One of my favorite seminary courses was Trinitarianism, because our coursework brought to life the unique and unsurpassed beauty of our mysterious Triune God. One God who exists in a community of three distinct Persons who live forever in complete mutuality and goodness. A God who is “perfect in power, in love and purity” as we sing in the hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy.
The bowed heads in Rublev’s painting, “The Hospitality of Abraham,” (above) illustrate this mutuality of Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus’ whole earthly life, enabled by the Spirit, in full submission to the Father, illustrates the perfect oneness of will within the Godhead. Some have described the harmony of the Three that are One as the divine dance.
And here’s where it gets even more amazing. Henri Nouwen writes, “In Jesus, God became one of us to lead us through Jesus into the intimacy of his divine life.” God in Christ invites us into the loving mutuality of the Trinitarian community! God’s purpose in creating us is “to invite a community of his image bearers in Christ to participate in the eternal love relationship that the Trinity enjoys, thus displaying his glory.”[1] As we enjoy God’s love, as our love relationship with God increasingly becomes the joyful source and center and story of our lives, we glorify the God who loves us.
Importantly, our union with God has missional implications. Christ prays that God’s love would be in us, so that the world may know God’s love (John 17:21-23). As the people of Trinity Lakeside, may the goodness and mutuality, the purity and power of our triune God be manifest in everything that we say and do, drawing others to know and to love our extraordinary God.
[1] Jonathon Morrow