 Okay. Good morning, everyone. I think some of them have joined the supernatural hour, so they haven't enjoyed class. Okay, John Paul is here. Thank you, John, for leading worship this morning. Praise God. Thank you, Arthur. Good morning, Anita. Good morning, everyone. It's right. So I think people will slowly be joining class, so we'll just wait for four minutes before we begin. We're all excited that it's going to be the weekend. Yes, no. Or is your weekend as rushed as the week is? Good morning. Okay, we'll begin. In the meantime, as we pray, people will join in. So can one of you lead us in prayer, please? Anyone lead us in prayer this morning? Father, we come to the throne of grace, Lord. Thank you for today. You have given us, Lord, whatever we are learning about your doctrine, Lord, whatever we are going to learn from your word, Lord. Lord, it should be added to our knowledge and knowledge and learning, and it should be implemented and used for the kingdom, special Lord. All glory be to give to you, Lord. Lord, we don't want to show anything, Lord. We don't want to show off, but we are learning, Lord, so that we can expand your kingdom, Lord. The great commission you have given us, Lord, the learning can be added into this, and, Lord, we can do your work, Lord, with the mighty hands, Lord. Lord, protect us, provide us, and Lord, give us your fear and knowledge so that we can understand all the things which have been taught. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. What do you think? We'll wait for a couple more minutes because there's only six of you in class. We just wait for two more minutes. Is that all right? Okay. Thank you. So what do you have in the second and third hour today? Believer's authority was Nancy. Okay. Did I mention when we are going to have our test for doctoral foundations? You mentioned 14th February. Yeah, that is for doctoral foundations or systematic theology. I think I mentioned that for systematic theology, right? You mean Christology or? Oh, sorry. Christology, yes. Yeah. Christology, yeah. So I mentioned that for Christology, right? For 14th February? Yes. Okay. So we need to also decide a date for systematic theology for doctoral foundations. So we basically have chapters. Yeah, so we have 11 chapters. We'll do three tests. So we can have a test even in systematic theology. So we'll finish the doctrine of Trinity and then maybe have a test. Is that all right? Can we have the first four chapters? Okay. So which date would you suggest for systematic theology? Yes. Because you're having a test on Christology on 14th. So when do you want to have a test for doctoral foundations for systematic theology? Any date would you like to suggest? Would you like to have it on March 4th? Yeah. Okay. What about the others? Thank you, John. It's okay. Okay. So then we'll have a test on systematic theology, doctoral foundations. The first four chapters. And we'll have that on Friday, the 4th of March. Okay. Okay, we'll begin. Thank you for patiently waiting for the others to join. Okay. Last class, we began the lesson on the doctrine of Trinity. Okay. And we said that it's one of the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. Okay. So we'll just do a quick recap, a good recap of what we learned last class. So is the word Trinity found in the Bible? You all can type your answers in the chat or you can unmute your mics and answer. Is the word Trinity found in the Bible? No. Okay. So, yes, the word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but is the teaching or the concept or the doctrine of Trinity mentioned in the Bible? Yes. Okay. Thank you. So what does the word Trinity mean? What does the word Trinity mean? I'm not asking the definition for the doctrine of Trinity. I'm asking you what does the word Trinity mean? Trinity. What does the word Trinity mean? Okay. Try unity, which means try is three. So what does it mean? Three unity. Okay. Three in oneness. Yes. Thank you, Anita. So it's three in unity or three in oneness. Okay. And it's used to summarize the teaching or scripture that God is three persons yet one God. Okay. So how do we define the doctrine of Trinity? What is the definition for the doctrine of Trinity? What does the definition for the doctrine of Trinity? Or what does Trinity mean? Three persons one essence. Okay. Well, it's rhyming three persons one essence. Okay. How do we define Trinity? God eternally exists as three persons. Okay. Thank you. Very important for us to know the definition of Trinity. Anyone else would like to try? Okay. Trinity is one God who eternally exists as three persons father son and Holy Spirit. And each person is fully God. Okay. Or you can say one God who revealed himself in three persons father son and Holy Spirit. And each person is fully God. Okay. I'll repeat that again. God is one. He eternally exists as three persons father son and Holy Spirit. And each person is fully God. Or you can say there is one God who revealed himself in three persons father son and Holy Spirit. And each person is fully God. Okay. We see that the doctrine of Trinity is progressively revealed throughout scripture. So is the doctrine of Trinity mentioned only in the