Doctrine: Trinity (John 7)

Several weeks ago when we talked about the doctrine of election, we talked about the idea of a paradox.

Remember, a paradox is something that seems contradictory, but is in fact..true.

This week- we find ourselves with another paradox as we look at the doctrine of the Trinity.

God is 3 distinct persons yet at the same time…He is 1.

God the Father. God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

3…yet 1.

In John 7 Jesus declared that His teaching and authority came from God the Father.

He also promised that those who believe in Him would receive the Holy Spirit when He returned to heaven.

and here we see God the Father….God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit- all working together- as one.

The three persons of the Trinity actively work together in perfect harmony to carry out God’s plan of redemption.

The Father orchestrated creation……and sent the Son into the world to pay for humanity’s sin

The son created and sustains ALL things and achieved salvation through His perfect life….sacrificial death on the cross….and glorious resurrection.

As He obeyed, He glorified the One who sent him and He promised the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was also involved in creation as well….hovering over the waters at creation.

The Holy Spirit calls sinners to faith and indwells God’s children. He empowers each of us to witnesses for God….to grow in our faith and trust of God and to mature in our relationship with Him.

When we talked about the doctrine of election, we also talked about the difficulty in trying to understand things that we cannot wrap our head around.

Remember the Jewish Rabbi from a few weeks ago....he said “Making sense of everything is not an obligation or even a possibility. Acceptance of a mystery is an act not of resignation but humility.”

In our humanity….we can NOT adequately explain or illustrate the mysterious yet beautiful truth of the Trinity.

All three persons of the Trinity….being fully God…..who are unified in purpose and actively involved in everything God does throughout time….in creation and into eternity.

Our finite minds can’t grasp everything about His plans…His ways….His timing….BUT we know with confidence that He can be trusted!!!!

– How can you find comfort in knowing there are truths about God that you cannot fully comprehend?

• When I do NOT believe in the unified yet mysterious work of the Trinity…then I wrongly limit God to what I understand. I put him in their box and miss out on the glorious things that God is doing.

- When I do believe in the unified work of the Trinity …..I trust the Father’s love for me….rest in Christ’s finished work and listen to and respond to the Holy Spirit in my daily life.

Your salvation and Christian walk involve all three persons of the Trinity. – How aware are you of the Holy Spirit’s work to exalt Christ and draw you to God? – The Holy Spirit provides the power we need to live for God, witness for Him, and grow in faith. – How will you trust God, three-in-one, to provide everything you need to serve Him this week?