The Trinity According
to the Bible, Apostolic Fathers, and Wesley
Odilon Massolar
Chaves
===============================
Copyright © 2025, Odilon Massolar Chaves
All rights reserved to the author.
It is allowed to read, copy and share for free
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February 19, 1998.
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All glory to God!
Cover: John Wesley
preaching
Source: https://likumc.org/cp/?p=3865
Odilon Massolar Chaves is a retired Methodist pastor,
with a doctorate in Theology and History from the Methodist University of São
Paulo.
His thesis dealt with the Methodist revival in England
in the eighteenth century and its contribution as a paradigm for our days.
He was editor of the official Methodist newspaper and
coordinator of the Theology Course.
Copyright Statement:
These files are in the public domain and are derived from an electronic edition
that is available on the Ethereal Library of Christian Classics website.
Rio de Janeiro –
Brazil
===============================
Table of
Contents
·
Highlights of the book's main chapters
·
The Trinity
·
The Apostolic Fathers and the Trinity
· The Church Fathers and the Trinity
· The Trinity in the creation
of the world
·
The Trinity in the Baptism of Jesus
·
The Trinity in the mission given by Jesus
·
The Trinity in the Gospel of John
·
The Apostolic Blessing in Paul's Epistle
· The Trinity
in Paul's Epistle
·
Trinity in Peter's Epistle
===============================
Introduction
===============================
"The Trinity According to the Bible, Apostolic Fathers, and
Wesley" is a 32-page book based on the Bible, Apostolic Fathers, and
Wesley's explanatory notes.
The Apostolic Fathers
(Church Fathers) were writers who led the Early Church between the years 95 and
150 A.D. Somehow, they had close contact with the apostles. They lived in
different regions of the world such as Rome, Alexandria, Antioch and Constantinople.
They were affectionately
called "Fathers" "because of the love and zeal they had for the
Church."[1]
Living in a hostile
environment of persecution and heresies, "the Apostolic Fathers helped to
develop Christian doctrine on the Trinity, the incarnation and salvation, among
other theological issues. They also upheld the authority of Scripture and apostolic
tradition, and laid the foundations of the church as an institution."[2]
The period in which the
Church Fathers came is called Patristic.
The questioning of the
Trinity and other biblical doctrines did not cease. They remain and it is
important, therefore, to know our biblical foundations and doctrinal heritage.
There is a wealth of
biblical texts on the Trinity and a great contribution of the Apostolic Fathers
and John Wesley in defending and affirming the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Author
===============================
Highlights of the
book's main chapters
===============================
The Trinity
"There are three
who bear witness in heaven; and these three are one; I also believe in this
fact ... That God is three in One. The way in which he is three and at the same
time one I do not understand... but in this way is the mystery of God (Wesley)
The Apostolic Fathers
and the Trinity
"These Christian
leaders lived during the first generations of Christianity, leading the Early
Church between 95 and 150 A.D. In fact, in some way these individuals had a
close contact with the apostles
The Church Fathers and the
Trinity
The doctrine of the
Trinity, which affirms the existence of one God in three distinct persons
(Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), was developed by the Church Fathers in response
to theological and heretical challenges that arose in the post-apostolic period
The Trinity in the creation of the world
The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The plural name of God in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many, though he is but
one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a favour from death unto death, hardening them
in their idolatry; but it is to us a favor from life to life, confirming our
faith in the doctrine of the Trinity
The Trinity in the
Baptism of Jesus
And Jesus,
being baptized, came up immediately out of the water, and, behold, the heavens
were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove,
and settling upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven saying, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
The Trinity in the
mission given by Jesus
Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
The Trinity in the Gospel of John
But the Comforter, who is
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you
The Apostolic
Blessing in Paul's Epistle
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
you all. Amen
The Trinity in Paul's Epistle
Now he who establishes us
with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God, who has also
sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts
Trinity in Peter's Epistle
Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God
the Father through sanctification of the Spirit to obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace and peace be
multiplied unto you
===============================
The Trinity
"There are three
who bear witness in heaven; and these three are one; I also believe in this
fact ... That God is three in One. The way in which he is three and at the same
time one I do not understand... but in this way lies the mystery of God
(Wesley)
===============================
We believe in God the
Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They are not three gods, but one.
