1) The accomplishment of the death of Christ
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST - The work of Christ has specific reference to the death, resurrection, ascension, and exalta-tion of Christ. First, we consider our Lord's death. Contrary to the facts in the case of ordi-nary men, the death of Christ rather than the earthly life of Christ is of supreme impor-tance. This is evident from many considerations. It is foretold in the Old Testament - The death of Christ is the subject of many types and prophecies in the Old Testament, for examples:The sacrifice of Abel (Genesis 4:4); The ram on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:13); The sacrifices of the patriarchs in general (Gen 8:20; 12:8; 26:25; 33:20; 35:7); The Passover lamb in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-28); The Levitical sacrifices (Leviticus 1-7); Manoah's offering (Judges 13:16-19); ELCANAH’S yearly sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:21); Samuel's offerings (1 Samuel 7:9f; 16:2-5); David's offerings (2 Samuel 6:18); Elijah's offering (1 Kings 18:38); Hezekiah's offerings (2 Chronicles 29:21-24); The offerings in the days of Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:3-6) and Nehemiah (Ne-hemiah 10:32f).
These all point to the one great offering to be made by Christ. Further, there are prophe-cies that point forward to the death of Christ: The Psalms prophesy the betrayal of Christ (Psalm 41:9; cf. John 13:18; Acts 1:16); The crucifixion and the attendant events (Psalm 22:1, 7f, 18; cf. Matthew 27:39f, 46; Mark 15:34; John 19:23f); The resurrection (Psalm 16:8-11; cf. Acts 2:25-28); Isaiah writes, "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities" (53:5). Daniel indicates that after sixty-nine weeks Messiah will be cut off and have nothing (9:26). Zechariah foretells the selling of Christ for thirty pieces of silver and the investment of that sum in a potter's field (11:12f; cf. Matthew 26:15; 27:9f). Zechariah also predicts the striking of the shepherd (13:7) and the opening of a foun-tain for sin and impurity (13:1). Thus, it is clear that the death of Christ is an important part of the teaching of the Old Testament.
It is Prominent in the New Testament - The last week of our Lord's earthly life occupies about 1/5 of the narratives in the four Gospels. Similarly the Epistles are filled with references to this historic event. Manifestly, the death and resurrection of our Lord were, esteemed of supreme importance by the Holy Spirit, the author of Scripture.
It is the Chief Purpose of the Incarnation - Christ did not come primarily to set us example or to teach us doctrine, but to die for us (Mark 10:45; Hebrews 2:9, 14; 9:26; 1 John 3:5). His death was the accomplishment of a definite purpose in connection with the incarnation. It is the redemption of the lost through the Lord's sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary.
It is the Fundamental Theme of the Gospel - The term "gospel" means "good news." The death of Christ for man's sin is good news; it implies that man does not need to die for his sin. The Mosaic Law, the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching and example of Christ, all show to us our sin and reveal to us the need of a Saviour, but they do not provide the remedy for sin. This remedy can-be found only in the death of Christ.
It is Essential to Christianity - Other religions base their claim to recognition on the teaching of their founders. Christian-ity is distinguished from all of them by the importance it assigns to the death of its foun-der. Take away the death of Christ as interpreted by the Scriptures, and you reduce Chris-tianity to the level of the ethnic religions. The subject of apostolic preaching was Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23; 2:2; Galatians 6:14).
It is Essential to Our Salvation - The Son of Man must be lifted up if man is to saved (John 3:14f); the grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die if it is to bring forth fruit (John 12:24). God cannot pardon sin merely on the ground of the sinner's repentance. In order that God might be able to par-don a sinner and to remain righteous at the same time, Christ paid the sinner's penalty (Romans 3:25f). Christ repeatedly said that He must suffer many things, be killed, and be raised the third day (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25; John 12:32-34). The two men who were in the tomb after Christ had arisen reminded the women who came to anoint the body that Christ said that He must be crucified and arise again (Luke 24:7). Paul sought to prove to the Thessalonians the necessity of Christ's death (Acts 17:3). From God's standpoint, the death of Christ is an absolute necessity if man is to be saved.
