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4/20/20152 The Holy Trinity The Trinity is monotheistic The doctrine of the Trinity is strictly monotheistic -- ONE God. The Trinity is not teaching that there are three gods, but that there are three persons that comprise one God.

4/20/20153 In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit … ” Trinity" = God exists as a unity of three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. –“ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ” (Matt. 28:19) * Each of the persons is distinct from the other, yet they each are divine. The Father is not the same person as the Son who is not the same person as the Holy Spirit who is not the same person as the Father. All have existed since the beginning together and all 3 are equal.

4 Catechism 266 "Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal" (Athanasian Creed; DS 75; ND 16).

The Blessed Trinity The Father = The Creator The Son = The Savior (since it is the one that saved humankind from sin) The Holy Spirit = The Sanctifier (since it is the one that helps us to become holy) The Blessed Trinity has always existed for all of eternity (in other words, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were present with the Father during Creation). The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are NOT three separate mini-gods.

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7 There is a famous story of St. Augustine and a boy by the sea. Augustine sees him trying to “move” the sea into a hole in the sand through the use of a shell. “Impossible!” St. Augustine said. The boy replied, “How is my trying to do this any more difficult Than you trying to figure out the Trinity?” The seal of Pope Benedict has a shell on it.

8 Flame (Father) Light (Christ) Heat (Holy Spirit) 3 Leaf Clover Of St. Patrick

3 Leaves = Clover

SEED + FRUIT + SKIN = PEACH

H20 can be LIQUID… H20 can be SOLID… H20 can be GAS… But the substance (or “essence”) doesn’t change.

12 Analogy of the Trinity  Perhaps the best analogy of the Trinity is found in creation.   “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made… (Rom. 1:20). TimePastPresentFuture SpaceHeightWidthDepth MatterSolidLiquidGas PAST PRESENT T I M E FUTURE HEIGHT WIDTH S P A C E DEPTH SOLID LIQUID GAS M A T T E R

13 Wazzzzzup!

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15 How is the Trinity derived from scripture?  We see in the Old Testament, scripture that demonstrate a plurality concerning God.   “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’” (Gen. 1:26).   “And a mighty wind swept over the waters…” -- Genesis 1:2

16 How is the Trinity derived from scripture?  We see that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each called God  The Father: “  The Father: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Phil. 1:2).  The Son: “  The Son: “But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever…’” (Heb. 1:8). See also, John 1:1,14.  The Holy Spirit: ”  The Holy Spirit: ”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? 4 “…Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God,” (Acts 5:3-4).

17 …continued How is the Trinity derived from scripture?  We see that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each speak:  The Father: “  The Father: “and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased,” (Matt. 3:17).  The Son:  The Son: “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,” (John 3:16).  The Holy Spirit: “  The Holy Spirit: “And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them,” (Acts 13:2)

18 How is the Trinity derived from scripture?  We see that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each have a will:  The Father: “  The Father: “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life,” (John 6:40).  The Son:  The Son: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done,” (Luke 22:42).  The Holy Spirit: “  The Holy Spirit: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills,” (1 Cor. 12:11)

19 In Summary The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity 1. The Teaching of the ‘Holy Trinity’ is the foundational teaching of the Christian faith. All other teachings flow from this teaching. 2. The Christian God is a Trinity -- 3 in 1; thus, we say 3 “Persons” in 1 God 3. The 3 “Persons” of the Holy Trinity are separate but equal. 4. The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is strictly monotheistic (one God).

20 In Summary The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity 5. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is clearly founded in scripture -- each has a will, each speaks and each is called ‘God’. 6. We can only believe in the Holy Trinity through the light of faith (the gift of faith). 7. Creation gives us glimpses as to how God can be 3 in 1 (analogies of fire, the clover, musical chord, etc.).