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## Trinity Roles as Demonstrated in Gods Plan for Human History

(Derived from https://ichthys.com/1Theo.htm)

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### Summary

The best way to get an understanding of how the three members of the Trinity work together in perfect unity to establish their shared Will (despite their different roles) is to go through some examples. The principle is true generally, but by examining the the roles taken by the Trinity in several specific areas, we can come to get a better view of how this concept actually works in practice. The roles the Trinity chose to adopt do not restrict God; rather, they are labels given to us to help us better conceptualize Him, given the confines of our limited human understanding.
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#### Outline

- [Overview](#4)
- [A non-exhaustive list of examples](#5)
  - [The Plan of God Generally](#6)
  - [Creation of the World](#7)
  - [Revelation of the Word](#8)
  - [Christ's 1st Advent](#9)
  - [The Victory of Salvation](#10)
  - [Reconciliation of the Believer](#11)
  - [Regeneration of the Believer](#12)
  - [Walk of the Believer](#13)
  - [Virtues of the Believer](#14)
  - [Spiritual Gifts of the Believer](#15)
  - [Prayers of the Believer](#16)
- [Caveats](#17)

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### Overview

When we are face to face with God, we shall "know even as we are known" (1Cor.13:12). Until that time, our understanding of God in three persons is essentially dependent upon the way the Bible reveals the Trinity in the process of carrying out God's plan for human history. In the following sections, we will briefly be examining the different roles taken by the Trinity in several aspects of administering that plan.

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### A non-exhaustive list of examples

There are more things that could be discussed than the few cases we will be going over here. Even with just a few examples, though, it should be clear how the working out of God's plan for human history helps us understand the roles that the members of the Trinity have adopted.

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#### The Plan of God Generally

Authorized by the *Will* of the Father (Eph.1:11; Rev.4:11), executed by the *Word*, the Son (Heb.1:2-3; Jn.1:1-3), administered through the *Wisdom* and power of the Spirit (Is.11:2; Zech.4:6).

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#### Creation of the World

Directed by the Father (Gen.1:1; 1:3; Rev.4:11), carried out by the Son (1Cor.8:6; Col.1:16; Heb.1:2), empowered by the Spirit (Ps.33:6b; Prov.8:27-31).

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#### Revelation of the Word

The Father *expresses* the Word (Is.55:11; also Is.40:8; 45:23), Christ *is* the Word (Jn.1:1-3; Heb.1:3), the Holy Spirit *reveals* the Word (1Cor.2:10-16).

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#### Christ's 1st Advent

Christ is sent by the Father (Heb.10:7), conceived (Matt.1:20), led (Matt.4:1), and empowered (Jn.3:34) by the Spirit as He carries out His ministry of self-sacrifice for our salvation.

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#### The Victory of Salvation

(See Matt.12:20; Jn.16:33; 1Cor.15:54-57; Col.2:15; Rev.5:5)

The Father sends the Son on the mission (Jn.3:16), the Son accomplishes the mission (Jn.19:30; Heb.10:7), the Holy Spirit supports the mission (Matt.3:16; Jn.3:34).

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#### Reconciliation of the Believer

Though estranged from the Father (Eph.4:18; Col.1:21; 1Jn.1:3 & 6), we are restored to fellowship with Him through the mediation of the Son by means of His sacrifice on the cross (Eph.2:12-13; Col.1:22; Heb.2:14-15), with the Spirit acting as the agent of our renewed fellowship (2Cor.13:14; Phil.2:1).

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#### Regeneration of the Believer

The Father holds the key to eternal life (Jn.5:19-26; Rom.5:10-11), the Son purchased access to eternal life by His death for all who believe in Him (Acts 3:15; 20:28; 1Pet.1:18), the Spirit quickens or regenerates believers (Jn.3:5-8).

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#### Walk of the Believer

The Father sets the standard of holiness (2Cor.7:1; 1Thes.4:3; Heb.12:14; 1Pet.1:16), the Son is the model (Matt.16:24; 1Cor.11:1; 1Thes.1:6), the Spirit provides the power to live as God would have us live (Rom.8:4; Gal.5:16).

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#### Virtues of the Believer

The Father gives us the example of ***love*** (Jn.3:16; 1Jn.4:7-12) by sending His Son, who is the object our ***faith*** (Jn.14:6; Act 16:31), so that we look forward to our resurrection with a ***hope*** empowered by the Holy Spirit (Rom.15:13).

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#### Spiritual Gifts of the Believer

Given by the Spirit, with specific ministries assigned by the Son and specific effects decreed by the Father (1Cor.12:4-6).

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#### Prayers of the Believer

Offered to the Father (Matt.6:6), in the name of the Son (Jn.15:16; 16:23), accomplished in the power of the Spirit (Eph.6:18).

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### Caveats

These examples are given to help explain and expound the Trinity as the Bible reveals the doctrine, but the "division of labor" suggested by them is not to be taken as strict in all cases. In most of these (and other) joint actions of the Trinity, there is overlap and further subdivision of responsibilities which is often only hinted at in scripture.

To take the last case, for example, prayer in scripture is almost always addressed to the Father, but Jesus does say (in Jn.14:14), that if we ask *Him* anything in His name He will do it. A major controversy in the history of the church – one that split the east from the west – had to do with the "procession of the Spirit" and the question of whether the Father only (Jn.14:26) or the Father *and* the Son had sent Him (Jn.15:26). In some sense, both are right (the issue turns on the Father's *role* as possessing original authority and the Son's *role* receiving delegated authority – note the stress on role). Therefore, in our appreciation of the Trinity, we should be careful to restrict ourselves to learning what such scriptures actually teach us, and not build dispositive doctrinal principles (that is, those purporting to settle a matter for all time, with a sense of certainty and finality) solely on deductions stemming from them. For one thing is crystal clear from everything we may glean from scripture: the members of the Trinity are undeniably "one" in their unity and purpose.

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#### Outline