New Testament or is it present even in the Old Testament? Yes. Go ahead, Lubega. Appear. That word print appears in both the New and Old Testament. In fact, it's all over scripture, all everywhere in the scriptures. Okay. Thank you. Yes. Thank you so much. It's in the Old Testament and in the New Testament is found throughout scripture. So we looked at the doctrine of Trinity as it's found in the Old Testament. And we see that, you know, if it's not mentioned in the Old Testament, then there will be something that's really wrong. And it will be surprising because it eternally exists as three persons as we define Trinity. You know, it would be surprising that we find no indications of it in the Old Testament. As it's mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, we looked at a few passages in the Old Testament which suggests or imply that God exists as more than one person. And we also looked at a few passages in the New Testament where we saw Trinity in action or we saw Trinity that is named together. We saw that the Trinity is named together in certain passages in the New Testament. And we moved on and I mentioned three statements which summarize the Biblical teaching on the Trinity. Do you remember the three statements that I said with which we summarized the Biblical teachings on Trinity? Anyone remember the three statements? God is a three person. Thank you. God is three persons. That's the first statement. Second statement, anyone else remembers? Anyone remember the second and the third one? God is three persons. The first statement. Yes. Sorry, John. Each person is fully God. Each person is fully God. Thank you. Yes, Lubega. There is only one God. Okay. Thank you, Lubega. There is only one God. And thank you, Subashish, for your answer. Each person is fully God and there is only one God. Okay. Those are the three statements that I mentioned to summarize the Biblical teaching on Trinity. So God is three persons and he is one and each one of them are fully God. So God is three persons which means that Father is not the Son. Okay. The Father is not the Holy Spirit. The Son is not the Father. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. Each one of them are distinct persons and we saw a couple of passages which show us that they are distinct persons and they are mentioned as distinct persons. Okay. The second statement I said was that each person is fully God. Okay. We saw in true scripture, you know, that God the Father is clearly God. As mentioned in Genesis chapter one verse one, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We also saw that Jesus, who is the Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Son, he is fully God and we looked at the passages in John chapter one verses one to four and verse 14. We all know the scripture because we've been looking at it a couple of times the last few weeks and then we looked at, you know, God the Holy Spirit is also fully God. The Great Commission where, you know, it's mentioned about the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We also saw the incident in Acts chapter five with Ananias and Seferra, the couple who go to Peter and how Peter said, you have lied to the Holy Spirit. How can you lie to the Holy Spirit? And then in verse five he says, you've lied not to man but to God and hence equating, you know, Holy Spirit as God himself. Okay. So we see that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, all three of them, you know, possess the whole being of God in themselves. That means each one of them are God. So when we speak of God, the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit together, we know and we think and we understand that they are a supreme being. There is no one greater than them. There's no one who's supreme than they are and they are supreme beings. Similarly, when we speak of them individually, we also, you know, have the same understanding that each one of them are supreme beings as well. So even when we think of them together or we just speak about God, we know that there is no one other than him who is supreme. And similarly, when we speak of each one individually as well, we also have this understanding that they are the supreme being. Hence they are God. Okay. And then there is a last statement which we said there is one God and where do we have this in the Bible? Where does the Bible mention that there is only one God? In Deuteronomy. Okay. Deuteronomy chapter and verse please. Okay. Deuteronomy chapter six verses. Four and five. Okay. So Deuteronomy chapter six verses four and five and we also have that in Isaiah chapter 45 verses five and six. So in Deuteronomy chapter six verses four and five, we read, God says, Israel the Lord, our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. And in Isaiah chapter 45 verses five and six, God says, I am the Lord and there is no other. There is no God besides me. Okay. So we see that God is only one being and there is no three gods and we don't believe in three gods. Okay. But we believe in one God who eternally existed or revealed himself in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So how is God one? When we say we believe there is one God, how do we