God is Trinity
Genesis 1:26 - "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground'” (NIV).
Matthew 28:19 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (NIV).
Jn 14:16-17 - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (NIV).
John 14:23 - "Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'" (NIV).
2 Corinthians 13:14 - "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (NIV).
The Trinity - one of the great truths of God's nature. A concept difficult to fully comprehend, yet so clearly laid out for us in Scripture. There is one God (Deut. 6:4). And there are three persons of the Godhead - Father (1 Tim. 1:17), Son (John 8:58), and Holy Spirit (John 14:15-27). The Bible does not give us a systematic explanation of the Trinity and does not even mention the word "Trinity" in its pages. Yet, this truth clearly emerges from His Word - one God in three Persons.
Perhaps the best way to understand this truth is in the relational nature of God. Before the creation of the world, the Godhead existed. Hebrews 3:1-3 tells us that the Father created the universe through His Son. And we know from Genesis 1:2 that "the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." All three were present before our time began. What were they doing? Loving each other. In John 14 we read about the intertwining relationship of love in the Godhead. God is fully satisfied in Himself. There is a relationship of incredible dependence and intimacy between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We could view their relationship like a top that you spin on a table. This would be a three-sided (triangular) top. When it is at rest on the table, you can see the individual three sides. But, when you spin the top, you only see one top. The spinning of the top is like the fast interchange of love between the members of the Godhead. The love and dependence is so fast ("the speed of God," faster than the speed light or sound) and complete that we experience the one, true God. Admittedly, this illustration of the Trinity has its limitations. But, it is most helpful to remember that God is relational by nature. This relationship is the core meaning of the Trinity.
For More Study
- Gen. 1:26; 3:5, 22; 11:7
- Psa. 100:3
- Isa. 6:8
- John 1:1, 14; 14-16
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- The Trinity is all about the family of God. Do you realise that the Father has adopted you into His family (Eph 1:5)? You are never alone. Father, Son and Holy Spirit surround you.
- Which member of the Godhead do you feel least connected to or know least about?
- How can your relationships better reflect the relationships between Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
​Memorization
John 14:23 - "Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'" (NIV).
