Understanding the Trinity: From Old Testament to New

 

Summary

In today's exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity, we delved into the profound mystery of God's triune nature, which is subtly hinted at in the Old Testament but fully revealed in the New Testament. The Old Testament, while not explicitly teaching the Trinity, lays the groundwork for this revelation, as seen in the New Testament's acceptance of Jesus' divine nature by monotheistic Jews. This acceptance underscores the seamless transition from Old Testament monotheism to New Testament Trinitarianism, highlighting the divine nature of Jesus as recognized by His disciples.

We also discussed the historical context of the Old Testament, where the emphasis was on establishing monotheism amidst a polytheistic world. This context influenced the timing of God's revelation of certain truths, such as eternal life and the Trinity. The Old Testament provides the foundational paradigms, while the New Testament brings clarity and fulfillment to these concepts.

Furthermore, we examined the distinction between the Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant, particularly the Mosaic Covenant, served as a legal framework to highlight human sinfulness and the need for divine grace. In contrast, the New Covenant, brought by Jesus, emphasizes grace and truth, offering a more mature relationship with God.

We also addressed the compatibility of God's sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. These are not contradictory but coexist in a divine mystery. God's sovereignty orchestrates all things, yet humans are responsible for their actions. This understanding helps us avoid the trap of blaming God for our sins, recognizing instead our moral responsibility.

Lastly, we touched on the assurance of salvation and the experience of doubt. Doubt is not evidence of a lack of faith but a call to seek Christ and the assurance of the Holy Spirit. The journey of faith involves wrestling with doubt, but it ultimately leads us to a deeper reliance on God's promises.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Trinity is subtly present in the Old Testament and fully revealed in the New Testament, showing a seamless transition from monotheism to Trinitarianism. This revelation underscores the divine nature of Jesus, recognized by His disciples as the Son of God. [06:40]

2. The historical context of the Old Testament focused on establishing monotheism, which influenced the timing of God's revelation of eternal life and the Trinity. The Old Testament provides foundational paradigms, while the New Testament brings clarity and fulfillment. [08:09]

3. The Old Covenant, particularly the Mosaic Covenant, highlighted human sinfulness and the need for divine grace. In contrast, the New Covenant emphasizes grace and truth, offering a more mature relationship with God. [10:18]

4. God's sovereignty and human responsibility coexist in a divine mystery, not as contradictions. God's sovereignty orchestrates all things, yet humans are responsible for their actions, avoiding the trap of blaming God for sin. [16:00]

5. Doubt in salvation is not evidence of a lack of faith but a call to seek Christ and the assurance of the Holy Spirit. The journey of faith involves wrestling with doubt, leading to a deeper reliance on God's promises. [30:28]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:02] - Old Testament and Trinitarianism
[06:40] - Acceptance of Jesus' Divinity
[08:09] - Historical Context and Revelation
[09:53] - Old vs. New Covenant
[12:45] - Covenant of Grace
[14:15] - Law and Sinfulness
[15:09] - Sovereignty and Responsibility
[17:41] - Divine Sovereignty and Human Agency
[19:00] - Moral Responsibility
[20:20] - Avoiding the Blame Trap
[22:17] - Reformed Theology and Coherence
[23:42] - Regeneration and Conversion
[27:44] - Assurance and Doubt
[30:28] - Seeking Christ in Doubt

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:2 - "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."
2. John 1:17 - "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
3. Philippians 2:12-13 - "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

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Observation Questions:

1. How does Genesis 1:2 hint at the presence of the Trinity in the Old Testament? [05:12]
2. What does John 1:17 suggest about the differences between the Old and New Covenants? [10:18]
3. According to Philippians 2:12-13, what is the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in the process of salvation? [17:41]
4. How did the early Jewish Christians come to accept the divine nature of Jesus without debate? [07:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the Old Testament lay the groundwork for the revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament? [06:13]
2. How does the historical context of the Old Testament influence the timing of God's revelation of eternal life and the Trinity? [08:35]
3. What does the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant reveal about God's plan for humanity? [12:45]
4. How can the coexistence of God's sovereignty and human responsibility be understood without seeing them as contradictory? [16:24]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced doubt in your faith. How did you seek assurance from God during that period? [30:28]
2. How can you better recognize and accept the divine nature of Jesus in your daily life, similar to the early Jewish Christians? [07:07]
3. In what ways can you embrace the grace and truth of the New Covenant in your relationship with God? [10:18]
4. How can you balance acknowledging God's sovereignty with taking personal responsibility for your actions and decisions? [16:00]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle with doubt. What steps can you take to seek Christ and the assurance of the Holy Spirit in that area? [30:28]
6. How can understanding the historical context of the Old Testament enhance your appreciation of the New Testament revelations? [08:35]
7. Consider a situation where you might have blamed God for your actions. How can you shift your perspective to take responsibility and seek God's guidance? [20:20]

Devotional

Day 1: The Trinity's Revelation Through Scripture
The doctrine of the Trinity is a profound mystery that is subtly present in the Old Testament and fully revealed in the New Testament. This seamless transition from monotheism to Trinitarianism underscores the divine nature of Jesus, recognized by His disciples as the Son of God. The Old Testament, while not explicitly teaching the Trinity, lays the groundwork for this revelation. The New Testament's acceptance of Jesus' divine nature by monotheistic Jews highlights this transition, showing how the divine nature of Jesus was recognized and accepted by His followers. This understanding invites believers to explore the depth of God's triune nature and its implications for their faith. [06:40]

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: How does the understanding of the Trinity deepen your relationship with God, and how can you incorporate this understanding into your daily worship and prayer life?