It is of Supreme Interest in Heaven - When Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration, they conversed with Christ "of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31). The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sang a song of the redemption accomplished through the death of Christ (Revelation 5:8-10). Even the angels around the throne, though not in need of redemption themselves, joined in the song of the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5:11f).
THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRIST'S DEATH - It is Vicarious / The Concept of Substitution - Substitution is what the Bible presents as the essential meaning of the death of Christ. Jesus Christ died vicariously in place of the sinner. Leviticus 1:4 is a vivid example of the idea of substitution: "And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf" (italics mine). This is a picture of the guilt of the individual being transferred to the innocent substitute, and the substi-tute's death in his behalf. The Bible refers to such transfers as "imputation" (Romans 5:15).
In the case of Christ, an additional transfer is made from Christ to the sinner at the time of his faith and conversion - the righteousness of Christ. He takes on our guilt; we take on His righteousness. It is a legal transaction ordained by God Himself (read 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:6). It is evident that Christ did not die for his own sin (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). Everywhere it is said that he died for the sins of others. The suffering of Christ, were not just the sympathetic sufferings of a friend, but the substi-tutionary sufferings of the Lamb of God for the sin of the world. Isaiah writes, "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening of our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed ... But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him" (53:5f).
Note some of the other Scriptures: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8); "Christ died for our sins ac-cording to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3); "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:210); "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the Cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24); and "Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
Jesus himself said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45) and "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). He died in our stead as the true Passover lamb (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7) and was the true sin-offering (Isaiah 53:10), of which the ones on the Old Testament economy were but types (Leviticus 6:24-30; Hebrews 10:1-4; cf. also the scapegoat, Leviticus 16:20-22).
It is objected that it is immoral for God to punish an innocent one, and that for that reason alone Christ's death is not substitutionary. But the error in this view lies in the assumption that God and Christ are two beings as different from each other as two individual men. Since Christ is God incarnate, the substitute is God himself. It is not unjust for the judge to pay the penalty himself. Furthermore, Jesus volunteered to be the substitute (read John 10:15, 17f). The second objection is that if a substitute pays the debt we owe, God cannot collect the debt also from us but is morally bound to let us go free; that is, on this theory God does not exercise mercy in forgiving us, but merely does his duty. But this objection is likewise removed by the fact that the one who pays the debt is not a third party, but the judge himself. Forgiveness is, therefore, still optional with him and may be offered upon terms agreeable to himself. The terms, which God has laid down, are repentance and faith. The obedience of Christ, therefore, does not make ours unnecessary, but still requires us to meet the terms before we can become the beneficiaries of his atoning death.
It is Satisfaction -
It satisfies the justice of God - Man has sinned against God and has incurred his displeasure and condemnation. God cannot free the sinner until the demands of justice are satisfied. God will not, apart from substitution, clear the guilty (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18). Only through Christ's death could God be just while justifying the sinner (Romans 3:25f). In whatever God does, his justice must be maintained; Christ's death fully satisfied the just demands of God.
It satisfies the law of God - Christ's death is a satisfaction of the law of God. The law of God is grounded on the very nature of God, and transgression of that law brings with it a penalty. The sinner could not meet the demands of divine law, but Christ, as our representative and substitute, did. Thus God made provision for a vicarious satisfaction through the active and passive obedience of Christ (Romans 8:3f). By his obedience and sufferings and his life of perfect righteousness, Jesus fulfilled all the demands of the law. Paul speaks of Israel, saying, "Not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the right-eousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:3f).
It is involved in atonement - The death of Christ is an atonement and a propitiation. Leviticus 6:2-7 speaks of individual atonement for individual sin: "When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord, ... he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the Lord, ... and the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord; and he shall be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt." Leviticus 4:13-20 makes reference to national atonement for national transgression: "If the whole congregation of Israel commits error ... and they become guilty; ... Then the eld-ers of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord, and the bull shall be slain before the Lord ... So the priest shall make atone-ment for them, and they shall be forgiven." From these passages it is evident that the bull or ram must die, and that forgive-ness is possible only on the ground of the death of a substitute. The Hebrew word for atonement in these and similar passages is kaphar, often translated "to make atonement." It means literally "to cover over" so as not to be seen. The thought of covering sins from the eye of God is suggested in verses such as "Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities" (Psalm 51:9); "For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back" (Isaiah 38:17); and "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).
