Scriptural Reference:
"In no other
subject is error more dangerous, inquiry more difficult, or the discovery
of truth more rewarding"
Augustine, De Trinitate
"That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,
neither blending their persons
nor dividing their essence.
For the person of the Father is a distinct person,
the person of the Son is another,
and that of the Holy Spirit still another.
But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,
their glory equal, their majesty coeternal"
The Athanasian Creed
“After being baptized,
Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were
opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting
on Him.”
Matthew 3:16
“Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . . .”
Matthew 28:19
The grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit, be with you all.
2 Corintians 13:14
Reflection:
When it comes to contentious topics the Trinity is right up at the top.
The Trinity could be described as a conundrum wrapper in a conudnrum
and then hidden in a riddle. Factional denominations have built their
branding, such as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Oneness
Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, based pon their rejection if the
Trinity. While some of these groups purport ot be "Christian"
or alligned with Christian doctrine; they also tend to reject the Bible
as it is. Either choosing to create their own set of holy books or doctrine
to adhere to. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gone
so far as to match Jesus and Lucifer up as brothers. A cntentious issue
that can be discussed at another time.
What do we know
about the Trinity from the bible? We read in Matthew 3:16 how the Spirit
of God rested on Jesus after he was baptised. This gives us the impression
that Jesus is one person, God is His Father and a separate person and
the Holy Spirit is a third personage. The Holy Spirit is described as
coming from God and resting on Jesus. Three destinct individuals. And
yet we are also told that they are of the same substance and being.
(1)
There is exactly one God.
(2) The Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit
is God
(3) The Father is not the Son, and the Holy Spirit is
not the Father or the Son
At this point,
and in keeping with the Bibles teachings, It's important to remember
that Christians are not permitted to deny any of these three points.
AS explained;
(1) Is intended
to rule out polytheism, the view that there is more than one God. As
int the of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Where they
tend to hide the doctrine that they believe there are multiple god's
at work in the universe.
(2) Is intended to rule out subordinationism, the view that not all
of the Persons are divine, or that the divinity of one or more of the
Persons is unequal with, or subordinate to, that of the others. As in
many gnostic groups who try and rationalise the hierachy of God and
man.
(3) Is intended to rule out modalism, the view that the Persons of the
Trinity are not really distinct from one another but merely different
manifestations (in Latin, 'modes') in which the one God presents himself.
As in the United Pentecostals, and the Oneness Pentecostalism. By denying
the Trinity the attempt to nominalise the unique essence of God.
I remember reading
of one attempt to understand the Trinity. This anology uses water to
create an image of how the three could be unique and yet of the same
nature or essence. Oddly this view has been rejected by many modern
theologians. It would seem theologians have become very attachted to
their own opinions over the long held beliefs and understandings of
past theologians. Not always a good thing. As for the water analogy;
I find it useful. As water has the three forms of solid, fluid and gas,
and yet in all three states it is still water. So that within a confined
space one could have all three states represented of the same substance.
There is the egg analogy that works on the three aspects
of an egg. The shell, the albium (white) and the yolk. Each being separate
and yet it takes all three to create the egg as we know and recognise
it. For me this is problematic. Although the htree parts add up to make
the whole egg, they are not of the same nature or essence. They are
too unique to constitute a being that is both uniquely separate and
still bonded as one. There seems to needs there to be a definition of
function for each aspect of the Trinity of God while not deminishing
the whole. To give each part of the Trinity a purpose and personality
unique to them could be to define each as being;
"God
the Father o Creator"
"God the Son o Redeemer"
"God the Holy Spirit o Comforter"
I believe that
we are blessed by the definitions of these three as each provides us
with those things we trully need most in life. We are created by God
as our Father. We are able tp be recognsiled with God through Jesus
the Christ and we find our comfort and guidance through the Holy Spirit.
It is in this Holy and Divine conundrum that we find the anchor of our
salvation. Where we can meet with God through Jesus and guided by the
Holy Spirit. No other emchanism will do what the Trinity can do for
our ultimate salvation. This is also why we need to give equal relevance
and importance to all three aspects and parts of God. If you are attending
a church that doesn't
recognise the sancitity of the Trinity you need to leave and seek out
one that does. Your very salvation and eternal future relies in it.
Prayer:
Father God devine
Creator,
You who knew me before birth.
Take my heart and teach it wisdom,
Help me grow my faith in you.
Blessed Lord, my
sould salvation,
Healer of thgis broken heart.
Guide me now into your vineyard,
For the harvest of your love.
Holy Spirit, precious
comfort,
Guiding light within my heart.
Gently lead me ever onward,
To the mystery of the Cross.
Amen