and there are three persons? How do we understand or how is God one? He is one essence. Thank you. He is God, one God in essence. And what is the meaning of essence? Means being. Thank you. Thank you, Shubhashis. Essence means being. It's the same thing as being. Okay. So God is one in essence. So how is God three? How is God three? Is three in? Persons. Yes. Thank you, Shubhashis. So God is one in essence. Essence is the same thing as being. And how is God three? He is three in persons. And I said before I ended in the last class that essence and person are not the same thing. God is one in essence and he is three in three different persons. And we also said that Trinity is not a contradiction. Why is it not a contradiction? Why is Trinity not a contradiction? No answers. Okay. Trinity is not a contradiction because we're saying there is one God who eternally existed or revealed himself in three persons. But it would be a contradiction if we see that God is three in the same way that he is one. So if we say there's three Gods in the same way that he is, and we say there is one God, then there is a contradiction. But the fact that there is one God and one in essence and there are three persons shows us that Trinity is not a contradiction. Okay. And all three persons are one God because all three of them have the same essence. And there is only one being and not three beings. There are not three Gods. Okay. And then we ended class by saying that we will look today at what it means by the word essence and person, how these two terms differ and how they relate with each other. And by knowing that we will have a complete understanding of Trinity. Okay. So what does the word essence mean? It just simply means being. Okay. So God's essence is his being. To be even more precise, essence is basically who God is. Now when we say it is who God is, we actually take the risk of sounding too physical, but it's not just the physical appearance or the outward appearance. But it's basically essence should be understood or can be understood as what God consists of. Okay. What God consists of. We cannot understand this in a more physical way about God because we know that God is spirit. You know, when we talk about essence, when we talk about being, you know, in our understanding as human beings, we think about something that is more physical being who we are, what we are made up of. So I said that, you know, essence can also be understood as what God consists of. But you know, we cannot understand it in a very physical way because we know that God is spirit. We read about this in John chapter four verse 24. And further, we clearly should not think of God as, you know, consisting of anything other than divinity. Okay. So he's, he's God and he, you know, consists of only that which makes up divinity, and he does not consist of anything other than divinity, the very being of God, the very substance of God is God. Okay. It's not a bunch of ingredients or it's not putting together of certain aspects or certain, you know, certain things that would, you know, yield deity. But we know that the very being or the very substance of God is God himself, the very, the core being of who he is is God. And so we cannot say that, you know, it's putting off things together of divine and human nature together to bring about deity. But when we are talking about the substance of God, it is who God is. Okay. Or we say when God consists of, it consists of nothing other than God himself or his, him being deity or him being God himself. Okay. So that is the meaning of essence. Basically, it is what God consists of and he basically consists of himself that is God. He is God. And he does not consist of ingredients that is put together to yield deity, but he has got him self. Now what does person mean? Now when we're talking about this word person, we're not going to be looking at it or under or trying to understand it with the way that we understand with the way I understand other persons or other people. Okay. We need to understand this word or this term person with regard to the Trinity. Okay. So with regard to the Trinity, we use the term person in a very different way than we would generally use it in everyday life. So with regard to Trinity, it's very difficult to have a real or solid or a complete definition of this word person. Okay. But what we do not mean by person is an independent individual in the sense that, you know, me and Aradna or me or Zillatoli are completely different individuals. We are, we have a different emotional set makeup, we have a different physical makeup, we have a different intellectual makeup. And we exist apart from each other. So Aradna is very different from Zillatoli and you know, they all, they both are different from me and we are, you know, we exist apart from each other. We are not co-existing together. We are very independent individuals. Okay. And we are separate human beings. So when we think about persons in with human understanding, each one of us are individual personalities and we exist apart from each other. Okay. But in the Trinity, the father is a different person. The son is also a different person with regard to the father. And the