GraceTrax

By using the phrase "triune God," Christians seek to convey one of the greatest mysteries of their faith. God is at one and the same time three and one. He is one being in three persons. The Father is God, the Son is God and the Spirit is God. But the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Son.

This is the doctrine of the Trinity. It is such a great mystery that it is impossible for us to stretch our minds enough to encompass it. But the fact something is mysterious does not mean it is not true.

Some object to this doctrine on the grounds that the word "Trinity" is not found in Scripture. While the word is not in the Bible, the teaching of the concept is definitely there. The oneness of God is affirmed in both the Old and New Testaments (Deut.6:4-9; 1 Cor. 8:4; James 2:19). And the "threeness" of God is affirmed with every mention of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That "threeness" comes home with particular force in the gospel accounts of the baptism of Jesus. The Second Person of the Trinity is present, of course, in the person of Jesus. But the First Person, the Father, also makes His presence known by speaking from heaven. And the Third Person, the Holy Spirit, makes His presence known by descending upon Jesus "like a dove" (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 2:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).

The Apostle Paul affirms the "threeness" in these words: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor. 13:13).

Some have tried to explain the Trinity in terms of one God temporarily manifesting Himself first in one way and then another, but that won’t do. It is the error of Sabellianism (named after Sabellius). Each of the three persons is fully God at all times.

Some theologians use the term "the Economic Trinity" to convey the Bible’s teaching on the roles of the three persons of the Godhead in the work of redemption. The Father chose for Himself a people to redeem, the Son agreed to come to this earth as a human being to actually perform the work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit agreed to apply the redeeming work of Christ to the individual hearts of those chosen by the Father.

This work of redemption made it necessary for the Son to become subservient to the Father (John 5:19,30; 6:38; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10), which is why Paul was able to write: " … the head of Christ is God" (1 Cor. 11:3). The Lord Jesus is equal to God in every respect, but for the purpose of working out redemption he assumed a subservient role.

It is important to note that in assuming our humanity and in expressing submission to the Father, the Lord Jesus did not in any way or at any time cease to be God. He did not lay aside His deity at any point. God cannot un-God Himself! He rather added to His deity our humanity so He was both fully God and fully man, enabling the Apostle Paul to affirm: "God was in Christ" (2 Cor. 5:19).

We do well to remember that the doctrine of the Trinity should not be treated as a subject for idle speculation and for clever analogies. It is rather meant to show us the unspeakable glory of our God and to evoke from us awe, wonder and worship.