Today's discussion dives into the heart of the Trinity, focusing on the concept of "one substance" shared among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We'll explore how these divine persons, while distinct, embody the same attributes equally and eternally, which significantly impacts our understanding of God and our relationship with Him. As we dig into this topic, I’ll break down the characteristics that define God's nature, including holiness, justice, love, and truth, and what these mean for us as believers. I’ll also offer insights on how we can reflect these divine traits in our own lives. Join me as we unravel the complexities of the Trinity and discover the profound implications it has for our faith and daily living.

Takeaways:

• In the Bible 805 podcast, we explore how God communicates with us through the Bible for our salvation and deeper relationship with Him.
• Understanding the Trinity is made easier when we recognize that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share the same divine attributes.
• This episode emphasizes how God's holiness and justice are foundational characteristics that shape our understanding of His nature and our relationship with Him.
• We are called to reflect God's attributes in our lives, striving to embody characteristics such as love, mercy, and holiness in our daily actions.
• The podcast encourages listeners to recognize the importance of imitating God's attributes, as we are made in His image and commanded to live according to His ways.
• God's eternal nature assures us that His love, mercy, and justice are unchanging and everlasting, providing a solid foundation for our faith.

Links referenced in this episode:

• bible805.com
• bible805academy.com

Welcome to the Bible 805 podcast.

God wants us to know him and the Bible is one of the ways he's communicated everything we need for our salvation and a closer, more personal walk with him now and forever.

In this podcast, which comes out every Wednesday morning with supporting materials published by Friday each week on www.bible805.com I take sometimes difficult sounding Bible topics and them easy to understand and apply.

At least that's what my students tell me. See for yourself as we get started.

On our topic today, which is this is part two of our series on the Trinity, the One Substance of the Trinity. It's from the series it's not hard to understand the Trinity when you understand what the Bible has to say about it.

As I said earlier, Part one was understanding the Trinity and the three persons of the Trinity, how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are uncreated, co equal and eternal persons.

This second lesson, Part two is the one substance of the Trinity, the attributes that are shared by the members of the Trinity and what that means to us. Then part three, the next lesson will be the Trinity.

Throughout the Bible, descriptions of the Trinity and the roles of each member in the Old and New Testaments. Now for the notes, videos, podcasts, basically transcripts.

Everything that you want from these lessons will be on www.bible805.com and then the source materials to teach the lessons will be on the Bible805academy.com we're again going to use Tertullian's explanation of the Trinity in this lesson to review.

Tertullian was a Roman lawyer and in the early days of the Church he came up with the word Trinity, which he defined as una substantia tres personae, meaning God is one substance in three persons. We know what a person is and we went into detail to show each member of the Trinity is a person in lesson one in this series on the Trinity.

In this lesson we're going to look at the una substantia, the one substance of the Trinity. The word substance also means attribute or characteristics. It's a word or term to describe or what a person is like.

If we say a human person is kind, loving and generous, you've described what they're like. These terms, these characteristics make up their substance. And it's no different with God. He has various characteristics that make up his substance.

In the previous lesson we looked at the meaning of personhood in the Trinity, how each member of the Trinity is a person and how the three members of the Trinity. The three persons of the Trinity relate to each other. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

In this lesson we're going to look at the characteristics, the substance or attributes each one has in common with the other two. You see, that's what makes the Trinity unique, that they share these attributes equally and eternally.

Not only is that a characteristic of the Trinity as God, but for us it means that one member of the Trinity doesn't love us more than the others. One member isn't more truthful. They all share the attributes equally and eternally. They always will.

Once again, we'll go to the Bible and we'll look at the verses that show how these attributes apply to the members of the Trinity. And then we'll discuss what this means to us.

Please do go to Bible805 and download the Biblical View of the Trinity chart infographics that I have on it. I think it will help explain a lot for for you.

In addition to looking at what the characters of the Trinity mean to us, I'll point out how we ought to live in response to them. Of course, some are only possible for God, such as his omnipotence, his all power. But there are many we can imitate.

And as much as is possible, we need to imitate. We need to work to make these characteristics part of our lives.

As I go through them, don't stop at mentally understanding them only, but consider, be in prayer about how you can copy the characteristics of God into your life. This is possible because we're made in the image of God and we are commanded to work on implementing them fully in our lives.

We are his image bearers. We are representatives of Jesus in our world. We will take the characteristics one by one. First I'll define it.

