QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Question – Lebo (South Africa): Pastor, thank you for this opportunity. Sir, I would love to have a full understanding of the Trinity.
Answer: Now, Lebo wants a full understanding of the Trinity; well, there is so much for us to say about the Trinity which time will not allow us, but I will give you some information that will guide you in the scriptures to a greater understanding of the Trinity. 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16 is where we will begin: “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: (That means the nature of God) God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. [1 Timothy 3:16]” It says God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory. He must be talking of someone who was manifest in the flesh – Jesus! The Bible tells us that the Word was made flesh, the Word of God. It says “In the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God [John 1:1].” Then, in that fourteenth verse of the first chapter of St. John’s gospel, it says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us [John 1:14].” So, the Word, that is God Himself was made flesh, became flesh; he was manifest in the flesh. It says “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.” The bible says that when Jesus was raised from the dead, he was justified in the Spirit. So, he was justified by the resurrection from the dead. And then it says, seen of angels; the angels saw him and we know that. Then, preached unto the Gentiles. Who was preached unto the Gentiles? Jesus! Believed on in the world; he is the one we are preaching today, and he is the one that people around the world are believing today. Then it says, received up into glory, and we know that Jesus ascended up into Heaven according to Acts chapter 1. So, this is talking about Jesus and it calls Him God. It says God was manifested in the flesh and all of this that we just read. So Jesus is God. Now, we’ll read [that might sound very big to a lot of people and they think well, that’s not possible but it’s real].
I want to read something else to you from St. John’s Gospel chapter 14 from verse 6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. Philip said unto him, Lord shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” In other words, show us the Father and we will be satisfied. “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very work’s sake [John 14: 6-11].” Jesus is letting us know here that he and the Father are one and that’s very powerful, very powerful. I’ll read you one other portion here: “I and my Father are one. [John 10:30]” Great declaration from Jesus [repeats John 10:30]! VIDEOS
Now, we’ve talked about Jesus and his father; and, then we’ll look at St. John chapter 14, from verse 15: “If you love me keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you [John 14:15-17]” Jesus said, “I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter.” Now, the expression of the Master here in discussing the Holy Spirit tells us exactly what the Holy Spirit is like. And the words, ‘another Comforter’ are from the Greek ‘allos’ meaning another one of the same kind, different from if he had said ‘heteros’ but he says ‘allos parakletos.’ ‘Allos’ means another one of exactly the same kind. Now ‘heteros’ means another one of a different kind. Now, in describing the Holy Spirit, Jesus said he is ‘allos parakletos’, so ‘parakletos’ is one…it means one called to go alongside you – one who goes with you. And, the Amplified translation gives us seven words that we can take as synonyms for that very word ‘parakletos’ from where we get the English here, ‘comforter’. And, you can look through the Amplified Version and get all the details. But, here, Jesus is letting us know that the Holy Spirit looks like him, talks like him, loves like him and he is just like Jesus. Now, the Spirit of God – the Holy Spirit – is actually the one who carries the presence of God, because the Father is always on the throne. The Father is always on the throne. It’s the Holy Spirit, the one who proceeds from the Father: He is the doer. He is the one who moves from the Father. The Father never goes away from the throne. When he has to do something, it’s the Holy Spirit that does it. So, the Holy Spirit is the conveyor of the presence of God. That’s why he is called the Spirit of God. He is the one who functions for the Father in place of the Father. That’s the one who proceeds from the Father. He is the Spirit of God. So, the Bible tells us here; it says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. [John 14:17]” When Jesus said “my Father which dwelleth in me, he doeth the works [John 14:10]”, he was talking about the Holy Spirit, because the Father himself is always in Heaven. So, how then did he dwell in Jesus? He dwelt in Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Now, let me read to you another simple verse that can give you a little more light into this. In St. Matthew chapter 1, from verse 18: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost [Matthew 1:18].” Jesus was described as ‘child of the Holy Ghost’. In other words, the Holy Spirit was his father. So, when he said my Father which dwelleth in me, he was talking about the Holy Spirit, because he had received the Holy Spirit at the baptism at the Jordan by John, you remember that. So, the Holy Spirit came to live in Jesus; from then on, the Father dwelt in Jesus. And you know that’s exactly what he’s done for us today. The Holy Spirit lives in us and through the Holy Spirit, the Father lives in us. That’s how we carry the presence of God today, because the Holy Spirit brings us the presence of God, and he dwells in us. So, we have been born of the Spirit of God; as Jesus was called a child of the Holy Ghost, we are children of the Holy Ghost.
And now, something beautiful in St. Matthew’s gospel chapter 28; you know he is called the Holy Spirit. What name does the Father answer today? You know back in the Old Testament they called him several names; they called him…now, Elohim was God, alright! That was the name – God. And then they had several names, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Tsidkenu, Jehovah Shammah, Jehovah Shalom; all of these names describe his character but over in the New Testament, he does not answer those names. He answers one name. Even the Holy Spirit; we call him ‘Holy Spirit’, but what is his name? Let me show you the name of the Father and the name of the Holy Spirit. In St. Matthew’s gospel chapter 28, reading from verse 18: “And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in the earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28: 18-20] Now look at that verse 19; it says “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” It didn’t say in the names of the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. One name for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and what name is that? Jesus! How do you know? Because he said to baptize people, those who believe in him, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and he gave this instruction to the apostles and over in the book of Acts, they always [when they baptized] said they baptized in the name of Jesus, which means in responding to what Jesus said [responding to Jesus’ instruction] they knew the name of Jesus was the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. That’s very important. So, when you call the name of Jesus, the presence of God is there. That’s why he said, “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst of them” [Matthew 18:20] How? Through the Holy Spirit! So, the Holy Spirit brings us the presence of the Father and brings us the presence of Jesus. So, that’s very important. That’s great! –SEE VIDEOS–
So, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one; this is the Trinity. When you talk about the God-head, let me read something to you that will be very enlightening. It’s in Colossians 1:19, “For it pleased the Father that in him [talking about Jesus] should all fullness dwell”. That’s powerful. In chapter 2 of the same book, verse 9: “For in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily. [Colossians 2:9]” The fullness of the Godhead resides in Jesus. In order words, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the totality of Deity. So that helps you understand what the Trinity really is. But, there is so much more we could talk about and I will ask you to get our tapes on the subject. They will be very beneficial to you.
SPECIAL GIFT
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D. https://wp.me/p9v28c-Us – Mr. Noble
E. https://wp.me/p9v28c-Ve – Soltunerock
F. https://wp.me/p9v28c-125 – Viwe Nikita
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