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Friday, September 9, 2011

The Beauty of the Holy Trinity

John 14:17 – “that is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you”


Holiness is what makes God to be God
When you consider the Triune God, you must begin with His holiness.  In the first verse above, we come to understand that God in one respect cannot be comprehended nor related to by any creature apart from grace.  God is infinite, everything else is finite.  One writer has noted that animals have a beginning and an end; angels and people have a beginning but will remain throughout eternity; however God alone has no beginning or end.

Comparing God’s Holiness, and the need for grace, to the sun
As we approach the Trinity, we are immediately confronted with a Life that is so unlike anything else we know.  God’s holiness marks a boundary that no creature, no angel nor no man could ever hope to cross.  God’s holiness is like the brightness of the sun – stare long enough and you will grow blind.  God’s holiness demands we respect and approach God in such a way as to be in awe.  When viewed through Grace, which God chooses to extend to us, His holiness is seen for what it is – beautiful, exquisite, captivating.  Think of that same sun, which moments before would blind me – now put it lower on the horizon with a veil of clouds, and I can admire the sunset refracting its light in beautiful color. 

Why God’s Holiness makes grace truly amazing
As Holy God, the infinite boundary between His creatures and Himself can only be crossed by Him.  He must come to us – which is Jesus’ point in the passage above.  The world in all its wisdom and knowledge cannot comprehend God – due to its preference for the darkness rather than light. (please compare John 3:18).  The Holy Spirit is God reaching out to fallen humanity.  His role within the Trinity is to open the eyes of the heart blinded by sin to behold the glory of the Son, who reveals the glory He shares with the Father.  God the Son crossed that boundary by taking upon Himself a robe of humanity.  God the Father crossed that boundary by sending the Son and the Spirit to a people who otherwise prefer to stay separated from Him.  That’s Grace – God’s Amazing Grace. 

Cities don't compare to sunsets
Think of our sunset once again, only this time it is setting above a brilliant city skyline.  The city is beautiful, it has much to offer.  Perhaps I live there, or have traveled there.  It represents the world.  The darker it gets, the more beautiful it seems to me.  I enjoy gazing at it.  But then my attention is drawn to the sunset, and suddenly the city is but a pitiful flicker of lights compared to the colorful sunset.  I may have seen many cityscapes, but sunsets are unique, unparalleled, never to be forgotten.  Only the Triune God, in grace extended to me, can convince me that His glory is more preferable than the desires of sin and this world.  O may we ever by grace admire the beauty of the Triune God who dwells in His Holiness.