasting life.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

…….He didn’t send His son to beat us over the head because we are a bunch of easily distracted, unthankful, ungrateful and complacent children. He sent His Son to display by action that He loves and cares for everyone of us, especially when we think we don’t deserve it!

The Incarnate Son of God

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

…….Jesus was with God from the very beginning of creation. The Bible states here that there was nothing made or said without Him, and through Christ were all things made.

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

…….Thought He created the world, when He was revealed in the world it still knew Him not. Question: would we know Christ if He chose to walk among us today? Bethlehem has no clue that the King of all Kong’s was born right up under their nose, and they had no room for Him. Jerusalem had no idea that the true Savior of the World was walking their streets. When Jesus came He didn’t fellowship with the modern day church because they neglected their duties! I don’t want to neglect what He has placed in my hands!

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. The Holy Spirit, Then and Now

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

……. The Holy Spirit was present in the beginning, the agent of creation with the Father and the Son, the Creator of all things. Now, as told by Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the agent of creation in the new birth (John 3:5-6), which is the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), we can have by faith in Jesus Christ. In this new life we have by Christ, the Holy Spirit is our Helper (Comforter), sent to us by Christ to help us in all the same ways he would, for in the Holy Spirit, Christ comes to us (John 14:15-18). The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, giving us understanding and remembrance of the teachings of Christ.

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

…….Jesus is speaking to them about the time in between after the crucifixion and before the great arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

…….What a thought that though the disciples couldn’t totally comprehend what Jesus was telling them at this time, after having His Spirit living with and in them they were able to remember and write down what He said to them by the power of His Spirit!

B. The Holy Spirit in Us

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

…….We must be full of the Holy Spirit!

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

…….This has to be the most comforting scripture for anyone who struggles with the thought of having the Spirit, or not being good enough to receive it! The Apostle Paul literally wrote, those that have not the Spirit are none of Christ’s. At the moment of Salvation, the Spirit of Christ abides with the believer. Though we believe there is a separate baptism that is necessary for converts to have deep devotion and greater relationship, there is no one who is saved that has not His Spirit for comfort and correction!

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

…….Dear Lord how greatly we need to let this scripture sink in! Is your body (the greatest desires in the flesh) dead, or do we still serve and seek after those things that feed the flesh?! Many converts don’t truly plug in to what God desires for their life because it has become so easy to conform to what the church calls saved, and still blend in inwardly with the world! May we separate ourselves from what God truly desires to save us from, and set our focus and attention towards Him! The only way to do this is to be full of the Holy Spirit!

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

…….Every person who is saved can testify that the Spirit of Christ directs their life. Many Christians become complacent in church involvement (worship, altar life, fellowship, activities). My prayer is that our church as a whole will realize that we must stay and work together, just as the Trinity works to keep us in His grace!