Thursday, March 26, 2020

Understanding the Divine Design - A Word About God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit


“God [the Father], who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” – Hebrews 1:1-2

I have noticed, as I have listened to people speak about the Bible and pray, that many people mix the Father, Son and Holy Spirit up. An example is when they refer to attributes of the Father and attribute them to Jesus. Certainly Jesus said that He and the Father are one – but not.  Jesus would not pray to himself, would He? Or people will pray to the Father and thank Him for his sacrifice on the cross – as you know, it was His Son, Jesus, that the Father sent to redeem the world.  So why talk about it? I guess it is like the wife cooking a wonderful meal and the guest thanking and praising the husband for the delicious meal. Certainly the husband had a role in providing the money through work to buy the food that the wife cooked. The Bible says the husband and wife are one – but they are also separate. 

I am not trying to explain the Trinity – I would not be so bold – but I am saying that we need to understand that the Father, the Son and the Spirit have different roles in the Divine design. The Father sent the Son and then sent the Spirit when the Son returned to heaven.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” – John 15:26-27

The Father speaks to us. In the past through the prophets and other means – a burning bush. In the Gospels through Jesus. After Jesus’ ascension – by the Spirit through the Word, prayer, circumstances and other Christians. 

Does that seem like a trivial thing to you? I don’t think it is, actually.  Jesus came to bring glory to the Father.

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was..” – John 17:1-5

The Father has given the Son authority over all flesh and by Jesus we have been adopted as children of God, the Father.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” – Ephesians 1:4-6

And the Father has sealed us with the Holy Spirit – Who abides in each Believer.

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” – Ephesians 1:11-14

While you are “staying at home” perhaps you can meditate on this for a moment or two.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

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