Simply Trinity (part 26)

Father in heaven, we thank you so much for this opportunity we have together as we anticipate this season. This upcoming holiday Thanksgiving Father as your people we are filled with thanksgiving for the sending of your son to redeem us from our sin To grant him to us eternal life father.

We thank you for sending the Spirit to seal us To sanctify us to keep us till the day of Christ Jesus. We pray that this morning study will be Helpful to us be encouraging to us and we pray these things in Jesus name.

Amen. Well, we started talking about the Holy Spirit last week. And I you know as I as I do I ran into something Online on Facebook, you know, somebody said why don't you quit Facebook and I'm like because I get too much material there.

Why is it somebody was talking about, you know, the movie cessationist, which will be available in our library here shortly as soon as I bring it in. First of all, let me just Stop and say does everybody know what cessationism is?

Is there anybody who doesn't know what cessationism is? Okay. Cessationism is the idea that Spiritual gifts the miraculous spiritual gifts have ceased. They're no longer so cess stop, you know cease cease and desist.

That they're no longer operational and this is a little controversial. Why do you think it would be controversial? Okay, because whole churches are built on the fact that the gifts still exist, in fact, you can go in and Hardly ever hear a Bible verse let alone the gospel or anything else other thoughts about why that would be controversial.

The idea that spiritual gifts have ceased. Okay, you're limiting God. Yes, or Even are you suggesting that God has? Changed. No, in other words, doesn't he always do things the same way. I Mean there's a major flaw in that argument, right?

Does God always do things exactly the same way and the answer is no. In fact, you know and you know this or you should know this or you will know this in about 30 seconds the miraculous gifts if we were to look through all the Bible and we were look at Miracles and how they were worked through particular men in history.

How often would we see those miracles occur? And the answer is About three during they're they're really heightened during three periods of history. That's during the time of Moses and Joshua. Okay, when we're when we're the Israelis the Israelis the Israelites the Jews are in Egypt and being delivered and then as they enter into the promised land, so under the Leadership of Moses and Joshua then under Elijah and Elisha the two prophets we see there are quite a few miracles and then during the time of Jesus and the Apostles.

And if we understand that biblically speaking now are there other miracles that happen here and there yes. But they're not common. So if we understand that then we would say well, obviously God doesn't operate exactly the same way all the time, right?

But people want why do you suppose there would be this desire to have? Spiritual gifts the miraculous spiritual gifts today. Why would why would that be so popular? Why would people long for that?

Brian.

Okay, so so that's a very optimistic view. So so they can see the outworking of God. Yes.

Gary.

Okay, so they can draw a bigger crowd because nothing packs men quite like a miracle. Yes, Andre. Okay, I think there's something to that right so you can feel powerful. I mean.

Yeah.

Superpowers are fun. But when we when we think okay, how does the Holy Spirit work? Well, would we look at Scripture and say the normal operation of the Holy Spirit is to cause people to flop on the ground to laugh riotously to act like animals.

I.

Mean I.

Told this story before but I went to Pasadena Mott Auditorium, and I listened to one of the so-called Kansas City prophets and As I'm standing there listening to the nonsense that's going up on the stage This young woman who's probably about four foot ten Starts growling and I turn and look at her and Her face is contorting and she's making all these wild noises and you know.

And I just thought I'm actually kind of gonna step back, right? I don't know what's going on, but you know, I haven't had my rabies shot and I'm a little concerned. So why is it that people long for this?

You know just think about what Scripture says long for what? The miracle gifts. Long for the spectacular. Long for Entertainment. No, it says long for The pure milk of the Word, but if you get up and preach the Bible week after week what happens?

You aren't very entertaining. It's really entertaining to have you know, I prophesy that you are going to you know head a Major corporation that you are going to do this that your children are going to take over the planet, whatever.

You know, I mean, these are these are fun things.

Okay.

Cindy I prophesy that your children. Yes. Well, I think that's true right the people want to feel like. Because if they've got these spiritual gifts like speaking tongues. That there are that they've reached a new kind of spiritual level, right?

