Nature of God
Key Word: Definition:
Omnibenevolent God is all-loving
John 3:16 - ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’
Exodus story - guiding Israelites in Egypt for 400 years and freeing them from slavery
Omniscient God is all-knowing
Provision of Eucharist during Last Supper foreshadowed Jesus’ sacrifice on cross
Genesis 3:11 - God knew Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge
Omnipotent God is all-powerful
Genesis 1 - Creating the world out of nothing
Jesus’ miracles e.g. - walking on water and feeding the 5,000
Monotheism The belief in and worship of one God
Exodus 20:3 - ‘You shall have no other gods before me’
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 - ‘ Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’
Judge God knows people absolutely including their motivations and will judge people on the Day
of Judgement
Matthew 25:31-46 - Parable of Sheep and Goats (Sheep accept Christ/Goats reject Christ)
Genesis 3 - God curses the man, woman and the serpent
Eternal God has no beginning or end
Revelations 1:8 - ‘I am the Alpha and Omega…who is, who was, and is to come’
Genesis 1:1 - ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (shows always there)
Transcendent God is beyond time and space
Isaiah 55:8-9 - ‘As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than
your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts’
Luke 24:50-53 - Jesus’ ascension
Different Beliefs God’s transcendence (shown by Trinity) may lead Christians to feelings of awe and humility
Amish and Plymouth Brethren emphasise God’s holiness by living in separate communities
Immanent God is present within the created world and can act within it
Jesus (God incarnate) performing miracles e.g. feeding the 5,000
Genesis 1:2 - ‘And the Spirit of God was hovering above the waters’ (active in creation)
Different Beliefs God’s immanence inspires Christians to pray b/c it shows God loves/hears them (Matthew 7:7)
God’s immanence allows Christians to experience God in visions (Paul - important to RC’s)
Personal Christians can have a relationship w/ God, who shows equal love and care for humans
God speaks in first person and shows emotions e.g. - speaks to Moses face to face
Different Beliefs John 14:26 - ‘But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things’
Pentecostals emphasise role of the Holy Spirit to enable Christians to know God personally
Romans 8:15 - ‘by him we cry Abba, Father’ + Matthew 6:9 - ‘Our Father’ (Lord’s Prayer)
Free churches e.g. Baptist churches teach God is directly accessible to all and is personal
RC teach priests necessary to intercede b/w humans and God e.g. in confession/Eucharist
Forgiving God is merciful and forgives the sins of those who repent and accept Jesus Christ’s sacrifice
John 3:16-18
John 8:1-11 (Jesus forgives the adulterous woman)
Some Evangelicals teach free grace theology - salvation through faith in God’s work
, Trinity
Key Word: Definition:
Trinity Belief in and worship of God as three persons but one substance
God the Father God the Father is the creator and sustainer of the world - Genesis 1:1
God the Son (Jesus) God the Son is the redeemer and saviour of the world - John 3:16
God the Holy Spirit God the Spirit is the personal presence of God guiding believers - John 14:26
Trinitarianism Belief in God as three persons and one substance (accept the Trinity)
E.g. Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Anglicans
Unitarianism Belief in one unified God (reject the Trinity)
E.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians
, For Trinity:
Trinitarianism - Acceptance of the concept of the Trinity e.g. RC, Orthodox, Anglicans
Argue concept of Trinity is suggested in Bible + Creeds
Genesis 1:26 - ‘Let us make man in our image’
‘Us’ suggests multiple people involved in creation
Nicene Creed ‘We believe in one God, the Father…the Son… and the Holy Spirit’
Apostles Creed ‘I believe in God the Father Almighty…Jesus Christ, his only son…who was conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.’
