#98 ­ The Trinity (Watt Thoughts)

Many people are confused by the Trinity. Even though most Christian denominations profess belief in the Trinity, the average Christian will be baffled when asked to explain the Trinity and tend to wonder how it can be. The one thought is how can there be three different items of God, but yet one God. Or the person tends to say they believe in God or Jesus or occasionally the Holy Spirit, but most lean toward one of the three.

However for Americans the concept of one God who is the Trinity should not be that hard of a comprehension as we have a real life example similar to it that we talk about daily and large numbers claim they fully understand and was even taught to u s for years in school. So it should not be as hard for us to understand as just God may be. We have never seen God, although many of us clearly hear him speak to us and we have conversations (prayer) with him regularly.

The United States government is a trinity (note the little t). Although many seem to get that confused at times but yet still at times understand the trinity concept of it. The president is not the head of our government, contrary to what many think at different times.

The United States government is made up of three equal parts. Each has a task. The three parts together make the government. This is different than many other nations. Many nations have a sole person or body that is the government. In some cases this is a king or queen. In other cases a dictator. In both of those cases one person is ultimately the government and speaks for it and does it actions. There are some cases where it is a group such was in the in the USSR. But one person or party runs it.

In the United States the congress makes the laws. They have nothing to do with enforcing the laws and with making decisions on the laws. The president executes the laws. He or she carries out the laws the congress passed. Notice they can not enforce any law that congress does not pass. The judiciary (Supreme Court) interprets and enforces the laws. They set the punishments for violations and can void any laws passed by congress as unconstitutional or not allow the president to enforce laws.

Notice that no one branch can exist on its own. So even though quite often we act like the president is head of the government, he/she is not. He/she can send proposals to congress, can agree to treaties, but unless congress approves those proposals or treaties they are not legal. Even if president proposes, and congress approves, the judiciary can still void it. But notice judiciary can not propose or approve.

Now to the Trinity. Similar to the United States government. There are three parts. The Father who sent Jesus and that we pray to for prayer answers. Jesus, the Son, who provides a way for us to speak to the Father. With out our forgiveness of our sins, we could not approach the Father and Jesus provided that sacrifice and interceded for us to the Father. The Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) is the spirit sent by the Father and Jesus to provide the spirit of God in each of us and enable us to lead and recognize the lives God wants us to lead. Together the three (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit) make up God. We cannot see God, but remember Jesus told his disciples if they saw him they saw God.

So just like the USA government is three parts which we speak of as the government, God is also three parts, the Farther, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Removing any part means you are limiting God. God is the three in one. Now don’t carry this analogy too far. The three parts of God all work together and to the same end. We cannot say that fro the United States government. Unfortunately (occasionally fortunately) the three parts of it quite often are not just on different pages but appear to be in totally different books.

Hopefully you now can better picture the Trinity and next time someone says what uis “what is the Trinity?” you can answer in a way they understand and not get buried deep in theology.

Dwight

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