In this universe God is the center. He is the Head, the first, the preeminent One in all things. Man is the center of all God’s creation. Furthermore, there is a special relationship between God and man. Indeed, man was created by God for a certain divine, eternal purpose. Moreover, God created the old creation, and He also created another creation, the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). Thus, in the foregoing brief word we have mentioned four things: God as the center of the universe, man as the center of the creatures, the special relationship between God and man, and God creating not only an old creation but also a new creation. These four things taken together form the subject of the chapters in this book, that is, the relationship of God with man in God’s new creation. This subject is great and profound, but we will present it in a brief and simple way.
In considering this subject, first we need to see what God is, or, to express this in another way, what kind of God Christians serve. Throughout human history religion has always been in existence. Whether in ancient times or modern times, among civilized people or barbarians, the human race has always had some form of religion. The purpose of religion is to teach people to serve God in a certain way. Indeed, history shows us that there have been many different gods that have been served and worshipped by the human race. Nevertheless, we know that there is only one true God and that all the others are false gods (1 Cor. 8:4). As far as the true God is concerned, there are three different kinds of worshippers. First, there are the Jews, the Hebrews, who worship the only true God, the Creator of the universe. Even though many Jews today are opposed to the Lord Jesus, they still worship the God of their fathers, the true God, the Creator of the universe. Second, there are the Muslims, who also worship the true God, the Creator of the universe, the same God that the Jews worship. The third class of people is the Christians, who also serve the only true God. However, can we say that the God of the Christians is exactly the same as the God whom the Jews and Muslims worship? On the one hand, the God whom we worship is the same, but on the other hand, there is a big difference. If we see this difference, it will help us to understand in a full way the relationship of God with man in His new creation.
John 4:24 begins, “God is Spirit.” The first thing we need to know is that God is not physical or material; He is a Spirit. No one among the human race can understand this brief word in a full way. The God whom we serve and whom the Scriptures reveal is a Spirit.
Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The word name in this verse is singular, yet three persons are mentioned. It is a mystery that these three persons have only one name.
Second Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” This verse mentions three persons—God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit—and three things—love, grace, and fellowship. In this verse the love is of God, the grace is of Christ, and the fellowship is of the Holy Spirit. Love is the source; within God there is love, and God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). When love is expressed, it is grace (John 1:17-18), and this grace, with the love that is its source, reaches us through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit communes with us, He brings grace with love to us. Therefore, love is the source, grace is the expression, and fellowship is the transmission. These are not three separate matters but three aspects of the same one thing.
We may illustrate this as follows: If I love a certain brother, this love is something within my heart. I might express this love to him by buying him a Bible. This would be grace, the expression of my love. However, this grace can reach him only through the post office mailman. Hence, there is love within as the source, grace without as the expression, and the fellowship, as the transportation, the transmission. Love, grace, and fellowship are one, even as God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are one. God is the source, Christ is the expression, and the Holy Spirit is the transmission that reaches us.
The first part of Genesis 1:26 says, “God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” In this verse it is one God who speaks, yet the pronouns Us and Our used in reference to God are plural. Then verse 27 says, “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.” Whereas in verse 26 the pronouns are plural, in verse 27 they are singular. Is God plural or singular? With God, the substance, the essence, is one, but the persons are three. This indicates that God is triune; He is the Triune God. He is one substance, one essence, but with three distinct persons.
Isaiah 9:6 says, “For a child is born to us, / A Son is given to us; / And the government / Is upon His shoulder; / And His name will be called / Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace.” This verse reveals that a child will be called Mighty God, and a Son will be called Eternal Father. Therefore, the child is God, and the Son is the Father. The child in this verse is the one who was born in Bethlehem in a manger; that little child, that babe, was the Mighty God. The Son in this verse is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We should not think that the Son of God is someone apart from the Father. Seemingly, a son and his father are two separate persons, but in the case of the Lord Jesus, who is the Son of the Father, He and the Father are two, yet He and the Father are also one. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Although He is the Son, His name is called Eternal Father, because He is the eternal Father. This proves that the Son and the Father are one. We should never think that Christ and God are separate, because Christ is God (Rom. 9:5) and God is Christ (Titus 2:13).
John 14:8 says, “Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us.” In this verse Philip seemed to be saying, “You are the Son. For three years we have observed You. We are very familiar with You, but we have never seen the Father. Where is the Father? Show us the Father. If we see the Father, we will be satisfied because we are longing to see Him.” Then verses 9 through 11 continue, “Jesus said to him, Have I been so long a time with you, and you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how is it that you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from Myself, but the Father who abides in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.” These verses reveal that the Son is one with the Father and that the Son is the Father. Therefore, we should not consider that the Son and the Father are two separate persons. Although They co-exist and are distinct, the Son and the Father are still one and are inseparable, for according to verses 10 and 11, the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son.
Second Corinthians 3:17 says, “The Lord is the Spirit.” According to this verse the Lord, that is, Christ (4:5), the Son of God, is the Spirit. On the one hand, Christ, the Son, is the Father; on the other hand, Christ, the Lord, is the Spirit. Hence, the Son is the Father, and the Son is also the Spirit. The three of the Trinity are not three Gods but one God who is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. We should not consider the Holy Spirit as someone separate from the Lord Christ. The Holy Spirit and Christ are not two different persons. Nevertheless, many Christians hold the concept that the Holy Spirit is someone other than the Lord Christ. However, we need to realize that the Holy Spirit is the Lord Christ, because 2 Corinthians 3:17 says clearly that the Lord, that is, Christ, is the Spirit.
Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians 15:45 offers further confirmation to this fact: “So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul’; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.” Adam was a living soul; in contrast, Christ, the last Adam, became a life-giving Spirit in His resurrection. No doubt this life-giving Spirit is the Spirit of God, the unique Spirit who gives life (John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6). Because of these two verses, 2 Corinthians 3:17 and 1 Corinthians 15:45, we know definitely that Christ the Lord is the Holy Spirit.
In the foregoing verses we have seen that the Son is the Father and that the Son, who is the Lord Christ, is the Spirit. We need to recognize that although the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are three in person, They are one in essence. Although They are three in Their “offices,” They are one in Their existence, for there is only one God, not three Gods (8:6a; 1 Tim. 2:5a).