It is involved in propitiation - The definition of "propitiation" is because God is just and holy, sin has violated His character and must be punished. Jesus has died to take our punishment and God is satisfied with this as a payment - God is propitiated (satisfied) with the death of Christ for sin. Read Isaiah 52:13; 53:10-11. The New Testament represents Christ's death as appeasing God's wrath. Paul says, God set him forth "publicly as a propitiation" (Romans 3:25), and Hebrews uses this term for the mercy seat at the tabernacle (Hebrews 9:5). John declared that Christ "is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" (1 John 2:2; cf. 4:10); and Hebrews states that Christ became a merciful and faithful high priest "to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (2:17). The tax-gatherer's prayer was literally, "God be propitious to me, the sin-ner" (Luke 18:13). By his death, Christ appeased God's holy wrath against sin. The concept of propitiation assumes two basic attributes of God - His love and His holiness. The sinner, apart from this provision, faces the wrath of God (Romans 1:18). But God, because He is loving, provides Christ's death as the satisfying payment. By faith the sinner appropriates this provision, and God is both "just and the justifier" (Romans 3:26).
It is involved in reconciliation - "Reconciliation" can be defined first in terms of its provision at the cross: Man's state of alienation is changed so that God can offer Salvation. Second, it happens at the time of the sinner's conversion: Man's state of alienation is changed so that he is at peace with God. Closely connected with the idea of propitiation is the thought of reconciliation. The Two ideas seem to be related to each other as cause and effect; Christ's death "propitiated" God, and as a result God is "reconciled" (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18f; Ephesians 2:16). Paul uses the term "reconciliation" to refer to the relation-ship of peace, which is brought about by the death of Christ, to the communion in contrast with the previous enmity, to the reconciliation as the removal of all obsta-cles, to the access to the Father. In the Scriptures the term reconciliation is ap-plied to both God and man (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
The thought is something like this. At first God and man stood face to face with each other in perfect harmony. In sinning, Adam turned his back upon God. Then God turned his back upon Adam. Christ's death has satisfied the demands of God and now God has again turned his face toward man. It remains for man to turn around and face God. Since God has been reconciled by the death of His Son, man is now entreated to be reconciled to God, In the largest sense of that word, God has reconciled to himself, not only man, but also things in heaven and on earth (Colossians 1:20). Due to this reconciliation, God sends temporal blessings upon the unsaved (Matthew 5:45; Romans 2:4), extends an opportunity to man to re-pent (2 Peter 3:9), and will deliver heaven and earth from the results of the fall (Romans 8:19-21). We conclude that not only was man reconciled to God, but that God was "recon-ciled" to man through propitiation. None of the actual texts that discuss reconcilia-tion say this clearly. I do not believe Scripture teaches that God needed "recon-ciliation." God needed "propitiation" for the sake of His holiness, but reconciliation pertains to one's attitude toward another. Man was an enemy of God, but nowhere does Scripture say that of God. On the contrary, "while we were yet sinners" (Ro-mans 5:8) God loved us, and this is just the opposite of saying that God needed reconciliation.
It is a Ransom / The Concept of Redemption - The definition of "redemption" is when Christ died, He provided the payment of a ransom through His blood, which makes it possible for a believing sinner to be set free from both the bondage and consequences of sin. The term "redemption" alludes sometimes to the payment of a debt and sometimes to the liberation of a captive. Christ's sacrifice provided for both. In the New Testament the words used for the concept of redemption are the same words used for the purchase of slaves in the marketplace (Greek, agona). We as believers choose to serve, or not to serve Christ. Ultimately our regeneration and gratitude make us will-ingly obedient to Christ, our new Master.
The death of Christ is represented as the payment of a ransom. The idea of ransom is that of the payment of a price in order to set another held in bondage free. Thus Jesus said that he had come to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45), and the work of Christ is spoken of as a redemption. (Luke 1:68; 2:38; Hebrews 9:12) This ransom is not paid to Satan, but to God. The debt that requires canceling is due to God's attribute of justice; Satan has no legal claims against the sinner, and so does not need to be paid before the sinner can be set free. Please note that Satan himself is also a sinner, he sins against the God.
