A. The doctrine of the trinity stands as the foundation to the entire structure of the Christian truth. It was probably for this reason also that this one doctrine was the first to be attacked by the devil in the early church. Among several heresies that developed we may notice the following:
1. Polytheism-Although this was not a heresy in the early church, it was characteristic of all heathen religions at that time. One need only be reminded of the apostle Paul’s visit to Athens.
2. Gnosticism-This heresy, to which Augustine was addicted for a time, spoke of an unknowable God Who stood over against the material world which was also eternal, but inherently evil. God finally succeeds in saving the world from itself by emanating a series of “aeons”, the highest of which is Jesus Christ.
3. Monarchianism-The proponents of this heresy maintained that God is one in essence, but also one in person. This one God suffered and died on the cross. Hence, they became known as “Patropassions”.
4. Sabellianism-This was but a further development of Monarchianism. It was during this time also that the idea was developed that there are not three persons in God, but three modes of revelation-the one person revealing Himself both as Father, Son and Spirit.
5. In close connection with these controversies in the early church, the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ was attacked. But to these we shall call attention in connection with Article X.
6. The church at this time definitely established the doctrine of the trinity. And it is worthy of note that the church has never been seriously troubled by these heresies again, even though they constantly reappear. Further, there has been no definite development beyond what the early church has said concerning the doctrine of the trinity.
B. The article teaches that God is one in essence. There is only one true and eternal God. This fact is also emphasized over and over again in Scripture. God is One; there is only one God. And even though there are three persons, they nevertheless subsist in unity of divine essence.
C. But in that one divine essence there are three distinct and separate persons.
1. According to the article, these persons are distinct according to their incommunicable properties.
a. Note here the rather strange description of these incommunicable properties: “The Father is the cause, origin and beginning of all things visible and invisible; the Son is the word, wisdom, and image of the Father; the Holy Ghost is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and Son.”
b. We are accustomed to saying that the personal properties of each person are expressed in their person names. Therefore the personal property of the Father is that He generates the Son; of the Son, that He is generated of the Father; of the Spirit, that He proceeds from the Father and the Son.
2. We may add to this:
a. These three persons are each the subject of all the divine works, the object of all the divine honors and glories. Yet each in His own way according to His own personal properties. Creation is, for example, the work of the triune God, of the Father, through the Son and in the Spirit.
b. There are three in God that say “I”, but always in perfect harmony and in perfect unity of the divine essence.
c. They are all therefore co-eternal and co-equal, “There is neither first nor last: for they are all three one, in truth, in power, in goodness, and in mercy.”
d. This perfect triune covenant life is also the basis for the whole doctrine of the covenant established and realized in Jesus Christ and His elect.