Understanding the Trinity

One of the things I struggled with over the years is reconciling the monotheistic concept of Judaism with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Since the term "Trinity" is not in the Bible I have felt a need to understand why it has been considered a core doctrine by Christian churches for virtually all of church history.

So before I raise questions in your mind about my own orthodoxy, let me explain. I tremble to even consider that I might misrepresent God's nature, and don't believe that anyone can truly comprehend the nature of God since he exists beyond our frame of reference in time and space. However, I really want to understand what the Bible says about the nature of God and his relationship to Jesus our Lord, so I will proceed with my limited analogy if you will bear with me in this endeavor.

The SHMA

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4 NASB)

This is a phrase that every Jew knows and memorizes as a child. It is the foundation of Judaism and the first commandment in the Torah. Jesus, being a Jewish Rabbi, understood and agreed with the writings of Moses, calling the SHMA the Greatest Commandment. However, the New Testament clearly indicates that Jesus made Himself equal with God by calling God His Father. So now God appears as two personalities in a family relationship.

This Father-Son relationship is most fundamental to Christianity and most abhorrent to the religion of Islam, who consider Christianity to be a polytheistic religion. So how do you explain to a Muslim (or a Jew for that matter) that you believe in one God who has multiple forms or personalities? Is He one God or two or three? One morning recently I awakened with thoughts that helped resolve that question in my mind.

The FORM of God

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6 NASB)

All through the Old Testament there are references to the "right hand" or "strong arm" or "outstretched arm" of God. These references uniformly occur in places where God is interacting with creation as Lord and Savior, in other words, in the role of Messiah. In fact in practically every reference you can substitute the name of the Messiah for this term and it makes perfect sense. For example,

My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And the Messiah will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait for Me, And for the Messiah they will wait expectantly. (Isaiah 51:5)

Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and the Messiah. (Jeremiah 32:17)

Try this yourself; I think you will find a blessing in that.

In the New Testament we see the glorified Jesus our High Priest, seated at the right hand of God. The thought occurred to me that perhaps Jesus actually is analogous to God's right hand. The concept of a spiritual body consisting of multiple interacting personalities is not foreign to the Bible; reference the Body of Christ for example.

So when Jesus communicates with the Father, is this a conversation, or an interaction analogous to the interaction of the brain with the body, where the brain communicates via a type of nervous system to produce visible action? In this case, even though the Son of God is communicating to the Father as a person, in the spirit the two are considered one. You would not refer to me as "they" in reference to my body parts, but as to "him" who has a single will and many interconnected members. Is it possible that in the incomprehensible nature of God we can make such an analogy? Let me continue.

The Spirit Connection

I now understand that the Holy Spirit is analogous to the central nervous system of God. The Holy Spirit makes it possible to connect directly to God. It was the Holy Spirit that rested upon Jesus, fusing His will to God and allowing Jesus to carry out the perfect plan of God on earth. The Holy Spirit so fully embodied the Father's presence in Jesus that He could say "whoever has seen Me has seen the Father."

Now, the body analogy may be confusing since the Holy Spirit is invisible, like the wind. In my lifetime this has become much easier to visualize since we transmit control signals invisibly all around the world and through the darkness of space by various forms of electromagnetic radiation. Certainly the Creator of the universe could operate in ways that go far beyond our mortal technologies, even transcending the boundaries of time.

Jesus said that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. That is our connection protocol. We authenticate by being authentic, by emptying ourselves of our old lives to put on the righteousness of Christ. We connect to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, the Helper whom the Father sends to be with us and in us, who teaches us and intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. The Holy Spirit translates our earthly requests to heavenly and perfect petitions before the throne of God.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In our human form we cannot behold the face of God and live, but through His Spirit we can grasp the nail pierced hand of God and draw near with confidence to the throne of grace.

Conclusion

Though we may not comprehend God's true nature while we exist in earthly form, we can understand that God took the form of a man (Jesus), and was indwelt by the Holy Spirit who empowered Him to perfectly reflect the nature and will of God on earth. The creator is still worshiped as the one true God. There is one throne in Heaven, not three, and Jesus is seated or standing there at the right hand of God to execute God's plan for creation.

God is in Control

A few days ago I was reading something a friend liked on Facebook, which said that some who focus on prophecy are too negative and lead believers into fear and anxiety.

I lost a lot of sleep that night thinking seriously about this. I had never considered that what I post online about Biblical prophecy might cause some to stumble or fear, and I was deeply convicted. If you feel this way, please accept my humble apology and let me explain my motives.

First, I know there have been marketeers who prey on people's fears and superstitions to sell books and supplies for end-time preparation. Some may do this simply to feed their egos and enhance their power and influence over other believers. Some of these would fall into a category I've already blogged about, the wandering stars who have rushed headlong into "Balaam's Error".

