The Surprising God

This post continues a series presenting "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit" by Dr. Gary Deddo, President of Grace Communion Seminary . For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 . You have probably heard the triune God referred to as  one in three and three in one . Though not incorrect, this statement is easily misunderstood. Why? Because it can sound as if we're saying that God is both three and one of the exact same thing. But that makes no sense. God is not one being and three beings; nor is God one person and three persons. To avoid misunderstandings, it's better to say that the triune God is  one in being and three in divine Persons . Let's explore what this means as we continue this series on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  Perichoresis (source unknown) Fundamental to the discipl...

This post continues a series presenting "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit," an essay by Dr. Gary Deddo, President of Grace Communion Seminary . For other parts, click a number: 1 ,   3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , 7 . Last time , we noted that every act of God, whether in creation, redemption or bringing about the perfection of creation itself, is done together as one God . But how then are we to understand those places in Scripture that ascribe certain acts of God to one of the divine Persons? Take, for example, the Incarnation. The Father and the Spirit are never said to be incarnate, as is the Son. Note also that the Spirit seems to descend on Pentecost and indwell the believing church in a way distinct from the Son and the Father. The explanation in these two and similar examples is that all three of the divine Persons are involved together in all the acts of God, but often in different (distinct, unique) ways. Holy Trinity (public domain via Wikimedia Comm...