The revelation about God as triune is surely one of the deepest mysteries in the Bible. Who can get to the bottom of it?
About the being of God we can only know what He reveals to us. And perhaps more than anything else, the revelation about the Trinity is more than any man can fathom.
Therefore, when we consider this subject, there is no room for human speculations. Humbly we have to stick to Biblical revelation. We dare not depart one millimeter from it.
● In a nutshell we can state God's revelation concerning His Person thus: God is one Being, who exists for all eternity as three Persons. - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That does not mean that He is three separate Gods. But on the other hand, He is not merely three manifestations of one God. In His essential being He is one; but at the same time He is three Persons.
The Bible leads us to make at least three statements concerning God's triunity:
Firstly, the only and living God is for all eternity unchangeably and indivisibly óne.
Secondly, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are separate Persons.
Thirdly, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are each one fully and equally God.
● Because God's triunity is so fundamental, it causes this doctrine to govern almost all other doctrines of the Christian faith: the divinity and person of Jesus Christ; the incarnation of the Son, His work of reconciliation, etc. Without keeping this in mind, not one of the vital doctrines of the Christian faith can be understood.
● It is not overstating the case to say that the doctrine of the triunity of God lies at the heart of the Christian faith. The are certain monotheistic faiths, and there are polytheistic religions, but in none of them will you find the concept of triunity.
● The revelation of God's trinity always reminds us that God is not an impersonal, unemotional, or lonely Being. It helps us remember that His attributes of relationship would in any case have been able to find full expression, even if He had not created anyone outside Himself.
There are clear indications in Scripture that there have been intimate love, fellowship, respect, trust, and joy between the three Persons of the Godhead since all eternity past.
How God's trinity is being revealed
● Jews and Muslims find the doctrine of God's trinity very offensive. They accuse Christians of doing violence to the Old Testament's monotheism. The question is therefore whether the trinity of God is indeed being revealed in the Bible, and specifically whether it is to be found in the Old Testament?
● Although God's trinity is an unmistakable revelation throughout the Bible, we have to understand that it is not being revealed in explicit terms. Nowhere in Scripture will you find a definition or a set of propositions explaining it. No, the revelation - that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is each one, in His own right, truly and equally God - is given to us in fragmentary and subtle statements from beginning to end in the Word. And, like so many Scriptural truths, this revelation has a progressive character.
It is therefore necessary to gather together, as it were, these portions of revelation to come to a well developed understanding of the Trinity.
● To formulate such a doctrine, it is sometimes necessary to use words not found in Scripture. Because this doctrine is so different from anything we find in this life, it is not only difficult to understand, but it is also very difficult to put into words. In the process it has been necessary to create some new words. So the word, "Trinity", came into being. This is the reason why you cannot find it in Scripture. It nevertheless helps us to easily express what Scripture teaches about the deepest being of the living God.
The Old Testament
● It is highly improbable that anyone who reads the Old Testament without any knowledge of the New, would come to the insight of the truth of the Trinity as we know it today. This does not mean, however, that the Old Testament says nothing about the Trinity. It does indeed. It also does not mean that Old Testament believers were totally ignorant about it, although they definitely did not understand it as clearly as we do today.
• The well-known theologian, Benjamin Warfield, illustrated it like this: the Old Testament revelation about God's trinity is like a treasure chamber in half-light. Without bright light you cannot determine exactly what is going on. If someone would however bring into the room a strong light, the rich contents come into clear view immediately. The light adds nothing to the treasure, it merely brings it to view.
Concerning the Trinity, the New Testament is such a light.
● At least the following in the Old Testament alludes to God's trinity.
• The name of God, Elohim, which we find already in Gen 1:1 and which is being used more than 2500 times in the Old Testament, appears consistently as a plural. It, however, always is used with verbs in the singular. Probably this points to God's trinity.
• Gen 1:26-27 is meaningful.. First pronouns in the plural are being used: "Then God said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." Immediately after this the singular is used again: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Also in Gen 3:22 we get the same: "And the Lord God (Hb. Jahweh Elohim) said, "The man has now become like one of us ..."
