Understanding the Trinity

 

People accuse Christians of having three Gods. They cannot conceive of the concept of three persons in one God. Yet, the Bible is very clear that we have one Body, one faith, one baptism and one God who is over all, through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

There are many examples to explain the Trinity. My favorite is to consider a man: he is a son, a father and a grandfather; yet, just one person with three functions.

Another is a basketball with the outer pig skin, the inner tube and the air within the ball giving it substance and form; one ball with three parts and functions.

Yet another idea is an apple with the skin, the flesh and the core; one apple with three distinct parts, serving three distinct functions. 

A triangle has three equal sides, which together make one complete shape. Understanding the Trinity is just that simple.

The confusing part with the Trinity is when God calls Jesus His son; yet, Jesus makes it clear that He and the Father are one (John 10:30). He said that if those in His day saw Him, then they have also seen the Father (John 14:7-9).

He also said that He had to leave the earth so the Holy Spirit could come (John 16:7). Clearly, one God with three distinct functions.

There are many diverse denominations of Believers, but we are all one Body in Christ with many parts (Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). God's grace chooses us, claims us by faith, gives us hope for the future and sustains us throughout our whole life (Matthew 22:14; Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Peter 5:7).

Prayer:

Father God, regardless of the denomination in which we choose to worship, You fill every authentic Believer with Your Holy Spirit. He joins us as one Body, one church, one Bride and one faith just as You, Your Spirit and Your Son are one. We are all one in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Thank You for sending us Your Spirit to comfort, guide and counsel us in Your Truth. We rely on His direction through every moment of every day. We are eternally grateful to Christ for His sacrificial offering in our place, and we bask in Your presence, which fills every fiber of our body, soul and spirit.

Thought for the Day:

Every authentic Believer is united with the Trinity who dwells within us; when someone as monumental as God moves in, there will be wondrous changes in our life.

A Triune Being

As a triune Being, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To give you an idea of how three beings make up one God consider these: One man is a boy, a father and a grandfather. One apple is skin, flesh and core. A triangle had three points, but is one shape. One basketball is a leather exterior, an inner tube and air. A human being is triune: one person with a body, soul and spirit.

Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedient choices, their spirit died. They still had a body and soul, but they carried around a dead spirit within them. Now, we are all born with a dead spirit within us. Our soul – our mind, will and emotions – finds sustenance and joy in this life; but something is always missing. Our spirit is dead and it wants to be reborn.

The only way for our spirit to be Born Again is to end our willful lifestyle and to totally surrender our body and soul to Jesus Christ (John 3:1-21). Many times people come to God to receive His benefits, especially during emotional and/or physical crisis in our life. We are grateful to Him for His solace and provision and we attempt to serve Him. We get religious for a while.

Eventually, when we recover from our crisis, we decide we are strong enough on our own and we do not need God anymore. What happened at this time is that our soul reached out to God. We embraced Him with our whole mind, will and emotions. We looked to Him as a benevolent Father and we took advantage of His generosity, mercy and grace.

However, our spirit was still dead in sin. That dead spirit, like a millstone around our neck (Matthew 18:6), drug us back down into Satan’s domain, and he made sure that we felt secure and settled in our new place in society.

Conversely, if we ever completely fall upon the Rock of Christ (Matthew 21:44; Psalm 18:2), we no longer live for our self, but for the glory and honor of our King. We receive all of the rights and privileges of a King’s kid; and we serve in God’s army to win the lost and to help to save them from a destructive, degenerate life.

Prayer:
Father God, unless we totally embrace You and Your Word, we will never find the total peace we seek or the fulfillment we desire on this earth. Our eternal destination does not depend on our goodness or corruptness, but on our belief or unbelief. Remind us that if we choose not to believe in and surrender totally to You, we condemn our self to a mediocre life on earth and the flames of hell for eternity (John 3:18).

Thought for the Day:

Unless you completely accept all of the Bible’s Words, God’s gift to us, as the only Truth in life, you will be constantly pulled by other ideologies, with which Satan floods the earth.

The Soul's Place in Eternity

Read: Luke 16: 22-31

There is a longstanding issue about whether or not our soul - our mind, will and emotions - lives on after death. The difficulty of accepting the reality of the soul as a vital element in our human existence, and then distinguishing it from the spirit and the body, is one of the most important conundrums of philosophical debate for centuries. The argument is heated at times, because of the lack of proof about whether or not the soul accompanies us into eternity.