Holy Spirit is also a complete different person. But when we see, you know, the father regards himself as I and he regards the son as you or he regards the Holy Spirit as you. Okay. So we see that the father is a different person from the son because he regards the son as you, even though he regards himself as I. So when we look at Trinity or in regard to Trinity, we can say that, you know, each person means a distinct subject with regards to I and you. And these distinct or these separate subjects are not divisions within the being of God, but they are a form of personal existence other than the difference in being. Okay. Like I explained, Zilotholi, Arathna and I are, you know, we exist apart from each other. But in the Trinity, they are different persons, but they are, you know, they are just one being. Okay. There is one God, but they are separate different individuals separate distinct separate subjects. And hence they have the same being, they are not a division in the being of God, but they have the same being. They are one, but you know, they are different persons. Okay. So that sounds a little philosophical or difficult to understand, but I hope you are able to gather what I'm saying. Yes. No. Yes, Pastor. Okay. Thank you. And what about the others? Yes ma. Okay. So basically what I'm saying is, you know, where we can't understand Trinity or the person, the word persons with God to Trinity in the way we understand each other or in our everyday life or with our human limitations and our understanding. We, we can't regard this word or define this word person with regard to Trinity in our human understanding. Because so when we think of persons with our human understanding, each one of us are separate. You know, we exist apart from each other. But when we talk about persons in Trinity, each one of them are distinct subject. Each one of them are different because the Father says, refers himself to as I, and he refers to the Son and the Holy Spirit as you. But when we look at three, three of them, three persons, each one of them have the same being. Okay. They are not divisions in the being. That means they're not divisions in the being of God. They are one, but they, you know, reveal themselves or exist as three different persons, but they are just one being. But in the human understanding, we are all three different. Like I mentioned, Aradha, Zia, Toli and myself, we are three different beings. We are, we exist apart from each other. But when God, they all exist together. They are one, but they are separate persons. Okay. I hope that is clear. Siddiqui, no, you look very confused. Your facial expressions. Okay. So we will move ahead. The only way it seems possible, you know, to say that the distinction between the person is not a difference in being. But we can look at it in a, like a difference in relationship. Okay. And this again is something very different from our human experience, where every different human person is a different being as well. But, you know, with God's being, it's so much, you know, God as a being is so much greater than us. Okay. He is one, yet he is undivided being. And there can be also an unfolding of interpersonal relationship so that they are three distinct persons. Okay. So we can look at it as they are one being, but difference in relationships in the way they relate to each other. And we can just summarize this, or we can understand it like this, that God is great. He is infinite. He is, you know, he's awesome. He's mighty. He's all powerful. He's quite different from our human experience. He's so much greater than our thinking, our understanding. And hence we can think about it this way that, you know, he's one undivided being, but within himself, he can unfold into interpersonal relationships. And hence there can be three distinct persons. Okay. So what then is the difference between the father, son, and the Holy Spirit. So basically there is no differences between them when it comes to attributes because we said all three are God. There is only one God. Each one of them have the same being. They are one in a sense. So they have, they consist of everything that makes them God. So there's no difference in their attributes. It's the only difference we can say is in the way they relate to each other and to creation. Okay. So we already saw what was the role of the father, son, and the Holy Spirit in the previous classes. So we see that there is a difference only in their relationship in the way they relate with each other and the way they relate with creation. So we know that the role of the father or the unique quality of the father is in the way that he relates to the son and to the Holy Spirit. The unique quality of the son is the way he relates as a son to the father. And the unique quality of the Holy Spirit is the way the Holy Spirit relates to the father, to the son, and to us as well. Okay. So beyond the existence of three persons in one God, you know, there is something beyond, this is something beyond our understanding. So we see that in Christian theology, they have come to use this word person to speak of three differences in relationships. And it's not because we fully understand what is