The Proof of the Foregoing Article of the Trinity of Persons in One God.

We have spoken about the Trinity, and, in connection with Article 9 of our Confession of Faith, have given several texts of the Old Testament as proof of this doc­trine. However, in the New Testament we find more and clearer evidences, much of which is mentioned in our 9^th article. We are directed to that which took place when the Lord Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan ­the voice of the Father was heard, saying, This is My beloved Son; the Son was seen in the water; and the Holy Ghost ap­peared in the shape of a dove.

This form is also instituted by Christ in the baptism of all believers. In Matthew 28:19 He commanded, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Baptism shows that there is no difference in honor between the three Divine Persons. That which took place before the birth of the Lord Jesus can also be mentioned, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, when the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus – "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." There, in this precious part of God's Word, we can find the Triune God.

In the New Testamentical blessing (2 Corinthians 13:14) we find the same – "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." According to Isaiah 65:16 we may not bless in any other name than in the Name of God, "That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth." I know that we cannot convince the atheists that there is a God, but how those who call themselves Christians and who have the Bible dare to deny that there is a Triune God, I cannot understand. Notwithstanding the many proofs, they wilfully harden their hearts.

Many other places in God's Word could be mentioned, but this should be sufficient. However, there is one text whereof much is written, both pro and con. The text is 1 John 5:7, where it is written, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one". This text meets with much opposition, as the Bible critics do not accept it as part of the original. They say that it does not belong in the Bible, that it was made up by man to defend the doctrine of the Trinity. What must we say of these accusations? I will quote some of John Gill's writings:

This text is so glaring a proof of the doctrine of the Trinity, that the enemies of it have done all they can to weaken its authority and have pushed hard to extirpate it from a place in the sacred writings. They object that it is wanting in the Syriac version; that the old Latin interpreter has it not; that it is not to be found in many Greek manuscripts; and is not quoted by the ancient fathers who wrote against the Arians, when it might have been of great service to them. To all which it may be replied: that as to the Syriac version, though an ancient one, it is but a version, and till of late appeared a very defective one; the history of the adulterous woman in the eighth of John, the second epistle of Peter, the second and third epistles of John, the epistle of Jude, and the book of Revelation, were all wanting, till restored from a copy of archbishop Usher's, by De Dieu and Dr. Pocock; and who also, from an Eastern copy, has supplied the version with this text, so that now it stands in it. And as to the old Latin interpreter, it is certain that it is to be seen in many Latin manuscripts of an early date, and is in the vulgate Latin version of the London Polyglot Bible; and the Latin translation which bears the name of Jerom has it; and who, in an epistle to Eustochium, prefixed to his translation of those canonical epistles, complains of the omission of it, by unfaithful interpreters and yet, after all, it appears plainly to be quoted by many of them; by Fulgentius in the beginning of the sixth cen­tury, against the Arians, without any scruple or hesitation; and Jerom, as before observed, has it in his translation, made in the latter end of the fourth century; and it is quoted by Athanasius, about the middle of it; and before him by Cyprian in the middle of the third century; and is manifestly referred to by Tertullian in the beginning of it; and by Clemens of Alexandria, towards the end of the second century; so that it is to be traced up within a hundred years or less to the writing of the epistle; which is enough to satisfy any one of the genuineness of this text.This quotation is from John Gill's book, A Body of Divinity

Gill says that Artemon or his disciples, who lived in the second century, had erased this text. Socinus said just the opposite and that this word was inserted. Why should this be done when the Bible is full of the Trinity from Genesis to Revelation? Our Confession says, "And although this doctrine far surpasses all human understanding, nevertheless we now believe it by means of the Word of God, but expect hereafter to enjoy the perfect knowledge and benefit thereof in heaven."

The doctrine of the Trinity is a matter of faith, not a matter of the understanding; it is more than our mind can comprehend, but it is a great blessing if we may believe it with the heart and may confess it with our mouth. If we may receive true faith, we will acknowledge the Father as our Creator, the Son as our Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier. There is a great difference between historical knowledge and the experimental knowledge which is gradually given to God's people. We must first learn that we have sinned against God before we will receive knowledge of the Divine Persons.

O, that more of the instruction and anointing of the Holy Ghost were among us, for then we would hear more of what God had done in our lives. Ministers, elders, deacons, but also members young and old, are in need of this administration of the Holy Spirit to teach us what we are, but also what the Lord, out of grace, wants to be for us, poor sinners. Where the knowledge of the Triune God is found in our lives, it can be such a rich blessing, because that reveals that we are for His reckoning for time and for eternity. What a comfort to know and to live out of it that the Lord is caring for us from eternity to eternity. In heaven faith will be changed into beholding, which is inexpressible.

As we continue in this article, we read,

Moreover, we must observe the particular offices and operations of these three Persons towards us. The Father is called our Creator, by His power; the Son is our Savior and Redeemer, by His blood; the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier, by His dwelling in our hearts. Scripture is very clear regarding the works of the Triune God, and God's children may experience something of it in their hearts.

