Making sense of the trinity
A few years ago, I was invited to write a sample for a book idea. The idea (as presented to me) was to address some of the challenging issues of the Christian faith, using the creative premise that the book was a transcript of an moderator’s interview with God (or other biblical personalities). Ultimately, the novelty wasn’t effective and the idea never moved forward. I think there was a discovery soon after of a similarly-premised book released earlier, and filled with heresy.
What follows is my sample, written on the topic of the Trinity. Please excuse any conceit in attempting to ghost write for God. I hope you find this helpful in trying to wrap your arms (and heart and brain) about the triune nature of God.
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[Moderator] Approximately 1,600 years ago, a priest named Arius suggested that God had created Jesus before anyone or anything else, and that Jesus was not quite human, but not quite God. In 325 c.e., this problematic teaching prompted an official response from the early leaders of Christianity. They refuted Arius’ teaching and decreed that Jesus was begotten but not made from the Father, and that the two are the same in their essence. With this declaration, the doctrine of the Trinity was born.
To this day, many people struggle to understand the Trinity. Despite the fact that the Bible never actually uses the word “trinity,” this is the term most often used to present the three-faceted aspect of God’s nature. The Bible clearly speaks about God the Father. Jesus is clearly presented as God’s son. And the Holy Spirit is identified as God who came after Jesus ascended to heaven. Three distinct personalities. Yet, the Bible says that God is one and Christianity teaches that Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit are one. It stands to reason that if people can understand the Trinity, they will understand God better. So help us wrap our minds around this difficult concept.
[God] Well, you have already mentioned the first, most important principle to embrace when trying to understand the Trinity. That is, I am one.[1] This means that I am the only God. There are not three different Gods, or a hundred gods, or a million. Just me. I alone am God. When I say I am one, I’m also letting you know that I am completely in unity with myself. I never doubt myself. I never disagree with myself, and I am never divided against myself. So as you try to understand who I am, it would be wrong to think of me as a council of three debating, deliberating, and even occasionally disagreeing Gods.
It has always been important to me for all people to understand that the three aspects of my single nature are eternal. This is why I revealed that God[2], Jesus,[3] and Holy Spirit[4] are present at and receive credit for all of creation. When I created the first human, I said something that gives a hint to my triune nature. I said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”[5] Notice that I did not say, “I’m going to make man in my image.” This would deny my full nature as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Likewise, I also did not say, “Let us make man in our images, in our likenesses.” This would have suggested that we are three separate Gods.
[Moderator] So you are three in personalities, by you are one in essence.
[God] That’s right.
[Moderator] That seems extraordinarily complicated. Why was it necessary for you to reveal these three aspects of your nature as distinct personalities?
[God] The key word to your question is “necessary.” The truth is, it is entirely necessary to reveal myself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit because that is the fullness of who I am in relation to humans. Let me explain to make it more clear.
Because I am one, you need to understand at a basic level that I don’t change. I am always the same.[6] So, as you understand me as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it would be wrong to think that first I was the Father, then I was the Son, and now I am the Holy Spirit.
While I am one in my essential divine being, I am understandable and relatable to you in three distinct expressions, or revelations of myself. I have revealed myself to you as Father, as the Son (Jesus), and as the Holy Spirit. Throughout the time of creation, the Patriarchs and the prophets, I revealed myself to you primarily as the Father, so you would could relate to me as your God and the God of your ancestors.[7] The entire time I did this, I pointed to when I would enter into human history as the Son.
[Jesus] Then, at the appointed time, I left my throne in heaven and came to the earth to reveal myself as the Savior for humanity. I related to you as the Son, so you would understand that God is not only the God of your forefathers, but also your Father in heaven.[8] As the Son, I demonstrate the full extent of my love for you. As the Son, I am the Messiah that the Father promised. I was crucified, buried, and rose again just as promised.[9] I paid the ultimate price so you could be shown the only way back to your heavenly Father.[10] Even while I did this, though, I promised that the Father would send the Holy Spirit in my name, and he would arrive after I ascended back to the Father.[11]
[Holy Spirit] Which I did, as promised.[12] And I am revealed to you in this way so you know that I have come to live within you.[13] You need to know that I love you so much that I’m not satisfied with just saving you. I also will guide you,[14] correct you,[15] protect you,[16] and bless you.[17] And I will do this until you go to heaven where you will experience me fully as Father, Son, and Spirit.
[Moderator] Does that mean in heaven, you all are there?
[God] I am there. It is my home.[18]
[Jesus] I am there. I am at the Father’s side.[19]
[Holy Spirit] I am there. My presence fills the fullness of heaven.[20]
[Moderator] You three bear witness in heaven that…
[Holy Spirit] I…
[Jesus] Am…
[God] One.[21]
[1] Deuteronomy 6:4 nasb
[2] Genesis 1:1 nkjv
[3] John 1:1-3 msg
[4] Genesis 1:2 nlt
[5] Genesis 1:26 niv
[6] James 1:17 cev
[7] Genesis 32:9 hcsb
[8] Matthew 6:9 niv
[9] 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 msg
[10] John 14:6 nkjv
[11] John 14:26 cev
[12] Acts 2:1-4 nasb
[13] 1 Corinthians 3:16 msg
[14] John 16:13 nkjv
[15] Hebrews 12:5 cev
[16] Ephesians 1:13 esv
[17] Isaiah 44:3 nkjv
[18] Revelation 21:3 esv
[19] Acts 7:56 msg
[20] Revelation 4:2 hcsb
[21] 1 John 5:7-8 niv
What does it mean to “seek God with your whole heart?”
The Bible makes an audacious claim that if a person seeks God with all his heart, God will reveal himself to that person. That person, it is promised in Scripture, will certainly find God:
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
So there’s the promise that you’ll find God if you are looking for Him, and the key is that you have to engage in the quest with all your heart.
That’s where there’s a problem
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 )
What is a sincere seeker to do, if the very tool he is to rely upon cannot be remotely trusted?