Scripture teaches that we are redeemed through the death of Christ. This redemption is: From the penalty of the law, or as Paul says in Galatians 3:13, "from the curse of the Law," by Christ's having become a curse for us; From the law itself, by our being made dead to the law by the body of Christ (Ro-mans 7:4); From sin as a power, by Christ's death to sin and our death to it in him (Romans 6:2, 6; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18f), so that we need no longer submit to the domi-nation of sin (Romans 6:12-14); From Satan, who held man in captivity (2 Timothy 2:26), likewise through Christ's death on the cross (Hebrews 2:14f); and From all evil, both physical and moral, including our present mortal body (Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:14), to be fully granted at the return of Christ (Luke 21:28).
Ransoms are usually paid to someone. To whom was the ransom paid when Christ died on the cross? Some of the early church fathers (for example, Origen) taught that God paid the ransom to Satan, who held sinners in bondage. It is true that Satan holds sinners in a kind of bondage (2 Timothy 2:26) that causes them to do what he desires, rebel against God. Actually, man is in bondage to sin, not Satan - he merely exploits our condition. How could the blood of Christ be a "payment" to him? The payment, in reality, was made to the law or holiness of God. His character demanded just retribution.
atonement is unlimited in the sense that it is available for all; it is limited in that it is effective only for those who believe. It is available for all, but efficient only for the elect. Grace is God doing for man what man cannot (or will not, as in justification by faith) do for himself. It is an undeserved, divine provision.
The Aspects of Grace - "Common," "efficacious," and "sanctifying" grace, they are convenient theological terms, not Biblical terms. - common grace (All mankind benefits in various ways - Matthew 5:45; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7; John 16:8-11; Romans 1:18) - Efficacious grace is that which surmounts man's hardness and alienation and enables him to exercise faith (read Romans 8:30; John 6:37, 44; Ephesians 2:8). Calvinists prefer the word "efficacious" or "irresistible," because they believe that it is extended only to the elect. - sanctifying grace is necessary for believers to live godly lives (Phil. 2: 12-13; Gal. 5:14, 18; 2 Pet. 1:3, 10). This involves the work of the Holy Spirit in convicting of sin, bringing to repentance, and various forms of enabling the believer to obey God.
2) Christianity is a monotheistic Religion
The teaching that most people do not understand is the Tri-unity and Uniqueness of God. - The most baffling and mysterious thing about the biblical description of God is that, though the entire Bible is unequivocal in its declaration that there is one God, there are three distinct personalities to whom deity is ascribed. Orthodox believers are convinced that the only concept that is faithful to all the biblical evidence is what is known as the Trinity (or tri-unity) of God. I have been very careful not to give analogies or illustrations of this concept from nature or psychology, because I believe that in doing so those illustrations would fall short and may imply something false about God. instead I will simply point you to the Biblical data.
The Trinity is a basic tenet of orthodox Christianity, and it affects most other Biblical doctrines in one way or another. For example, it affects your understanding of the doctrine of Salvation: If Jesus is not God Himself, how can His death atone for sins? How can one who is not God forgive others for crimes against God? For this and other reasons it is very important that we understand as much as we can about the trinity of God. The term trinity does not occur in the Bible some wonder about whether this is a biblical doctrine or not, but the absence of a term used to describe a doctrine does not necessarily mean the term is not biblical. The issue is, does the term accurately reflect what the Scripture teaches? In reality, due to the incomprehensible nature of the truth this term reflects, some believe it is a poor word to describe exactly what the Bible teaches us about this truth concerning God.
The term trinity does not occur in the Bible, it had very early usage in the church. Its Greek form, trias, seems to have been first used by Theophilus of Antioch (AD 181), and its Latin form, trinitas, by Tertullian (AD 215).
Let's examine some of the available definitions of the Trinity of God provided by the following sources: 1) Webster's dictionary - "The union of three divine persons (or hypostases), the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in one divinity, so that all the three are one God as to sub-stance, but three persons (or hypostases as to individuality). Hypostases is the plural of hypostasis which means the substance, the underlying reality, or essence."
In speaking of the Triunity, the term person is not used in same way it is in ordinary usage in which it means an identity completely distinct from other persons. Actually the word persons tends to detract from the unity of the Trinity. According to the teaching of Scripture, the three Persons are inseparable, interdependent, and eternally united in one Divine Being.
