Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Trinity: One God

So there appear to be three persons involved in the work of salvation; however, there is still only one God.  This is also the clear testimony of the Bible.

First of all, that is how God is described in the Old Testament:  "Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one."  (Deut. 6:4; cited in a helpful way in Mark 12:28-34)

Second of all, that is how Jesus describes His relationship to the Father:  "I do not ask or these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one..." (John 17:20-23)

And, finally, remember that the Spirit was described in the same way:  "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-15)

These three persons are one God.  They are united: they never disagree; they never work at cross purposes.  They do different work, but the work of all three is necessary.

Together they are the only true God:  The triune God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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