The Trinity and the Christian Life

The Trinity and the Christian Life

Chapter-1

Understanding of the Trinity

The Dogma of three persons in one God, Although in God there is one nature, there are three distinct persons in the nature: The father, the son who proceeds from the father by generation and the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the father and the son and the spiration. The three divine persons are coequal, coeternal and consubstantial; hence, they deserve coequal glory and adoration. All life beings in the trinity come from the trinity and is destined to end in the trinity.

Every liturgical action beings in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and is accompanied by one or other Trinitarian doxology, Such as Glory be to the father, and to the son and to the Holy Spirit. It is because the faithful are baptized “in the name of the father and of the holy spirit and of the son”, that they can celebrate the covenant in virtue of their universal priesthood.

They can not only prepare themselves for the trinity but also enter into the very life of the three divine persons. The liturgy of the heavenly Jerusalem in which the earthly liturgy really shares is the perfect insertion of the church, the spouse and body of Christ into the life of the son, begotten by the father in the Holy Spirit and flowing back to the father in the same spirit.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) interpreted the generation of the son on the analogy of human self-knowledge, whereas true self-love illumination the origin of the Holy spirit, the personified mutual love of the father and son.

Over the centuries theologians have followed Augustine or else taken up such other analogies from experience and philosophy as the “I-Thow-We” of the persona list thought developed by martin Buber (1878-1965). All such approaches to the impersonal God can be helper.

Chapter-II

Meaning of Holy trinity

I) Jesus Christ is Second person of Trinity

According to our Christian faith Jesus is the son of God. He is the second person of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity becomes the full doctrine with Father, Son and Holy Spirit is divine, but they are not three God but One. The Doctrine of the Trinity is very important because it is intimately connected with the Christian’s salvation. Jesus Christ is one of the mediators to make relation with God and men. The Holy Trinity is the divine mystery. So Jesus Christ is the new covenant in the Salvation History.  He is the Son of God and second person   of Holy Trinity.

II) Theological meaning of Holy Trinity: A theological meaning of is mysterious. On theological emphasis which views all doctrines in the light of the creative activity of the father, the redemptive work of the son and the reconciling action of the Holy Spirit. As catholic Christians have been instructed to practice their religion in and through their faith in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. In the New Testament the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly mentioned. In the Gospel of John there are triadic pattern (Jh1: 29-34; 14:16,26; 16:15) John presents the divinity of the son and the personality of the Spirit. He indicates the personality of the spirit from both the father and the son and the mission of the spirit by both the father and the son.”  We see in the Scripture that God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is Trinitarian God. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the presence of God in this World.

III) According to John Gospel

John deals more directly than any other New Testament writer with the relationship of the members of the Trinity. The special importance is John’s statements reporting Jesus or about importance the equivalence of relationship or action of the son and the father. For example in John Gospel “Jesus replied if anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. “My father will love him and he will come to him and make our home with him (John 14: 23)” The idea of the father being in the son and the son in the father is also found in John’s Gospel. In the scripture we see the father, the son and the Holy Spirit is three in one. Jesus is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Son or the Word of the Father, who “was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man.” Actually, Christology deals with Christ from the different points of view. In addition, Christology attempts to explain how Jesus could be both God and man in the same person.  On the contrary, “if Christology is to be both critical (using historical and literary disciplines) and at the same time theological (a reflection of faith), it must do its historical-critical investigation within the parameters of the historic Christian tradition.” The main purpose of Christology is to know Christ under the light of the history, Biblical teaching, as well as theology. Christology is also related with the Trinity, Mariology, Soteriology, Petrology, theology proper etc. St. John experienced Jesus, as Son of God became flesh. 2 types of Jesus is mentioned in N.T. Being of Jesus, Son of God, the word of God (I Am) others relates Jesus with his mission or function as shepherd, Son of God, Word made flesh etc. Jesus is seen as word made flesh or incarnation of Jesus. Jesus' experience of John and the communitarian experience is the core point or predominant element of Johnnie community. When He says word of God incarnate he draws the attention of the readers to this personal and communitarian experience of Jesus. Johnnie Christology is based on images than philosophical ideas.

IV) The role of Jesus Christ in the Trinitarian Experience:We experience the role of Jesus in the Trinitarian God. We see in the gospel of St John Jesus introduced Himself of as the son of God. We can see the argument of Jesus which makes a big issue among the Jews to kill Jesus. ‘Firstly, Jesus claims to be utterly dependent on his Father: “I tell the truth,” he says, “the son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees His Father doing” (Jh5:19). We are familiar with many important statements to the effect: “The word was God” (Jh1:1). The reciprocal claim is never made by the Father with respect to the Son.’ The Gospel of John insists that Jesus is Son of God.

Secondly, Jesus’s dependence on his heavenly Father is utterly unique. ‘After saying that the Son “Can do only what he says his father” Although Jesus in functionally dependent on his Father, his deeds and words, in John’s Gospel, are finally conterminous with those of His heavenly father.’ So Jesus does the kinds of things that only God can do.

Thirdly, This Father-Son relationship is bathed in unfathomable love. John already written, “The father loves the son and has placed everything in his hands “(Jh3:5). The son loves the father no less than the father loves the son; even out working of that love is slightly different. All of this is the understanding according to St. John that Jesus is the Son of God. He is fully man and fully divine. We experience his in our life as Son of Trinitarian God.

Chapter-III

Challenges to Know Trinity

I) Challenges to know Trinity:

In this modern period faith in Jesus Christ is becoming light. Most of the Christian peoples are not practicing their faith. It is a great challenge to know Christ at this present world. People are busy with various things in the modern world. I like to explain these challenges through an argument of the College students. The young students face these challenges in this modern world. Now the days they are losing their faith and trust of living Jesus Christ.