So there's that I mean if you talk to somebody who goes to a charismatic Church. And you know are there Christians that go to charismatic churches? Yes. But if you talk to them and you say, you know, I don't speak in tongues.

They're not angry with you. They are Sorry for you. Yeah, they pity you right because you've not reached the level that they have. So, yeah, I think that's a. I think that's a good point. But if we look going back to the quiz here.

Where we left off? You know, what is the Holy Spirit's Mission now, what does he do? You know if I were to ask you what is the Holy Spirit doing right now? What does he do? By the way, is there anybody who doesn't have a copy of the quiz because I do have copies.

Oh Yes, I have copies. We're on number 10. Blessed number 10. Yes, I think Cindy has a few extras and I have one.

For the front row.

What's the Holy Spirit doing right now? Take two. They're free. No cost or obligation. I should start printing coupons down to the bottom of them. Yes, Cory. Okay, I couldn't have said it better. I'm gonna email you something.

He's pointing. He's pointing people in Christ that he's convicting the world of sin Charlie. Okay, he's regenerating lost sinners. We know all these things because the Bible tells us these things. Now let's look at number 10 and sadly it's not true or false so we have to think for a moment.

I'm firing the quiz writer. How is the Holy Spirit's temporal mission? That is to say what he does in time, right? How is this temporal mission connected to his personal property? Now, maybe we should define what his temp his personal property is.

What is his personal property? Yes, Gary. Okay, he owns those who are born again, yes, but when we talk about personal property we're talking about with regard to his Personal property within the the Trinity, you know, what's his eternal personal?

Yes.

Charlie, okay. Okay. He is nuanced from the other two. His personal property is that he is eternally Spirited. Now, what's the word we use in common conversation, you know? I'm not eternally spirited, but I am spirited Steve.

Go spirit yourself out and you know, take the trash or He is he's sent by. The Holy Spirit is sent. He's. And when we say he's spirited it's really more than it. I'm going to use the word even though it's a little controversial.

He's.

Generated and the reason we don't say generated is because it belongs to the second person of the Trinity Jesus the Eternal Son. But he's generated by the Father and the Son. And we get into all kinds of issues like well, was there a time the Holy Spirit did not exist?

No, because there was no time, right? So getting back to the question, how is the spirits temporal mission what he does within time? Connected to his personal property. In other words who he is without regard to time.

Now we see the depth of the question. Barrett says this he says while we should not project Everything in the mission of the Son or the Spirit onto the eternal Trinity in other words what they do in time.

Back on to their eternal being. Nevertheless, it would be extreme to conclude that such missions do not mirror Eternal relations in one specific way. The only reason and here's the point the only reason the Spirit can be sent by the Father and the Son to save a lost Humanity to convict them of sin to regenerate them, etc Is because he proceeds from the Father and the Son from all eternity.

In other words what he does in time Reflects who he eternally is the difference between The Father and the Son of the Spirit he is sent to Regenerate to convict of sin to cause to be born again all the things that the Bible describes him doing.

He does that because of who he? Eternally is.

Okay.

Number 11. Why is it incorrect to say the Holy Spirit is generated by the Father and the Son and I just sort of? Tip that off. It's incorrect not because it's Here. Let me see. It's incorrect not because it's incorrect.

Thank you moving on. It's incorrect because it only because It creates confusion as if nothing else creates confusion. Here's what I mean. Or I'll just let Barrett say it, and then we'll go back and explain it.

I realized. Procession the eternal procession or the eternal spiration. Same thing. The eternal procession of the Spirit may sound strange. Why not say the Spirit is generated as we did with the Son. Then he says, but remember these eternal relations of origin in other words who the three persons of The Trinity are eternally.

What separates them? What distinguishes them if we say the Spirit is generated then we have not distinguished? The Spirit from the Son in relation to the Father. So it's really just a matter of terminology.

If we say the Spirit is generated Then the Spirit might replace the Son and lose his distinct personhood all together. If we say the Spirit is generated. We might also turn the Spirit into a second son.

Which would make the Spirit a brother to the Son. In other words what he's saying is we use specific words so that we can.

Readily identify.

