Rev. Rob Henderson
Shelby Wesleyan Church
https://www.angelfire.com/mi2/robhenderson/
robnaomi@oceana.net
c. 296 - 373 A.D.
The Trinity: Tried and True
John 1:1-4
October 8, 2000 am
Assumptions concerning the Godhead of Jesus Christ had always been assumed and rarely challenged until the early third century. At that time a man named Arius sought to promote the heresy that Jesus was not God but a lesser god. Many followers tried to prove that the Trinity did not exist but was the figment of pagan worship transferred over to Christianity. Great debate took place throughout Christianity and was threatening the unity of the Church. And so in 325 the Emperor Constantine called a Council of all of the Christian leaders to meet in Nicea and come to terms with this obvious divisive issue.
Folks, there are times when we as Christians must stand for truth no matter what the costs. Unfortunately, we have been fairly ignorant of when to go to the wall. Too often, churches have split over splitting hairs on subjects that have no eternal value or consequence. Other times, churches have disintegrated because of their tolerance for sin in the camp. However, in the case of the Council of Nicea, this was a time when truth must be defended and false teaching put away.
What gave Arianism its strength was not its Biblical arguments but its intrigue and uniqueness. Christians, we must always be on guard against false teaching. Even some of our great professors of the faith can take truth too far in their zeal to be pure and contribute to bad doctrine. We must be like the Bereans who heard the word from Paul but then took the time to search the scriptures for themselves. We must do the same. Each of us has a responsibility to see to it that our personal life as well as our church are free from the teachings of the spirit of this age. The false teaching of Arianism is alive and well in the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witness and other groups who strive to defend this doctrine that comes from the pit of hell. We must be ready to defend this most basic core value of Christianity no matter the cost to us both in life and in reputation.
Athanasius was born into a wealthy family and was a very intelligent child. His call to the priesthood seems to have taken place during childhood when he and other boys were observed playing “baptism” with Athanasius acting the part of the bishop. He was a perfectionist when it came to the study of God’s Word and was invited by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, Egypt to be his personal secretary. So as a secretary and advisor, Athanasius went with Alexander to Nicea to meet with other Christian leaders. Here, this mere young man of less than thirty years of age, takes a stand that reverberates to this day.
Athanasius stood against the tide that declared that the world was against him. His reply to those who told him “The world is against you Athanasius” was very simply “If the world is against Athanasius then Athanasius is against the world.” He defended the faith and slowly, one by one various church leaders conceded that Jesus was not created but was equal with God.
This fundamental core doctrine of Christianity has held tried and true throughout the centuries. History gives leverage to it as a time honored doctrine. We believe in Jesus Christ- the Son, the Word, fully God who emptied himself of all the rights and privileges of Divinity and took on the likeness of man. We believe in the God the Father- Elohim, the plural Hebrew term used by Moses over 500 times in reference to God. We believe in the Holy Spirit- the empowered of God who draws us to salvation and gives us the filling of Himself. History has recognized the Biblical truths about the Trinity.
Not only do we see the history of the Trinity but also the mystery. Explaining the God is like trying to describe the wind. I don’t see the wind but I feel the effects of the wind. I know when the wind is blowing. I can show you an egg and offer to you that the Trinity is like an egg- shell, white, and yolk. Or I could say that the Trinity is like a blueberry pie- cut it into three equal pieces but the blueberries kind of ooze together and are not really separate. Or I could stand here and tell you that as a husband I am also a father and a son. But these are merely finite illustrations that are woeful in their attempt to describe the infinite.
I cannot explain to you the Trinity other than to say that throughout the scriptures there is unbelievable evidences. If you are looking for the truth of the Trinity in scripture you will find it. As Jack Heyford once said “Revelation transcends reason.” Our own human reasoning cannot possibly deduce our need of a savior nor could it on its own comprehend the Trinity. We must look to the Holy Spirit to show us.
Hebrews 11:2 tells us “We understand that by faith the universe was framed by God’s command.” We know that “In the beginning God created the heaven’s and the earth. And the earth was formless and void and the Spirit of God hovered over its waters.” We see in John 1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” The Word is the interpretation of the Greek word “Logos” which is a name for Christ. He was in the beginning with God. “Through Him all things were made. Without Him nothing was made that has been made.”
The world was created by God’s command. The Holy Spirit was present as was the Word- Jesus Christ. Let me pause to say that I find no scripture anywhere that suggests that the Holy Spirit or the Word was created as lesser gods. None anywhere.
