Source: The Trinity — Evidence and Issues, by Robert Morey, Chapter 20, pp. 451ff
See this critique of the WT's treatment of the Early Church Fathers, and this collection of more than 250 quotes from their writings!
What did the early Christian Church believe about God? What did the Apostolic Fathers think about Jesus Christ? Did they view Him as God and worship Him? Or, did they believe that Jesus was just a nice man who tried to help people?
William Cunningham, Principle of New College, Edinburgh, Scotland, points out in his classic work Historical Theology that the witness of the early Church has been claimed by Trinitarians, Arians, and Modalists alike. Since these three contradictory views cannot all be right on this issue, either they are all wrong or one is right and the other two are wrong.
Thus, it is no surprise that the nineteenth century Unitarian controversy became a battle ground over the issue of what the first Christians believed. There was so much controversy over this issue because, as Prof. Cunningham points out, it was obvious that:
... it is in the highest degree improbable, first, if [the Trinity] had been taught by the apostles, it would have soon disappeared from the general teaching of the Church; or secondly, that if it had not been taught by them, it would have been afterwards devised or invented by men, and would have so widely and extensively prevailed.
I believe that Dr. Cunningham was correct. While the testimony of the early Church does not prove or disprove the Bible, it can corroborate what different theological systems claim the Bible teaches. While early Church history may verify that a doctrine was indeed taught in the first centuries of the Christian Church, it cannot establish that doctrine as truth. Only Scripture can determine what doctrines make up the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints (2Ti 3:16-17; Jude 1:3).
What must be in order for what is to be what it is? If, for example, the early Church believed that Jesus was only a man who was born, lived, and died like any other man, then we would not expect to find the first Christians worshipping Him. We would not expect to find them calling Him "God" or ascribing divine attributes to Him. Thus, their Christology would be verified as being Unitarian in nature.
On the other hand, if the early Church worshipped Jesus in here prayers and hymns of praise and called Him "God," this is exactly what Trinitarians expect to find. The evidence must decide this issue.
Trinitarians do not expect to find in the literature of the early Church the sophisticated terminology and definitions of the Trinity worked out at Nicea and at later church councils. The Unitarian's demand that the pre-Nicene Church must use sophisticated post-Nicene terminology and definitions is patently absurd.
What we do expect to find is that the early Christians followed the New Testament in viewing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as God. It does not really matter that they had not thought through all the implications of this truth, or that they were oblivious to all the sophisticated philosophical questions which would eventually arise.
It was enough for them to baptize new converts in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit whom they worshipped as the one true God. It does not matter that the finer philosophical points of the Trinity were not discussed because the doctrine was still in its formative stage.
The opinions of the first clergymen are found in the Apostolic Fathers. We will be primarily using J.B. Lightfoot's five volume edition of the Apostolic Fathers because it contains the Greek and Latin texts. At times we will also use the Library of Christian Classics and a recent translation put out by Macmillan.
After discovering what the clergy in the pulpit were preaching, it is interesting to see what the people in the pew understood. This can be discovered by an examination of the New Testament Apocrypha and the Christian interpolations in the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha.
It is beyond the scope of this book to deal in detail with the first three or four centuries of the Christian Church. This has already been done by several competent writers. We will, thus, limit ourselves to the literature of the Apostolic Fathers.
This literature rightfully contains not only the manuscripts ascribed to the first Fathers, but also the citations of this literature by later Fathers. For example, in 375 A.D. Basil quoted Clement as saying:
As God liveth and Jesus Christ liveth and the Holy Spirit [liveth] (who are) the faith and the hope of the elect.
Clement clearly appealed to the Three in his oath. He followed the Old Testament pattern when appealing to God which meant that he viewed the Three as God. "As YHWH lives" appears 35 times in the Old Testament (i.e., Hos 4:15) and "as God lives" twice (i.e., 2Sa 2:27). It is unthinkable that such language would be applied to the Son and to the Holy Spirit if they were not God.
Notice also that he equally appealed to all Three. Thus, they are viewed as equal by Clement. The Three are even said to be the focus of the faith and hope of the elect.
This is exactly the kind of statement that Trinitarians expect to find in the early Church. It does not matter that Clement does not explain how or in what way the Three are God. It is enough to see that he is making a Trinitarian oath.
The Unitarians at first claimed that Basil's citation from Clement had to be erroneous. Using circular reasoning, they argued that he could not have made a Trinitarian oath because the doctrine of the Trinity had not yet been invented! But with the discovery of the Constantinople and Syriac versions of Clement, it is clearly genuine as Lightfoot points out.
