John 5:18-30
One of the cherished hymns in Christian worship is “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty.” This hymn is a melodious tribute to God’s majesty and encapsulates one of Christianity’s core doctrines.
Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!
Whenever we sing this hymn, we affirm several truths about God: His holiness, His omnipotence, His mercy, and, crucially, the doctrine of the Trinity:
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!
This article aims to unpack the doctrine of the Trinity, a foundational yet often misunderstood aspect of Christian theology. Here’s the approach we’ll take. I will begin by defining the doctrine of the Trinity. Next, we will explore three key aspects: the Oneness of God, the Distinction in Oneness, and the Equality of Distinction in Oneness.
Through God’s self-revelation, He has clearly presented Himself as a Triune God—“Three in One” or “Tri-Unity.” This divine self-revelation compels us to embrace and believe in the doctrine. Let’s start with the definition of the Trinity, as articulated in the Westminster Shorter Catechism:
There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
Oneness of God
In the definition above, we read, “…and these three are one God.” This line underscores the foundational Christian belief that there is only one God, not three. This concept is pivotal when considering the events of John 5:18-30, where the healing of an invalid by Jesus stirs controversy among the Jews. They challenge the authority of Jesus, especially aggravated by His claim of equality with God by calling God His Father. This assertion—where Jesus says, “The Father and I are working, and that is why I am working,” particularly when He declares Himself Lord over the Sabbath (Mark 2:28)—left no doubt in the minds of the Jews about His divine claims.
Given this strict monotheism that we get from passages like Deuteronomy 6:4-6, the concept of the Trinity may initially appear confounding, leading some to assert that Christians worship three gods or adhere to a purely human-invented doctrine. However, at the very core of Christian faith is the belief in one Divine Essence shared by three co-equal and co-eternal Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the Godhead (Colossians 2:9), encompassing attributes such as omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, attributes that only belong to God. This understanding is not a departure into tritheism but establishes the Biblical insight into the true nature of God’s infinite unity. Thus, we affirm that Christians are indeed absolute monotheists, even as we embrace and love the mystery of our Triune God.
Distinction In Oneness
This One God has revealed himself as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In John Chapter 5, a clear distinction is drawn between “The Father and The Son,” illustrating that while they are one God, they are distinct persons. This distinction is central to understanding the Trinity as each divine Person plays a unique role in accomplishing Redemption.
The relationship between the Father and the Son is profound, as shown when the Father loves the Son and reveals His works to Him (John 5:20). This dynamic underscores that all promises made by God in the Old Testament, pointing to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, were fulfilled in Him. Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life, fulfilling God’s commandments—something none of us could achieve. He came to make substitutionary atonement for our sins, thus redeeming a people for God and reconciling sinners to Him. This is a vital implication of the Trinity: God fulfilled His promise to send a Saviour and Messiah to save His people from their sins (Genesis 3:15).
The Trinity in Creation
The narrative of creation clearly yet subtly hints at the reality of the Trinity. The term “Elohim” used in Genesis 1 is plural, suggesting a multiplicity of persons within the Godhead. During creation, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters,” and God said, “Let there be light,” introducing the Word and the Spirit alongside God (Genesis 1:1-3). John echoes this in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Thus, we see God, the Word, and the Spirit actively involved in creation.
Genesis 1:26 states, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” The use of “us” and “our” raises the question: Who was God speaking to? Wayne Grudem argues that this cannot be a plural of majesty or a conversation with angels, as humans were not made in the image of angels, nor do angels share in God’s creative acts. The most convincing explanation is the presence of a plurality of persons in the Godhead.
The Trinity in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the Trinity is fully revealed. God is clearly presented as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The salvation of sinners is a Trinitarian work—by the Father, through the Son, and with the sanctification of the Spirit.
The Father purposed our redemption, the Son died to save us, and the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s work to our hearts for our salvation. When we embrace faith in Christ and are baptised, it is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, affirming our belief in the Triune God. Whenever we share in the benediction, we affirm this same truth: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Furthermore, Peter explains what happens in salvation in Trinitarian language. He says we are saved “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood” (1 Peter 1:2).
Equality In the Godhead
All three persons of the Godhead are equally God. The Father is no more God than the Son or the Holy Spirit. The Westminster Shorter Catechism affirms that the members of the Trinity are same in “substance, equal in power and glory”. We see this in John 5:18: “the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Jesus wasn’t speaking of his inability to act. At issue here is his cooperation and unity with the Father in the work of redemption. In the Baptism text quoted earlier, note that we are to” [baptise] them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. Notice that the verse avers that it is ‘in the name of’ (singular) that we are to baptise; it doesn’t say ‘in the names of’ (plural). This tells us that, though distinct, the three persons of the Godhead are equal and united. The Father is God, The Son is God, and The Holy Spirit is God. And the three are One.
Ephesians 4:4-6 affirms:
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Thus, the Trinity is not an abstract doctrine.
Practical Implications
The doctrine of the Trinity has implications for our lives as believers. It is a model for unity among believers. Jesus prayed:
“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21).
The unity reflected in the Trinity must be seen amongst us. Believers don’t meet to have just fellowship. We meet to reflect God’s tri-unity and to show the world the testimony of our God. Paul echoes this in his teachings, reminding us that though we are many, we are one body in Christ. Our gatherings are an opportunity to reflect the love of God by loving one another. The same love expressed in the Trinity is the same love the Father extends to us, and through us, to one another: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
