BLESSED TRINITY

August 15

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

The benediction found in the last verse of this epistle speaks to the Trinitarian nature of God, and the glorious blessings availed to those who know Him!

If we are to think rightly about God, it is necessary to grapple with the doctrine of the Trinity.  I say “grapple,” because the truth of the trinity is neither easy to understand, nor to articulate.  Though the word “Trinity” does not appear anywhere in our Bibles, the doctrine is clearly taught in Scripture and affirmed to us throughout the history of the church.

Put simply, the doctrine of the Trinity is there is One God who has eternally existed in three distinct persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  God is one in essence and three in person.  These three persons are not parts of One God, but three distinct co-equal persons.  Neither should we be misled into thinking there is One God who revealed Himself in three “modes” (a false doctrine referred to as “modalism”).  The three members of the Trinity of God have eternally existed, as co-equal persons, sharing in the same essence in nature and will.

There are some who scoff at this doctrine.  As A.W. Tozer observed: “Some persons who reject all they cannot explain have denied that God is a Trinity.  Subjecting the Most High to their cold, level-eyed scrutiny, they conclude that it is impossible that He could be both One and Three.  These forget that their whole life is enshrouded in mystery.  They fail to consider that any real explanation of even the simplest phenomenon in nature lies hidden in obscurity and can no more be explained than can the mystery of the Godhead.” I say, “Praise God that we worship a God whose thoughts and ways infinitely transcend our own!” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

A. W. Tozer, “The Knowledge of the Holy”

If the word “trinity,” is nowhere to be found in our Bibles then what is the basis for this doctrine?  Good question!  Foundational is the clear teaching there is but one God.  Deuteronomy 6:4 speaks to this, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one, as does 1 Timothy 2:5.  But the Bible also teaches the Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7); and the Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 1:8); and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

There are numerous examples in Scripture where we find all three members of the Godhead harmoniously working to accomplish mighty deeds: creation (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Job 26:13); the incarnation (Luke 1:35); Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16-17); atonement (Hebrews 9:14); the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:32; John 10:17-18; Romans 1:4); the salvation of the believer in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14; 1 Peter 1:2); the indwelling of the Spirit (John 14:16-17).  Our text speaks to this “three-in-oneness.”

Amazingly, as A. W. Pink points out, the believer in Christ is incredibly blessed inasmuch as he is indwelt by the Triune God: “What is signified by ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all?’ It cannot mean less than a consciousness of God’s presence. The apostle was not praying for the gifts of grace, love, and communion apart from the Persons in whom alone they are to be found. He requested that the presence of the triune God might be realized in the souls of His people. The New Testament teaches that the divine Three are equally present in the heart of the believer. Speaking of the Spirit Christ said, “He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you,” and of Himself and the Father, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:17,23). The Christian is indwelt by the triune God: the Lord Jesus dwells in him as the source of all grace, God the Father abides in him as the spring of all love, and the Holy Spirit communes with him and energizes him for all spiritual service.”

A. W. Pink

“How wonderful it is to have the privilege of this Divine fellowship! Surely, if we would but give ourselves time to realize this marvelous fact, there would be no room for the despondency which at times threatens to deprive us of heart and hope.”—F. B. Meyer

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.