Wrestling with the implications of the Bible's teachings about the Trinity. Part of our Sunday School's study of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church's Statement of Faith..

1. BELIEVERS AND A
CHURCH IN TRANSITION
The Trinity: At Wit’s End!!

2. At Wit’s End
How fu!y can the mind of man know the ways of God?

3. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings

4. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings
I will have mercy on whom I desire,
harden whom I desire (Ro 9:18)

5. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings
I will have mercy on whom I desire,
harden whom I desire (Ro 9:18)
God has a predetermined plan(Acts
2:23)

6. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings
I will have mercy on whom I desire,
harden whom I desire (Ro 9:18)
God has a predetermined plan(Acts
2:23)
Jacob I loved, Esau I hated (Ro 9:13)

7. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings
I will have mercy on whom I desire,
harden whom I desire (Ro 9:18)
God has a predetermined plan(Acts
2:23)
Jacob I loved, Esau I hated (Ro 9:13)
The Lord hardened pharaoh’s heart (Ex 9:12)

8. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings

9. The Bible Has Some Hard Sayings
We do the math,
add the ideas
and ask,
naturally enough . . .
+
If none resists His will,
why does He still find fault?

10. We Imagine Our Question
Puts God On The Defensive
Can the clay challenge
Insufficient STRENGTH
the Potter? (Ro 9:20)
My thoughts are
higher than your Insufficient INTELLECT
thoughts! (Isaiah 55:9)
Where were you when
I laid the foundation of Insufficient AUTHORITY
the earth? (Job 38:4)

11. We Imagine Our Question
Puts God On The Defensive
Can the clay challenge
Insufficient STRENGTH
the Potter? (Ro 9:20)
My thoughts are
higher than your Insufficient INTELLECT
thoughts! (Isaiah 55:9)
Where were you when
I laid the foundation of Insufficient AUTHORITY
the earth? (Job 38:4)

12. We Imagine Our Question
Puts God On The Defensive
Can the clay challenge
Insufficient STRENGTH
the Potter? (Ro 9:20)
My thoughts are
higher than your
H
thoughts! (Isaiah 55:9)a h!
Insufficient INTELLECT
Where were you when
I laid the foundation of Insufficient AUTHORITY
the earth? (Job 38:4)

13. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)
c. From the creation (Science)
2. Our THINKING brings us to a point in our
search where we confess
a. We have hard questions about God our
minds can’t answer.
b. Unanswered questions shake our
confidence in God.

14. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?

15. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways

16. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)

17. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)

18. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)
c. From the creation (Science)

19. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)
c. From the creation (Science)
2. Our THINKING brings us to a point in our
search where we confess

20. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)
c. From the creation (Science)
2. Our THINKING brings us to a point in our
search where we confess
a. We have hard questions about God our
minds can’t answer.

21. So, how fully can the mind of man
know the ways of God?
1. By REASON, we gain and analyze a degree of
information about God and His ways
a. From the Bible (Revelation)
b. From experience (Life)
c. From the creation (Science)
2. Our THINKING brings us to a point in our
search where we confess
a. We have hard questions about God our
minds can’t answer.
b. Unanswered questions shake our
confidence in God.

22. Now, our pride
of mind gets
hurt!
We demand
God answer to
us!!

23. G od ain’t
maki n’ sense!
Now, our pride
of mind gets
hurt!
We demand
God answer to
us!!

25. C’mon, God,
explain to me why You
still find fault!!

26. C’mon, God,
explain to me why You
still find fault!!
If You won’t answer
this question, You’re
a fraud!

27. C’mon, God,
explain to me why You
still find fault!!
If You won’t answer
this question, You’re What’s God
a fraud! hiding?

