Not only is it a daunting task for anyone to assume to describe the holy Trinity of God, but it is also one that will never be complete by any human efforts; for God alone is God, there is no other and (as we discussed a few days ago), our finite minds will never be able to fully grasp the greatness of an infinite God.
"To whom will you liken Me and make Me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?
~ Isaiah 46:5
"I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim."
~ Ecclesiastes 8:17 (NLT)
According to Scripture, our limited minds are incapable of fully understanding all the visible works of God here on earth; therefore I don't think it's a stretch to conclude that we'll never be able to fully comprehend the qualities, nature and character of our invisible and awesome Creator, the Lord God Almighty.
With much fear and reverence for our LORD, I will attempt to share with you what I have found in God's revealed word about His relationship to mankind as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
According to Scripture, the very essence, character and nature of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all the same: not a created being; almighty; holy; perfect; just; righteous; kind; compassionate; merciful; gracious; loving; due all glory, honor and reverence; alone should be worshiped; jealous; displays grief and righteous anger. But in God's relationship with mankind, each Person of the Trinity functions in different roles that are not interchangeable (i.e., .God the Father did not die on the Cross for our sins, God the Son does not determine the time He will return, and God the Holy Spirit alone indwells believers for our sanctification).
This is not at all an exhaustive list, but hope it is sufficient in revealing to you how God describes Himself to us through His word.
God the Father's relationship with mankind:
With much fear and reverence for our LORD, I will attempt to share with you what I have found in God's revealed word about His relationship to mankind as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
According to Scripture, the very essence, character and nature of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all the same: not a created being; almighty; holy; perfect; just; righteous; kind; compassionate; merciful; gracious; loving; due all glory, honor and reverence; alone should be worshiped; jealous; displays grief and righteous anger. But in God's relationship with mankind, each Person of the Trinity functions in different roles that are not interchangeable (i.e., .God the Father did not die on the Cross for our sins, God the Son does not determine the time He will return, and God the Holy Spirit alone indwells believers for our sanctification).
This is not at all an exhaustive list, but hope it is sufficient in revealing to you how God describes Himself to us through His word.
God the Father's relationship with mankind:
- Genesis 1:1 ~ God the Father spoke all creation into existence
- Genesis 3:21 ~ God the Father provides and made plans for human redemption through sacrifice and covering for sin
- John 1:18 and Colossians 1:15~ God the Father has never been seen by man
- John 4:23-24 ~ God the Father has always been and will always be invisible; He is spirit; therefore all who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth
- Matthew 27:46 ~ God the Father forsook the Son and accepted Him as the propitiation for our sins
- John 12:49 ~ God the Father sent the Son the first time to provide salvation
- Mark 13:32 ~ only God the Father knows when the Son will return the second time to gather up His own
God the Son's relationship with mankind:
- John 1:1-4, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:15-16 ~ All creation was made and given life through God the Son
- John 3:16-18 ~ God the Son was sent by the Father as the ransom for our souls
- John 5:19, John 12:49-50, 1 Corinthians 11:3 ~ God the Son is under the authority of God the Father
- John 14:6 ~ God the Son is the only way to the God the Father, He's not the "best" way, He is the ONLY way.
- Colossians 1:18 ~ God the Son is the head of the Church, which is His "body"
- Romans 5:1 ~ Peace with God the Father is provided to believers only through God the Son
- John 14:26 ~ God the Holy Spirit is sent by God the Father only to believers, and only after God the Son has ascended into Heaven
- John 14:16 ~ God the Holy Spirit is the Counselor, Helper for all believers
- John 15:26 ~ God the Holy Spirit bears witness to God the Son
- John 16:8 ~ God the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment
- Titus 3:5 ~ God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us
- 2 Timothy 1:14 ~ God the Holy Spirit indwells all believers
- 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 ~ God the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to all believers
Now that we've looked at the Trinity and their relationship to mankind, let us look at the evidence of heirarchy within the God-head.
The word hierarchy means; any system of persons or things ranked one above another and is derived from these two words below:
hieró = Greek for holy, sacred + arch = Greek for rule, government
We know clearly that our God is a God of order, not chaos and we've seen in these Scriptures above that God the Father commands and directs, while God the Son fulfills the Father's commands and God the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Son as He equips every believer to live holy lives unto the Lord.
The word hierarchy means; any system of persons or things ranked one above another and is derived from these two words below:
hieró = Greek for holy, sacred + arch = Greek for rule, government
We know clearly that our God is a God of order, not chaos and we've seen in these Scriptures above that God the Father commands and directs, while God the Son fulfills the Father's commands and God the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Son as He equips every believer to live holy lives unto the Lord.
"Finally, it may be said that there are no differences in deity, attributes, or essential nature between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person is fully God and has all the attributes of God. The only distinctions between the members of the Trinity are in the ways they relate to each other and to the rest of creation. In those relationships they carry out roles that are appropriate to each Person."
~ Wayne Grudem
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
Gracious and most merciful Father God in Heaven, I thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Your written word. Thank You so much for making a way for us to know You. I still can't completely wrap my mind around Your majesty and the fullness of Your glorious nature. You are so much greater and more wonderful than I'm sure my feeble mind could ever behold. I am humbled by Your love and that You even take notice of me.
Oh wonderful and merciful Father God, I thank You also for my sisters Laurie Ann, Hope, Michelle, Dusty and Ruth whom You've provided to travel with me in prayer as I seek to do Your will and share Your truth with anyone who will listen. Bless us awesome Father and fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthen us Father God will all power according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Thank You Father for delivering us from the domain of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Amen.
Oh wonderful and merciful Father God, I thank You also for my sisters Laurie Ann, Hope, Michelle, Dusty and Ruth whom You've provided to travel with me in prayer as I seek to do Your will and share Your truth with anyone who will listen. Bless us awesome Father and fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthen us Father God will all power according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Thank You Father for delivering us from the domain of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Amen.
4 comments