John's Triniity
In many ways it is John's Gospel that helps to shape our understanding of the Trinity.
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, Out of the believers heart shall flow rivers of living water. Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified. - John 7:37-39
In today's reading, John tells us that when Jesus was talking about living water to quench thirst, he was talking about the Holy Spirit. The Father sent Him and He will send the Holy Spirit when he is glorified.
He doesn't come right out and say all three are God, but he does give us a picture of the three working together to bring us salvation and eternal life.
It may seem strange to talk about God in three persons, but one could look at it as the way God chooses to make Himself known to us. In the coming of Christ, God chose to make Himself known on a very personal level, and in doing so, He offers to stay with us, living in us as His Spirit.
By dwelling within us as a guiding force in our lives, God doesn't need to present Himself in any other way. The triune nature is complete, above, among and within. He is our creator, our savior and our life-giver, that perpetual life force that sustains us.
But John tells us the Spirit would not be received until Jesus was glorified, and we see this in the Spirit's descent on the apostles at Pentecost.
Now we could argue that we all are given life through the Spirit, so the Spirit is always with us, with all of us, not just those who believe in Jesus, and perhaps that is true. But believing in the Trinity makes it easier for us to benefit from the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Forgive my unbelief. Those are the words of the man who wanted Jesus to cure his child.
So, as believers, we know the Spirit is there and active on our behalf. We can learn to work with it to connect with others and build a community of faith and healing.
We still benefit from its life-giving power if we do not acknowledge its presence in our lives, but we most likely are missing out on the comfort of knowing God has us in His hands.
I believe we will all discover the depth of God's involvement in our lives when we reach the end of this existence, and perhaps beforehand as we approach those final hours, if God chooses to reveal Himself to us. But having faith to accept it now, can make this life so much better.
I think that is what John is trying to tell us, and it is why Jesus came.
More to come...