Four more practical reasons for the doctrine of the Trinity

2 Corinthians 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."

Introduction:
Yesterday's post considered four reasons why the reality of the Trinity is life-practical for the 21st century. In today's post we will consider four more reasons why the doctrine of the Trinity is highly practical for daily living.

1. The truth of people needing God
Was God lonely before He created anything? Did God create out of a need for having a creation and human beings? What makes God, well, God versus creation? God is complete and sufficient in and of Himself, with or without creation. When God created the universe, nothing was added nor subtracted from His being. Such a property of God's being is what theologians call "Divine aseity", referring to God's self-sufficiency. Creation, on the other hand, is incomplete without God. God's creation of all things was a choice, rooted in God's desire to share the overflow of love and trust shared between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Without the Trinitarian revelation of God, we couldn't make sense as to why God is complete in-and-of-Himself and more to the point: why we need Him.

2. The truth of salvation. 
John 3:16 is perhaps the most familiar verse in the Bible on the subject of salvation. Without the doctrine of the Trinity, we would not be able to make sense of John 3:16. The first phrase: "For God so loved the world" seems clear enough. But, the next phrase then states: "that He gave His One and only Son". This most familiar of all passages would not work without the reality of the Triune God. God the Father sent the Son. The Son, being God, provides salvation that is sufficient to redeem sinners. This same Son came to partake in true humanity, thus making Him capable of accomplishing the purchase of salvation through the shedding of His innocent blood. The verse then close out, reminding us of the only way anyone can receive what Christ achieved as God and man: "whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

3. The truth about the Bible
The Bible is a product of the Holy Spirit, is focused upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and is intended to point the way to the glory of the Father. This Trinitarian understanding of the plot-line of the 66 books of the Bible is what makes the Bible so unique. Whether we speak of the Father, Son or Holy Spirit, we are speaking about God. Each of God's two main names: "Yahweh" and "Elohim" are each found thousands times in the scriptures. These two names indirectly point to the two primary truths about God: Yahweh is a singular term, emphasizing that God and God alone is the "I AM"; whereas "Elohim" is a plural noun, underscoring how God is a plurality of Persons, strong and mighty as the Creator and Redeemer. There is scarcely a verse of scripture that is not somehow impacted by the truth of the Trinity.

4. The truth about the church
We could go on with so many more "truths" which only make sense in light of the fact that God is the Triune God. Undoubtedly we could comment on how true worship, true prayer, true evangelism, truths related to suffering and other "rubber-meets-the-road" issues are made more understandable in light of the Triune existence of God. We will however close out with how this crucial doctrine sheds light on the church. When we come to the New Testament teaching of the church, we often will find the imagery of "the body" being used with reference to Jesus' humanity and in analogy to the human body as being "one body, composed of many members" (see Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12-14). 

However, in thinking about what we saw earlier regarding the "truth about love", 1 Corinthians 13 unfolds in the greatest detail the nature of Divine love expressed through the church body. God's love is a self-giving love, dispensed for the sake of another's enjoyment. Unless God is Triune, with each Person of the Trinity giving of their love and reciprocating such to one another, we really don't have an adequate way of describing what church-life ought to be. Church members ought to show love to one another (see John 13:34-35). When the church operates in a comparative manner of love and self-sacrificial giving to one another and those around them like God does within Himself, the world will see tangible evidence of God's activity in and among the church.

Four reasons why the Trinity is such a practical doctrine for today

Genesis 1:1-2  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."

Introduction:
Today's post is going to list four practical reasons why the Trinity is important to the Christian and to the understanding of life, God and the Bible. In brief, when Christians say God is a Trinity or Triune, what is meant is: God is One God, existing as Three Persons, with each Person identified as truly and fully God. The doctrine itself is composed of three essential doctrines taught in the Bible: God as one God; Deity of Jesus Christ and the Personality of the Holy Spirit. Passages such as Matthew 28:18-19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 clearly state that God is one God, existing as three Persons with each Person being truly and fully God. 

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines the Trinity as follows: "The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being." 
The Biblical doctrine of the trinity is not only profound, but practical. The way we will explore these life-practical reasons is by noting particular truths that can only make sense in light of the Trinity.

1. Truth about God's identity. 
In Genesis 1:1-2 we already find reference to at least one of the Persons of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit. We find Him "hovering" above the waters. In John 1:1, we find reference to the other two Persons, namely the Father, called by the title "God", and the Son, referred to as "the Word" in the same verse. This is God's identity. He is one God in being and three in identity. 