Creeds = statement of faith used in RC, Anglican and Protestant churches showing importance of belief in Trinity
Humans lack of knowledge
John Wesley - ‘Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can
comprehend the Triune God’
Isaiah 55:8-9 - ‘As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My
thoughts higher than your thoughts’
Complexity of concept of Trinity is incomprehensible to man but not an omniscient God
1 Corinthians 2:14 - ‘The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God …
and cannot understand them’
Wesley’s analogy widely-accepted by Methodists showing humans lack of knowledge doesn’t invalidate Trinity
The three persons of the Trinity teach Christians on the nature of God and the roles he plays
Genesis 1:1 - God (the Father) is the creator and sustainer of the world
John 3:16 - God (the Son) is the redeemer and saviour of the world
John 14:26 - God (the Holy Spirit) is the personal presence of God guiding believers
If Jesus is not fully God, his sacrifice would not be sufficient to atone for human sin and if the Holy Spirit is not
fully God, he cannot be relied upon for guidance and support so Trinity must be true as it is fundamental to other
Chrisitan doctrines
Against Trinity:
Unitarianism - Rejection of the concept of the Trinity e.g. - Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians
Argue concept of Trinity is a contradiction of God’s nature
God is eternal but Jesus had a beginning = Contradiction
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in one unified God + Jesus = Jewish prophet filled with divine inspiration
Mark 1:10-11 (Jesus’ Baptism)
God the Father = Voice from clouds, God the Son = Jesus, God the Holy Spirit = Dove descending upon Jesus
Appearance of three separate entities suggests Trinity can not be one
Counter: God’s nature is omnipresent so he can exist as three persons at one time
Polytheism
Trinity may be interpreted as three gods, not one which contradicts God’s command for monotheism
Exodus 20:3 - ‘You shall have no other gods before me’
Arguably concept of Trinity make Christianity seem too complex and distant from needs of ordinary people
Conclusion:
Trinity not invalidated by Chritistanity’s monotheistic position b/c of Biblical suggestions + humans' limited knowledge
Trinity is pivotal to Christian teachings of God’s eternal, loving and personal nature displayed by the three
persons in the Trinity respectively thus it must be true
Key Word: Definition:
Omnibenevolent God is all-loving
John 3:16 - ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’
Exodus story - guiding Israelites in Egypt for 400 years and freeing them from slavery
Omniscient God is all-knowing
Provision of Eucharist during Last Supper foreshadowed Jesus’ sacrifice on cross
Genesis 3:11 - God knew Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge
Omnipotent God is all-powerful
Genesis 1 - Creating the world out of nothing
Jesus’ miracles e.g. - walking on water and feeding the 5,000
Monotheism The belief in and worship of one God
Exodus 20:3 - ‘You shall have no other gods before me’
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 - ‘ Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’
Judge God knows people absolutely including their motivations and will judge people on the Day
of Judgement
Matthew 25:31-46 - Parable of Sheep and Goats (Sheep accept Christ/Goats reject Christ)
Genesis 3 - God curses the man, woman and the serpent
Eternal God has no beginning or end
Revelations 1:8 - ‘I am the Alpha and Omega…who is, who was, and is to come’
Genesis 1:1 - ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (shows always there)
Transcendent God is beyond time and space
Isaiah 55:8-9 - ‘As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than
your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts’
Luke 24:50-53 - Jesus’ ascension
Different Beliefs God’s transcendence (shown by Trinity) may lead Christians to feelings of awe and humility
Amish and Plymouth Brethren emphasise God’s holiness by living in separate communities
Immanent God is present within the created world and can act within it
Jesus (God incarnate) performing miracles e.g. feeding the 5,000
Genesis 1:2 - ‘And the Spirit of God was hovering above the waters’ (active in creation)
Different Beliefs God’s immanence inspires Christians to pray b/c it shows God loves/hears them (Matthew 7:7)
God’s immanence allows Christians to experience God in visions (Paul - important to RC’s)
