God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, seen and unseen (Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16-17). He is eternal and unchangeable in His nature (James 1:17).

The Essence of God

His essence is Spirit. This essence is self-existing, one, and immense (John 5:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 4:24; Psalm 139:7-16; 1 Corinthians 8:6, Romans 16:25)

Attributes (Seven attributes of God)

His attributes are omnipotent, omniscient, holy (set apart), righteous, goodness, love, and truth (Psalm 139:1-16; Jeremiah 32:17; Psalm 22:3; 2 Chronicles 12:6; Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:18; 1 John 4:6-8; John 15:2).

Three Persons, One God

God exists in a trinity of three distinct inseparable Persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Titus 2:13; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 1:3). All three Persons share the same essence and attributes; that is, they are together a single Being. In the Godhead, all three Persons are equal (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Galatians 3:20; John 10:30).

God the Father

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the one that is the ultimate source of all things; all things are out from the Father (I Corinthians 8:6).

God the Father’s Fatherhood Relationship

God the Father’s fatherhood relationship to God the Son shows that they are equal in nature while the Son can be voluntarily submissive to the Father in carrying out the decree (John 1:1,2; 5:18; 17:5, 24; Hebrews 1:5-6). This Person of the Godhead displays the fatherhood type of relationship that He has to spirit beings as well as saved and unsaved mankind (Job 1:6; Luke 3:38; Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:29; 1 John 3:9). The Fatherhood relationship shows that God is the source of all things.

His Past and Present Work

He sent the Son to be a propitiation (satisfaction) for the sins of the world (John 3:16; Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2). The Father is the one that forgives the sins of the Christian (1 John 1:9). The majority of the Christian’s communication is addressed to the Father (Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 5:20). Grace, peace, mercy and love come from the Father to the Christian (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 6:23; 2 John 1:3). Through Christ’s death, the universe has been reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:19). He declares the believer righteous (Romans 4:25; Romans 5:1).

God the Son

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the Lord Jesus Christ, the one through whom all things were made (1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16-19).

The Deity of Jesus

The Second Person of the Godhead, at the time predetermined by the council of God, came to be found in the outward form of a human (Luke 1:35). When God the Son took on a human nature, He in no way diminished His existence as God. Only the outward appearance was changed to the similarity of a man’s appearance (Philippians 2:8; Galatians 4:4; John 1:1,14). God the Father and Jesus attested to Jesus’ Deity while He was on earth (John 10:30; Matthew 3:17). In the incarnation, The Son of God joined His Person with the nature of a human. This human nature was divinely conceived in a virgin. He lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death for all humans, was buried and rose bodily from the grave on the third day (Luke 1:31-35; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14).

The Cross Work of Jesus

On the cross, Jesus was separated for three hours from the other members of the Godhead to pay the penalty for the sin nature of humans and physically died to pay for the sins of humans. (Romans 3:25, 26; 1 John 2:2; Acts 20:28; Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:9 [Deaths in the Hebrew]). After having died, Jesus was raised out from among dead men because of the justification of those who believe (Romans 4:25). Through His death, He reconciled the whole universe unto God, and He paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 5:19).

Christ’s Present Work

Christ, who is both God and man, is presently seated at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes on behalf of the saint as the saint’s High Priest (Acts 2:32-36; Hebrews 8:1; 9:25). He is the Head of the Church and indwells the believer (Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13). He imparts eternal life to the believer (1 John 5:11-12).

God the Holy Spirit

This Person of the Godhead is revealed to us as the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). He was the One that garnished the heavens (Job 26:13). He is equal with the other Persons of the Godhead and therefore is fully God and eternal (Acts 5:3-4).

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come upon and leave individuals, at His own choosing, causing them to prophecy, or to mentally control them to perform a task for God (1 Samuel 10:10;2 Chronicles 15:1).

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament

The Holy Spirit indwells a believer (John 14:17; Romans 8:9, 11; 1 Corinthians 6:19). He is the enabler Who makes it possible to manifest a quality of God’s nature through enabling the Christian to use the fruit of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). He is the guarantee of the full redemption for believers (Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:22). He seals believers (Ephesians 1:13). He places believers into the body of the Christ when they first believe through Spiritual baptism (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). He helps the infirmities of believers (Romans 8:26). He presides over the church in government, preaching, and worship (Acts 20:28; 4:8-12; Ephesians 6:18). He presently resides upon the earth (John 14:16, 26; John 15:26). He teaches believers by comparing spiritual things with spiritual words (1 John 2:20; 1 Corinthians 2:13 [in the Greek]). He restrains the man of lawlessness until after the rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

Decree

Prior to creation, the Godhead had a council through which the decree was set. The decree is the plan determined by God to be fulfilled in and through creation (Ephesians 1:4, 11). In the carrying out of the decree, each Person of the Godhead voluntarily submits to other members of the Godhead. This does not make one Person less than the other Persons. This submission is only in carrying out the decree (Matthew 26:39; John 16:13), not in their essence, for all three persons are one being and therefore fully God.