The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. The mind’s function is to interpret what we experience in our body. It also defines the ideas and beliefs, which we hold dear. The soul also registers the emotions, which we feel. Then, considering our thoughts and feelings, the will makes the decisions, which we act upon. The soul is intangible; therefore, it requires a body to exist. We receive our body and soul at conception; however, our spirit is dead in sin until it is rebirthed in the regenerated Christian person.

The soul cannot be the spirit of man. The soul of the unregenerate man is functioning normally. It is the spirit, which is dead in trespasses and sin. The spirit is instantly regenerated or Born Again at Justification. Then, the soul takes the center stage as the Holy Spirit transforms our soul through the Sanctification process. This takes a lifetime. Eventually, the body will be saved through Glorification in the instant when we see Jesus. At that time, we shall have an immortal body, just like Jesus does. 

Verses such as, "Fear ye not them that kill the body . . . but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28), birth the idea of the Dualism of man, which means we only possess a body and a soul and causes people to equate the soul with the spirit. However, as scholars researched Bible verses further, they broadened Dualism to the doctrine of the Trichotomy in man. We are made in the image of God. He is a Trichotomy of Father, Son and Spirit. We are a Trichotomy of body, soul and spirit.

Paul shows our Trichotomy in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Another reference is in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christ’s teachings center on the spiritual side of man's nature. Of course, the demise or the salvation of the soul is of great importance when considering our eternal existence. However, Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16: 22-31 sheds some light on this topic. Although both the rich man’s body and Lazarus’ body are in the grave, they can both perceive thoughts and emotions through their soul, as well as experience in the soul what is usually registered through the five senses of the physical body.

Read with me from Luke 6:24…“So he called to him, 'Father Abraham (sight), have pity (emotion) on me and send Lazarus (thoughts) to dip the tip of his finger (taste) in water and cool my tongue (touch), because I am in agony (touch and emotion) in this fire (smell).” He also experiences the sense of hearing when Abraham advises him about his request in the verses following this one.

This scripture passage gives us a clear picture that our soul “feels” all of the physical sensations, which our body feels. When our body goes to the grave, the soul goes to heaven or hell for eternity. When Christ returns, we will all receive an immortal body, which will either experience the torments of hell or the glories of heaven for eternity, depending upon our belief in or rejection of Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Even scientists observe that the soul is independent and exists apart from the body. During our sleep, our soul carries on its work through our dreams. We express our self through our soul, not only on earth but also in heaven. Our physical life is merely temporary, while our soul exists continually. Scientists say that the physical proof of the soul’s existence comes from facts such as: the mysteries behind birth and death, the cessation of conscious thought during sleep, and the memory and imagination. All three of these give proof that there is an existence of the soul in addition to the body and spirit.

Yet, even with the obvious importance of the soul, mankind treats it with passing notice, sometimes even bordering on disdain. Some Christians insist that when we take up our cross daily, we crucify the God-given aspects of the soul, right along with the carnal, “fleshly” appetites of the body. What confuses me is that we dote on our physical condition, exercising and eating regularly to keep the body healthy and functioning. We feed our spirit with regular Bible reading and worship with other Believers. Yet, so many people ignore or try to crucify their soul, equating it with the “flesh”.

Peter calls us to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). This clearly shows that the soul is separate from the fleshly lusts and that we are to care for our soul. In my opinion, we need to pay equal amounts of attention to developing and nurturing our soul as we do with our body and spirit. Otherwise, we are like a stool with only two legs: unbalanced and virtually useless.

Paul explains that the natural (unregenerate) man does not believe the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). His spirit is dead. I like to visualize our triune state as a basketball. The outer pigskin is the body, the thin inner tube is the soul and the air inside (if one is born again) is the spirit. A person without the Spirit of God within resembles a ball without air…just a dud!

Don’t be a dud! When you realize your sinful condition, turn your desires and affections toward God. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept His grace for salvation. When the Spirit of God brings salvation to the spirit of a man, and we choose to surrender our body and soul to God, we enjoy unconditional fellowship with our Lord, and our soul cries out as the Psalmists’ did, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, teach us to submit our Trichotomy to You. Give us the desires of our heart so that they align with the desires of Your heart. Help us to walk in Jesus' footsteps. We thank You for saving us body, soul and spirit and for giving us the opportunity to live as a completed human being in Your Kingdom for eternity.

Thought for the Day:

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and man became a living soul.” - Genesis 2:7

(Research done at: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04744b.htm)

The Importance of the Soul

Read: Luke 16: 22-31

There is an age-old question about whether or not our soul - our mind, will and emotions - survives death. The question of the reality of the soul and distinguishing it from the body and spirit is among the most important quandaries of philosophical debate over the centuries of time. The question is made more difficult because the soul is also entangled in the doctrine of eternal life.

