Quotes & Quips (05/04/2021

[OBW]

Today's Quotes and Quips is as follows:

The Trinity is often referred to as unexplainable dogma. That is unfortunate. The Bible does give us explanations for the Trinity. God has revealed himself in the Person of the Father and the Person of the Son and the Person of the Spirit. We know that this one God has existed eternally in three Persons. We know that there is one nature and one essence in these three Persons. Our inability to apprehend this is different than saying that's it's something that can't be explained. It can be explained. Many of us just don't like the explanation.

I agree that treating the Trinity as dogma — whether or not explainable — is not very helpful. But I'm not sure that trying to differentiate between our ability to explain and our ability to understand (apprehend) is that important. I am not saying that they are synonyms as it is clear they are not. But at some level, explaining cannot exceed understanding or apprehension. That does not mean that I think the whole trinity doctrine is bogus or strained. I actually think it is probably about as good as we will get.

But I often wonder how important it is to systematize it into a verbose doctrine rather than to see and appreciate the facets of the Godhead and the ways He interacts with himself and with us with the variety of terms and contexts provided — God, Godhead, Father, Son, Spirit, and so on.

I've probably said this before in one way or another, but I think it worth repeating here. The attributes of God were not provided for the purpose of giving us clues or a method for getting close to defining what it is about God that is Three and yet One. One and yet Three. Each scriptural reference is important to the place it is found more than it is to a doctrine of collected attributes and facets. In fact, if Paul had not made one or two certain letter-ending prayers that referred to Father, Son, and Spirit, we might not have felt compelled to try to compartmentalize God into what we call the Trinity.

And to stick a nail in the coffin of such statements as "there is only one Life-giving spirit," it seems as if as Three they may share more than just this thing we call "essence." This need to pin down the Godhead in a doctrine, even though centuries old, and define what each person "owns" may mostly be a need to get a handle on God rather than to interact with Him. It may be that there is more significance to a formula of praying to God the Father and so on. (Remember that the "Lord's prayer" was given as a pattern for his followers to use — not just a stop-gap until Christ rose from the dead and sent the Spirit.)

And for the most part, when it comes to any real interaction with God, knowing a doctrine, whether a short version or something more verbose is not the key. God is. Just like when he said, "I Am." The important thing is not defining God, but to know and obey.