And when the tower of Babel was built, it says that the Lord said, "Come let us go down ..." (Gen 11:7).
When Isaiah is called, the Lord says: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Is 6:8).
• In a number of Old testament utterances, nouns in the plural are being used to refer to God.
◦ Ps 149:2: "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker (lit. Makers), let the people of Zion be glad in their King."
◦ Remember your Creator (lit. Creators) in the days of your youth ..."
◦ Is 54:5: "For your Maker v (lit. Makers) is your Husband (lit. Husbands) - the Lord Almighty is His name".
• In the Old Testament there are portions where one Person is being called "God" or "Lord", while He is being distinguished from another whom is being referred to as God as well.
◦ Ps 45:7-8: "Your throne, o God, will last for ever and ever; a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
Here we have two persons who are both called "God" (Hb. Elohim). And without doubt what is being said of them cannot refer to a human being.
It should therefore not surprise us that the author to the Hebrews applies this verse to the Son (Hb 1:8).
◦ Ps 110:1: "The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
The Lord Jesus works with this in Mt 22:41-46 as He proves to the Pharisees that He is the Messiah - as well as truly God. He quotes Ps 110 and points out that David refers to two persons, calling both of them God. And for whom did Jahweh say, "sit at My right hand", if that person is not God Himself? Only someone unwilling and obstinate would deny that we have here the Father addressing the Son. And it is clear that this is exactly how Jesus interprets it.
As additional confirmation David continues in Ps 110:4 with what Jahweh says to Adonai: "The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." And this promise the author applies more than once to Jesus Christ (Hb 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:17, 21).
◦ There can therefore be no doubt that at least some poets of the Psalms were aware of the fact that there are more than one Person in the Godhead.
◦ Is 63:10: "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is said to be grieved, which implies His personality
● We can go on and on like this, but the above shows clearly that the Old Testament is not quiet about the fact of the Trinity. It was not always very obvious, but for one who is attentive it is as clear as sunlight.
The New Testament
● If you read the New Testament you find the surprising fact that the triunity of God is nowhere explained, but everywhere presupposed. It is simply accepted that readers are not uncertain about it (cp. Mt 28:19; Mk 1:9-11; Jh 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:5-15; 1Cor 12:3-6; 2Cor 13:14; Eph 1:3-14; 2:18; 4:4-6; Gl 4:4-6; Rm 8:1-11; 2Th 2:13-14; Tit 3:4-6; 1Pt 1:2; Jude 20-21; Rev 1:4).
How are we to understand it that the Old Testament was apparently written before the doctrine of the Trinity was revealed clearly, and the New Testament seemingly after this revelation?
● The New Testament revelation about the Trinity is not primarily given to us in words, but in actions. We see the fact of the Trinity when God the Son comes to this world. We see it when the Holy Spirit is poured out on the day of Pentecost. For these two things to happen, the Old Testament was a preparation, and the New Testament the result. From the beginning, after all, God revealed Himself to us to a large extent in deeds - therefore in the streambed of history.
The triunity of God therefore only comes to clear revelation when God's plan of redemption reaches its climax. In fact, the culmination of God's plan of salvation is really God's final revelation concerning His triunity.
● New Testament believers understood this doctrine, because they understood the gospel. They understood that God the Father loved them so much that He had sent His own and dearly beloved Son to bring about their salvation. They understood that the Son had to be truly God in order to save them. They understood that the Holy Spirit, who came to them on the day of Pentecost, had been sent by the Father and the Son. They understood that He is a distinct Person, and that what He brings about in them, could in no way be done by someone less than God.
● The basic New Testament revelation and proof of the triunity of God really, therefore, comes to expression in facts rather than in words. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the New Testament proof of God's triunity.
Yes, of course there are many allusions to the triunity of God in the Bible, but the final proof of it is to be found in the fact that both the Son and the Spirit are truly God. It really boils down to this: If the Jesus of the New Testament is truly God the Son, and if the Holy Spirit is truly the Spirit of God, and God the Spirit - the triunity of God is a fact. If not, the triune God does not exist.
