NEW TESTAMENT TRIUNITY (TRINITY)
In the NEW TESTAMENT the
doctrine of the triunity of God unfolds into a clear pattern of truth that has
energized the Church through twenty centuries of time.
1.
At the outset it is important to note that the
doctrine of triunity is based squarely upon the Old Testament doctrine of the
unity of God. This can be seen in a text like Mark 12:28-29. In response to a question concerning the first and
great commandment, Christ answered: "The
first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one
Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment." It was the teaching on the unity of God that safeguarded
men from the errors of polytheism which were so prevalent. The New Testament
writers came from a Jewish background and environment, so this teaching
confirmed them in the faith they held. This becomes the beginning point, the
fixed star to guide them in their theology.
2.
It will be seen by examining the New Testament
records that three persons appear and each one is regarded as God. One is called
"God the Father" (John 6:27).
Another is called "the Son...O
God" (Heb. 1:8). And a
third is called "the Holy
Spirit...God" (Acts 5:3-4).
3.
Moreover, each of these three persons
is clearly distinguished from the other two. In passages where they appear
together, this distinction is clear. In the angelic announcement to Mary there
is the Holy Ghost, and the Highest, and the Holy thing (Luke 1:35). In the upper room Christ prays to the Father to send
another Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26).
At His baptism in Jordan the three persons are distinctive: Christ is in the
water; the Spirit descends like a dove; and the voice of the Father is heard (Matt. 3:16-17).
4.
But it must be carefully noted that
these three persons are set forth as one God. Christ declares, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). The Father and the Spirit
are set forth as one in 1 Cor. 3:16, 17,
when it speaks of "the temple of
God" and "the Spirit of
God." Or, as in 1 Cor. 2:11
when it speaks of "the things of God"
and "the Spirit of God." In
a remarkable passage all three persons are declared to be one, when Christ
asserts that "If a man love Me, he
will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and
make Our abode with him" (John
14:23). This had reference to that time when the Holy Spirit would make His
dwelling with the believer,
5.
In addition to the above notations,
the equality of these three persons in being, power, and glory is attested.
Each is called God (John 6:27; Heb. 1:8;
Acts 5:3-4). They are associated in such a way as to demonstrate their
equality, such as in the baptismal formula (Matt. 28:19), and in the benediction (2 Cor. 13:14). There seems to be no fixed numerical order that
might even intimate differentiation (2
Thess. 2:13,14; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:18-20; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2-3; Jude 20-21). Equality of the persons gave freedom to
believers to express other ideas in the order of importance.
6. Certain distinctions of priority and subordination exist among the persons of the Godhead, but these concern their
respective functions. The names "Son
of God" and "Spirit of
God" do not imply inequality. A son partakes of the same nature as the
Father and is therefore equal. When Christ claimed to be the Son, the Jews
understood that He was making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). And even among men, the spirit is the highest part, so
also the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:10-11).
With courage and clarity Christ made it clear to the Jews that "All men should honor the Son even as
they honor the Father" (John
5:23). Even though Christ said that "the
Father is greater than I" (John
14:28), this had reference to position, not nature.
The distinctions existing between the persons of the Godhead concern
what they do and not what they are. In the work of the Godhead, the Father is
first, the Son is second, and the Spirit is third. This is suggested by the
prepositions used in the original text. According to 1 Cor. 8:6 the Father is said to be the source or origin of all things
and the preposition "of" or
"out of" is used. The Son
is set forth as the channel "by"
or "through" which they
come into being; and in Eph. 2:18
the Spirit is depicted as the agent "by"
or "in" which things are
accomplished. In this same verse the Father is made the final goal, the One "to" or "unto" whom they come. But care must be taken not to
press this arrangement too far. For God is declared to be the Savior in the
sense of being the source of salvation (1
Tim. 2:3), while Christ is also declared to be the Savior in the sense of
being the channel (Titus 1:4).
In the work of the godhead, the Son is subordinate to the Father, and
the Spirit to the Father and the Son. The Scriptures declare that the Father
sends the Son (1 John 4:10), and
that the Father sends the Spirit (John
14:26), and that the Son sends the Spirit (John 15:25). But even this subordination is voluntary and not
compulsory. In order to carry out the scheme of redemption, it was necessary
for the Son to offer Himself in voluntary commitment for the task of redeeming
men. But in the absolute philosophical sense it was not necessary. However,
order and arrangement in the Godhead provides for perfect harmony and
efficiency in the functioning of the divine economy.
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