Join us Sunday at 9:30am

The Trinity in the Inspiration – by Pastor Chandler

  Posted on   by   No comments

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (One God existing in three Persons) is often a difficult doctrine to grasp. However, when studying the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, focusing in on how each person in the Trinity works in and through revelation helps the student of theology see how God worked in perfect harmony with Himself in inspiring the words of Scripture. Timothy Ward writes, “Scripture itself emphasizes the priority of certain persons within the Trinity in certain divine actions” (51). God’s words are God’s actions and by studying the Trinity in the inspiration of the Scriptures it becomes clear that God worked in His word with all of Himself.

GOD THE FATHER

First, consider the role of God the Father in the Scriptures. Timothy Ward has summarized God the Father’s role in the inspiration of the Scriptures as redemption and revelation (52). God the Father reveals Himself to mankind by speaking. Genesis 1 begins with God speaking creation into existence. This very act revealed and set a precedent that God, by nature, acts by speaking. God’s words are, in essence, God’s person. God’s revelation of Himself comes from His speaking.

Ponder God’s revelation to Moses: “When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am”” (Ex. 3.4, English Standard Version). God the Father’s role in the inspiration of Scripture was also to unveil His plan for redeeming His people.

This revealing of the redemption plan came in the form of covenants, verbal promises from God to His people. Throughout history God inspired His revelation by speaking covenants of redemption.

THE GOD-MAN, JESUS CHRIST

Next, in the Trinity, Jesus Christ works to fulfill the words of God by finally revealing God and by finally redeeming God’s people. John begins his gospel as follows: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1.1). Take note what John says about God’s Word. His Word has always been with Him and His Word has always been Him. The Word was God.

Following with John, the Apostle writes, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1.14). Jesus Christ is God’s Word incarnate. God’s action became a man in the person of Jesus (Ward 68). He came as the very glory of God and the full truth.

—- He came as the very glory of God and the full truth. —-

As the Word of God, Jesus was God’s concluding revelation to His creation (see Hebrews 1:1-2). And, as the Word, Jesus finally fulfilled God’s covenant promise, to redeem His people through His sacrificial death on the cross and glorious resurrection from the dead (see the entire New Testament).

GOD THE SPIRIT

Finally, the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, has always worked in inspiring the very text of the Holy Scriptures. Both 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20 make this point very clear. The Old Testament authors were writing under the very guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In exactly the same way, the New Testament authors worked under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to remind them everything He had taught and to guide them into all truth with the very authority of God (John 16.13).

Also, the Spirit is at work in the inspiration of Scripture today through the ministry of illumination. The Holy Spirit must be at work to understand God’s inspired word (1 Cor. 2.14). Ward summarizes this reality by stating: “The doctrine of illumination of Scripture by the Holy Spirit is usually defended as the only means by which the authority of Scripture can be made to rest, as it must rest, on God himself alone” (94).

CONCLUSION

In the Holy Scriptures are found God’s inspired words. God’s words are God’s actions and, as John says it, His word is Himself. Through the harmony of the Trinity, God worked to reveal Himself and promise redemption for His people. God the Father spoke and promised. Christ the Son brought the Word in flesh and, as the Word, redeemed. God the Spirit inspired the pen of each author and illuminates each word to the redeemed.

Blessings,

Pastor Chandler

 


 

*Ward, Timothy. Words of Life: Scripture as The Living and Active Word of God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2009. Print.

*The Holy Bible. The English Standard Version. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. Print.

Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *