The Doctrine of The Trinity and How It Relates to
Christian Living
1. Introduction
This essay seeks to define the doctrine of the Trinity and Christian Living, and then
explores how the Trinity is integral to Christian Living.
Along the way, one major question is interacted with: How can adherents to nontrinitarian religions appear to be more successful at living life than adherents to
Christianity? Doesn’t this undermine the need for the Trinity?
Many non-trinitarians seem to live more holy and zealous than trinitarian Christians1.
It will be shown that these non-trinitarian adherents are borrowing from the
trinitarian Christian worldview when they appear to be succeeding at life.
The consideration of non-trinitarian religions helps us to see more clearly, by
contrast, the doctrine of the Trinity and its importance to the Christian life. It is also
an essential reflection to help with answering the questions commonly asked: Does
the Trinity matter for salvation? Does the Trinity add anything to the Christian life?
Do we really need to know about the Trinity to be holy?
This claim requires statistics if it is to be supported as a generalisation. However, here the focus is
on non-trinitarian individuals who seem to be more godly than the average trinitarian Christian.
1
2. Definitions
2.1 The Trinity Defined
2.1.1 Defining the Trinity
The Savoy Declaration (1658), chapter 2 paragraph 3, defines the Trinity as
follows:
In the unity of the God-head there be three Persons, of one substance,
power and eternity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally
begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father
and the Son. Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our
communion with God, and comfortable dependence upon him.
2.1.2 Biblical defense
A. There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Corinthians 8:4)
B. The Father is God (1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6)
C. The Son is God and is eternally begotten of the Father (John 1:1,14, 1 Peter
3:15 cf. Isaiah 8:13, Hebrews 1:8). A major challenge to the divinity of the
Son says that he is not eternally begotten – that he was begotten in time.
However, John 17:5 shows that Jesus had glory with the Father before the
world existed.
D. The Holy Spirit is God and proceeds from the Father and the Son (John
14:26, Philippians 1:19). A major challenge to the deity of the Holy Spirit says
that he is not a person. However, personal qualities are clearly attributed to
him, e.g. He helps (John 16:7), intercedes (Romans 8:26), can be lied to (Acts
5:3), and grieved (Ephesians 4:30).
E. Some verses incorporate Father, Son, and Spirit in unity, e.g. Matthew 28:19
where Jesus commands his disciples to baptize in the name (singular) of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (plural).
F. Communion with each person of the Trinity will be covered in section 4.
2.1.3 Interpretive principles
First, we interpret Scripture according to rules of grammar and within the context
it was written. Authorial intent is essential, both the human and the divine
Author. Important in this is how we approach the Old Testament when the
fullness of the Trinity had not yet been revealed to the human authors, yet the
divine Author has left trinitarian hints and shadows.
Second, we use later revelation to interpret earlier. This is important because of
hints the divine Author left in the earlier parts of Scripture which we can now
revisit with knowledge of the fuller revelation of God as Trinity.
Third, we give greater weight to clearer passages of Scripture and interpret the
less clear verses in light of clearer verses. Principles are binding if they are plain
in Scripture or determined from Scripture by “good and necessary
consequence” according to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF 1.6).
2.1.4 Historical issues and alternative positions
Some object to the Trinity on grounds that it is not a word in Scripture. B.B.
Warfield sums up a defense:
“…the definition of a biblical doctrine in such unbiblical language can be
justified only on the principle that it is better to preserve the truth of
Scripture than the words of Scripture”2
In the late third and early fourth century, Arianism opposed the full divinity of
Christ. Arianism says that, while Christ was divine, this was not full divinity, that
Christ came into being, and that Christ is of a different substance to the Father.
The council of Nicea in 325 AD condemned this view3. Various unitarian groups
hold similar views to Arianism today, e.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Modalism (Sabellianism) arising in the third century, and continuing in various
groups today, is another view opposed to the Trinity. Modalism denies the
eternality of each person of the godhead with the Father becoming the Son and
then becoming the Spirit4.
B. B. Warfield, “The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity” ed. James Orr et al., International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago IL: Howard-Severance Co., 1915), Accessed online:
https://scriptoriumdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Warfield-Trinity-Study-Edition.pdf
3
S. Parvis, “Arianism,” ed. Martin Davie et al., New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic
(London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press, 2016), 59.
4
H. D. McDonald, “Monarchianism,” ed. Martin Davie et al., New Dictionary of Theology: Historical
and Systematic (London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press, 2016), 589.
2
Aberrant beliefs about the three persons of the one divine Being led the early
church to develop trinitarian formulations recorded in the historical creeds.
These creeds remain in wide use today.
