Adrian Rogers: Treasuring the Holy Trinity

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is one of the great distinctions of the Christian faith. It’s what makes Christianity stand out in a world of religions. In this message, Adrian Rogers reveals the treasure of the Trinity, and shares how the one true God reveals Himself in three persons..

Well, you say pastor, it sounds a little contradictory to me that god is 1 and yet god is 3.
Well, listen. Don’t worry if if you can’t understand it.
I wouldn’t have much confidence in a god that I could understand or that you could understand.
Somebody said try to explain to Trinity. Uh, you lose your mind, deny it. You lose your soul.
Uh, you you don’t you don’t say I figured this out.
You don’t say it makes, uh, logical sense to me. The Trinity is not contrary to logic.
The Trinity is beyond logic.
Profound truth simply stated This is love worth finding with pastor, teacher, and author, Adrian Rogers.
Take your Bibles. And turn with me, if you will, please, to Isaiah chapter 6, a very familiar passage of scripture, And in just a moment, we’re gonna be talking on this subject, treasuring the trinity, treasuring The Trinity.
Now the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the great Christian distinctions.
As a matter of fact, it is what makes Christianity stand out from all of the religions of the world.
And while it is perhaps our greatest distinctive, it is beyond the shadow of any doubt, the hardest to understand or to grasp.
The idea that we worship 1 god, not 3 gods, but one god, but that one god has revealed himself in three persons.
And I wanna say there are many who do not accept that doctrine.
For example, Islam, They say there is one god.
His name is Allah, and they believe that we, as Christians, worshiped 3 gods.
And, of course, our Jewish friends say, how can Christians worship 3 gods?
How can they call Jesus god.
Then of course, the Jehovah’s witnesses say it is impossible that Jesus could be god’s son and god at the same time.
Now, folks, I am going to be using this morning an incredible amount of scripture.
And so you may wanna to get a pen and a pencil and jot the scriptures down because you may not have time to turn to all of the scriptures.
As a matter of fact, I in preparing this message have listed the scriptures and written them down so as to save time and compress time.
Do you understand that? Now Let me say that, uh, we are not talking about polytheism.
That is worshiping 3 gods to Bible.
Completely totally condemns the worship of any god, but jehovah god.
But we do worship a Presbyterian god.
Now Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1 in the year that King uzziah died.
This is Isaiah speak in the year of the king whose eye died, I saw also the lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train fill the temple.
What kind of train is he talking about?
Well, when a bride comes down the aisle, she has a long train on her dress many times.
The the the last part of her dress that comes down the aisle, uh, Kings will come up, uh, to sit upon their throne.
And often, the king will have attendants just carrying a part of his robe that’s called the train.
What Isaiah is saying, this king has such majesty that it it goes from one end of the temple to the other.
That’s what he’s talking about. His his train, uh, fill the temple. The longer the train, the greater the majesty.
And above it stood to Sarah Fims. Each one had 6 wings with, uh, Twain.
He covered his face and twain, he covered his feet and with twain, he did fly.
And one cried unto another and said, now, listen to this. Holy. Holy.
Holy is the lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory.
Now Isaiah saw the lord high and lifted up.
And Isaiah said, holy once, holy twice, and holy three times.
And you’re going to see, even here, we see an insight.
And the holy is the father, holy is the son, and Holy is the spirit. Go down to verse 8.
Isaiah said, also, I heard the voice of the lord saying whom shall I send Who will go?
You would expect him to say who will go for me, wouldn’t you?
But he says who will go for us?
Whom shall I send singular who will go for us, plural?
Isaiah answers, then said, I, here am I, send me.
Now I want us to go, first of all, to the Old Testament, and we’re gonna find the doctrine of the Trinity in the Old Testament.
Don’t think that the doctrine of the Trinity suddenly appeared in the new testament.
We’re going to spend some time now. Remember, you’re going to look excited even if you’re not.
Because you need to know this. You need to understand this. You need to learn this. Believe your pastor.
What I am saying is so essential in this day and in this age.
Now where do you find the trinity? You find the trinity in the first verse in the Bible.
The first verse in the Bible, first of all, in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 1 in the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth.
