“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Mystery of the Trinitarian

There is a Biblical doctrine that often stumps believers and unbelievers alike.

Scripture tells us that the Lord our God is one. Yet, it also points us to the eternal existence of three uncreated beings, all present at the foundation of the universe, all active participants in the plan of salvation.

The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Spirit is God. They are three distinct persons, and quite mysteriously, three parts of a whole. If we ignore or remove any person of the Trinity from our worship or from our gospel, it becomes incomplete. We have lost sight of God’s fullness.

I believe that as worshipers of the true God, our songs have the power to teach the Trinity to a world which struggles to comprehend it. 

 

The nature of God

We have the opportunity to proclaim the nature of each person of the Godhead, from the Father who plans all things, purposes all things and provides all things; to the Son who came in human flesh and accomplished the atoning work for mankind on the cross and now intercedes to the Father on our behalf; to the Holy Spirit who indwells the hearts of all who believe, comforting them, helping them, and equipping them with God’s Word and with spiritual gifts to live on mission for the Kingdom of God.

When planning Sunday worship services for my congregation, I specifically look for songs that praise all three persons of the Trinity. Though I have often enjoyed hymns and praises focusing on one in particular, I sense that one of the biggest needs in our world today is that we understand how the three interact in intimate, loving relationship, completely in sync and devoted one to the other two – the perichoresis. This is critical to a true understanding of the gospel.

Because He is three persons in one, when God (the Son) leaves heaven to come to earth, God (The Father) is still seated on the throne, orchestrating the events of human history, including sending God (The Spirit) to conceive Jesus as a baby in the womb of a virgin. When God (the Son) ascends back to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God (The Father), He has already promised to send God (The Spirit) to His disciples, so they are not left with a lesser power than they had when He was with them, but with an equal power to guide them into all truth.

 

He is worthy

One of my favorite trinitarian songs to lead is “Is He Worthy” by Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive. The call-and-response based piece calls on the congregation to affirm Christ as Savior, Lord, and King. 

In the third verse, we sing: “Does the Father truly love us? (He does)

Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)

And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does)

Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)”

By the time the congregation has proclaimed this hopeful message, there are usually some tears in our eyes and hearts moved and overwhelmed by the goodness of God that we’ve tasted and seen. 

As we come to better know and understand the God whom we worship, we can’t help but love Him more. My prayer is that here in South Florida and in the world, many would be empowered to worship in Spirit and in truth through the teaching and application of the Trinity.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God (The Father) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

 

Krislyn Placide is Worship Leader at New River Fellowship Church. If you’re a worship leader interested in getting involved with Village Hymns, please email [email protected] or visit our website at villagehymns.com.

Read last month’s Village Hymns article at: https://www.goodnewsfl.org/the-heart-of-worship/