One of the foundations of Christian faith is our belief in the Trinity. Although the word itself does not appear in the New Testament, it is absolutely remarkable how fundamental it is to how the Bible presents God.
A conversation with friends this week revolved around the role of the Trinity from a counselling perspective. Are we properly related to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? Each has a role in our functioning in spiritual, emotional and mental health.
This got me thinking on a broader level about how truly we receive God as Trinity in the local church.
For instance, what does it mean to receive God as Father on a congregational level? I think it is reflected in the security that comes from having true spiritual government in place. Many churches are either charismatic free-for-alls or are governed by endlessly rotating elected Boards whose members are often chosen for the wrong reasons. So government is either non-existent or arbitrary and not Spirit-led. Presence of a true, godly Biblical eldership reflecting God as Father brings balance, security and the establishment of proper boundaries, and is essential for a church to function healthily.
What about the Son? The Bible says Jesus is our friend and our brother, the one who has drawn us together into covenant with himself and thus with each other. If we receive God as Son, we will have the key to building a network of vital covenant relationships within the body. Too many churches are little more than Sunday morning big events, gathered together to listen to a dynamic preacher or talented worship team. Do we have a family or a crowd? Receiving the Son makes the difference.
And finally, we need God the Holy Spirit. Far too often, the Holy Spirit has been reduced to a piece of doctrine on paper and relegated to a marginal role in church. He only comes up in discussion when we argue over what he is or is not doing today. We forget the the Holy Spirit is God on earth. Even though the language is anthropomorphic (speaking of God in human terms), nonetheless the Bible tells us God is on his throne in the eternal realm and Jesus is by his side. The Spirit, however, is here. And when we reduce or to all intents and purposes eliminate the role of the Spirit, we have removed ourselves from the presence of God. The Holy Spirit is the breath - the life - of God. Without his continuous activity in our midst, the security we have through God the Father and the relationships we enjoy through God the Son will be like organs in the body trying to function without the flow of blood. We will dry up and die.
Way too often, our focus in church is on peripherals, things that don’t matter that much. And that is what we waste our time arguing over.
It’s a far better practice to go back to basics, to see whether our foundations are actually in place. No matter how impressive the structure we build, if the foundations have cracked or crumbled, sooner or later the building will fall.
It’s time to welcome God for all he has revealed himself to be.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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