Beholding the Wonder of the Trinity
I have recently been studying and writing my way through a study of Theology Proper, the study of the Godhead. I include below a paper written as a defense of Trinitarianism in brief. Hopefully this will whet your appetite to again consider the awesomeness of the God of Scripture. If it does, then I strongly recommend a book by Dr. Bruce Ware entitled “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Roles, Relationships, and Relevance.” It is the best and most important book I have read this year. Go look it up on Amazon!
N S
“If we are to know God rightly, we must know him as he is, as he has revealed himself. And this means knowing him as the one God who is the triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” In this way, Dr Bruce Ware introduces his study of one the most essential, central, and controversial doctrines of Christianity. He is right. Biblical Christianity demands that we uncompromisingly adhere to what Scripture declares of God. And although the word “trinity” never appears in the Bible, Trinitarian theology is and must be the awesome, rational, inexhaustible, considered, and comprehensive summation of God’s self revelation.
That God is One God, eternally existing in Three Persons, is not a sudden shift, found only in the New Testament. The Shema, the great prayer of Deuteronomy 4:6, lays a certain, unchanging foundation: the Lord is One God. The Old Testament continually affirms this truth, and the New Testament quotes and reinforces it, Jesus himself saying, “I and the Father are one” (1 Kings 8:60, Isaiah 44:6, John 10:30, 1 Corinthians 8:4, Galatians 3:20, James 2:19).
And yet, not only is God One, but He is also Three Persons. This revelation is hinted at as early as Genesis 1:26 and 3:22, while Isaiah 6:8 shows the Trinitarian conversation of the one God in perhaps the clearest light. Isaiah 48:16, read with full New Testament understanding, presents Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together. At the Jordan, however, the Trinity blazes plainly in view: Father speaking, Spirit descending, and Son obediently fulfilling the scripture (Matthew 3:16-17). Matthew’s gospel concludes with the Great Commission baptism command “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, and references abound through the writings of the Apostles (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 2 Corinthians 3:14, Ephesians 2:18, 4:4-6, 1 Peter 1:2, Jude 20–21, Revelation 1:4–5).
That God, who is One God, has equally, eternally, and simultaneously existed in one essence but three persons is readily demonstrated by an examination of the deity of the Son. That Jesus is the eternal Son of the Father is seen early in Scripture in the mysterious appearances of the Angel of the Lord. This messenger is clearly not the Father, but is also clearly God (Genesis 16:7-13, 22:15-17, Exodus 3:3, 23:20-22, Judges 13:8-9, 1 Chronicles 21:15-17, Zechariah 3:1-7). Building on that foundation are passages from the Psalms in which God addresses God, passages which the New Testament both affirm and attribute to the Father and the Son (Psalm 34:6-7, Hebrews 1:8, Psalm 110:1, Matthew 22:41-46, Malachi 3:1-2). The New Testament, also, is replete with clear references to the deity of Christ; the most striking of these claims is perhaps that of Jesus in John 8:51-58, where he not only claims the attributes of God, but also God’s covenant name for Himself (Exodus 3:14-15, Romans 9:5, Hebrews 1:1). Clearly, as the four great counsels affirm, Jesus Christ was fully God (Nicea) and fully man (Constantinople), one Person (Ephesus) with a divine nature and a human nature that are conjoined but not confused (Chalcedon).
Scripture then testifies to us that God is One, and yet Three. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God. Once again, even in the Old Testament, reference is made to the Spirit’s personhood and deity (Isaiah 61:1, 63:10). The Apostles pick up the theme, Paul declaring to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (cf. also John 14:26, Acts 5:3-4, and 1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
Truly then may we affirm the witness of Scripture in the words of the Westminster divines: “There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection… God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient… In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.” Amen.
on February 2, 2010 on 1:22 pm
Excellent article. Thanks for sharing! I love how you have so many verse references all within the article.
In Dr. Ware’s book, does he say anything about prayer & the trinity? Someone in my family recently brought up the question: Would it be wrong to begin a prayer by addressing Jesus (“Dear Jesus…”)? (not “wrong”, but theologically incorrect or something)
So, I’m interested in figuring that out and if his book does talk about that, then I’ll have to make getting that book more of a priority (I have a long reading list).
on February 3, 2010 on 10:48 am
Howdy, yeah, I was trying to keep it short, so I didn’t quote absolutely everything, but I hope you look them all up! I guarantee you the guy who reviewed it after I wrote it did.
Yes, Dr Ware does address prayer; in fact, I think it’s one of the very first things he talks about. His reasoning stems quite simply from Jesus teaching the disciples to pray, “Our Father…” On top of that, I think Jesus demonstrates that throughout the gospels (eg John 17), along with Hebrews saying He uttered loud cries and prayers in His weekness as man. Ephesians says that “in Him (that is Jesus, from the verse before) we have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Now I think we need to balance that with a realization of Jesus’ role as “one mediator” and the Spirit’s work of intercession in our prayer. But, I should let you read Ware’s book. Our mutual friend recommended it to me, and I think it’s the best book I read last year.
Nat
on February 4, 2010 on 1:19 pm
Understand about the “not quoting everything”. I’ve actually never seen anyone quote an entire book (other than pastors). :-p
Yes, I looked up all the verses. Took me about 45 minutes to do it. Was totally worth it. It also cleared up a Q I had a couple days ago.
What you said about Jesus being mediator and the Spirit’s work is also what that family member began saying. —> But then she stopped because she realized that it’s a huge topic.
But, I’m all curious now and wanting to study the trinity. I look forward to reading that book. Gonna see if I can make it to the library soon and get it then. But I hate the library; they’re good at getting my money (that’s the easier way to say “I’m not good at returning the books on time”). :-p
By the way, I didn’t realize that the word “trinity” isn’t in the Bible. That makes me want to study it all the more.
Thanks!