Day 6
God is Triune
“In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made…… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-3-14
Do you enjoy a good mystery, especially when it is unveiled? One of the great mysteries of the Christian faith is the doctrine of the Trinity. The term “Trinity” refers to the “triunity” of God, or what is often called “the Triune God.” Although the term “Trinity” does not occur anywhere in the Bible, its theme runs throughout all of Scripture. Let’s consider several things to shed some light on our understanding of the Triune God.
First of all, let’s focus on its definition. The Triune nature of God is simply defined as “there is One God (Deut. 6:4) who expresses Himself in three distinct persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” We could attempt to define the Trinity using the example of water. Water can exist in three forms: as a solid (ice), a gas (vapor or steam), and a liquid (water). But there is a failure in that analogy because a molecule of water cannot be all three at the same time. But God’s character, expressed through the Trinity, is each co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent. This is not what some world religions might falsely declare as “polytheism” or many gods. The God of Creation and of the Bible is One True God, who is three-fold in personality, at all times.
Secondly, let’s look at its demonstration. The Bible has multiple occasions where the three distinct aspects of the Trinity are mentioned in relation to one another. To acknowledge a few of these, we may wish to consider the following: Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:15-17), the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and Paul’s benediction (2 Cor. 13:13). These demonstrate that each of the distinct aspects of God’s nature is continually at work, at the same time.
Finally, let’s consider the Trinity’s distinction. To grasp the distinct roles of the Trinity, look at the act of creation as described in Genesis 1 and John 1. Picture God the Father as the architect, God the Son as the contractor, and God the Holy Spirit as the laborer. All three are actively involved and are working together. So the Father is over all; He has given all authority to His Son – to save, to judge, and to rule; and the Holy Spirit (whom Jesus called the Helper) is empowering every believer, bringing conviction on the lost unto repentance.
FURTHER REFLECTION:
A. W. Tozer said, “What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” In other words, how and what we think about God impacts every aspect of our lives. We cannot think rightly about God without a grasp of His Triune nature. God desires that we know Him fully as our Father, our Savior, and our Helper. So let’s begin to grow in that understanding today.
PRAYER:
Father, I praise You that You are the One and only awesome God who has made Yourself known to me through Your Son, my Savior. And given me Your Holy Spirit to be the indwelling life of Christ in me. I pray for an ever-growing desire and hunger to know You fully. And thank You for the promise that as I hunger for You, I will be satisfied. Amen.
FOR FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 1:1-2; Matthew 3:15-17, 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:13
by: Lanny Bridges