I bought the Westminster Shorter Catechism because I was looking to support my kids in understanding some basics of theology. We parents have so many goals for our kids, but none should be higher than helping our kids understand who the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are. My wife and I want nothing more than for our children to experience God’s primary purpose for them; to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. More on that here; Man’s primary purpose.
The kids and I have been working through two questions a night, and it has been so much fun! I am going to school to be an apologist, that is, to give a defense for my hope in Jesus. I want to answer the tough questions people have about God and Christianity. The most challenging questions I have received in my time studying apologetics have come from my three older kids. They ask great questions that challenge both my wife and me to expand our understanding of God. I encourage all who are reading to wrestle with questions from the WSC as a family or in community. You’ll love it!
Let’s get to the questions.
Questions 5 & 6
Q. 5. Is there more than one God?
A. There is only one, the living and true God.
Matt: I don’t have much to add. To be a Christian, you must understand that there is one eternal God who created you, everyone else, and everything your senses perceive. This is a core doctrine for the Christian faith.
Q. 6. How many persons are in the one God?
A. Three persons are in the one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance and equal in power and glory.
Matt: How does this even work? I don’t know, and I probably never will. I understand the concept of the Trinity and how they interact, but how are there three eternal beings who comprise one God?
Rest assured, it is not our job to know or understand completely. Our first and primary purpose is to know and enjoy God in all His complexity.
To comprehend how to glorify and enjoy God, we must set about getting to know and understand Him. Like any relationship, this takes intentionality and work. For example, when I first started dating my wife, I knew I liked her a lot, but I didn’t profoundly know her. After five years of marriage, I knew my wife much deeper than I did on our first date, but less than I do after 11 years of marriage. The same applies to my enjoyment of my wife. The more I knew about her, the more I enjoyed her. I suspect that after 50 years of marriage, I will still be getting to know who she is.
The Christian must think of his/her relationship with God in the same manner. When I was saved, I didn’t know much about God, but I knew I liked (and needed) Him. Knowing God is more challenging than knowing my wife. My wife is a real, physical being. When I look at her, I see all of her. God, on the other hand, is three in one!
The trinitarian aspect of God can be frustrating for some people, but I think it is exhilarating. Much like I hope I will be discovering new things about my wife in our 50th year of marriage, the trinitarian nature of God offers an eternity of exploration and discovery. They will draw the Christian deeper and deeper into their infinitely loving nature and we will never discover the end of it. Never!
If you are looking for more resources in your understanding of the Trinity, I want to recommend Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves. Reeves unpacks the doctrine of the Trinity at a lay level in 130 pages. I highly recommend it!
What questions do you have about the trinitarian nature of God?
