The Bible is not at either of these extremes; it stands in the center, testifying the twofoldness of the truth of the Trinity. In this matter, the Scriptures are balanced. The Bible, true to the principle of balance in God’s creation, is balanced and in the center; it does not go to an extreme.

We need to be very clear concerning the error in modalism. Modalism teaches that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not all eternal and do not all exist at the same time. Instead, modalism claims that the revelation of the Son ended with the ascension and that after the ascension the Son ceased to exist. Modalism has gone too far, not believing in the coinherence and coexistence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Unlike the modalists, we believe in the coinherence and coexistence of the three of the Godhead; that is, we believe that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit all exist at the same time and under the same conditions. We also believe that all three are eternal. Isaiah 9:6 says that the Father is eternal, Hebrews 1:12 and 7:3 indicate that the Son is eternal, and Hebrews 9:14 speaks of the eternal Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not temporary but eternal.

The truth concerning the person of the Triune God is twofold. This means that the truth has two sides or two aspects: the aspect of the one and the aspect of the three. The twofoldness of the truth concerning the Trinity is embodied in the word “triune.” This adjective is actually a Latin word composed of two parts: tri-, meaning three, and -une, meaning one. The word triune, therefore, means three-one. On the one hand, our God is uniquely one; on the other hand, He is three. In the aspect of God’s being one, there is no separation between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. However, in the aspect of God’s being three, there is a distinction between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Lord Jesus said, “I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me” (John 14:10). Because the Father and the Son are mutually in each other, They cannot be separated. Nevertheless, there is still a distinction between the Father and the Son.

Concerning the Trinity we should not drift to either of two extremes, to the tritheistic extreme of emphasizing the three or to the modalistic extreme of emphasizing the one. In order to be balanced, we need to emphasize both aspects of the Trinity-the aspect of the three and the aspect of the one. Although the Father and the Son are one, there is still a definite distinction between Them. In the sense of distinction, the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Spirit is the Spirit. Although there is a distinction between the three of the Godhead, the three nonetheless are still one.

In The Principles of Theology W. H. Griffith Thomas says the following:

The term “Person” is also sometimes objected to. Like all human language, it is liable to be accused of inadequacy and even positive error. It certainly must not be pressed too far, or it will lead to Tritheism. While we use the term to denote distinctions in the Godhead, we do not imply distinctions which amount to separateness, but distinctions which are associated with essential mutual coinherence or inclusiveness...While, therefore, we are compelled to use terms like “substance” and “Person,” we are not to think of them as identical with what we understand as human substance or personality. The terms are not explanatory, but only approximately correct, as must necessarily be the case with any attempt to define the Nature of God.

I especially appreciate Griffith Thomas’s word that the term “Person” must not be pressed too far “or it will lead to Tritheism,” the belief in three Gods. In the same principle, when we say that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one, we should not press this too far, or we will fall into another kind of error. Some have used sunlight as an illustration: the sun is the Father, the ray is the Son, and the shining is the Spirit. Another illustration is that of ice, water, and vapor, with these three respectively representing the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Such illustrations may be used for temporary help; however, they should not be pressed too far, or they will lead to error.
Home | First | Prev | Next