Day 2: God's Timing in Revelation
The historical context of the Old Testament focused on establishing monotheism in a polytheistic world, which influenced the timing of God's revelation of eternal life and the Trinity. The Old Testament provides foundational paradigms, while the New Testament brings clarity and fulfillment to these concepts. This progression shows God's wisdom in revealing truths at the right time, allowing His people to grow in understanding and faith. As believers, recognizing this divine timing can help us trust in God's plan and His perfect timing in our own lives. [08:09]

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust God's timing more fully, and how can you actively practice patience and faith in His plan today?


Day 3: The Covenants: Law and Grace
The Old Covenant, particularly the Mosaic Covenant, served as a legal framework to highlight human sinfulness and the need for divine grace. In contrast, the New Covenant, brought by Jesus, emphasizes grace and truth, offering a more mature relationship with God. This distinction between the covenants shows the progression from law to grace, inviting believers to embrace the freedom and maturity found in the New Covenant. Understanding this transition can deepen our appreciation for God's grace and encourage us to live in the truth and freedom it provides. [10:18]

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17, ESV)

Reflection: How can you live more fully in the grace and truth of the New Covenant, and what changes might this require in your daily life and relationships?


Day 4: Sovereignty and Responsibility
God's sovereignty and human responsibility coexist in a divine mystery, not as contradictions. God's sovereignty orchestrates all things, yet humans are responsible for their actions, avoiding the trap of blaming God for sin. This understanding helps believers recognize their moral responsibility while trusting in God's sovereign plan. Embracing this balance can lead to a more mature faith, where believers take responsibility for their actions while relying on God's guidance and sovereignty. [16:00]

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you take greater responsibility for your actions while trusting in God's sovereignty, and how can this balance impact your decision-making and spiritual growth?


Day 5: Wrestling with Doubt
Doubt in salvation is not evidence of a lack of faith but a call to seek Christ and the assurance of the Holy Spirit. The journey of faith involves wrestling with doubt, leading to a deeper reliance on God's promises. This process of wrestling with doubt can strengthen faith, as believers learn to trust in God's promises and seek His presence in times of uncertainty. Embracing doubt as part of the faith journey can lead to a more resilient and mature faith. [30:28]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you embrace doubt as a part of your faith journey, and what steps can you take to seek Christ and the assurance of the Holy Spirit in times of uncertainty?

Quotes


There is not a single Jew in the Old Testament, not even Ezekiel or Daniel or Isaiah or David, who effectively expounded a doctrine of three persons and one God. So whilst the evidence was conducive to Trinitarianism, of course God, who essentially exists as triune, would reveal himself in ways that are conducive to Trinitarianism. [00:05:15]

What was latent in the old, as Augustine said, is patent in the new. So there are there are adumbrations of Trinitarianism in the Old Testament. There is no self-disclosure of God in the Old Testament that would be contrary to Trinitarianism, but it remains the fact that Trinitarianism is something that is revealed in the New Testament. [00:06:02]

All of these Jews that you meet, like John or Matthew or Luke or Paul or Peter, who are exclusively monotheistic, have no trouble at all in accepting the divine nature of Jesus. There is no debate in the New Testament against Trinitarianism. There is no debate in the New Testament against the deity of Christ. [00:06:40]

The historical context of the Old Testament, where almost everyone was polytheistic, there was a great need to establish monotheism amongst the Jews. Historical context may have had something to do with God's timing in revealing these truths. The Old Testament gives us all the ingredients, all the paradigms. They're all there, all the foundations are there. [00:08:09]

The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now, what does John mean? Does he mean there was no grace in the Old Testament? Does he mean there's no law in the New Testament? Obviously not. He's making a relative contrast in absolute terms. There was so much law under the Old Testament. [00:10:18]

The Mosaic economy as an administration of the covenant of grace has a particularly legal caste. Part of the function of that, as Paul says over and over again, is to teach the reality of sin. It's difficult to keep all the law of Moses, and so it impinges on the people of God to know their sinfulness and to know their need of mercy. [00:13:45]

God is sovereign overall. He orchestrates all things, yet he also tells us that he's neither the author nor the approver of sin. It tells us that God is overall and almighty over all and sovereign overall. It also tells us that God doesn't tempt us. We have to understand that God's sovereignty and man's responsibility are not apparent contradictions. [00:16:00]

We are responsible creatures who make moral choices. Now, we don't have free will in the sense that you can choose all the good that's out there. We are by nature totally depraved, but we do have free agency, and for which we are morally responsible. When you talk about God's sovereignty and human free agency, you're not talking about apples and apples. [00:18:20]

Sometimes what happens is that people develop this bad theology where, when they sin, it's almost as if they blame God for their own sin. I think we can fall into that trap. I think that's the devil's trap for us. We can sometimes think that God is responsible for our sin and that he's the one to blame for our sin. [00:20:20]

The experience of doubt in and of itself is not evidence that we're not converted. What it demonstrates is that we need to run to Christ and ask him and ask the Holy Spirit to grant us that assurance that we once had. There's a passage in Hebrews 12, looking to Christ, in Hebrews 12:1-2, the author encourages these Christians. [00:30:28]

Doubt can come from the devil. Doubt can come from physical and mental disease. Doubt can come because we've taken our eyes off Jesus. Doubt can come because we're not walking steadfastly in the faith, we're not reading the scriptures, we're not listening to Jesus as he speaks to us in the scriptures. [00:31:06]

The journey of faith involves wrestling with doubt, but it ultimately leads us to a deeper reliance on God's promises. We need to allow the Bible, the whole of scripture, to speak for itself. It also emphasizes the need for the new covenant, the need for the New Testament. [00:31:40]

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Transcript
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