2. Truth about humanity. 
What does it mean to be human? In Genesis 1:26 we understand that God made man in "His image" and "in His likeness", meaning that unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, mankind was endowed with reason, the ability to have relationship with God and with each other and delegated authority dominion over the created realm. Interestingly Genesis 1:26 records God saying: "let us make man in 'our' image and in 'our likeness'". Notice the plural pronoun "our" with reference to God. God is indeed "One" God, and yet we find in Genesis a plurality within God. This plurality, as later Biblical texts will reveal, has to do with God being three in Person. God relates within Himself and thus has created human beings with the capacity to relate. 

3. The truth about the family. 
As the doctrine of the Trinity helps us to understand the relational uniqueness of human beings, we find the truth of the family made more clear. In Genesis 2:22-25 we see the husband and wife relationship being described in terms of the man and wife being "one flesh". How can two distinct individuals be plural in one way and one in another? As God made humanity in His image to be a relational reflection of Himself, we find the marriage relationship to be patterned somewhat off of what is true about God. God is a plurality in unity, and thus marriage is designed to reflect this feature. Any departure from this Divine design of one man, one woman in covenantal union for life erases the Divine intention for marriage.

4. The truth about love.
A fifth century theologian by the name of Augustine would often highlight how God is a God of love. Since love by its nature requires three elements: a lover, a beloved and the love shared between the two, this quality about love is due to what we find to be the case within God. God is the Father (the Lover within the Trinity); the Son (the beloved in the Trinity) and the Holy Spirit (the love shared between the Father and the Son). This thought is helpful in understanding the concept of love, especially in its self-giving nature, its desire to please the one it is given to and the beauty thereof. 1 John 4:8 plainly states: "God is love".

More next time..... 

How to get free from taking up offense - forgiveness

Luke 17:1-4 "He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

The pain of tripping over lego blocks at night
Over the years my children have enjoyed playing with little Lego blocks. I can even recall as a child getting a big pail full of Lego blocks at my grandmother's home and building houses, forts and all sorts of structures. Lego's can be a wonderful experience, that is, until you step on them at night. I'm sure you know of what I speak. You're walking through your house in the middle of the night to get a sip of water when, OUCH! Yep. Someone left their Lego's out in the middle of the living room. There have been occasions where I have almost fallen or tripped because of the pain of those sharp little edges. 

Jesus uses an interesting term here in Luke 17 to describe what it means to "take up offense" - namely, "stumbling blocks". We looked yesterday at what it means to take up offense and how it both harms and hampers the Christian. In Luke 17, this same idea is communicated by Jesus as a warning to His disciples. The word translated "stumbling block" comes from a Greek word from whence we derive our English word "scandal". Scandals in our day and age can cause onlookers to either wag their heads or, in some cases, tempt others to think of doing the same thing. Stumbling blocks or offense never benefits. 

How does one get free from offense? Perhaps from the last post, some were under the impression that one cannot escape this spiritual and emotional malady called "offense". As we explore God's Word, there is only one effective way to not only escape offense, but to avoid it all together - forgiveness. Jesus lays out in three parts the remedy of forgiveness as He warns about how to avoid and escape offense. Notice...

1. Heed the call to let go of the offense. Luke 17:1-2
Jesus starts out in Luke 17:1-2 with these words - "He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble." So, its not a matter of "if offenses will come". Instead, it is more a matter of "when they will come". You and I cannot control what people will say or what events will come into our lives. We also are not living in a fair world, since our world is a fallen one. Older Bible teachers often refer to what are called "the noetic effects of sin", meaning the collateral damage caused by our sin, including broken relationships, mis-understandings, damaged emotions and other various spiritual, psychological and physical maladies that affect the human race.  

You and I must come to terms with the fact that we cannot control our environment nor the way people will treat us. The only thing we can control is our response. The question is: will you be bitter, or better? Will you retain a grudge, or forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13)? Unless the cross is in our center-line of vision, the vulnerability to taking up offenses will be pretty high. 

So to get free or remain free from offense, we've got to learn to "let go". This is at the heart of the meaning of forgiveness. But now notice what else Jesus' says...

2. Heed the call to loosen from blame. Luke 17:3-4
Jesus continues on His warning in Luke 17:3-4 3“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4“And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” So in this world of ours, and even in the church, the likelihood of someone saying something wrong, or not saying something that should had been said, can yield in us a response of anger or bitterness if we're not careful. If we have taken strides to guard are hearts through reflecting on God's Word and God's forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the chances of taking up offenses will be greatly diminished. 

