Delighting in the Trinity #2

Delighting in the Trinity, Tim Chester

This is another great introductory read on the Trinity.   With similar brevity, yet also similar density, to Reeves’ book, Chester presents his material in a slightly different way.   Chester came to realise that many Christians, including himself, were almost embarrassed by the Trinity - unsure what it means to worship God, Son and Spirit and how to explain it, so he avoided it.   However, because the Trinity is key to our understanding of God, and that God actually reveals himself as Trinity and acts as Trinity, we realise that the Trinity is key to our faith.

The study of the doctrine of the Trinity readily tips over into worship.  We are left with a profound sense of awe as we gaze upon our great God.  And such worship leads to godly living. (p8) 

Chester has structured his book into 3 sections:

In Part One:  The Biblical Foundations he talks about God is presented as unity in the bible, then how he is presented as plurality in the bible, and then how both unity and plurality are combined at the cross.   This was a helpful section and also highlighted the various mistakes which have been made (such as an unwilling son forced to go the cross by the father, or an unwilling to forgive father being placated by the son).

Part 2: Historical Developments charted history in three phases:  2-4^thC being about God’s actions vs God’s being as being the differentiating factors in understanding the Trinity; 5^th-16^thC with the discussion generally starting with either God as one or God as three.  The final stage in the 17^th-20^thC where the Trinity has either been at the centre of theological thought or moved out to the margins.    This was quite helpful, and having read Reeves’ book as well, it has helped me to understand the history of thought more.

Part 3: Practical Implications is where it becomes reality for how we respond now to the Trinity.   He covers four areas where the Trinity has key implications: revelation, salvation, humanity and mission.

These sections were very helpful, and were the chapters that I ended up reading twice.   Some of the comments that resonated with me were:

God is personal because he exists eternally in the triune relationship.   Personhood is about relationships and reciprocity.  God cannot be solitary.  If the one God is not a community of persons, then He cannot be personal and if He is not personal, then we cannot know Him.  God is knowable because he is relational, and He is relational because He exists as three persons in a relationship. (p130)  

The doctrine of the Trinity protects the gracious character of God’s love.  God is not only loving, He is love for He is an eternal community of loving relationships. (p152)  

Human beings, made in the image of he triune God, likewise find their identity in their relationship with others.  We do not “find ourselves” by separating ourselves, but in relationship.  (p172)  

We are not to make any image of God for God Himself has made an image of Himself in the world - humanity... God’s redeemed people are His image in the world.  The challenge is this:  When does the world see our community life?... would they recognise the community as a work of God and a sign of His grace?  (p184-5)

These two books have given me much food for thought and much more confidence in speaking about and wondering at the key truths of our triune God.

Delighting in the Trinity #1

Delighting in the Trinity, Michael Reeves

There are a few books on the Trinity being read in our home at the moment, as Husband does his pre-reading for MYC and I have picked up two – both with the same name!   The first one was by Michael Reeves.   It is quite short for a theological treatise and therefore good for an introductory read.  Having said that, it is also dense and contains lots of history. 

Reeves helpfully opens up why the Trinity is crucial to our faith for we need to know God as Father before all other attributes.  It is the fact that God exists as Father in a loving spirit-filled relationship with his Son that enables God to be love, and to extend His love outwards to His people.   Reeves starts by thinking about who God is before creation, pointing out that if you start with God as creator rather than Father, you end up with an impersonal force, rather than a loving father as your starting point for God.  He then thinks about him as creator, which is what happens when God’s love overflows, and moves to considering salvation as the Son sharing what is His.  Moving on to the role of the Spirit, Reeves then encourages the reader to see how the Christian life is shaped by Him.   He finishes by concluding that if God is not Trinity, then we do not want him as God: 

If God is not Father, Son and Spirit, then he is eminently rejectable: without love, radiance or beauty.  Who would want such a God to have any power, or even to exist?  But the triune, living God of the Bible is Beauty.  Here is a God we can really want, and whose sovereignty we can wholeheartedly rejoice in. (p111-2) 

I found this book very helpful and enjoyable, although as I said, it was dense.  I did read it through twice.  I should also point out that while I didn’t mind the humour and found it amusing,  Husband found it a little smug.  

I’m sure I studied the Trinity at theological college, upon reflection it must have been in third year when my brain was addled by pregnancy.  I do not remember having fully grasped some of these points ever before now.   For the first time I have clearly seen how God as Trinity defines our faith as Christians and actually is an evangelistic tool.  The fact that God is a loving Father is a clear distinction from all other gods of all other faiths. It is very important to define not that we believe in God, for much of the world believes in a deity – but that we believe in God as Father, Son and Spirit and that fact defines and strengthens our faith. Our God is relational, loving and triune: “the triune being of God is the vital oxygen of Christian life and joy” (p18).    A good read to remind you of what you believe and perhaps help to put it into words you could express to others.

I’ll review Delighting in the Trinity #2 next week…