The relationship that exists between them eternally or make it I don't know if readily is a good word, but make it easier to distinguish them right if we say The Son is eternally generated. Okay, we Somewhat understand that.

I mean we could probably write a few papers on that, but it means this that before time began the Father Eternally generated the Son which means you know to us. It's kind of mind-boggling because we think well wait a minute.

So there's a time when Jesus did not exist the Son did not exist. Well, why is that no? Because there's no time so when we say eternally generated. We're meant to understand That this is something that's a temporal that has no regard to time whatsoever.

And that's you know sometimes I talk about this. And I and I think it's good for us to think of it this way even if it's a flawed illustration. And I'm sure some brilliant person can tell you why it's flawed, but if we think as of time more as a.

Location.

If we think of time as a place If we think of time more as a location than what we typically do just the existence in which we live in. But even that word live in or those two words help us a little bit because God is outside of time and We're prone to do what with God.

Humanize them make them more like us bring them down to our level. I mean if you want to know every single cult that you can deal with what do they do. They reduce God and they elevate man.

Always.

Without fail. I mean if you look at Islam whatever religion you want to talk to or talk about ultimately you're not so bad and God's not so great. The holiness of God gets reduced your personal sins your flaws.

You know become minimum, and you just kind of float up and you and God are Almost evil or equal not evil almost equal, but getting back to this the Holy Spirit. You know it's hard not to use time language.

When you're talking about the the Trinity and their eternal Relations and the problem is as soon as you use time language what happens? Yeah, the buzzer goes off. You're wrong right. It's like well. You know the The father generated the son okay, and then oh you said then.

But that's the only way my feeble little brain can think about it is Father generates the son and then the father and the CCS and then father and the son generate the spirit or Spirate the spirit or cause him to proceed and.

How does that work? I? Don't know you know we have to you know all we have to do is grasp the concept of a time before time. A time without time an existence without time. That's all. Once we do that it all becomes simple.

Charlie. Well in part because of those verses where you know the spirit of Christ. And you know where he's identified as the spirit of Christ. That's part of it, and the other part is where Jesus promises to do what?

Send the Holy Spirit. Something that only God can do right so he he takes deity when he says those things. But it's also and he also says the father will send the spirit so the spirit spirit and. Or the spirit is sent by the father and the son so we have that concept, and then you know we have his identification the spirits identification it sometimes as either the spirit of God or the spirit of Christ.

So all those.

Things lead you know to the. Again and let me just Say this because it bears repeating. Well, I'll ask it in a question. What's the difference between and John's oak is probably not allowed to answer this question?

What's the difference between biblical theology and systematic theology? Biblical theology and systematic theology and. Those of you you know who are looking at me like I have absolutely no clue. It's okay those of you are looking at me like you have no clue, and you have biblical and systematic theology books on your shelf now.

There that we need to have a discussion. What's the difference between biblical theology. In other words, what's biblical theology, and then what's systematic theology. Who wants to answer that. Okay, Janet?

Okay all right. Good. Yes, okay, good.

She's pretty sure. Cory and Andrew. So so let's just kind of think about this for a moment before we move on Biblical theology we take the truths out of scripture, and we might organize them. You know in by topic, but we're not going to do much else with them.

We're just going to draw these truths out. You know collect them place them together. Maybe alphabetize them that kind of thing. Systematic theology Starts with biblical theology in other words the truths that are drawn out of scripture.

They can alphabetize them randomize them do whatever they want to them. But then what they do is they take reasoning human reasoning. They take even Standby. Hold on brace yourselves.

Philosophy.

Okay.

They apply these ideas to biblical theology, and then we get systematic theology. I see that hand. Wes. Can I give an example of each well? Yeah? Easy peasy if I want to do biblical theology about the Holy Spirit.

What would I do? Basically a word search and every place it shows up. You know Holy Spirit every place that term shows up I would pull it out, or I could say you know spirit of Christ spirit of God. You know etc all the all the different things I would pull them up.

And you know I would then try to figure out if there are different nuances there like Holy Spirit and creation Holy Spirit and salvation Holy Spirit so I can arrange them topically like that right and then I would Systematize all that and put it in a book.

