These Three Are One – Sermon 15 June, 2014

These Three Are One
1 John 5:7
For there are three that testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.
Mathematics teaches us that three cannot be one. Neither one can be three. If the three was one, many things would change in our lives and our world. Some things would have been good, but others not. Our verse in 1 John says that those who testify in the heaven are three, but those three the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit are one.
According to the church calendar the first Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, when we celebrate a truth in the Christian theology and honour the Eternal God. The Eastern churches do not have the tradition to celebrate Trinity Sunday saying that they celebrate the Trinity every Sunday. And the Western Churches celebrate the Trinity every Sunday, but have allocated a special day for this purpose.
The doctrine of the Trinity is the most fascinating and at the same time it has always been a matter of debate and argument. It is a mystery, but not an inexplicable riddle. It is a truth far beyond human understanding. But it can be understood through worship, symbolism and faith.
The Nicene Creed explains this doctrine very well. In essence it is the faith that God is one, but in three persons. The term used in Greek is “ousio”, meaning “that stand as one”, does not mean that the three are different human beings. Thus we believe that the Father, the Son and the Spirit are different, but in reality they are united. How can this be? Look at the two eyes of man. They are two, yet they see the same thing. Or three musical notes in music, when played together, give a harmony.
For the Son it has been said that He is the son of the Eternal God. The Holy Spirit comes from the Father through the Son. Each member of the Trinity completes the other two, and each have their own unique part to play in the plan of creation and salvation; which is known as Godly management.
Christianity is unique in its kind. It is totally different from other religions and faiths; especially in the matter of the Trinity. It is worthwhile to look into this important subject and see what can be said and how can it be presented.
The concept of the Trinity has been difficult to explain and understand for us and still is. But the scripture gives us some answers and explains this doctrine.
First
What is the reality of the Trinity and what does it mean?
We believe that the eternal God reveals Himself to us as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, with their unique characters, but at the same time without being separated from each other in the realm of nature, foundation and reality. Their being one and at the same time three is similar to the polarities, where the two ideas are connected and complete each other, like the + and the – of electrical polarities. But unfortunately the “theologians” have tried to present this godly idea in a human way.
If we really want to see the living God, the best place to start is at the “beginning”.The first verse of the book of the Bible in Genesis says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Here the Hebrew word used for God is in the plural, “Elohim”. But when Jesus gave His great commission to the disciples He said: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Math. 28:19). Jesus uses the singular term of the word “name” for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As we know the name reveals the identity and the nature of the person.
Therefore what is the meaning of the Trinity for us?
God is who He is: “I am who I am”. It is not necessary to understand His all being. Our obligation is to worship Him, to love Him with all our hearts and surrender to Him.
Second
What is the relevance of the Trinity?
It is not enough to know what the Trinity means, but it is important to see what its practical application is. How is it possible to implement its mystery in our lives? Everyone wants to know: Who is God? What is He like? What does He think about us?
a. God understands us and takes care
With the revelation of grace, God gave us what we need to understand through Christ. He is holy and perfect and we are sinful, faulty and imperfect. That’s the reason that He came to the world through His son to save us, because He loves us and cares for us.
b. We can know Him personally
In knowing and understanding us, God gave us what we needed. He gave us a Saviour. He did not become a God who stays far. But He came to us, taking human shape and dying for us.
He did not create the earth and then left it alone, but He came when we needed Him. Looking to the cross of Jesus we see His one hand stretched to the Father and the other to us, the sinful.
By the power of the Holy Spirit He works within us and through us. He knows us well and we can know Him well. We are one as He is one. We know Him through the Son our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is up to us to surrender ourselves to Him and be worthy of eternal life. The Triune God witnesses, acts, saves and gives us all hope; a hope for eternity; where it will be possible to be part of His Kingdom.
Let the blessing of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon us all.

Krikor Youmshajekian