Experience the Trinity

Tim Davis

The doctrine of the Trinity is grounded in experience. 

The Holy Spirit convicted you of your sins (Jn. 16:8). Like the early disciples, you worship Jesus (Lk. 24:52). As an adopted child of God, you experience the love of the Father (Rom. 8:15-17). And you were baptized in the name of each person of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19). 

Here’s why I make this point…

When doing theology—and especially when discussing the nature of God—it’s easy to get bogged down by academic terms and historical arguments. In other words, it’s easy to disconnect from the heart of the matter…

the goal of all Trinitarian discussion is devotion and delight.

THE TRINITY REVEALED

So if we want to delight in God, then we should first observer how each person of the Trinity is revealed in Scripture.

For starters, the Father so loved the world that he gave his only Son (Jn. 3:16). The Father sent the Son—not the other way around. The son proceeds from the Father.  

Next, the Son emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant; the Son humbled himself to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-10). The Father didn’t go to the cross and neither did the Spirit—it was the Son. 

Lastly, the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to help Jesus’ followers—the Spirit will convict the world of sin, guide Jesus’ disciples into truth and he’ll glorify Jesus (Jn. 16:7-15). 

But what if one of your friends asks for a simple definition, what would you say?

A BRIEF DEFINITION

Though God’s nature is wrapped in mystery, we can still do our best to summarize the doctrine of the Trinity in seven statements:

·      There is only one God

·      The Father is God

·      The Son is God

·      The Holy Spirit is God

·      The Father is not the Son

·      The Son is not the Holy Spirit

·      The Holy Spirit is not the Father[1]

To state it more succinctly, “God eternally exists as one essence and three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, yet there is one God.”[2]

AN INVITATION TO EXPERIENCE THE TRINITY

But as I mentioned earlier, terms and definitions shouldn’t get in the way of what matters most: devotion and delight. Defining our terms is an attempt to safeguard right worship. If you’re married, it’s always a good idea to praise your spouse for who they are. And so it is with God. 

But the end of the matter is this: you and I are invited into the life of our Triune God. Our worship services, family devotions, and prayers are all vehicles that enable us to commune with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. From the point we’re born again to the day we stand in glory…

Let’s experience the love of the Triune God together.