Unraveling the Mystery of the Trinity
As we approach the Christmas season, our minds turn to the incredible miracle of the incarnation – God taking on human flesh and becoming a man. But have we stopped to consider the deeper implications of this event? Two theologians, Matthew Emerson and Brandon Smith, have written a new book that challenges our understanding of the Trinity and its role in salvation history.
The Unity of God’s Actions
At the heart of their book is the doctrine of inseparable operations, which asserts that every act of God is an act of the one God, even though we may see that action worked out through a particular person. In the incarnation, for example, the Son takes on flesh, but it is the Father who sends the Son, and the Spirit who conceives Him in Mary. This means that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in the act of incarnation, demonstrating the unity of God’s actions.
Avoiding Tri-theism
However, this unity is often lost in our attempts to understand the Trinity. We tend to assign different roles to each person of the Trinity, as if they were separate individuals working together. But this approach can lead to tri-theism, where we inadvertently create three separate gods. Instead, we must recognize that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in three persons, sharing the same essence and acting as one.
The Importance of Nicene Trinitarianism
This emphasis on the unity of God’s actions has its roots in the early church and the development of Nicene Trinitarianism. The Council of Chalcedon affirmed that the Son has the same essence as the Father, and the Spirit has the same essence as the Father. This means that their actions are also the same, and we cannot divide them up or assign primacy to one person over another.
Balancing Unity and Diversity
So, do evangelicals today tend to focus more on the three-ness of God or the oneness of God? Brandon Smith suggests that errors exist on both sides. Some groups, like Oneness Pentecostals, lean towards modalism, where Father, Son, and Spirit are seen as different modes of God rather than distinct persons. Others, however, may overemphasize the individuality of each person, leading to tri-theism. The key is to find a balance between recognizing the unity of God’s actions and the diversity of the persons.
Implications for Worship and Understanding
As we approach Christmas, let us remember that the incarnation is not just an act of the Son, but an act of the one triune God. This understanding has profound implications for our worship and our understanding of God. By recognizing the unity of God’s actions, we can deepen our appreciation for the complexity and beauty of the Trinity, and worship God in a way that is more faithful to Scripture.
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