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 Sermon > Official Service |
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Title |
Lecture on Genesis Ver.2(3) - God the Trinity |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Genesis 1:1 |
Date |
2009-07-10 |
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Scripture
Genesis 1:1
[1] In the beginning God created heavens and the earth
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
This is the 3rd Lecture on Genesis.
In the last lecture, I explained how the original universe which was initially one became four different heavens.
As the 'Sound-containing Light' which had been spread throughout the whole original universe cohered, spaces of different dimension were made.
I also explained the reason why God made each dimension of the heavens different, because each of them had to serve their own purpose in human cultivation.
By the way, the original light that cohered at the vertex of the spiritual realm divided into the 3 different lights.
It divided to become God the Trinity being God the Holy Father, God the Holy Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
This process took place in a special place in the 4th heaven.
After the division, God the Trinity has never been into this place. He keeps this place separate.
The light that fills this place is too bright to describe in our language. Not a single being can ever look into it.
It is the place no angel or no saved soul can come close to.
Tonight, I'm going to explain God the Trinity.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
After cohering as one light, God first divided Himself into 3 lights.
When I say 'a light divides into 3 lights,' the idea is not like that a certain lump is divided into 3 pieces.
It is rather like 2 more (identical) lights are issued forth from within the original one light.
Even though the original light divided into 3, these 3 are not separate or different, but they are all same as the "one" (original).
Since the original light had existed initially existed as one, the other two lights are newly existing lights.
God, the Original Light that cohered as one, caused two more lights that were like Himself to come into existence.
After dividing into 3, the lights put on a spiritual form that is like that of man.
The original light that had existed initially became God the Holy Father, and the other became God the Holy Son, and God the Holy Spirit respectively.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness"
"Us" and "our" in this verse refer to God the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit.
And a man was created in an image of this God the Trinity.
We can see here that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all took on a spiritual body of human form.
However, God the Trinity doesn't always remain in the spiritual body that is in man's image.
As I explained in the last lecture among the heavens, God the Trinity owns (hold sole possession of) the 4th heaven.
In this space of the 4th heaven, God the Trinity can change their form into any that they harbor in their heart.
Colossians 1:15 talks about Jesus, God the Holy Son, by saying, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
As written, the Bible proves that God the Holy Son came into being or existence before any other creatures.
It is the same with God the Holy Spirit because He came into being the same way God the Holy Son came into being.
Like this, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were the first born of God the Origin even before all the creatures and angels and heavenly host were created.
Therefore, the status of God the Holy Father is a father, and the status of God the Holy Son and the Holy Spirit is that of a son.
Many times, the Bible expresses straight forwardly that Jesus, God the Son, is the Son of God.
Hebrews 5:5 says, "So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You""
God the Holy Spirit was also born from God the Origin the same way God the Holy Son was born.
Therefore, the relationship of God the Holy Spirit with God the Father, is also that of a son of God's just as with God the Father and Jesus.
The Bible also describes the Holy Spirit as a Son of God.
Galatians 4:6 says, "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!""
This verse says that God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. Now, who is this who came to our hearts?
Wasn't He the Holy Spirit?
In this way, the Bible describes the 'Holy Spirit' as the 'Spirit of God's Son.'
Of course, there are more explanations about the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
For example, the Old Testament calls Him "the Holy Ghost" or 'the Spirit of God' most of time, and the New Testaments call Him, "the Helper," and "the Spirit of truth."
Depending on the role of the Holy Spirit at given time, different names were used.
However, the most basic role of the Holy Spirit is as 'the Son of God."
That's why the Holy Spirit can call God, "Abba! Father!"
The Holy Spirit is dwelling in those of us who have become the children of God by faith.
Therefore, we who received the Spirit of the Son, the Holy Spirit, can also call God, "Abba! Father!"
Many believers vaguely think that the Holy Spirit is the heart of God.
Of course, the Heart of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Heart of God the Holy Father is one.
However, God the Holy Spirit is also an independent being, and He is standing as a Son of God.
Therefore, God the Origin, and God the Holy Son and the Holy Spirit have the relationship of a father and sons.
Now, do you think God the Holy Son and God the Holy Spirit are equal in the rank? Or, do they have different ranks?
Hebrews 1:6 describes God the Holy Son, Jesus, as 'the firstborn.'
Therefore, naturally, God the Holy Son is the first in rank, and God the Holy Spirit is the next.
Likewise, God the Holy Son and God the Holy Spirit have different ranks.
However, it doesn't mean that God the Holy Son set forth His rank to God the Holy Spirit.
God the Holy Son and God the Holy Spirit are like very close brothers.
They love each other, trust completely, and serve God the Father with one heart.
