The Trinity
The Ministries of the Trinity
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image,
according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of
the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over
all the wild animals of the earth,and over every creeping thing that creeps
upon the earth."
NRSV
The marvel of the Trinity -- and an important piece of evidence in establishing its validity -- is the appearance and participation of all three Persons of the Trinity in a variety of ministries of God. Consider:
In Creation:
The Father: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.
The Son: John 1:3 He created everything
there is. Nothing exists that he didn&t make. and
Colossians 1:16 Christ is the one through whom God
created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see
and the things we can&t see-kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities.
Everything has been created through him and for him.
The Holy Spirit: Genesis 1:2 The earth was empty,
a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering
over its surface. and
Psalm 104:30 When you send your Spirit, new life
is born to replenish all the living of the earth.
In the sending of Jesus, the
Son:
Luke 1:35 The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So
the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
In sending the Holy Spirit:
John 14:26 But when the Father sends the Counselor
as my representative-and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit-he will
teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told
you. and
John 15:26 "But I [Jesus] will send you the Counselor-the
Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you
all about me. and
Galatians 4:6 And because you Gentiles have become
his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and
now you can call God your dear Father.
In indwelling believers:
John 14:16-17 16 And I will ask the Father, and
he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is
the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive
him, because it isn&t looking for him and doesn&t recognize him. But you
do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. and
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "All those who love me
will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them
and live with them.
In entering into the presence
of God:
Ephesians 2:18 Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles,
may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ
has done for us.
In providing redemption and
salvation:
Hebrews 2:3-4 3 What makes us think that we can
escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced
by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him
speak, 4 and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various
miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do
so.
1 Peter 1:12 They were told that these things would
not happen during their lifetime, but many years later, during yours.
And now this Good News has been announced by those who preached to you
in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful
that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
Hebrews 9:14 Just think how much more the blood
of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that
we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit,
Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
In identification of Jesus as
the Messiah/Christ:
Matthew 3:16-17 16 After his baptism, as Jesus came
up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven
said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him."
In raising Jesus from the dead:
The Father, Romans 6:4 For we died and were buried
with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
and
The Son, John 10:17-18 17 "The Father loves me because
I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can take my
life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to
lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my
Father has given me this command." and
The Holy Spirit, Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God,
who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ
from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit
living within you. or,
"God," Acts 13:30 But God raised him from
the dead!
In baptism:
Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of
all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
In blessings:
2 Corinthians 13:13[14] May the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be
with you all.
All Scripture on this page are taken from the NLT
