Although each of the members of the Trinity are equal, the
role that each of them plays is distinct. Ephesians 2:18 provides a good
summary when it says, “For through the Son we both have access to the Father by
one Spirit.” In other words, the Christian has access to the Father through the
Son by the Holy Spirit. If all these prepositions have your eyes glazing over,
perhaps an illustration will help distinguish among the roles.
Suppose you want to travel to Europe from the United States.
Because thousands of miles separate the North American and European continents,
you can’t just put one foot in front of the other and make it there. An ocean
fills the chasm between the continents and connects them together, providing a
way to sail a ship to the destination. In this example, you travel to Europe
through the ocean by a ship. Similarly, when you approach God the Father, Jesus
mediates while the Holy Spirit enables.
Because Christians believe that God the Father plays the
leading role, they traditionally call him the “first person” of the Trinity,
referring to Jesus as the “second person” and the Holy Spirit as the “third
person.” (Note that person refers to his personality and doesn’t imply the idea
of humanness.) At the same time, although Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the
most common order, it’s not like a law firm where the names are always
sequenced in the same way. The Bible has several examples of alternative orders
(see 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, Ephesians 5:18-20, and Jude 20-21).
I explain each of the roles of the Trinity members in the
sections that follow.
God the Father
The Father is considered the first person of the Trinity. He’s
the one who people are usually referring to when they say “God.” In fact, in
the New Testament, Paul and other apostles often use the term “God the Father.”
The Father is fully in control and is the chief planner
(Ephesians 1:3-5). He planned salvation through the Son and is the one who
actually does the forgiving, not Christ. God the Father is also the one whom Christians
normally direct their prayers to. So, he listens to prayers and answers them
according to his will.
Many people assume that God the Father is the Creator of the
universe, but that’s only partially correct. Although all things originated
from the Father, all things were created through the Son (see 1 Corinthians
8:6, John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2). Therefore, even in regard to the actual creation
of the world, you see that two members of the Trinity had distinct roles in the
process.
The Triquetra
The Triquetra – from the Latin term for “three-cornered” –
is an early Church symbol of the Trinity and is often found on many editions of
the New King James Version of the Bible. It contains the following symbolism:
The three distinct and equal arcs illustrate the equality of
the Trinity members.
The continuous form of the arcs demonstrates the eternal
nature of God.
The arcs are intertwined, expressing the inseparable nature
of the Trinity.
The centre shows a triangle, a common symbol of the Trinity.
God the Son
The second person of the Trinity is the Son, Jesus Christ. He’s
the one who came to the earth as a man to die for the sins of the world (check
out Chapter 5 for an entire chapter devoted to Jesus). The Son always does the
will of the Father and sits at his right hand in heaven. He’s the go-between,
smack in the middle of a perfect Father and a most unholy people. This mediation
played out for all people when he died a sacrificial death on the cross, but he
also continues to intercede for Christians on a day-in, day-out basis, as they
pray to the Father (Hebrew 7:25).
The Bible indicates that Christians should normally direct
their prayers to God the Father, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. Occasionally,
in the New Testament (such as in Acts 7:39), believers prayed directly to
Jesus.
Most Christians tend to feel closest to the Son, identifying
with him because he came to the earth as a human and was the one who actually
died in their place. What’s more, as Hebrews 2:17-18 says, Jesus experienced
all the temptations that humans have to deal with. So, he’s able to help
everyone out because he knows what it feels like to deal with the yucky stuff.
God the Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit
(sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost). The Holy Spirit is said to do the
will of the Father and of the Son (see John 14:26). Of the Trinity members, the
Holy Spirit is the one that’s hardest to relate to for many people, because “spirit”
is such a vague concept. But, in spite of the mystery, the Holy Spirit performs
many critical roles in the lives of Christians.
He has been involved throughout history, such as in
revelation to the authors of the Bible and in supernaturally impregnating Mary
for the virgin conception of Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:35). He also is actively
involved in the life of every Christian. First, he participates in the
salvation of a person, which is often referred to as the “baptism of the Holy
Spirit” (see Chapter 8 for more on baptism). Second, he dwells inside all Christians,
filling them with spiritual gifts, giving assurance, convicting them of sins in
their lives, helping in worship, and empowering them for service.
The Holy Spirit also plays an important role in a Christian’s
prayer life. First, the Holy Spirit prompts believers to pray. Second, Christians
believe that even when they don’t know exactly how to pray for something, the
Holy Spirit serves as their translator, so to speak, so that even when they don’t
know how to express themselves, God the Father understands their needs (Romans
8:26-27).
Understanding the Significance of the Trinity
Because the term “three-oneness” doesn’t often roll off most
people’s tongues these days, you probably wonder what all the fuss is about. After
all, is the Trinity just something for theology geeks to discuss, or is it
practical for all Christians to think about in their daily lives?
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