THE ASTOUNDING IDENTITY OF GOD IN THREE PERSONS

To whom are the plural ‘us’ and ‘our’ in reference, in this quotation? “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen 1:26). We must surmise in light of the much greater information supplied in the rest of the scriptures, that this is a reference to the three persons who comprise the astounding identity of God in three persons. The concept of deity has been debated for centuries and not without some dire and mortal consequences. Some people have lost their lives for not getting their theology correct, according to other interpreters of the Word. So God in three persons is not three manifestations or three means of displaying one God. Unmistakably, the wording of scripture reveals God exists in three persons, as supreme Father, as pre-existing and then incarnated and finally resurrected and reigning Son, and as unseen Christ-honouring, uncontainable Holy Spirit. And all three persons of God are unified and yet distinct from one another. Now that’s mind-boggling but it is scriptural.

A FIRST HINT ABOUT THE NATURE OF GOD

Michelangelo's 'Creation of Man', Sistine Chapel

One of the very first hints about the nature of God is the Genesis creation account in which we are told how God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. He didn’t use existing material. He spoke material into existence. This summary account describes the creation of planet earth amid the heavens and the Spirit of God suspended over earth’s waters (Gen 1:1-2).

Sun, moon, stars, nights and days, seas, land masses, plants and trees, seas, rivers and lakes teeming with aquatic life, skies filled with avian creatures, and land inhabited by rodents and mammals of all sizes God created in successive periods of time. Days are named, six of them, always with much discussion among Christians today as to their actual duration. However, my point today, is to underscore the uniqueness of the creation of the human creature which is stated in God’s own words. Please note the plural pronoun that God uses and note God’s artistic intention. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen 1:26). That’s a significant piece of creative writing don’t you think, except the difference between Genesis One and C.S.Lewis’ and William Young’s allegorical materials, referenced in two previous blog posts, is truth over metaphor.