The Triune God

NIV 2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Augustine said:  if you deny the Trinity you lose your soul, but if you try to explain it you lose mind.

I (who is seminary trained, which doesn’t really mean anything) will try my best to explain who God is as He has revealed Himself in Scripture, as the one true, living, and Trinitarian God.  Remember one of the targets of the REYouthPastor.com website is to tackle deep theological topics so youth pastors can understand why it is important to teach doctrine to our students. It is our hope to make our youth sermons, youth ministry teachings and lessons more theological and not so topical.  Imagine how cool it would be if youth ministries across the USA started teaching and preaching on the Trinity Doctrine.

The word Trinity was coined by Tertullian in the 1^st century. The Trinity is:  One God who eternally exists as three distinct equal persons, Father, Son, Spirit, who are each fully and equally God.  The Trinitarian God idea is one essence, three persons.

The Trinity isn’t in the Bible, so why do our student need to know about the ancient doctrine of the Trinity?

Trinity Doctrine Development

In the first three centuries, there was much attack on monotheism and Christ’s Deity.  The Trinity correctly explains the heritage of monotheism, the confession of Jesus’ lordship, and the experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Basically there is one God, Jesus is Lord and human, and the Holy Spirit is active and present in our world.

Godhead is…

God is one

God is three

God is diversity

God is unity

Possible analogies for the Trinity:

1. H20 = Ice, water, steam—three modes in which the one chemical formula can appear.
2. Tree = Root, trunk, and branch
3. Egg = yolk, eggwhite, and shell
4. Threeheaded dog = Three heads, one dog

**Remember these analogies are helpful but are majorly flawed.

It seems like Catholics focus on the Father, Evangelicals focus on Jesus, and the Pentecostals focus on the Holy Spirit.  How can our youth ministries become more Trinitarian?

What is the Trinitarian life for a student?

1. Relational

2. Transparent

3. Communal

4. Humble

5. Submissive

6. Joyful

Youth Group Discussion Questions:

Consider the following scriptures: 2 Chr. 15:3, Jer 10:10, John 17:3, 1 Thess. 1:9. What does this tell about the nature of God?

What is the implication of this truth for other religions and gods?

There are many scriptures that declare that the Father( Jn. 6:27, 1 Peter 1:3), the Son (Rom. 9:5, Gal 4:4) and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4, 2 Cor. 3:16-18) are God. How is this reconciled with the statements of one God through scriptures like Gen. 1:26, 3:22, Is. 6:8?

What does it mean that the Father, Son and Spirit are distinct persons?

How does Matt. 3:16-17 support the distinct personhood of the Father, Son and Spirit?

Why does this matter?

Why is the Trinity an essential doctrine to Christian faith?

Why is it important to understand the nature of God as he has revealed Himself?

How do you relate and pray to God the Father? The Son? The Spirit?

What does a Trinitarian life look like for you personally?

What aspects of the Trinity (community, relationship, submission…etc) are missing from your life?

How is God calling you to worship Him in light of His Trinitarian nature?

God is joyful.  God isn’t this big old bad wolf in the sky waiting for us to mess up.  Why?  In the Trinity there is equality, there is no lying, no disrespect, no secrets, no hiding, no blaming just love!!  Perfect love, intimacy, connection, submission, and adoration!

The Trinity agreed to save us!  God made the world, Jesus agreed to come down, and the Spirit is with us.

© 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

The Doctrine of Justification needs to be understood in a broader Pauline context.  The English word “justification” appears 6 times in NRSV (Romans 4.25, 5.16, 5.18, 5.21, 2 Cor. 3.9, and Gal 2.21).  Righteousness does not mean morally virtuous or becoming a “good” person.  Rather justification means that we (God’s people) have been found “not guilty” by the court.

If God justifies people ahead of the final judgment – faith must be the proper characteristic of those who are justifies.  Jesus calls for faith, and when God acts through Jesus, he acts through people’s faith.  NT Wright in his book JUSTIFICATION argues that to justify does not denote an action which transforms someone, but rather it is a declaration which grants them status.