Personal Christians can have a relationship w/ God, who shows equal love and care for humans
God speaks in first person and shows emotions e.g. - speaks to Moses face to face
Different Beliefs John 14:26 - ‘But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things’
Pentecostals emphasise role of the Holy Spirit to enable Christians to know God personally
Romans 8:15 - ‘by him we cry Abba, Father’ + Matthew 6:9 - ‘Our Father’ (Lord’s Prayer)
Free churches e.g. Baptist churches teach God is directly accessible to all and is personal
RC teach priests necessary to intercede b/w humans and God e.g. in confession/Eucharist
Forgiving God is merciful and forgives the sins of those who repent and accept Jesus Christ’s sacrifice
John 3:16-18
John 8:1-11 (Jesus forgives the adulterous woman)
Some Evangelicals teach free grace theology - salvation through faith in God’s work
, Trinity
Key Word: Definition:
Trinity Belief in and worship of God as three persons but one substance
God the Father God the Father is the creator and sustainer of the world - Genesis 1:1
God the Son (Jesus) God the Son is the redeemer and saviour of the world - John 3:16
God the Holy Spirit God the Spirit is the personal presence of God guiding believers - John 14:26
Trinitarianism Belief in God as three persons and one substance (accept the Trinity)
E.g. Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Anglicans
Unitarianism Belief in one unified God (reject the Trinity)
E.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians
, For Trinity:
Trinitarianism - Acceptance of the concept of the Trinity e.g. RC, Orthodox, Anglicans
Argue concept of Trinity is suggested in Bible + Creeds
Genesis 1:26 - ‘Let us make man in our image’
‘Us’ suggests multiple people involved in creation
Nicene Creed ‘We believe in one God, the Father…the Son… and the Holy Spirit’
Apostles Creed ‘I believe in God the Father Almighty…Jesus Christ, his only son…who was conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.’
Creeds = statement of faith used in RC, Anglican and Protestant churches showing importance of belief in Trinity
Humans lack of knowledge
John Wesley - ‘Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can
comprehend the Triune God’
Isaiah 55:8-9 - ‘As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My
thoughts higher than your thoughts’
Complexity of concept of Trinity is incomprehensible to man but not an omniscient God
1 Corinthians 2:14 - ‘The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God …
and cannot understand them’
Wesley’s analogy widely-accepted by Methodists showing humans lack of knowledge doesn’t invalidate Trinity
The three persons of the Trinity teach Christians on the nature of God and the roles he plays
Genesis 1:1 - God (the Father) is the creator and sustainer of the world
John 3:16 - God (the Son) is the redeemer and saviour of the world
John 14:26 - God (the Holy Spirit) is the personal presence of God guiding believers
If Jesus is not fully God, his sacrifice would not be sufficient to atone for human sin and if the Holy Spirit is not
fully God, he cannot be relied upon for guidance and support so Trinity must be true as it is fundamental to other
Chrisitan doctrines
Against Trinity:
Unitarianism - Rejection of the concept of the Trinity e.g. - Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians
Argue concept of Trinity is a contradiction of God’s nature
God is eternal but Jesus had a beginning = Contradiction
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in one unified God + Jesus = Jewish prophet filled with divine inspiration
Mark 1:10-11 (Jesus’ Baptism)
God the Father = Voice from clouds, God the Son = Jesus, God the Holy Spirit = Dove descending upon Jesus
Appearance of three separate entities suggests Trinity can not be one
Counter: God’s nature is omnipresent so he can exist as three persons at one time
Polytheism
Trinity may be interpreted as three gods, not one which contradicts God’s command for monotheism
Exodus 20:3 - ‘You shall have no other gods before me’
Arguably concept of Trinity make Christianity seem too complex and distant from needs of ordinary people
Conclusion:
Trinity not invalidated by Chritistanity’s monotheistic position b/c of Biblical suggestions + humans' limited knowledge
Trinity is pivotal to Christian teachings of God’s eternal, loving and personal nature displayed by the three
persons in the Trinity respectively thus it must be true
