Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
An explanation of the Holy Trinity.
One God but three persons, out of necessity.
Christianity’s ‘triune’ God.
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1. INTRODUCTION
It is recommended that readers should first gain a quick overview of Christianity by accessing the article titled, “Christianity explained”, before reading this particular article.
And it is true to say that Christianity does have a level of ‘complexity’ within its own ‘monotheist‘ model. I am referring to its so-called “triune God” – that is not present within Judaism or Islam. This “Holy Trinity” consists of God the Father, God the Son (i.e. Jesus the Son of God) and God the Holy Spirit. Christian theology essentially offers one God in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
The Christian belief of a triune God confuses many people, including writers from other monotheist religions, notably Islam. They rightly believe that there is but one God within their own religion, and often view Christians as ‘honoring’ three gods. However, this is most definitely NOT the case. There is absolutely only ONE God, as far as Christians are concerned.
Now, if all this seems a bit too much for you … say if you are even struggling with the possible existence of God … please begin by reading the article, “How to believe in God?”. Trust me on this one: IF you are ready to believe, THEN you can!
(And bear in mind that the image above is ‘symbolic’. I don’t necessarily think the Holy Trinity really looks like that.)
2. WHY A ‘TRIUNE’ GOD?
God obviously, and without question, has the power and ability to do anything he chooses to do! And, once an understanding of God’s motives are clear, it is also clear why the complexity of the Trinity was necessary. Clearly, God had a need to make the relationship ‘that he wanted with us’ very clear. And to do so it was necessary for him to come amongst us, as one of us, to give; to guide.
But, God must continually nurture our universe on a moment to moment basis; he underpins reality; he continuously makes everything “be”. He is also present within each individual human being’s life. As such, he tries as examples to assist and guide each person, whether they have learnt to recognise that or not.
And, humankind’s continual physical and spiritual dependence on God, meant that he could not just leave the universe to itself and then become human, to go about his work with us; for us. He HAD to do both simultaneously. After Jesus’ physical death, resurrection and ascension to Heaven there was a further need to have an intimate presence within the Church and in our lives; our hearts. This further ‘essence’ of God came to be known as the “Holy Spirit”.
3. THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR
Some two thousand years later, we might merely understand the Trinity as the three roles of God, or even the different ways he operates. And perhaps it wouldn’t do too much harm to grasp the complexity in that way. However, the Bible DOES take it further. It gives each person of the Trinity definite separation from the others. But all importantly, on the other hand, it still makes it clear that God has ‘only one will’. No, God definitely does NOT need to discuss issues/ make decisions amongst himself.
The Gospel of John actually lays a sound groundwork for the concept of the Trinity.
In John 1:1-5 it is made very clear that Jesus was God (The Word). And then in John 14: 5-14 Jesus ‘spells it out’ again. For example, Jesus states in verse 7 : “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Then in John 15:26 he included the other person of the Trinity, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”
4. PERSONS OF THE TRINITY
As far as we Christians are concerned, the concept of the Trinity allows us to approach God in slightly different ways on occasions, which does give us the ability to best match our needs and feelings to the characteristics of God. But there is much more intended by God with regards to the Trinity.
Let us have a look at the persons of the Holy Trinity.
4.1 God the Father
The nature of Father God is easily understood. He is fundamentally the God of the Old Testament (“Yahweh” to Jews and “Allah” to Muslims), truly a force to be reckoned with; loving … yet to be respected and revered. Look … he is in a sense comparable, in a ‘transcendent’ manner of course, to our earthly parents. Father God loves us and wants a committed one-on-one loving relationship with each of us.
We also ‘primarily’ think of the Father as our creator, indeed the creator and sustainer of ‘everything that is’.
So, we can freely approach God as our loving Parent through this person of the Trinity.
4.2 God the Son (Jesus)
Approximately 2,000 years ago, whilst still retaining his own existence, God placed his own eternal ‘essence’ within a virgin human woman (Mary). That ‘event’ is not to be compared to human sexual processes in any way because God is purely spiritual. The child Jesus who developed within Mary, ‘although divine‘, was also truly human. Jesus, Son of God, came with the passing of time to recognise that he was One with the God of the Old Testament. The previously mentioned theological description, by St John the Apostle, of Jesus as “The Word” again, further clarifies the divine connection between Jesus and God.
Jesus in his human form was destined to ‘lay down his life‘ to pay for all of humankind’s wrongdoings. Christians are called to ‘believe’ that Jesus (God as such) died to ensure that they can all enjoy eternal life. It is said that by doing so we are “saved by faith”.
The person of Jesus, within the Trinity, offers us the characteristics of loving brother and comforter. Jesus intercedes for us. Through the person of Jesus, God fully experienced human temptation and pain for himself. Therefore, Christians believe that they have a God who has actually experienced human life. Prayer with such a God is, as a result, potentially more intimate and ‘easy’.
4.3 God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit can firstly be understood as ‘coming from’ both the Father and the Son. As practising Christians, we can eventually recognise the Spirit as God’s ‘active’ presence here on Earth and within us.
Some of his main functions are to help make us holy, to assist us with obeying God; to encourage us to draw closer to the Father and Jesus. The Spirit also guides Christians within their faith, to understand the Bible so as to know Jesus better.
I consider the actual ‘presence’ of the “Spirit” is the most obvious within the Born Again/ Charismatic movement of the Church. It is explained in the article, “Choosing a church”. Amazing stuff happens there, empowered by the Spirit, just as it did in the early Christian Church 2,000 plus years ago. He does not do it to glorify himself but to draw us to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus (who in turn connects us to the Father). Please see the explanations of events in the article, “Experiencing the Holy Spirit”.
God as the person of the Holy Spirit can make himself dramatically known to each of us, whether a member of ‘the movement’ or not. He can grieve with us, support us in other life challenges, and indeed empower us to ‘deal with life’s hard times’ if we choose to involve him. The Spirit’s absolute (in-dwelling) contact with each of us provides God with the ability to: reach us spiritually; guide and assist us towards our ‘right path’. For a better understanding, please see the article, “Building sound faith“.
Through the Spirit, God can also guide and support our role in spreading his message of love and fulfilment to others … that is primarily available through Jesus.
5. CONCLUSION
I again emphasise that most so-called Christian churches categorically believe that the three identities, Father, Son and Holy Spirit ‘constitute’ one God. And look, this outlook IS essential to accepting the fullness of God’s love for us; the beautiful principle of ‘grace‘.