God has revealed Himself to be the living and true God. There is one God who is the Creator and Preserver of all things. He is one, existing eternally in the three Persons of the Trinity-- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--who are of one essence and co-equal (Deut. 6:4-5; Matt. 28:19- 20; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5).
- A) GOD THE FATHER: God the Father works all things according to His own purpose (Acts 17:24-28). He is sovereign over all (Ex. 15:18; Ps. 97:1-5; Is. 6:1). His creative purpose and redemptive plan cannot be thwarted (Gen. 50:20; Prov.19:21; John 6:44; Acts 2:23).
- B) GOD THE SON: Jesus Christ is God (Jn. 8:58, 20:28), the eternally pre-existent Son and living Word (John 1:1), who became incarnate through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth (Matt. 1:18-24; Lk. 2:26-38). He is perfect Deity and true humanity united in one person (Phil. 2:5-11). Both natures are whole, perfect, and distinct. He was tempted in all ways, yet lived a sinless life (Heb. 4:15). He was obedient to God the Father, even unto death (Phil. 2:8). He voluntarily atoned for sinners by dying on the cross as their substitute and shedding His blood for the forgiveness of their sins (Rom. 3:22-26). He thus revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God (Rom. 8:1-4). On the third day in the tomb, He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died (Lk. 24:31, 36; Phil. 3:21; Heb. 7:16, 24). He ascended bodily into heaven (Acts 1:6-11) and sits at the right hand of God the Father (Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3), where He, the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), continually makes intercession for believers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). He will come again to complete His saving work and to complete God’s redemptive purpose (Jn. 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Phil. 1:6).
- C) GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit reveals and glorifies Christ (Jn. 16:7-15) and applies the saving work of Christ to men (Eph. 1:17-18; Jn. 3:5-8; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 3:18). He convicts the world of sin, truth, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16:8). He draws sinners to Christ (Jn. 6:44), imparts new life to them (Jn. 3:5-8), continually indwells them (Gal. 4:6-7) from the moment of spiritual birth in order to conform them ultimately to the image and likeness of Christ (2 Cor. 3:17-18), and seals them until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). His fullness, power, and control are appropriated in the believer’s life by faith (Eph. 2:8, 9). The Holy Spirit alone administers spiritual gifts to the Church for the common good of all believers (1 Cor. 12:7).