Don’t get me wrong, the method of scientific observation, logical reasoning, and detailed analysis are all good things. I for one am quite glad not to have doctors using leeches on me, or still being afraid of dropping off the edge of the world (since it is flat of course). Sometimes though, I get the feeling that we get so detailed and logical about a Biblical issue, that we completely miss the point. Like God is yelling at us, “Hello, hello??!!! Step back from thinking you are that smart and appreciate the big picture of this thing!” Our next paradigm for understanding the Trinity forces us to step back and try to see the overall picture being conveyed to us.
Could it be that the way God revealed Himself as the Trinity has more to do with expressing His character and nature than trying show us HOW He can be three in one? In turn then, as He reveals Himself to us, He also reveals more about who we are, since we are made in His image. In this view, God’s intent was never for us to discover a perfect way to express the Trinity logically in our theology. He knew that was impossible as it is an “apparent paradox” due to our limited brainpower as man. Just like Paul had no problem with accepting the mystery of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will in Romans 9, we should also be willing to bow at the throne of God in humility about the Trinity. God is still the potter, and we are the clay. That doesn’t mean we don’t think deeply about it, just that we spend our time on the things we can clearly understand.
The first thing that the Trinity teaches us then is about relationship and fellowship. Relationship and fellowship are so intrinsically part of God’s character and nature, that even though He is one, He has fellowship and relationship within Himself. No, God wasn’t incomplete without us. He wasn’t lonely and decided he needed to create us. Even if he was lonely, cats would have been way easier. (saying this does not infer in ANY way that I am a cat person!) God had fellowship already, and created us out of love, wanting to share that relationship with His creation. Though relationships can often bring us pain as humans, it is just as intrinsically part of who we are since we are made in His image.
The Trinity also teaches us that roles and authority don’t carry value statements or inequalities within them. The Trinity each plays a separate role in the redemptive history as told in the Bible. Of course, they are united in this purpose and plan, but only Jesus was incarnated. Only the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and empowered the disciples. Is Jesus more important since He died on the cross? No, since God is one, none of them are more important than the other because of what they do. As Jesus said in John 5:19-20, “whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise”. It is the same with us as Paul described in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. We are all “one body” in the church and as such, no part is more important than another. The pastor isn’t more important that the guy who cleans the church bathrooms.
Not only do roles not mean value, but authority doesn’t connote inequity either. As the Father “sends the Spirit” and the Son “obeys the will of the Father”, the presence of authority doesn’t make God the Father more valuable. Even if we say that the submission of Jesus to the Father was only during the incarnation, it was still for that time period. Within that time, Jesus lived in submission to God, but it didn’t mean that God was in any way “better”. In the same way, God has instituted the role of government and authority here on earth for man. God explains to us that He puts governments in place, and there is a clear authority structure used in the church. We can discuss the implications for husband / wife relationships in another post, but many see another application of authority here. Regardless, an elder isn’t more “important” than the guy who cuts the grass just because he decides what color to paint the church.
The bottom line is that we just need to step back from debating the word “person”, “begotten”, or “economic Trinity”, and try to appreciate the beautiful picture of God’s character and nature expressed through the Bible in the Trinity. Then, we will come away with far more powerful application for ourselves, since we are made in His image. But if we did this, what would Bible nerds like me sit around and blog about?
The Bible Nerd 
Great stuff!!!
You know what I always wondered was? It was, and I dont mean it in a facetious way but really desire to know and experience… That is why was the coming of the Spirit to be such a great thing, like it was better than Jesus being with us supposedly… I remember after i did an SBS one of the 2 main things I really took from the Bible was that – the post-Christ Christian should have a ton of power, but I just dont see that. I mean whenever the HS came on the heros of old they did great and miraculous things, and that was the limited times they had the Spirit on them, but now since we always have Him shouldnt their be a lot more power? Was that why it was so great that the HS was to come, or was it something else? Regardless Im happy i have Him, but I wonder if I have locked Him away in a corner of my heart somewhere because I dont often recognize Him (especially in the capacity we see His movings in the OT)… Also, always wondered how to interpret that “in those days we wont need to be taught but the HS will teach them” (Hebrews I think)…
Mahalo brother.
Jason, I am back in Kona so lots of old memories of your DTS and SBS here. Good times. On your question, I definitely don’t think the event of Pentecost was more significant than the 1st coming of Christ and His death on the cross. Both were part of God’s overall part of redemption and expansion of His kingdom through the church. As to why you don’t see more of the Holy Spirit’s power, I can’t give you an easy answer, but only some thoughts:
-only we truly know if we are open and praying for the Spirit to empower us as we do ministry. We may or may not be aware of our doubt or rational thinking that could be “quenching the Spirit”. It is important to remember that this is not under our “control” when it comes to how the Spirit empowers us. 1 Cor. 11, the Spirit decides and distributes gifts as He wills. What we can do is be open and believe and pray.
-the main places you see the Holy Spirit pour out pour in Acts is with the advancement of the Gospel into new areas. As Paul goes into pagan cities, as the Gospel spread in Jerusalem and Judea, you see the power of God accompany the kingdom expansion. So, what we can ask ourselves is, how involved in preaching the Gospel am I? Do I live in a place where the Gospel is first entering an area, or there is a small minority of believers? Maybe when we live in a Christianized area, we shouldn’t expect to see as many signs as wonders since the church is established. The other side of this is that again in 1 Cor. 12, Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit being to build up the “body” as well, meaning in the church. This means that we should expect to see these gifts in the church, even in a Christianized nation.
-Is our church open to the gifts of the Spirit? is there mentoring in praying over people? are people seeking gifts for themselves or others?
Ultimately, we can’t say we don’t see the Holy Spirit just because we don’t see signs and wonders. Remember, that is just one part of what the Spirit does. He also cleanses us in sanctification, brings us peace, gives us fruit like love, joy, patience, kindness, self control, etc… We tend to only focus on the “showy” manifestations and are not appreciative of these other “gifts” from the Spirit.
Do you think you have locked the Holy Spirit away?
As always, God desires Bible nerds who love and move in His Spirit.
blessings,
Sean
O yes, whenever I see a lave-stone-wall or the ocean I wish I could be there again (and Lord willing I will be there soon!!!). But yeah, what I was saying in regards to how Pentecost was more important than Jesus saying and living among humans was based in my, maybe wrong, reading of John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” – So if its to their “advantage” then I would say, I haven’t really felt that advantage (that I know of at least). Any thoughts?
Jason, my thought on this passage has to do with how the Holy Spirit can help everyone around the world at the same time, whereas Jesus incarnated was only in one place at a time. So, even for the disciples, the Holy Spirit could be with John in full power in Ephesus at the same time that the Holy Spirit was with Paul in Corinth. The Holy Spirit’s role is in helping the church fulfill the Great Commission, whereas Jesus main role was in securing atonement. For the state the disciples and church were going into, Jesus was saying the Holy Spirit was what the disciples would need. Of course, we always need Jesus, but I think this was the context of His statement. It is similar to when Jesus says in John, “Greater works will you do” and you think, “How can we do greater works than Jesus???” He was meaning that they were many and could go out to many different places in their lifetimes preaching the Gospel (especially think of the multiplication with the whole church!) We can’t do anything in one event greater than Jesus (like dying on the cross for all mankind), but he was meaning in scope, numbers, and geography.
Those are my thoughts on that passage, and it has to do with my view of the economic Trinity. Each has a role, yet are equal. One isn’t better, yet in each role, they do different things.
Sean