meant by this word persons when we are referring to Trinity, but it is rather so that we might say something instead of saying nothing. Okay. So it's basically we human beings trying to understand this big mighty God, we're trying to explain him or understand him in the way that he's revealed himself. And so we've come up with these terms that Trinity like persons, essence being and all of that. But for God, there is no confusion for us. It will be a little difficult for us to understand, you know, but people have tried to bring about this understanding so that we can relate better to God with God. We can, we can relate better with the three persons or the way God has revealed himself in the Trinity, and for us to also have a better deeper relationship with God. So there is no difference in their attributes. It's only a difference in the relationship in the way their father, son and his spirit relate to each other and also with their roles and responsibilities. Okay. So how do they relate with each other? Now scripture shows us that each member of the Trinity, you know, you know, fulfills a specific role. And it also reveals that these roles are interrelated. Okay. They have to be interrelated. If they are not interrelated, then, you know, we are talking about three separate gods. But it is one God in being who, you know, has, has the capacity to have this interpersonal relationship within his one being. Okay. So in simple terms, we see that the father is the creator. He's the one who plans. He's a supreme authority. The Lord Jesus is the one who implements the plan and the Holy Spirit is the one who administers the plan and we basically have, you know, spoken about this in the previous classes. So the father is the one who's a supreme authority who plans things who creates a plan. The Lord Jesus implements the plan and the Holy Spirit who's got himself administers the plan. Okay. So the way of redemption also shows us in a very clear manner these roles. The father basically designed or organized how mankind should be redeemed. We read this in Galatians chapter four versus four and five. Can somebody turn to that please? Galatians chapter four versus four and five and can somebody read that? And somebody else can turn to John chapter six versus 37 and 38. And someone else can turn to John chapter 14 verse 26. So can one of you read? Thank you. Galatians chapter four versus four and five. But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under law that we might receive the full rights of the son. Thank you. So here we see the father has designed and organized how mankind would be redeemed. And then he set into motion, you know, a set of events, actions and prophecies which culminated in the life and in the death of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. And we see that the son carried out the plan of the father. Can one of you read John chapter six verse 37 and 38 please? All that the father gives will come to him. Go ahead. Go ahead. All that the father give me shall come to me. And him that come to me, I will know why he is cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. Amen. Thank you. So we see that the son followed the father's instructions to come to the earth. And even though it meant that he would have to take on the sins of the entire world and die on the cross. And then we see that the Holy Spirit ensures that every person feels a call towards God's saving grace. We read this in John chapter 14 verse 26. Can somebody read that please? But the counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Okay. Thank you. We see that the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people also of sin, righteousness and judgment. We read that in John chapter 16. And we also see that he calls people towards God towards his saving grace. And furthermore, we see that he transforms the lives and the hearts of those who receive salvation through Jesus Christ. So here we see how they relate with each other. We see their roles in a very clear manner and each one of them fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. And even within the roles and responsibilities, there's perfect unity and there's perfect oneness. And we can't even again try to understand or comprehend this in our human understanding. The way we relate with people, we can have the same roles and responsibilities in a church. But we can do things very different. We can sometimes even not work together in unity and oneness. But here we see that even though they have the same attributes, but they relate to each other in a different way. They have different specific roles. But even within those roles, even within those responsibilities, within that relationship, there is perfect unity because they are one. There is one God. We never see anywhere there is a disunity between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, showing us that there is no contradiction in Trinity because it is one God and who is just revealing himself or who eternally exists as three persons. So the person of the Trinity are not just three different ways of looking at one being of God. It's something that we don't understand and it's something that is a