Growing Closer to God The Trinity
When we want to have a closer relationship with the God of the Bible, it’s important to understand how He reveals Himself to us. Although God is relational like us, in other ways He is unique and beyond our comprehension.
One of the ways God is beyond our comprehension is that He exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When Jesus left the earth, He referred to the equality of each person in the Godhead.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
Theologians call this mystery of one God in three persons the Trinity. Although each person of the Godhead is distinct, they all are equal in their attributes. In other words, each is eternal, holy, loving, infinite omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Each person in the Godhead loves you, indwells you as a believer, and desires you to grow in your relationship with Christ.
- The Father chose you to be His child prior to creation and has blessed you with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-5).
- Jesus, the Son of God lived a perfect life and died for your sins to make it possible for you to have free access to God (Ephesians 2:18).
- The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, enters your life as the Comforter (John 3:5-6; 15:26), guides you into all truth, and helps you glorify Christ.
Paul admonishes you to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). Walking in the Spirit results in us becoming more like Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:22-23).
So, with God being three persons, how are we to pray? In Ephesians 3:14 Paul petitions the Father that Christ would dwell in our hearts and that we would be strengthened by the Spirit and filled with the fullness of God.
Being filled with God means that Christ dwells in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who seals us until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). In other words, the indwelling Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we are God’s child.
The Scriptural pattern for our prayers modeled by the apostles is to pray to the Father in Jesus’ name and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, since each member of the Trinity is God, it is biblical to pray to Jesus or the Holy Spirit directly. For example, when Stephen was being stoned to death he prayed directly to Jesus, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59) Saul (Paul), Ananias and the apostle John in Revelation also prayed directly to Jesus: “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
As you pray in accordance with God’s will, it doesn’t matter which person of the Godhead you address. There is no jealousy in the Trinity, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in purpose: to help you grow in Christ.
Paul tells us how each member of the Trinity is glorified by your growth in Christ.
“I pray to the Father… that he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him…. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” (Portions of Ephesians 3:14-17, 20-21 NLT).
Isn’t it amazing that we can actually bring glory to God by growing deeper and deeper in our relationship with Christ! May God help you grow in Christ as you continue learning and obeying His Word.