*Sarpali.us

One God

The Bible teaches that God is one. From Genesis 1, where we are told there is "God" and not a multiplicity of gods to Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, "Hear, O Isreal: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." Paul writes to Timothy, "To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Tim. 1:17) God's one-ness in Scripture is inescapable.

Three Persons

While Scripture is clear that there is only one God, it is also clear that there is a multiplicity that exists within Him. In Genesis alone, we see God referring to himself as "us" (1:26; 3:22; 11:7). To better understand what the New Testament says about the Trinity, it is helpful to look at each Person of the Trinity and see how they are each distinctly identified as God.

One particular note that is important before we look at each individual Person of the Trinity is that these three Persons are each simultaneously God. We do not believe that God has existed in three "manifestations" and this is critical to our faith. The Bible teaches that while the Father, the Son and the Spirit are all equally God, they serve in different capacities when it comes to salvation. Let's look at that more specifically.

God the Father
When we think of God the Father, we see God as the great Planner and Maker of the universe and all that is in it. We might say that the Father is the one who ultimately receives our highest praise. Jesus throughout his ministry on earth said that he was here to glorify the Father. Paul says in Ephesians 1:2,3 "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord JEsus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

John says in verse 14 of chapter 1, "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." Jesus also tells us to pray to the Father in Matthew 6. We can see the distinction of God as Father all over Scripture. He is Provider and Sustainer and Author.

In reading these verses, it is impossible to isolate the Father from the Son. Indeed a Father without a Son is not a Father at all.

God the Son
There are 3 great passages that teach us Jesus Christ is fully God. The easiest one to connect to a passage we've already looked at (Genesis 1:1) is Colossians 1:15-17, which says, "[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." We can see from this passage that Christ has always existed and that he is powerfully holding all things together. While God the Father created the earth, he created it "through" and "for" the Son. 

John 1 is another masterful explanation of the Deity of Christ. Verse 1 is similar to the Colossians passage and reads, "In the beginning was the Word, 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 anything made that was made." While these passages show that the Son has always existed, verse 14 says, "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."

Taking it one step further, in verse 32 of chapter 1, John says, "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him." Cross-referencing that with Luke 3:22, we know that this "Word" was indeed Jesus.

Perhaps the most moving passage about Jesus' equality with God the Father is in John chapter 5. Jesus healed a man by the pool on the Sabbath day and forgave him his sins. The Jewish leaders persecuted him for this and verse 17 and 18 gives us Jesus' response along with the reason why this was so important, "But Jesus answered them, 'My Father is working until now, and I am working.' This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."

God the Spirit
There are many passages in Scripture that describe the Spirit as God (and vice versa). One such passage is in 2 Corinthians 3:17, which says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Or in Acts 5 where Ananias and Sapphira lie about how much money they sold their property for. Peter says in verse 3, "But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" and then in verse 5, "You have not lied to men but to God."

In terms of the role of the Holy Spirit, we can peer into Jesus' conversation with his disciples in John 14-16. Jesus is preparing these followers of his for the sorrow and persecution that is about to come upon them. He will soon be going to the cross and leaving their presence after 3 years of walking so closely together on earth. The disciples do not fully understand, but after Jesus' eventual ascension into heaven, it all finally sinks in.

Jesus' encouragement to his disciples in this discourse is a promise. A promise of a Helper that will be sent after Jesus leaves that will comfort them in their pursuit of following out Christ's kingdom mission. Read John 14-16 to see Jesus' encouragement to his followers with the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Why The Trinity Matters

The concept of God being one God in three persons is something we will not be able to fully wrap our minds around. But as mentioned above, the understanding of and the reliance upon this critical doctrine is necessary to godly living and faithful fruitfulness.

Redemption happens because God the Father is planning and purposing it for us. He has adopted us as Sons and has shown us a profound love that only a Father can give. He is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega. He has accomplished our redemption through the Son. Jesus was sent by the Father to dawn human flesh and walk among us. He lived a full and perfect life so that we might see his example and be clothed in his righteousness. The Son's work was done to glorify the Father and he is now interceding for us with the Father on our behalf. We can approach his throne with confidence knowing he has been tempted just as we have, being fully man and practically relatable. But God did not leave us alone after the resurrection. At the moment of salvation he has filled us with his Spirit. This means that when we are lonely or defeated or discouraged, we have the living God of the universe inside of us, willing and working for his good pleasure.

There is no greater promise or encouragement in all of Scripture than the glorious doctrine of the Trinity.