The Forgotten Trinity (27 page)

THE TERM "HOMOOUSION"

The key phrase that came out of the Council of Nicaea describes
the relationship of the Son to the Father: "of one substance (homoousion) with the Father." This was the phrase that the Arians could not
abide. By means of this assertion, the Council excluded them from the
very fellowship of the church itself. The fact that it was precise in its
meaning, specific and unambiguous, made it especially useful in clearly
differentiating between the orthodox party and the Arians. The term
had been used in other contexts before," but this was the first time it
was used to specifically assert the full, complete deity of Jesus Christ.

Many wonder about how appropriate it is to use a term that is not
found in the Bible in the way the Council of Nicaea used it. Of course,
the anti-Arian bishops would like to have used simple biblical terminology, but the duplicity of the Arians would not allow for such a conclusion to the matter. By redefining terms outside of their biblical context, the Arians were able to agree to pretty much any formulation
placed on terms like "Son of God" or "Creator" or "God" or "Lord."
But directly asserting that the Son and the Father share the same divine
being forced the Arian's hand: they could not find a way of agreeing
with such a statement. Surely the Bible taught the underlying truthso the Council was maintaining the essence of biblical truth by using
a more specific term. The other option involved the slavish use of biblical terminology at the cost of the essence of biblical truth. What good
is it, though, to maintain the language of Scripture at the cost of the meaning of Scripture?" So concluded the Nicene Fathers, and hence
they used the term homoousion. They did not feel they were going beyond Scripture's teaching to do so. Years later, Athanasius defended
their actions in speaking against the Arians:

Vainly they run about alleging that they have demanded councils for the sake of the faith. For indeed divine Scripture is sufficient above all things; but if a Council is needed concerning this,
there are the acts of the Fathers. For the bishops who were at Nicaea did not neglect this issue, but also wrote so clearly, that the
ones who legitimately consider their record are forced by them to
remember the religion of Christ proclaimed in the divine Scrip-
tures.14

IT DIDN'T END THERE

While some might believe that the pronouncement of a Council
would simply end the matter for all concerned, such would be a gross
oversimplification. The Nicene definition had to fight for its life not
on the basis that it was an "infallible church council" and therefore
had some special authority in and of itself, but on the only meaningful
and solid foundation: its faithfulness to the Scriptures.

That's not to say that the opponents of the deity of Christ fought
on the same grounds. In fact, the "Arian Resurgency" that took place
in the decades after Nicaea was due mainly to political factors and the
maneuvering of particular leaders who were opposed to the Nicene
definition. Arian bishops courted the favor first of Constantine, and
upon his death, his son Constantius. During the reign of Constantius
numerous councils met, producing Arian and semi-Arian creeds.
Great champions of the Nicene faith were forced from their positions.
Athanasius was forced to flee his church in Alexandria five different
times. During the middle of the fourth century things were so bad that,
looking only on outward things, it appeared that Nicaea had been defeated. Later Jerome would say of that time period, "The whole world
groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian."15

But political power cannot overthrow scriptural truth. Once the
Arians consolidated their power, they turned upon each other. Their arguments were no more convincing then than they are today, and the
simple believer, reading his or her Bible, could not help but see the
truth of the full deity of Jesus Christ. The tide was turned, not by political power, but by the irresistible force of truth, and by the end of
the century, Arianism was banished, at least from the mainstream of
the church. It continues to exist today, in various forms, using the same
arguments that were used many centuries ago.

Do Christians today believe in the Trinity and the deity of Christ
just because the Council of Nicaea said so? Some might. I do not. I
believe in the Trinity and the deity of Christ because it is the teaching
of the Scriptures, as we have seen throughout this work. I accept the
use of the term homoousion because it accurately reflects the teaching
that there is one God, and that both the Father and the Son are described as being fully God, fully deity. Nicaea's authority, then, if we
wish to use that term, is derived from its faithfulness to the scriptural
testimony. It has validity today because what was true about Christ in
A.D. 325 is true today, too. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever
(Hebrews 13:8).

THE ATHANASIAN CREED

The so-called "Athanasian Creed" was not, historically, the work
of Athanasius himself. But since it bore such a resemblance to his
teaching, his name was attached to it. It is an expansion of the Nicene
Creed penned probably in the fifth century or so. A careful reading of
the text is most useful in recognizing the elements of the doctrine that
must be kept in balance with one another.

We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither
confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance. For there is
one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the
Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such
as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The
Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated.
The Father infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As also there are
not three uncreated, nor three infinites, but one uncreated, and
one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty,
and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and
the Holy Spirit is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one
God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, the Holy Spirit
Lord. And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by himself
to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic religion
to say "There are three Gods, or three Lords." The Father is made
of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father
alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of
the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten,
but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son,
not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this
Trinity none is before, or after, another. None is greater, or less,
than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as was said before, the Unity in Trinity,
and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that
will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

The windshield wipers beat a regular rhythm as we drove along
the Long Island Expressway. My friends Chris and Mike were driving
me out to a motel way out in Patchogue, Long Island, where I would
be speaking for the next few days. I had been on Long Island for almost
a week, and I had another week left to go. Every little while I said the
same thing. "You know, I really miss my wife." They would smile and
nod. And a little while later, "Have I mentioned how much I really
miss my wife?" They understood. All during my time away I was pulling out my wallet and showing off pictures of my wife to anyone who
showed the slightest interest. I wanted everyone to know about my
wife, how pretty she is, and how proud I am of her.

Everyone can understand my feelings. We have all had relationships
where we so loved someone that we wanted everyone to know. And
we wanted to tell others about that person, their accomplishments, their skills-all those things that make us proud of that person.

That's why I've written this book. I love telling folks about my God.
I tell everyone who will listen the truth about Him. And the truth
about God is that He is triune. He exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I would not be happy if someone came along while I was showing
off the pictures of my wife and said, "Oh, that's not your wife." Nor
would I like it if someone said, "Oh, that's not your only wife!"

In the same way, I am tremendously bothered when someone
comes along and says, "Jesus is not God." Or "There are other gods
out there, too, you know." You see, such statements are untrue, and
they dishonor the God who made me-and them. We are all naturally
jealous that the truth about those we love be known. We are hurt when
they are lied about, or misrepresented, or mistreated.

The same has to be true of our feelings about God. We should, if
we truly love Him and His truth, be impacted by the denial of the
truths He has revealed about himself. Impacted? How about upset?
Even righteously angered? If we feel that way about loved ones who
are our fellow creatures, how much more pure, holy, and intense
should be our zealousness in defending the truth about the God we
profess to worship and adore?

THE TRINITY AND WORSHIP

Does it matter? Jesus said that the Father is seeking worshipers who
will worship in spirit and in truth. God is not honored by the worship
of false gods. And we are hardly benefited by worshiping something
or someone that does not exist.

True Christian worship is founded upon Christian truth. We have
to have knowledge of our God to worship Him correctly. If we have
defective knowledge, or worse, if we have wrong information and have
been deceived, our worship is either lessened (due to simple ignorance), or it is completely invalid, as the worship of idols and false
gods. That is not to say that we have to have perfect knowledge to
worship God-none of us do. But our desire must be to grow in the
grace and knowledge of God, and we must always remember that Jesus
taught that eternal life was the possession of those who know the one true God. Knowledge does not save (that is the error of Gnosticism);
but true worship does not exist without knowledge.