2.2 Christian Living Defined
The Westminster Shorter Catechism (SC) says, “Man's chief end is to glorify God,
and to enjoy him forever”. This highlights a moral goal (glorify God) and a
relational goal (enjoy him) though these overlap in some ways5. Moral progress is
not accomplished without relational progress between God and the Christian.
Both goals are accomplished by being conformed through sanctification to the
image of Christ, who perfectly represents the Father (Hebrews 1:3) and who is in
eternal and perfect, loving, obedient relationship with the Father (Matthew 17:5).
Therefore, Christian living is simply the growth in Christ of the Christian to
become more like him in thought, word, and deed. This leads to relational
growth with God and the resulting moral growth6.
John Piper in his work on what he calls Christian Hedonism, for example, is well known for arguing
that in order to glorify God we should enjoy him. Piper alters the WSC by saying that the chief end of
man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. This is an important point but narrows the focus of
glorifying God too much into one area.
6
While there is a corporate component to this, this essay focuses on the individual.
5
Perfect knowledge of God is impossible for anyone but God himself, however, a
growing refinement of the knowledge of God is a normal and natural part of the
Christian life.
While successful Christian living stems from an internal heart change that takes
place initially at the new birth and requires an ongoing internal renovation of the
Christian, we can observe the external aspects of word and deed to gauge
success7. Greater appearance of love toward God and neighbor, self-control,
joy, etc., in the life of the Christian, is greater success in the Christian life than
when less of these are apparent. Growing fruit of the Spirit is growing success.
If the Trinity is necessary for success in the Christian life, the question arising is,
how can someone with beliefs opposed to the Trinity (non-trinitarian) ever
appear to have success in their life by the same external measure of holiness
mentioned above? And how can someone with beliefs in line with the Trinity
(trinitarian) ever appear to have little or no success in their life by the same
measure of holiness? This is addressed in section 4.
Caution is advised here, as the evidence of fruit is certainly subjective. This is a necessary narrowing
of evidence of sanctification to address the question that follows. It will be shown later that this
narrowing can be misleading.
7
3. The Trinity and the Broad Sweep of the Christian Life
It has been said that the Christian life is “from the Father, in the Son, and by the
Spirit”. Michael Horton regularly utilizes this phrase to describe aspects of the
Christian life in his Systematic Theology.
3.1 At the beginning of the Christian life
The unbeliever becomes a believer and enters into relationship with Father, Son,
and Spirit. The Triune God acting in covenant with himself to accomplish
redemption results in the Father sending the Son to accomplish redemption and
purchase salvation for those he elected. The Son completed the work of
redemption, in obedience to the Father, empowered by the Spirit. The sent
Spirit applies the work of redemption in time to the person being saved by
revealing Christ to them.
3.2 During the progress of the Christian life
The believer is progressively conformed to the image of Christ. See section 4.
3.3 At the end of the Christian life
At Jesus’ return, the believer is fully conformed to the image of Christ and the
work of sanctification is completed (1 John 3:2). All that has been partial in this
life is made complete and we are now able in Christ to enter the presence of
God to enjoy fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). The Father
receives the elect, now perfectly sanctified by the Spirit, as a gift purchased by
the Son.
4. Focusing in on The Trinity and Christian Living
This section focuses on how the Trinity relates to the progress of the Christian
Life between new birth and glorification. The focus is on communion with the
triune God, leading to sanctification, which is the goal of the Christian life.
The Trinitarian shape of the Christian life is notably seen in the doctrine of the
reformers8 and puritans. John Owen (1616 – 1683), as a key figure in puritan
history, receives some attention here.
Owen grounds the Christian life in communion with God. He believes we should
have distinct communion or relationship with each of Father, Son, and Spirit. So,
we return to the Savoy Declaration, chapter 2 paragraph 3, of which John Owen
had strong influence in the formation:
8
For example, John Calvin states “…when God reconciles us to himself by the intervention of the
righteousness of Christ… he dwells in us by means of his Holy Spirit, by whose agency the lusts of
our flesh are every day more and more mortified”. See Institutes (III. xiv.9)
“…the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and
comfortable dependence upon him.”
4.1 Communion with God
Owen’s view about communion with God is summarized below as a useful
framework for our trinitarian thinking. Note that there is overlap in these
distinctions so that the unity of God is not destroyed. Yet, Scripture presents
these distinctions for each person of the Trinity so we must be aware of them in
our fellowship with God.
4.1.1 Communion with the Father
Communion with the Father is by “original authority”9. Owen means that the
Father chooses who he will give life to in salvation. The Spirit is sent from the
Father and Christ sends the Spirit by asking the Father to do the sending.
Owen also reminds us that the Father loves us just as much as Christ and
various analogies of this are drawn from Scripture. We are finally reminded
that the Father has “good pleasure toward us from eternity”10.
