In the previous reflection we understood that God is one in three Persons. The theological term for this is Trinity.
Here we will reflect on how the one God is in three Persons. It is hoped that this may evoke a deeper appreciation of how God ministers to our needs and relates to us.
One simple explanation given on this is that there is only one God but He plays three roles: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This may be like a person with three roles: father in the family, teacher by profession and entertaining magician. But he is the same one person. This was technically called modalism in which the one God plays three modes. But for one important reason this was rejected by most Christian Fathers as insufficient. Modalism speaks of one single God acting in three roles.
But in the Bible the three are separate and distinct Persons. In Jesus’ baptism Jesus was in the water being baptized by John. Then simultaneously, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus like a dove. At the same time the Father expressed His approval of Jesus as His pleasing Son (Mark 1:9-11). Another instance was when Jesus explained to His disciples what He was going to do before He leaves them. He said, ”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth” (John 15:16-17). Here Jesus is not the Father,and the Father is not the Holy Spirit. They are three distinct persons. One common illustration for this is an egg. It is one egg with three components: the outside shell, the white albumin and the yellow yoke which are distinct from each other.
Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Surely the Holy Spirit is also one with them. What is the oneness of God? The three Persons are one in nature, they are all holy and loving. They also share the same attributes: all-present (omnipresent), all-knowing (omniscient) and all-powerful (omnipotent). We could cite Bible references for all of these natures and attributes, but to minimize time and for simplicity we will just skip them here. But all the three Persons share in these divine characteristics.
The three Persons are also one in the truth they teach. Jesus said, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears... He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine“ (John 16:13-15). What these verses are saying is that the truth that Jesus was teaching comes from the Father. But when the Spirit comes He will also teach the same truth. This implies that the three Persons are all perfectly one in mind.
Then again, the three Persons are one in their activities. In the previous reflection it was explained that the three Persons worked together in creation. They too are one in the work of salvation. You may read Titus 3:4-7. This explains that God the Savior (the Father) in His love sent His Son (Jesus) to save us by His dying on the cross. This is God’s grace in Jesus. Through our faith, the Holy Spirit will join the work of salvation by cleansing us from sin, thus regenerating us for eternal life.
Prayer: Our one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and glorify you. We will never fully understand so many things about you because they are mysterious to us. We thank you for the truth you reveal to us about yourself. May these revelations guide us to follow, love and serve you faithfully. In Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen.
The Oneness of God and His Threeness in Persons
By: Pastor Jose V. Velasco
Here we will reflect on how the one God is in three Persons. It is hoped that this may evoke a deeper appreciation of how God ministers to our needs and relates to us.
One simple explanation given on this is that there is only one God but He plays three roles: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This may be like a person with three roles: father in the family, teacher by profession and entertaining magician. But he is the same one person. This was technically called modalism in which the one God plays three modes. But for one important reason this was rejected by most Christian Fathers as insufficient. Modalism speaks of one single God acting in three roles.
But in the Bible the three are separate and distinct Persons. In Jesus’ baptism Jesus was in the water being baptized by John. Then simultaneously, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus like a dove. At the same time the Father expressed His approval of Jesus as His pleasing Son (Mark 1:9-11). Another instance was when Jesus explained to His disciples what He was going to do before He leaves them. He said, ”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth” (John 15:16-17). Here Jesus is not the Father,and the Father is not the Holy Spirit. They are three distinct persons. One common illustration for this is an egg. It is one egg with three components: the outside shell, the white albumin and the yellow yoke which are distinct from each other.
Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Surely the Holy Spirit is also one with them. What is the oneness of God? The three Persons are one in nature, they are all holy and loving. They also share the same attributes: all-present (omnipresent), all-knowing (omniscient) and all-powerful (omnipotent). We could cite Bible references for all of these natures and attributes, but to minimize time and for simplicity we will just skip them here. But all the three Persons share in these divine characteristics.
The three Persons are also one in the truth they teach. Jesus said, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears... He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine“ (John 16:13-15). What these verses are saying is that the truth that Jesus was teaching comes from the Father. But when the Spirit comes He will also teach the same truth. This implies that the three Persons are all perfectly one in mind.
Then again, the three Persons are one in their activities. In the previous reflection it was explained that the three Persons worked together in creation. They too are one in the work of salvation. You may read Titus 3:4-7. This explains that God the Savior (the Father) in His love sent His Son (Jesus) to save us by His dying on the cross. This is God’s grace in Jesus. Through our faith, the Holy Spirit will join the work of salvation by cleansing us from sin, thus regenerating us for eternal life.
Prayer: Our one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and glorify you. We will never fully understand so many things about you because they are mysterious to us. We thank you for the truth you reveal to us about yourself. May these revelations guide us to follow, love and serve you faithfully. In Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen.
The Oneness of God and His Threeness in Persons
By: Pastor Jose V. Velasco