God is 3-in-1

God is 3-in-1

Today’s post will focus on the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity states that the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit all exist as 3-in-1. Tri- is a prefix meaning 3 and unity means to combine all parts into one—three Holy parts working to accomplish one mission.

I’ve learned many Christians are confused as to how God can exist in three different forms and where in the Bible are there scriptures that explain how the roles interlink with one another.

As a result, I would like to summarize some of the lessons we can learn in reading John 14, what the concept of the Holy Trinity is all about and ultimately why the Holy Spirit is important to the faith of any believer of God.

John 14 Summary and Lessons

In verses 1-4, Jesus provides words of comfort to his 12 disciples before his crucifixion. He tells them not to have troubled hearts because he is preparing a place for them. Since they have followed him the last few years and heard his teachings and witnessed his miracles, they have learned THE WAY. But in confusion, Thomas, one of his disciples, asks how can they know THE WAY when they don’t even know WHERE Jesus is going (verse 5).

Jesus responds in verses 6 and 7, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Still in confusion, Phillip, another disciple says in verse 8 “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us”.

Jesus asks Phillip and the other disciples do they not believe after seeing Jesus all this time that they haven’t saw God as well (verse 9). Is God not living within him (verse 10)? Was the evidence of the works Jesus performed not enough to say Jesus was God’s presence in human form (verse 11). From here, he promises the presence of the Holy Spirit to all those who in walk in obedience and show they love God by following his commandments (verses 15-21).

Lastly, Jesus tells what to include in each of our prayers (verse 13) and he informs us Satan, referred to as the prince of this world, is coming to gain power of the world, to discredit that Jesus is faithful to God and to discourage believers. However, he will not be victorious over Jesus because Jesus does what God tells him (verses 29-31) and so should we if we are believers and lovers of God as well.

The Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

Does the Holy Trinity mean God is really three entirely different Gods? No, he’s one God that exists in three forms! But how?

God exists as a divine and holy/or sacred being. His nature is so divine and royal that his presence overwhelms us like no other. In fact, scripture tells us in Exodus 33:12-21 (specifically v. 21) that his face is so bright with glory and holiness that if we saw Him with our bare eyes we would die. Looking at God would be like standing face to face with the sun because of the level of power and holiness God has.

Jesus came to Earth as the human representation of what God would look like and act like if we could actually recognize without dying because at this point, sinning has unfortunately become a huge part of the human existence.

Adam and Eve were the world’s first sinners after they ate from the tree of good and evil (Genesis 3:6-7) after God told already warned them would surely die (Genesis 1:17). Originally God never planned for humans to die so now he had to create a plan that would give people a second chance at receiving eternal life again because Romans 6:23 tell us “For the wages (price) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Before Jesus died on the cross, God accepted animal sacrifices made daily from people and requests made by the high priest on the Day of Atonement done once a year. Sacrificing, or killing an animal and laying it on the altar, was a way of saying to God “Hey God, I have sinned and I want forgiveness. To show I’m serious, I give this animal (that I could have ate or sold to someone else for money) to you instead. Please accept my offering and forgive me of my sins. And I will do better here on out.”

But later we learn that God knew the blood of animals could no longer permanently wash away the sins of the people. So he sent Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for all people who have ever sinned. Jesus’ blood was perfect because he had never sinned and therefore he was pure and pleasing to God because he was God in the human form, thus explaining why virgin Mary was not impregnated by Joseph because God was his father.

As for the Holy Spirit, that’s what we’ll discuss today. The Holy Spirit is the unseen presence of God we feel here on Earth that stems from God and Jesus who now rest in heaven.

That’s why scripture tells “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”—Hebrew 11:1 . The Holy Spirit is promised to everyone who believes Jesus died for our sins and hopes/has faith in God and his power to change their situations even though they’ve never seen God.

The Holy Spirit (also called God’s spirit and represented any time you see the Dove bird, symbolizing purity and water such as baptism) is mentioned way before you get to John 14 in the Bible, but it’s not until John 14 that Jesus explains how the roles all intertwine and why the Holy Spirit is important to any believer.

Later in John 16:5-8 KJV, Jesus tells us why he must go back to heaven. For one Jesus couldn’t physically (in his human form) be present everywhere in the world at the same time, but the Holy Spirit of God can.

⁵ But now I go away to Him who sent me, and none of you asks Me, “Where are you going?” ⁶ But because I have said these things to you you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away; the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

The Significance of the Holy Spirit

Let’s first take a look at John 14:15-21, New International Version and then I’ll explain the significance in case you still can’t figure it out!

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—¹⁷ the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Explanation (the bolded words tell you the main points cause ya’ll know I like to explain stuff lol)

¹⁵ simply put, obedience is so important to God. Obedience shows our love for Him, how thankful we are and how serious we are about going to heaven. It’s important we strive to follow all, and not just some of his commandments.

¹⁶ an advocate is a noun that means “a person who pleads for the cause of another in a court of law”. Jesus must go back to Heaven, but the Spirit of Truth, something I’ve talked about in the last two blogs, will guide us forever. When we seek the Spirit of Truth through reading our Bible and through praying to God, we will have a permanent advocate that defends for our sins that we should be punished for (but won’t) during the ultimate day of judgment.

¹⁷ John 18:32 Jesus tells Pilate, the Roman governor who had the last say so in having him killed “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” From here and John 14:17, God shows us he doesn’t appreciate people who focus on things in the world more than they do God. When you spend time with God and search after the Holy Spirit, you will know him because the Spirit walks with you and in you. When you spend time things in the world, then you won’t recognize the presence of God’s Spirit. And without the presence of the Holy Spirit, you invite the Devil’s Spirit to come on in and eat at your spirit.

^18-19 As modern believers, we have never seen the face of Jesus but regardless of this fact, he promises that if we seek after his presence, he won’t leave us fatherless. God is our heavenly father and the Spirit (which is God’s unseen presence) will be our company here on Earth. One day, all will live to see Jesus on the Day of Judgment, but those who are of the world will not live because they will be sent to hell.

²⁰ For those who get to live and stay in Heaven will finally be able to see the face of God and realize that Jesus deeply reflects God in both image and works.

²¹ This verse restates verse 15 so again we see how important obedience is to God. Those who obey will get to see Jesus’ face and live forever as mentioned in verse 19

1. Seek God’s presence through prayer and reading the Bible and you will receive it.

2. John 14:13 tells us when we pray to say “In Jesus name we pray” so that God will always be glorified for sending us a Savior.

3. Show you love God by staying focused on him and following his commands. Remember the Holy Spirit will help guide you to understand the Bible (John 14:26), give you peace and not fear, and most of it all  it will offer great things no one or anything in the world can offer you (verse 27).