When we speak about the works or operations of God, we must make a separation between those that remain within the Being of God and those that go out from the Being of God. Perhaps you will remember that Rev. Hellenbroek divides the attributes of God into personal and essential attributes. He asks: "Why do you call these personal, and not essential attributes?", upon which the answer is: "Be­cause they belong not to the whole essence, but each of them only to one Person in particular." The personal attribute of the Father is that He, as Father, is self-existing. The personal attribute of the Son is that He is generated by the Father (Psalm 2:7); the same Divine Essence is given to Him from eternity to eternity (John 5:26). The personal attri­bute of the Holy Ghost is that He proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26).

This article speaks of the works which proceed from the Essence of God; they are joint actions, wherein the three Divine Persons act together and execute in time those decrees made from eternity. The works of God in time are of two kinds – His works of nature and of grace. These works are ascribed to one of the Divine Persons, but the other Divine Persons are also involved. The Father is called the Creator; He is the origin of all things, also in creation. This does not mean that the Son and the Holy Ghost had nothing to do with it, for Genesis 1 tells us differently. The Son, by His blood, is the Savior and Redeemer. God's children learn that they are saved by the merits of Christ. These are not the merits of the Father or of the Holy Ghost! But the Father and the Holy Ghost were not exclud­ed from the work of salvation ­the Father sent His Son, and the Son was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost is the Sanctifier, but we also read in God's Word that our body is the Temple of God, which is not excluding the Father and the Son.

Thus we see that the Triune God gives the experience of His different works; that which is written in God's Word regarding this is proven in the life of God's child, just as is stated in the beginning of this ninth article: "All this we know, as well from the testimonies of Holy Writ, as from their operations, and chiefly by those we feel in ourselves."

The confession is not merely reasonable knowledge. Pure in mind is not always pure in heart. When it is only in our head, then it is a foot too high, because it must also be in our heart. Historical faith is a blessing, but it does not give communion with a Triune God. Our soul remains estranged from the work and operation of the three Divine Persons, operations which are not outside of us, but can be experienced in our soul. The Reformers stood firmly on the experience of godliness. They themselves knew by experience how they came to the knowledge of the Triune God by Word and Spirit. The Word must be explained or read and applied in the heart. They have emphasized the experimental truth of the Triune God in heart and in His deeds, as God has revealed Himself in the Word. This principle we find in the confession.

Christians without experience are without the operation of the Triune God. When satisfied with historical faith only, they are as a body without spirit and are very superficial. Every church comes to nought, sooner or later, which does not maintain the doctrine and experience of the Trinity. We may have a beautiful name, but when mere words are substituted for the objects, then we soon become a dead body, and the door opens for all kinds of error. Experience has always been to the encouragement of the church in dark days. David said, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation."

We know that there have always been many enemies of the experience of God's children. We must, of course, also be careful with it, as it is possible that experiences are spoken of which are contrary to God's Word, and that cannot be; the experience must flow out of God's Word. Paul said, "Preach the Gospel." Then the experience of the church is built upon the foundation of God's Word. That is no fantasy, but is the true experience in their life that a Triune God makes Himself known in His different operations in the hearts of His children, and the church, by faith, may receive them. The Lord has promised, "They shall all know Me"; and the Lord Jesus said, "I know My sheep, and am known of mine."

Let us not despise the old fathers who explain God's Word, and also speak of this experience. The knowledge of God, and especially of the Triune God, is hidden from the wise and prudent, but revealed to the children. In conversion we first come to do with God, against Whom we have sinned. At that time there is no knowledge of the Divine Persons at all. The Person first revealed in the life of God's children is Christ, when it pleases the Lord to do so. In the beginning they will try to give satisfaction themselves by their works, but the Holy Spirit teaches them more and more that this is impossible. You can find this explained in the Heidelberg Catechism. When the Lord brings them to an end, then they receive a hint, a direction towards Christ, that there is a way of deliverance. In the opening of God's Word they may hear the Name of the Mediator. Even though they lived for many years under the truth, they don't know Him. Christ is the most hidden Person in the Divine Being. Paul writes, "Until it pleased the Lord to reveal His Son in me." It is by the drawing of the Father that we can come to Christ. Christ said, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him." This does not exclude the Holy Ghost, because there is written, "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." The Holy Spirit will glorify Christ, for this is His special work.

It is through the Son that we may come to the Father, as He is the Way. When the Spirit teaches us that from eternity to eternity we are for God's reckoning, then we may come to the knowledge of which our confession speaks. We must be careful not to bind God to a special method, but this is the general way. In our days many speak with disdain about this experience, but it is enmity against the work of God. I am afraid that this will increase, for so many wish to accomplish it with only an historical know­ledge. We can go far by repeating what others have said, but never come to the true rest in God, and at the end of our life we will be ashamed for ever.

Rev. Comrie spoke of a professor in theology, a Professor Driesse, who had written a book entitled "Conquering Grace". When the Lord began that good work in his life, he could not help himself any longer with all his wisdom, he did not know the way, and began to cry to the Lord for mercy. I hope, young people, that this may happen also in your lives, and that it may please the Lord to make Himself known unto you; first we come to do with God against Whom we have sinned before we receive knowledge of the three Persons in the Divine Being.