Now look at the word god. You see the word god there? It is a plural noun.
Elohim. Elohim in the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.
Elohim is not a singular noun. It is a plural noun. It has the plural ending I am aim.
Elohim. That’s the plural ending.
Uh, like, um, one angel is a seraph more than one of Sarafim, I am.
One angel may be a cherub, more than one cherubim, or cherubim.
I am with that ending. That’s the the plural ending.
And so what this literally says in the beginning, god’s Gods created the heavens and the earth.
The same word is translated god’s exactly the same word in in Exodus chapter 20 verse 3 in the, uh, 10 commandments where it says thou shall have no other gods before me.
That’s exactly the same word, Elohim.
Thou should have no other gods before me, but there it comes as plural.
It’s the same word as is in Genesis 11.
Now our Jewish friends, and I would, I could tell every one of them this, their great profession of faith is called the Shama.
That is a passage of scripture taken from the book of deuteronomy.
That is quoted in the synagogue services very regularly to start the daily liturgy morning and evening.
They quote, a verse from the Bible from the Old Testament.
And every good Jew is supposed to quote it at least once a day.
And I wanna give it to you. It is deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 45.
Here, OSrail, The lord our god is 1 lord.
Bow shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might.
That is an incredible passage of scripture.
In the new testament, when they asked Jesus Christ, what was the great commandment?
In Mark chapter 12 verse 29, and Jesus answered him. The first of all the commandments is Hero Israel.
The lord our god is one lord, and thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength.
This is the first commandment Jesus said the Jews are absolutely right. This is it. This is the whole thing.
This is the first commandment Hero Israel, the lord our god is one lord.
And some will say, well, this is the prime text for the unity of god, not the tri unity of god.
Well, I want you to stay with me. The word lord comes from jehovah.
And so we can read it this way. Hero Israel, the jehovah.
Jehovah, the jehovah, our Elohim.
The jehovah our gods is 1 lord. Now the word jehovah is singular.
Lord. The word god is plural.
Elohim, And, uh, there’s no contradiction here because, uh, he explains it as he goes on, listen to it.
The lord our god is one lord. Now look at the word 1. You are in deuteronomy.
Chapter 6 verse 4. The lord, our gods, is 1 jehovah.
Now the word, one, each odd, is a very interesting word.
1, it doesn’t mean one as a singular absolute digit. It means a collective one.
I told you to get deep. Are you still with me? Lyft your hand, say hi, pastor. Okay.
Now listen. Listen. This this word, one is a very interesting word.
It doesn’t mean just a singular digit 1. It means a collective one.
Let me show you some places in the Bible.
I’m gonna rattle these off real quick, but I’m gonna show you some places where this is used.
For example, Genesis 2 verse 24. They too shall be one flesh.
Got that, man and woman, one flesh. Genesis 11 saves. Behold, they are one people.
Here’s a good one. Numbers 13 verse 23, one cluster of grapes.
A bunch of grapes is one cluster of grapes. 1st Samuel 13 verse 17, one company.
Second Samuel, 2 verse 25, one troop. 1st chronicles 17 verse 21, one nation.
Now what what is god saying to Israel? Here, O Israel.
Jehovah our gods is jehovah a unity. A unity, one unity.
That’s what the word Echaod means.
It doesn’t mean a singular digit, but it means a collective one.
I’ve given you all of these verses where that exact same word is used.
Now when Isaiah, Isaiah came to work at the lord in our text that we read.
He saw the lord high and lifted up. His glory filled the temple.
There were those, uh, seraphim there who were praising him, and they were saying, Holy, holy, holy is the lord god of hosts.
Isaiah is feeling the call now.
And he asked the lord in Isaiah chapter 6 verse 8.
Also, I heard a voice of the lord saying whom shall I sin?
And who will go for us. Jehovah is saying who will go for us?
Not who will go for me, but who will go for us.
Now in verse 1, Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1, the word for lord is adonai.
Which is a name used for god alone.
But in verses 35, adonai is identified as jehovah, the lord of hosts.
And so it is jehovah, the lord of hosts, who’s asking who will go for us.
Now let me tell you another way that we see the trinity.