Okay, biblical theology perfectly fine systematic theology. I Would take all that information, and I then I would ask things like okay What does this tell me about the Holy Spirit's relationship to the other members of the Trinity?

What does this tell me about the the Holy Spirit's eternal? State or you know how he? Came into being you know or you know that's wrong because he always existed, but you know where does he where's the what's the source? of the Holy Spirit.

You know these kind of things and so I would start pondering these biblical truths and trying to Understand them and make them all make sense. Okay, so more than just biblical data. Now I'm trying to I'll use the word that is in I'm trying to systematize it understand it make it all make sense and And put it in ways that help me to grapple with the big questions of Scripture of life Etc.

Okay, that's Systematic theology, and that's why you know you pick up a biblical theology. And you know it could be like pretty thick you pick up a systematic theology, and it could be volumes. Because now I'm applying human reasoning human thought Philosophy you know all these things to these same truths, and I'm writing More than just is what then just what is in the Scripture?

I'm you know trying to Help the reader as I'm exploring it myself. I'm trying to help the reader understand what the Bible says. What's that an error can definitely be introduced? I mean there could be it you know and I think it it's like this too right if you In biblical theology can there be errors?

Yes is the answer right?

Yeah.

But I would say that you're Less likely to be wrong and your errors are less likely to be of humongous Magnitude than when you go into systematic theology. Because the more you use human reason and human philosophy etc. Etc. The more you can.

You know it's kind of like. You skew a little bit, and then you just keep going and going and going you know so.

Cory.

You can yes.

What what it walks you through it what yeah, it walks you through you know kind of the Progress of revelation concerning you know the Holy Spirit. Charlie and and and see I think that's a fine question.

Which would you know you'd have to determine that by the context? You know I think that you know I was making faces for those at home. You know when you when you say you know was it this Spirit of Christ.

And you know how he acted and how he was with the Apostles all of a sudden I started thinking okay now. We're about to go off the cliff into liberalism right. I mean because that can happen. Right and and so I think their default on that the Spirit of Christ would be oh, it's love.

You know the Spirit of Christ is to it's getting along with with eugenous. You know so. Oh, it sure can be. I mean any any time you know I mean one of the. One of the guardrails of hermeneutics is to take the obscure passages.

In light of you know if something is hard to understand. You take those in light of the more clear passages. So in it you know I don't have an example off the top of my head, but that's just a basic Principle so can there be errors in biblical theology yes.

Systematic theology yes, and by the way, you know I think probably. Maybe the worst example of biblical theology. I've ever seen in my life. I picked up something called the No I when I say I picked it up.

I was just in a Christian bookstore. I just want to make that clear and I and I picked up the What's the guys at the church on the way?

Jack.

Hayford. I picked up the Jack Hayford like it was called the not the study Bible, but he had like a Bible handbook or something you know so it's meant to be like a Biblical theology book and I picked it up and inside you know in the acknowledgements.

He he thanks like every heretic you could name right and I just thought Put that back on the shelf probably put it up backwards, but you know I don't want anybody to find this book. Okay. How are we okay if we just talking about?

That the Holy Spirit with regard to number 11 is it incorrect to say the Holy Spirit is generated by the Father and the Son.

Yes.

But only in the sense That that will cause confusion That that's the only sense in which it's really wrong. You know and like I said There's enough confusion within the Trinity. And talking about the Trinity We ought not to introduce it on our own if we say if we just try to keep it simple.

The Father is unbegotten. The Son is eternally begotten, okay. And the Holy Spirit is eternally Spirited That he's eternally sent by the by the Father and the Son He's eternally breathed out.

Spirited.

Okay number 13. What is the significance of the Greek word for spirits. Did I number 12. Okay number 12 true or false. Because you know I didn't want anybody to get it wrong true or false. There is no distinction between the love of the Father Son and spirits.

Yeah, that seems very true.

It's false.

Here's.

Here's what Barrett says.

We can write him a letter. Maybe I will.

He says yes, there is one single and the same love in all persons of the Trinity, but this love will be Beautifully distinct in each of them on the basis of the different properties. Here's what he's saying, and you know we we can argue this probably for the rest of the time here this morning.