It is evident that the word person is not ideal for the purpose. Orthodox writers have struggled over this term. Some have opted for the term subsistence (the mode or quality of existence), hence, God has three substances. Most have continued to use persons because we have not been able to find a better term. The word substance speaks of God’s essential nature or being and subsistence describes His mode or quality of existence. (Kenneth Boa, Unraveling the Big Questions About God, Lamplighter Books, p. 46)
In its theological usage, essence refers to the intrinsic or indispensable, permanent, and inseparable qualities that characterize or identify the being of God. The doctrine of the trinity states that there is one God who is one in essence or substance, but three in personality. This does not mean three independent Gods existing as one, but three Persons who are co-equal, co-eternal, inseparable, interdependent, and eternally united in one absolute Divine Essence and Being.
Christianity has believed in the doctrine of the Trinity because of the teaching of the Bible as a whole (Old and New Testaments) and not because of one or two particular passages. There are many specific passages which teach us there are three distinct Persons who possess deity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, but the Bible also teaches us with equal emphasis that there is but one true God or one Divine Essence or Substance and Being. Taking the whole of Scripture, one can see that there is stress on: (a) the unity of God, one Divine Being and Essence, and (b) on the diversity of God in this unity, three Persons identified as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It speaks of these Persons in such a way that it ascribes absolute deity and personality to each while stressing that there is one God in divine substance. The doctrine of the trinity harmonizes and explains these two thrusts of Scripture—oneness in three personalities.
The doctrine of Trinity is not a truth of natural theology, but of direct revelation from God. Before we investigate the facts of Scripture, I would like to begin by pointing out that this is a doctrine beyond the scope of man's finite mind. It lies outside the realm of natural reason or human logic.
Scriptures Demonstrating God, Who is One is Also Three
The Old Testament Seems to Imply It - While there is no explicit statement in the Old Testament affirming the Triunity, we can confidently say that the Old Testament not only allows for the Tri-unity, but also implies that God is a triune Being in a number of ways:
The name for God is Elohim (note: this is the transliteration of Hebrew alphabet into English pronunciation). The name for God is the plural form of El. Linguists explain it as the Hebrew "plural of power and majesty" when it is applied to the one true God (Genesis 1:1). We can say that Elohim certainly allows for the New Testament revelation of the Triunity of God.
There are many instances where God uses the plural pronoun to describe Himself (see Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8). In Genesis the dialogue attributed to God is often plural - "us" (Genesis 1:26); and in Isaiah 6:8 God says, "Who will go for us?" This may imply a plurality in the Godhead.
In the creation account, both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are seen in the work of creation. It is stated that God created heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1), but that it was the Holy Spirit who moved over the earth to infuse it with life in the sense of protecting and participating in the work of creation (Genesis 1:2). Note also the quotation, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever" (Genesis 6:3; cf. Numbers 27:18; Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 40:13; Haggai 2:4f).
The triple use of "holy" in Isaiah 6:3 may imply a trinity (cf. Revelation 4:8), as well as the triple benediction of Numbers 6:24-26.
Writing about the Messiah, Isaiah reveals Him to be equal with God, calling Him the "Mighty God," "Eternal Father" and "Prince of Peace."(Isaiah 9:6). In Isaiah 7:14, God made it clear that the One who would be born of the virgin (i.e. Jesus Christ) would also be Immanuel, God with us.
Two other passages which imply the Trinity are Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1. In Isaiah 48:16 all three Persons are mentioned and yet seen as distinct from each other. See also Genesis 22:15-16.
Another phenomenon in the Old Testament is the apparent ascription of deity to someone who is distinct from Elohim or Yahweh. For example, many passages describe the "angel of Yahweh" or "angel of the Lord" being spoken of as though He were deity. This may be Christ Himself, pre-incarnate (before He was born as man). He appeared to Hagar (Genesis 16:7-14), Abraham (Genesis 22:11-18), Jacob (Genesis 31:11-13), Moses (Exodus 3:2-5), Israel (Exodus 14:19), Balaam (Numbers 22:22-35), Gideon (Judges 6:11-23), Manoah (Judges 13:2-25), Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-7), and David (1 Chronicles 21:15-17). The angel of the Lord slew 185,000 Assyrians (2 Kings 19:35), stood among the myrtle trees in Zechariah's vision (Zechariah 1:11), defended Joshua the high priest against Satan (Zechariah 3:1f), and was one of the three men who appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18).