The boast of Israel is no longer pertinent.  They have lost their special place or “Superior calling” in God’s plan, which we must recover and reclaim.  Paul’s view of God’s purpose is that God, the creator, called Abraham so that through his family he, God, could rescue the world from its plight.  Call it God’s single plan”.

Click here to see God's plan

The doctrine of Justification is not about performance of moral good deeds, but the status you have when the court has found in your favor.  Romans 3 is not about moral righteousness.  Paul’s view of God’s purpose is that God, the creator, called Abraham so that through his family he, God, could rescue the world from its plight.  Call it God’s single plan”.

God’s plan, God’s single plan, always was to put the world to rights, to set it right, to undo Genesis 3 and Genesis 11, sin and the fracturing of human society which results from that sin and shows it up into full colors.  Genesis 3 is the old perspective and Genesis 11 is the new perspective.

Implications for Youth Ministry

1.  Move away from accountability groups and give students more opportunities to put the world back to it’s original intention.  Students need to be heavily involved in participation.  Information is great, but students need experience in order to solidify the information.

2.   Teach on how beautiful it is to be ushering the Kingdom of God here and now on earth.  Our students need to see themselves as missionaries bringing the Kingdom into every facet of their life.  Our students don’t need to be wrapped up in the ludicrous obsession about pretrib-posttrib-premil-midmil charts.  In the end, Jesus is coming back and they need to help bring it.  Every student needs to be on a mission for God.

3.  Teach on God’s plan in light of Pauline theological vision.

4.  Students need to know that they are GOD’s People and they have the status of being NOT GUILTY.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Flame of Love suggests that from the Day of Pentecost the early Christians experienced the tremendous power of the Holy Spirit. They were filled with unexpected sacrificial love, freed from the powers of this world, and given a new kind of ministry of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:3-9). The works of the Holy Spirit did not simply “disappear” after the apostle died rather the Holy Spirit needs to reappear in the 21st church.

Pinnock compartmentalizes the work of the Holy Spirit in seven sections: Spirit and Trinity, Spirit and Creation, Spirit and Christology, Spirit and Church, Spirit and Union, Spirit and Universality, and Spirit and Truth.

For example, in the Spirit and Church section, Pinnock argues hard for a “recovering and reclaiming” of the sacraments, the Charism, and a mission focused church. He sees the sacraments as a ‘tangible’ sign and symbol. Charisms are located and described in 1 Cor. 12 and 14, Eph 4, and Heb. 2. These gifts are given to fulfill the mission and vocation of the church. The Charisms equip the ministers to orchestrate ministry while giving authority and power. (Eph 4:11-14) The church needs to have a mission of healing, evangelism, and justice. The Spirit is the source of empowerment that paves the way for the Spirit to speak, teach, brake strong-holds, work, heal, and minister.

Pinnock clearly articulates that the Holy Spirit is missing in the 21st church. In a sense, the church has forgotten about the Spirit, which leads Pinnock to argue that there needs to be a re-examination and a furthering reconstruction of the theology of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology). It is imperative that the church finds an understanding on how to practically theologize the Holy Spirit functionality in and out of the halls of the church and academics. He strongly argues that the gifts are the main push for activating the mission and vocation of the church.

Questions I have based off of Flame of Love?

What is the significance of being filled with the ‘Holy Spirit’?
I think there is an experience, often subsequent to conversion, of being ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18). This experience is primarily for the purpose of empowering a believer for ministry (Acts 1:8)

Are the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ for Today?
I think the gifts of the Spirit are for every believer today, though they are not to be used as ‘criteria’ of one’s spirituality. They are to be used in appropriate contexts and within the New Testament guidelines (I Cor 12-14).

Are ‘Tongues’ the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
I deeply value speaking in tongues for those who have the gift. However I deny that it is the single necessary ‘evidence’ of receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

What about ‘holy laughter’, being ‘slain in the Spirit’, and getting the tingles?
I acknowledge that various extraordinary manifestations of the Holy Spirit are possible. I deny that they should be made into any sort of spiritual criteria. When you invite the Spirit in and watch Him move, who knows what will happen? Maybe power, transformation, and reconciliation?

