More Passages Confirming the Triune God.

Jesus, speaking to His disciples, warns them of coming persecution. This will actually lead to opportunities for them to speak before the authorities in power. We read this in Matthew, 

"But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

           Matthew 10:19-20 NASB

Mark records this,

"When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit."

                       Mark 13:11 NASB

And Luke records Jesus' words,

"So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute."

                         Luke 21:14 NASB

Notice in Matthew we read of the Spirit of the Father giving the words at the right time, and in Mark it says the Holy Spirit. Luke's account records Jesus saying that it is He who will give the utterance and wisdom needed. 

We see here the unity within the Godhead, how the Father, Son, and Spirit work together to accomplish their purposes. In this case, providing the right words, at the right time, so that even in persecution the gospel goes forth in power.

It can be safely assumed that the Father's Spirit is in fact the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 we read that the Spirit reveals to us the things of God. Within this passage we see the Spirit also referred to as the Spirit of God. If the Holy Spirit is God's Spirit, how can He not be divine? 

Peter also tells us that prophecy does not originate in the will of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21).

Acts 4:25-26 records that the Holy Spirit speaking through David prophetically uttered what we read in Psalm 2:1-3.

Likewise Acts 28:27 attributes the words of God found in Isaiah 6:9-10, to the Holy Spirit speaking through the prophet Isaiah.

It is interesting to note that the Holy Spirit is also referred to as the Spirit of Christ. In 1 Peter we read that the Spirit of Christ within the prophets was revealing to them the future suffering and ultimate glorification of Jesus. These things were for our benefit, for us who have heard the gospel preached by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven (1 Peter 1:10-12).

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

                        1 Thess 1:5 NASB

The gospel witness of Paul as recorded in the above verse came with the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction (John 16:7-11). 

This same convicting power must attend everyone sharing the gospel, whether a minister in a church on Sunday or an individual suffering in prison, about to stand before the authorities. It is the convicting power of the Spirit attending the message that is necessary. In reality it is God (the Holy Spirit) speaking through an individual.

Read the example of Peter in Acts 2:14-41. He has just been filled with the Holy Spirit and now preaches a powerful message filled with conviction. Read the disciples prayer for boldness in the face of opposition found in Acts 4:24-31. The result? They were filled with the Spirit and began to speak the word with boldness. 

Jesus speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell those who believe in Him in John chapters 14-16.

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."

                         John 14:23 NASB

From this verse we see that the Father and Son come to dwell with those who love and obey Jesus. How is this accomplished? It is through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are in fact the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). He lives within us. 

One can clearly see the triune nature of God in these passages. We have seen the unity of the Father, Son and Spirit working together in the ministry of the prophets, in the witness of the apostles, and it continues for us today. The same Spirit that filled them, is available for us, bringing us into fellowship with the Father and Son. 

We have seen the Holy Spirit referred to as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Father, and the Spirit of Christ. Isaiah 61:1 calls Him the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD. 

As Christians we absolutely believe in one God. Isaiah 45:5 declares,

I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.

This statement found in Isaiah and many others like it are absolutely true and I firmly embrace them. Yet as I have shown in previous posts many of these passages are applied to Jesus in the New Testament. We see throughout the Bible references to the Father, Son, and Spirit. Not three separate gods as many accuse us of believing, but one absolute God comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

He Who Searches the Minds and Hearts.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You understand my thought from afar.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, 

And are intimately aquatinted with all my ways.

Even before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

                  Psalm 139:1-4 NASB

God knows everything about us. There is nothing hidden from Him. Even our thoughts are known to Him. The deepest secrets of our hearts cannot be hidden from the searching gaze of the Almighty God.

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?

"I the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds."

                 Jeremiah 17:9-10 NASB

This passage reaffirms what we read above. The LORD (YAHWEH) is the one who knows us inside and out. Again, nothing is hidden from Him. Our very thoughts, things we might think are known only to us, lie exposed before God. And we can rest assured that we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). God will repay us according to our deeds.

I would assume we all agree that no one really knows our inner thoughts, the intents of our hearts. We might know someone fairly well, and have a good idea what might be on their minds, but to truly know the deepest secrets, the hidden things of the heart, that is something only God can discern.

Again we read in Revelation 2:23,

"And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds."

This warning was given to the church in Thyatira. They were tolerating a so called prophetess who was leading them into immorality. If those involved in this sin did not repent, they would face severe judgement.

Here we see the same passage from Jeremiah quoted. However, this is Jesus speaking. Understand, Jesus is claiming to be the LORD who searches the minds and hearts. He is boldly declaring that He is YAHWEH. Make no mistake. Jesus is intentionally applying Jeremiah 17:10, a verse describing something only God can do, to Himself. 

Not only is Jesus stating that He is the God who searches the minds and hearts, but He is also the God who will give us what our deeds deserve. He is indeed the final Judge.

Compare these verses,

Behold , the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him.

                        Isaiah 40:10 NASB

Ah Lord God! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of the fathers into the bosoms of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name. Great in council and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

                  Jeremiah 32:17-19 NASB

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done."

                        Rev 22:12 NASB

Jesus cannot be clearer. He is making claims that only God can make. We need to pay attention to the things that He says about Himself, as there are so many false teachings out there that deny the deity of Christ. However, it is there before our eyes in scripture if we take the time to search it out, letting scripture interpret scripture.

The Faithful and True Witness

Jesus makes a bold claim in His message to the church in Laodicea.

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God says this..."

                          Rev 3:14 NASB

The recipients of this letter would have no doubt as to His divine being. Jesus is taking Old Testament passages of Scripture that apply to the LORD (YAHWEH) and applying them to Himself, thus declaring that He is indeed God. Let's look at them.

In Isaiah 65:16 we read,

"Because he who is blessed in the earth will be blessed by the God of truth; 

And he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth;

Because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My sight!"

The word truth can also be translated as "Amen". God is indeed the truth, the Amen. He is absolute truth with no wavering. He is unchanging. Men swore by God because He was God and there was no one higher. God swore by Himself as He is the plumbline, the truth, there is no one higher, it is impossible for Him to lie (see Hebrews 6:13-18).

In John 14:6, Jesus states that He is the way, the truth, and life. By claiming to be the Amen, the embodiment of truth, Jesus equates Himself with God, asserting His deity.

In Jeremiah 42:5 the people come to Jeremiah for a word of direction from the LORD. They swear by the LORD to be obedient to whatever He says.

Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the LORD your God will send you to us."

 Tragically the people did not obey, and ultimately faced God's judgement. Jesus is stating that He is that true and faithful witness. He is that one by which men swear an oath. There is no one higher, no one unchanging, no other standard of truth than what is embodied in God Himself. Jesus is not using poetic language to begin His letter to the Laodicean church. His words are calculated; He is intentionally making a bold declaration. 

Finally, Jesus, as God created the heavens and the earth. 

"Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called;

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. 

Surely my hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens;

When I call to them, they stand together."

               Isaiah 48:12-13 NASB

We understand that God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). But how many of us realize that Jesus was there active in creation? John 1:1-3 states,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

As we read in Revelation 3:14, Jesus is the beginning or origin of creation. He was not created first, but as we see in John 1, He existed with God, and as God. This puts to rest the erroneous speculation of Jehovah's witnesses and others who believe likewise.

God, in the above passage in Isaiah declares that He is the first and last. Jesus as well claims to be the first and last (see Rev 1:17, 2:8, 22:13). So we see by looking at these passages that Jesus is indeed God, He leaves no doubt of His divine nature by His statements found within the letters to the seven churches.