And I I’m just I’m just peeking out passages in the old testament and showing you the trinity.
Let me show you the trinity and the prophecies concerning the lord Jesus Christ.
Let me give you some old testament scriptures that speak of the son of god.
Daniel chapter 3 verse 25.
Remember when those 3 Hebrew, uh, servants of god were thrown into the fiery furnace, and the king looked in.
And he answered and said, low, I see 4 men lose.
Walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt.
And the form of the 4th is like the son of god.
Read in proverbs chapter 30 in verse 4. Here’s a good question by divine inspiration.
Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended.
Who hath gathered the wind in his fist and hath bound the waters in a garment?
Who hath established all the ends of the earth, what is his name, and what is his son’s name?
If thou can’t tell.
And then read in Psalm the second chapter, I think perhaps comes very close to being my favorite Psalm.
Psalm chapter 2 verses 67. God speaks of all of the contortions and machinations of the wicked people of this earth.
And yet god overrules history, and he says, yet, have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion?
And I will declare the decree the lord has said unto me, thou art my son, this day, have I begotten thee?
These are all testament passages of scripture.
And so you see prophecies concerning the lord Jesus in the Old Testament, and there he is shown even in the Old Testament as co equal and co eternal with god the father.
Now I want you to turn this verse because I want you to see it turn to Isaiah chapter 48.
Isaiah chapter 48 we’re gonna be in begin reading in verse 12. Okay? You still with me?
Hello? Okay. Good. Okay. Isaiah chapter 48. Don’t don’t don’t flake out on me now. Stay with me.
This is so important, Isaiah chapter 48, beginning in verse 12. God is speaking.
He says, harken under me, oh, Jacob and Israel, my call, I am he. I am the first.
I also am the last Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens When I call into them, they stand up together.
Now who’s he talking about? God.
I mean, this is the one who’s the 1st and the last, the one who made the whole shooting match folks.
This is god. Now go down to verse 16. Come here near into me.
Hear you this. Have I not spoken in secret from the beginning and from the time that it was there am I?
And now the lord god and his spirit has sent me. Now, wait a minute.
God sent god That’s right. This is talking about god or very god.
And he says, the lord god sent me. Oh, I thought we were just talking about god. We were.
God sent god. That’s what he’s saying.
Now the lord god and his spirit sent me There you have god, the father, god, the son, and god, the Holy Spirit.
Uh, thus, say the lord thy redeemer, the Holy one of Israel, I am the lord thy god which teacheth thee.
The lord our god is the redeemer. So it it’s it’s just wonderful when you see that.
Look in Isaiah chapter 63. Just fast forward to 63 for a moment. You’re gonna see the same thing.
You’re gonna see the trinity. Now go ahead, turn the pages, look at it because folks I wanna promise you, you’re gonna get a lot more out of if you put your eyes on it, if you take your pen and just kinda circle some of these things, what I’m showing you is the trinity in the Old Testament.
Isaiah chapter 63 in verse 9, in all their affliction, he was afflicted.
Now just circle the word he, because the context makes it very clear that is jehovah.
And the angel of his present save them. Underscore angel of his presence.
In his love and in his pity, he redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them all the days long.
Uh, and carried them all the days of old, but they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit.
There you have jehovah, There you have the angel of his presence, the messenger of his presence, that’s what the word angel means.
That’s Jesus. And vexed his holy spirit. That’s the Holy Spirit.
By the way, the Holy Spirit here is a person who can be vexed you have 3 distinct persons in the godhead, uh, jehovah god, the angel of his presence, and the holy spirit.
Now you’re in Isaiah, just go on to Isaiah chapter 59, if you will, with me for just a moment.
Isaiah 59 Isaiah 59 verse 19.
So shall a fear the name of the lord from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun, when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the lord shall lift up a standard against him underscore the spirit.
Now verse 20 and the redeemer shall come design underscore redeemer, that’s Jesus, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the lord.
That’s your hope. There you have Father’s son and Holy Spirit in just two verses.
You see, this Jesus in the old testament is god co equal and co eternal with god.
Now the Christmas season is not too far away, and, we will be quoting Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6.
Jot that one down. You know that one by heart.
Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 For unto us, a child is born and unto us a son is given.
Now the child was the earthly Jesus. The son was the heavenly Messiah.
Uh, one in the same person. Um to us, a child is born. That’s his humanity.
Um to us, a son has given. That’s his deity. Now listen to this.
And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name.
The child’s name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty god, the everlasting father.
The prince of peace, well, is he the child or is he the father? Yes.
Yes. Uh, he is the mighty god.
And the word mighty god is El Gabor that literally means god man.
He is the god man.
Isaiah 10 verses 2021, make certain that mighty god refers to god the father alone, and yet it is spoken of as god the son also.
In Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6.
I’m just telling you folks, I’m telling you that in the Old Testament, you’ll see that god has a son, and that son is the mighty god.
That son is called the everlasting father.
And when Jesus Christ was born into this world, he was older than his mother and just as old as his father.
And don’t ever get the idea that that there was a time when Jesus was not.
He existed in the bosom of the father through all eternity.
If god is the everlasting father, then there must be an everlasting son.
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now. Let’s get into the new testament.
I want you to see the the doctrine for example, in the virgin birth of the lord Jesus Christ.
Luke tells us about the virgin birth of Jesus, and I love the story.
In Luke chapter 1 in verse 35 and the angel Ants and said unto her.
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. Alright. That’s the spirit.
And the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, who is the highest, the father.
Therefore, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of god.
There you have the trinity. The holy ghost, the father, and the son of god.
You have the same thing in the baptism of the lord Jesus Christ when Jesus was baptized.
Matthew chapter 3 versus 1617.
And Jesus, that’s the sun when he was baptized went up straight way out of the water and the heavens were open, and he saw the spirit of god sending like a dove.
There’s the spirit, lighting upon him, and low a voice from heaven saying, thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.
There you have it. Father’s son and Holy Spirit.
Uh, there’s no way to explain the deity of Christ apart from the holy trinity.
Now Jesus, when he was here on Earth, spoke of himself as having a unique relationship with god the father He was not merely the son of god.
He was god the son. Let me give you some scriptures.
Now these are coming fast because we’re running out of runway and we’re about to hit the pine trees.
So I want you to listen real carefully to me right now. I’m gonna give you some scriptures.
I want you to see who Jesus says that he is. In John chapter 8 verse 58.
He says, verily, verily I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
That was the great old testament name for jehovah god, the great I am.
Before Abraham was, he didn’t say I was. He said, I am.
That is the that was a time when he was not. He is the great I am.
John 146, Jesuseth unto him. I am the way the truth in life.
No man cometh unto the father, but by me.
Matthew 11 verse 27, Jesus said All things are delivered unto me of my father and no man nor the son, but the father neither North any man, the father, except the son, and to whosoever, the son will reveal him.
John 5 verses 2223 for the father judgieth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the son that all men should honor the son even as they honor the father.
He that honors not the son, honored not the father, which hath sent him.
John 14 verse 9, Jesus said unto him, have I been so long time with you?
And yet, thou has not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the father.
I’ll say as thou then show us the father.
Suppose you were to say to me, Pastor show me god and I’d say you’re looking at him.
You’d say get the butterfly nets. Jesus said, listen, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father.
I and my father are one.
Folks, this is the treasure of the Trinity, the father above us, the spirit within us the savior who died for us.
We worship one god who has revealed himself in three persons.
And when god wanted to bless, do you know when god wants to bless a congregation?
You know what the blessing is?
Number 6, verses 22 through 27, and the lord spake unto Moses saying, speak unto Aaron and unto his son, saying, on this wise, shall you bless the children of Israel saying unto them, The lord blessed thee and keep thee.
That’s jehovah god. The lord make his face to shine upon the and be gracious under the under the.
That’s the lord Jesus Christ because we see the face of god. In Jesus Christ.
The grace of god came through Jesus Christ.
The lord lift up his countenance upon me and give the peace That’s the Holy Spirit.
For the fruit of the spirit is peace, and they shall put my name upon the children of Israel.
And I will bless them. And I wanna say this to you, my people. Listen to me today.
The lord bless thee and keep thee.
The lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.
The lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Thank god for the treasure of the Trinity.