Board index ‹ The Trinity

[Big Bad Wolf]

What is the holy trinity? I've heard many conflicting answers.

[jimwalton]

The Trinity is the belief that God is one essence, but three persons—not just that he reveals himself differently (a heresy known as Sabellianism), but that he is actually three separate entities (we use the word "persons" as the descriptor) while being a unity.

Claunch explains, "The explanation comes in the distinction between the principle of divine action and the subject of divine action. The principle of all divine action is the one undivided divine essence. The subject of divine action is either Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. The Son is the unique divine subject of the assumption of human nature. The Father is the unique subject of the act of sending the Son. However, the principle of this divine act is the one undivided divine essence. That is, the Father sends the Son according to his power (and wisdom, will, etc.). The power of the Father is identically the same power possessed by the Son and the Spirit. The subject of the act of sending is the Father alone, and the principle of the act of sending is the one essence of the whole Trinity. The act of sending is, therefore, simultaneously a work of the entire Trinity (with respect to the principle of the action) and a work of the Father alone (with respect to the subject of the action). The same logic could be applied to the assuming of the human nature."

Sheldon Vanauken explained it in an interesting way: Suppose I write a book, and I put myself in it. The character "me" says what I would say and does what I would do. It's ME in the book. He's exactly as I am. Now, is the character in the book different from the me outside of the book? Of course he is. But is it me? Of course it is. He's all me, but he's all a separate character at the same time. I can easily be both the author and a character without compromising either.