Three in One

After witnessing a discussion on Facebook the other day, and noticing the struggle everyone had in trying to convince the original poster of the validity of the Trinity in the scriptures, I decided to take a stab at it myself.  Now, please understand, I’m not expecting to change anyone’s mind, nor am I interested in this becoming a long, drawn out debate over this doctrinal issue.  My only desire is to give voice to my thoughts on the topic and allow others to make their own decision.  I do believe this can have implications for someone’s salvation.  But I don’t believe anyone has ever been argued into Heaven.  So, here we go!

I might as well begin by stating my position: I am a Trinitarian.  This means I believe that God eternally exists

The Triquetra (Trinity)

as three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, and there is One God.  The doctrine of the Trinity was first stated by Tertullian in 215 A.D.  The word "Trinity" mean "tri-unity" or "three-in-oneness."  I believe the Bible clearly affirms the existence of three distinct Persons that are all identified as the one God of the universe.  

Although no illustration is perfect, I like the one where the Trinity is the universe itself.  Isn’t it interesting that the entire physical universe (uni: meaning one) consists of three, and only three aspects—space, time, and matter?  If you were to take away any of these three, you would no longer have a universe.

1) Space consists of length, width, and height—three in one.  If you were to take away any of these dimensions, you would no longer have space.

2) Time consists of past, present, and future—three in one.  If you were to take away any of these aspects, you would no longer have time.

3) Matter consists of energy in motion producing phenomena—three in one.  If there were no energy there could be no motion or phenomena. If there were no motion, there would be no energy or phenomena.  If there were no phenomena, it would be because there was no energy or motion.

We see this tri-unity composing the very fabric of the universe. Why would the universe reflect a trinitarian nature? I believe that God left His fingerprints on the work of His creation, and we see in it a reflection of the Trinity.

So what does the Bible teach about the Trinity?  It clearly affirms the existence of three distinct Persons that are all identified as the one God of the universe.  This is not a contradiction because I am not saying that God is both one person and three persons.  Nor am I saying that God is both one god and three gods.  What I am saying is that God is one and three in different ways.  Just as the one universe exists as space, time, and matter, the one God exists as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now, our belief in the Trinity does not first come from our observation of the universe, but from Scripture. The following premises are all taught in the Bible and form the basis of the doctrine of the Trinity.

There is only one God.

1) Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:4)

2) For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. (Isaiah 46:9)

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all identified in Scripture as God.

1) God the Father (Galatians 1:1)

2) The Word (Jesus the Son) was God (John 1:1)

3) “…how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:3–4)

These each relate to one another and to the world as distinct Persons.

In Mark 1:10–11, Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from Heaven (the Father) says, “You are My Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

We see here that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could not be the same Person; they are distinctly acting in different roles at the same time.  And toward the end of His ministry, Jesus said He would ask the Father to send to us “another Helper”—the Holy Spirit (John 15:26). Do you see the three distinct Persons involved in this request?

And of course, the Great Commission Jesus commanded for all His followers.  Look closely at the wording, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19, 20)

So, we see that the one true God of the Bible has revealed Himself to exist in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The big question now is, how important is the doctrine of the Trinity?

Some say that it’s not important, but I believe this attitude is mistaken.  The doctrine of the Trinity underlies key teachings that are essential to the gospel.  For example, those who deny the Trinity usually deny that Jesus is God.  But if the Jesus you believe in is not God, you don’t have a Jesus who can save you; you have a false savior, or another Jesus, as Paul put it in Galatians 1:6–9.

Also, if we deny that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct, we deny God His inherent personal or relational characteristics.  For instance, God would not be a loving God from all eternity if He had to wait until He created in order to love anyone (because love must be shared). But if God is more than one Person, there has been a loving relationship from all eternity among the Persons of God. Believing in a relational God is important, because it affects the way we relate to one another, as well as to God.  The Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit are not impersonal entities, but are living in relationship to one another.

They each possess personhood and from eternity past have lived in personal relationship with each other.  We call them Persons because they live in relationship with one another and because they all exhibit qualities of “personhood” (will, emotion, intellect, moral character, etc.).  Each member of the Trinity can refer to Himself as “I” and can communicate to another member of the Trinity as “You.”  Though the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, they are distinct enough to love one another, to give to one another, to communicate to one another, to live for one another, and to indwell one another.

So how do they relate to one another? 

From all eternity the Son has been the Father’s beloved and “only begotten Son” (John 3:16, 17:5).  The Son is eternally self-existent as God, and is of the same nature as the Father, yet His existence is from the Father. Eternally, the Son has related to the Father as a Son, and the Father has related to the Son as a Father, though not in a physical sense.