The Bible shows its existence:
"... Jesus,
he came up out of the water right away... and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove, coming upon Him. And behold, a voice from heaven
saying, This is my beloved Son, ..." (Matthew 3:16-17).
"And I (Jesus) will pray the Father,
and he will give you another Comforter," (John 14:16).
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with
you all." (2 Corinthians 13:13).
Wesley said,
"There is one living and true God, eternal, without body or parts; of
infinite power and wisdom and goodness; creator and preserver of all things
visible and invisible.
In the unity of this
divinity, there are persons of the same substance, power, and eternity—Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit." [3]
Thus, there is only one God - Deuteronomy
4:35; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Tim 1:17.
Understanding the Trinity
We will not understand why, because:
Father - Son - Holy Spirit.
It's Three in One.
John Wesley said,
"There are three that bear witness in heaven; and these three are one; I
also believe in this fact ... That God is three in One. The way in which he is
three and at the same time one I do not understand... but in this way is the mystery
of God..." [4]
"Wouldn't it be
absurd to deny the fact because I don't understand the way?" said Wesley. [5]
Among other attributes:
God is:
* Creator (Gen. 1:1)
* Father (John 14:1-2; 14:16; Hebrews 1:3);
* Love (John 3:16).
Jesus is:
* Savior (Luke 2:11; John 4:42);
* Lord (Acts 2:36; Rom 5:1; 10.9);
* Son (Luke 3:22; Galatians 1:16);
*
God with us (Matthew 1:23; John
20:28);
The Holy Spirit
is:
* Helper of Jesus (John 16:8-13);
* Divine Person (Rom. 8:26; 8:27);
*
God in us (John 14:17; Rom
8:9-11).
===============================
The Apostolic Fathers
and the Trinity
"These
Christian leaders lived during the first generations of Christianity, leading
the Early Church between 95 and 150 A.D. In fact, in some way these individuals
had a close contact with the apostles
===============================
The Apostolic Fathers
"Although there
is no exact consensus on who the Fathers of the Church are, it generally
includes those who lived and wrote between the first and eighth centuries in different
regions of the Christian world, such as Rome, Alexandria, Antioch and
Constantinople."[6]
The Apostolic Fathers led the Early Church between the years 95 and 150
A.D. In fact, in some way these individuals had close contact with the
apostles. They lived in
"different regions of the Christian world, such as Rome, Alexandria,
Antioch, and Constantinople." [7]
Among the main names in the leadership of the
Church at that time, we have:
Clement of Rome: "He was bishop of Rome, but he was also known for having exhorted
the church of Corinth through a letter that was intended, in many ways, to deal
with my problems of division addressed years earlier by the apostle Paul in his epistles. This is
perhaps an indication that unfortunately the church at Corinth has remained
problematic for a long time." [8]
Ignatius: "He was bishop of the Church of Antioch, in Syria. Ignatius wrote a series of letters in which he extolled the need for leadership and unity in the Church, and combated a dangerous heresy that bore Gnostic concepts. Ignatius was widely known for his martyrdom. Some traditions say that Ignatius was set apart for the ministry by the apostle Peter." [9]
Polycarp: "was bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the apostle John. Polycarp wrote an important letter to the church at Philippi in the first decade of the 2nd century A.D. Polycarp was also well known in Church history for his martyrdom in 155 A.D., when he was burned impaled while declaring through praise that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Savior."[10]
They exerted a great influence on the theology of the early Christian Church through their written works and shaped the understanding of theological issues such as the Trinity.
The Apostolic Fathers were mainly Christian writers of the first and second centuries, such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, the author of the Didache, and the author of the Epistle of Barnabas.
The Early Church, after the apostles, lived in a hostile environment and sought to establish and organize itself by developing Christian theology.