I must confess that researching prophecy has been fulfilling to me because it's sort of like solving a puzzle, or finding that piece you were missing for so long. Little revelations keep me interested in studying more, and I think this is a good thing as long as it doesn't distract me from seeking the heart of God. But it's not the main thing.

After a lot of introspection I think I know why I am personally interested in this subject. I feel like the world we know in America is spinning out of control and lurching into some very troubled waters. This is currently disguised by a very unsustainable program of government borrowing and economic stimulus. In fact, I can't help believing that the end of the American era is at hand and without America the entire world is in for a very rude awakening. If I didn't believe in God I would be very troubled by these feelings of hopelessness for my homeland.

However, as a Christian I have a better home and a better hope in the eternal presence of God. When I read and write about end time prophecy I am reinforcing my confidence that indeed God has forewarned us about what is coming, and is giving us the hope and strength to thrive in the midst of a cataclysmic disaster.

What I know is this - that as hard as things may get in my lifetime, I am accepted and beloved by God and He will provide a way for me even in death to have eternal joy and hope. I am learning goals and strategies to reach the lost and leave a legacy of testimony to my Jewish brethren who have yet to accept Yeshua as their Messiah. I am learning how to put on the full armor of Christ so that I am prepared for spiritual warfare.

At the same time, I want to encourage those who see this to do the same.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
I Thessalonians 5:4-8 NASB

Remember that even though we may one day see hardship and persecution in our own land, God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

My goal is to encourage the fainthearted and help the weak, so please be patient with me. I will not allow the Holy Spirit in me to be quenched even if some may despise my prophesying. So hold fast to whatever I write that seems to be good and encouraging and cast away whatever appears to discourage you. After all, sometimes I miss the Lord or need to correct what I say in the spirit, even as I'm sure you do as well.

(I didn't intend to borrow so heavily from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, but found myself on exactly the same wavelength!)

The River That Flows From God's Throne

I was reading the Gospel of John the last few days and came across something that made me seek a little more understanding.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Christ.”
John 7:37-41

If you're just reading along, you might miss the context.  This is Hoshana Rabbah, a most joyous day of the year in Israel.  The people have just celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a week-long praise service to remember their wandering in the wilderness, and God's provision of food and water for the children of Israel.

Jesus stands up and cries in a loud voice that HE is the source of the life-giving water that comes from the throne of God.  And He prophesies that believers in Him will be conduits of this life-giving water (the Holy Spirit) for the world's refreshment.  He relates Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 55, Ezekiel 47) to the New Testament church that is yet to be born.

When the people hear this prophecy, their reaction is startling.  Some become convinced Jesus is the greatest prophet; others that He is indeed their Messiah.  Those few brief words are so exquisitely spoken and timed, they strike a resonant chord in the heart of the faithful.  But some are infuriated that Jesus would bind Himself to the words of Isaiah in such a setting, and they seek to kill Him.

This inspired me to learn more about this river of life, and what I learned was truly wonderful.  Let me start with Ezekiel.

Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
      When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
Ezekiel 47:1-6

The water that was trickling from the east side of the Temple soon became an ankle-deep stream, and less than a mile downstream the life-giving water became a mighty river.  What would cause the waters to grow from a trickle to a mighty river?  What causes the Spirit of God to enter a person as a drink, and to leave a person as a river of life?  It is as if the faith of the believer greatly magnifies the flow of the Spirit.  The picture in my mind is the throne of God, established in the heart of every believer, that causes him or her to become a tributary of the river of life.

Not only does the river of living water nourish the body, but it satisfies the soul and gives eternal life.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14

God Himself calls us to come to the river and drink freely.  (You might want to listen to this beautiful John Foley song sung by Matt Maher while you read the rest of this...)

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
Isaiah 55:1


What does the river of life look like?  It starts at the foot of the cross where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.  It pours over the apostles in the upper room.  It bubbles from their tongues and spreads like wildfire over the believers of the early church.  It is fed by the blood, sweat and tears of martyrs  under persecution from their Jewish and Roman rulers.  It sweeps through the dark ages of post-Roman Europe and bubbles out of the Protestant reformers and Methodist revivalists at the dawn of the industrial revolution.  It bursts forth new branches in home churches throughout Africa, underground churches in Asia, and newly awakened churches in the West.  If you can hear it, it probably sounds like a mighty rushing wind.  If you listen closely you may hear the prayers and worship of the saints.

Every believer adds testimony, tears and travails to this vast and unending river of life that continues to flow from the throne of God.  In a manner of speaking, every believer becomes a tree of life planted by the river, each bearing fruit in its time.

“By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
Ezekiel 47:12

 On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:2

Oh that I might drink anew from that beautiful stream, that I might be immersed in its flow and refreshed in my innermost being!  That I might plant my life firmly by its banks and bring forth everlasting fruit!  Lord Jesus, every day I will come to the river.  I will bow down and water the seeds that I have sewn with tears, and soon I will return with joyful shouting bringing bountiful fruit and healing leaves!

So let it be Lord, so let it be.