Since the Son has eternally related to the Father as a Son, He is eternally submissive to the Father.  That is why the Son allowed Himself to be sent by the Father into the world. And that is why Jesus said, “My Father is greater than I.” This statement by Jesus only refers to the authority structure within the Godhead; it does not refer to any difference between the nature of the Father and the nature of the Son.  It is important to stress that Christ’s submission to His Father does not in any way diminish His nature as God the Son.  He is equal to the Father in essence. He is to be worshiped and glorified on the same level as the Father.  Jesus said that all should honor Him “just as they honor the Father.”

The word used to show the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the other members of the Trinity is “proceeding” (ekporeuomai).  In John 15:26, Jesus said that He would send to us the Holy Spirit, “which proceeds from the Father” (NASB).  Though the Spirit “proceeds” from the Father, He is equal to the Father and the Son, and is to be equally honored.  Keep in mind that this “proceeding” and “sending” is happening between three Persons living in loving relationship with each other.

Now, let’s take a moment and look at the structure of the Trinity.  The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always existed in a structure of relationships.  The Father is the Head, then the Son, then the Spirit.  These three timeless and equal Persons have positions of authority based on their relationships with each other.  This structure of authority is reflected in the family and in the church. Like the Trinity, all the members of the family and in the church have equal value, but not all have the same role.  God commands husbands to lead their wives, and fathers to lead their families.  This does not make them more important than others in the home or the church. As in the Trinity, difference in roles does not negate equality of value and nature.

Are the terms we use to describe the Trinity important?  Since God is three Persons, but only one Being, it would be incorrect to speak of members of the Trinity as beings or individuals.  We should also use the word “distinct” rather than “separate” when speaking of the Persons in the Trinity because they are mutually indwelling and cannot be separated. It would be inaccurate to imply that there are three separate individuals in the Trinity.  The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons.  As Christians, we reflect God’s personhood and relations. 

Since we are made in His image, we have the capacity to relate to one another and to God. We have a mind, a will, and emotions.   After God created Adam, He said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” Then He made Eve.  Adam was incomplete without Eve because, without her, he didn’t have some other human with which to relate.  While Genesis 9:6 indicates that each individual human being bears the image of God.  Genesis 1:27 also indicates that man and woman together also reflect God’s image, “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

We too, are not functioning as whole persons unless we are in relationship with others, as God is. We don’t necessarily need to get married like Adam did, but we do need to have fellowship with others. God made us to relate to others, as He relates to Himself in His three persons.

Let’s look now at how the church reflects the Image of God.  Scripture expresses a wonderful comparison between the nature of God and the nature of the Church. Within both God and the Church, there is diversity, yet in unity.  According to 1 Corinthians 12, the body of Christ is a unit composed of many parts functioning together for a purpose.  All of us are to use our gifts and abilities to help others grow spiritually. In doing so, we will be reflecting God’s relational nature.  The Apostle Paul expected all the various members of the Church to bond together in love so that all believers would grow to be more like Christ.

Paul prayed that we would, “…in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15–16)

We were made in the image of God as social, relational beings.  Should we not then focus on others rather than ourselves?  Should we not emphasize community instead of “radical” individualism?

What does it mean to worship as a Trinitarian?  A Unitarian would pray only to the Father, neglecting the Son and the Spirit in worship.  Trinitarian worship recognizes that we come to the Father with the aid of the Spirit and on the basis of the atoning work of the Son.  As Trinitarians, we are to pray to the Father, in the Spirit, through the Son.

An important goal of worship is for us to become caught up into the dynamic life of God; into the love relationship that the members of the Trinity have for each other.  Think of the love that exists between the Father and the Son, and of what Christ did on the Cross so that we could experience that love.  And as a result of the Son’s atoning work, the Spirit is able to help us participate in that fervent love relationship.

As Trinitarians, we not only pray to the Father, in the Spirit, through the Son, but we also pray to the Father, to the Son, and to the Spirit.  Trinitarian worship brings glory to each member of the Trinity equally, recognizing the role each plays in our salvation.

We have seen that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all the one infinite transcendent God.  The three members of the Trinity have eternally lived in self-giving love for each other.  The relationship in the Trinity helps us to understand how we as persons are to relate to God and to one another.

The concept of the eternal Trinity is not easy for human minds to grasp, but it is a fact revealed in Scripture.  Our lives and worship must bring glory to our Triune God.

 

Would you like to know how to have a relationship with God?