In recent years (the past 10 years or more), I have pondered my understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity from time to time. This has been one of those topics that I have been very reluctant to address. I am not sure if I can adequately articulate what I have come to believe based on scripture and the comfort of the Lord, but maybe I will get better over time.
I absolutely believe that God is revealed to us in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, I think there are a lot of misconceptions that confuse people in how to correctly understand God in three persons.
I have found that I have great peace, and my soul is at rest in understanding God in three persons in the way that I am about to share with you.
First, allow me to say that understanding the identity of Jesus from the Father is somewhat easy. Jesus became human, the Father did not. Jesus is fully God and fully man, the Father is fully God and not man. Jesus was tempted as a man, God cannot be tempted with evil. Jesus died and rose again, the Father has never died. Jesus lived in the world and was clothed in human flesh, the Father dwells in unapproachable light and has never been seen by any man according to scripture. I could go on, but hopefully you get the picture.
I think many Christians can understand the distinction between the Father and the Son, but what about the Spirit? How should we understand the Holy Spirit in relation to the Father and the Son? For me, there is a settled peace in my heart when I think of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of the One True God.
In the New Testament God, and the Father, refer to the same person unless it’s a specific reference to the Son or the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, and not a Spirit who is in union with the Father and the Son who together constitute God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the One True God, and the One true God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It seems to always trouble and grieve my spirit when I hear the Holy Spirit referenced as if he is an independent being from God rather than the Spirit of God. The scriptures reveal that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh… ~ Acts 2:17
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ~ Romans 8:14
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9-13
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ~ 1 Corinthians 3:16
He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:8
I could go on listing more scriptures, but as you can see from these, the Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit, and not another being outside of God who gave his Son.
I believe that the scriptures clearly communicate to us that God has a Son (For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son), and the Holy Spirit is his Spirit, the Spirit of the God who gave his Son.
I honestly believe that there is a wrong paradigm that has influenced many to not understand this simple truth that the Holy Spirit is God’s own Spirit. And I believe this wrong paradigm is at the very foundation of so much of the false doctrines and practices within the Charismatic sects of Christianity.
When you separate the Holy Spirit (in your thinking) from the One who gave his Son, you then become susceptible to false doctrines that are not grounded in the person of God’s Son.
According to the New Testament, Jesus is the revelation of the Father to fallen humanity. In Jesus we see God, we see the Father, and through Jesus alone we partake of his Holy Spirit.
Now, there is much more I could say, and maybe I will write more along these lines down the road. However, I am still processing how to say it and make it clear so that I will faithfully minister the truth of God and edify others in the Lord and not confuse anyone.
For me, it is very comforting to think of the Holy Spirit as God’s own Spirit. He is the Spirit of my God living in me. There is one God, he has a Son, and he bestows his Spirit on all who trust in him.
Blessing…
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Rooted and Grounded In Christ 
Hi Michael, I don’t specifically know when I ironed this out in my mind but I also view the Trinity like you do. This is the statement that encapuslates my understanding: “The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and a measurement of the operation of His Spirit lives or dwells within us and His Spirit joins Himself with our spirit so that our spirit is alive in Him. Unto us who believe, there is a measurement of God’s Holy Spirit within us but with Jesus there was no measurement of like kind (John 3:34). The fullness of God’s Hoy Spirit that dwelled in Jesus validated Paul stating the God’s Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Christ as in Romans 8.9 and Galatians 4:6. When Jesus rose from the dead, all three persons of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) were involved, they acted together but independently were capable because they are in essence – One.”
I would refine my statement as follows: “The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, and He dwells within us, uniting with our spirit so that we are alive in Him. As believers, we receive the Holy Spirit in a measure appropriate to God’s will, but Jesus received the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). The fullness of God’s Spirit dwelling in Jesus affirms Paul’s teaching that the Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9, Galatians 4:6). When Jesus rose from the dead, all three persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—were actively involved, working together yet distinctly, because they are, in essence, One.”
Affirmations:
The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God – This is biblical (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 2:11).
The Holy Spirit dwelling in believers – This aligns with Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 8:11).
Jesus receiving the Spirit without measure – This is affirmed in John 3:34.
The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ – This is scripturally supported (Romans 8:9, Galatians 4:6).