Now Jesus is not dismissing from responsibility the one who says careless words or does thoughtless deeds. Often when an offense is taken up, a legitimate hurt has been committed, and not just merely a misunderstanding. Certainly those who are careless or reckless in their treatment of us should be held accountable for their actions. The key of course is by whom should they be held accountable - us or God? 

Such considerations will aid greatly in getting free from offense. We've got to let go, and loosen from blame. But now let's notice one last thing Jesus states concerning how to get free from or in avoiding offense...

3. Heed the call to love in greater faith. Luke 17:5-6
We read the following interesting response of the disciples to Jesus in Luke 17:5-6 "The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you." In as much as the Lord instructs on matters of prayer, I find it intriguing that this teaching and the disciples' remarks follows on the heals of Jesus' teaching on offense. Our pattern for forgiveness is the cross (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13) To forgive those who have hurt us requires, well, great faith. Whenever God is calling us to such a high calling as "letting go, loosening from blame and loving that other person", we need a greater capacity for His love to flow through us. Hence, the request for greater faith is the request for a greater ability to trust God to see them through whenever they heed these challenging words of Jesus.

Unless we forgive as the Lord forgave us, we will fall for offense every time or we will find ourselves ever "stuck in the rut" of offense, rejection and stumbling around. As Jesus points out in Luke 17:4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

The harming and hampering effects of taking up offense

Mark 6:1-3 "Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him."

Defining what it means to take up offense
Stumbling blocks or offense can prevent otherwise good, godly people from being effective in their Christian walk. When we harbor bitterness, we find ourselves incapable of receiving any further spiritual insights from God. In Mark 6:3, we find the people in Jesus' home town of Nazareth being "offended because of Him", perceiving a line having been crossed, and thus ultimately rejecting His ministry. 

When we operate in resentment, it is due to us at some point doing what the Bible refers to as "taking up an offense". To "take up an offense" means to respond in bitterness and anger rather than in forgiveness. Jesus warns of taking up offenses in Luke 17:1-5 "He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Elsewhere in the New Testament we are given a similar warning about not taking up offense in Ephesians 4:26-27 "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity."

Meet the man who took up an offense at a football game
One day a man decided to take his friend, Joe, to see a football game. Joe had never been to a game, nor was he familiar at all with football. As they were up in the stands, watching the game, the crowd around them was cheering, and the man himself was whooping and hollering, for the home team was winning. However his friend Joe sat motionless with a scowl on his face.

After the game was over, the excited man asked his friend: "So Joe, what did you think of your first football game"? His friend sharply responded: I have never been so offended in all my life! Those fellows in the striped shirts kept ever-so -often getting together in the middle of the field, stopping the players from playing. And you know what, I think they were talking about me!" 

Now this illustration conveys the truth of what happened to Jesus in Mark 6 and what He taught in Luke 17. The friend in our little story perceived a line had been crossed. He came to the game, not knowing what to expect. As he watched, he began to draw conclusions about what he thought he saw. All we know is that the man chose to respond in anger and bitterness, resulting in his inability to appreciate the effort of the other man in treating him to his first football game.

Two reasons to not get offended or take up offense
So why ought you and I not take up offenses? As we consider Jesus' actions and the crowds responses to Him in Mark 6:1-6 and the parallel account in Matthew and Luke, we can note two reasons:

1. Offense harms. Mark 6:1-4
When anyone takes up an offense, it results in harm to that person and to those around them. Oftentimes offense will array itself in religious garments. As crazy as it may sound, those that carry around offense don't half-the-time realize when they are expressing themselves in it. Offense can creep in when we least expect it. Mark 6:1-4 records the unfolding of offense at the Synagogue at Nazareth. As always, it is interesting to see how the other Gospel writer's record the same scene. Notice how we see offense creep in at Luke's parallel account in Luke 4:22 - "And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 

Everything seems to be going well for Jesus, that is, until someone says in passing: "isn't this Joseph's son". Then the offense creeps up inside those in attendance. The thing is, the offense had been taking up somewhere in the past - whether it be in the immediate past or years ago. According to Luke's version of events, the people do a 180 on Jesus and we find the harmful results of offense expressed in Luke 4:28-30 "And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, He went His way." 

