Tri-UNE

Just a brief note to remember something. When we talk about the Trinity it seems that we go to great pains to talk about each person of the Trinity and how they are different from the other. We have a formula that says that God the Father is not God the Son or God the Holy Spirit, but he is God. Likewise, God the Son is not God the Father or God the Holy Spirit but is God. Then we do the same for God the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that we spend most of our time showing how each person is NOT the other and very little time focusing on the IS God part.

I think one reason for that is that we look through the lens of a Western (Greek) worldview rather than an Eastern (Hebrew) worldview. We seem to be focused on separating and not so good at thinking about things as a whole. There is probably some good reason for this and it probably is helpful for a lot of people. But I also think it is helpful for us to focus on the IS God aspect of our formula too.

Probably the hardest person of the Trinity for us to think of as God is the Holy Spirit. Maybe that is because of how Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a comforter, guide, and helper. Yet we do make the connection when we use the terms "God's leading" and "lead by the Holy Spirit." We see that as one in the same but in other instances we somehow see the Holy Spirit as less than God.

The incarnation probably gives us the best example of looking at it both ways. John 3:16 tells us that God (father) sent his Son (Jesus). That would be the focus on the separation of the Trinity. Yet we also read in Matthew 1:23 that they will call him Immanuel- which means 'God with us." That would be a focus on the whole of the Trinity.

This probably makes little sense to most people but it popped into my head this morning that we don't focus on the wholeness of the Trinity very much and that sometimes it is helpful to do so.