Three-in-One: The Relational GodNäide

God the Son (3)

Worthy of Praise

Humans like to learn and understand things, so for thousands of years people have tried to make sense of God's three-in-oneness with different images and symbols and descriptions.

Some people compare the Trinity to an egg—one thing that has three parts (shell, white, and yolk). But that image doesn't work because none of those parts alone equals the whole. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are all fully God. They aren't each one-third of God.

Some people compare the Trinity to H2O—one thing that can exist in three different form (water, ice, or steam). But that image doesn't work because H2O can’t be those things all at the same time. It's either water OR ice OR steam.

And some people compare the Trinity to human identity—one person who has different roles and relationship (a sibling, a cousin, and a son or daughter). But that image doesn't work either because a person can’t be all those things to all the same people.

God's three-in-oneness is beyond description. He is the Father and the Son and the Spirit, all at the same time, to all of his children.

The Trinity is too supernatural for perfect descriptions. But here's one way people have tried to put it into words:

• God is the Father. God is the Son. God is the Spirit.
• The Father is God. The Son is God. The Spirit is God.
• The Father is not the Son. The Father is not the Spirit.
• The Son is not the Father. The Son is not the Spirit.
• The Spirit is not the Father. The Spirit is not the Son.

Here's a graphic that shows the same thing, sometimes called the Trinity Shield:

The words and graphic are clear—but the truth is still too big and deep for humans to fully grasp.

One thing is for sure: since Jesus Christ is God, He is worthy of our praise. The Bible talks about Jesus both being God himself and also obeying God the Father. He humbled himself as a human and also was elevated to the place of highest honor. Jesus is love and also Lord. Jesus is Savior and also King.

This is the Jesus we follow. This is the Jesus we love and learn from. This is the Jesus whose sincere and shocking humility we are told to imitate. And this is the Jesus who is the Lord of lords and King ofkKings and who is worthy of all our praise.

Reflect

• What does it mean to you that Jesus is both Savior and Lord?
• Do you think of Jesus as someone you should worship and honor, or as more of a friend? Why?