Quite literally, whenever a church or group of God's people operate in offense, the presence and power of Jesus can momentarily lift whatever blessing was upon that people. Whenever an individual Christian operates in offense, though they remain a Christian, yet, they can for a period of time think, feel and act like a lost person in whatever specific area they became offended. As we see in the text above, Jesus exited out of their midst. Truly what Proverbs 18:19 states is very sobering - "A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel."

2. Offense hampers. 
So we've seen how offense harms both the one who has offended as well as those around them. A closely related second reason for not taking up offense is due to how it hampers the spiritual life and regular life of people. It is no secret that we are living in a culture riddled with offense. I recall once stopping at a gas station and going inside to pay my bill. On the wall was a big sign with these words: "Don't be offended when we ask your age, take it as a compliment". The store owner was referring to the practice of requesting photo I.D from people who want to purchase tobacco or alcoholic beverages. Even in secular environments, offense runs rampant , which is why it is so dangerous. 

Think about what happens when such a malady is contracted like a cold by sincere people of God, Christian leaders and even pastors? If anything, pastors and Christian leadership are the most vulnerable to the ailment called "offense". If the enemy of our souls - The Devil - can trip pastors and leadership up into offense, think of the lives that would be affected. 

Now Jesus, being the Son of God in human flesh, walked above offense. However, those who saw His ministry up close became offended. In his hometown in Nazareth, we read what occurred when they took up offense in Mark 6:5-6 "And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching." Matthew's parallel account reads as follows in Matthew 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Mark's account implies a hampering of Jesus' miraculous ministry and Matthew's version indicates that Jesus just didn't do the miracles. 

Whenever people take up offense, further light from God's Word can harden such a one. Jesus knew that the people were unwilling and incapable of receiving any further light from him. Offense had hampered their abilities to receive further illumination about His Person and work. As a person persists in offense, the kingdom of darkness will energize the effort, resulting in a spiritual element of rejection. No matter what anyone may try to do to remedy the situation, it's "never good enough" for those who have been bitten by the serpent of offense. Offense both harms and hampers spiritual growth and the amount of good that would had been otherwise done if the people had responded in a redemptive posture rather than in bitterness. 

Next time we will look at how one can get free from offense. 

The spiritual fruit of meekness

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Introduction:
The closest that the Merriam Webster Dictionary comes to the Biblical definition of meekness is in its primary entry: "enduring injury with patience and without resentment" or "mild". It is unfortunate, in many Christian circles today, that little to no discussion is carried on with respect to meekness. Often-times people equate this virtue with "weakness", since its outward appearance seems to indicate a passivity or "wishy-washiness". However, nothing could be further from the truth. Dr. John Piper writes the following insight about meekness:

"Meekness begins when we put our trust in God. Then, because we trust him, we commit our way to him. We roll onto him our anxieties, our frustrations, our plans, our relationships, our jobs, our health. And then we wait patiently for the Lord. We trust his timing and his power and his grace to work things out in the best way for his glory and for our good." http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-meekness 

This particular virtue of meekness, translated in Galatians 5:22 as "self-control", will be the focus of today's post. 

Breaking the will and taming a horse
I can recall one time watching an evangelist do a presentation whereby he tamed a horse before a live audience. This man was equally adept in training horses and proclaiming God's Word. He led a wild pony into a circular ring that was bucking and kicking. As the "cowboy evangelist" began to speak, he told the audience how before Christ, all human beings have a will that is in rebellion against God. The evangelist then proceeds to chase the colt around the circular ring. The little pony is trying to hide from the Evangelist, who is speaking in soft tones but is persisting closer and closer. At times, the colt bumps into the fence, but since it is circular, he has to keep moving. Over the course of the presentation, the little pony's will is "broken" due to fatigue. By the end of the presentation, the cowboy evangelist is able to get on the horse and ride him out of the arena. By "breaking in" the pony, the man is able to teach it how to exercise its strength and youthfulness under the control of his saddle and reigns. God does that to the Christian. Once our will is "broken" by the law of God, we hear the gentle voice of Jesus and soon, He is saddling us so that we can proceed under His Lordship.

Meekness is strength under control
When I think back to that cowboy evangelist, I'm reminded of the ancient Greek meaning of the word translated "meek" or "self-control" in the New Testament. The Greek dictionary by Liddell-Scott traces the origin of this word back to the days when the Greek would tame their domesticated beasts. Meekness in ancient Greece was a virtue and was the bedrock for other virtues such as courage. The New Testament takes this word and applies it to the spiritual arena of the Christian life. So, why is meekness so important for the Christian today? Note in brief three reasons...