"The Apostolic Fathers helped develop Christian doctrine on the Trinity,
the incarnation, and salvation, among other theological issues. They also
upheld the authority of Scripture and apostolic tradition, and laid the
foundations of the church as an institution."[11]
===============================
The Church Fathers and the
Trinity
The doctrine of the
Trinity, which affirms the existence of one God in three distinct persons
(Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), was developed by the Church Fathers in response
to theological and heretical challenges that arose in the post-apostolic period
===============================
What is the Trinity?
It is a "Christian doctrine developed between the second and fourth centuries A.D., which defines God as three consubstantial
persons , expressions, or hypostases: the Father (YHWH), the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit; "one God in three persons". The three persons are distinct,
but they are one "substance, essence, or nature." In this
context, "nature" is what one is, while "person" is who one
is.
According to the core doctrine of most Christian religions, there is only one God in three persons. Although distinct from each other in their original relations (as the Fourth Lateran Council declared, "it is the Father who begets, the Son who begets, and the Holy Spirit who accomplishes"), in their relations with each other they are considered as a whole, coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial, and "each is God, complete and entire."[12]
The contribution of the
Fathers of the Church:
"The Church Fathers contributed to the definition of the doctrine of the Trinity, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, ecclesiology, and other areas of Christian theology.
The doctrine of the Trinity, which affirms the existence of a single God in
three distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), was developed by the
Church Fathers in response to theological and heretical challenges that arose
in the post-apostolic period. Some of the principal Church Fathers who
contributed to the definition of the doctrine of the Trinity were Tertullian,
Origen, Athanasius, Augustine of Hippo, and Gregory of Nyssa." [13]
===============================
Athenagoras
(175 A.D.)
"And since the Son is in the
Father and the Father in the Son, in unity and power of spirit, the Son of God
is intelligence and the Word of the Father
"And since
the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son, in unity and power of
spirit, the Son of God is intelligence and the Word of the Father... Truly one
cannot but be astonished to hear those called atheists who admit a God the
Father, and a God the Son and a Holy Spirit, showing their power in unity and
their distinction in order... we are moved by the sole desire to come to know
the true God and the Word who is in him, what is the communion that exists
between the Father and the Son, what the Spirit is, what is the unity of such
great realities and the distinction between those thus united, the Spirit, the
Son and the Father".[14]
===============================
Tertullian
(195 A.D.)
He is a God, and upon these forms and aspects He is recognized by the
name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
"While
the mystery of the dispensation is guarded, which distributes the Unity in the
Trinity, putting in order the three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost: three, however, not in condition, but in order, not in substance, but in
form, not in power, but in aspect, but yet one in substance, one condition, in
one power; and above all He is one God,
and over these forms and aspects he is recognized by the name of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit". [15]
===============================
Irenaeus (180 A.D.)
one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and the sea
and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who
became incarnate for our salvation, and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed
through the prophets the dispensations of God
"The Church, though scattered throughout the whole world, to the
ends of the earth, received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: .
. . one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and the sea and
all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who
became incarnate for our salvation, and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed
through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the
advents; birth of a virgin, and the passion, and resurrection from the dead,
and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus our
Lord, and His manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father "to
gather all things into one," and to raise up all flesh of the whole human
race, in order that before Christ Jesus,
our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King, according to the will of the
invisible Father, 'let every knee bow, from things in heaven, and from things
on earth, and things under the earth, and let every tongue confess; for him,
and that He should execute righteous judgment on all . . . '" (Against Heresies X.l) [16]
===============================
Origen (245 A.D.)
"And these three are one (1 John 5:7)
The Lord says,
"I and the Father are one." And again it is written of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit: "And these three are one (1 John 5:7)."
