Pastor's Newsletter (3.21.23)
Coffee with Pastor is a weekly newsletter from Pastor Painter for the Lincoln Baptist Church
Good Morning,
Every child of God should be on a mission every day seeking to please God with who they are and what they do. Therefore, I want to urge you today to take stock of yourself today. Is what I am doing pleasing to God? Is my entertainment pleasing to God? Is my wardrobe pleasing to God? Am I pleasing to my God?
"There was a day when I died; died to self, my opinions, preferences, tastes and will; dies to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren or friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God." - George Mueller
The Lord has always been good to us here at the Lincoln Baptist Church. I am thankful for the blessings that He gives always. This week has been no exception. We saw two precious souls trust Christ as their Saviour with a total attendance on Sunday of around 145.
It was good to get the new lighting up in the auditorium this week. It is amazing how much of a difference it has made. I appreciate the time and effort that both Bro Looper and Bro Andrew put into the installation of these lights. I also appreciate everyone who participated in giving to purchase these lights as through you the Lord has made this project possible.
Stepping back to last week Mrs. Faith and I enjoyed the time we were able to spend with our Senior Saints at the breakfast. I am thankful for the passion and zeal with which these folks serve the Lord. It is a true blessing
!
This is a bonus thought from the Bible Study last Wednesday night. If you missed the Bible Study you can watch it here.
Wednesday night in the Bible study I taught on the Trinity. In this article I will share additional thoughts on the Trinity we did not cover in the Bible Study.
Evidence of the Trinity Within the Godhead
Last Wednesday Night we discussed five denominations that rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. Denial of the doctrine of the Trinity usually stems from a lack of understanding regarding either those involved in the Trinity, specifically the Son and the Spirit. Yet, in both of these, we see clear evidence for the Trinity. This is what I would like to share with you in this article.
THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THE TRINITY IN THE DEITY OF CHRIST.
Those who reject the deity of Christ will automatically get the doctrine of the Trinity wrong. It is impossible to understand the Trinity without believing in the deity of Christ. In professing His own deity Jesus Christ gave clear evidence of the Trinity when He stated, "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30) This implies that it is not only possible for Jesus to share the deity of the Father, but He straightly states that He shares the person of the Father. These two, the Father and the Son are one.
This thought is further supported in Scripture. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) We know that the Word's identity is clarified in John 1:14 where it is written, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The Word is non-other than Jesus Christ of whom it is said He was God. Again we see evidence not only of the deity of Christ but of the sharing of the person of God with the Father.
THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THE TRINITY IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
There is also a great deal of misunderstanding surrounding the person of the Holy Spirit. Many who disbelieve the Trinity believe Him to be but an unseen force or power of God in Scripture. To believe such shows a great deal of lack of Scriptural knowledge. The Bible very clearly indicates that the Spirit is a distinct and separate person of the Godhead. We see in Scripture he is alluded to as a person in the masculine sense. "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you." We see here that the Spirit is called a "WHOM" indicating His personage. The passage goes on to call the Spirit an "HIM" which identifies his masculinity. Personage and masculinity cannot belong to a force or power, but only to a being. Understanding now then that the Spirit is a separate Being from the Father who shares the deity as God we see he is mentioned in the trifecta known as the Trinity. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." (I Corinthians 13:14)
Not only does the Spirit share the deity of God with the Father and the Son, but He shares the person of God with the Father and the Son. He is called the Spirit of the Father indicating that He shares the person of God with the Father. "For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." (Matthew 10:20) He is also called the Spirit of the Son indicating that he shares the person of God with the Son. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6)
THE TRUTH OF THE TRINITY IS EASIER TO BELIEVE WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DOCTRINE REGARDING THE DEITY OF CHRIST AND THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.