1. Christ-likeness includes meekness
Jesus says in Matthew 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." As Jesus rode into Jerusalem in Matthew 21:5, we discover that He was fulfilling Bible prophecy in His meekness. The text reads in Matthew 21:5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Gentle, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The Apostle Paul exhorts his listeners towards Christ-likeness with these words in 1 Corinthians 10:1 "Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!" So meekness is important for the Christian due to its Christ-like nature. But notice secondly why we need meekness in the Christian life....

2. Character of faith grows by meekness
From the onset of saving faith, we discover the place of meekness in James 1:21 "Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." As Paul was instructing young Pastor Timothy in his Christian growth, we read these words in 1 Timothy 6:11 "But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness." We know from the book of James and other books of the Bible that faith and works go hand-in-hand. We are saved by faith apart from works to a faith that works. Whenever we consider the necessity for meekness in the development of one's character of faith, the clear words of James 3:11-13 stand out: "Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. Wisdom from above 13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." We could go on and on. The Old Testament reminds us of how God leads those who are meek to follow Him in his way (Psalm 25:9). Then of course, in words most likely composed by Joshua under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Moses is described as the "meekest man who ever lived" in Numbers 12:3. Undoubtedly, meekness is a virtue that ought to be highly prized by the Christian due to its Christ-like character and the character of faith the grows by it. Would it be that all Christ-followers would excel in this Spirit-wrought virtue of meekness. 

L.I.F.E practical reasons for the doctrine of the Trinity in the Christian life

Philippians 2:1-4  "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."

Introduction:
So what practical importance does the doctrine of the Trinity serve in the Christian life in the 21st century? This was a question recently asked of me at our church. It is a vital question and it demonstrates the questioner's desire to go deeper in God. Sadly in so many American churches, the doctrine of the Trinity is at most verbally confessed by given far to little thought or attention in the pulpit. 

I can recall once when in seminary a prominent professor desiring to teach a class on the Trinity at the church he was a member and being told that there would likely be little interest in the subject. Writer A.W. Tozer has rightly noted that whatever a person thinks of when He is told to think about God will tell quite a bit about that person. Today I want to offer four practical reasons why the doctrine of the Trinity is l.i.f.e practical by ways of the acronym "l.i.f.e". Let's note each of them in their turn. First, the doctrine of the Trinity is very practical because....

Living for God requires the Trinity. Philippians 2:1-5
The read may had noticed that today's post opened with Philippians 2:1-4. In those verses the Apostle Paul deals with matters pertaining to Christian attitudes and actions. Attitudes and actions are the tracks upon which the Christian life daily rolls. However, this isn't some bare moralism or "will-power" religion. There is a reference point by which our behavior operates. Notice Philippians 2:5-7 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men." In these few verses we have contained the elements contained within the Trinity. Undoubtedly the emphasis is placed upon Jesus Christ as truly God and truly man. 

With respect to His Deity, the Son shares in and reveals the Person of the Father, Who is indirectly assumed. After all, in order for the Son to be equal to God, that One with Whom He is equal must be another Person, who is revealed in other places as the Father (John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6-7). With regards to Christ's humanity, scripture testifies that the humanity of Jesus was miraculously conceived by the union of the Person of the Son with the humanity of Mary by the Person of the Holy Spirit (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:35). 

What we find in Philippians 2:5-7 is the theological foundation for Christian living, namely the Trinity. But now let's notice a second life practical reason for the doctrine of the Trinity, namely...

Intercessory Prayer. Philippians 2:8-10
Why was it that the Son of God came to be incarnated as God in the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth? Moreover, why did He then go to the cross, rise from the dead and ascend into heaven as forever God and man? He did so to provide the basis for which Christians pray. Passages such as 1 John 2:1-2 and 1 Timothy 2:5 describe the exalted Jesus as the Mediator between the Father and believers. Since the Son ascended, He not only occupies the role as the Mediator for the Christian in heaven, but He also had sent the Person of the Holy Spirit, Who takes our prayers directly to Him. 

Passages such as Romans 8:26-27 remind us of the Holy Spirit's work in prayer here on earth. Thus all of Christ's finished work in the cross and empty tomb provided the basis for which He would carry on His work of intercession, and thus our own (see Hebrews 7:24-25). Again, the Trinitarian understanding of God as revealed in scripture makes sense of intercessory prayer, as well as living the Christian life. Now let's consider a third l.i.f.e practical reason for the doctrine of the Trinity...

