that God is one in three persons. The word “persons” has come to us from the Latin word persona, which literally means, “mask.” In stage presentations of the first century, one actor would play more than one character. The actor would simply change their persona or mask. Just as unfortunate, in Greek plays the actor playing more than one part was called a hypocritēs, which is where we get our English word, “hypocrite.” This is also the source of our colloquialism “two faced.” You can easily see the difficulty.
The concept of the Trinity is fully intended to do exactly the opposite. The three Persons of God reveal who God is. It is the taking off of the mask. Many different modern metaphors have been offered to explain the conception of the Trinity. Some have used electricity – we know it’s there and that it works, but we can’t see it. Many have used an equilateral triangle, which was very helpful for me. Charles Swindoll tells a story about a Sunday school teacher using a pretzel with its three holes in the middle.TPD2DPT
This is an illustration I particularly enjoy, because it has its roots in my family. As I shared earlier in the chapter, my father’s family attended the Brethren Church in Ohio. This heritage came through my paternal grandmother’s side of the family, the Snyders. Members of my family still live on the Snyder Farm, on Snyder Road near Dayton. The legend is one I’ve heard many times down through the years. If your local grocery store carries Snyder Pretzels, buy a box and read the whole legend usually found on the back.
It seems that the threefold pretzel originated in a European orphanage. The story goes that Mr. Snyder, the cook, wanted to provide the children with a special treat as a reward for saying their daily prayers. It was the custom then for people to kneel in prayer and fold their arms across their heart as an act of reverence and submission. Mr. Snyder came up with the idea of a bread stick folded like the little children’s arms. Prayers were offered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The pretzel thus became a reward for praying and a visual aid for teaching children about the Trinity.
While these, and all other examples, fall short of fully explaining the mystery of the Trinity, they have helped some to accept the doctrine. I will offer my own frail attempt at explaining how One God can be three, yet one. Visualize, if you would, a beam of light projected through a prism. Once the light passes through the prism it can be seen as many different colors. It is one light going in and the same single light coming out, but we are able to see the different facets of one light. We have one God, but through the concept of the Trinity we can understand a little about God and His different facets – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
He’s not an “It”
The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is God. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is a person. When Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel account, He never refers to the Spirit as an “it.” Jesus always speaks of the Holy Spirit as “He.” The Spirit is not a thing, a force, a theory, or even a ghost as we’ve come to understand them. Whoever speaks of the Holy Spirit as an “it” hasn’t been fully taught and perhaps doesn’t fully understand “whom” the Holy Spirit is. Some of you may have caught this error earlier in the chapter when I was sharing my introduction to the Spirit. I intentionally used the term “what” to make this point. The Holy Spirit is not a “what” but a “whom!”
Boy, did I learn that lesson the hard way. While still in seminary, I served a little church in Atlanta as a student pastor. On Pentecost Sunday I was preaching and teaching about the Holy Spirit. At the close of the service, I was standing at the door shaking hands with the folks, feeling quite proud of my effort behind the pulpit. Many were politely feeding my ego. But not Katherine. Katherine was an older lady with a unique personality. She was well read, intelligent, and didn’t mind sharing a bit of her mind, especially if it was different than your bit of mind. I have never forgotten what she said to me going out the door, and I will never stop thanking her for sharing her thoughts.
“Bob, you don’t know the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an “it,” He’s a “He.” You need to work on that one.”
I did work on that one and still am. I suppose I will still be working on that one when Jesus comes to take me to that place He’s prepared for me. But, the point is clear and important if you and I want to truly know who the Holy Spirit is. The Holy Spirit is God and the Holy Spirit is a person. To resist the Holy Spirit because of a lack of understanding is ruinous. To depersonalize the Holy Spirit for fear of wandering too close is tragic. To run from the presence of the Holy Spirit prevents us from knowing who God really is.
Inching closer to God and allowing our faith to disclose a fresh understanding of the Holy Spirit is not without difficulties. I feel your struggle and identify with your hesitancy. The most obvious problem we have is speaking of the Holy Spirit anthropomorphically. That big word simply means we run into trouble when we try to describe God with human attributes. If we’re not careful we find ourselves recreating God in our image instead of the other way around. But if you stop and think about it, what choice do we have? As human beings we are limited to using words and illustrations that are…well, er…human! Theologians tend to use words that are infamously deep and outrageously unclear, like anthropomorphically. To bring God down to our level, we often use object terms to depict the Holy Spirit. Then we are irreverently guilty of making God nothing more than a graven image. No wonder people are afraid to get close up and personal with the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit cannot be cramped by some deep theological uncertainty and will not be confined to the likeness of a carved statue. The Spirit is the living Person of God. He is the Comforter, remember? As Charles Swindoll puts it, “He is the inextinguishable flame of God, my friend. HE IS GOD.”TPD3DPT
Wander a little closer by slowly drifting down the following list. Take your time. Get your Bible and check these verses out for yourself – slowly, so you can get to know – I mean really know Who the Holy Spirit is.
John 15:26 The Holy Spirit witnesses to Jesus.
John 16:8 The Holy Spirit convinces (convicts) the world of sin.
John 16:13 The Holy Spirit guides us to the truth.
Acts 13:2 The Holy Spirit calls us into ministry.
Acts 16:6-7 The Holy Spirit restricts our activities.
Acts 20:28 The Holy Spirit appoints us to leadership.
Romans 8:14 The Holy Spirit leads us.
Romans 8:15-16 The Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 The Holy Spirit helps us and intercedes for us.
Revelation 2:7 The Holy Spirit speaks to the Church.
Matthew 12:31-32 The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed.
Ephesians 4:30 The Holy Spirit can be grieved.
Acts 5:3-4 The Holy Spirit can be lied to.
Your short wandering down the list only scratches the surface of “Who” the Holy Spirit is, but it’s a start! The more you read the scriptures, the more often the mask comes off and God reveals His person. God wants a “personal” relationship with you, and has come in the person of the Holy Spirit to initiate that friendship. Don’t run. Hang in there and the smoke will begin to clear.
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart.
Praise to thy eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.TPD4DPT
Glowing Embers
1. When do you first remember hearing about the Holy Spirit? What were your first thoughts?