The Trinity
God exists as three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity. The three persons of the trinity were clearly seen at Jesus’ baptism. “And when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And behold a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have all existed from eternity, from before the creation of the world. In Bethlehem the Son took on flesh, coming from heaven into Mary’s baby, but this was not His beginning. Jesus speaks in John 17:5 about the glory that He had with the Father before the world existed. In Genesis 1:3 the Spirit of God goes forth over the earth as God begins to establish the order of creation in the world.
The Spirit of God came down on Pentecost to fill and empower believers in a new way, but the Spirit also existed with the Father and the Son from before the creation of the world. The three members of the trinity all worked together in creation. (John 1:1-3) They exist and always have existed together in loving harmony. In John 17:20-26, Jesus speaks about the oneness and the love that He shares with the Father. When Jesus said “Before Abraham was, I AM” He was stating that He was I AM, Jehovah, the God who appeared to Moses, that He was the eternal God. Seven times He spoke of Himself as the I AM in John, beautifully describing the nature of God. (John 8:58, 6:35, 8:12, 10:7, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1)
Each of the members of the trinity is fully God, but each plays a unique role in our salvation. God the Father sent His Son to earth. In obedience to the Father, Jesus went to the cross to purchase our salvation. The Spirit of God convicts and draws us to God, bringing new life. He has been given to us as a gift from the Father and the Son to be our teacher, helper, healer, and comforter. The Spirit works in us to make us like Jesus and He will keep us until the day we see Jesus face to face. (John 10:25-30; Genesis 1:26; Colossians 1:13-20; Revelation 1:4-8)
Discovery Bible Study Outline
Lesson 3: The Trinity
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- As Jesus is baptized the Holy Spirit descends on Him like a dove from heaven, and then the Father speaks calling Jesus His beloved Son.
- Do we have three Gods or one?
- Is it possible to fully understand what God is like? Why?
- What does this passage tell us about how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit feel about each other and relate to each other?
- How does Jesus describe His relationship with the Father?
- In what way are they one?
- What is the context of this verse?
- Where else in the Bible did we read about the I AM?
- How could Jesus be the “I AM” who spoke to Moses if He was born to Mary in Bethlehem only thirty years before He said this?
- How should our relationships as brothers and sisters reflect Jesus’ relationship with the Father?
- How long has the Father loved the Son?
Additional passages for study: Colossians 1:13-20; Genesis 1:26; Revelation 1:4-8
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