Three in One . . .

God often works in triplicate. Whole books have been written about this, but for me, two things come to mind. One is that He created elements in triplicate. For example, H²O is ice, water and steam. Others are also found in solid, liquid, and gaseous forms.

The second is God’s salvation. As today’s devotional by Fortner says, Christians are saved, being saved, and will be saved. Like enlisting in the army, we become soldiers immediately, then learn to act like soldiers, then finish up our service, far more distinguished as in the beginning, yet soldiers all through.

I have been saved.

“God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)

In eternity past, God went down His to-do list and began the work of saving sinners. His check mark beside my name put me in the category of SAVED from the penalty of sin. I passed from death to eternal life.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3–10)

I am being saved.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6) . . . for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

Now God is at work in my life teaching me how to live as His child. He has set me apart, yet I’ve lots to learn and to put into practice so my behavior will match up with who I am. I’m in that column that says BEING SAVED as He gives me the power to overcome the power of sin and bring Him glory.

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:11–14)

I will be saved from the presence of sin.

“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies . . .  (Romans 8:23) Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11)

Christians fight sin all our lives, yet the promises of God encourage us. One day those battles will be over and sin will fade into oblivion. We will be perfect, like Jesus and with Him in glory. This incredible hope stands boldly before me as FUTURE GRACE, total freedom from sin’s power as my salvation is made complete.

“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.” (Ephesians 1:15–19)

^^^^^^^^

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You must love the number three because it represents who You are; one God in three persons. Three is displayed in creation in a myriad of ways, and is revealed in many other examples in Your Word. As You remind me this morning, my salvation is in three stages also, another part of Your marvelous plan and another demonstration of the harmony that is in You. What else can I say except bless You, bless You, bless You!

One God, Three Persons

The Bible says “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) This definition needs clarification. Faith is not assumption: “My hope in good weather for next week is so strong that I’m positive it will happen.” Faith is not just believing: “My uncle said he has a new car and I believe him.”

Biblical faith goes beyond the normal idea of trusting or hoping something is true. While it is based on the validity of who said it (God), it is a deep assurance, not an assumption. It is knowing something is true, sometimes without visible evidence. It is reading and hearing the testimony of reliable witnesses, but also the deep and instinctive awareness that what they say is true. While the words and the testimony may come from human witnesses, they are combined with God the Father who had His own Word recorded in history as both a man and a book, the story is punctuated by the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. As we read and hear it, He declares to our hearts that all of it is true.

“For there are three that testify . . . . And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:7-11)

Christians get a lot of flack about the trinity. How can there be both one God and three Gods? How can Jesus be God but not the same as the Father, unless there are two Gods, but the Bible says there is one God? On and on it goes.

Yet the day Jesus Christ walked into my life, I instantly knew He is God. I wasn’t trying to figure it out; I just knew, and still know it because along with Jesus came the gift of faith and trinity is a faith thing, not a rational argument. It is a deep assurance in the heart, but also a gift. My mind cannot figure it out, only I know that it is true from a deep conviction of things not seen.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

In the original language, this verse says: For by grace you are saved through faith and this not from yourselves, of God the gift, not from works so that no one can boast. This points to all of salvation as being a gift. Other verses say that the human heart does not, will not, and even cannot believe God. We need the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit to do that. Both grace and faith are gifts from God, both needed for a person to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

The bottom line is that the entire triune God is involved in my salvation, but also that without this amazing gift from God, I’m not able to experience grace or faith. This is why those without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ struggle with trying to believe in the trinity or in much of anything else about salvation or about the identity of God. For goodness’ sake, even those of us who believe (because of God’s gift) cannot understand it — we just know that it is true.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I know it is futile to try and explain the realities that You show me by faith. Without that amazing gift, no one can grasp or believe it. Yet faith comes by hearing Your Word (Romans 10:17) so the best I can do is speak and write the words of Scripture and trust that You will use it in the hearts of those who hear and read it. The Father said it, the Son demonstrated it, and the Holy Spirit illuminates our hearts with it — all to the same end, that the body, soul and spirit of all sinners will come to the saving knowledge of You.

When Jesus prays, pleading is not necessary

Unity is when I say to my husband, “We should go visit…” and he says, “I was just thinking the same thing. This is what prayer in the name of Jesus should be. I say the words, and those words are a reflection of what He is already thinking.

For these days, I’m reading a prayer that Jesus prayed. When He talks with His Father, He is not trying to persuade Him to do something new or different. He is at one with the Father, therefore His prayer reflects the plan of God. With that in mind, these words reveal how God thinks about my relationship with Him.

All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. (John 17:10–11)

First, I belong to Jesus and to the Father, even to the Holy Spirit. Each has functions that are needful, yet some days what the Father does fits my situation. I cry out “Abba, Father” as a child looking for His help and leadership. Other days, I struggle with temptation and sin and need the Savior, or I battle discouragement and need the comfort of the Holy Spirit. They are the same God who cannot be divided into parts, and I belong to all of who and what God is, and am cared for by Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Second, it is the intention of God that Jesus is glorified in me. Most of the time I am oblivious to this, but now and then someone says something to that effect, or I’m aware that God is pleased with me. I’d rejoice if this happened all the time, but am content to leave that to Him. Glorifying God is something like being a mirror. When He stands close to me, He is reflected to others. The best I can do is stay available with all the dirt cleaned off so that His reflection is as clear as possible.

Third, the visible presence of Jesus is not here on earth right now, but when Jesus prayed, He asked that the Father would keep me and other Christians in His name, guarding and protecting us as individuals, but more so as His Body. He and the Father agree that there be no fragmentation between His children. We are not to fight over anything or compete with one another. He isn’t looking for clones, but for unity in our diversity and harmony even when we don’t see eye to eye.

Imagine a room filled with children all drawing a picture of a house. No two houses look the same, yet there is agreement on the subject. We don’t argue who makes the best expression or who has picked the best colors, size of house, or the type of roof put on it. Instead, we admire each other’s work and cheerfully encourage the diversity of workmanship in rendering the same subject and reaching the same objective.  

The heart of God is as a parent caring for His children. The children are like Him, and because His visible presence is no longer here, He wants us to be united. When we are, we reflect to the world what He is like; a God who agrees with Himself and who jointly delights in His family. Jesus intercedes for us asking that this happens, but He does not have to plead — because God is One God.