mystery. But it should not really bother us or trouble us because different aspects of this mystery is clearly being taught to us in Scripture. Yes, we are finite beings. We are finite creatures. We are not omniscient deity. We are not all understanding or all knowing. And hence there will be always things that we will not understand fully about this omniscient God, this omnipotent God or something that we cannot understand of this infinite being because we are very finite. And we are not omniscient deities. But some things will remain a mystery to us, but most of it has been revealed to us so we can have a clear understanding in most aspects. So it's spiritually healthy for us to acknowledge openly that God's very being is far greater than we can even imagine, comprehend or understand. But having said that it humbles us before God and it draws us to worship this great mighty awesome God who is so great, whose understanding knowledge is so vast, whose revelations is so unlimited that our entire life is not sufficient for us to fully understand this great awesome mighty God. But we are so grateful that he has revealed himself to the extent that we can understand him, to the extent that we can relate to him, that we can comprehend him in our own finite minds. So even though we don't understand fully, it will never fully comprehend or gather together this whole aspect of Trinity, but whatever has been revealed to us is enough for our understanding just for us to stand in humility before this great and mighty God and also which will draw us to worship him without reservation and also able to relate to him in a better way and also able to draw from who he is, draw from his resources of what he has made available for us, draw from his personality, his strength and the very fact that there is God the Father who has a plan for us, who's created everything perfect and the plans he has for us are plans to prosper us and not harm us and we don't feel lost because we do not know what his plan is or his plan is not a mystery for us but we have Jesus Christ who is there to reveal God's plan or Holy Spirit reveals God's plans to us and the Holy Spirit is there to help us, guide us, teach us, encourage us to lead us step by step into God's great plan and purpose for our lives. So even as you try to understand Trinity, one God, three persons and all of those things, you know, just try to understand that his roles, what are each of their roles, their relationship with each one of us, we can just maximize on that, pull our strength, get our strength from that, draw from that and continue living our lives. We have a Father who is the one who is a perfect planner who will execute his plan and purpose for our lives. We have Jesus Christ who will, who is the Word, who can, we can speak the Word, declare the Word and see things which have already been destined for us in the supernatural, in natural for us and we can also be assured of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit who is there to teach us, guide us. And reveal the mysteries, the truth of God to us and guide us each step of the way. Okay? So that is about Trinity. Any of you have any questions, any doubts? Anything you would like to ask? I hope you've understood the concept of essence, person, being, all of that. Yes, no? Anyone has any questions? The explanation is very clear, Ma. Okay. Yes, Siddiqui, go ahead. I have a question. Ma'am, I wanted to know, like in Genesis 1-1, we see there are three forms of God. The God is in one essence. I was thinking when Jesus came, when the Father came to visit Adam and Eve, in what form He came? Like they were able to see Father, like in what form He would have come? What form? You know, so yeah, God, I think basically He would have, they heard the voice of God, right? That is what Genesis says, that they heard the voice of God. So, and it also says in Timothy that no one, God lives in unapproachable light, no one has seen God, no one can ever see Him. But understanding that Adam and Eve were created in the likeness, in the image of God, you know, so they wouldn't have seen any form of God because God is Spirit, but basically heard His voice. That is my understanding, according to what scripture says. Thank you, Ma'am. Yeah. So we don't say what form He came in because God, you know, God does not take on any form. You know, He reveals Himself to people who have heard Him speak, but doesn't take on any form. Okay, so we say like form, then we talk about like, you know, other religions that talk about other forms of God into which He reveals Himself. So basically we send somebody to be an angel, come in the human form. Okay, that's what Abraham saw, Lord saw. Thank you for that question. Anyone else has any questions? No questions. Okay, then we'll end class. So we'll have a test on systematic theology, doctrinal foundations. We'll have that on March 4th. That's a Friday. And we will have the first four chapters, okay, till the doctrine of Trinity. Okay, thank you everyone for joining class today. Have a good day and a good weekend, a good refreshing weekend and see you all on Monday. Okay, bye. Bye bye, Ma, thank you. Thank you. Bye. Thank you. Thank you.