John Owen, “The Foundation of Communion with God”: The Trinitarian Piety of John Owen, ed.
Ryan M. McGraw, Joel R. Beeke, and Michael A. G. Haykin, Profiles in Reformed Spirituality (Grand
Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 30.
10
Ibid, Chapter 4.
9
4.1.2 Communion with the Son
Communion with the Son is by “communicating from a purchased
treasury”11. Owen means by this treasury the abundant grace of God, the
fullness of Christ himself in whom is the fullness of the Father, and that Christ
has delegated authority to communicate the contents of that treasury
(himself) to Christians.
Owen points us to the excellency of Christ above all else and calls us to give
up all that would compete with him for our affections. He commends the soul
that pursues Christ in Word, prayer, and worship, when that person does not
feel the joy that comes from knowing Christ. Owen shows that Christians may
have peace with God but their sense of sinfulness must remain, searching out
the depth of their sin they continually bring it to Christ for “commutation”.
They also understand that Christ is the “dispenser of the Spirit” who
sanctifies and by Christ’s intercession they are sanctified, and sin is mortified.
In Christ, the Father is our Father and we come to him as adopted children,
loved by him.12
11
12
Ibid, 30.
Ibid, Chapters 5 to 10.
4.1.3 Communion with the Spirit
Communion with the Spirit is “by way of immediate efficacy”13. Owen means
by this that it is the Spirit who gives life to the authoritative decree of the
Father that has been purchased by the Son.
Owen also gives nine marks of communion with the Holy Spirit, e.g. the Holy
Spirit points us to Christ, bearing witness of Christ and his teaching. The Holy
Spirit shows God’s love for us and bears witness with our spirit that we are
adopted as God’s children.14
4.2 Progressive Sanctification
Sanctification is the manner and means by which Christians are separated for
God, how sin and its effects are destroyed, and holiness is increased in the
Christian (WCF 13). This is a deeply trinitarian process, grounded in communion
with God as we have seen already.
At the point of a person’s salvation, they are separated from their relationship
with evil, and enter into relationship with the Triune God through union with
Christ. This relationship with God is the essential foundation for the Christian life,
the purpose of which is to glorify God, and enjoy him (SC, Q1).
13
14
Ibid, 30.
Ibid, Chapter 11.
We glorify God more by becoming a better representation (image) of him. This
happens through progressive sanctification, as Christ is formed in us, and we
enjoy him more by rejoicing in our relationship with him as we contemplate the
exceeding love from God in granting this gift of infinite worth.
Progressive sanctification takes place through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship
with other believers.
4.2.1 Prayer
The Christian prays from a position of being in the Son as the Spirit of adoption
causes them to cry out to the Father (Romans 8:15-16). Sanders discusses
intentionally trinitarian prayer as something that “draws real spiritual power from
being aligned with reality”15. This is prayer “to the Father, through the Son, by
the Holy Spirit”16.
4.2.2 Scripture
The Word of God, which bears witness to Christ (John 5:39), with understanding
and application to the believer for sanctification granted by the Spirit (2
Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway, 2010), 212.
16
Ibid, 212.
15
Thessalonians 2:13), changes the believer to be more like Jesus (Romans 8:29)
who is the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). Scripture also has its
origin in the Trinity as revelation from the Father, of and through the Son, by the
Spirit.
4.2.3 Fellowship
In fellowship with other Christians, we reflect the fellowship we have with God as
Father and Son (1 John 1:3) and we are encouraged in our own growth in Christ.
As we see the image of Christ being formed in others, having our own eyes
opened by the Spirit to see the spiritual reality of the image of Christ (Acts 2:1213, 1 Corinthians 2:14), we are encouraged. As we participate in speaking words
of encouragement and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one
another (Col 3:16), prompted by the Spirit, we are also encouraged. Together,
all types of Christians have access through Jesus, in one Spirit, to the Father
(Eph 2:18) as they are being built into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Eph
2:22)17.
4.3 Perseverance
Perseverance comes from more than the simple fact that God will finish what he
has started (Philippians 1:6). This is true but fairly simplistic. As we understand in
Exploring the trinitarian aspects of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper would be
interesting but space does not allow this.
17
depth what each of Father, Son, and Spirit enact in saving and preserving the
Christian, we can see the doctrine of perseverance is much stronger. This gives
the Christian confidence and builds their assurance of salvation in times of
doubt. It also gives a greater range of things to look for in themself with regard
to gaining subjective assurance of God’s work in them.
For example, do they find themself prompted by the Spirit to cry out to the
Father as their Father, do they seek help from the Spirit to understand Scripture,
and do they see His fruit in their life in increasing measure?
