An Expanded Trinitarian Glossary

At baptisms, we repeat the words of Christ in the Great Commission “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” without realizing that we are referring to the stragglingly in-depth doctrine of the Trinity. Jesus in the taught both the oneness of God’s essence and the threeness of the Persons in the Trinity in the baptismal formula: “Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). The one deity of the Trinity is seen in the singular “name” because God is one in substance or essence. But then Jesus followed up saying baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” or the three persons of the Trinity.

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The Trinity, Part Three

The ontological Trinity focuses on the relationship the Trinity has within the Triune God totally apart from the creation. A. H. Strong calls the ontological Trinity the “Social Trinity.” Ryrie refers to this relationship between the persons of Trinity the opera as intra or the inner works of the Trinity. Does Scripture speak of the relationship within the Trinity? In John 17:24 Jesus prayed to the Father concerning the love that God the Father had for the Son before the foundation of the world. This has to be so because “God is love” (1st John 4:8). There are three practical benefits from the ontological Trinity.

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A Biblical Goal for 2018

What day of the year are more goals set than any other day of the year? This coming Monday or New Year’s Day. Michael Hyatt in a video series called 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever says that traditional goal setting doesn’t work. He backs up this statement with these facts:

1. 95% of those who lose weight on a diet plan regain it and some gain more than they originally lost.

2. 25% of people abandon their New Year’s resolution after one week and 60% after six months.

3. The average person makes the same New Year’s resolution 10 times in a row without success.

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