The significance of this citation is important. Lightfoot explains:
The points to be observed here are two-fold. First; for the common adjuration in the Old Testament, "as the Lord (Jehovah) liveth," we find here substituted an expression which recognizes the Holy Trinity. Secondly; this Trinity is declared to be the object or the foundation of the Christian's faith and hope.
With this basic introduction, we will now turn to the teachings of the Apostolic Fathers.
The New Testament grammatical distinction between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is maintained throughout the Greek text of the Apostolic Fathers. In the above citation from Clement, the Greek text reveal that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each have a definite article in front of their name and they are separated by the word καὶ. The same is true when we examine the Greek text of the original statement which Basil is quoting. That is found in Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians 58:15 (ὁ θεὸς ... ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ... τὸ πνεύμα τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἁγιον).
The same can be seen in the Greek text of Ignatius' Letter To The Ephesians where the Father and the Son are grammatically distinguished from each other. The Granville Sharp rule once again applies.
We know that the Father is viewed as God because the word θεὸς is applied to Him in such places as Ignatius' Letter to the Philippians 1:1. No one interprets the θεὸς as indicating anything less than true deity.
Divine attributes are ascribed to the Father in such places as Clement's Letter to the Corinthians (chapters 20, 27, 28, 28, 33, etc.). The Father does the works of God and His words are the Words of God. In short, He is God by any reasonable measurement.
The following citations reveal that Jesus was viewed and worshipped as true Deity in the context of the Trinity.
"There is one God, one Christ, one Spirit" (The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, 46:7)
The Trinitarian structure cannot be denied. As Lightfoot points out, "This mention of θεὸς, Χριστὸς, πνεύμα, has a parallel in the reference to the Trinity quoted by S. Basil (de Spir. Sanc. 39, III. P. 16) as from Clement, but not found in our MS.... The construction and punctuation has been confirmed by the Syriac, since I first proposed it."
"As God liveth, and the Lord Jesus Christ liveth and the Holy Spirit [liveth] who are the faith and hope of the elect" (First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, 58, Apostolic Fathers, Part I, 2:169.)
Basil's citation of Clement's Trinitarian oath is clearly taken from Clement's first letter to the Corinthians. Fortman comments, "The three are coordinated in an oath.... Christ is not called God, but His divinity is implied by His coordination with God in the oath... The Holy Spirit is not called God, but His divinity and personality are implied by His coordination with the Father and the Son in the oath as the object of the faith and hope of the elect and in the attribution to Him of the divine function of inspiration."
"My brethren, we must look on Christ as God." (An Ancient Homily of Clement, Chpt 1)
The Greek text is emphatic: περι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς περι θεοῦ.
"For when they hear from us that God said, 'It is no thanks unto you, if you love them that love you, but this is thanks unto you, if ye love your enemies and them that hate you.'" (An Ancient Homily of Clement, Chpt 13)
Since Jesus is the author of the words quoted in Luke 6:32-35, then He is the "God" who said them.
"By the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our God" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 1:1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:544)
When it comes to John 1:1, the Unitarians and those who follow them claim that in order for the word "God" (theos) to mean absolute Deity it must have the definite article in front of it. In the citation above, Clement refers to Jesus as "God" with the definite article: Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν.
Notice also that the Father and the Son are viewed as equals in this salutation.
"The blood of God" (Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:544)
"There is only one Physician, of flesh and of spirit, generate and ingenerate, God in man, true life in death, Son of Mary and Son of God, first passible and then impassible, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 7, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:545)
"He [i.e., Jesus] Himself may be in us as our God" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 15, Part II, 2:548)
"the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 17, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:548)
"For our God, Jesus Christ, was conceived in the womb by Mary according to a dispensation, of the seed of David but also of the Holy Ghost" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 18, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:549)
Jesus is once again called "God" with the definite article in front of θεὸς.
"when God appeared in the likeness of man unto newness of everlasting life" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 19, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:549)
"Fare ye well in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope." (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, 21, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:550)
Jesus is clearly assumed to be equal with the Father in this benediction. The same holds true for the following salutations:
"I wish her abundant greeting in God the Father and in Jesus Christ." (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:550)
"by faith and by love, in the Son and Father and in the Spirit, in the beginning and in the end" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, 13, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:553-554)
The Trinitarian citation above has been noted for centuries as firm confirmation that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were viewed as the one and same God.