[17]
===============================
Polycarp, disciple of the apostle John
O Lord God Almighty... I bless and glorify thee through the eternal and
heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son, through whom be glory unto
thee, with Him and the Holy Ghost
"O Lord God Almighty... I bless you and glorify you through the
eternal and heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom
glory be to you, with Him and the Holy Spirit, now and forever" (No. 14,
ed.).[18]
===============================
Justin Martyr
In the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our
Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost
"For in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and
of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, they then receive the
washing with water" (First Apol., LXI). [19]
===============================
The Trinity in the creation of the world
The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The plural name of God in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many, though he is but
one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a favour from death unto death, hardening them
in their idolatry; but it is to us a favor from life to life, confirming our
faith in the doctrine of the Trinity
===============================
Genesis 1
Chapter 1
Verse 1
In the
beginning, God created heaven and earth.
Yet even in this there are secrets that
cannot be fathomed, nor explained
Watch
here - 1. The effect produced, The heaven and the earth - That is, the world,
including the whole structure and furniture of the universe. But it is only the
visible part of creation that Moses plans to account for. Yet even in this
there are secrets that cannot be fathomed, nor explained. But from what we see
of heaven and earth, we can infer the eternal power and divinity of the great
Creator. And that we do and put, as men, remember our duty, as Christians,
which is always to keep heaven in our eyes and earth under our feet. Please
note –
The plural name of God in Hebrew, which
speaks of him as many, though he is but one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a
favour from death unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us
a favor from life to life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity,
which, though darkly hinted at in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the
New
2. The author is the cause of this great work, God. The Hebrew word is
Elohim; which (1.) seems to mean The God of the Covenant, being derived from a
word meaning to swear. (2) The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. The plural name of God in Hebrew, which speaks of him as
many, though he is but one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a favour from death
unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us a favor from life
to life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, though
darkly hinted at in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New, [20] said Wesley.
===============================
The Trinity in the
Baptism of Jesus
And Jesus,
being baptized, came up immediately out of the water, and, behold, the heavens
were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove,
and settling upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven saying, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
===============================
Matthew 3
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan
Then Jesus came from
Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
All justice must be complied with
And Jesus answered and said
to him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness." Then he suffered it.
Wesley's
Comments
It is incumbent upon us to
fulfill all righteousness - It behooves every
messenger of God to observe all his righteous ordinances. But the particular
meaning of our Lord seems to be that it behooves us to do (I receive baptism
and you administer it) to fulfill, that is, that I may fully fulfill every part
of God's righteous law and the commission which he has given me.
And Jesus, being baptized, immediately came
up out of the water
And Jesus, being baptized, came up immediately out of the water, and,
behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove, and settling upon him.
And Jesus being baptized - May our Lord's submission to baptism teach us a holy exactitude in
the observance of those institutions which owe their obligation only to a
divine commandment. Surely it behooves all his followers to fulfill all
righteousness. Jesus had no sin to wash away. And yet he was baptized.
And God possessed his ordinance, so as to make it the season of pouring
out the Holy Spirit upon him
Wesley's
Comments
And God possessed his
ordinance, so as to make it the season of pouring out the Holy Spirit upon him.
And where can we expect this sacred effusion, but in a humble attendance at the
Divine appointments? Behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of
God, adds St. Luke, in bodily form, probably in a glorious appearance of fire,
perhaps in the form of a dove, descending with a floating motion, until it
alighted upon him. This was a visible sign of those secret operations of the
blessed Spirit, by which he was anointed in a peculiar manner; and abundantly
suited to his public work.
This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased
And
behold, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.
Wesley's
Comments
And here
is a voice—We have here a glorious manifestation of the ever-blessed Trinity: the
Father speaking from heaven, the Son speaking, the Holy Spirit descending upon
him.
In whom
I delight - What praise is this! How poor for this are all other kinds of praise!
To him, the pleasure, the delight of God, this is really praise: this is the
true glory: this is the highest, brightest light, in which virtue can appear.[21]
===============================
The Trinity in the
mission given by Jesus
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
===============================
Matthew 28
Verse 16
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to a mountain where Jesus had
appointed them.
