God Is One
When Brandon and I discuss to our college students about this, I, particularly, like to make use of the illustration of a pie chart. You’ve acquired this pie, and when most individuals take into consideration the Trinity, whether or not it’s what God does or who he’s, we have a tendency to separate God up into three items of that pie. And after we discuss God’s actions—as a result of that’s what the doctrine of inseparable operations is addressing—we cut up it up between what the Father does, however not the Son and the Spirit; or what the Son does, however not the Father and the Spirit; or what the Spirit does and never the Father and the Son.
This concise introduction to the doctrine of inseparable operations explores the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in relation to salvation, revelation, communion, and extra.
So we are saying issues just like the Father is the one who plans, or the Son is the one who saves, or the Spirit is the one who offers items—as if the opposite two individuals in any a type of actions is not concerned. However in reality, and that is what the doctrine of inseparable operations affirms, all of God’s actions are one as a result of God is one. All three individuals are on a regular basis appearing because the one God as a result of they’re the one God. So as an alternative of splitting all of God’s actions up in that pie chart, what the doctrine of inseparable operations is saying is (it’s an enormous phrase utilizing two massive phrases) is that God is one, so he acts as one.
Matthew Y. Emerson is coauthor with Brandon D. Smith of Beholding the Triune God: The Inseparable Work of Father, Son, and Spirit.
Associated Articles
A Thought Experiment to Help Recalibrate Our Beliefs about the Trinity
The best way we discuss God’s acts usually divides the individuals of God in a manner that’s opposite to our confession that God is one God in three individuals.
The Trinity Transforms the Church into a Community of Love
Simply because the church is the fantastic present of affection from God the Father to Christ the Son, so the church, because the physique of Christ, displays that Trinitarian love and wonder outwardly to the world.
The everlasting communion of Father, Son, and Spirit is the grounds for our communion with him and each other. Our triune God, easy and ideal for all of eternity, has all the time been the one God.
Without the Trinity the Doctrine of the Atonement Goes off the Rails
The atonement is the apex of the triune mission of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit working collectively to reconcile sinners and renew creation.
Associated Sources
the aim of proclaiming the gospel via publishing
gospel-centered, Bible-centered content material. Be taught extra or donate right this moment at
crossway.org/about.
