Trinity

After a great couple of weeks off for Christmas break we didn’t waste any time at the Institute getting back into class mode as we studied one of the greatest mysteries of Christianity: the Trinity! For three days Glenn Kreider discussed Trinitarianism and while I learned so much of what has been revealed about the Trinity I am now even more in awe of the mystery of the Trinity!

There are so many analogies that Christians use to try describing the Trinity but in reality there is nothing like the Trinity. There is one God. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Spirit is God. The three are united and equal but each has some functions or roles that are unique. God is eternally triune but is progressively revealing Himself to us throughout time. God has chosen to reveal himself to us in history through scripture, the world, and the incarnation of Christ.

In the Bible God makes Himself known through the Spirit, through actual texts of scripture, through prophets and the Son. Hebrews 1:1,2 says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” Psalm 19:1 speaks of how God is revealing Himself through the world: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” And up until Christ came to earth the scriptures of the Old Testament hinted at the plurality of God but only became clear when Jesus became human and lived among humanity. Philippians 2:6-8 says, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be asserted, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

While on earth Jesus spent time performing miracles and proclaiming Himself to be Lord both fully human and divine. Christ reveals to man the truth of who God is in what was and still is often thought to be a contradiction because He taught both monotheism and plurality. Jesus taught that there is only one God. John 5:44 “’How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?’” But while still holding onto that truth He also distinguished Himself from the Father and Spirit. John 10:17,18 describes the Father and Son as different: “’For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.’” Jesus also speaks of the Spirit not being the Father or the Son when He says in John 15:26, “’When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.’”

God is the triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We only know who God is as revealed to us up to this point in time. The trinity is hard to grasp but I’m ok with that. He’s all knowing and I am not. He has all understanding and I do not. That’s what makes me human and Him God. The Trinity is a mystery to me. By reason of evidence I accept what God has chosen to reveal to humanity about Himself, and I accept what God hasn’t chosen to reveal yet about Himself by faith.