The Nature of God

God is the Сreator and Sustainer of all things, seen and unseen¹. He is eternal and unchangeable in His nature³.

The Essence of God

His essence is Spirit. This essence is self-existing, one, and immense ²

Attributes (Seven attributes of God)

His attributes are omnipotent, omniscient, holy (set apart), righteous, goodness, love, and truth⁴ .

Three Persons, One God

God exists in a trinity of three distinct inseparable Persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit⁵ . All three Persons share the same essence and attributes. In the Godhead, all three Persons are equal⁶.

God the Father

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the one that is the ultimate source of all things; all things are out from the Father.¹

God the Father’s Fatherhood Relationship

God the Father’s fatherhood relationship to God the Son shows that they are equal in nature while the Son can be voluntarily submissive to the Father in carrying out the decree². This Person of the Godhead displays the fatherhood type of relationship that He has to spirit beings as well as saved and unsaved mankind ³. The Fatherhood relationship shows that God is the source of all things.

His Past and Present Work

He sent the Son to be a propitiation (satisfaction) for the sins of the world⁴. The Father is the one that forgives the sins of the Christian⁵ . The majority of the Christian’s communication is addressed to the Father⁶. Grace, peace, mercy and love (He is the ultimate source) come from the Father to the Christian⁷. Through Christ’s death, the universe has been reconciled to Him⁸. He declares the believer righteous⁹ The Father is the one that receives the payment for redemption.

God the Son

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the Lord Jesus Christ, the one through whom all things were made¹.

The Deity of Jesus

The Second Person of the Godhead, at the time predetermined by the council of God, came to be found in the outward form of a human². When God the Son took on a human nature, He in no way diminished His existence as God. Only the outward appearance was changed to the similarity of a man’s appearance³. God the Father and Jesus attested to Jesus’ Deity while He was on earth⁴. In the incarnation, The Son of God joined His Person with the nature of a human. This human nature was divinely conceived in a virgin. He lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death for all men, was buried and rose bodily from the grave on the third day ⁵.

The Cross Work of Jesus

On the cross, Jesus was separated for a time both physically from his human body, for the sins of mankind, and spiritually from God the Father, for the sin nature of mankind⁶. After having died, Jesus was raised out from among dead men because of the justification of those who believe⁷. Through His death, He reconciled the whole universe unto God and He paid for the sins of the whole world^8.

Christ’s Present Work

Christ, who is both God and man, is presently seated at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes on behalf of the saint as the saint’s High Priest⁹. He is the Head of the Church and indwells the believer¹⁰ .He imparts eternal life to the believer¹¹.

God the Holy Spirit

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the Holy Spirit¹. He was the One that garnished the heavens ². He is equal with the other Persons of the Godhead and therefore is fully God and eternal³.

         The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come upon and leave individuals, at His own choosing, causing them to prophecy, or to mentally control them to perform a task for God⁴.

         The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament

The Holy Spirit indwells a believer⁵. He makes up where the Christian is lacking in regards to the fruit of the Spirit; He is the enabler who makes up for the lack of the Christian in their ability to use the fruit of the Spirit⁶. He is the guarantee of the full redemption for believers⁷. He seals believers⁸. He places believers into The body of Christ when they first believe through Spiritual baptism⁹. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment¹⁰. He helps the infirmities of believers¹¹. He presides over the church in government, preaching and worship¹². He presently resides upon the earth¹³. He teaches believers by comparing spiritual things with spiritual words¹⁴. He restrains the man of lawlessness until after the rapture¹⁵.

Decree

Prior to creation, the Godhead has a council through which the decree was set. The decree is the plan determined by God to be fulfilled in and through creation⁷. In the carrying out of the decree, each Person of the Godhead voluntarily submits to other members of the Godhead. This does not make one Person less than the other Persons. This submission is only in carrying out the decree⁸.