Is the Trinity Important?

[jruegg]

The Backstreet Boys called and said "Tell me why?"

Perhaps it's just me, but I always ranked the Godhead in order of Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I know I shouldn't but I did. Why is the Trinity important? What role does each Person play? Could those roles have been consolidated in the Father and the Son? All three are eternal? Was the HS 'dormant' before Jesus sent Him? Was the Spirit in Jesus while/when He was fully human? This is fascinating stuff coco - help me unpack it if you can.

I'm not Coco, so bear that in mind. And I'm only going to unpack part of it for you. The Spirit is eternal and was not dormant before Pentecost. Many times in the old Testament you will see the Holy Spirit come and go upon a man. Temporary. After that first Pentecost, the HS dwells within the believer permanently as a free gift. When we sin, he doesn't leave us. We've just turned our back on him for a hot minute. The Holy Spirit lives in us, Fred, and that's so cool I can't even explain how cool it is.

Exactly. My questions were, I suppose, more thought exercises about this thing that's so cool we can't fully explain it. The one who was present at the dawn of creation is now in me. God does what God does because He's perfect, and each person of the Godhead has a role in the perfect plan.

Thanks for walking along beside me for a few minutes Paul.

Does knowing someone intimately aid you in loving them more intimately or do you love everyone the same? I don't know why I'm weighing in here as I probably won't be logged on enough to actually engage in conversation with you. But I feel like answering the question of why the Trinity is important is akin to Moses asking "Who shall I say sent me." It's THE question, isn't it? Who is this God who made us in His image? Therefore knowing who God is helps us understand God, ourselves by extension, why we need this God to act on our behalf and how to respond in a more perfect love.

[FredS]

I'm not Coco, so bear that in mind. And I'm only going to unpack part of it for you. The Spirit is eternal and was not dormant before Pentecost. Many times in the old Testament you will see the Holy Spirit come and go upon a man. Temporary. After that first Pentecost, the HS dwells within the believer permanently as a free gift. When we sin, he doesn't leave us. We've just turned our back on him for a hot minute. The Holy Spirit lives in us, Fred, and that's so cool I can't even explain how cool it is.

Exactly. My questions were, I suppose, more thought exercises about this thing that's so cool we can't fully explain it. The one who was present at the dawn of creation is now in me. God does what God does because He's perfect, and each person of the Godhead has a role in the perfect plan.

Thanks for walking along beside me for a few minutes Paul.

Does knowing someone intimately aid you in loving them more intimately or do you love everyone the same? I don't know why I'm weighing in here as I probably won't be logged on enough to actually engage in conversation with you. But I feel like answering the question of why the Trinity is important is akin to Moses asking "Who shall I say sent me." It's THE question, isn't it? Who is this God who made us in His image? Therefore knowing who God is helps us understand God, ourselves by extension, why we need this God to act on our behalf and how to respond in a more perfect love.

Hey buddy, nice to see you 'round.

My friend, Father Jerry said much the same in his book. We love those we're most intimate with, and we're not intimate with those we barely know. Familiarity, trust, time spent together, honesty, intimacy - those things are required for love to truly grow. Bottom line, why it matters in our day to day lives is that knowing Him that intimately changes how we are (we become more acceptable to be who He made us to be) and how we move about in His world. The HS is right here, right now, helping me grow into that love.

[jruegg]

Exactly. My questions were, I suppose, more thought exercises about this thing that's so cool we can't fully explain it. The one who was present at the dawn of creation is now in me. God does what God does because He's perfect, and each person of the Godhead has a role in the perfect plan.

Thanks for walking along beside me for a few minutes Paul.

Does knowing someone intimately aid you in loving them more intimately or do you love everyone the same? I don't know why I'm weighing in here as I probably won't be logged on enough to actually engage in conversation with you. But I feel like answering the question of why the Trinity is important is akin to Moses asking "Who shall I say sent me." It's THE question, isn't it? Who is this God who made us in His image? Therefore knowing who God is helps us understand God, ourselves by extension, why we need this God to act on our behalf and how to respond in a more perfect love.

Hey buddy, nice to see you 'round.

My friend, Father Jerry said much the same in his book. We love those we're most intimate with, and we're not intimate with those we barely know. Familiarity, trust, time spent together, honesty, intimacy - those things are required for love to truly grow. Bottom line, why it matters in our day to day lives is that knowing Him that intimately changes how we are (we become more acceptable to be who He made us to be) and how we move about in His world. The HS is right here, right now, helping me grow into that love.

You nailed it. Trinity matters because Trinity is Truth, THE Truth.

[Hovannes]

Check out Peter Keeft's Why Does Everything Come in Threes