For the 300 years after Jesus, Christians witnessed, shared, and worshiped God. They did not dissect the teachings of the Trinity. The oneness of God and the independent nature of God were assumed. Then monks and priests decided that it was necessary to explain God. Theirs were religious and philosophical ideas and not suggestions from biblical research. The result became a form of Christian polytheism or the worship of three gods. On the other extreme of errors was a rejection of the divinity of Jesus with his humanity. These preposterous proposals originated from their own minds and the church declared these teachings heresy.
False guides told people that the Trinity was one God that appeared in different physical or spiritual disguises. Another idea was Christ, and later the Holy Spirit, were methods that the one God used to relate himself to humanity depending on the need and the occasion. A further false teaching offered Jesus as second-class to God and merely a human that had divineness come upon him at the water baptism mentioned in our text.
In many places and through several writers of Scripture the three persons of the Trinity came forth as a blessing, a formula for baptism, and a guide to effective living. We must recognize that each of the persons of the Godhead are equal and are the same. The goal of the Father is to give himself to the human race because of unequaled love. The means for this was through the Son, as Redemer, and through the Spirit, as Sanctifier .
The Father Is everywhere present and particularly in the Son on the earth. Jesus said, “You have seen me, you have seen the Father.” The Holy Spirit Is present within the believers. The Son created the universe. The Father is its Lord and Master. The Father offers Covenants with his people and brings judgement on the wayward. Never Is he vengeful or spiteful. His desire Is to lead people into his perfect goal for them.
The Son is a complete expression of God. As a human, he is God among us. Jesus has the concern for redemption but will ultimately judge the rebellious among humanity at the end of time. There was a pre-creation plan that Jesus would accept the punishment due each of us because of our sinful nature. Jesus said he was sent by the Father and was the only means by which the Father can be approached. Jesus is the greatest example of God’s power when he was resurrected.
The Holy Spirit is our teacher, comforter, and the one that empowers us with special giftedness. He always points to the Father and does not seek separate glory. God’s spirit hovered over the earth before Adam’s creation. God’s Spirit takes our guilty conscience to the further step of repentance. The Spirit gives spiritual gifts to people and then gives gifted people to the church. During the believers’ walk, he is the expression of God’s abiding in the individual’s life as manifested by such things as gentleness and joy.
We must take care to not think of God in abstract terms. It is better to seek practical experience with him daily. We know him that we might know his salvation. We know him that others might know his love.
Christian Writer 