Three distinct persons, one divine substance; Nicene Trinitarian orthodoxy affirmed
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) affirms the classical Nicene Trinitarian doctrine: one God eternally existing as three co-equal, co-eternal persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This foundational doctrine is affirmed in the Church's official Doctrines and Discipline and is central to baptismal practice and all aspects of faith and worship.
The Trinity is understood as revealed progressively in Scripture, explicitly in the New Testament, and definitively in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity shapes the Church's understanding of salvation (the work of all three persons), worship (directed to the Triune God), and the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian experience.
Key Distinctions
- Persons ontology:
- three distinct persons, one divine substance (ousia)
- Spirit procession:
- from Father and Son (filioque)
- Creed stance:
- Nicene Creed affirmed as faithful expression of biblical Trinity
Scripture References
Sources
- Church of God in Christ Jesus Book of Doctrines and Discipline
- Official Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) website on basic beliefs