Trinity Series - Small Group Notes #7

If you have not been following this series, please go to the post for January 22 where an explanation of the format is given. Happy studying!

All of God:
Exploring the Mystery of the Trinity
God the Holy Spirit, Week of February 22, 2009


Ø John 14:17 helps us understand the difference between the way that the Holy Spirit worked before Pentecost (OT days and in the gospels) and after Pentecost (when He came to indwell believers as recorded in Acts 2.) Jesus told His disciples, “You know Him (the Holy Spirit), for He dwells with you and will be in you.” In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon men and women for special purposes and specific times. He could leave as surely as He came. In Psalm 51:10-11, David prayed that God would not take His Spirit from him. Would that be an appropriate prayer today? Why or why not? How does John 14:17 and other NT verses about the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives inform our understanding of our relationship with the Holy Spirit?

First of all, it is important to note that David did not understand the Holy Spirit as a distinct Person of the Trinity. In fact, David did not understand the Trinity at all, because it was a secret then, though it is a mystery, now. Remember, a secret, theologically, is something that we cannot know because God has not revealed it to us. A mystery, in the NT, is something that was previously unknown but has now been revealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29 and Colossians 1:24-27, particularly verse 26). David did understand that God’s Spirit had been strong in his life. You will recall that both Samson (Judges 14:19; 15:14, 16:18-22) and Saul (1 Samuel 10:9, 11:6, 16:14) had the Holy Spirit taken from them.

The difference in the NT is that when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), He took up residence with all who believe in Jesus. John 14:17 says that He is given to us forever. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that once He is given to a believer, He can NEVER be taken back –He is the guarantee of our inheritance (eternal life). See also 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 4:30 – we can grieve the Holy Spirit by our sin (particularly, in this text, with how we treat others in the body), but we are sealed – He will never leave us).

How should the truth of the eternal presence of God’s Spirit in our lives affect the way we live? It certainly should not cause us to take the promise of eternal life for granted and live as we desire – in fact, it should have the opposite effect. It should cause us, with hearts of gratitude, to seek His power to live a life pleasing to God!

Ø Jesus said in John 14:23 that both He and the Father would come and dwell with believers. We know without question that the Holy Spirit indwells believers. Does Jesus’ promise mean that the Father and Son indwell believers through the Holy Spirit, or that all three Persons of the Triune God indwell believers? Augustine leads a group of theologians that say this verse and John 14:25-26 indicate that all three Persons of the Godhead indwell believers, while other theologians think that the Holy Spirit has that role exclusively. Either way, it emphasizes the fullness of the Trinity and our relationship with God.

Our goal, with this point, is not to come to a conclusion – it is to magnify the greatness of God! Talk about the mystery of the Trinity, how great our God is and how much higher He is than us. Is it possible that a God we could comprehend fully could really be God?

It is certainly safe to say that all three Persons of the Godhead are intimately involved in our lives. It also appropriate to say that all of God is in every Person of the Trinity – each Person has the same nature, thus, when we worship one, we worship all because the three comprise one God. See what I mean about explaining it? If one attempts to make too much sense of this, the troubled waters of error are not far away. We have done much to understand the construction of the Trinity, but there is a point when we must simply believe, simply trust. Read, with gratitude, the following quote from Gregory Nanzianzen (4th century) that was shared on Sunday:

“No sooner do I conceive of the one than I am illumined by the splendor of the three; no sooner do I distinguish them than I am carried back to the one. When I think of any one of the three I think of Him as the whole, and my eyes are filled, and the greater part of what I am thinking escapes me. I cannot grasp the greatness of that one so as to attribute a greater greatness to the rest. When I contemplate the three together, I see but one torch, and cannot divide or measure out the undivided light.”
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Ø Much of what is written about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives has to do with His work in causing/helping us to get along with one another in the church. Ephesians 4:1-3 is a good example as we are commanded to keep the unity of the Spirit in the body. This section goes through verse 17. We are not commanded to “build” unity in the church, but to “keep” the unity that the Spirit has already built into the body, of which Jesus is the head. Discuss ways we can keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace at Grace Community Church.

Read through verse 17 and reflect on the importance of a solid understanding of Scripture (12-15) which is why we are conducting this study on the Trinity. Also, discuss the importance of church leadership (11) and why everyone should pray regularly for the church leaders! Last, emphasize the absolute necessity of everyone using the spiritual gifts they have been given in service (16) if we hope to have a healthy body. Challenge everyone in the group to find a place to serve at Grace.

Ø The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is given, not only to improve our relationship with God, but to enable us to give evidence to God’s presence in our lives in the way that we treat one another. Talk about ways that the fruit of the Spirit will help to keep the unity in our body.

Read Galatians 5:13-24. Consider the following: 1) Satan will seek to destroy us if possible (13-15); 2) We will either be lead by the Spirit or by our flesh (16-17). Whether it is the Spirit or the flesh that controls us will determine the spiritual temperature of our church; 3) The Holy Spirit lives inside us – let’s allow Him to control us, for goodness sake (24)! It will require death to self – only the Spirit can accomplish this in our lives; 4) Spend time discussing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, constantly emphasizing the reality that we cannot generate these qualities in our lives – they are the fruit of the Spirit. Thus, let us submit to His work in our lives. Think about times when you know that the Spirit has enabled you to do what you could not have done in your own strength.