How Do I Let The Holy Spirit Do His Work Without Getting Weird and Crazy?
It is all about balance. Catholics focus on the Father. Protestants focus on Jesus. Pentecostals focus on the Holy Spirit. Not too much, but not too little, but just enough.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

I am seat belt Charismatic.  I believe the Holy Spirit is alive and active in today’s culture and church.  Jesus does heal.  I strongly argue that the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit needs to be the fuel of our youth ministry philosophy, programs, models, and teachings.

The youth ministers that really understand the power of the Holy Spirit in and through their youth ministries are the Vineyard, Four Square, and Assemblies of God folks.

But the problem is certain charismatic movements have used and abused the Holy Spirit, which has given types of Holy Spirit ministries a bad name.

It is healthy to have a balanced view of the Holy Spirit in our youth ministry.  The study of pneumotology would not be a bad idea to consider.  Veli-Matti Karkkainen has a wonderful book titled:  Pneumatology:  The Holy Spirit in Ecumenical, International, and Contextual Perspective. Also Clark Pinnock has book titled:  Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit. I actually wrote a review here.

I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have more of a Trinitarian presences in our youth ministry–Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit.  A healthy youth ministry paradigm would be:  Jesus, Apologetics, Prayer, Fellowship, Food, Social Justice, Sacraments, Scripture, Doctrine, Worship, and Missional work in the city.

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Questions to wrestle with:

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1.  Are you teaching on the Holy Spirit?  If so, are teaching through Acts?  And talking about the sign and wonders of our age?

2.  Are some of your students more spirit sensitive?

3.  How many of your students have dabbled with dark spirits, namely wigi boards, fortunetellers, palm reading, tarot cards?  You would be surprised.

4.  How often is the Spirit leading your youth ministry outside of the church walls?  What if the Spirit is not calling your youth group inside of the church?  What if He wants you to leave the youth room and go into your city and start praying for people?  Think Acts!

5.  What are some of the spiritual gifts your students possess?  Any tongues?  Any healing?  Any interpretation?

6.  Do you provide environments in your youth ministry for your students to listen to the Holy Spirit? Mike King in his book:  Presence-Centered Youth Ministry suggests taht listening prayer in silence and solitude is a great place to start.  Start with two minutes of silence during a gathering, and gradually increase the time as your youth become familiar with the practice.  I read his book here

7.  Is your worship leader willing to worship for 1 hour if he/she is sensing the Spirit is moving?

8.  How programmatic are you?  Do you tightly schedule your youth program?  Do you have to write down prayer in your schedule?

9.  How much are you (the youth pastor) seeking the Holy Spirit and asking Him the direction and mission of your youth ministry?  When is the last time you were stirred like Nehemiah was?  Nehemiah was deeply burden by the sin around him and he was so moved that he moved back to Jerusalem to rebuild a wall.

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My point:  I don’t think many youth pastors have been “stirred” for a long time.  It is so easy to go on auto-pilot and be comfortable with our youth ministry, our office, our nice church kids, and our some-what nice YM budget.

My comforting challenge:  Take a prayer walk through your city during the night hours.  Pray for your town, your family, your church, and your students.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

The number one question youth ask me:  Is why do bad things happen to God’s people?   And the bigger question is:  Can we as their youth pastor give not only a theological, but practical response?

Where is the goodness of God in the world, when there are third world countries who are starving to death? Where is the goodness of God when Hilter murder millions? Where is the goodness of God when your child died of a severe microcephalic condition? The logical response would be: If God is in all of these evil doings, then I do not want anything to do with God.

One may be curious to know how an all-loving, all-powerful, and all-sovereign God can be behind the suffering of the world? This is a very tough question dealing with the problem of Evil. The problem of Evil argument strongly can argue against the claim of Christianity. Atheists, especially Richard Dawkins, use the ideology of: How can a great God, create evil?

I want to submit to you a theological perspective, in four outlined points, that can explain why evil things happen to God’s people.

