5 Keys That Help Unlock The Mystery Of The Trinity

I was speaking with a man whose comment crystallized for me what a lot of people wonder. We were talking about Christianity when he suddenly blurted out, “I don’t see what the big deal about Jesus is!”

CC Image courtesy of NASA on Flickr

As a nearly lifelong follower of Christ and a pastor, his statement shocked me a little.

How can we answer if someone asks: “What is the big deal about Jesus? Is he some form of deity? And what is this thing called the Trinity?”

Here is what the big deal is in a sentence: The Bible tells us that Jesus was God in a human body.

Scripture calls Jesus “the Word” or the human expression of God. It says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

This statement begs the question: “If Jesus was God, then who was He praying to in Heaven?”

Jesus gave the answer: “‘I and the Father are one.’ Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these.’ Replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’” (John 10:30-33)

Jesus was separate and yet “one” with God. He claimed to be one with God, and the Bible repeatedly backs up His claim. Scripture says Jesus has the character and does the works of Almighty God. He is:

• The Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16)

• The first and the last (Revelation 22:13)

• The Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)

• Unchanging and eternal (Hebrews 13:8)

• The Judge of all people (2 Corinthians 5:10)

• He who hears and answers prayers (John 14:13-14)

• The one worshipped by angels (Hebrews 1:6)

• The Savior of the world (1 John 2:2)

The Bible says similar things about the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we understand that there is a Trinity: one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

To understand the Trinity we have to acknowledge the divinity of Jesus Christ—which is the hardest truth about Jesus to accept for many people like my friend. Jesus’ divinity unlocks the mystery of the Trinity, which is foundational to the Christian faith.

Here are 5 keys that help unlock the mystery the Trinity:

1. Trinity Mathematics

Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father together make up the ‘the Trinity” or the tri-unity.

God the FatherGod the SonGod the Holy Spirit

A definition of the Trinity: There is one God and this one God is in three persons.

The concept is not three Gods, but three persons in one God.

God is not 1 + 1 + 1 = 3God is 1 x 1 x 1 = 1

The Trinity is NOT:

• God the Father as one person, with Jesus as a creation and the Holy Spirit as the force. (The Jehovah’s Witness belief)

• An office held by three separate Gods. (The Mormon belief)God’s divine nature in the Son, so Jesus had a human nature perceived as the Son and a divine nature perceived as the father. (The Oneness Theology belief)

• God taking three forms, i.e. the Father, became the Son who later became the Holy Spirit. Instead, God is forever in three persons.

2. The Example of H2O

H2O is water which can be:

• Liquid

• Ice

• Steam

If H2O can be all three and still be one in essence, why can’t God exist as Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

3. The Example of Time

In time we have:

• The Past

• The Present

• The Future

If I asked you “What is time?” and you answered, “It is the past.” I could rightly say, “No, it is the present.” And you could “correct” me and say, “No, it is the future.” But actually all three statements would be correct.

All three are distinctly different but each one is “time” in itself.

4. The Example of Space

With space we have:

• Height

• Width

• Depth

Each is distinct, yet we are not describing three different spaces, but one space.

5. The Example of Matter

All matter (Like H2O) consists of:

• Solid

• Liquid

• Gas

With the 3 examples of time, space and matter we have a trinity of trinities—a striking illustration of the essence of God in the essence of His creation.

No illustration is perfect—God is beyond our human comprehension. Hopefully these five keys help you to at least better understand the Trinity.

4 Afterlife Theories Debunked

A few years ago I was rerouted by a policeman while driving on Route 76 in Oceanside, California. An accident had occurred about a mile from our home.

CC Image courtesy of Christos Tsoumplekas on Flickr

I read the story in the newspaper the next day. A mother was turning around to check on her baby in the car seat behind her and hit another car head on. She died at the scene, but the baby survived.

Death often comes suddenly. Then what happens?

People have created various theories to explain what happens after death, but there is only one true and correct answer. God has the final say and He tells us what to expect in the Bible. (For help understanding why you can believe the Bible see my articles HERE and HERE.)

Here are 4 afterlife theories debunked by reason and Scripture:

1. Do we Become Compost?

Some believe that we just decompose after death. We extinguish like a candle that loses its flame.

However, 92% believe that there is a God, including 1 in 5 who call themselves atheists. People know instinctually that there is life after life. Scripture says God “Has put a sense of eternity in people’s minds” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 GW).

The Bible says, “We are confident; I say and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

When Christians are absent from their bodies they are present with the Lord.

2. Does God Recycle?

Many believe in the unbiblical concept of reincarnation.

The general idea is that after death a person’s soul passes into another body before its birth.

Two reasons for this belief are:

• Déjà vu experiences – Feeling that we have been somewhere or done something previously; debunked by understanding “disrhythmic functioning” which is a common mental delusion.

• Hypnotic Regression – While under hypnosis a person gives descriptions of circumstances in supposed “previous lives”; debunked by studies showing they are just a composite of past memories or made up stories.

The Bible states just the opposite in Hebrews 9:27, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

3. Are we Put on Hold?

Purgatory is a concept developed by the Roman Catholic Church that people must be “purged” of their sins after death.

How are sins purged? Catholicism teaches that the family has power to reduce the suffering of deceased loved ones via:

• Good works

• Participation in Catholic Mass

• Financial Payment; purchasing Mass Cards

• Purchasing indulgences

This is contrary to what the Bible says about the free gift of salvation (see Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5, etc.). This deception and resulting corruption is part of what prompted the Reformation.