In Genesis 1:26 a peculiar statement is made: “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.”
My first point to you this morning is this:
1. Man was the glory of God’s creation.
Mankind was made in the image of God. Adam was given the image of God. He had the spiritual attributes that God had. There was even a holiness about Adam that was given to him because he was created in the image of God.
Mankind was also given the likeness of God. We were not created to be the same as God- that would be impossible. We were simply created in His likeness. My children have a likeness of their father. Many will see my son and say he looks just like me. But we know that isn’t literally true. He is like me but not the same.
God breathed into Adam the breath of life. Look at John 1:4- “In Him was life and this life was the light of men.” Acts 17:25 tells us that God gives us breath and life. I propose to you today that the breath of life we have by God’s grace began with that first breath of God into the nostrils of Adam. I also propose to you that the life we have comes expressly from the Word- Jesus Christ.
Adam and Eve gave in to temptation in the garden of Eden and sin entered the world. Man failed to recognize God as God. He chose to worship the created rather than the creator. Adam failed and sin entered the world through him. Every person who is born into the world is born with two things: sin and light. Sin is that inherited sin and the light is the light from Jesus Christ that lights every man who comes into the world.
Man was the glory of God’s creation but because of sin
2. Man became the object of God’s wrath.
Plainly stated, I was a child of hell. I was born to be wild. I was not of God nor desired to be. My life was lived in the fast lane and lived for Satan.
I was lost in sin. Not simply lost in the sins that I committed but lost in the sin that I inherited. Each one of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Your sinfulness makes you as much an object of wrath. It doesn’t matter what sins you have committed or how many. Without Jesus Christ a sinner is lost.
My sinfulness condemned me to an eternity without God. I could not save myself. I was like a beggar who could not lift my hands. I was hopeless and helpless. What could I do?
God longed to have that lost relationship restored. Why? Because of His great love for us. Romans makes this truth very clear in chapter five: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly... God demonstrates His own love for in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
3. Man became the subject of God’s love
You see, we were the glory of God’s creation that had fallen and could not get up. We had no lifelines to bring us back. We were lost, defeated, gone. But God’s love and grace came through for us. This glory of God’s creation, this man could save himself.
Mankind is an incredible creature. I marvel at what we have accomplished as human beings. We have all sorts of inventions that make life easier. We have all kinds of discoveries that has made life healthier. We have made a lot of advancements in science and technology. We can do just about anything.
But what we cannot do is save ourselves
We need a Savior. Left to our own devices we will destroy ourselves. “I needed someone to take my sin away.”
But how?
Man himself could not live a good enough life to save himself. All of our good works add up to nothing and equals zilch when it comes to compensating God for our sin.
The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were not good enough. Despite of how perfect the animal was it was still not good enough. Eventually, God said that the sacrifices of his people were a stench to His nostrils.
How can we be saved? Who will save us? God would take on the likeness of man and provide a sacrifice for sin once and for all. Jesus, the Lamb of God was slain at the foundations of the world for our sins. Before the creation of the world Jesus was chosen to die in our place.
I propose to you today that nothing short of God himself could save us from sin. Absolutely, positively, nothing. Anything created would not be good enough.
And this is the essence of salvation: The Trinity in Unity to save me.
The Father looks from afar and sees poor Rob Henderson and loves him. The Holy Spirit draws me to see my need of salvation. I look and see Jesus Christ who has died in my place.
I accept Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Word, into my life and as my Lord and Savior. I receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when I am justified. And I look to the Father for guidance and blessing for my life.
“I am not my own, I’ve been bought with a price.”
Athanasius paid a price for standing up for truth. He suffered in exile when the Arians were able to rise in power and influence. He was continually harassed and harangued for his stand on the Divinity of Christ. Throughout his life he was persecuted for righteousness’ sake. But, do you know what? Incredibly, he had a home church in Alexandria that always welcomed him back with open arms. The common lay people were his greatest supporters and source of strength. I am sure Athanasius thanked God for his people, God’s people who stood behind him as he declared the truth of Jesus Christ and the necessity of salvation by faith.
I want us to close with that song “All in all.” I trust that as we consider the “Trinity- Tried and True” that we would do better than that. That we would understand to what lengths God went to redeem our soul from hell. He loves us so much and cares exceedingly much for us.