Then I'll share verses that show how that particular characteristic applies to God. Then sometimes with one or two of them grouped together, I'll show how we are to imitate that characteristic. First of all, that God is holy.

Holiness in the biblical context refers to the state of being set apart, the idea of separation from the common or profane. God's holiness is intrinsic and absolute, setting him apart from all creation. God's holiness is also evident in his moral purity and righteousness.

That definition comes from the Bible Hub. This is the first and foundational characteristic of God's because there's truly no one, no God, anything like our God.

When the prophet Isaiah and others in the Bible had a vision of the holiness of God, they were overwhelmed. And it was not until God reached down touched Isaiah, that Isaiah was able to walk closely with God as His servant.

This is a balance that we must always keep in mind when we study and as we walk with God, both of his holiness, of his extraordinary otherness that is beyond us and incomprehensible, and at the same time how our God has gone to extraordinary lengths to be accessible to us. Here are some verses on the holiness of God Exodus tells us who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome and glorious deeds, doing wonders? There is none holy like the Lord There is none beside you. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.

Revelation tells us A good summary comes from the Bible Hub, where it says the holiness of God stands at the center of Christian thought and informs our understanding of the divine nature, redemption, and moral living.

From the act of creation itself, which displays his glorious distinction, to the calling of every believer to live a life reflecting God's pure character, holiness remains a defining pillar of biblical theology. An observation here. Holiness as a description and this is something that I I shouldn't have sounded so formal when I said an observation.

This is something that I figured out when I was working actually Hobo Soul podcast that I also do.

I realized that holiness as a description is also used of many of the items in the tabernacle, things set apart for God's worship that were above all precious and very beautiful. I think that shows us how God's holiness is not an uptight and awful thing, but a thing of beauty.

And that beauty can be reflected in in us, in those who worship Him. God is also just. Now here's the definition of justice as God set us apart, as God is set apart in his holiness.

He is totally different than us in that he is just in a perfect degree. He defines what is just and fair and never wavers from it. He always does what is truly fair and just in line with his holiness.

What, however, does truly fair and just mean? Does God make up standards simply to be cruel to keep people from having fun or doing what they want? What's that all about?

To clarify, I found this quote from the Got Questions site and then I'll explain it. They made the definition and then I got some ideas from it. Anyway, what they said is that justice is a term for what is right or as it should be.

Now think about that. I think that's such a great definition of justice as it should be, in that it should be all of life should be how God designed it to be.

At creation at that time, people walked with God. They were at peace with each other and all creation. But sin broke all of that. His justice wants to see that restored.

God eternally wants the best healed and whole for his creation. And his justice is a standard by which our deviation from the best is measured. Now here are some verses on the justice of God.

Deuteronomy says the rock, his way is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is he.

Nehemiah says, thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for thou has done right, but we've done wickedly. Job says, surely God will not act wickedly and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

These two characteristics of holiness and justice were put first and go together because these characteristics help us understand who we are in our relationship to God. He is our creator, and humanity was created to walk with our God in His ways. His holy ways set apart ways to be like our God.

But humanity decided soon after their creation. And we make the same decision frequently to go our own way and in so doing stray from the standard of God's holiness.

This is the basic definition of sin. Choosing to do what we want to do, not what God tells us is his way and best for us.

Not only is God holy and completely set apart from our sinful ways, but he's just and he cannot excuse ourselves sins. Again, this isn't beating up on us. He wants us return to the state we were created to live in. And if we don't return to that, we can't live with him.

As Romans 6:23 says, the wages the result of sin is death. Death is separation first the soul from the body and then eternal separation from God.

What this means to us as the holy and eternal God, he has the right and power to set the rules that even God himself is subject to. And in ways we do not understand. Our turning away from the holiness of God had consequences that the justice of God could not ignore.

It created a debt of death and only the shedding of blood could cancel the consequences of our sins and make it possible for us to again walk with God, the source of of eternal life. Not only was a death required, but it had to be the death of a sinless sacrifice.

We have a problem because in Adam and Eve and their descendants down to us, we can't stop sinning going our own way. And because of that, none of us can pay that debt. We could never offer an adequate sacrifice.

But Jesus, the sinless second Person of the Trinity, came to earth both fully human and fully God. He lived the life we could not live and died the death we could not die to cancel the debt against us.