Faith needs the Trinity. Philippians 2:9-13.
Within these next set of verses, the Apostle Paul is going to focus on two cardinal doctrines that, once again, are linked to the Trinity and which feed the Christian's faith. First, the ascension of Jesus entails His second coming. When Jesus Christ visibly returns, there will be no question regarding His glory and worthiness of worship. "God" (implying the Father) has highly exalted Him and alone knows the day and hour of the Son's return (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32). The second cardinal doctrine that is a major article of the Christian faith is that of the Christian's growth in sanctification. Philippians 2:12-13 bears out how we as Christians are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling", since "God is working in us His perfect and pleasing will". 

Within the Trinity there is One will expressed and exercised by all three Persons. The Father has planned, the Son purchased so that the Spirit can apply the benefits of faith necessary for the Christian to co-operate in their process of sanctification with God. So as we can see, once again, the doctrine of the Trinity is practical for living, intercession and faith itself. Now let's consider one last l.i.f.e practical reason for the doctrine of the Trinity, namely...

Evangelism. Philippians 2:14-15
Paul writes in Philippians 2:14-15 "Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world." The Christian's testimony and duty to share the Gospel with those around him is entailed in the Great Commission. 

Jesus tells us that we are to let our light shine before men so that they may praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). As He then gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, it included the doctrine of the Trinity, with the Trinity being the emphasis in believer's baptism following saving faith. In sharing the Gospel, do we not appeal to the Father and the power of His Spirit as we proclaim the Son's death, burial and resurrection? Without the Trinity, our evangelism would be impossible. 

Closing thoughts
Today we gave four l.i.f.e. practical reasons for the doctrine of the Trinity for the Christian living in the 21st century:

Living the Christian life
Intercessory prayer
Faith
Evangelism 

As we aim to live the l.i.f.e in conjunction with the Triune God, may we think of Him more clearly, draw closer to Him more nearly and love Him more dearly. 

Meditating more on the Person of the Father in the creeds and confessions

1 Corinthians 8:6-7 "yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 7. However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."

Introduction
Yesterday we began considering the Person of the Father as He is described in ancient creeds and confessions. We meditated upon God the Father as He is expressed in the Apostle's creed, Nicene creed and Athanasian creed. These three particular creeds represent what the early Christians taught through the first five to six centuries of church history. Understanding our history is important, since we can trace how consistent we are today by how well we match the scriptures - which are the foundation of the Christian faith - and past generations of Christians in their attempts to do the same. Today we will conclude our meditation on God the Father through creeds and confessions by considering how He is expressed in more contemporary doctrinal statements. 

God the Father in relationship to the Son and Spirit as One God
The Father, Son and Spirit are co-equal, co-eternal and share in the One Divine essence, with the Father providing the reference point for all the relationships with the Son and Spirit, whilst the Son and Spirit in their relationship with the Father perpetuate the fullness of Deity shared between all three Persons. All three provide an equality of framework with reference to one another, while being distinct Persons possessing the One, united, Divine essence that makes them each truly God. The following doctrinal statements or confessions summarize the identity and nature of God the Father...

1. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding

We fast forward 1100 years later to the Baptist Confession of 1689, wherein we find the language of the ancient creeds contained within this early expression of the Baptists. It must be grasped that in starting with the Person of the Father, two other crucial doctrines are understood: the Deity of Christ and the Personality of the Holy Spirit. As we pray to the Father, we also assume contact with the Son and Spirit, since all three are the One God revealed in the Old and New Testaments. This particular confession uses an older term for "person", namely "subsistence". Without going into too much detail, to speak of each Person of the Trinity as being a "subsistence" means each is a center of consciousness within the Godhead. This expresses how God is ever-relating within Himself and how, by nature, He is the relational God. 

2. God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

This final statement about the Father from the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 brings us up to modern day. We are reminded that the Person of the Father is known in "truth" in salvation. The "truth" here has to do with what occurs in saving faith in Jesus Christ through the scriptures. The Deity, providence and Personality of the Father is connected to the first part of the statement on God contained within the BFM 2000. The only way God the Father can become "Father" to anyone is by salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.  

Closing thoughts
We journeyed rather briskly through 2,000 years of church history to see what ancient and modern Christians have confessed with respect to the Person of the Father. It must be understood that any such statements are secondary in nature when compared to the believer's ultimate authority - the Bible. Still, it is valuable to know what Christian of the past have confessed. To see how the Person of the Father has been confessed and embraced can aid in deepening ourselves in the entirety of the Trinity.