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The Holy Trinity: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. Useful Information. Father Keith Mathur fr.mathur @stmchurchallentown.org 610-433-7413 x40 Mr. Kevin Damitz kevin@stmchurchallentown.org 610-437-3491. What is the essence of God?. Essence: what makes a “thing” what it is.
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The Holy Trinity: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
Useful Information Father Keith Mathur • fr.mathur@stmchurchallentown.org • 610-433-7413 x40 Mr. Kevin Damitz • kevin@stmchurchallentown.org • 610-437-3491
What is the essence of God? • Essence: what makes a “thing” what it is. • So what is the essence of God? LOVE
1 JOHN 4:16 “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in Him.”
LOVE • EROS • Completely selfish • Self-gratifying • Narcissistic • English word erotic • PHILIA • Brotherly love • English words filial, Philadelphia • AGAPE • Love spoke of in the NT • Love that completely gives of itself for the sake of the other
Love God is the same way God is infinite, so He infinitely gives and infinitely receives love.
Basic Tenets of Revealed Truth about God • 1 God, not 3 • Sign of the Cross • 3 Persons • Father • Son • Holy Spirit • Through their own will established a hierarchy of equality • Does not relegate greatness or power – but helps us understand how the Trinity works within itself – still a mystery folks!
God the FATHER • Source of the Trinity • Don’t let language confuse you • Source does not mean the Son & the Holy Spirit are lesser than the Father
God the SON • Not created, but begotten • In fact eternally and infinitely begotten
God the HOLY SPIRIT • Not created, nor begotten • He is SPIRATED
Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” - New American Bible
Attribution • Father – Creator – creates and makes all things possible. • Son – Redeemer – saves humanity from their sins by becoming human. • Spirit – Sanctifier – continually makes things holy as a gift sent from the Father and the Son.
Transcendence God is transcendent and beyond all of creation – so all ideas and speech about God is going to somehow be lacking in a fully explaining who God is.
Father Revealed by the Son • God is Father in as much as he is the Creator of the world • God is Father because of the covenant he made with Israel to send his 1st born Son • Father is the first origin of everything • Father shows his goodness and loving care for his children • Jesus Himself reveals God as the Father and as Creator • Eternally God is Father by his relationship with His only Son • AD 325- Council of Nicaea- Son is consubstantial with the Father
Father & Son Revealed by the Spirit • Jesus promises to send the Spirit • The sending of the Spirit is after Jesus’ glorification • Holy Spirit is not the “spirit” of the Father • Spirit least understood of the Trinity: marked difference in the Eastern & Western Church (both Catholic & Orthodox)
Dogma of the Trinity • In the 1 Divine Nature (when we say nature, philosophically it means the essence of being – so there is 1 Divine Nature consisting of 3 Divine Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). • No one of the 3 Divine Persons is either of the other Divine Persons – but rather each Person of Trinity is wholly Himself. • The Father is the 1 true God, the Son is the 1 true God, and the Holy Spirit is the 1 True God. • There are not 3 Gods, but 1 God.
The Importance of Words in Theology and Philosophy • Possessive Statements • Very important for natures • Who vs. What • What = nature (1 God) • Who = person (3 Persons) • Nature decides what I can do • Person describes who we are • If you were to ask God: • Q: What are you? A: God would respond together, “GOD!” • Q: Who are you? A: They would each respond “Father, “Son,” or “Holy Spirit.”
