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The Trinity

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 19, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 51.

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The Trinity.

By W. R. FRENCH

W. R. FRENCH
That there is more or less mystery surrounding the Godhead is an established fact; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever; therefore we have a right to know what has been revealed in the Bible concerning this great subject.
The Scripture declares our God to be one God (Deut. 6: 4; Mal. 2: 10), and again it emphatically says, “There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” 1 John 5: 7. These scriptures agree perfectly when rightly understood in the light of other texts. Many texts of the Word place in difficulty the advocate of the theory that God is confined to one individuality; as, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Cor. 8: 6); “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Heb. 1: 8; Ps. 45: 6, 7); “The Lord said unto my Lord” (Ps. 110: 1; Matt. 22: 44); “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28: 19); “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all” (2 Cor. 13: 14).
From the foregoing statements, we must arrive at one of two conclusions,—either that there is one being having different names by which to distinguish him in his different functions, or that the Bible enunciation, “There are three that bear record in heaven,” is true. Such statements as these seem to justify the latter conclusion: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1: 26); “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his [the Father’s] person. . . . For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him” (Heb. 1: 1-6); “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3: 17). In these statements God through his Word declares Jesus Christ to be his Son, God, an object of worship, the express image of his Father’s person (not the Father’s person, but the image of his person), and says, “Let us make man in our image.”
From these statements it seems there can be no doubt that Jesus and the Father are two separate individuals, or persons. Therefore when the Word declares, “There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” we must conclude that since the first two are found indisputably to be two persons, the last, or third, member of the trio must logically be also a personality.
When we read these expressions: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16: 7); “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14: 26), this conclusion seems more than justified; it is established. The language of Jesus, “If I depart, I will send him unto you,” plainly shows the Holy Ghost to be possessed of a divine personality. The same argument applied to the language, “Whom the Father will send in my name,” indicates the same truth, and thus establishes the conclusion that the Godhead is composed of three personal beings, and that these three are one.
The oneness of the Godhead must, then, consist not in personality, but in some other kind of oneness. Let us apply the Bible idea of oneness of individuals to the Godhead, and see if it will contradict the possibility of three or more individuals being called one.
We have two visible institutions in this world that are Bible illustrations of God’s idea of oneness, marriage and the church. Of marriage, Christ said, “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.” Matt. 19: 5.
Of the church, Christ said, through the mouth of his inspired apostle Paul, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Rom. 12: 5. Christ compares the unity of the church to the oneness of the Godhead in his last recorded prayer. He prayed thus: “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” John 17: 22. Christ prayed that his disciples might be one in the only sense in which it is possible for personal beings to become one, and that is in spirit, purpose, and work. The members of the church maintain their individuality, for it is said, “So we, being many, are one body.” Husband and wife maintain their individuality; for it is said, “And they twain shall be one flesh.” Just so in the Godhead, each member maintains his own individuality; for it is said of Christ that he is the “express image of his Father’s person”—not the Father’s person, but only the image of his person. Hence the Godhead are one in spirit, in work, and in purpose.
God, the Father, is declared to be the head of the one great family in heaven and earth, Father of all, and above all. Eph. 3: 15; 4: 6. Christ addresses him, “O Father” (John 17: 5), and bids us to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Matt. 6: 9. What a beautiful conception of God is taught in the words, “Our Father.” His relation to the other members of the Godhead is thus shown to be a fatherly relation, not lordly, kingly, nor any form of arbitrary dominance over them.The other members are sent by him, Holy and come not to do their own wills nor to speak their own words, but to do the will and speak the words of the Father. John 6: 38; 8: 28, 29, 42; 14: 26; 15: 10; Ps. 40: 7, 8; John 16: 13. They do the will of the Father with delight, finding pleasure in doing the things that please him. Likewise also the Holy Ghost is subject to the Son, and does his will, and speaks his words. John 14: 26; 16: 7, 13. Thus we catch glimpses of the relationship that exists between Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
This oneness is further illustrated in the work of the Godhead. The three wrought together in the creation of this world. God said, “Let us make man in our image.” Thus we catch a glimpse into the council meeting of the Godhead, and hear them counseling together in the creation. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.” Eph. 3: 9. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him.” John 1: 1-3. Thus we see that God, the Father, created all things through the agency of his Son, and also that of the Holy Spirit; for we read in Gen. 1: 2, 3, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
This oneness is also illustrated in the incarnation of Christ. God gave his only begotten Son (John 3: 16), not unwillingly upon the part of the Son, for it is recorded that he “offered himself without spot to God” (Heb. 9: 14), “gave himself” (Gal. 1: 4), “was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2: 7). God gave the Son; the Son yielded himself, and was made in the likeness of men by the active agent of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, as it is written, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1: 35.
This relationship of the Godhead is most beautifully illustrated in the work of the gospel. God, the Father, purposed, or planned, the gospel. 2 Tim. 1: 8-10; Eph. 2: 4-8; 3: 9, 10; 1 Cor. 6: 19, 20. Christ Jesus is the great sin-bearer (1 Peter 2: 24; Isa. 53: 4-6; 1 Cor. 15: 3), high priest (Heb. 8: 1; 6: 20; 4: 14-16), advocate (1 John 2: 1, 2), mediator (1 Tim. 2: 5), Saviour (Matt. 1: 21; Luke 2: 10, 11).
The Holy Ghost is the Comforter (John 14: 26), power (Acts 1: 8), reprover (John 16: 7-11), guide to assist in the study of truth (John 16: 13), intercessor (Rom. 8: 26, 27), and transformer of character (2 Cor. 3: 3, 18). Because of this union of the Godhead in the work of the gospel, the disciples were bidden, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” To these three, working together for the salvation of man, are equally due our gratitude and praise for the work which they are doing. Their union is also a most beautiful illustration of the principle of the golden rule, from the fact that they work together in a great work and maintain such perfect unity of purpose and harmony of action that it can be said of them, These three are one.