Firstly, our nature is cursed (Genesis 3 and Romans 8). In the beginning, God created the world and it was good (Genesis 1). However, humanity disobeyed and rebelled against God, bringing about a curse on the world and on humankind. Now due to the curse, all people are going to die. This is simply the natural process according to natural laws. Unfortunately, Satan is the Lord of this Land (Hebrews 2). According to the NT, Satan is the demonic host here on earth (Lk 13:10.16, Acts 10.38, 2 Tim 2.26, Heb 2.14-15). The world we live in is not under the reign of God, but under the reign of Satan. Our creation is in pain. Our creation is groaning and crying out like a woman who is in intense labor pains (Romans 8.22). C.S. Lewis said, “Every square inch of this cosmos is at every moment claimed by Satan and counter-claimed by God.” God’s original intention was not for His creatures and creation to have to experience death and tragedies. God did not want evil in His world, however when humans entered the world they brought on the curse and calamities.

Secondly, humans have free will. Humans have the freedom, ability, and the power to chose and determine what they want. Unfortunately, allowing this freedom creates evil amongst themselves and in the world. We must see the world and human beings as free agents. If one does see the world as free agents, then it is very difficult to explain a rational and theological response to evil in the world that is apparently in the “name of God”. This is Satan’s world and not God’s world. If one accepts that we, humans, have free will, then we can say humans have the freedom. This leaves humanity to be responsible and accountable for their actions, if humans decide to go against or outside of God’s will. Therefore we, as followers, do not have to adequately explain a purpose to why God orchestrated evil. Yes, God intentions are always good. However humans’ intentions are not always good because of their freedom. I would rather say the one that may have arranged the disaster or death was the enemy of lies who is trying to seek, steal, and destroy this earth and its people.

Thirdly, the Bible teaches that the whole creation needs saving. The whole creation is corrupt and has been hijacked by Satan (Colossian 1). We find throughout the Gospels how Jesus identifies infirmities (sickness, disease, deformities, and disabilities) as being directly or indirectly the result not of God’s punishing activity, but of Satan’s oppressive activity. Humanity and the creation needs to be reconciled. Essentially Jesus had to enter Satan’s turf, which made Jesus fair game and vulnerable to the evil ways of this world. Jesus had to play by the world’s rules. Jesus had to defeat the devil through death. At Calvary, Jesus destroyed the evils ways of this world (Heb 2.14, 1 Jn 3.8), reconciled all things, including humans, to Himself (2 Cor 5.18-19; Col 1.20-22); forgave us of our sins (Acts 13.38; Eph 1.7); healed us from our sin-diseased nature (1 Peter 2.24); poured his Spirit on us and empowered us to live in relation to Himself (Roman 8.2-16); and gave us an example to follow (Eph 5.1-2; 1 Pet 2.21). This is why Calvary is so central to Christianity. Calvary communicated redemption, salvation, comfort, hope, and victory through Christ and the cross. The cross is the reconstruction of the world’s corruption.

Lastly, God is not a God who ordains suffering. Suffering is the byproduct of human willed freedom. The question is not how does suffering fit into God’s perfect and specific plan? Suffering simply does not fit into His plan. The real question is: how are we going to run towards God, the ultimate comforter, in the midst of our un-comfort and suffering? We cannot assume that there is a clear given God intention for every evil situation that transpires not only in our life, but in the world. God is just as angry as we are when humans experience evil. God is relational. God wants to suffer with us. If you want to know what God looks like, we do not look at the evil doings, but we look at Jesus. God wants to bring on restoration and reconciliation. This weird principle of: Harder the life circumstance or suffering situation, the harder we need to lean into Jesus. Jesus is not in evil, but we need to be in Jesus when evil comes.

I am suggesting that unexpected death, tragedies, illness, diseases are not from God. It is far more biblical, and far more rational, to simply say that in a fallen, and oppressed world evil happens and leave it at that. Rather than trying to see the hand of the all powerful, all loving, and all good God behind death and disease. It’s wiser to simply acknowledge that the world is an oppressed place where things sometimes go tragically wrong and focus all of our mental and physical energy turning from our self-centered ways to carry out God’s will “on earth as it is in heaven”.

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Comforting Challenge::Responding to Evil

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© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.