HOW DO THE MEMBERS OF THE GODHEAD
RELATE TO EACH OTHER?
“And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
Christ taught a distinction of persons in the Godhead, which He expressed in specific terms of relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The mode of this distinction and relationship is not fully comprehended by us, because it is not fully revealed to us. It consists of three persons; yet, there is one God who rules the universe of creation perfectly.
When Jesus was incarnated as a man to live among men and to become the sacrificial offering for the sin of man, He humbled Himself under the hand of the Father; that is, He made Himself subject to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. He became as a servant who sought only to do the will of the Father and not His own. (Luke 22:42) Even in His miraculous conception we see the work of the Godhead. The angel said to Mary:
“The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)
It is significant that the members of the Holy Trinity have a perfect spirit of mutual admiration and honor. Jesus honored the Holy Spirit and glorified the Father constantly during his earthly ministry. The Father glorified the Son, and the Holy Spirit glorified the Father and the Son. A sublime evidence of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit is that the name of Jesus Christ is always magnified in those through whom He works and speaks. Scripture indicates that all three members of the Godhead are equally God, and co-eternal. Therefore, the parallel of a father and Son relationship is not exactly like our natural one; but, it gives us an idea that is partially illustrated in the natural.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God.” (St. John 1:1)
Jesus is “with God,” while at the same time He “is God.” This is a mystery of the trinity which the natural mind cannot fully grasp. Notice that every time men invent a religion (man-made religions are called cults), they reject the idea of the trinity because it is not a concept which the mind of man can grasp or understand. Therefore, man did not nor could not invent the idea of a trinity Godhead. Man, in his intellectual ego says, “Give me a God that I can comprehend with my mind, one I can understand on my mental level.” But, we can no more fully comprehend God than a coffee cup can contain the Pacific Ocean. God is God; and as finite humans, we must accept what He says about Himself. God in His Word has given us enough to believe Him by faith alone! |
