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What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

MATTHEW 28:19

This text specifically mentions the three personalities of God in whom we professed to believe in our last lesson. The purpose of thiS lesson is to show you some points we believe about each of these distinct personalities.

I. First, let us consider some distinctions of God, the Father:

A. He is almighty:

1. Isa. 40:12-31 shows the awesome might and power of God above all.

2. Job 38-39 shows man and nature are nothing before Him.

3. Rom. 13:1 says, "There is no power; but of God."

4. Ps. 83:18 says, "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth."

B. He is also omnicient: (Knows and sees all)

1. Ps. 139:1-13 is one of the best passages on the subject.

2. God said in Jer. 16:17, "For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

3. Paul said in Heb. 4:13, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

C. He is always just and consistent:

1. One can count on what God says. His nature never varies. There is no reason to think He'll ever deceive you with an inconsistent move.

2. James l:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

3. Listen to Num. 23:19.

4. He said in Mal. 3:6, "For I am the Lord, I change not.

5. Heb. 13:8 says He is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

D. Thus, it is easy to see then that He is eternal:

1. There are a host of scriptures that speak of Him as the everlasting God. Isa. 9:6, Gen. 21:33, Rom. 16:26, etc.

2. Rev. 1:8 says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. "

3. Heb. 7:3 says he is "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. "

4. It is hard to grasp infinity; but He is infinite.

E. Note too that He is one of love and wrath:

1. The modern world today denies His wrath and sees Him as all benevolent.

2. There's no question that He is a benevolent, loving God:

a. Jn. 3:16 shows that He loved the world.
b. I Jn. 3:16 shows the extent of His love.

3. But, don't ever forget that He is a God of wrath also:

a. Ezek, 18:20- Rom. 6:23, Sinners shall pay.
b. Gen. 19:23-25 Consider Sodom & Gomorrah.
c. Jn. 3:18, 36 speak of His wrath and condemnation.
d. II Thes. 1:7-9 show the awfulness of His wrath.
e. Prov. 1:24-32 shows His mercy will not always be available.

II. Now look at these points concerning Christ, the Son:

A. He is the only begotten Son of God:

1. This is simply to say He is the sole natural Son of God:

a. He was by nature a son of God; others are by nature children of sin,Eph. 2:1-3.
b. Thus, Jesus did not become a son by a new birth or adoption as we do. He has always been a son.

2. Listen to the scriptures:

a. Jn. 1:14, 18 & 3:16, 18 all speak of Him as the only begotten Son.
b. I Jn. 4:9 reads, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

B. Jesus was born of a virgin:

1. It has never happened in history before or since, but Jesus was born of a woman who had never had sexual relations with a man. Thus, He had no earthly, biological father.

2. It is amazing that Isaiah the prophet could have predicted this event over 740 years earlier, Isa. 7:14 .

3. The scriptures speak of the event by saying:

a. Lk. 1:27 "To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary Mt. 1:23.
b. Mt. 1:25 says of Joseph that he "knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called His name Jesus.

C. Thus, it becomes evident that Jesus was God in the flesh:

1 . The scriptures show Jesus was conceived of the Holy Ghost thus making Him the God-man. Mt. 1:20, 18; Lk. 1:35.

2. Gal. 4:4 testifies that Jesus was God in the flesh.

3. It is most important to know that Jesus, upon whom our hopes rest, is more than mere man.

III. Notice now these distinctions regarding the Holy Ghost:

A. He is responsible for revealing the Bible:

1. Jn. 16:13, 1 Cor. 2, 11 Pet. 1:21, etc. show, as we've seen, that He inspired the Bible.

2. It is through the revealed word that He convicts of "sin," "righteousness", and "judgment", Jn 16:9-11.

3. Whenever anyone rejects God's teachings on any subject, he is thus guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit of God, Acts 7:51.

B. Residence of the Holy Ghost is exclusively in a child of God:

1. I Cor. 3:16 says believers constitute the temple of the Spirit.

2. Rom. 8:9 shows that if the Spirit does not live in a man, he is lost.

3. Jn. 14:17 plainly says the Spirit does not live in unconverted men.

C. When the Spirit is given control of a believer's life, a rea spiritual revolution for the better will occur:

1. Gal. 5:22-23 There are definite qualities the Spirit will produce.

2. Thus, Rom.8:1-14 teaches us to let the Spirit control our lives.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"