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Enjoy Thinking about the Trinity
Among my Christian friends, the Trinity was like a dirty Christian secret. We believed it was true, sang about it (God in three persons/ blessed trinity), but we dare not bring it up in polite company. Conversations about the Trinity shifted very awkwardly to something more “understandable.” Yet since the triune God made us to know him and glorify him, then the trinity cannot be discounted.
The image of walking with the Lord in the New Testament is a picture of walking with the triune God. 1 Peter begins, “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood (1 Pe 1:1–3). Elected by the Father, sanctified in the Holy Spirit, and obedient to the Son, the Christian life is deeply trinitarian.
On the pages of the New Testament, God’s triune nature is source of encouragement for ordinary Christians as we consider God’s triune nature our joy in salvation and communion with God blossom.
Joy in Salvation
Paul shows the trinitarian shape of our salvation. The Father chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4-5), Jesus redeems us through his blood (Eph 1:7), and the Holy Spirit seals us and guarantees we receive our inheritance (Eph 1:13-14). This salvation reconciles us into covenant fellowship with God (2 Cor 5:17-21). In fellowship with God, we have the fullness of joy (John 15:11 & 1 John 1:1-4). In contemplation of the trinity, the joy of our salvation grows strong, not stale.
Joy in Communion
How does God help you each day? The Holy Spirit lives in you, making scripture clear and sin disgusting (Ezek 36:26-27, John 16:12-14, 2 Cor 3:18-4:6). Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding and advocating daily on our behalf (Heb 7:25, 1 John 2:1-2). The Father qualifies us to share in Jesus’s inheritance and gives Christians every good gift (Rom 8:31-32, Col 1:12, Js 1:17). The Christian life is one of communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This is simply a tiny sample. We could consider how the joy of love, unity, friendship, and sacrifice all point to the triune nature of God, but I will leave the joy of discovery to you. There is much joy discovered in meditating about the nature of God. Don’t rob your joy by pushing it away in favor of more “simple truths.” Drink deep and delight in the Trinity
Scott Hurst pastors at Northminster Baptist Church in Toronto. He enjoys sports, books, and spending time with his wife and their two boys. Keep up with his writing at Write to Understand.
