THE ORDER OF "THREE"
by Larry Hall
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
(Isaiah 55:9)

Jesus answered and said unto them, "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (1) "... Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (2) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (3) "...Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (4)

With these words of Jesus in mind, it is no small wonder to me that the world without Christ is confused and deceived when it is confronted with the "mysteries" of God. Without "spiritual" eyes and faith, it is impossible to understand Him.

One of the most misunderstood "mysteries" confronting the church today is that of the Trinity. Even though it is not possible to fully comprehend the doctrine, it is possible to apprehend or understand it. The Bible is full of confirmations regarding the issue, and nature itself loudly proclaims it.

Informed Christians who have studied the subject will deny that the subject is confusing. Therefore, it is unfair to reject the doctrine by using the excuse that "God is not the author of confusion." Confusion is reserved for the ungodly! You should study the doctrine carefully and know the reason for your faith.

WHAT IS THE TRINITY?

The word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, but neither is the word "Bible." "Self-existent" is not found in the Bible either, but all Christians recognize the fact that God is self-existent. To be able to properly defend the Trinity doctrine, one must understand the definition.

The Athanasian Creed states, "We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity." (5) "Within the nature of the one Eternal God there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (6) The inspired John was convinced of this fact when he proclaimed: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (7)

Despite these plain statements, the orthodox Christian view of the Trinity is misunderstood or altered by most cultic groups. They would like nothing better than to follow the "god of this world" in his attempt to kick Jesus off His throne. Consider the Jehovah's Witnesses explanation of the doctrine:
"A FUNDAMENTAL doctrine of so-called 'Christendom' is that known as the 'Holy Trinity.' It is accepted as Scriptural truth and held by millions of persons. The doctrine, in brief, is that there are three gods in one:" (8)

The Mormon response to the Trinity is: "Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God! I say that is a strange God anyhow-three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization....All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God--he would be a giant or a monster." (9)

The Christian Science declaration is: "The theory of three persons in one God (that is, a personal Trinity or Tri-unity) suggests polytheism, rather than the one ever-present I AM." "Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared, but is the Son of God." (10)

However, Christians and Jews are monotheists. They do not believe in three gods. Plurality of gods is known as polytheism (as evidenced by the teachings of the Mormon Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses). The belief in three separate gods is known as tritheism, a heresy equally condemned by Christians. Another ancient heresy known as Modalism (the belief that the Father is the Son) is also not validated in Scripture.

But God will not be mocked! For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, He has declared: "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" (Romans 1:20)

WHAT DO NATURAL LAWS TELL US?

Before we examine what the Scriptures tell us about the Godhead, let's look at the examples He has already shown us in the universe. They are perfect models for the nature of the Triune God who made them.

Romans 1:20 tells us that we are able to understand His Godhead by observing His creation! Henry M. Morris, in his book Science and the Bible, explains the physical universe as a "tri-universe," or a trinity of trinities. The amazing revelation of modern science has indeed confirmed the perfect "order of three."

For example, the physical universe exists and functions as a continuum of space, matter, and time (three distinct characteristics). Because space is infinite, it has no boundary; thus, it cannot be divided. Since matter (which includes all energy) permeates all space and time, it cannot be divided. Even though time is conceptualized as three separate categories (future, present, and past), it is still just one time. We see a perfect trinity of three separate manifestations, none of which may be divided--Just like the Godhead!

An examination of these characteristics reveals that each contains its own trinity, consisting of three dimensions and all are of equal importance. (11) Let's take a closer look at space, matter, and time.

SPACE: Space consists of three dimensions, all equally important and occupying all space. Because there could be no reality in just two dimensions, all are necessary. Yet there is only one space, and each dimension comprises the whole of space.

MATTER: The central entity in the tri-universe consists of unseen energy that manifests itself in motion and is experienced in various phenomena. These three components are all necessary and comprise the whole. The three stable chemical entities of which all matter is composed are molecules, atoms, and ions. Within the atomic structure itself are three fundamental particles working together in perfect harmony: the electron, proton, and neutron. The three radioactive rays are alpha, beta, and gamma.