And when we accept him as Savior, he gives us God's very life in us, so that instead of his holiness being something that separates us from God, it can become a characteristic of our lives that reflects our relationship with God. God's holiness again from the source of condemnation to a call to participation in it.

First Peter 1, 5, 6, 15 and 16 says, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. First Thessalonians 4, 7 says, For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 1St Peter 2:9 but you this is a wonderful verse.

This is who you are. If you know Jesus, consider this. This is wonderful.

It says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light like God's. This holiness can and should be a beautiful thing, not a negative condemning stance. In life.

It is showing ourselves and others how life ought to be lived. Since we have a hard time doing that, though, the next characteristic is important, and that is that God is merciful.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve. It's often contrasted with grace, which is getting what we don't deserve. Salvation by faith alone that we cannot and that we do not and cannot earn.

But after the grace of salvation, mercy is still needed because we continue to sin.

Psalm 145, 8, 9 says, Jehovah is kind and merciful, slowly get angry, full of love, he's good to everyone, and his compassion is intertwined with everything he does.

Romans 12:1 says, Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true worship.

Lamentations 3 says, oh, remember the bitterness and suffering you've dealt to me, for I can never forget these awful years. Always my soul will live in utter shame. Yet there is one ray of hope. His compassions never end.

It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction, and we are to be like him in showing undeserved mercy to others. Matthew says, but go and learn what this means.

Jesus is speaking, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, for I have not come to call the righteous but sinners. In James it says, you will be judged on whether or not you're doing what Christ wants you to.

So watch what you do and what you think, for there will be no mercy to those who have shown no mercy. But if you've been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.

Micah 6:8 says, he's shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.

Mercy is often translated kindness, and it's one of the basic requirements God has of us. Applications always come down on the side of kindness and mercy. We're so easy to take offense, but don't assume a negative about others.

Now, why is it we never assume good things?

You never hear somebody say, well, do you know, I heard that she gave all this money to the food bank and volunteers every week at the rescue mission. We don't do that. Isn't that awful? Anyway, great advice.

And I've forgotten who said this, but they said, I don't know why I do what I do, so how can I assume to judge why another person does what they do? Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Don't do his job.

We can kindly critique or challenge actions, but we can never ascribe motives or label a person or judge their hearts. Even if people do truly awful things and people do this is not to have some Pollyanna ish. Oh, it's just wonderful. What?

No, people can be absolutely horrible, evil and terrible. But still, even though we don't excuse or lie that things didn't happen, we're still to grant mercy. We are still to be kind.

We can only do that with God's help. And when we do grant mercy in truly horrible situations, it shows that it's from God. Moving along in God's characteristics God is love.

Psalm 36 says, Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. How precious is your unfailing love, O God. All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

John 3:16, remember says, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life first. John 4:7 8 says, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. We've heard this many times, yet we need to truly let it sink in. What it means, what it means for us. In First Corinthians 13 might help us.

I mean, what this means for us. First Corinthians 13 might help us understand if you put in the word God for the word love. Now remember, this is how love is defined.

Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, does not boast, et cetera, et cetera. You've heard that read a whole bunch of times at weddings and different things like that. But.

But put the word God in for love and let me describe this to you. Just close your eyes and listen. God is patient. God is kind. God does not dishonor others. God is not easily angered. God keeps no record of wrongs.

God does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. God never fails. This is how he acts towards you. That is his love.

It's part of who he is. It's not what he feels like that might change or regarding your actions. He simply loves you and will forever because again, it is part of who he is.

Like many of God's attributes, it's difficult to truly understand God's love.

Paul prayed for his people that they might be able to understand when he said, I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We need to pray for that understanding also.

I think many of our questions and fears would be solved if we truly understood and grasped to the core of our minds and hearts the depths of God's love to us. Many of the wise would turn into thank yous for all he protects us from, guides us into and redirects us towards next. God is truth.

Now I'm going to give you the verses first and then I'll give the definition on this first. John 5:20 says, we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true.

John 1:14 says, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we've seen his glory, the glory of the only Son, from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 14:6 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me. Now, the definition of truth, I.

We think we know what it means, but think about this. I got really excited in studying this also. Truth has many definitions in our world today.

And before I tell you what truth is, it's important that you understand what truth is not. Truth is not just what works. You know, a lot of people think, oh, if it works, it must be true.

