The MYSTERY of the TRINITY

A Trinitarian Approach to the Attributes of God

VERN S. POYTHRESS

P.O. BOX 817 • PHILLIPSBURG • NEW JERSEY 08865-0817

© 2020 by Vern S. Poythress

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—except for brief quotations for the purpose of review or comment, without the prior permission of the publisher, P&R Publishing Company, P.O. Box 817, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865-0817.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (nasb) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (niv) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (kjv) are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611.

Italics within Scripture quotations indicate emphasis added.

ISBN: 978-1-62995-651-0 (hardback)

ISBN: 978-1-62995-652-7 (epub)

ISBN: 978-1-62995-653-4 (mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Poythress, Vern S., author.

Title: The mystery of the trinity : a trinitarian approach to the attributes of god / Vern S. Poythress.

Description: Phillipsburg, New Jersey : P&R Publishing Company, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “Starting with the doctrine of the Trinity, Vern Poythress addresses six significant challenges concerning God’s attributes, helping us to appreciate more deeply the mystery that lies in each of them”-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020011569 | ISBN 9781629956510 (hardover) | ISBN 9781629956527 (epub) | ISBN 9781629956534 (mobi)

Subjects: LCSH: Trinity. | God (Christianity)--Attributes.

Classification: LCC BT111.3 .P697 2020 | DDC 231/.044--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020011569

To my wife, Diane

Contents

List of Illustrations

Foreword by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Acknowledgments

Introduction: God’s Attributes and the Trinity

Part 1: Beginning to Consider God

1. Resources

2. Knowing God

Part 2: Classical Christian Theism

3. Attributes of God: Absoluteness

4. Infinity

5. Immensity (Omnipresence)

6. Eternity

7. Immutability (Unchangeability)

8. God’s Knowledge (Omniscience)

9. The Simplicity of God

Part 3: The Trinity—Mysteries in Diversity

10. The Mystery of the Trinity

11. Coinherence...