What he's saying is the love of God is The same for each person that he has love for but he's saying that it's expressed differently By the persons of the Trinity based on their different properties, and I think I think we'll see that a little bit in the next chapter where.

Where he talks about inseparable operations? Even if we just briefly mentioned without going through it. If we think about the love of God for us I think one of the really telling passages in all of Scripture is Ephesians Chapter 1 in terms of the love of God for his people, but what does Paul do when he's writing that?

He moves from father to son and Holy Spirit right and he describes them each as having to as each of them having a different part in our Salvation. Let's just look at it for a moment. Because we tend to you know I I mean I don't know if you do this or not, but some people I mean if you ever had this experience you talked to somebody about Election predestination or whatever and they they go well I don't really know if I believe in that or you know that's the kind of doctrine that just leaves me cold.

Or you know something like that, but I I think it's important for us. And like I said when we get there, we'll get there, but let's just walk through this real fast and understand that Paul is.

Literally.

Excited. He's exploding. He's thrilled to be talking about this. And he says in verse 3 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Even as he the father chose us in him Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. And here's the key and related to our question in.

Love.

In love in the love of God he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ. Now when we think about that and we think about you know the parallel passage in Colossians were were and.

Even in Ephesians chapter 2 where we're children of Satan.

Were.

We follow blindly the prince of the power of the air. You know we just are Lemmings. I mean if we if I called us Satan's lemmings I wouldn't be wrong. And he takes us Wipes all the dirt and grime of sin off of us cleans us up outside inside.

Why?

Because he said his affection on us in love he predestined us. In other words before we existed before we did anything he loved us. Why. So that he could adopt us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ?

According to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace. With which he blessed us in the beloved in the beloved son. He puts us in his beloved son grants us the same status as his beloved son in Him.

In Christ. We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses. According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. Making known to us the mystery of his will.

According to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time. To unite all things in him that is to say in Christ things in heaven and on earth. So we talked about the father and the son and now again in him in Christ.

We have obtained an inheritance. Having been pretend predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory in Him in Christ you also when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory.

For his glory for our good because of his great love with which He loved us. All these things are true. But it reveals something to us about the love of God and the difference in the persons the father loved us so much.

He.

Chose us before the foundations of the world. The son loved us so much He came to the earth and redeemed us. The spirit loves us so much that he is our seal our protector and our sanctifier. So that's kind of an example of The way that the different properties of The the triune God are applied that we can understand a little bit of the difference of love.

Comments questions concerns. Heresies. I always welcome heresies. Sometimes we won't know their heresies till next week or whenever but sure. Bring. Okay, number 13 What is the significance. Now we can go to 13 of the Greek word for spirit.

Who knows the Greek word for spirit. Show off. Come on.

Pneuma.

Like you have pneumatic tires. Oh wait. It's the same word, but different nuance there. It is the Greek word pneuma in terms of helping us understand him the Holy Spirit. What's the significance of the word pneuma with regard to?

Understanding who the spirit is. What does pneuma mean? What is it? Okay, it's close air wind or Breath or it's all those things, but it's also Spirit and that's why in fact let's. We'll go to John 3 so you might as well open there.

Let's read Maybe John 3 verses 3 to 8. Who would read verses 3 to 8. John 3 verses 3 to 8. Okay, so. Here's what Barrett says he says for example when Jesus tells Nicodemus. He must be born again by the Spirit.

That's the word pneumatis To enter the kingdom of God, that's John 3 6 it is anything, but accidental that Jesus then says the wind pneuma. Not pneumatis, but pneuma Blows where it which is you hear it sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit that pneumatis. Jesus uses the same word for wind and spirit then compares the Spirit To the wind to convey to convey the sovereignty of the Spirit to bring about our new birth.

How fitting since the Old Testament speaks interchangeably of spirit breath and wind and what's the word in the Old Testament? Hebrew where our Hebrew scholars this morning asleep, okay.

The word is ruach.

Okay.

So in the Old Testament is ruach, and you'll. And so if you were reading in the Hebrew you would see you know The Spirit of God.

