Devotionals

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The Trinity of God

The trinity puzzles many Christians. Three - God, the Father, Christ, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yet one God. We, as Christians, are “baptized into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
All three parts of the one God united together have one purpose. To love us by loving each other and esteeming one another. Showing the family of believers unity. Paul in I Corinthians 12 and again in Ephesians 4 stresses the importance of unity. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). What greater example can there be?
God gives all authority in heaven and on earth to the Son (John 8:18). Yet Christ, in turn, says in John 12:49-50 that he only speaks that which He is commanded to by the Father. The Son asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 - “And I will ask the Father and He will send another Counselor.” (Another in Greek means the exact same kind). In Christ explaining the role of the Holy Spirit, he continues by saying in John 16:12-15 - “I have much more to say to you, more than you can bear. But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”
Out of love the Father sent the Son to earth. Out of love the Son was willing to come. When it was time to return to the Father, Jesus asked and the Father sent us the Holy Spirit. The trinity working together to save us from ourselves and Satan.
Each member of the Godhead had/has a role in the salvation of man. God took the lead in old testament times. Throughout the old testament, HE seems to be more ‘hands on.’ During the patriarchal period, God spoke directly to the head of the each family. Then Moses was given the law by God on Mount Sinai. Through the old law, God showed us our sin. And because of the love for us, He provided temporary cleansing with animal sacrifices.
The first sacrifice was for Adam and Eve. He clothed them with animal skin. An innocent animal died to cover them after eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Another example of His love is the covenant He made with Abram. God promised innumerable descendents and possession of the land of Israel. Genesis 15 we can read their conversation. The Lord asks Abram to bring a heifer, goat, ram, dove, and young pigeon. In this time, a blood sacrifice was a traditional covenant agreement. The ritual had an animal slaughtered, then cut in half. The two halves would be laid opposite each other. The two parties who were entering the covenant would walk around the two halves in a figure eight path through the blood. This symbolized that each realized this agreement if broken would lead to their death. The covenant would stand until death.
In Genesis 15, God took responsibility for both Himself and Abram - verse 17 “…a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.” The smoke and fire are symbols of God. To this day, God has kept this covenant.
After the law, God spoke through the prophets. God, through the prophets, began laying the ground for Jesus. The first scripture most think of prophesying Christ’s coming is in Isaiah 53.
If you look at a timeline of Biblical times, at the end of the old testament there is approximately 400 years of silence before Christ’s birth. No new prophets or words from God. Possibly God was devoting His time and attention to Jesus and preparing Him for His ‘move’ to earth.
Jesus is the transition. Jesus teaches the gift of love and grace in person. Through His miracles, He shows love and provides proof of His Holy origin. He showed us leadership - leadership as a servant. He prepared a select group of men to carry the gospel (“good news”) to the world, by example and teaching them including through parables. The four gospels are for us to learn from Christ as well 2000 years later. John writes that in 20:30 “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this boo. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
As the transition from old to new testament/law, Christ made the sacrifice. He spanned the gap of sin on the cross, dying in our place. His role in the timeline of this world is short. Around 33 years. But without Him, there would be no future. He links the old law - that showed our sin but did not provide a lasting solution - with the new law of love - that allows eternal forgiveness.
Jesus introduces us, in John 14, to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the part of the Godhead who is most active today. The Holy Spirit, in the history of the early church, had a special role. Acts 2:4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled.” That first sermon in Jerusalem was heard by many from different regions. They all heard that sermon in their native language. The Spirit also enable the apostles to perform miracles.
Today, the Holy Spirit, as He has throughout history, convicts, reveals, and demonstrates to us. He convinces or exposes our sin to us and our need to repent. He reveals to us the plan of righteousness and gospel of love. He demonstrates the judgment that condemns Satan and unbelievers (John 16).
As believers, the Holy Spirit fills us at baptism. By filling us, we can bear good fruit if as John 15:5 says. “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit…” Galatians 5:22-23 lists that fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
Even though we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our sinful nature tries to push Him out (Galatians 5:17). But do not be discouraged. Romans 8 tells us about the sinful nature. The key to remember is that in a Christian, sin comes in as an intruder but does not live there because the Holy Spirit ’pricks our heart’ to repent. Just remember to heed his warnings.
The Spirit helps in other ways too. He helps us pray when we don’t know how (Romans 8:26-27). He reveals the will of God to us (I Corinthians 2:10-11). The Spirit brings unity to believers (Ephesians 4:3-6). He helps us discern true teachers and teachings (I John 2:26-27).
In summary, the trinity is God. The three parts of God are, have been and will be active in the plan of life. But I see each taking the lead at different times. The Holy Spirit has the lead currently. He took it when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, ascended to heaven. Jesus acted to transition the time between the old and new law and provide our access to heaven. And before Christ, God - the Father, had the lead showing the legalistic old testament.
Do you know them/him?

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