…complicated.
Really, the answer is pretty cut and dry, but when we try to understand every single aspect of the Trinity we will get confused. We must realize that He is God and we are not. There are some (ok, many) things that we cannot grasp. With that said, the definition we used last Wednesday night is this:
The Trinity is one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons-Father, Son, and Spirit-who are each fully and equally God. (1 Timothy 2:5, John 6:27, Titus 2:13, Acts 5:3-4, Isaiah 48:16, Matthew 28:19; to name a few supporting passages)
At first glance that may seem somewhat difficult to comprehend, but really, who are we to question the nature of God? Throughout the Bible this definition is supported. God has made who He is clear. And rather than question that nature, we are to rest in it and learn from it.
For youth group we stole The 7 characteristics of a “trinitarian life” from Mark Driscoll. For any of you who don’t know, Mark Driscoll is a Pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. The 7 characteristics of a life that is centered around the truth found in the Trinity, aka the “Trinitarian Life”, are:
1. Trinitarian — We live by the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father.
2. Loving — God is love. True love comes from Him. We are to love with this kind of love.
3. Communal — God intends for us to have relationships, because He is by nature, in relationship.
4. Transparent — There are no secrets between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… what are your secrets?
5. Humble — There is no jealousy within the Trinity. The Spirit isn’t trying to persuade people to praise Him more than Jesus.
6. Submissive — There is no defiance within the Trinity, although all three persons (who are one God) are equal, they know their roles and are true to them (See Jesus in the Garden).
7. Happy — There is unbelievable joy within the Trinity. It is not blind to the troubles of this world (See Jesus on the Cross), but it is a real joy. God is not some angry old guy up in the sky.
For youth group we briefly discussed these 7 characteristics, but focused on the 3rd one. We renamed it relational and discussed what it means to live a life that is relational. We gave three aspects to this incredibly important lesson we can take from the truth of the Trinity:
1. God wants you and I to have relationship with Him. If He didn’t want that, the Crucifixion of Christ never would have happened. He has been pursuing you and I ever since Adam and Eve believed the lie of Satan in the Garden of Eden. He wants relationship with you.
2. God wants us to have open and honest relationships with other Christians. We need to encourage and be encouraged by other believers. We are not supposed to live our life in solitude. Jesus’ death on a cross didn’t just bridge the gap between us and God; it also gave us the opportunity to be a part of an incredbly diverse family that we will spend eternity with. God wants you to get to know and be known by other Christians.
3. God wants each one of us to have relationships with non-believers. You see the church represents the body of Christ and Jesus Christ said in luke 19 that He came to seek and to save the lost. Seek is the operative word for this point. We are to pursue relationships with people who have never trusted Jesus as their Savior. We have the most incredible message anyone can hear living within us! The facts don’t lie; the overwhelming majority of people come to personal faith in Jesus through an existing relationship. Remember, Jesus was never brought down by these relationships. He never compromised righteousness in order to fit in. If you can’t be strong in your faith around non-believers, you may not be ready for these relationships yet.
If you have any questions about our look at the Trinity, feel free to ask them via the comment section. Also, what are your thoughts on the importance of relationships in the Christian life? Do you think our three aspects of relational living are accurate?