The word Trinity is not found in our English bibles, yet it is identified as one of the 100 words every Christian should know. [1] Simply defined the word means, God in three Persons; Father Son and Holy Spirit. Though the word Trinity is not found in the Bible, in many cases the three Persons are revealed to us. Most notably in 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."
In the Baptismal formula given by our Lord Jesus, we see the three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We also see their unity! Baptism is in the name of all three Persons. They have one Name! It is not the name of the Father and the name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit. No, it is one divine name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians serve one God, not three gods.
The three Persons are one and the same God. Jesus declares to us the divine nature of the Father and the Son in John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. The Father has life in himself. God's existence is completely independent of creation. God's divine existence emanates from himself. He is completely self-sustaining. The Son likewise has life in himself. This self-sustaining life of the Son is not in isolation of the Father. The Father as the first person of the Trinity has granted the Son to have life in himself. The Second Person of the Trinity stands in relation to the First.
The Third Person of the Trinity is also divine. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as "another Helper." John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." John refers to Jesus Christ as our "Helper, with the Father," (Some translations use the word Advocate, but the same Greek word is used in both John 14:16 and 1 John 2:1). [2] The Comfort that Jesus provides for his disciples is that they will have "Another" with them, while Jesus is departing to the Father (See John 13:1 for context). Jesus is comforting His disciples that "another," like himself will be with them. When the other helper comes we also have Jesus present with us, we in him and he in us. John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
The revelation of God as three distinct Persons is a mystery that must be preserved and affirmed. In fact all Christians, through Christian baptism, are baptized in the name of the Triune God. The Doctrine of the Trinity then is Christianity's Fundamental and Primary Truth, and no Christian can plead Ignorance. Pastor's, Elders and Christian teachers must take their responsibility very seriously to instruct Christians in this basic truth.
Since the distinction between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a distinction not in the BEING (Ontological distinction) of God, but a distinction between the WORK (Economical distinction) of the divine Persons. [3]
To quote George Smeaton,
"So to the divine WORKS, the Father is the source from which every operation or work emanates, the Son is the medium through which it is performed, and the Holy Spirit is the executive by which it is carried into effect." (Emphasis mine)
The Doctrine of the Trinity is then a very practical doctrine for the Church and the individual Christian, because it is about the Person's and Work of God. I say work (singular), because though there is a distinction between the three Persons in the performance of their work, there is a unity of purpose. The three Persons are not working against one another. Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in Redemption. The practical nature of this doctrine lies in the fact that our work (the Church and every individual Christian) is an outflow of God's work in Redemption.
Just think of the unity that can be promoted between the Church and individual Christians, when we see the unified work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Redemption. [4]
In Christ
Pastor Hennie
[1] ROSE PUBLISHING, 100 Words Every Christian Should know
[2] The Greek word can be transliterated "parakletos" and is often translated as either helper or advocate. There is a definite connotation to legal representation or legal help.
[3] See, George Smeaton, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Banner of Truth, Reprinted 1980, pg. 3-4, for a very helpful discussion on the distinction between the divine Persons. Notice again that the distinction pointed out by Smeaton is in the FUNCTION/ WORK of the divine Persons, not in their BEING or ESSENCE.
[4] Also remember that the three divine Persons do not work independently nor in isolation from one another, but each divine Person is fully involved in every aspect of Salvation.
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