OUR SALVATION, A WORK OF THE TRINITY

In Christian theology, the term "mystery" means something undiscoverable by man but revealed by God. The Christian Church has always confessed the doctrine of the Trinity to be one such mystery. The Trinity cannot be discovered by reason, it can only be revealed by God. After all, in the Trinity we get a glimpse of the very nature of God; and only God can reveal what He is like.

The Bible says that

• there is one God (Is 43:10);
• there are three persons who are each called God (John 6:27; Titus 2:13; Acts 5:1-4);
• the three persons are separate from one another (John 14:26),
• yet are equal in their deity (see pt. #b & Matt 28:19; John 5:23; Ps 139:7-10).
• The inescapable conclusion is that the three persons are the one God.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism sums up the biblical witness to the Trinity thus: "There are three persons within the Godhead: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory." This has been the confession of the Christian Church since the beginning.

Some wonder if this doctrine is even relevant, but in fact our very salvation depends upon it being true. Since God alone saves (Is 43:11; Hos 13:4), then if we are to be saved, God alone must save us. Yet, the Bible teaches that we are saved by the work of the Father (Ps 89:26), the Son (1 John 4:14), and the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Consequently, salvation is a Trinitarian endeavor, and if we are to be saved, it must be by the Trinitarian God.

-Chuck-