It ain't right to use bad grammar. So here's how to choose your words wisely when describing the Trinity.

Talking Points:

  • Christians believe in a trinitarian God. This means that God is three-in-one. He is one single, undivided God who exists in three distinct person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • The problem in thinking about and explaining the Trinity is that we have the wrong perspective ourselves. We are attempting to explain, through our finite perspective, a being who is by definition infinite. 
  • A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through “God grammar.” Look at what the Bible clearly shows: that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) that the Father is called God (Ephesians 4:6), that Jesus (the Son) is called God (Titus 2:13) and existed with God before creation (John 1:1; 17:4) and the Holy Spirit is attributed  personhood as well as the rights and privileges of God (Genesis 1:1-2; Acts 5:3-4; Ephesians 4:30).
  • While all these statements about Father, Son, and Spirit come from the Bible, that same Bible is also clear that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. There is one God, the persons of the Trinity are all called God, but they are not called each other.
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What do you find to be the most confusing part of the doctrine of the Trinity? Explain.
  3. The Trinity shows that humans are not capable of fully grasping God’s nature, though we can develop “good grammar” to talk about God. Why is it important to always remember this?
  4. Read the Bible verses in support of “God grammar” (Genesis 1:1-2; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1; John 17:4; Acts 5:3-4; Ephesians 4:6, 30; Titus 2:13). How do these verses show the godhood of Father, Son, and Spirit?
  5. List the unique roles of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What are the important factors of their different roles?
  6. Why is the doctrine of the Trinity so important for Christians to believe? What do we lose by failing to understand and embrace it?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
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