Philosophers may rationalize about God through the intellect, but God purposes to have relationships with the people He created through the heart. You can have a real heart-to-heart relationship by engaging with God. He has provided a way; through His Word and Spirit. He has also set the example of the way; His Son Messiah Jesus. How else can you discover true union with God?
RELEVANCE
God is a God of unity. He first established unity within Himself; within His triune nature as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus revealed the Father’s love and released the ministry of the Holy Spirit so that we may participate in the union. It is God’s greatest joy. It is exactly what Jesus prayed before being crucified. He saved His best for last; and prayed we enter into such union.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:20-24).
Peter connected the dots in relating to the triune nature of God. He had a multidimensional view of the respective roles within the Godhead. He acknowledged the Father, who in His infinite wisdom and through His love, knowing all things has foreordained purposes and plans for His creation. He acknowledged the Holy Spirit as the manifested power of God active in the progressive work of sanctification, cleansing man from the old corrupted nature, revealing truth and empowering believers for service and witness bearing the fruit of the Spirit. He further acknowledged the ultimate obedience of Christ, who has purchased redemption by His blood.
See how he frames his book of I Peter from this perspective: “To the…elect…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…” Peter, as well as Paul, had such a strengthening view of the multidimensional nature of God. They brought the living God to life in a real and powerful way.
REFLECT AND RELATE
God wants you to know His nature intimately. He wants to relate with you from such perspective that you tap into His multidimensional capacity, be strengthened through Him and bear much fruit through His greater capacity.
How has God revealed the distinguishing characteristics of the love of the Father, ministry of the Holy Spirit and faithfulness of the Son to you?
REFERENCES
John 15:1-8; 16:12-15; 1 Peter 1:2; Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-19