In Psalm 110:1, David demonstrates there is a distinction of Persons between "LORD," the one speaking, and the one addressed called by David, "my Lord." David was indicating the Messiah was no ordinary king, but his own Lord, Adoni (my Lord), one who was God Himself. So God the first Person addresses God the second Person. This is precisely Peter's point when He quotes this Psalm to show the resurrection of the Messiah was anticipated in the Old Testament.
The Redeemer (who must be divine, Isaiah 7:14; 9:6) is distinguished from the Lord (Isaiah 59:20).
The Lord is distinguished from the Lord in Hosea 1:6-7. The one speaking here is Yahweh, the Lord, yet, note the statement in verse 7, "I will have compassion and deliver them by the Lord their God."
The Spirit is distinguished from the Lord in a number of passages (Isaiah 48:16; 59:21; 63:9-10).
The New Testament Teaches It - The New Testament is explicit about the elements of a tri-unity in the Godhead. This teaching is based on the attributes & behavior ascribed to each personality, which can only be said of God. We can see that: All three personalities appear as equal
1) In the great commission of Matthew 28:19 the command to baptize contains the singular "name" before the names Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the Hebrew culture a person's name described, or stood for his attributes; in most cases, a person was in reality just what he was named. "Name" probably means "person" in this verse, and suggests an equality among the persons mentioned. Also, the apostolic benediction of 2 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," implies the equality of the personalities mentioned.
2) Each personality is called God -
a) The Father is called God - His deity is shown in the following Scriptures: Jesus explains to His disciples that the seal of "the Father, even God" is upon Him (John 6:27). Paul, as he begins his epistle to the Romans calls God "our Father" (Romans 1:7). See also John 20:17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 4:6; Philippians 2:11 and 1 Peter 1:2.
b) Jesus Christ, the Son is declared to be God. - The doctrine of the deity of Christ is crucial to the Christian faith. "What think you of Christ?" is the paramount question of life (cf. Matthew 16:15; 22:42). It can be demonstrated that He is God in several ways: His divine names. He was given the name Immanuel, meaning God with us (cf. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22f). The term Word (Logos) is used to emphasize His deity (John 1:1-14; Revelation 19:13). As the Son of Man, He has authority on earth to interpret the sabbath law (Matthew 12:8), to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), will send His angels to gather out the tares (Matthew 13:41), will sit upon the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28; 25:31), will come again in great power (Matthew 24:44; 26:64; 26:63f; cf. Daniel 7:13). Christ is identified with the Jehovah of the Old Testament (cf. John 12:40f; Romans 10:9, 13; and 1 Peter 3:15 with Isaiah 6:1ff; Joel 2:32; and Isaiah 8:13 respectively). As the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35; John 1:14), He is said to have life in Himself and to quicken whom He will (John 5:21, 26), and to give eternal life (John 10:10). Jesus is also called Lord (Matthew 7:21f; Luke 1:43; 2:11; John 20:28; Acts 16:31; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11), the Messiah (John 1:49; 11:27), only begotten Son (John 3:16, 18), and God (John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20; cf. Romans 9:5). His divine attributes. Eternality: He was before the world came into being (John 17:5, 24), the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15), being in existence "in the beginning" (John 1:1; cf. 1 John 1:1), and continues forever (Hebrews 1:11f; 13:8). Omnipresence: He fills all (Ephesians 1:23), He was in Heaven while on earth (John 3:13) and is on earth while He is in Heaven (Matthew 18:20; 28:20). Omnipotence: He has power over demons (Mark 5:11-15), the elements of nature (Matthew 21:19; John 2:3-11), all things (Matthew 28:18), to perform miracles (John 5:36; 10:25, 38; 20:30f), and to uphold all things (Hebrews 1:3). Omniscience: He knows all things (Matthew 11:27; John 16:30; 21:17; Colossians 2:3), the history of the Samaritan woman (John 4:29), the thoughts of men (Luke 6:8; 11:17), the time and manner of His exit out of this world (Matthew 16:21; John 12:33; 13:1), the one who would betray Him (John 6:70f), and the character and termination of the present age (Matthew 24, 25). He is Immutable (Hebrews 1:12; 13:8). His works that only God could do. He is the creator (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:10) and the upholder of all things (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). He forgave sins (Matthew 9:2, 6; Luke 7:47f). He raised dead men (Luke 7:12-16; Mark 5:35-43; John 11:38-44) and will raise His saints in the future resurrection (John 5:25-29; 6:39f,; 54; 11:25). He will execute judgment (John 5:22), that of believers (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10), of the beast and his followers (Revelation 19:15), of the nations (Matthew 25:31f; Acts 17:31), of Satan (Genesis 3:15), and of the wicked dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5). His acceptance of divine worship. Since the Old Testament (Exodus 34:14) and Christ Himself (Matthew 4:10) declare that God only is to be worshipped, and both ordinary men and angels refused the worship which was offered them (Acts 10:25f; Revelation 19:10; 22:8f), for Christ to accept it, if He were not God, would be blasphemy. The Scriptures not only inform us that Christ was worshipped, but they ask us to worship Him (John 5:23; Hebrews 1:6). Some explicit statements declaring His deity. Thomas addressed Christ, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). Peter said, "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). See also John 1:1; 20:28; Titus 2:13 and Hebrews 1:1-8.
c) The Holy Spirit is recognized as God. His deity is evident by:
His divine names. He is expressly called God (Acts 5:3f.; 2 Corinthians 3:17f.), the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11), and other divine names (cf. Exodus 17:7 with Hebrews 3:7-9; and 2 Timothy 3:16 with 2 Peter 1:21). Comparing Peter's comments in Acts 5:3 and 4, we see that in lying to the Holy Spirit (v. 3), Ananias was lying to God (v. 4). His divine attributes. He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10f.; John 14:26; 16:12f.), omnipotent (Luke 1:35), and omnipresent (1 Corinthians 6:19). His works that only God could do. He regenerates people to new life (John 3:5-6, 8; Titus 3:5) which must of necessity be a work of God for only God has the power of life. The words and works of the Holy Spirit are considered as the words and works of God (cf. Isaiah 6:9f. with John 12:39-41 and Acts 28:25-27; Exodus 16:7 with Psalm 95:8-11; Isaiah 63:9f. with Hebrews 3:7-9). Other works, such as: inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21; cf. Acts 1:16; 28:25), and raising of the dead (Romans 8:11). He is susceptible of personal treatment. He can be tempted (Acts 5:9), lied to (Acts 5:3), grieved (Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:10), resisted (Acts 7:51), insulted (Hebrews 10:29), and blasphemed (Matthew 12:31f.). He is distinguished from His own power (Acts 10:38; Romans 15:13; 1 Corinthians 2:4). He relates to the Father and the Son as a person. This is the case in the baptismal formula (Matthew 28:19), in the apostolic benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14), and in His office as administrator of the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-6; cf. also 1 Peter 1:1f; Jude 20f.).
Each personality is distinct
The Father is distinct from the Son according to John 1:14: "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." The term "only begotten" suggests, that two distinct personalities are involved (as a father and his son are distinct), and that they are each of the same nature or substance (just as a child is as much a human being as his father).
Some theologians regard the Holy Spirit as a power or force of God, not a distinct personality. But clear evidence of the Holy Spirit's personality occurs in John 16:14. The word "spirit" literally means "wind," and as a neuter noun it requires a neuter pronoun, a peculiarity of the Greek language. But in this verse, John deliberately violates this rule and uses the masculine pronouns "He" and "Him," referring to the Holy Spirit. The only conclusion is that John regarded the Holy Spirit as a distinct person.
Lastly, Jesus said, "I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16). In this case all three are seen as distinct personalities carrying out co-operative roles: the Son requests that the Father send the Holy Spirit to become the helper to believers.
Conclusion
God is a plural word and not a singular word - Tri-Unity of God can be summarized in the following manner:
a) God is compose of 3 person - Father, Son And Holy Spirit - 2 is invisible 1 is visible yet they are called God.
c) Time is a composition of 3 - past and future is invisible - present is visible yet they are called time.
d) Man is a composition of 3 - Soul and spirit is invisible - body is visible yet they are called man.