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The Mystery of the Trinity, Part 1

The Trinity is just one of those things that most Christians just don't know what to do with. Sure, they know it's important to the Christian faith but it just doesn't seem practical. It's that thing that theologians and PhD students argue about that probably matters but ultimately just confuses things. Our typical solution has been to ignore the Trinity, leading to the perception that it really just isn't that important.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

The Trinity is the very heart of the Christian faith. It is inexorably woven with the story and identity of Jesus Christ, for it is in the Incarnation, teachings, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ that the Trinity has been revealed to us. The only way to understand and learn about the Trinity is through Jesus, and to encounter Jesus is to encounter the Triune God.

We typically refer to the Trinity as a mystery. This is correct, however what we normally mean by the word "mystery" is something that just can't be understood. This isn't quite right. The Trinity is a mystery for several reasons. The first is because it had to be revealed to us. No one sat down and figured out that God is a Trinity. It wasn't a conclusion that philosophers or theologians were able to reach through study of the natural world or thinking through the things of God. The Trinity was revealed to us solely by Jesus Christ.

Because the Trinity is solely a product of revelation and not reason it is true that we cannot fully comprehend it. To do so would mean we would understand what it means for God to be God, which is patently absurd. However because it was revealed we can know some things about it. Jesus did not reveal the inner life of God simply for kicks and giggles, but out of love. Knowledge of the Trinity is to our benefit.

The next several posts will deal with this absolutely central topic. I hope they are a blessing.

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