Wesley's
Comments
To the mountain where Jesus had appointed them - This was probably Mount Tabor, where, (it is commonly supposed), he
had before been transfigured. It seems to have been here too, that he appeared
to more than five hundred brethren at once.
All power is given to me in heaven and on
earth
And Jesus came and spoke to
them, saying, "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth."
All power is given unto me
- Even as a man. As God, he had all power from eternity, Wesley said.
baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;
Wesley's
Comments
Disciple
all nations - Make them my disciples. This includes the
whole design of Christ's commission. Baptizing and teaching are the two great
branches of this general design. And these should be determined by the
circumstances of things; which made it necessary, in the baptism of adult or
pagan Jews, to teach them before they were baptized; discipling their children,
baptizing them before they are taught; how Jewish children in all ages were
first circumcised and then taught to do all that God had commanded them. Mark 16:15. [22]
===============================
The Trinity in the
Gospel of John
But the Comforter, who is
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you
===============================
If anyone loves me, he will
keep my words
Jesus
answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my words; and my Father
will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
Wesley's
Comments
Jesus
answered, "Because you love me and obey me, and they do not, so I will
reveal myself to you, and not to them."
My
Father will love him - The more one loves and
obeys, the more God will love him.
And we
shall come unto him, and make our abode with him, which
implies so great a manifestation of the Divine presence and love, that the
former in justification is nothing in comparison with him.
But the Comforter, who is
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name
But the Comforter, who is
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all
things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Wesley's
Comments
In my
name - For my sake, in my room, and as my agent.
He will
teach you all things - Necessary for you to
know. Here is a clear promise to the apostles and their successors in the
faith, that the Holy Spirit will teach them all the truth necessary for their
salvation.
I leave you peace, my peace
I give you
I leave
peace with you - Peace in general; peace with God and with
your own consciences,[23] said Wesley.
===============================
The Apostolic
Blessing in Paul's Epistle
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
you all. Amen
===============================
Verse 11
Be perfect, be of good
cheer, be of one accord, live in peace
Finally,
brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good cheer, be of one accord, live in
peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Wesley's
Comments
Be
perfect - Aspire to the highest degree of holiness.
Be of
good comfort - Full of divine consolation.
Be of
one mind - Desire, work, pray for it, to the greatest degree possible
Verses 12
Greet one another
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Verse 13
All the saints greet you
All the
saints greet you.
Wesley's
Comments
Grace - Or favor.
Of our
Lord Jesus Christ - By whom alone we can
come to the Father.
And the
love of God - Manifested to you, and abiding in
you.
And
communion - Or communion.
In all his gifts and graces. It is with great
reason that this comprehensive and instructive blessing is pronounced at the
close of our solemn assemblies
Wesley's
Comments
Of the
Holy Ghost - In all
his gifts and graces. It is with great reason that this comprehensive and
instructive blessing is pronounced at the close of our solemn assemblies; and
it is a very indecent thing to see so many giving up on them, or entering into
postures of withdrawal, before this short sentence can be terminated. How often
have we heard this awful blessing pronounced! We will study it more and more,
so that we can value it proportionally; that we may give it up or receive it
with a proper reverence, with eyes and hearts lifted up to God, "who
giveth the blessing of Zion, and life forever."[24]
Verse 14
be with you all
The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
all. Amen.[25]
===============================
The Trinity in Paul's
Epistle
Now he
who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,
who has also sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts
===============================
Verse 20
Because all the promises of God in him are
yes
For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, to the
glory of God for us.
Wesley's
Comments
For all the promises of God are yes and amen in him - Surely they are set forth in him and through him. They are indeed
promising with regard to God; Amen, with respect to men who believe; yes, with
regard to the apostles; Amen, with respect to your hearers.
Now he who confirms us
Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is
God;
Wesley's Comments
I say, to the glory of God - For it is God alone who is able to fulfill
these promises.
This establishes us—apostles and teachers.