But, you know, cheating on your income tax or cheating on your spouse or all kinds of cheating might work in the short term, but they aren't true. That's not the way to live. Truth is not what is internally consistent.

I can't take the time in this lesson to go into all of the implications of this. Please see my lessons on what is truth, and you'll understand why.

Many of the cults work the way they do, because once you buy into their system, then everything makes sense. A very simple illustration of this is science fiction.

If you go to a science fiction showing of Star wars, for example, once you buy into the idea that the Force is the overwhelming power in that universe, then everything makes sense. The Force is with you and all that sort of thing. Outside the theater, it doesn't work. Inside the theater, it does. Many cults are like that.

But truth is not what is internally consistent in a certain system. Truth is not what feels good. A lot of people today, you have your truth, I have my truth. My truth feels good to me.

No, that is not what defines truth. And truth is not relative. Again, there are not different truths for different people. You either have a blue shoe on or a red shoe on.

You, you know, you can't decide, oh, I'm looking at your shoes and I'm going to decide that they're all black. I like black anyway better than red or blue. No, that isn't right. And it's not. There are not different truths for different people.

Truth is what corresponds to reality that is important. And what God says in His Word.

And that's why it's so important to know His Word, to read it and know it well, is how the universe really works, not just some high ethical standard or whatever. So keep that in mind. Truth is what corresponds to reality. God and His Word tell us what's truly true. This is how the world works.

This is what will happen to you after you die. This is what God is like. These things are true because they correspond to reality. Untruth, lies in any form do not correspond to reality.

And of course, Satan, in contrast, is the father of lies. In John 8 Jesus said, you belong to your Father, the devil, and you want to carry out your Father's desires.

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth. For there's no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he's a liar and the Father of lies.

Much of the confusion, errors, problems of all sorts in our world are because of Satan's lies. His lies do not correspond to reality in any area. Not about you, people, the world, anything. And he never delivers on what he promises.

Also, this is why untruth in any form is so horrible for a Christian. Whenever we are not honest, we reflect the enemy, not our Lord. Little lies grow into a lifestyle of deceit. Simply never deceive in any way, ever.

Make truth non negotiable in every part of your life, though speak the truth in love when you might have a difficult time speaking the truth. Now let's go on to some of the characteristics of God that though they're not easy to comprehend, in some ways they're a lot easier to define.

And the first one is omniscient, meaning all knowing in Psalm 139. This is one of the most wonderful passages on this, where the psalmist says, you've searched me, Lord, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out, my lying down. You're familiar with all my ways.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable. What this means to us. He knows. God knows all about us, and yet he understands and he still loves us.

He didn't get tired of us, tired of dealing with us. His acceptance is a wonderful example for us to follow.

So often we might say or think, oh, if you really knew that person, you wouldn't think well of him or her. Or we might even think when we're sad, you know, if you really knew me, you wouldn't like me, you wouldn't think well of me.

But God already knows, and he loves you and he accepts you and he does all the other people that you might gossip about. Also, we might get tired of someone we love or ourselves messing up, who messes up the same ways again and again and again. But God doesn't.

7 Times 70 in forgiveness isn't just what we're supposed to do for each other, it's how God treats us. We cannot do less in our forgiveness of others. He's omnipresent, meaning he's everywhere.

Proverbs 15 the eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good first Kings 8:27 but will God indeed dwell on the earth below? Behold heaven, and the highest heaven cannot contain you. How much less this house which I have built.

His love is filling it all, as this passage reminds us. For I'm convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love.

Death can't, and life can't, the angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away.

Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. We never need feel abandoned or afraid because we'll never be alone. God's loving presence is everywhere with us forever, and no concern is too small.

He has room for it all. Sometimes people think, oh, he's handling the famines in Africa, and he's handling wars, and he's handling. He doesn't have time for me. No, no, no.

He has the bandwidth for all of it. Your concerns, your cares are incredibly important to Him. He can handle it all. Omnipotent means God is all powerful.

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you've made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm, and nothing is too hard for you. The sun radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God. He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.

And looking at them, Jesus said, with people this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. What this means to us and it's a reminder, though, that God's omnipotence isn't a magic power we can control.

Recognize that just because God can do all things doesn't mean he will do them or do them in the ways that we think are best or in the timing that we Want. That's often the key issue. Remember, God sees the big picture of the timing of your life, past, present and future.