... "by faith and love towards Jesus Christ our God" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:558)
"Jesus Christ our God" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:559)
"our God Jesus Christ" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, 3, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:559-560)
"the passion of my God" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, 6, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:559-561)
"if ye be inseparable from [our] God Jesus Christ" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians, 7)
... "the church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ... established by His Holy Spirit" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:563)
... "the church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ the Beloved" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrneans, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:567)
"I give glory to Jesus Christ the God who bestowed such wisdom upon you" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrneans, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:567)
In the Greek text Jesus is called "the God" (Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν τὸν θεόν). It never ceases to amaze us that those who deny the deity of Christ will dismiss such passages as John 1:1 because the word "God" (theos) does not have the definite article, but then dismiss the passage above and many others where the definite article does appear.
"the blood of Christ [who is God]" (The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrneans, 6, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:569)
"Ignatius ... unto Polycarp, who is bishop of the church of the Smyrneans or rather who has for his bishop God the Father and Jesus Christ" (The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp, 1, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:571)
"Await Him that is above every season, the Eternal, the Invisible, who became visible for our sake, the Impalpable, the Impassible, who suffered for our sake, who endured in all ways for our sake." (The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp, 3, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:572)
The attributes of Jesus are the same as attributed to the Father before the incarnation:
"I bid you farewell always in our God Jesus Christ" (The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp, 8, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:574)
The above citations from the Apostolic Fathers is sufficient to show that a concept of the Trinity was functioning in the worship of the early Church. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit were assumed to be God and equal with the Father. We now turn to quotations attributed to the Apostolic Fathers by later Fathers:
"God the Word became also man for our sakes" (Roman Acts, 6, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:583)
"they rose at daybreak and sang a hymn to Christ as God" (Roman Acts, 11, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 2:587)
"The Son is therefore called the Word, in order that He might show us that He is from the Father in nature ... the mixture of God the Word with the flesh which He put on." (John the Monk, 6, Apostolic Fathers, 2:152)
"... our God Jesus Christ" (Timotheus of Alexandria, Apostolic Fathers, 2:174)
"... the suffering of my God" (Timotheus of Alexandria, Apostolic Fathers, 2:174, 176)
"... the suffering of my God" (Severus of Antioch, Apostolic Fathers, 2:181)
"... the blood of God" (Severus of Antioch, Apostolic Fathers, 2:181)
"... Jesus Christ; who before the worlds was with the Father, and in the end was manifest." (Severus of Antioch, Apostolic Fathers, 2:181)
"God was manifested as man for the renewal of life without end." (Severus of Antioch, Apostolic Fathers, 2:189)
"He was always God" (Severus of Antioch, Apostolic Fathers, 2:189)
"...they believe in the blood of Christ who is God" (Anonymous Syriac Writers, Apostolic Fathers, 2:195)
"... the sufferings of my God" (Anonymous Syriac Writers, Apostolic Fathers, 2:197)
"... the blood of God" (The Cunetonian Epistles, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 3:88)
"Jesus Christ our God" (The Cunetonian Epistles, Apostolic Fathers, Part II, 3:92)
From the primary source material presented above, it is clear that the early Fathers believed that God was Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They may not have had the sophisticated views of the Trinity which would eventually develop in response to heresies not yet present in their day. But their faith, hope, and love were in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament Apocrypha is composed of spurious gospels, acts and letters which were written during the early centuries of the Christian Church. They were written by Christians, Gnostics, and heretics. The theological views reflect the chaos that often afflicted the early Church.
Everyone acknowledges that the works in question were frauds, i.e., that were not written by the name of the man put down as the author. For example, the "Acts of Peter" was obviously not written by Peter. But this does not negate the fact that whoever wrote it put into the text what he believed. Thus, they have historical worth in that they reveal what the laity understood about God and Christ. If the Unitarian claim that the concept of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit was not invented until many centuries later, then we would not expect to find Trinitarian statements in the New Testament Apocrypha. But, if the Trinitarians are correct, then we should find the doctrine of the Trinity in this literature as well in the early Fathers.
The following citations abundantly demonstrate that some of those who wrote these apocryphal works believed that God was Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They worshipped the Three in One in their hymns and prayers.
"God says, 'There is no favor for you if you love those who love you, but there is favor for you if you love your enemies and them that hate you.'" (The Gospel of the Egyptians, 13:4)
Since Jesus is the author of the words quoted (Luke 6:32,35), He is here called "God."
