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The Trinity

Our Responsibility

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God . . . sanctification of the Spirit . . . and the blood of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:2)

The will of God for the people of God has many aspects, some of which are:
	a)	Their spiritual development: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith” (Jude 1:20)
	b)	Their maturing: “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18)
	c)	To know how and what to answer those who oppose the truth of God.
			i)	Paul wrote: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Col. 4:6)
			ii)	Peter wrote: “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.” (1 Pet. 3:15)

It is our responsibility not only to know what we believe, and in this case, to know why we believe in the Trinity. Those who have been taught the doctrine of the Trinity, and profess to believe it, must stop and with holy reverential boldness, honestly ask:
	a)	Is it something believed because it was that which was taught and has never been questioned?
	b)	Is there a Trinity?
	c)	Can this be proven from both the Old and New Testaments?
	d)	How would we go about doing it?
	e)	If someone came and sincerely asked for it to be shown from the scriptures, where would we start? How would it be answered?

One of the great failures is a dearth Biblical teaching that the scriptures call “sound” (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1); and “meat” (1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12). Thankfully it is being recognized and some are seeking to rectify the situation. One of the results is a generation of spiritually, not untaught, but ungrounded people. They have been taught the doctrines which are true, but they do not know why they are believed. There is the option of arranging for someone else to meet with the questioner, but, should that be necessary? As individuals, do we not profess unshakeable belief in the Trinity, the Deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit; the Oneness of the Godhead? Surely our whole eternal salvation depends on these factors. The scriptures above teach that we should be able to defend that which we believe?

A number of years ago a church elder made the following comment to me: “We are afraid to face the Jehovah Witnesses or the Mormons because we do not know our theology well enough." What a sad comment for any elder to make, and what a sad commentary on the nourishment which the people of God are receiving.

If the saints are going to be able to stand, then we need to consider the best way by which these problems can be rectified. Perhaps part of the problem is that we unknowingly have imbibed some of the attitudes of the world. Often, saints sit and watch a television program in which the Names of God, Christ or Jesus are being blasphemously used. Perhaps we are like Peter: "When they had kindled a fire . . . and were set down together, Peter sat down among them" (Lk. 22:55). Surely the Lord is being dishonored and His words to ancient Israel come thundering through the centuries: "Where is mine honour?" (Mal. 1:6)

In the Scriptures of Truth, the Lord has given to His collective people distinct names which describe what they are. Two of these are: "The church is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth" (2 Tim. 3:16). Since there are two illustrations used, that means, there must be two lessons. The word "pillar" brings to mind the Tabernacle. In the instructions for, and in the building of that ancient structure, Moses was told to make "Pillars". In both situations the Holy Spirit is emphatic that they must be "standing up”. "Thou shalt make boards . . . standing up (Ex. 26:15). "And he made boards . . . standing up" (Ex. 36:20). The words used for "standing up" mean:
	a)	To take a stand.
	b)	Being brought into a place for a purpose.
	c)	To endure, the difficulty of standing against tremendous pressure.

The purpose of these boards was to hold up the Tabernacle (the linen cloth) which was always separated from the earth. It was the boards which gave the Tabernacle form. They gave it substance, but this could only be done if they were "standing up".

Paul wrote: "a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me (us)” (1 Cor. 9:17). That is, just as Paul was put in that period for a particular work, so every individual is today. God has providentially caused each believer to be in this era, in this place, and for this time, to do a work that He planned for that individual. No matter how insignificant you may think you are, there is a work for Jesus none but you can do, and to question that, is to question the providential workings and planning of God. When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, Pharaoh gave a decree that all the Israelite boys were to be killed at birth (Ex. 1:16). However, there were two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah (Ex. 1:15), who did not do as the king commanded (Ex. 1:17) and let the boys live. These ladies were placed there by God, at that time to do a particular work for God (Ex. 1:17-21.) It was not an easy decision to make or carry through, for their very lives were at stake. For them to deliberately disobey Pharaoh was no trivial thing, but standing against the stress and pressure, they brought glory to God. We are not given the names of any of the “ordinary” people who worked on the Tabernacle, but God knows them. The vast majority of believers are “ordinary” saints, not Billy Graham’s etc., but God knows the work each does for Him and will reward it (Heb. 6:10).

As individual saints, and as collective groups of God's People, we must take a stand for the glory of God. This is war, and the flag of God's honour and glory is being maliciously attacked. As our lives are changed by the truths we profess, the truth of the Trinity etc., we will be giving structure to the truth, for as we shall see, the Trinity is not a cold doctrine, void of any practical effect. There are connected to it magnificent incentives for us to enjoy and live in the reality of.

Being the "Ground," does not mean that the church is the basis on which the truth stands. The idea is that of a bulwark, or buttress. As saints of God we are strengthened by sound teaching. Paul, in writing to Titus, wrote: "Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1); "That they may be sound in the faith" (Titus 1:13). Consequently, when God and Christ dishonoring doctrines come, the saints will be able to stand, for they will not only know what they believe, but also why they believe. That is our responsibility.

May God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13