He sees his plans for you, what he wants you to become, and in that what you need protection from, guidance in what testing you need, what joy, whatever he needs to bring, all in his timing. Some platitudes are actually quite true and useful here, and two of them. The first one, it wasn't rejection, it was protection.

That one is so good to remember, and it's so true. And then of course, delay is not denial. I just love it.

On the road to Emmaus, when the people were actually walking with Jesus, they didn't recognize him, and they said, you know, it's the third day already. I can't even imagine how Jesus must have had to try so hard to keep from just bursting out laughing. It's like that with us.

A lot of times we think we just can't handle one more minute. And then God does something, either gives us peace or gives us the joy we've waited for. But his timing is always perfect. And delay is not denial.

A good verse to remember is many are the plans in a person's heart, but it's the Lord purpose that reveals. Remember his power is always paired with his love, and that he is a good God, immutable, which means unchangeable.

Malachi 3:6 I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Speaking of God and James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, whom there is no with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change what this means to us. Few things are worse in human relationships than being around someone who's always changing in their mood, their emotions, their actions.

You don't know which person they're going to be, how they're going to show up. That will never happen with our God. And what a relief that is. Nothing we can do changes how he feels about us.

He will never not love us or stop being merciful to us because he's having a bad day or he's whatever. God does not have bad days. Nothing can change his promises to us, though. Again Timing and methods are under his discretion.

It also means his expectations, commands, rules and guidelines. His justice don't change, they are timeless.

Also, at the same time, for fine tuning in our understanding of his laws and all of that sort of thing, it helps if we take into account consideration cultural, historical, application, context as we understand His Word and the commandments in it. Now this is a little bit of a far out one, but it's a good illustration.

In the Old Testament, the people were commanded to not boil a kid in its mother's milk. Now some groups and you know, it's up to them, have taken them at that as an absolute rule, you do not combine dairy and meat products.

I mean, that's what they decide. But most scholarship tells us that it actually just referenced not following a pagan magical practice at the time. It's not just an all time rule.

I mean, can you imagine if we were, you know, if it was an absolute command of God that we had to avoid cooking dairy and meat together? I mean that means no more pasta Alfredo. That would be quite awful, I think.

But I'm, you know, all kidding aside, we do need to study some commands that maybe don't seem like they're for our time. Nine times out of ten they are. But we need to study to apply things.

Well, this involves what's called hermeneutics or how to correctly interpret the Bible. I've got a lot of lessons on that. On the Bible 805 Academy.

I have a whole kind of little topic area on that and www.bible805academy.com and you can check those out. And there are many other really good Christian resources.

However, overall, understanding the timeless nature of the majority of his commands, rules and guidelines, that's what's important. Almost all of them are really timeless. They apply in all cultures.

And you learn what you need to learn from just reading the Bible and becoming really familiar with it. God is eternal without beginning or end.

For thus says the one who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired.

Jesus Christ is the saying yesterday and today and forever. What that means to us, I don't know. We can't truly comprehend or conceive what this really means, what eternity is.

Though it is incredibly important us because all the extraordinary, previously mentioned attributes of God will never end. There's no expiration date to all God is and how he acts towards us and our God wants to share his eternal life with us.

It says in 1st John 5, God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Once you become a Christian, you don't get to experience God's love and forgiveness temporarily, but forever.

Final Application Strive to be like your God we cannot imitate the Omni characteristics, but many of God's characteristics we can imitate, and we're commanded to do so. That funny old saying, and it is really a good one, the WWJD what would Jesus do?

It really is not just a saying, but an excellent question to ask ourselves continuously as we think about the character of our God. Remember, the number one goal of a disciple, by its very definition, is to become like the one we follow.

We should always and in every way make it our goal to become like our God, like Jesus. And we will, as we spend more time with Him.

Finally, it is a goal that we will one day succeed in because, as the Apostle John tells us, we know that when Christ appears, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

That's all for now.

Please check out the show notes, a complete downloadable transcript, graph expansion and related materials at www.bible805.com until next time, I'm Yvonne Pryn, your fellow pilgrim, writer and teacher for Jesus, and I'd like to close with this benediction.

May you know the invitation of God to make move from confusion to clarity, from wandering to rest, from loneliness to knowing you are loved, from turmoil to peace, from wherever you are in your spiritual journey to a growing knowledge of God's word and in your personal relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.