The doctrine of the trinity is a fascinating and complex subject. It is an infinite paradox that has long been puzzled over by finite humans. It can be argued that without this challenging aspect of God’s character, humans would not exist to ponder it. The three in one God holds the mystery of humanity plainly in His very nature and explains the nature of humanity in the process. Humanity’s greatest efforts to reflect this nature are limited by its finiteness but it is amazing what God reveals to his creation about himself through that very creation.
Relationships are a pivotal aspect of the human life. From birth to death, humans need as well as crave interaction with other beings especially humans. Studies show that orphaned babies receiving ample physical care (as well as a sterile environment) in an orphanage, but receiving no physical contact besides bare necessity, are very likely to die before they reach 7 months of age. Much more likely than those in similar environments that are touched and held on a regular basis. (Benjamin, 1) These findings allude to the fact that the very existence of humanity depends on relationships.
The three in one God of the Bible is the very embodiment of relationship. He is three beings simultaneously coexisting and bending to a common will, definably separate but still one. In his book Major Bible Themes, Chafer says,
“In this divine relationship, three Persons are seen to be One; yet without bending or confounding the separateness of their infinite Beings. And in like manner, One Person is seen to be Three without a dividing of substance (Chafer, 20).”
In essence, the Trinity is relationship perfected. Genesis 1:26a (ESV) says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” Of course humanity is only a mere reflection of this perfected relationship and the presence of sin further mars that reflection. However, the point that humans were created by a relational God and to reflect His divine, relational nature stands.
In the sermon Designed for a Relationship With God, the author explains that humans have the capacity to know God, the responsibility to seek God, the obligation to obey God, the opportunity to be reconciled to God, the call to be like God, and the hope of being with God (Unknown, 1). All of these point to the purpose of humanity; relationship. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says:
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight’, declares the Lord.”
Not only did God create humans to reflect His divine, relational nature, He created them to be in relationship with Himself. He delights in practicing steadfast love, justice, and righteousness with His creation. He desires and delights in relationship with His children. This is the very reason that humans were created. It was not because God needed anything, was incomplete, or wanted an army of robots to command, but because He is a relational being that desires relationships.
That passage in Genesis 1 goes on to say, “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth (Genesis 1:26b).” In the first part of the verse, the word “man” is plural meaning humanity. If that were not enough verse 1:26b uses the plural pronoun “them.” God never intended to only create one human being. He intended to create many, and he did not intend for “them” to be alone.
In a Sermon entitled It Is Not Good To Be Alone, Steve Malone explains it very simply,
“– I am ABSOLUTELY convinced that at it’s core[,] being made in God’s image and likeness’ IS ABOUT relationships… is about connecting with AND enjoying that awesome divine community (Father, Son & Spirit)… AND - connecting with and enjoying each other…AND BECAUSE – this is true… God says the following in Genesis 2:18; ‘And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him…(Malone, 7)’”
God may have created Adam first and allowed him to be alone in the beginning in order to illustrate to the first man, how pivotal “relationship” is to God’s character and therefore to the character of humanity. Eventually, God did make Eve and He gave her to Adam. God gave them to each other. Genesis 2:24 (ESV) says: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This passage is repeated in Mark 10 when Jesus is speaking against divorce.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV) says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
This passage reiterates the fact that it is not good for a person to be alone. It even gives practical reasons why. Not only do humans have a physical need for relationship, but they have emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs for it as well. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, (ESV) “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Humans are to support each other emotionally though we may find ultimate support in our Creator. God created humans to be there for each other. In this and all other forms of relationship, they reflect His divine, relational nature.
Which leads to the next conclusion; that a loving sexual relationship that conceives a child (preferably within the confines of marriage), is the closest a human being can get to reflecting the nature of God and experiencing the paradox of multiplicity within oneness (Hinson). This idea is not to be confused or associated with the pagan practice of worshipping gods and goddesses through use of sexual activity. The idea is simply that when two become one flesh and conceive a third, they are “recreating” the image of God. As Adam was born out of the Trinity in the image of God, so humans are born out of relationship in the image of their parents and ultimately as a recreation of the image of God (Hinson).
God is so complex and so infinite that we will never fully grasp every aspect of Him, but He has revealed parts of Himself to us in nature and in ourselves as well as His Word. Praise be to God for His infinite wisdom and power. He is sovereign down to the most miniscule, microscopic, molecule. If God were not relational then humanity’s existence would not be as it is, if it were at all. Thank God for the Trinity in all its infinite complexity.
Works Cited
Benjamin, Ben E. "The Primacy of Human Touch." ENewsletter. Health News. Web. 4 Oct. 2011.
Chafer, Lewis S. Major Bible Themes; Forty-nine Vital Doctrines of the Scriptures Simplified and Explained. Grand Rapids: Hunham, 1964. Print.
Hinson, John. "Psychology of Religion: The Trinity." Personal interview. 28 Sept. 2011.
Malone, Steve. "It Is Not Good To Be Alone Sermon, It Is Not Good To Be Alone Sermon by Steve Malone, Ecclesiastes 4:9-4:12 - SermonCentral.com." SermonCentral.com - Free Sermons, Illustrations, Videos, and PowerPoints for Preaching. Web. 04 Oct. 2011.
Unknown. "Designed for a Relationship With God." Web. 4 Oct. 2011.