With you - All true believers. In the faith of Christ; and anointed us - With
the oil of gladness, with gladness in the Holy Ghost, thus giving us strength
to do and suffer his will.
who also sealed us and gave us the earnest of the Spirit
who also sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
Wesley's Comments
Who also sealed us - Stamping his image on our hearts, marking us and sealing us as his
own property.
And gave
us the earnest of his Spirit - There is a difference
between a pledge and a promise. The pledge must be returned when the debt is
paid; but a pledge is not taken away, but completed. Such a pledge is the
Spirit. The first fruits of this we have Romans 8:23; and we look forward to all fullness.[26]
===============================
Trinity in Peter's Epistle
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit
to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace and
peace be multiplied unto you
===============================
Peter, Apostle of Jesus
Christ
Wesley's
Comments
To
pilgrims - On earth, Christians, especially those of Jewish origin.
Scattered - Long ago driven from their own land. Those dispersed by the
persecution mentioned in Acts 8:1 were scattered only through Judea and
Samaria, though afterwards some of them traveled to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and
Antioch.
Through
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia - He
names these five provinces in the order in which they occurred to him, writing
from the east. All these countries are in Asia Minor. The Asia here
distinguished from the other provinces is that which was generally called
Proconsular Asia, being a Roman province.
foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of
the blood of Jesus Christ
Elected
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace and
peace be multiplied unto you.
Wesley's
Comments
According to the
foreknowledge of God - Speaking after the
manner of men. Strictly speaking, there is no foreknowledge, no more than
foreknowledge, with God: but all things are known to him as gifts from eternity
to eternity. This, therefore, is none other than an instance of the Divine condescension
to our low capacities.
Election, in the scriptural sense, is God doing anything in which our
merit or power has no part
Wesley's
Comments
Elect - By the free love and omnipotent power of God taken out of the world,
separated from it. Election, in the scriptural sense, is God doing anything in
which our merit or power has no part. The true predestination, or
pre-appointment of God is: 1. He who believes will be saved from the guilt and
power of sin - 2. He who endures to the end will be saved eternally
Those
who receive the precious gift of faith thus become children of God; and being
sons, they will receive the Spirit of holiness to walk as Christ also walked
Wesley's
Comments
- 3.
Those who receive the precious gift of faith thus become children of God; and
being sons, they will receive the Spirit of holiness to walk as Christ also
walked. In every part of this assignment of God, promise and duty go hand in
hand. Everything is a free gift; and yet such is the gift, that the final
question depends on our future obedience to the heavenly calling. But any other
predestination besides this, whether to eternal life or death, Scripture knows
not. In addition, it is - 1. Cruel respect for people; an unfair consideration
of one and an unfair disrespect of the other. It is mere partiality of the
creature, and not infinite righteousness - 2. It is not a clear doctrine of
scripture, if it is true; but rather, inconsistent with the express written
word, which speaks of God's universal offers of grace; his invitations,
promises, threats, all being general —
We are asked to choose life and reprimanded
for not doing it
Wesley's
Comments
3. We
are asked to choose life and rebuked for not doing it - 4. It is inconsistent
with a state of probation in those who are to be saved or are to be lost - 5.
It is of fatal consequence; All men are ready, for very small reasons, to
imagine themselves of the chosen number. But the doctrine of predestination is
entirely altered from what it was formerly. But it implies neither faith, nor
peace, nor purity. It is something that will dispense with all of them.
Faith is no more, according to the
predestinarian scheme
Wesley's
Comments
Faith is
no longer, according to the modern predestinarian scheme, a "divine
evidence of things not seen," wrought in the soul by the immediate power
of the Holy Spirit; no evidence; but a mere notion. Nor is faith another means
of holiness; but something that will do without him. Christ is no longer a
Savior from sin; but a defense, a countenance of her. He is no longer a source
of spiritual life in the souls of believers, but leaves his elect inwardly dry
and outwardly unfruitful; and it is made little more than a refuge from the
image of the heavenly; yes, of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Wesley's
Comments
Through
the sanctification of the Spirit - Through the renewing and
purifying influences of his Spirit in their souls.
