Session 5 – Q & A

Q: Is there a satisfactory analogy for the Trinity?

Phil Johnson (PJ) – all fall short
Chris Pixley (CP) – look at John Frame’s “triads” as hints, but incomplete
Robert Reymond (RR) – concurs with other two

Q: Trinity and the New Perspective on Paul (NPP)?

PJ – eats at sola fide, close tie to Judaizers doctrine
RR – see his Defending the Faith book

Q: Trinity and trichotomy?

RR – not a trichotomist
PJ – not a trichotomist, like question #1, the image of God in man is moral, not tripartite

Q: Whom do we pray to?

RR – we may pray to any, but bear in mind that we would normally pray to the Father

Q: Does Arminianism lessen Adoption doctrine?

PJ – no covenant in eternity past, so in a sense yes
RR – Charles Finney is not a heretic, he is an arch-heretic (said with strong passion)
CP – neglects Christ’s work in obedience to the Father

Q: What is some of the subtle language of anti-Trinitarians?

CP – Jakes = manifestations
PJ – craftily avoids, look at doctrinal statement for ambiguity

Q: Millennium workings?

RR – Romans 4:13 – heirs of Holy Land, which is the whole world (I may have this wrong - JD)

Q: Spirit’s workings in heaven?

All agreed it will be about union and worship

Q: How to make Trinity understandable for kids?

RR – basics, one God, eternally indivisible and immutable, 3 distinct persons, each fully God
PJ – circle diagram
CP – Conference poster has a sovereign (a coin) design on it representing Trinity

Q: In heaven will we see all three?

CP – “see” is not how we think it is, only Jesus is physical, so only Him perhaps, but a mystery

Q: Patripassianism (Father suffer on the Cross also?) / Sense of “why hast thou forsaken me”?

PJ – refer to his article on impassibility (no, because the Father cannot suffer)
RR – not ontologically forsaken, it is as to role

Q: Do both Son and Spirit indwell?

RR – yes, both

Q: Holy Spirit in judgment (John 16)?

PJ – this passage is talking abut the Spirit’s convicting ministry

Q: Was HS there or not before Jesus went away?

PJ – something new happened, OT saints were regenerate though
RR – about language, HS doesn’t come and go, this is about uniquely manifesting Himself
OT saints saved exactly same way, but with not as much info
Romans 8:9 – he is not a dispensationalist, not new, but always
CP – spatial relation, not in a place, this is about Jesus telling them they were not left alone

Q: Any OT knowledge or clue about Trinity?

RR – always among all people there exists broad knowledge differences, from the hillbilly to John Calvin, during any time this has been so, some know something, and some know more. Men like David and Isaiah had advanced knowledge.
PJ – we understand what they knew in part, John 8 (Abraham), Job (spoke of redeemer and resurrection), Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9, they lacked clarity

Q: Trinity and morality; morality can only be shown in relationships, so is morality a defense of the Trinity?

PJ – yes, as in love

Q: HS guidance in evangelism?

PJ – no personal revelation though scriptural enlightenment, one message for evangelism, not different for each one
George Whitfield, Cotton Mather, announced prophecies that didn’t come to pass
CP – more in corporate terms
RR – the issue is “HOW”, study of scripture, impulses, urges to pray for particular people

Q: How to begin with those who deny Trinity, or say it was invented?

CP – Beisner book given at conference
RR – The fact that the councils were to confront error, not invent doctrine, denial is started by denial of Jesus’ deity
PJ – Study original sources, these heretics caused us to clarify

Q: See Him as He is?

PJ – see my 2 Corinthians 3:18 sermon

Q: Witnessing? Pentecostal Manifestations?

CP – some Charismatics have said that we have neglected the Holy Spirit, but when the Holy Spirit is properly understood the focus is on Christ, of course we don’t want cold formalism, but some have swung the pendulum too far
RR – J.I. Packer has said the HS is the shy person of the Godhead