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Brief Reflections on our Statement of Faith: #2 The Godhead

Article 2. – The Godhead.

We believe there is one God, existing eternally in three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three persons are coequal in nature, attributes and in every perfection (Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 110:1-4; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:18-20; John 1:1-18; 6:37; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 1:8).

In our very brief statement on the Godhead, we are seeking in very brief terms to describe the classic Christian doctrine of the Trinity. To state it another way,
  • God is three persons
  • Each Person is truly God
  • There is one God
This three-in-one and one-in-three understanding of God's being is unique to Christianity. We don't believe in multiple gods, unlike, for example, Mormons or Hindus. But neither do we believe God to be a singular person, as Jews or Muslims do. 

There are a number of reasons this is significant, but I will touch on one. in 1 John 4:8 we read that, "God is love." However, this can only be true if God is Triune. It is only in the eternal existence of multiple persons where love can be expressed. Thus we see the need for God to be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet, God would also cease to be love if he were not at all times perfectly loving, and here we see how it is possible that these Three would be one in such a way that there is no division in their essence.

The truth of God's Triune being is the basis for all human relationships, and even for our relationship with God himself. Being made in God's image, we are capable of being relational creatures. 

This is only the tip if the proverbial iceberg, but I hope you see that understanding God as Trinity isn't some dusty relic of the Christian past. It is vital for our understanding of who he is, and how we are to live.

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