To
obedience - To engage and enable them to yield to all holy obedience, the
foundation of all that is, the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ - The
atoning blood of Christ, which was typified by the sprinkling of the blood of
sacrifices under the law; in allusion to what is called "the blood of
sprinkling."
and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great
mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,
Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—His Father, with respect
to his divine nature; his God, with respect to his human, said Wesley.
A hope that implies true spiritual life,
which revives the heart and makes the soul alive and vigorous
Wesley's
Comments
Who has
begotten us again to a living hope - A hope that implies true
spiritual life, that revives the heart and makes the soul alive and vigorous.
By the
resurrection of Christ - Which is not only a
promise of ours, but a part of the purchase price. It also has a close
connection with our resurrection from spiritual death, that as he lives, so
shall we live with him. He was recognized as the Christ, but usually called
Jesus until his resurrection; so he was also called Christ.
for an incorruptible
inheritance
to an
inheritance incorruptible, undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
Wesley's
Comments
For an
inheritance - For if we are children, then heirs.
Incorruptible - Not as earthly treasures.
Immaculate - Pure and holy, incapable
of being defiled or of being enjoyed by any polluted soul.
That never decays in its worth
Wesley's
Comments
And that
it does not fade away - That it never decays in its value,
sweetness, or beauty, like all the pleasures of this world, like the garlands
of leaves or flowers, with which the ancient conquerors used to be crowned.
Reserved
in heaven for you - That "by patient
perseverance in doing good, seek glory, honor, and immortality."[27]
===============================
[1]
https://marcosandreclubdateologia.blogspot.com//2018/11/estudo-biblico-quem-foram-os-pais-da.html
[2]
https://www.repositoriocristao.com/conteúdo/estudos/pais-da-igreja
[3] Canons of the Methodist Church, São Paulo, Methodist Press, 1971, p. 19. [4] BURTNER, R. - Chiles, R. Coletânea da Teologia de João Wesley, S. P., Jugec - 1960. p. 43 and 44.
[5] BURTNER, R. - Chiles, R. op. cit. p. 91
[6]
https://www.repositoriocristao.com/conteúdo/estudos/pais-da-igreja
[7]
https://www.repositoriocristao.com/conteúdo/estudos/pais-da-igreja
[8]
https://estiloadoracao.com/pais-da-igreja/#google_vignette
[9]
https://estiloadoracao.com/pais-da-igreja/#google_vignette
[10]
https://estiloadoracao.com/pais-da-igreja/#google_vignette
[11]
https://www.repositoriocristao.com/conteúdo/estudos/pais-da-igreja
[12]https://pt.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Trindade_(Christianity)
[13]
https://www.repositoriocristao.com/conteúdo/estudos/pais-da-igreja
[14]https://marceloberti.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/doutrina-da-trindade-antes-de-niceia/
[15]https://marceloberti.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/doutrina-da-trindade-antes-de-niceia/
[16]https://www.reddit.com/
r/Reformed/comments/67vdcy/early_church_fathers_and_the_trinity/?tl=en-us&rdt=63428
[17]https://marceloberti.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/doutrina-da-trindade-antes-de-niceia/
[18]https://www.reddit.com/
r/Reformed/comments/67vdcy/early_church_fathers_and_the_trinity/?tl=en-us&rdt=63428
[19]https://www.reddit.com/
r/Reformed/comments/67vdcy/early_church_fathers_and_the_trinity/?tl=en-us&rdt=63428
[20]
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/wen/genesis-1.html
[21] https://www.studylight.org/
comentários/en/wen/matthew-3.html.
[22] https://www.studylight.org/
comentários/en/wen/matthew-28.html.
[23] https://www.studylight.org/comentários/eng/wen/john-14.html.
[24] https://www.studylight.org/comentários/eng/wen/2-corinthians-13.html.
[25] https://www.studylight.org/comentários/eng/wen/2-corinthians-13.html.
[26]https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/wen/2-corinthians-1.html
[27]https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/wen/1-peter-1.html
Excelente texto.
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