One of the most difficult concepts of Christianity to understand is that of the Trinity: the belief that although we worship only one God, He exists in three persons, as Father and Creator, as Son who redeems, and as the Holy Spirit who guides and counsels. One simultaneous God with three separate roles and purposes.
We, with our limited human intellect, have tried since the beginning of time to provide ourselves with some level of comprehension on this very arduous teaching. The three leaves of a clover, yet still one clover. The three equal sides of one triangle. Once, when I was teaching eighth grade religion, I explained it to their young minds using the different roles that each one of them had. While being a daughter or son, a friend, a student, an athlete or academician, etc., etc., all of the separate identities were still wrapped up into just one human being, into just a single person. I explained, if we, weak humanity, could bear different identities into one human body, certainly God, in His divinity, could combine three into one.
Yet, Trinitarian misunderstanding continues to abound. And even though I’m about to offer another perspective on it, it will remain a mystery not to be fully solved until that great eternity in heaven. Now, we see dimly, Scripture says. Then, we will see fully.
The other day I had some down time. Waiting for someone to finish an appointment, I found a grassy spot nearby and with a book, a soda and my cell phone, I stretched out on the grass. It was a perfect 70 degree day with no threat of rain. And I as lay there, not really in the mood to read, not partaking of the soda, and not looking at my texts, I had what I’ll call a Trinitarian experience.
Like I said, it was a beautiful May day. The sky was blue. The birds were heard singing. The grass was green and soft. The trees were budding. A few bees were buzzing by. All of those sights and sounds allowed me to give thanks to God the Father for His gift of creation. God Father and Creator. The words of Scripture that kept running through my mind as I lay there were the repetitive words of the Genesis creation account. At least six different times, the author writes, “God saw how good it was” (Genesis 1: 3, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) and once, in conclusion, “God . . . found it very good” (Genesis 1:31). I didn’t need to understand with a three leaf clover that day. I had an experience of the first person of the Blessed Trinity. I experienced God the Father firsthand, and His three-in-one ministry began to make sense, in an entirely new way.
As I continued to lay there, I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face and on my skin. And I couldn’t help but spell it differently. I could feel the warmth of the Son on my face and on my skin. God the Son and Redeemer. And the words of Scripture that kept running through my head and mind and brain were those of light: “God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, to shed light upon the earth, to separate light from darkness” (Genesis 1:16). Can you understand what is really being foretold there? In just two more chapters, the darkness of sin will have encompassed the beauty of creation and yet, God the Father promises to send a light to dispel the darkness, that is, to send the light that is Christ (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the subsequent Scripture, the promise of light in Christ continues. Too numerous to enumerate here, but prominent among them: John 8:12, “Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world’.” I didn’t need a triangle that day. I had an experience of the second person of the Blessed Trinity. I experienced Jesus, the Son of God, firsthand, and His three-in-one ministry began to make sense, in an entirely new way.
The breeze was gentle that day. It rustled calmly across my face. It whispered in my ears. It lent a cool air to the warmth of the day. And how many times does Scripture also analogize ‘wind’ with the Holy Spirit? In fact, again, right from the very beginning. Again, from Genesis 1:1, “A mighty wind swept over the water.” In Genesis 2:17: “God . . . blew into [man’s} nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” Of course, we’d be remiss to omit the famous Pentecost account where the Holy Spirit came in all His glory: Acts 2:2,4, “Suddenly there came . . . a strong driving wind . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” I felt the breeze against my skin with every breath I took. I experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit that day. God the Spirit and Counselor. I didn’t need anyone’s many faceted identities. I had an experience of the third person of the Blessed Trinity. I experienced the Holy Spirit of God firsthand, and His-three-in-one ministry began to make sense, in an entirely new way.
The understanding of the existence of the Trinity doesn’t require intellect. His proof of existence can also be experiential.
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