"In the name of God the Father, the ruler of the world, and in [the name of] Jesus Christ. May Grace increase upon you." (Epistula Apostolorum 1:2)
The Father and the Son are equally appealed to in this blessing.
"We know this: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is God, the Son of God who was sent from God, the Ruler of the entire world, the Maker and Creator of what is named with every name, who is over all authority as Lord of lords and King of Kings, the Ruler of the rulers, the heavenly One who is over the Cherubim, and Seraphim and sits at the right hand of the throne of the Father ... And God, the Lord, the Son of God—we believe that the Word, which became flesh through the holy virgin Mary, was conceived in here womb by the Holy Spirit." (Epistula Apostolorum 3:1-13)
The author assumes that Christ had two natures—divine and human.
"They are a picture of our faith concerning the great Christianity; and i.e., in the Father, the ruler of the entire world, and in Jesus Christ, our Savior, and in the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete" (Epistula Apostolorum 5:2)
This is undoubtedly a Trinitarian statement. What Arian would write such a statement?
"Glory be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, who givest to all they grace which we have all perceived. Alleluia. Glory be to thee, O Lord, the life of sinners. Glory be to thee, O Lord, through whom death is put to shame. Glory be to thee, O Lord, the treasure of righteousness. We praise thee as God." (The Gospel of Bartholomew, 4:69)
Jesus is worshipped and praised as God by Bartholomew. This is one of several such doxologies to Christ found in this gospel (see 4:9).
"Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ... by the help of the Holy Spirit." (The Epistle to the Laodiceans, 2:7)
The Trinitarian nature of this passage is obvious.
"He who appeared is God and man ... the Divine Word." (Apostolic Constitutions 7:36.1-7)
"Now is the time of refreshment and of confidence in thee, O Christ. Now is the time for us who are sick to have help from thee, O Physician that healest freely. Keep thou my entrance to this place free from derision. I pray thee, Jesus, help this great multitude to come to thee who art Lord of the universe..." (Acts of John 22)
This is one of several prayers of praise and petition to Jesus recorded in this work (i.e., 23, 43, 115). In order for Jesus to receive, hear, and answer such prayers and praise, the author had to view Him as God.
"As the Lord Jesus Christ liveth" (Acts of John 28)
Once again, the Old Testament pattern of swearing by the Living God is applied to Jesus in an oath which assumes His deity.
"I am your God" (Acts of John 44)
In the context, it is Jesus who is speaking. Thus, Jesus said, "I am your God."
"Glory be to thee, Father.
Glory be to thee, Logos.
Glory be to thee, Spirit." (Acts of John 94)"Glory be to thee, Father.
Glory be to thee, Word,
Glory be to thee, Spirit. Amen. (Acts of John 51)
This Trinitarian doxology of praise to the triune God is found twice in this work.
"But John stretched out his hands and with uplifted heart said to the Lord, 'Glory be to thee, my Jesus, the only God of truth.'" (Acts of John 43)
This passage removes any doubts as to whether the author believed in the full deity of Christ. Not only is Jesus called "the only God of truth," but He is also worshipped as such.
"O God of ages, Jesus Christ, God of truth" (Acts of John 82)
"Jesus Christ ... who is our God" (Acts of John 84)
"We thank thee, Lord Jesus Christ ... that thou alone are [God] now and forever; we ... give thanks to thee, O Holy One." (Acts of John 85)
"Our God Jesus Christ" (Acts of John 107)
"Christ Jesus, God, Lord" (Acts of John 108)
"O God Jesus" (Acts of John 112)
The Acts of John reveal that the doctrine of the Trinity formed the context of the worship of the early Church.
"Jesus the Living God" (Acts of Peter 2)
"thou God Jesus Christ" (Acts of Peter 5)
"And Peter went down by rope and baptized Theon in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" (Acts of Peter 5)
"Jesus Christ our God" (Acts of Peter 6)
"the brethren kept together with one accord, rejoicing and exulting in the Lord [Jesus], and glorifying the God and Savior of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Acts of Peter 41:12)
The Acts of Peter clearly presupposes the doctrine of the Trinity. The "Jesus Only" cults should also take notice of the Trinitarian formula used in baptism. The Trinitarian baptismal formula also appears in the Acts of Thomas 119.
"Praise to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit to all eternity. Amen." (Pseudo-Clementines 72:5)
This doxology is directed to the Triune God.