28. No answer?
No faith!

29. Peter and Jesus act out the
intelligent way to handle
Christianity’s hard questions!

30. Peter and Jesus act out the
intelligent way to handle
Christianity’s hard questions!
6 :5 9-69
Jo hn

31. Jesus: “He who eats My flesh and drinks
My blood has eternal life.” (John 6:53-58)

32. Jesus: “He who eats My flesh and drinks
My blood has eternal life.” (John 6:53-58)
Disciples: “This is a difficult statement.
Who can listen to it?” (John 6:60)
As a result, many of His disciples
withdrew and were not walking w
ith Him
anymore (John 6:66)

33. J esus ain’t
makin ’ sense!
body’d be a fool to
Any
walk w ith Him!

34. Now, Jesus turns to His inner circle, the 12, and asks . . .

35. Now, Jesus turns to His inner circle, the 12, and asks . . .
“You do not
want to go away
also, do you?”

37. Lord,
to whom shall
we go? You have
words of eternal
life.

38. We
Lord, have believed and
to whom shall have come to know that
we go? You have You are the Holy One
words of eternal of God
life.

39. Does Peter exercise the
BLIND FAITH that atheists
accuse us brain-dead
Christians of being slaves to?

40. Does Peter exercise the
BLIND FAITH that atheists
accuse us brain-dead
Christians of being slaves to?
NO WAY!!!

41. Lord,
to whom shall
we go? You have
words of eternal
life.

42. Lord,
to whom shall
we go? You have
words of eternal
life.
We
have believed and
have come to know that
You are the Holy One
of God

43. Lord,
Inte!ectual analysis of alternatives
to whom shall
we go? You have
words of eternal
life.
We
have believed and
have come to know that
You are the Holy One
of God

44. Lord,
Inte!ectual analysis of alternatives
to whom shall
we go? You have Positive evaluation of past
words of eternal communications
life.
We
have believed and
have come to know that
You are the Holy One
of God

45. Lord,
Inte!ectual analysis of alternatives
to whom shall
we go? You have Positive evaluation of past
words of eternal communications
life.
Declaration of a shared trust
We
have believed and
have come to know that
You are the Holy One
of God

46. Lord,
Inte!ectual analysis of alternatives
to whom shall
we go? You have Positive evaluation of past
words of eternal communications
life.
Declaration of a shared trust
We
have believed and Connection of that trust
have come to know that to prior knowledge
You are the Holy One
of God

47. Lord,
Inte!ectual analysis of alternatives
to whom shall
we go? You have Positive evaluation of past
words of eternal communications
life.
Declaration of a shared trust
We
have believed and Connection of that trust
have come to know that to prior knowledge
You are the Holy One
of God
Acceptance of Jesus as God, a Being
at once familiar yet transcendent

49. My step of faith was based on
thoughtful reflection of what I
already knew about Jesus.

50. Faith is NOT BLIND. Faith
My step of faith was based on
builds on an acquired knowledge
thoughtful reflection of what I
of God, which gives us reasons
already knew about Jesus.
to trust Him.

52. “I’ll
never ask you to
abandon reason for
blind leaps of
faith.”

53. “What
you know about
“I’ll Me lets you trust
never ask you to Me for what you
abandon reason for don’t!”
blind leaps of
faith.”

54. Down-to-Earth Example

55. Down-to-Earth Example

56. Down-to-Earth Example
Mike doesn’t know
much about me at
this point . . .

57. Down-to-Earth Example
Mike doesn’t know
much about me at
this point . . .
But he does know
me!

58. Down-to-Earth Example
Mike doesn’t know
much about me at
this point . . .
But he does know
me!
And what he does
know trumps what he
doesn’t know.

59. Down-to-Earth Example
Mike doesn’t know
much about me at
this point . . .
But he does know
me!
And what he does
know trumps what he
doesn’t know.
So it is with God and
us–

60. At your wit’s end with some hard
saying? Remember what you DO
know about Jesus Christ before you
put your grumpy pants on!

61. For I determined to
know nothing among
you except Jesus
Christ, and Him
crucified. (Paul in I Corinthians 2:2)