August 6

For there are three that testify: — 1 John 5:7 BSB

A spiritual understanding of the Trinity is the foundation of true godliness. Knowing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by divine revelation is the essence of spiritual life. As Jesus Himself said, “This is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). In time, God leads His people into an understanding and experience of the Father’s love, the Son’s redeeming work, and the Spirit’s inward witness, all of which show that these Three are One.

Yet, this mystery is opposed by nature, sense, and reason. “How can Three be One or One be Three?” our natural mind asks. Yet the simplest believer can accept and trust this truth, for without the Trinity, all our hope would disappear. How could we trust in Christ’s atoning blood if it were not the blood of the Son of God? How could we rely on His righteousness if it were not the righteousness of God? How could the Holy Spirit guide and keep us if He were not also a divine person within the Godhead?

We come to understand the mystery of the Trinity as we experience the work of each member of the Godhead in our hearts. Despite all our questions and struggles, this truth anchors our soul like a ship in a storm. Take away the Trinity, and our hope is destroyed, for there is no pardon, peace, or salvation apart from the experiential knowledge of the Three-in-One God.