The Trinity in church history
The early church was bombarded from all sides with the many idols of those days. The result was that the emphasis of Christian preaching was on the unity of the Godhead: "We are not serving a multitude of idols; we are serving the óne true and living God of heaven and earth!" They emphasised that this one God had revealed Himself to man in the person of Jesus Christ.
This does not mean that the early Christians were unaware of the Trinity; to the contrary. They, however, found it very difficult to formulate the doctrine of the Trinity. It would take a long time before the church came to such a formulation.
Perhaps the heresies of Gnosticism and Arianism, which both denied the reality of the Trinity, more than anything else forced the early church to give much thought to Biblical revelation of the Trinity.
The two church fathers who played the main role in the development of this doctrine were both from North Africa: Tertullian and Origen. They lived in the last half of the second century and the beginning of the third.
Finally this doctrine - as we understand it to this day - was formulated by the councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381). From the time of Nicea to 8 years before Constantinople, Athanasius, bishop of the church in Alexandria, played a heroic role to prevent the church being overcome by the heresy of Arianism.
Some points of application
● How are we to respond to God's trinity? So exalted He is, that one can only react in one way - to worship Him as the holy Trinity. And how does one worship Him; what do you say? You can only echo back to Him what He has revealed concerning Himself. If you try to say more, there is a real possibility of falling into unholy speculation. And therefore one would often just keep quiet in His presence, overwhelmed by His glory. But precisely this is the first practical implication of this Scriptural truth at which we are looking.
Never can we busy ourselves with something more exalted than worship. This is really the reason for our creation. And this is the deepest reason why we have received life eternal.
Meditate often over these things. Then worship una substantia tres personae. And if the words clot in your throat - be quiet before Him and stoop low. Often this is the highest form of worship.
● God has deep joy in fellowship and communion. The mutual love and fellowship between the Persons of the Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - we find spread out over the pages of the Bible.
Every time the Father speaks to the Son here on earth, He expresses His love for the Son (Lk 3:22; Mt 17:5). And the Son had no stronger passion than to obey the Father. And what does the Spirit desire more than glorifying the Son (Jh 16:14-15)?
And of course - what a wonderful truth this is! - communion with the triune God is our highest and eternal calling (Jh 17:3). And we enjoy this privilege, because He wants it, and has ordained it.
● God is a God of cooperation. Did the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit not decide before the creation to glorify themselves - by creating, and ultimately saving an elect people from a fallen humanity? Do each one of them not have a specific role in this process?
● Let us be intensely grateful for God's trinity.
• This made it possible, while the Father remained sovereign and in full control in heaven, for the Son to become man and dwell among us. What would have become of us if He did not come as great Prophet, Priest and King to this world?
• Because God is triune, the Holy Spirit could be sent to this world by the Father and the Son. And what would we have been without Him - without His regenerating, illuminating, assuring, sanctifying and equipping work? Without Him it would have been impossible to love, serve, please and glorify our beloved Saviour.
● Let us pray correctly to the triune God. Often one wonders Whom you should address when you pray - the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit.
Many of our prayers will be addressed to the Trinity.
As a rule, however, we are to address the Father - based on the mediatory work of the Son, depending on the Holy Spirit to lead us. This is the teaching of our Lord himself in the Lord's prayer.
This does not mean, however, that we cannot pray to the Son, especially when you pray about His specific work. He is truly God, after all.
There is very little evidence in the Bible, if any, of prayer to the Spirit. Yet it cannot be wrong to address Him now and then. There is, after all, such a thing as fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14). But let us remember, He is, by way of speaking, the shy Person of the holy Trinity. And His passion is to glorify the Son. And what He does in our lives, is nothing else than bringing about the will of the Lord Jesus.
But having said all the above, let us remember: normally we will address the Father in our prayers.
❦
Nico van der Walt
Randburg
April 2013
T: 011 476 2907 ; 082 848 9396
E: nico.vanderwalt@reformed.org.za
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