COMING TO TERMS: "Trinity"

The term “Trinity” is popularly used to describe the three-fold nature of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.    Would you be surprised to learn that the term "Trinity" is nowhere to be found in the Scriptures?  Yes, it's true!  A term used so widely to explain the nature and character of God is not even used in the Scriptures.

But how are we to understand the three-fold nature of God?  Are we to think of Him as three or as one?   

Let me illustrate how we can understand God as being three-in-one.  I am a son, a father and a husband.  Does that mean I'm three different people?  Of course not!  It simply describes three natures or characteristics of myself regarding different relationships.   To my parents I act as a son showing respect and honoring them.   To my children I act as a father loving them as my own.  To my wife I strive to be an adoring and loving husband.   The relationship I have with each of these are entirely different.  Many conversations I may have with each of these can be very different also.  I have three different relationships but I'm only one person.

God also has three different relationships with us.   God the Father reminds us of His power, majesty and Holiness.   As God the Son (Jesus) He came in person to be like us to relate to us in person.  He became God in the flesh (John 1:14).  As God the Holy Spirit we have His presence within us to guide us into all truth and encourage us in our Christian life.

Is there any event recorded in the Scriptures that shows all three aspects of God's nature at the same time?  Yes!

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”                                   -Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV)

God the Father created all things and created man to have a relationship with.  

God the Son (God in the flesh) came to personally experience life as we do.  He redeems us from our sins as the perfect, unblemished, and sinless sacrifice on our behalf so we may be restored in our relationship with God.

God the Holy Spirit lives within those who have accepted His love and the sacrifice of the Jesus Christ.  He is our spiritual conscious and guide to help us understand the Scriptures and life as God envisioned.

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!

  

CATCH PHRASE #2

Another popular saying I’ve heard over the years is…

“Call Bible things by Bible names.”  

This is a self-defeating statement.  How can one call Bible things by Bible names when the term “Bible” is not even in the Bible?  Have we not by using the term “Bible” called a Bible thing by a name not found in it?  The word “Bible” came from the seaport town named Byblos from ancient Phoenicia in what is modern day Lebanon.  The Greeks took the name of the city as their word for “book” from which was later derived “Bible”.

Does anyone else find it odd that the term “Bible” is not found in the Bible?  So I strive to use the term “Scriptures” in lieu of “Bible”.   

How is it that terms not found in the Scriptures are used to describe such important doctrines that the Scriptures convey?   As much as possible I strive to let the Scriptures interpret and define itself.   I think it wise to strive to stay away from man-made terms as much as possible yet I confess that having grown up in the church and having heard such terms as these so often it is a challenge to refrain from slipping up and using them myself.    

I’m not advocating leaving a fellowship of believers with those who use such terms but I do encourage all to consider striving to use terms found in the Scriptures as much as possible over other man-made terms.  Why muddy the waters?  Let the Scriptures interpret themselves and use the terms its uses as much as possible.  This may take some effort and self-correcting over time to accomplish since we have had such terms ingrained in our consciousness by our traditions and customs for generations.   Perhaps this could be the start of a restoration of terms towards more Scriptural accuracy.

Perhaps this popular phrase should be revised to say,

“Call Scripture things by Scripture names."                                                                                        

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

                         -2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

CATCH PHRASE #1

Perhaps you have heard the saying, 

“Where the Scriptures speak we speak, and where the Scriptures are silent we are silent.”  

This thought sounds good on the surface but is it practical or viable to put into practice? Our non-instrumental brethren would tell us that because musical instruments are not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures we should not use such resources in worship.  Yet, the Scriptures also do not mention church buildings, church buses, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, a communion table, communion trays, offering plates, and the list could go on. With this reasoning, we should not have church buildings since they are not mentioned in the New Testament. In truth there were no church buildings until at least the 3^rd century A.D. The earliest known Christian Church building (a remodeled cave) dates to about 230 A.D. and was found in northern Jordan. If you study the world of the Roman Empire it makes sense that there were no church buildings in the first two-three centuries. Christianity was technically an illegal religion in the Roman Empire and there were many persecution periods towards Christians from various Roman rulers.   Buildings dedicated as a church building began to emerge in earnest and multiply during the 4^th Century A.D. after the rise of Constantine when Christianity became tolerated and later became the state religion of the Roman/Byzantine Empire.

Some time ago, while on vacation I attended a church that does not believe in the use of musical instruments in worship. Though different than what I’ve been accustomed to I experienced a fine time of worship. However, I did notice that the song leader used a pitch pipe to start each song with the right note. Is not the pitch pipe a musical instrument? In addition, I also noticed they had a piano in their fellowship hall. Oh, but that was not the “sanctuary” or “worship hall”. So am I to assume that piano is used only for worldly or secular music? If they sing hymns or other Christian songs with the piano in the fellowship hall are they not worshiping? In truth, before we judge our non-instrumental brethren too harshly let us acknowledge that we probably have some double-standards of our own that have yet to be reconciled.

“Where the Scriptures speak we speak, and where the Scriptures are silent we are silent.”  

Be careful with such phrases that you do not take them as “gospel”. Where the Scriptures are silent we are at liberty to use or do certain things, as long as it is God-honoring and helping to fulfill the mission of the Lord’s Church. Be careful not to criticize someone or a congregation by saying what they do or use is not in the Scriptures, before we take a hard look in the mirror.  

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.      -Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)