Jesus paid for our salvation and His death alone is sufficient.

4. Do All People go to Heaven?

The answer is no because even though God has made a way for all to go to heaven, not all will accept, believe or agree with His plan on His terms. People want to choose their own terms—which do not work.

See HERE and HERE for my articles giving a full explanation of the fact that all roads do not lead to heaven.

Truth that Requires a Decision

God has given us the opportunity to decide if we will accept or reject His gift of eternal life on His terms. His terms are that we receive Jesus Christ who came to die in our place for the punishment of our sins and rose to life again.

If we accept Jesus:

At death, believer’s spirits leave their bodies to be with the Lord and are conscious in His presence. Remember the thief on the cross from Luke 23:42-43, “And he said, ‘Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’”

If we reject Jesus:

“They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power” (2Thessalonians 1:9).

Can I know I am Saved?

Yes! The Bible promises; “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you many know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:12-13).

We can know that we are saved and going to heaven if we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, trusting in Him alone for salvation.

A prayer to trust Christ for your eternity: Lord Jesus, I thank you for dying for my sins and rising from the dead. Forgive my sins. I receive your gift of salvation and eternal life. Come into my life and help me to live for you. In Jesus name, Amen.

3 Motives For Rejecting Jesus

In over 50 years as a Christian, I have seen a lot of people come and go from the faith. Some have been prominent believers who deny Christ and begin to oppose Him and His church.

(Our son Danny posed for this photo)

For example, a few years ago I attended a debate on the campus of the University of California San Diego. A Christ-follower debated an atheist who had formerly been a pastor! The former-pastor-turned-atheist argued vehemently against Christianity.

In preparing my recent blog on “4 Reasons You Can Love and Trust the Bible Today” I studied the story of Chuck Templeton. He was on his way to becoming the next Billy Graham. Instead, he rejected the Bible and Christianity. (For a good article about him and his book denying the faith, click HERE.)

Likewise my former Bible college classmate Bart Ehrman has become an infamous critic of Christianity and the Bible. I wrote about him HERE.

We should NOT be at all surprised at these defections. After all, our Savior Himself lost one of his top twelve: Judas. He not only denied Christ, he betrayed Him in the worst way, turning him over to be killed.

After His betrayal, as Jesus was being arrested, we read: “All of Jesus’ disciples ran off and left him.” (Mark 14:50 CEV)

In observing deserters, I have become convinced that often their core objections to Christianity and the Bible are not really intellectual. There are other underlying issues.

I am NOT suggesting that there are not real intellectual questions and issues that people have with the Bible and Christianity. What I am suggesting is that often the real reasons lie elsewhere.

Here are three REAL reasons for rejecting Jesus and my response:

1. They are bothered by human suffering.

Some, like my former classmate Bart Ehrman, admit that they mistrust Scripture because God allows suffering. Perhaps they or someone close to them has suffered terribly. They can’t understand why a loving God would allow anyone to experience such misery.

I gave an extended answer to this issue in 3 blogs which you can start reading HERE.

While my heart goes out to these people, I think they are terribly short-sighted. They insist that God run HIS universe THEIR way.

In essence, they are saying that they know better than the all-knowing God, and since He won’t do things their way, they reject the Almighty Creator of the universe. Wow!

Everyone’s life is a mixture of pleasure and pain. Rather than asking why we are so blessed with so many pleasures, these people demand to have pain eliminated. When God doesn’t comply, they run away from home like a spoiled pre-adolescent.

The Bible tells us why God has not ended suffering yet: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

Do you see it? Suffering will be ended when Jesus returns. But so will the opportunity to be saved. So Jesus is waiting patiently so that people will repent and be saved.

Physical pain is a warning that something is wrong and is endangering our bodies. Emotional pain is a warning that something is wrong with the universe and our relationship with God. Will you heed the warning? Jesus is patiently waiting for you to turn to Him.

God has given you a choice and it is up to you to make the right decision before it is too late.

2. They would rather condemn Scripture than bow down to its Author.

This issue is simple: people want to live life their own way, rather than God’s way.

Some simply say “no thanks” to the Bible. Others look for reasons to justify their unbelief. Either option spells disaster.

Romans chapter 1 describes this kind of thinking:

“Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say they are wise, but they are fools.” (Romans 1:20-22 GNB)

Indeed, it is foolish to receive the clearly written Owner’s Manual for life, and reject it and its Author.

3. They are disillusioned by believers.

First, I must acknowledge that many have been deeply disappointed by people who call themselves Christians.

However, to deny Christianity because of “phonies” is unwise, and often just a smokescreen.

Read the papers and you will learn about crooked politicians, corrupt police officers, incompetent medical practitioners, dishonest judges and so on. But most people are smart enough to understand that we don’t disregard all political systems, police forces, medical practices and judicial systems because there are some bad eggs.

If someone is looking for an excuse for rejecting Jesus, this is as good as any. But it is illegitimate and very dangerous. It’s like saying: Because some people are betrayers like Judas, I will become a betrayer like Judas.

Furthermore, those who take this excuse ignore the incredible good done by believers throughout Christian history. For an exhaustive study of this issue I suggest the wonderful book What if Jesus Had Never Been Born by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe.

In summary, these are indeed 3 reasons for rejecting Jesus. The problem is they are all tragically shortsighted.