Have you ever struggled to understand the Divine Trinity and how exactly it works in Christianity? Have you ever wondered how exactly one God could be three unique beings or individuals? I certainly have, and upon reading the Bible a bit, and praying on this matter I’ve come to the following conclusions about how this Divine Trinity works. I’ll do my best to explain what I’ve found in layman’s terms.
The Divine Trinity Overview
Christians believe God is 3 unique personages:
- God the Father
- God the Son, Jesus Christ
- God the Holy Spirit
But how can this be, and how does it make sense? How can these three individuals be the one true God? Are we looking at the Power Rangers suiting up to fight a giant monster type of situation here?
All joking aside, you could look at the Divine Trinity in a mathematical sense, which is simply 1 x 1 x 1 = 1. But, for most people, I feel that is a little too easy, and doesn’t really explain anything in any sort of meaningful or connecting way.
So, for me it’s like this:
God the Father
Think back to the olden days, when there were kings who ruled their lands as the ultimate authority, and not just as a simple figurehead to rally behind. Those kings of old are similar to God the Father. He is the ultimate authority in Heaven and on Earth. His will is what all His children attempt to follow to the best of their imperfect ability. He is the great “I Am”, the creator of all, and our eternal Father in Heaven. He was there in the beginning and will be there at the end.
If you would like a secondary example, think of it this way: Since we are created in the image of God, we can see that God the Father is like our mind. Our mind rules our body, just as He rules all of creation.
God the Son, Jesus Christ
Those kings, always had to have an heir, a Son. And once that son reached a certain age or maturity, then they were officially recognized as the Crown Prince or Heir Apparent. This essentially, gave them the authority to do as they willed, as if they were the King themselves. Granted, they still were under the King’s rule, and therefore they could not go against their fathers’ will.
This is similar to what Jesus had to go through, by completing His task here on Earth, and dying for all of our sins. He even wanted this task taken from him, only if it were God the Fathers’ will for it to be taken. (Matthew 26:39) As we all know, it was not the Fathers’ will and so as a good Son, He did as his father bade Him, and He made the ultimate sacrifice for us all. (John 19:1-20:9) He then rose again, on the third day, and ascended into Heaven to sit at the Right Hand of God the Father. (Mark 16:19)
And, not to leave the secondary analogy out of the picture: Since we are created in the image of God, God the Son, Jesus Christ, is like our body. He became flesh, just as we ourselves, are made of flesh while here on Earth.
God the Holy Spirit
And then finally, we have to think on God the Holy Spirit. This one is more tough, and yet, less so. You see, God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all of us, are spirit beings. God brings our spirits into flesh when we are born into this world. He knits us together in the wombs of our mothers, and knows us intimately, throughout our entire life. And, when Jesus died for us on the cross, God the Father sent His Holy Spirit, to remain in each of us, to act as a guide towards what is right, and to teach us the will of the Father.
The Holy Spirit is a unique being, although for me, He is the most mysterious of the three. The Holy Spirit has God the Father’s authority to act as He was designed to do. What was He designed to do? He was sent to us to be a helper (John 14:26), a teacher, and a guide (John 16:7-8). He is the voice and presence of God within us (1 Corinthians 3:16), if I am to understand Him correctly. The Holy Spirit can also bestow upon us certain gifts. Powerful gifts like those that were bestowed upon the Apostles, such as: the gift of Tongues, the gift of Wisdom, the gift of Knowledge, the gift of Faith, the gift of Prophecy, and even more gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
(Read these for the above: John 14:26, John 15:26, Galatians 5:22, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Going back to the above analogy about the Kings of Old, and the Crown Prince, you can think of the Holy Spirit as the Royal Seal upon our lives. The documents that carried the Royal Seal was to be the official decree or word of the King, and therefore, must be followed to the letter. This seal upon our lives, is God the Father’s mark upon us, showing the world and us, that He has chosen us as His adopted children, because of the intercession of our Heavenly brother, Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
This seal is placed upon us at the time of our baptism. We are baptized in water, but Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:1-41)
And finally, not to forget the secondary analogy: Since we are created in the image of God, God the Spirit, or the Holy Spirit, is like our own spirits. With all three we have the Mind, the Body, and the Spirit of Man. The Mind conceives thoughts and perceives all around us, the Body acts to bring about the conception of those thoughts into physical being, and the Spirit measures or weighs the outcome of those actions and thoughts. We ourselves are also three in one. (Genesis 1:27)
Authority
All three examples have on common thread that makes them the law of the land: Authority. God the Father is the supreme authority, and can bestow this authority of His upon any he wills to do so. He has granted His authority to his Son, Jesus Christ. And he has also granted His authority to His Holy Spirit, to teach and guide us from within.
His authority also rests with us, His children. What authority do we wield you may be wondering, and I will do my best to explain what I know. First, we have the authority to approach God the Father with Confidence through Christ. (Hebrews 4:14-16) If you have ever wondered why some Christians end their prayers with “In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen”, this is why. We can only approach God the Father through Jesus, as he is our mediator with the One most High.
We also have the authority to go into the world, and spread the Word of God, and make disciples of all the nations on Earth. (Matthew 28:19-20) God does not desire passive followers, and the Holy Spirit helps us along the way as we teach others about the truths we have learned for ourselves. These truths then help others to start their own relationship with God, and it continues from there.
Some even have the authority to do the same signs and wonders as the Apostles and Jesus Himself performed while on Earth. (Mark 16:15-18) I’m sure you have heard of miraculous healings, or even of exorcisms that release someone suffering from demonic affliction. While most believe that such things only existed in the times of Jesus, I have personally found this to not be true. I have been healed of more than just my depression, but that is a story for another time.
We also have the authority to stand against the powers of darkness. (Ephesians 6:10-20) God has told us that we should equip ourselves with His armor, and stand firm against the powers and strategies of the devil. We shall wield the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”, and do spiritual battle against those who wish to tempt us away from our Heavenly Father, and create within us our own destruction and downfall.
Without the Divine Trinity, and understanding exactly how the three work to make one, Satan has a foothold within your soul. The devil, or Satan, is the great deceiver, and his greatest works in humanity are the works of misunderstanding. If you do not understand the Divine Trinity, then how can you possibly understand the authority within the three, or within yourself?
Closing Remarks
While I’m no theologian and not very learned in the Bible, especially older translations, this is what has been revealed to me through prayer and reading God’s Word. And I feel that this example of an Earthly King and his Kingdom, makes the most sense when examining the Divine Trinity that makes up the one true God in our lives. It also has helped me to better understand the authority that God wields, and that I myself wield.
There are many more mysteries for me to learn, but I hope that by prayer, and by reading the Bible, I can find the truth within this world. And while finding that truth, that I can have the courage to share it all with you. I ask that if you have found something that contradicts what I have spoken of above, that you share it with me. Discussion and discourse is something I welcome, especially during these times of censorship and echo chambers.
God Bless you and keep you!
♥ Jess ♥
