This is the final block devoted to the Trinity.  I hope these last few articles have caused us to think more carefully about the wonderful, glorious Trinity.  God is the one and only one God, having three eternal persons of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Another way of saying this is that God is one in essence in three distinct persons.   In hindsight, maybe to tackle the issue of the Trinity in a church newsletter was a little overambitious.  As I look over what we have concluded in these last couple of months, it is clear we haven’t even scratched the surface of the depth of this doctrine.  We have considered how God is one.  We have considered how God is three by seeing that the Father is God and the Son is God.  One person remains, the Holy Spirit.  Do we know that there is a third person of the Trinity, known as the Spirit?  Yes, the Bible is clear.  Is this one called the Spirit just another way of referring to the Father?  No, he is a third person of the Trinity?  What is the role of the Holy Spirit?  He is a helper and a comforter.
          Having an entire article devoted to the Holy Spirit is ironic in itself.  We are shining the spotlight on the Holy Spirit, and that is precisely what he never wants in Scripture.  Everywhere we read of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament he is pointing to Jesus.  He doesn’t enjoy the spotlight, rather he wants to be behind the scenes giving Jesus the spotlight.  Bruce Ware, a brilliant theologian, has said, “In creation, redemption, and consummation, he willingly accepts the role of supporter, helper, sustainer, and equipper, and in all these respects he forsakes the spotlight.”  Paul says that it is by the very power of the Spirit that the Christian is even able to acknowledge Jesus as savior and lord.  “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”  How do you say Jesus is your lord?  It is by the power of the Holy Spirit.  He indwells the believer and the church so that we might glorify God.  He is our comforter and help.  He is our empowerment for missions and evangelism.  He is the source of the inspiration of Scripture and source of our illumination of Scripture.  He is an indispensable member of the Trinity seeking no glory for himself, but pointing to Christ to the Glory of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.  May we follow the Spirit’s example of humility and focus on Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father.
 
 In Christ, 
Blain Craig

We have been thinking about the Trinity for several weeks.  We have rejected various heresies about the Trinity, while defending the biblical understanding of God.  We have said God is one in nature while having three persons.  We have seen God the Father is God, now we turn to Jesus.  Is Jesus actually God?  For a Bible believing Christian, that is almost a silly question.  Of course Jesus is God. 

Although the divinity of Jesus has been questioned by some throughout the history of the church, for the person who believes the Bible is true and authoritative, there is no question.  He is God.  The book of John is especially clear in teaching Jesus’ divinity.  John 8:56-59 is clear evidence, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’  Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”  Why did they pick up stones to throw at him?  The answer is simply that he was claiming to be God.
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The greater issue for the Christian is what we can learn from Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  It is amazing to consider that Jesus is actually God, yet he “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” (Philippians 2: 6b).  That verse certainly does not mean that during his time on earth Jesus ceased to be God.  It does not even mean he gave up his divine attributes.  It does mean that Jesus is the perfect example of humility and submission to the will of the Father.  He who was the very creator of the universe and equal to the Father in every attribute, has eternally humbled himself in obedience to the Father.  In coming to earth, he came to save lost sinners.  He died in obedience to the will of the Father.  He was the ultimate sacrifice for sin.  The only reason his sacrifice was acceptable is that he was both God and man.  He was fully God and fully man.  He was perfect in his obedience.  He was perfect in his death.  He was perfect in his resurrection.  He is perfect now as the eternal prophet, priest, and king.
 
 
In Christ, 
Blain Craig