The Trinity

1 Peter 1:2-3 (To God’s elect) who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
 
WE repeat verse 2 from the previous lesson and add verse 3 to consider the Trinity. In truth, to believe “He” is one God, and “He” is three persons requires an unquestioning spirit. “Just believe!” you may have heard.
   Yes, God, the Spirit, gives us a faith to believe. But remember, we don’t believe a lie or fable. Many false teachers can also say, “Just believe me!” That’s why God gives us ample evidence in the Bible to believe he is three persons in one. True faith in the true God is God’s gift of wisdom and understanding to know God. What, then, is the Bible’s evidence for the Trinity?
    Many books have been written to answer this question, but we’ll do so with five references to Jesus’ life. Refer first to Luke 1:31-35 “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” The Spirit conceived the Son of the Most High, the Father, in Mary’s womb.
   Second, we witness the trinity at Jesus’ baptism: Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” The visible Spirit and audible Father anointed the Son to his ministry.
   Third, Jesus repeatedly referred to his union with the Father as in John 10:29-30 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” And fourth, the Son spoke of his unity with the Spirit: John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”
   Fifth, Peter witnessed the Trinity at work in Jesus’ Transfiguration, ascension and Pentecost. His Spirit-inspired faith was a truth for the world to know.
          But even amid the evidence revealed throughout the entire Bible, God, three Persons in one, was a stumbling block to most people in Peter’s time, and it is so today. Even many “Christians” doubt this truth. But with specific evidence of God’s historical revelation to mankind, we can know God is Trinity, who expresses God’s fullness to mankind. Praise God and rejoice as you know this truth of your faith. The Trinity is the LORD God Almighty, who has chosen you.