Knowing God: The Trinity

As of late God has been revealing to me how much i can't grasp the sum of who he is. Every time I try to get my head around the Trinity, God shows me that I won't be able to, and that that is what is so amazing about who he is! There are so many passages of Scripture that give us glimpse into the Trinity and how God functions within the God-head. Here are just a few:

The Trinity:
Is completely unified. 
"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness" (Gen. 1:26)

Are constantly glorifying each other:
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me." (Jn 15:26)


Loves one another and wants us to join in:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love." (Jn 15:9-10)


Is fun and full of joy and delights in one another and in us:
"...when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. " (Prov. 8:29-31)


Is distinct in 3 persons: Holy Spirit, Jesus, and Father:
"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”" (Lk. 3:21-22)

Is One God:
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." (Deut. 6:4)


 There is so so much more. But here's where's we might say, yeah i have an understanding of the workings and persons of the Trinity. Just when we think that we understand God's oneness: Deut 6:4, and his three-ness and the respective various roles of each: Father- Abba; Jesus - Son, Savior; Spirit - Counselor (This list not exhaustive)

It is then that God directs us to Isaiah 9:6 which reads:
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. "


WHAT!? This is a verse about Jesus, the Son of God, and yet it calls Jesus, Wonderful Counselor (isn't that the spirit?), and Everlasting Father (isn't that the Father?) Wait, is Jesus the Spirit? is Jesus the Father? or is Jesus the Son? Are they all just rolled up into one? are they all separate?

God's answer to all those questions: YES! (with a bit of a sly smile, i would like to think :) )

Whenever we limit him or put God in a box we end up believing wrong things about him. Here are two examples:

• The belief the God is One God with three different modes, i.e. sometimes God is the Father, sometimes the Son, and then other times he manifests as the Spirit ,but that they don't all exist at once. Luke 3:21-22 helps refute that. (Modelism)

• A further point of clarification is that God is not one person, the Father, with Jesus as a creation and the Holy Spirit as a force (Jehovah's Witnesses).*

• Neither is He one person who took three consecutive forms, i.e., the Father, became the Son, who became the Holy Spirit.  Nor is God the divine nature of the Son (where Jesus had a human nature perceived as the Son and a divine nature perceived as the Father (Oneness theology).* 

• Nor is the Trinity an office held by three separate Gods (Mormonism).*

The word "person" is used to describe the three members of the Godhead because the word "person" is appropriate.  A person is self aware, can speak, love, hate, say "you," "yours," "me," "mine," etc. Each of the three persons in the Trinity demonstrate these qualities.*

God wants to make himself known, and has gone to great lengths for us to "yada" him (Hebrew meaning: to know experientially) i.e. the cross. But please don't ever make the prideful mistake that you understand him or have him or even an aspect of who he is, figured out.

I shall end with an expert from the Book of Job. Job, who, while he didn't claim to understand God as whole, did think he had some aspects of God figured out. this is God's reply (Read all of Job but esp. 39-42 for context)

"The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Then Job answered the LORD: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.”"

He wants to make himself known. But he wants you to want to know him and to seek him out! Go meet with him right now and ask him to reveal himself to you even more!

Please give a listen to:
I Want To Know You by Jesus Culture

* Taken from http://carm.org/trinity - For more info on doctrine of the Trinity check this out!