Godhead Bible Studies in Booklet Form
The Godhead Studies are a series of four Bible studies, providing compelling evidence for the Bible's teaching on the Godhead. These studies will give you an understanding and confidence in the Godhead that you may never have had before.
The studies are the result of four years of study of the writings of Ellen White and one year working on the Bible study. In studying what Ellen White said on the subject I gained many insights. Over time I collected more than 1,500 pages of quotations.
You will notice the title uses the word "Godhead." In some quarters the word "Trinity" would be used, but there is so much misunderstanding of the word "Trinity" that I prefer to use the word "Godhead." That doesn't mean that use of the word "Trinity" is wrong, only that the word "Trinity" which has had multiple meanings down through history, unnecessarily complicates the study of the Godhead. Remember that we speak of the Godhead, not Godheads! We baptize in the name, not the names! Whether the word "Trinity" is used or not, the basic understanding of these studies completely harmonize with the teachings of our denomination.
To facilitate study and discussion, the Godhead Bible Studies have line numbers. There are also footnotes of key quotations from Ellen White and other sources to clarify some of the subject matter. Be sure to read the footnotes. There is wonderful material in the footnotes.
These studies are for personal study purposes. Commercial use is forbidden. Posting to other internet sites is forbidden without written permission.—Dan Augsburger
The first study looks at the attributes of the Father, the role of Christ in representing and communicating with humankind on behalf of the Father and some of what the Bible says relative to the Father's love for humankind.
The following collection of quotes comes from a footnote in the Bible Study on Christ.
"Ellen White used phrases like “from all eternity,” “from eternity,” existed from eternity,” “from eternal ages,” “from the beginning,” “never was a time,” “everliving,” “Eternal Presence,” “Eternal Word,” “Everlasting Father,” “Eternal Son of God,” “Eternal Godhead,” “Eternal Wisdom,” “eternal throne,” “everlasting throne,” “from everlasting,” “from everlasting to everlasting,” “set up from everlasting,” “A life unreckoned by human computation or measured by figures,” “never a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God,” “in the presence of the Father from the beginning,” “who from the beginning was equal with the Father,” “Never-ending life that existed before the worlds were made,” “familiarity and ease of eternal habitude,” “One of the eternal dignitaries” and “uncreated Lord” to establish the “everlasting to everlasting” limitless nature of Christ's eternal existence."
The second study on Christ, the eternal, self-existent, co-equal, Divine Saviour, provides compelling evidence for the Deity of Christ, and features over two hundred texts establishing His eternal and self-existent personhood in the Godhead. Among the lines of evidence are Christ’s appropriation of the title “I AM,” four irrefutable evidences cited by Christ early in His ministry, further supernatural evidence during His earthly sojourn, Christ’s identification as God throughout the Scriptures, Christ’s communicative role in the Old Testament, Christ accepting the worship of many individuals during His time on earth, the command to worship the creator at the end of time, welcoming Christ as God at the time of the second coming, Christ being the object of many prophecies that were fulfilled in His time on earth, His many supernatural works, Christ’s many claims that only Deity could make and Christ's many assurances that only Deity could give. Attention is then given to evidence in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy for His being a distinct Person of the Godhead, His pre-existence and everlasting life, His self-existence and equality with God, why we know what Ellen White believed on the subject, His non-communicable attributes, His transformative work in our days, His welcoming our prayers and His soon return. This study also provides key quotes that give clear evidence of what Ellen White thought on some of these subjects.
This Bible study carefully looks at what the Bible says about Christ's eternal existence, as well as what Ellen White says on the subject. I believe you will be very blessed looking at this study.
The third study on the Holy Spirit, Christ’s Representative, Successor, distinct Person and Member of the Eternal Godhead, provides compelling evidence for the Deity of the Holy Spirit. Lines of evidence include the uncommunicable attributes of the Holy Spirit, the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, in the life of Christ, in the teachings of Christ, in the promises fulfilled in the early church and in the writings following the book of Acts. Two sections look at the many actions of the Holy Spirit that only a person could have done, and actions that only a God could have done. More than 200 Scripture references are cited—some duplicated—in making the case.
The final study, the “Eternal Three,” and “The LORD our God, the LORD is one,” first looks at the many times the three members of the Godhead are mentioned in the Old Testament and the New Testament together, and the little known but many wonderful “Three” statements—“heavenly Trio,” “Heavenly dignitaries,” “Highest powers in heaven,” etc.—in the writings of Ellen White. The evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of three Deities in the Godhead. The study also looks at “our LORD is one” in Deuteronomy 6:4, giving compelling reasons why we can accurately speak of three persons and at the same time speak of one God.
I have shared my Godhead Bible Studies at a couple of locations. In one venue, the presentations was video taped and streamed on YouTube. That presentation was based on an earlier edition of the Bible Study, which is posted with the video. The Bible Studies listed above, however, are superior and I recommend you download the ones above.
This is a work in progress. I welcome comments and suggestions!
The pages on the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit have pages connected to them that are exceedingly valuable to explore.