In last Sunday’s message I mentioned the “second holy trinity” of the Christian faith. I hope this didn’t upset anyone. The word “trinity” in a theological sense is a proper noun, that is, a name or moniker. The word doesn’t appear anywhere in scripture, of course, but the idea and principle does. Theologically speaking, “trinity” describes the “Godhead.” The three persons of the Godhead are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And these three are One God. The doctrine of the Trinity emerged long after the New Testament writings in the early fourth century. It was a way of explaining God and the different evidence for God and His activity in creation and beyond.
The first person of the Godhead (Trinity) is God the Father, and there is plenty of evidence of Him in both Old and New Testaments. Even Jesus referred to His “Father” and often referenced “your heavenly Father” especially in the Sermon on the Mount. The second person of the Godhead is Jesus whom the apostle John describes in his gospel’s first sentences.
John 1:1-2 (NIV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.”
In addition, Jesus, Himself, said things like …
John 10:30 (NIV)
“I and the Father are one."
The third person of the Godhead is Holy Spirit. Again, Jesus gave us revelation of this when He said things like …
John 14:16 (NIV)
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— … 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.”
John 16:14-15 (NIV)
[Jesus] “He [Holy Spirit] will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.”
The apostle Paul calls Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Jesus” more than once (Acts 16:7 & Philippians 1:19). And so, we start to form an idea of the Trinity which is the “three-in-oneness” of God. God is “triune”. Again the apostle John confirms this.
1 John 5:7 (NKJV)
“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”
The oneness expressed in the Trinity is about an indivisible relationship within which there is no hierarchy, but differing functions – in a loving, holy unity. “The” Trinity is a core Christian doctrine that describes God as one being existing in three co-equal, co-eternal persons as I have described above, and these three persons are distinct yet share the same divine essence. The Trinity is not a belief in three separate gods, but rather one God in three distinct persons.
And so, on Sunday, I used the term “trinity”, not as a proper noun, but as an adjective. That is, I used it to describe the three critical aspects of the Christian life which are based on the work of God in Christ – and these three things cannot be separated from each other. They are a divine order of things that came to us in Christ – His death, His resurrection and His exaltation. A trinity that cannot be broken. Most believers I meet are very familiar with the first two aspects of this divine order – but the third is necessary, too. There are three things that complete God’s great salvation plan for all people born again. Let’s break it down a bit.
No one serious Christian doubts the first two things. So hear now this revelation from God’s Word: because the Lord Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of the Father, I have received the outpoured Spirit. It is not going to happen, it has happened because of the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. These three things, atonement, new life (born again), outpoured Spirit, (or Holy Spirit baptism), are the second holy trinity of the believer, if you like. All of it because of Jesus, not me, not you – nothing is because of us, or our efforts, it is all by the grace of God and it is accessed and received by faith from start to finish.
This “holy trinity” of our faith understanding is three inseparable things. One, remission/forgiveness of sins because of the Lord’s crucifixion, not human merit. Two, regeneration, that is, born again to new life, which is not based on human merit, either, but on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Three, the outpoured power, and ability, and gifts of the Holy Spirit (the baptism of the Holy Spirit) - and neither is that based on human merit, or because “I’m a Pentecostal and you’re not”, or anything else. It is all based on the Lord’s exaltation. These three things are the holy trinity of our salvation and Christian living and they apply to all born-agains, regardless of your church tradition or denominational badge. Much error and confusion has been spread over the years when the baptism of the Holy Spirit has been taught as a secondary experience to being born again, which is only received by some special process for the born-again person. This is wrong. Of course, it is consequential to being born again. I deeply appreciate that Pentecostals way back in the day recognised this aspect of our “holy trinity” of faith that had pretty much been lost to the church. They’ve helped reclaim it, in a sense.
Praise God the Pentecostal movement has helped enormously in recovering this aspect of faith. But the point is, the baptism of the Spirit has always been there because Jesus Christ as been exalted. It is a done thing. The outpoured Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was proof that Christ had been exalted, and this was proclaimed by the apostle Peter …
Acts 2:33 (NIV)
“Exalted to the right hand of God, He [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”
It cannot be any plainer! But many believers have not understood or even known of this amazing revelation in God’s word. Jesus prophesied it, long before.
John 7:37-39 (NIV)
[Jesus] “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
When we understand this revelation and accept it by faith, believe it and live on it, our born-again new life radically changes. We can confidently know that Holy Spirit power is always ready to “turn on” when it is needed in hundreds of different ways in our lives and ministries. And so, we come to the critical question: “How do I start to experience the power of the Holy Spirit since it has been poured out on me?” Here’s a couple of things to get you started. First, learn to sense the promptings/leadings of Holy Spirit. These are invitations to go with Him and obey. And when you obey, the power turns on in just the right measure. Two, stop asking God for the baptism of the Spirit – that’s unbelief. Trust you already have it every moment of every day – the experiences of it come with obedience, and with experience comes confident faith, and ever-increasing sensitivity. Three, remember that all born-agains have been baptized in the Spirit – you have not been left out. Four, keep practicing and growing into the “holy trinity” of your faith.
Be ye encouraged!
Ps Milton
[Sources: “Introducing Christian Doctrine” by M. J. Erickson; “A New Dictionary of Christian Theology”, ed. A. Richardson & John Bowden; “Christology in Cultural Perspective”, by Colin J. D. Greene.]