In the past, philosophers disagreed on the existence, function and description of the soul. Various cultures did take separate notice of the soul as distinct from the body. Archeologists and anthropologists discovered that even uncivilized people groups entertain the concept of the soul.

The Old Testament asserts or implies the distinct reality of the soul. Three terms are used for the soul: nephesh, nuah, and neshaman. Now, however, we know that these are three separate functions. The first was taken to refer to the animal and vegetative nature (body), the second to the ethical principle (soul), the third to the purely spiritual intelligence (spirit).

The soul’s function is to interpret the stimulus, which is experienced by the body. It also defines the ideas and beliefs by which we think. Another function is to register the emotions, which we feel. Then, it makes the decisions, which we carry out by our will. The soul is intangible, and requires a body in order to exist. We receive our body and soul at conception; however, the spirit is given to the regenerate Christian alone.

The soul is different from the spirit of man. The human spirit, dead in trespasses and sin, is instantly regenerated at Justification. Then, the soul takes the center stage for our Sanctification process, which takes a lifetime. The body will eventually be saved through Glorification the instant we see Jesus, for we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).

According to this viewpoint of the Trichotomy of man, a perfect man (teleios) consists of three parts: body (soma), soul (psyche) and spirit (pneuma). Paul employed psyche and pneuma with great consistency. He used psyche to refer to the purely natural life; while he used pneuma to refer to the life of the supernatural nature of the Holy Spirit, dwelling and operating in the spirit of the born again Believer.

Paul takes this view when he showed his belief in a Trichotomy of man in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul also shows the Trichotomy in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Even Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16: 22 –31 sheds some light on this topic of the soul. He relates to us the story of the death of a rich man and a beggar. The beggar, who receives the crumbs from the rich man’s table during his lifetime, was a Believer. He has a born again spirit, as well as a soul and body. When he dies, his soul and spirit go to heaven. The rich man who lived in unbelief and selfish debauchery all of his life has a spirit that is dead in trespasses and sin. Therefore, only his soul goes to hell.

Although their bodies are in the grave, they can both perceive thoughts and emotions through their soul, as well as experience in the soul what is normally registered only by the five senses of the physical body. Read with me from Luke 6:24…“So he called to him, 'Father Abraham (sight), have pity (emotion) on me and send Lazarus (thoughts) to dip the tip of his finger (taste) in water and cool my tongue (physical sensation), because I am in agony (physical sensation and emotion) in this fire (smell).” The rich man also experiences the sense of hearing when Abraham advises him about his request in the verses following this one.

This scripture gives us a clear picture that our soul “feels” all of the physical sensations, which our body feels. When our body goes to the grave, the soul goes to heaven or hell for eternity. The soul is the essence of mankind.

Even scientists observe that the soul is independent of and existent apart from the body. During our sleep, our soul carries on its work through our dreams. The physical proof of the soul’s existence comes from facts such as: the mysteries behind birth and death, the cessation of conscious thought during sleep, and the imagination and memory. All three of these are unassailable proof that there is an existence of some solid entity within us in addition to our vital organs and our spirit.

Yet, even with the obvious importance of the soul, mankind treats it with passing notice, sometimes even bordering on disdain. Some Christians insist that when we take up our cross daily, we crucify the God-given aspects of the soul, right along with the carnal, “fleshly” appetites. In my opinion, we need to pay equal amounts of attention to developing and nurturing our soul as we do with our body and spirit. Otherwise, we are like a stool with only two legs: unbalanced and virtually useless.

Genesis 2:7 illustrates the distinction between the body, spirit and soul, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and man became a living soul.” God told Adam that if he ate of the tree in the garden, that day he would surely die. When Adam disobeyed, and the angel of the Lord drove him from the garden, he did not die physically, but he did die spiritually.

Paul explains that the natural (unregenerate) man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. His spirit is dead. I like to visualize our triune state as a basketball. The outer pigskin is the body, the thin inner tube is the soul and the air inside (if one is born again) is the spirit. A person without the Spirit of God resembles a ball without air, lifeless and unable to bounce.

Our desires and affections are turned toward God when we realize our sinful condition, believe God and accept His grace in salvation. When the Spirit of God illuminates our spirit with divine light and life, we yield our affections and faculties - our whole body, soul and spirit - to God. The Christian who is enjoying unbroken communion with our Lord is able to say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1).