Our Savior Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Trinity Talk

               The most recent Catechism lesson introduces the section on the Apostles’ Creed. In the Creed we confess our faith in the true God as revealed in Holy Scripture. One of the most important attributes of the true God is being Triune. To be a Christian means to believe in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, One God in Three Persons.

               That God is One is clear from Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Even in the Old Testament we see hints of the plurality of God. God says in Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” The teaching of the Trinity is not made clear in that passage on its own, but we see it with the eyes of faith in light of all of Scripture quite easily.

               During Jesus’ earthly ministry the Trinity was revealed as well. One of the most striking was at Jesus’ Baptism. Matthew 3:15-16 “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We hear the voice of the Father, see Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove.

               Jesus sends his disciples out into the world with this command: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

               In Theology the term person emphasizes the individual will of what is being described. Here is the Augsburg Confession’s explanation of the teaching of the Lutheran church concerning the Trinity:

Augsburg Confession I, 2-4 There is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the term “person” they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself (quod proprie subsistit).

Therefore the Spirit is not just God’s power but God himself, for example. How the Trinity can be so, independent, three persons subsisting of themselves yet utterly unified and indivisible is one of the mysteries of faith.

               This is a hard teaching. How important is it? Do we really need to believe in such a strange thing to be saved? Hopefully if you are reading this you’re thinking “of course! This is the one of the pillars of Christian faith!!” And you’d be absolutely right. The Trinity might seem like one of those theological trifles like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. (If you don’t agree- that’s good! Just know that some people may feel this way!) The truth is that the Trinity is bound closely to our salvation. If there is not a Trinity- then what about justification? What about the work of Jesus Christ? Does it count for me if Jesus is not true God? Doubt is entered into the equation without a clear confession of God’s characteristics and nature. Importantly as well, to reject the Trinity is to reject the clear teaching of Scripture!

               This is not just a theological theory, and Paul saw it that way as well. In Ephesians 4 Paul uses the Trinity to encourage the Ephesians in their lives of Sanctification. He writes:

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Do you see his teaching of the Trinity? One Body (the church), one Spirit (the Holy Spirit) and one hope. The Holy Spirit has called you. There is the object of our hope: One Lord, one faith, one Baptism. The Holy Spirit points to the Son, Jesus Christ who in turn by his vicarious atonement of the whole world glorifies the Father of all. The revelation of the Trinity has everything to do with your salvation.

Bible Studies

               April 20th 2pm first session on Evangelism

               Wednesdays at 10am continuing on Ephesians

               Sunday Mornings continuing on Scripture