TIME: Future time is the unseen and unexperienced segment (like the Father). The present is the portion in which we experience, feel, touch, and see (like the Son). The past is that portion which is unseen but remembered and, hopefully, has taught us something (like the Holy Spirit). "The relation of Jehovah to eternity is given in the THREE-FOLD expression 'Who is' (present), 'Who was' (past), and 'Who is to come' (future)." (12)

MANIFESTATIONS: THREE is the Biblical number for "Resurrection, Divine Completeness, and Perfection." It is also the number for manifestations. "All of life revolves around the number THREE." (13) A few examples include:

MAN: Consider the human being. One person with three distinct parts - body, soul, and spirit. I relate man's soul (intellect) to that of the Holy Spirit (Teacher, Comforter); man's body as a parallel to Jesus (the only personality within the Godhead that was manifest in the flesh); and the spirit of man to God the Father. "The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." (14) These are three distinct functions that are inseparable and depend on each other. But still, just one man!

MAN'S SOUL - teaching, thinking, and guiding can be related to the Holy Spirit: "... as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie..." (1 John 2:27)
"...when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13)

MAN'S SPIRIT - can be related to the Father : "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2:12)

MAN'S BODY - can be related to Jesus, the only person of the triune God manifest in the flesh: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39)

THE TRIPLE POINT

To illustrate the Trinity, let's use an example found in chemistry. Have you ever wondered why cooking times and temperatures are so different between high and low altitudes? It is because the equilibrium of any substance to exist as a solid, liquid, or gas is dependent on the outside pressure and temperature.

For example, water will boil at 100ºC at sea level (760 torr pressure). However, on Mt. McKinley (330 torr pressure), water boils at 78º C. Any chemist can tell you that the intersecting lines that separate the states of existence between all substances (except helium) can be charted.

The point where the lines all come together is called the "triple point." It is described as, "The point in the diagram of state of a substance at which the three phases: gas, liquid, and solid are in equilibrium." (15) For water, the "triple point" occurs at 0.01º C and 4.58 torr pressure.

That means that the same water will exist as a solid, gas, and liquid at the very same time. God created the water and gave it the ability to wash your car, cool your drink, or power a steam engine. He also made it possible for water to exist as THREE IN ONE! Isn't it possible for Him to exist in the same way?

A DIVINE NUMBER

"When a man found in his primitive home the divinest thing that life had to offer - a father's love, a mother's love and a child's love - he found God reflected in the interplay of love and kindness and affection in his own household and began to think of the number THREE as a symbol of the divine. Here, too, were the glimpses of the great mysteries which we express in the terms 'Father,' 'Son,' and 'Holy Spirit.' THREE came to carry the thought of the divine. It means 'GOD IS IN IT'." (16)

To deny the fact that God is "One," is to deny all Biblical truth. God is explicit and redundant when He proclaims: "...before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." (17) "...I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." (18) "...Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any." (19)

But God is just as emphatic when He explains His triune nature. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are equally God. All are eternal and infinite. None can be separated from the other for this simple reason: You cannot divide infinite being into component parts. Man's natural process of logic, reason, and mathematics simply will not work with the Trinity if he merely attempts to add or subtract the Persons.

The equation 1+1+1=1 is not possible. However, "Divine" mathematics (1x1x1=1) is a PERFECT solution. (20) Now we have harmony, balance, and total equilibrium.

References:
(1) Matthew 13:11
(2) Luke 8:10
(3) John 10:27
(4) John 18:37
(5) Robert M. Bowman, Jr., Why You Should Believe in the Trinity, 1989, p.17
(6) Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism, 1983, p.75
(7) 1 John 5:7
(8) Let God Be True, 1952 ed., p.100 (from The Watchtower Files, Magnani, 1985, p.135)
(9) History of the Church, Vol.6, p. 476
(10) Science and Health, pp. 256,361, (from The Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martin, 1985, p.145)
(11) Henry M. Morris, Science and the Bible, 1986, pp. 21-25
(12) Edward F. Vallowe, Biblical Mathematics, 1995, p. 53
(13) Ibid., pp. 54-55
(14) Proverbs 20:27
(15) International Encyclopedia of Chemical Science, 1964, p. 170
(16) Edward F. Vallowe, Biblical Mathematics, 1995, p. 53
(17) Isaiah 43:10
(18) Isaiah 44:6
(19) Isaiah 44:8
(20) Henry M. Morris, Science and the Bible, 1986, p.23

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