Simple Theology: Trinity
How would you describe the Trinity in one word? This has puzzled theologians for millennia. In fact, it took the early church a few hundred years to figure it out for themselves. Thankfully, it can be simplified.
Transcript
We kicked off our new series last week called Simply Theology. Our goal is to explain complicated theological concepts with one word. Today, we’re focusing on the Trinity. How would you explain Trinity in one word? Go ahead and take a minute and talk with the people at your table. The word that I’m going to use today to explain Trinity is unity. Unity. Now as we learn about Trinity as unity, keep in mind the discussions you will have after the sermon. There are 4 discussion questions to help guide your discussion.
Summarize it in 1-2 words
What do you hear the Holy Spirit saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
How can we help you?
So let’s understand the Trinity as unity. To get there, we have to understand 3 truths about the Trinity:
God is one
God is three
And God is distinct.
This is a concept I borrowed from a theologian named Stanley Grenz. So let’s start with the first truth, God is one.
GOD IS ONE
In the Christian worldview, we believe that there is one God. This is also known as monotheism whereas much of ancient history that we’ve come from held to polytheism, a belief that there are many gods. That’s why in Exodus 20 when God gives the 10 Commandments, he tells the Israelites to have no other gods. Before this, the Israelites were in Egypt and influenced by the thousands of different Egyptian gods. Another notable verse in the Old Testament is Deuteronomy 6:4,
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”
This was so important that it was prayed twice a day. In the New Testament, 1 Timothy 2:5 says,
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”
And James 2:19 says,
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”
And there’s more, but it is safe to say that God is one.
GOD IS THREE
And while God is one, God also exists in three persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now you might be saying, hold up. You just said God is one. Yes, God is one AND He exists in three persons. It might seem like a contradiction, but another theologian named Wayne Grudem says this,
“A contradiction would be ‘There is one God and there not one God,’ or ‘God is three persons and God is not three persons,’ or even ‘God is three persons and God is one person.’ But to say that ‘God is three persons and there is one God’ is not a contradiction.”
God has eternally existed in a community of three persons who are each qualitatively the same person. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each share the same essence or nature. They have the same attributes, character, and purpose. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, though 3 persons are each God. Here are some verses in the Old Testament that depict this: Genesis 1:26,
“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness”
And Isaiah 6:8 God says to Isaiah,
“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
Notice how God uses a plural pronoun to describe Himself. And here are some New Testament passages. Mathew 28:19-20 says,
“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.”
Jesus is speaking here and notice that name is singular, not plural even though he references 3 different names. And in Matthew 3:16-17 we get a moment where all three persons of the Trinity are present at Jesus’ baptism. This is what it says,
“At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”
This passage is important because people have tried to make sense of the truths, God is one and God is three, by saying that each person is a mode that God changes into. God is the Father in one situation, the Son in another situation, and the Spirit in another situation. If you like the MCU, the Trinity isn’t Moon Knight. If that’s the case it’s difficult to explain how each person of the Trinity is present at Jesus’ baptism. So the second truth is essential for us in understanding the Trinity. Now, while the three persons are of the same nature, they are each unique and distinct bringing us to the third truth.
GOD IS DISTINCT
The Father, Son, and Spirit all have the same essence, but they are each different and distinct. We see this through their unique function. The Father is the overseer of salvation. The Father plans what salvation looks like. The Son executes the plan of salvation through death on the cross and resurrection. We believe it was Jesus who died on the cross, not the Father or the Spirit. And then the Spirit convinces us of the Father’s plan and the Son’s death and resurrection and transforms us. Though they are different, it doesn’t make them less than the other. They might temporarily take a subordinate role, like Jesus, but they are all equal in essence and nature. Now, all these three truths: God is one, God is three, and God is diverse put together brings us the one word that explains the Trinity. Unity.
TRINITY IS UNITY
What do we mean by unity? We believe in one God who exists in three persons. These three persons who are all of the same essence are also distinctly unique and they are eternally united to cooperatively carry out the redemption plan for all of humanity. The Trinity’s relationship is fueled by love and harmony since eternity and their desire is to have all of humanity experience the unity that they’ve experienced forever. An eternal relationship where three persons have continually served one another can only be fueled by unconditional love. That’s why it is essential that each person is the same essence. If one is inferior, then it isn’t love. At best it’s a form of serving someone above you and at worst it could be slavery. That is what the Trinity is and that is what the Trinity wants us to experience. Perfect unity.
CONCLUSION
The Trinity isn’t an easy concept to understand. Theologian, Millard Erickson says this,
“The Trinity is incomprehensible. We cannot fully understand the mystery of the Trinity. When someday we see God, we shall see him as he is, and understand him better than we do now. Yet even then we will not totally comprehend him.”
So if you feel like you’re trying to grasp this, it’s ok. Even scholars admit it’s a tough concept to understand. Another theologian says it best,
“Try to explain it, and you’ll lose your mind; But try to deny it, and you’ll lose your soul.”
So as we do our best to grasp the Trinity as one essence, three persons, there are two important implications when it comes to understanding Trinity as unity. First, our evangelical tradition has done a great job of highlighting God and Jesus, but the Spirit oftentimes becomes an afterthought. We need to be aware of the Holy Spirit because He is the same essence and nature as the Father and the Son. We need to honor Him as God in the Trinity because his presence and power help us do what God calls us to do like love our enemies, forgive those who have hurt us, and live sacrificially. Second, you, I, and all of humanity are created in God’s image and a part of being created in God’s image is to be in community. Like the Holy Spirit, there are people in our lives who are afterthoughts for whatever reason. Maybe they’ve hurt you or you have hurt them. Maybe we simply don’t see them. I think it’s worth us considering who is an afterthought in our lives and how can see them as equals because they are created in God’s image too. Let us faithfully find ways to be connected to them so that we can invite them to be united with God and experience His redemption plan for humanity and the world. Let’s pray.