"This is our God now proclaimed in acrostics, Savior, immortal King, who suffered for our sakes." (Christian Sibyllines 245-50)
"They shall give to God blows with their unclean hands and with their polluted mouths poisonous spitting. Then shall He expose His back and submit to the whips ... and He shall wear the crown of thorns ... They king himself shall come, mounted on a gentle colt. Him know thou for thy God, who is God's Son. Glorying Him and having Him in thy breast, love Him with all they soul and exalt in His name." (Christian Sibyllines 285-290, 325-330)
The Christian Sibyllines do not hesitate to call Jesus "God" and to worship Him as true Deity.
"our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, to whom be the glory and to His gracious Father and to the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen." (Apocalypse of Paul 51)
Can words be any plainer? Can the Trinity shine any brighter than in this doxology of worship to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Thus, we must conclude that the evidence found in the New Testament Apocrypha clearly supports the doctrine of the Trinity.
It will come as a surprise to many that there are references to Jesus in the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. There is some difficulty in dating this material because no edition of the Pseudepigrapha gives separate dates for the Christian interpolations in Jewish works. Most of these works come from the second or the third centuries of the Church.
We only have the Christian copies of these books and do not have any access to the original pre-Christian Jewish texts. Even the Dead Sea Scrolls do not furnish us with the complete pre-Christian texts.
The Jewish writings themselves date from around 200 B.C. and the Christian interpolations began in the late first century and continued for several centuries. Yet, the importance of these early references to Jesus cannot be underestimated. In short, they shed light on the belief system of early Palestine Christianity.
As a side issue, they also have a clear apologetic value in that they provide literacy evidence for the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth and what the early Christians believed on many different topics. We acknowledge that these "Jesus" passages are clearly interpolations and should have never been inserted into the Jewish texts. We will only cite those passages that speak directly of the deity of Christ.
"For with your hostile mind you did not perceive your God when He came before mortal eyes. But you crowned Him with a crown from the thorn bush, and you mixed terrible gall for insult and drink. That will cause great afflictions for you, O wood, O most blessed, on which God was stretched out; earth will not contain you, but you will see heaven as home when your fiery eye, O God, flashes like lightning." (Sibylline Oracles 6:1-25)
"The earth will sweat when there will be a sign of judgment. A king will come from heaven who is to judge all flesh and the whole world forever when he comes. Both faithful and faithless men will see God the Most High with the holy ones at the end of time. He will judge the souls of flesh-bearing men on the tribunal when the whole world becomes barren land and thorns. ... This is our God, now proclaimed in acrostics, the king, the immortal savior, who suffered for us... Later he will come into the hands of lawless and faithless men, and they will give blows to God with unholy hands and poisonous spittings with polluted mouths... Know that he is your God, as he is the Son of God. Honor him and keep his in your heart and love him from your soul and bear his name... Since he is imperishable he pays no attention to perishable sacrifices, except when intelligent mouths bring forth a hymn. Know who he is, and then you will see the begetter." (Sibylline Oracles 8:217-355)
"In the last times He changed the earth and, coming late as a new light, He rose from the womb of the Virgin Mary. Coming from Heaven, He put on a mortal form. First, then Gabriel was revealed in his strong and holy person. Second, the archangel also addressed the maiden in speech: "Receive God, Virgin, in your pure bosom." ... For this is a great wonder to men, but nothing is a great wonder for God the Father and God the Son." (Sibylline Oracles 8:455-475)
"Then will come Jesus the Messiah from your descendants out of a virgin named Mary. And God will become incarnate in Him until the completion of a hundred years." (Testament of Isaac 3:18-19)
"Adam said to Seth, his son, 'You have heard, my son, that God is going to come into the world after a long time, (he will be) conceived of a virgin and put on a body, be born like a human being, and grow up as a child. He will perform signs and wonders on the earth, will walk on the waves of the sea. He will rebuke the winds and they will be silenced. He will motion to the waves and thy will stand still; He will open the eyes of the blind and cleanse the lepers. He will cause the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak. He will straighten the hunchbacked, strengthen the paralyzed, find the lost, drive out evil spirits, and cast out demons.'" (Testament of Adam 3:1-4)
The early Christians who wrote the statements above clearly believed in the pre-existence and full deity of Jesus Christ. According to them He is God incarnate. It is also clear that the word "God" is used in the absolute sense of the Most High God of the Old Testament whom the Jews worshipped. Jesus suffered as God for us on the cross.
The literature of the early Church, regardless whether it is from the clergy or the laity, reveals that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were worshipped as the one true living God. Baptism and oaths were done in the name of the Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The full deity of Christ is clearly asserted with crystal clarity.