The Trinity

#8 - “You LAUGH at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.” This is, and has always been, a very complex issue, beginning with the early church. After the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, it was faced with formulating, and justifying this doctrine, so let’s see how they addressed it.  Stemming from monotheistic Judaism, the concept of the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, did indeed have polytheistic overtones, that threatened to fracture the young church.  While the term trinity or triune God is never used directly in scripture, the implication of the doctrine can be clearly seen starting in the first chapter of Genesis when God says, “Let us do such and such..” To whom was he referring?  While it challenged believers to imagine one God in three manifestations, the “proof” revealed itself throughout the Bible, both in the old and new testaments.  God as “spirit” hovering over the face of the deep, in the guiding pillar of fire and cloud, or inspiring the prophets.  God as “Father” reigning from the heavenly realms, and God as son in the form of Christ.  We can try to explain the concept, in earthly terms, by describing the 3 forms of water: liquid, ice and steam.  All chemically the same, H20, but three very different forms and functions.  While it is merely an analogy, it gives us a basic understanding of the concept of a Triune God. Three manifestations of One Supreme Being, God. As I‘ve mentioned before, we should never laugh at the beliefs of others, ridicule never wins converts. Try to step aside from your beliefs, for a moment, and imagine what this doctrine sounds like to a non-believer.  Be honest, it is kind of wacko!  When we accept Christ, however, great mysteries of faith are revealed to us, something that those who reject Him are not privy to.  People who have arrived at the decision to reject God, have usually done so based on personal study, inquiry, and watching Christians.  At this point, their minds are pretty much set in concrete.  So what is your life, and understanding of scripture, showing them?  Will it prove to them that they are right, or will it give them something  to ponder, and perhaps reconsider?  “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.