Objectively, our assurance of justification is stronger when we understand God
as Trinity and the workings within himself that result in the Gospel. A greater
understanding of who God is as Trinity, and how he desires to save as he works
trinitarian salvation, means we have less room to doubt that he would reject us
as we come to him in faith. Sanders sums this up: “the Trinity is the Gospel”18.
4.4 Vocation
During work at the office, or in a busy household, we are in constant communion
with God. Though our minds are filled with tasks of the day, we exist in that
relationship of communion, seeking help in time of need, giving thanks, and so
18
Ibid, 191
forth. Just as a marriage relationship continues when husband and wife are apart
and not in direct contact with one another, so the relationship with God as
Father, Son, and Spirit continues.
4.5 The Non-trinitarian Problem of Apparent Holiness
4.5.1 Where do good works from non-trinitarians come from?
Non-trinitarians are borrowing from the fingerprints of the Trinity that are
present in creation. Vern Poythress suggests that the created unity and diversity
in the universe comes from God and is analogous to his triune-ness19. Therefore,
the overflow of God’s Trinity can be seen as the source of Common Grace. God
has made us to have knowledge, to be relational, and to communicate via
language. These are analogues of the Trinity and are the foundations of a
successful and healthy society because that is how God created the world. This
is how even non-religious people can benefit from God as Trinity, by attaining to
good works, though tainted (WCF 16.7), without knowing God personally as
Trinity.
V. S. Poythress, Knowing and the Trinity: How Perspectives in Human Knowledge Imitate the
Trinity (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2018), Chapter 8
19
4.5.2 What about pseudo-Christian religions?
They are borrowing even more closely from a trinitarian worldview than the
atheist or agnostic by utilizing prayer, scripture, and fellowship. They benefit
from the grace that God blesses these actions with but fail to enter into
relationship with the triune God and give glory to him. They may be said to have
tasted of the heavenly gift (Hebrews 6:4-6) yet without being full participants in
the heavenly kingdom.
Pseudo-Christian religions only appear to be more successful at a surface level.
They fail because they do not glorify the triune God and because they do not
enjoy God but instead bear relationship to a cold and unloving, non-relational,
god who is not the God of the Bible, eternally loving in himself.
This is a warning to Christians not to become enamored with non-trinitarian
groups that seem to have Christian Living worked out.
4.5.3 Revisiting the questions from the beginning.
Firstly, how can the non-trinitarian appear to have success in their life by an
external measure of holiness? The answer is that God as Trinity blesses them just
as he blesses with rain to the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). The appearance
of holiness has a biblical category that does not require actual holiness, as with
Pharisees who seemed to follow the law strictly, but did not truly (Luke 11:42).
Secondly, how can the trinitarian believer appear to have no success in their life
by external measure? It is true that having no fruit is a sign that a person has not
been born again (Titus 1:16). However, having less fruit than someone else, even
a non-trinitarian, is an incorrect way to reflect on God’s trinitarian work in your
life. Instead, you should be looking to see whether you are in communion with
Father, Son, and Spirit in the unique ways described above (in section 4). If you
do have fellowship with the Father, though the Son, by the Spirit, you will have
communion in these ways and this will ensure progress in the Christian life.
Progress in holiness, in conformity to the image of the Son, not some absolute
standard of holiness, is the important thing.
The Christian must compare themself to what they once were to see the work
that God has worked in them. Looking at others, who may have been greater
recipients of common grace in their former life as a non-Christian or who may
still be unconverted, but who may start from a position in society that has had
greater trinitarian influence in molding healthy society, is an inappropriate
comparison.
An analogy may help: Someone poor giving all they have is of more value than
someone rich giving 100 times the amount of the poor person but still having
plenty left over. The external appearance can be deceiving.
5. Conclusion
5.1 Summary
It has been shown that the Trinity is integral to Christian Living. Glorifying God
and enjoying him requires knowledge of God as Triune and relationship with him
as Triune. This is communion with God, in which every Christian will enjoy and
grow in through the Christian life. To see greater grace of God, the believer
should, seek greater knowledge of God from his revealed Word, and pray and
engage in Christian fellowship with an intentional trinitarian awareness. Nontrinitarian religions do not possess communion with the Triune God so are false
and their apparent holiness is not true holiness.
5.2 Further questions and ideas to explore
With limited space, much could be further expanded upon that has been
mentioned.
The question of how to use trinitarian thinking in apologetics, evangelism, and
missions is important, knowing that every person sees and makes use of aspects
of creation that can only exist because God is Trinity.
Were saints from Old Testament times sanctified similarly to Christians today?
What was the shape of King David’s or Daniel’s communion with God without
knowing him as Trinity?
Bibliography
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago IL: Howard-Severance Co.,
1915)
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in Reformed Spirituality (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014)
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(Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012)
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