The Trinity acting together in the resurrection of Jesus – This aligns with biblical teaching:
The Father raised Jesus (Acts 2:24, Romans 6:4).
Jesus had the authority to take up His own life (John 10:17-18).
The Holy Spirit was involved (Romans 8:11).
I remember when I thought about Jesus’ resurrection that I though: “There could be no other way!” They chose to work in unison but individually they all could have. The resurrection of Jesus had to be a work of the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—because it was the ultimate demonstration of God’s divine power, justice, love, and victory over sin and death. The oneness of God required that all three Persons act in perfect harmony, yet because each is fully divine, each had the power to accomplish the resurrection independently. However, that would have gone against their very nature, as they always act in unity.
John 10:30 beautifully reflects this, where Jesus says: “I and the Father are one.” The Trinity always operates in perfect agreement because they share the same divine essence, yet they remain distinct in their persons.
I also suspect that my current understanding falls short but is close. When I get home I will comprehend this in it’s fulness. Let me know your thoughts! – Bruce
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Sorry for the typos : “encapsulates” and “thought” !
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Hi Bruce, thanks for the comment, I really appreciate it. I think this is a topic that deserves some real time and attention. I would like to one day dive into it more thoroughly, but I want to be very careful because people don’t always listen to what you are saying when they read what you say.
People are so quick to label others, and if I can’t communicate this with the utmost clarity, I know I will get labeled and misunderstood by people. It’s one of those topics that really needs to be talked through in fellowship among believers, rather than believers being told what to believe.
With that said, this is something I have been wanting to address for a long time. After I posted this last night, I remembered having a discussion with a friend in London back in 2011 on this topic. So it has been close to 15 years, possibly longer, that I have had this churing in my heart and have been working through it.
For me, there is a lot more to my approach to this topic than just theological. The way I once understood God as triune really caused a lot of bondage and fear in my life and kept me from the peace of the Lord and made fellowship with the Spirit of the Lord a real struggle. I could never seem to get past that hindrance until I began to renew my mind to the fact that the Holy Ghost was not another Spirit independent of the One I call Father, but the same Spirit, his very own Spirit. This caused me to move from struggle and fear, to peace, comfort, and rest in my soul.
I think my past trinity understanding led to the idea that there were three separate beings who constitute the One God, and each had taken a role (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). My mind has been renewed in this regard, and I now focus my trinitarian belief on the truth that there is One God, who really does have a Son, and who gives His Spirit to all who believe.
I think this is the Biblical view, and I try to stay as close to the language of scripture regarding this topic and I try to listen to how the overall scriptures speak to us regarding the Spirit of the Lord. The Bible seems to speak to us from the vantage point of when the Spirit of the Lord speaks or acts, it is the One True God (Him, and not they) who is speaking or acting.
Overwhelmingly the scriptures use the language of “He” (as in the One God) is speaking or acting, not “they” (as in the three separate persons) are speaking or acting.
For example, in Acts 4 (which will be highlighted in my study on the Biblical Narrative of the Cross) we read the following:
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? ~ Acts 4:24-24
In this text the believers lifted up their voice to God (the One True God of Israel), and declared that “He” spoke by the mouth of his servant David. Yet in Acts 2 Peter says the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas. Then in Acts 3 Peter twice says that God communicated by the mouth of his prophets concerning Jesus.
So the language of scripture seems to point back to the One True God as speaking or acting when the Spirit is spoken of and it is always in the language of “he” or “Him” not “they”or “them.”
If God is speaking the terminology is “I” or “my” and not “we” or “us”. There are rare exceptions such as Genesis 1: 26, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, but the overwhelming witness of scripture aligns with God’s revelation to Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord.
This is a massive topic because we are talking about God, and no one can box God into a theological concept, and I think that is why for many the doctrine of the trinity is just a theological concept and not something that really enters into their personal fellowship with the Lord.
John tells us, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. ~ 1 John 1:1-4
John says our fellowship is with the Father and his Son, and then in chapter 4 he tells us, Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit ~ v. 13
Thank you for engaging with me on this topic. I want to learn more and grow, and I hope I have communicated at least some of my thoughts with clarity. If not, please just bear with me.
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You take all the time you want, Michael. I highly value your considerations and the work that you put into them. Feel free to bounce your thoughts off me any time you want via private email. I may not get back to you right away but I WILL get back to you. Blessings, Michael!
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