The Three Persons of the Trinity copyright 2019 by Joan Berry
The doctrine of the Trinity that is central to the Christian faith was not articulated in Scripture, but rather by the church in the first centuries following the writing of the New Testament and before the Council of Chalcedon (circa 100-451), (Grenz, 2000, p. 76; Grenz & Franke, 2001, p.172). The scope of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is beyond human intellect to accurately explain. However, scholars have attempted to express the Trinity as being economic, essential, and social and this essay will follow that train of thought in examining this view (GCU, 2011, para. 14).
In common knowledge, the trinity is often thought as the Father being the creator and provider, the Son as mediator of salvation, and the Holy Spirit as the activator of salvation. Other Thoughts regarding the trinity are Immanent or essential trinity is that in which ‘God exists internally, separated from history, time and space; and Essential trinity said to be focused on the relationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Among the trinity members, their relationship is known as social trinity.
Dawson McAllister, in his 1997 article, “I Don’t Understand the Trinity,” for Campus Life, explains the concept in answer to a student who asked him the following questions: What exactly is the Trinity? How can God be three people at once? Which one should I pray to? And what does each of the three do? McAllister answers the student’s first and second questions with scripture by quoting Matt. 28: 18-20 NIV: 18 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” McAllister again quotes Matthew to answer the question about prayer: 6” But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you,” (V.6 NIV). In answer to the question about what role each of the Trinity plays, McAllister gives a fuller answer: From God, the Father, things originate and are generated. He is equal to the Son and the Holy Spirit and he is responsible for sending the Son (John 3:16-17 NIV) and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26 NIV) into the world. God, the Son, was sacrificed to cover our sins and open the door to salvation. He also is our advocate before the Father (I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1). God, the Holy Spirit, has many responsibilities because he helps us pray, comforts us, opens our minds to God’s Word, lifts up Jesus, convicts us of our sins and guides us toward righteousness (Rom. 8:26-27; John 3: 3-6, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-11, Rom. 15:16 NIV). In addition, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, helps us witness to others, and is faithful to give us joy, love, kindness, peace, and self-control (Rom. 8:11; Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:22-23 NIV). McAllister admits that we cannot precisely define the Trinity or God and leaves the student with this truth: “Who among us can know the mind of the Lord?” (Rom. 11:34), (p.80).
Steve Berg, in 2001, also writing for Campus Life, told why he believed in the Trinity even after being told that if something could not be explained, one should not believe it. He posits that just because the Trinity cannot be fully explained, it was not impossible for it to exist (p.42). Berg asserted that if the Trinity was biblical, then it is true. He pointed out Old and New Testament scripture to back up his claim – Deut. 4:35; John 17:3; and I Cor. 8:6 NIV) – God, the Father. Other scripture that Berg pointed to were Paul’s writings for God, the Son, in Col. 2:9, Titus 2:13, John 1 NIV. For reference to the Holy Spirit, Berg used the examples of Act 5, and I Cor. 3:16 where it said “Christians are God’s temples – the place where God’s Spirit lives.” He also used the examples of the Nicene and Apostles creeds and the names under which we were baptized as proof they were based on the Word of God (p.42).
Cappadocian author, Gregory of Nazianzus, wrote in circa 380 that the nature of the Godhead evolved in the three stages and he also revealed why he believed the doctrine of the Trinity was not clearly stated in the Scriptures (McGrath, 2011, p.163). According to Gregory, the Old Testament spoke of the Father openly, but the Son vaguely. The New Testament revealed the Son openly and gradually revealed the divinity of the Holy Spirit (p.163). Gregory posits that since the Spirit indwelled the believers, they could see this more clearly. Gregory believed that it was proper for God, the Father, be recognized first, God, the Son revealed, once the Father was clearly revealed, and then the Holy Spirit acknowledged (p. 163). He argued that it was a gradual progression in order to clarify the understanding of the Trinity through God’s divine self-revelation (p. 163).
Conclusion
Although it is impossible for us to accurately and fully describe the Holy Trinity, we can have a certain amount of understanding about the Godhead. We can understand from the Scriptures that all things are generated by the Father, the Son is our mediator or salvation, and the Holy Spirit is the activator of our salvation and comforter. God has revealed the Trinity in an orderly manner throughout the Scriptures to help bring understanding to us about the Trinity as he uses self-revelation in nature and the Bible.
References
Grenz, S. (2000). Theology for the community of God. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Grenz, S. J. & Franke J. (2001). Beyond foundationalism: Shaping theology in a postmodern context. Louisville, KY: Westminister John Knox
Life Application Study Bible –New International Version (NIV). (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers
McGrath, A. (2011). Christian Theology: An introduction. (5th ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
McGrath, A. (Ed.) (2011). The Christian theology reader. (4th ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Electronic sources:
Berg, S. (2001). Why believe in the trinity? Campus Life, 60(1), 42. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/detail?sid= . . .
Allister, D. (1997). I don’t understand the trinity. Campus Life, 56(4), 80. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebsohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/detail?vid=30&sid=ee871674-a82a-4a0c-. . . ty(c,b,g