Since God the Holy Son and God the Holy Spirit are broth Sons of God, the Bible also uses the term, "the sons of God."
Job 1:6 says, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them."
Again, Job 38:7 says, "When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Romans 8:19 also says, "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God."
However, "the sons of God" of Genesis Chapter 6 refer to different beings.
I may come back to this subject when I explain Genesis Chapter 6.
Some people insist that 'the sons of God' in the Bible should refer to angels.
A certain version of English Bible translates the term 'the sons of God' as 'the angels.'
However, angels can never become children of God.
Hebrews 1:5 says, "For to which of the angels did He ever say, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again, "I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me"?"
God has never said to an angel, "You are My Son."
Dear brothers and sisters.
I have explained that the Bible uses the term, "the Sons of God" since God the Holy Spirit is the Son of God just as God the Holy Son is the son of God.
By the way, the Bible also calls Jesus "the only begotten Son of God."
Regarding only this, you may think God only has one Son.
However, when the Bible calls Jesus 'the only begotten Son', it is in relation to the work and the ministry of Jesus.
The Bible uses the term, "the only begotten Son" when it explains that Jesus is the Only Savior who came to this earth.
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
This verse goes in pair with Acts 4:12, which reads, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
It explains that the only name through which we can get salvation in when we believe in the one and only Lord Jesus.
Just like the confession of Peter in Matthew 16:16, the Son of the living God who also becomes the Savior is only Jesus.
Therefore, when the Bible calls Jesus 'the only begotten Son,' it is safe to understand it as 'a Son of God, who came to this earth to become the Savior."
Since the days of Jesus, there have been many who call themselves the savior.
If the bible didn't call Jesus, who came as the Savior, 'the only begotten Son of God,' then there would be many who would be deceived by such lies.
That's why the bible clearly declares that Jesus is the only Savior, and that He is the only begotten Son of God.
Dear brothers and sisters.
Earlier, I told you that after God the Origin divided into God the Trinity. each one of the Trinity put on their own spiritual body.
God the Trinity are not three entities identical in form and appearance.
Of course, they all look very similar.
All the three of them are so beautiful that there is nothing that can be compared to them.
Father God put on the spiritual body that can show the status and the dignity of a father.
And God the Son and the God the Holy Spirit also put on spiritual bodies that were a little bit different.
Likewise, they look a little bit different from each other, but they are one in heart, mind, love, power, and wisdom.
So, we call them God the Trinity (or Triune God, meaning The Three in One).
It is because God the Trinity was originally one.
We can explain this concept by taking an example of a vessel and the contents in it.
If the spiritual body that God the Trinity puts on is a vessel, the shape of each vessel is different.
However, the contents in the vessels are all same among the Three.
In other words, the heart, mind, love, power, and wisdom of God the Father, the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. are all identical.
Since they are completely One, God the Father also felt what God the Son felt when He came to the earth as Jesus.
So did God the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was in sorrow, God the Holy Father, who was in Heaven also felt sorrow. God the Holy Spirit also felt the sorrow.
When Jesus suffered from pain on the cross, God the Father also felt the same pain.
That's why when Jesus was hung on the cross, many unaccountable things took place. Darkness fell on the earth, the earth shook, and the rocks split.
All these things happened to express the heart of God the Father who felt all the pain together with His Son.
Since God the Trinity divided from the one Origin, even though the look of their spiritual bodies is slightly different, their core is the same.
However, in case of man, even though monovular twins are identical to each other, their hearts and minds are not same.
They may be a lot like each other when compared to other siblings, but they are not completely same.
It is because, even though they are monovular twins, their core, in other words, their spirits are not same.
On the other hand, the look of the spiritual bodies of God the Trinity are not the same, however Their true essence, the spirit, is the same.
However, their characteristics are a little different from One to the Other in a sense of human attributes.
When I say their characteristics are different, it doesn't mean that the hearts that are originally contained in the spiritual body are different.
It rather means that, among the attributes of the hearts, those that appear more outwardly are different for Each of Them.
Say, there are two men who are identically full of love.
Even though they are overflowing with love in their hearts, depending on how they express their love, the expression of their love will seem different.
Among the attributes of spiritual love, it is gentle, but it also doesn't rejoice with unrighteousness.
If someone who accomplished spiritual love shows this attribute of not rejoicing with unrighteousness outwardly, you may feel his personality is quite strong.
On the other hand, if he shows his gentle side, you may feel he is soft and mild.
However, it is not necessarily true that the soft looking man is more abundant in spiritual love than the other strong looking man.
It is not necessarily true either that the strong looking man lacks spiritual love when compared to the softer appearing man.
The difference lies only with their personality that appears outwardly.
By the same token, God the Trinity is always One in everything.
However, in a sense of humanity, they are a little different.
