What is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit called?

When he attempts to speak of the Godhead, he is obliged to borrow the names Father, Son and Holy Spirit in order to give expression to his thoughts, which is one of the clearest proofs possible that such names express relations that existed eternally. He virtually has to admit this, for he goes on to say, "It is obvious that we must so speak of them (Divine Persons), for no other names are furnished in Scripture." The fact is, these names fit into the whole framework of Scripture, and are in harmony with all that we know of God. Why are no other names furnished?

THE TRIUNE NAME

We believe we have written enough to show that the Lord's Sonship is eternally bound up with His Godhead. finally let us think briefly of the Triune Name of Matthew 28:29, "The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".

Seeing Scripture gives us the name of one of the Persons of the Godhead as "the Eternal Spirit," we can, in the light of what the New Testament affirms, know that we have here the Eternal Father, the Eternal Son and the Eternal Spirit. Shall there be an Eternal Spirit, and not an Eternal Father and an Eternal Son?

This is a most ineffable name of God. In a perfectly unique way it stands in relation to the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a relationship He shares with none besides. There ever was the Father. There ever was the Son, the “only begotten” Son of God. (John 3:16). As the old divine put it: “LIFE—the Father from all eternity gives it; the Son from all eternity receives it.” There ever was the Holy Spirit. Their Godhead glory they share with none.

the Father is holy (John 17:11 ) the Son is holy (Luke 1:35) the Spirit is 'The Holy Spirit'

God, as such, is sanctified, holy. The Father, as such, is sanctified, holy. The Son, as such, is sanctified, holy-on His own behalf and also that we might be blessed. The Spirit is characteristically so for He is the Holy Spirit. The reference to the Father as "Holy Father" is rare. I do not know of a Scripture which uses the appellation "Holy Son" or "Holy Lord" although the term would be valid. The holiness of the Spirit of God seems to be particularly guarded. In the canon of Scripture almost always, unless there is a special reason, we learn concerning the Spirit that He is the Holy Spirit. And in the opening salutation of that fundamental teaching epistle, the epistle to the Romans, we learn that the Lord Jesus gave evidence of His deity and His holiness in raising dead ones, and that even that was according to the "Spirit of holiness" (Rom. 1: 4). Everything that the Lord Jesus did in the days of His flesh was in the power of the Spirit and in particular in the power of the Holy Spirit. That safeguard is there that, in case we are in any doubt, the Spirit is the Spirit of holiness.

For the Son, see questions 2 and 3. For the Father, there are so many references to Him as the ‘God and Father’ (e.g. Eph. 1:3). The Spirit is eternal (Heb. 9:14), omnipresent (Ps. 139:7) and co-equal (‘on the same level with’) the Father and the Son (Mt. 18:19; 2 Cor. 13:13; Rev.1:4).

Some of these names belong to Him as having become Man, and as having died and risen again; others describe what He was before the pendulum of time began to swing, or ever the world was made—what He is in His own uncreated, unchangeable and eternal Being. To these latter belong “the Word,” “the only-begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father,” and “the Son” whom the Father only knows. By these names, He is distinguished as to His personality in the Godhead, but being one with the Father and the Holy Ghost in the Godhead, He shares in every title that belongs to God, such as “the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen or can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen” (1 Tim. 6:15-16), We should not be subject to the Father's decree, “that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father,” if we did not acknowledge this.

Some of these names belong to Him as having become Man, and as having died and risen again; others describe what He was before He set the pendulum of time in motion, or ever the world was made — what He is in His own uncreated, unchangeable and eternal Being. To these latter belong "the Word," "the only-begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father," and "the Son" whom the Father only knows. By these names He is distinguished as to His personality in the Godhead, but being one with the Father and the Holy Ghost in the Godhead, He shares in every title that belongs to God, such as "the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only has immortality, dwelling in light which no man can approach to; whom no man has seen or can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen" (1 Tim. 6:15-16). The Father has decreed "that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father" (John 5:23). We do this when we own His equality with the Father, and bow before Him as our God. "He that honours not the Son, honours not the Father which has sent Him."

Some of these names belong to Him as having become Man, and as having died and risen again; others describe what He was before the pendulum of time began to swing, or ever the world was made — what He is in His own uncreated, unchangeable and eternal Being. To these latter belong "the Word," "the only-begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father," and "the Son" whom the Father only knows. By these names, He is distinguished as to His personality in the Godhead, but being one with the Father and the Holy Ghost in the Godhead, He shares in every title that belongs to God, such as "the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords; who only has immortality, dwelling in light which no man can approach to; whom no man has seen or can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen" (1 Tim. 6:15-16), We should not be subject to the Father's decree, "that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father," if we did not acknowledge this.