Ruach.

In Genesis 1 2 you know and you could think okay. It's the wind. No. It's not the wind. It's the Spirit of God. So there's there's this word play that's available because of The the just the basic similarities in the word of spirit and.

Wind.

Yes, yes.

Yes, it is what a quinking ink. Yeah, it is. It is what it is. Both Hebrew and Greek have. Similar or the same word for spirit. For spirit and wind. Yep. Okay. Number 14 what earthly action did Jesus in John 20 21 take.

Which points back to the Spirit's personal property? I guess we have to look at John 20 21 since. You know I didn't even cut that out for myself. John 20 21. I'll read that Jesus said to them.

Again.

Peace be with you as the Father has sent me. Even so I am sending you. This is where he's commissioning the The disciples and actually what we need is verse 22. So you know fire my secretary again? And when he said and when he had said this he breathed on them and said to them receive the Holy Spirit.

So again, here's that little interplay the difference between.

Breathe.

Same word He breathed on them and said to them receive the Holy Spirit the pneumatis.

So and.

Again now as a picture of personal properties we could just imagine. Okay in time Jesus breathes out on the disciples the Apostles and He says receive the Holy Spirit. Well, how does that reflect what happened eternally?

Barrett says now that he is risen. He's been resurrected in this part of John. The disciples have a job they must do in all the world and announce the good news. So how exactly is Jesus going to send them and when he had said this he breathed them.

Breathed on them and said to them receive the Holy Spirit. Says breathing on the disciples. Seems pretty odd to us. Perhaps even awkward, but the breath of Jesus is none other than the Spirit not literally as if the Spirit is now material.

Breath is symbolic exhaled by Jesus to assure the disciples their Savior is with them to the end of the age. Augustine says this he says not that the physical breath that came from his body and Was physically felt was the substance of the Holy Spirit, but that it was a convenient Symbolic demonstration that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father.

Right he says receive the Holy Spirit, and he sends the Holy Spirit upon them. Not only is there a procession of the spirits in Redemptive history the Father and the Son sending the Spirit to indwell and lead the disciples.

But such a procession in history in other words in time Reflects the eternal procession. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son before all ages before Anything existed he is the spirited spirit.

Jesus can breathe on his disciples. Inaugurating the Spirit's mission now that Christ has risen because the same spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son from all eternity in real time the disciples receive the Spirit and his mission becomes as palpable to them as Jesus breath on their faces.

But that mission reveals the Spirit's eternal origin. Inspiration. Okay in other words what happened in time. Reflects his eternal origin his eternal relation with the Son. No, I don't think this is. I don't think this is the ultimate sending, but I do think you know if we just think about this.

What did Jesus say? You know he goes back in John 13 14 15 and 16. Jesus is leaving. The disciples to put it in the common vernacular are freaking out. Right they don't know what to do. They're in panic mode because.

This.

Man in their minds for whom they left everything is now going. He's telling them. He's going to die. He's going to leave. What are they going to do? How are they going to survive and? He says what what does he tell them?

I'm going to leave you as orphans.

I'm going to leave you as orphans.

Good luck.

No.

I'm going to send you a comforter so in John 20 here. What's he doing? I? think there's a a temporal bit of the comforter. You guys are anxious all the more anxious now I'm going to comfort you. Receive the Holy Spirit.

Now I agree with Cory this isn't the ultimate coming of the Holy Spirit that happens on Pentecost. But I think there is a very real and palpable Comforting feeling that comes upon them. Why. Because Jesus first of all has appeared.

And I like when I preach through it. You know how they said some scholars wanting to minimize this said he was hiding in the room or whatever. No. He actually enters the room, and then he says You know receive the Holy Spirit, and this is a divine way of saying Calm down.

It's going to be okay. Yeah, Joey. You know I'd say that's a not only a great illustration. That's a great sermon title. Spiritual CPR.

Yeah, I.

Mean I mean this is this is it in effect right? I mean these guys are maybe they're not they're not spiritually dead but they're they're in like a Arrhythmia, I mean they're the you know their heart is just going.