God the Father keeps the perfect harmony of divinity and humanity.
However, for God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, some of their characteristics that they got from God the Father may appear outwardly expressed as being more or less.
For example, God the Son shows more of the characteristics of the firstborn; He is responsible and strong.
In other words, for God the Son, the divinity is emphasized more than the humanity.
On the other hand, for God the Holy Spirit, the humanity is manifested outwardly more than the divinity.
Therefore, God the Holy Spirit shows more of the delicate, sensitive, and soft characteristics.
Because of this characteristic of God the Holy Spirit, many pastors compare the Holy Spirit to 'a mother.'
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
God the Father surely has the capability to manage human cultivation alone.
Then, why did He have God the Son and God the Holy Spirit come into existence?
It is the deep providence of God who desires to accomplish human cultivation within perfect justice.
All throughout the history of human cultivation, God the Trinity divided up the duties of the Trinity according to eras.
They split up and took their own allotted task for human cultivation according to their roles as God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Of course, it is God the Father Who governs and supervises all the history.
God the Father has managed all the jobs such as sending God the Holy Son to the earth as Jesus, and sending the Holy Spirit after (the resurrection).
In addition, in the days of the Old Testaments, God the Father governed by Himself.
He spoke and conveyed His will through the prophets.
However, God the Father allotted the role of the Savior, who would save sinners, to God the Holy Son and the role of taking care of the children of faith. to God the Holy Spirit.
In other words, God the Son came to this earth in the form of a man, and He became Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind.
Also, God the Holy Spirit took on the role of 'the Helper' who would bring up the children of God in truth and take care of them until they get to New Jerusalem.
Since God the Trinity split up and took their individual roles, Satan could never get any grounds for accusation.
For example, Jesus is God, He is the Word that came to this earth in flesh.
He not only had the divinity but also the humanity; He received human cultivation just like any man.
However, if Jesus had had only divinity so that He didn't suffer from pain, sorrow, or hunger, Satan might have had been able to lodge a complaint against Jesus before God.
"Since Jesus is God who only has divinity and no humanity, He cannot redeem mankind from their sin. Jesus didn't have to go through human cultivation so how can it be said He has no self-committed sin? Moreover, since He only had the divinity, but not humanity, He could overcome the pain of the cross, couldn't He?"
In a way something like this, Satan might have accused Jesus before God and insisted Jesus should not become the Savior.
But God knew all this in advance, and He sent God the Son as a man so He would have experienced humanity.
God made His Son experience everything as a man so that He would be qualified as the Savior.
Therefore, Satan cannot bring any accusations before the Lord. Furthermore, Satan would have to give up all those who believe in Jesus as their Savior becoming the children of God.
The reason the Holy Spirit should come to the earth is the same.
In the era of the Old Testament people were saved by their works according to the Law.
However, once the way of salvation through the cross was opened, whoever believes in Jesus Christ in their heart is supposed to receive salvation.
However, if God managed in the days of the New Testament the way He did in the days of the Old Testament, Satan would again have grounds for accusation.
Satan might say, "God, since You govern everything by Yourself, people fear You and that is why they believe in Jesus Christ. They don't really believe from their depths of their hearts, do they?"
However, God, again, knew this in advance, and the Holy Spirit is given as a gift to His children who believe in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit helps the children of God know about sin, righteousness, and judgment.
He also helps them understand and feel the love of God the Father and the Lord all the time.
By doing so, He helps the children of God love God and He helps them live by the word of God, out of love and not by fear or by force.
In addition, through the works of the Holy Spirit, the gospel has reached the whole world.
And countless souls have believed Jesus Christ and reached the way of salvation.
In this way, the entire processes of human cultivation was in the plan of God the Origin.
And each step has been precisely fulfilled without even the slightest error.
In such wisdom and plan, God the Origin divided Himself into God the Trinity.
I will explain about "the Separation of the spirit" which can be done only by God in the next lecture.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
In this lecture, I explained how and why God the Origin, Who existed alone, became God the Trinity.
God prepared the way for human cultivation within perfect justice and love step by step to get true children.
He Himself gave birth to Sons, and allotted the duties for each.
When people give birth to their child, they all want their child to become someone great.
Even if they suffer, they wish for their child to live a happy life.
However, when God gave birth to His sons, it was only for us.
One of God's Sons was born to become an atoning sacrifice that would redeem us from our sins.
The other Son was given the task of helping souls achieve what they could not carry out because of their weakness.
Since God the Holy Son and God the Holy Spirit are one in heart with God the Father, they completely obeyed the will of God.
I hope such love of God the Trinity will be engraved indelibly on your heart.
May you love God the Trinity all the more from the depth of your heart, and come forth as a precious fruit and true child, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray!
[Amen] |
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