Devotion on The Holy Trinity

Introduction

When we think about God, do we remember and acknowledge that he is Triune in his nature?

Do our prayers exhibit our faith in a Triune God?

Does our singing exhibit our faith in a Triune God?

Does our teaching exclaim our faith in a Triune God?

I mean…does it even matter that we believe our God is Triune? Does it have any affect on our day to day walk as Christians?

The Trinity is one of the most complex doctrines of the Christian faith and often the most misunderstood…but if we are going to worship God rightly on this night of worship....we must seek to understand the nature of our Triune God.

I think there are two questions and answers from the New City Catechism that can help us better understand God’s triune nature...

Two Helpful Questions

What is God?

God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is infinite, eternal, and unchanging in his power and perfections, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.

We worship one God…as Deuteronomy 6:4 says,“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

But our one God has revealed himself in three distinct persons…this leads us to the next helpful question...

How many persons are there in God?

There are three persons in the one true and living God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

So we worship one God that has revealed himself in three distinct persons.

This can often give us a headache as we wonder how can we worship one God but, at the same time, believe in three persons? Isn’t this a logical contradiction?

Even though the Trinity is hard to understand, it is not a logical contradiction.

We do not believe that there are three substances of God…for that would be three gods, not one.

Rather, we believe in one divine substance (God) who exists in three distinct persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

There are three words that help us understand the Trinity:

Equal, Distinct, United.

First, each person of the Godhead is EQUAL and fully God.

There is not one person of the Trinity that is greater or lesser than the other.

Second, even though each person of the Godhead is equal, each person is distinct, in that they have different roles in creation and salvation.

Most theologians would describe this truth this way: The Father is not the Son, is not the Spirit

Third, The Father, Son, and Spirit are one God and united in all acts in creation and salvation. They are all working together in perfect union and community.

Two Examples From Scripture

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”

Jesus does not say… “baptize them in the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…as if they are three different gods… there is one name shared by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…One God.”

Nor does Jesus say… “baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, Spirit…as if these were just three hats or costumes God put on. No, he says… “baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

To see the Trinity’s distinct roles in our salvation we can look at...

1 Peter 1:2-3 “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

So in this verse we see that when it comes to our salvation...

The Father chooses and elects us.

The Son lives for us, dies in our place for our sins, and rises again from the dead.

The Spirit applies the work of Christ to our hearts and regenerates our hearts. He is the one who sanctifies us and makes us more like Jesus.

So we worship one God, who has revealed himself in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, sharing the same divine essence, and work together in unity and community.

The doctrine of the Trinity is so hard for our finite minds to fully understand, even though it is not contrary to reason, it is above reason for us to fully grasp, but this should lead us to worship our great God all the more.

So may we join with Augustine who said:

Glory to the Father who created us,

Glory to the Son who redeemed us,

Glory to the Holy Spirit who sanctified us;

Glory to the most high and undivided Trinity.

Whose works are inseparable,

whose kingdom without end abides,

from age to age, forever, Amen.