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. (Read Parts One and Two to be caught up!)
The Trinity is the beating heart of the Christian life. It is inexorably connected with the person and mission of Jesus Christ. It is the very life of God, and it is the wellspring of our life as well. Too often the Trinity is treated as an abstract hypothetical when in fact it is the very basis of all Christian thought and practice.
Let's start at the beginning of the Christian life; baptism. When you are baptized it is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is the name of the covenant you have entered. At baptism we are joined with Christ and his people, our sins are washed away, and we die to walk again in new life. It is a new way of existing, of living, and it is all because of the Triune God.
Baptism isn't special because of the water or even our actions. Baptism is meaningful and powerful because of God. At baptism the Holy Spirit indwells us, cleansing us of our sin and joining us with the Son so that we may stand before the Father as sons and daughters. It is this one, mysterious act of God's grace that saves us. From that moment on we are called to be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit people.
The next fundamental piece of the Christian life is the Lord's Supper. Much like baptism, there is nothing special about the bread or cup. What is powerful and meaningful is God's action through the event. We often call the Lord's Supper "Communion" for a reason; it is an invitation to "commune" with Jesus.
When believers, united and worshiping in the Spirit, celebrate the Lord's Supper Christ is there. He invites us to come to the table of mercy, to renew the covenant we made at baptism with a meal. We proclaim the Lord's death, a solemn call to be faithful to our baptismal covenant in which we were united to Christ in that same death. Together, in the Spirit, we commune with the Son so that we may glorify the Father.
The list goes on and on. I could talk about worship, marriage, celibacy, Bible study, prayer, fasting, serving others, and more. Hopefully the point has been made clear; the Trinity sits at the very heart of the Christian faith. I most certainly will revisit this topic many times in the future, but for now I encourage you to reflect on the Trinity, on its mystery and importance, and think on just how much it matters that we start talking about who God is.
This couldn't be further from the truth. (Read Parts One and Two to be caught up!)
The Trinity is the beating heart of the Christian life. It is inexorably connected with the person and mission of Jesus Christ. It is the very life of God, and it is the wellspring of our life as well. Too often the Trinity is treated as an abstract hypothetical when in fact it is the very basis of all Christian thought and practice.
Let's start at the beginning of the Christian life; baptism. When you are baptized it is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is the name of the covenant you have entered. At baptism we are joined with Christ and his people, our sins are washed away, and we die to walk again in new life. It is a new way of existing, of living, and it is all because of the Triune God.
Baptism isn't special because of the water or even our actions. Baptism is meaningful and powerful because of God. At baptism the Holy Spirit indwells us, cleansing us of our sin and joining us with the Son so that we may stand before the Father as sons and daughters. It is this one, mysterious act of God's grace that saves us. From that moment on we are called to be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit people.
The next fundamental piece of the Christian life is the Lord's Supper. Much like baptism, there is nothing special about the bread or cup. What is powerful and meaningful is God's action through the event. We often call the Lord's Supper "Communion" for a reason; it is an invitation to "commune" with Jesus.
When believers, united and worshiping in the Spirit, celebrate the Lord's Supper Christ is there. He invites us to come to the table of mercy, to renew the covenant we made at baptism with a meal. We proclaim the Lord's death, a solemn call to be faithful to our baptismal covenant in which we were united to Christ in that same death. Together, in the Spirit, we commune with the Son so that we may glorify the Father.
The list goes on and on. I could talk about worship, marriage, celibacy, Bible study, prayer, fasting, serving others, and more. Hopefully the point has been made clear; the Trinity sits at the very heart of the Christian faith. I most certainly will revisit this topic many times in the future, but for now I encourage you to reflect on the Trinity, on its mystery and importance, and think on just how much it matters that we start talking about who God is.
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