02. The Tri-Unity of God

One of the great "Mysteries" of the "Spirit World" is the "TRI-UNITY" of God. The Scriptures clearly teach the distinct personality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. At the Baptism of Jesus there was present the "DIVINE THREE." The "FATHER" was present and spoke, saying, "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." The "SON" was present in Jesus. And the "HOLY SPIRIT" was present in the form of a "Dove." Matt. 3:16-17. The "Tri-Unity" of God is also taught in the Old Testament. In Gen. 1:26, we read, "And God said, Let US make man in OUR Image." And when the "Babel Builders" were constructing their "Tower," the Lord said—"Go to, let US go down, and confound their language." Gen. 11:7. How to reconcile this "Tri-Unity" with the "Unity" of God is the difficulty. Are there three "Gods," or are there three "Persons" in one "God-Head?" A simple illustration may help us. The "Sun" of our Solar System is a "Trinity." It manifests itself in a "Threefold" manner, "Heat," "Light," and "Chemical Action." These three properties of the Sun make up the Sun itself. Neither one of them by itself is the Sun. The "Heat" of the Sun is not seen, but is felt. The "Light" of the Sun can be seen, and it is the "Light" of the Sun that makes the Sun VISIBLE. The "Chemical Action" of the Sun can neither be seen nor felt, but its power is revealed in the growing plant, and on the photographic plate.

To apply our illustration let the "Heat" rays of the Sun correspond to "God the FATHER." He cannot be seen, but He can be felt, for God is LOVE (1 John 4:7-16. John 3:16), and love can be felt but not seen. The "Light" rays of the Sun correspond to "God the SON."

It is the "Son of God" that makes God **VISIBLE**. The Son (Jesus) came to **manifest** God. 1 Tim. 3:16. Jesus said of Himself—"I am the **LIGHT OF THE WORLD**." John 8:12. John 1:1-14. Without the Son we would not know what God is like for He came to reveal God, so that He could say—"He that hath seen **Me** hath seen the **FATHER**." John 14:9. The "Chemical Action" of the Sun corresponds to "**God the HOLY SPIRIT**." It is the Holy Spirit that gives life and power, and forms the "Image of God" on the sensitive plate of the "Human Heart." As neither the "Heat" or the "Light" or the "Chemical Action" of the Sun is in itself the Sun, but it takes all three to make the Sun, though each has its separate work to perform, so the "Father," "Son" and "Holy Spirit," are not each in Himself God, but they in their united capacity are **GOD**, each performing His Official function in the creation and preservation of the Universe.

As the "Heat," "Light" and "Chemical Action" of the Sun varies according to the seasons, the "Heat" being more intense in summer than in winter, so each Person in the "God-Head" is more manifest in one Age or Dispensation than in another. The Father was manifest in Old Testament times. The Son was manifest during His earthly ministry, and the Holy Spirit is active in this Dispensation. This will explain the words of Jesus in the "Great Commission" (Matt. 28:20)—"Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the World (Age)." As we have the **SUN** with us whenever it manifests itself in either "heat," "light," or "chemical action," so we have **GOD** with us whenever we have Him in any of his manifestations. So when Jesus said—"Lo, I am with you," He meant not that He would be personally with them, for His work now is that of a "High Priest" in Heaven, but that "**God**" would be with them in the person of the **HOLY SPIRIT**. Jesus went away that the Holy Spirit might come. John 16:7-14. Therefore Jesus is not personally present with His people, but God is, for the "God-Head" is now represented on the earth by the Holy Spirit. So while there are three "Personalities" in the "God-Head," there is but **ONE GOD**.

THE TRI-UNITY OF GOD

Man is a "Trinity." He is composed of "Spirit," "Soul," and "Body." 1 Thess. 5:23. He is a Trinity because he was made in the "Image of God." Gen. 1:26. Therefore like God he is a "Threefold" being. His "Spirit" corresponds with "God the Father," it can be felt but not seen. His "Soul" corresponds with "God the Holy Spirit," it can be neither seen nor felt. His body corresponds with "God the Son," it can be both seen and felt, and makes the man visible.

III

Satan

There are many who deny the existence of Satan. They claim that what we call Satan is only a "principle of evil." That this "evil" is a sort of "malaria," an intangible thing like disease germs that floats about in the atmosphere and attacks people's hearts under certain conditions. The existence of Satan cannot be determined by the opinions of men. The only source of information is the Bible. That is the reason why Satan tries to discredit the Word of God. He is not a "principle of evil" he is a—Person.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Pet. 5:8.

He "walketh," he "roareth," he is to be "chained." Rev. 20:1-3. These could not be said of a "principle of evil." He has many names or aliases—"Satan," "Devil," "Beelzebub," "Belial," "Adversary," "Dragon," "Serpent." He is mentioned by one or the other of these names 174 times in the Bible.

He is a great "Celestial Potentate." He is

"The Prince of the Powers of the Air."

Eph. 2:2.

"The God of this World" (Age).

2 Cor. 4:4.

I. His Origin.

This is more or less shrouded in mystery. One thing is certain, he is a "created being," and that of the most exalted type. He was before his fall

"The Anointed Cherub That Covereth."

That is, he was the guardian or protector of the "Throne of God." He was perfect in all his ways from the day that he was created, until iniquity was found in

SATAN him. In him was the "fulness of wisdom," and the "perfection of beauty," but it was his "beauty" that caused the pride that was his downfall. He was clothed in a garment that was covered with the most rare and precious gems, the sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle, all woven in with gold. He dwelt in Eden, the "Garden of God." This probably refers not to the earthly Eden, but to the "Paradise of God" on high, for Satan dwelt on the "Holy Mount of God." All this we learn from Ezek. 28:11-19, where the Prophet has a "foreview" of the Antichrist under the title of the "King of Tyrus," and as Antichrist is to be an incarnation of Satan, the Prophet here describes Satan's original glory from which he fell. There never has been as yet such a King of Tyrus as is here described.

The cause of Satan's fall is given in Isa. 14:12-20. He is there called—