II)The Faith Challenge: ‘Many college freshmen claim that they struggled with faith-identity. "Is this my faith or my parents' faith? What do I believe? Why do I believe it?" In high school, their faith was associated with familiar places and people. That familiarity was replaced by a college environment that made their faith seem out of place. When they faced questions about their faith, they struggled to find answers. A number of students said they had serious questions about their own faith before going to college, actually wondering if they had been brainwashed during childhood. "In college, the stakes are much higher," Emilie said. "I didn't want to commit my life to following Christ if I was not absolutely sure that it was something I would die for." Some criticized their own "dysfunctional faith" and its inability to sustain them through their struggles. They had "the wrong view of God," one student complained. "Yes, He provides; yes, He comforts; yes, He brings peace and many other amazing gifts, but they still feel like they don't 'get enough out of God.'

III) The Freedom Challenge: Out from under parental guidance and restrictions, new-found freedom caused priorities to change. "In college there are no parents, and the tendency is to act on impulse, make decisions based on emotion, and instant gratification," a college website warns. Tim said he was unprepared for "the greater level of responsibility without accountability" that college involves. Freedom can be exhilarating but also paralyzing. There are so many things to choose, many students found themselves struggling to prioritize their choices. "You end up going along with what everybody else is doing or go to your room and play video games or stare at Facebook." It is also a big challenge for us.

IV) The Diversity Challenge: College provided not only ethnic diversity, but the inescapable confrontation with different beliefs, worldviews, and moral choices. Most felt ill-equipped to answer challenges raised by alternative views to their own faith - both in the classroom and in the dorm room. Katherine felt overwhelmed by the different views. "It was hard to figure out the truth by myself," she admitted. Some students admitted they were so overwhelmed that they spiritually shut down. Apathy was mentioned by many students as a response to the college milieu. We see it is a challenge among the students to realize the presence of God.

V) The Time Challenge: The unrelenting schedule and stress of studies, relationships, and social events were temporal black holes. All of these provided quicker payoffs than time spent in spiritual growth. Serious students particularly struggled with the amount of reading demanded. "Stress can warp your perspective" Josh says. This warped perspective caused priorities to shift dramatically in a short period of time. The idea that college is a time to contemplate the crucial questions of life seemed unreal to most students. There was little time to think and discuss important issues. The good students took too many courses for there to be time to reflect. Other students filled their time with parties and other social events.

VII) The Social Challenge: The rarefied air of the college social life caused students to engage in activities they normally would have avoided. Who doesn't want to fit in? The social expanse of college also provided anonymity - a free pass to let loose. "Alcohol and sex: that's why you go to college, man," one student said. College years constitute "the experimental phase of life" said Jacob. One student told me that she lead a tour of middle school students around a college campus. The thirteen to fifteen year olds were obsessed with all of the details of alcohol on campus. Their expectations for college were shaped by Animal House, Old School, and American Pie 2, and they could not wait to party. The social environment was frequently oppressive.

VIII) The Relationship Challenge:The dating scene as a freshman is "wild and wicked." Freshmen girls talked about upperclassmen who troll for new conquests. Emotional attachments frequently dominated the college experience. Many students gave up their faith when they fell in love. Love conquered all. In this present world we see the students are losing their faith that Jesus is present with them.

IX) The Community Challenge: The effort required to find a supportive community for their faith was too much. "I miss my youth group back home," many said. The lack of regular and substantive Christian fellowship was a reason many began to wander away from their faith. Ian had a friend back home commit suicide. "It completely destroyed me," he said. "I feel completely alone and depressed. It caused me to question everything I believed."Kristen said that when she arrived at college, "My entire support system was ripped from underneath my feet." The result was a sense of loneliness that belied their crowded experience.

X) The Commitment Challenge: A key factor in faith degradation was the missing element of preemptive commitment. In other words, too many did not decide beforehand who they were and wanted to become. They did not make commitments about their priorities and set limits on behavior. "I really needed accountability," one said. "I wish I could go back and start over. So in reality Commit to God is very difficult for the Young students.’

XI) Divided Christianity of various Groups: “Christianity is a minority in Bangladesh and divided into many denominations. Being very small and also fragmented into more than 32 denominations, the Church feels insecure and weak. Many Churches refuse to cooperate with one another and have become very isolated what is still strong. The negative attitude of the various Christian communities towards each other damages Christianity’s witness to non- Christian.” It makes a bad effect to other religion and remains a great challenge for the Bangladeshi Christian to overcome the division and keep example of living Christ in other religion.

XII) Challenge of Christianity in society: We Bangladesh is an Islamic country. As a small community of Christians people of Bangladesh are dominated by the Muslims. There are many restrictions to practice our religion in Bangladesh. If any Muslim converted into Christian, All Muslims will react and take revenge against Christian. Even those who leave Islam often face harassment, intimidation, threat, and attract. Christians always find themselves as rival and threat to Islam. This situation makes a great challenge for the Christian in Bangladesh. 

Experience of Jesus Christ Today: We experience his presence in our day to day life.  Jesus is not God’s Son in the sense of how we think of a father and son relationship. A Biblical Understanding of Jesus Christ is crucial to our salvation. It helps us to atoning sacrifice for our sins and makes union with God in the gospel of St. John at the very beginning of the first chapter is narrated beautifully that “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” (Jn1:14). Jesus became a truly man; the word became man through the incarnation for the Salvation of all humankind. Moreover, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human appearance” (Phil 2:6-7). Jesus was born in a manger in a form of true poor human child and grown up in a poor family of Nazareth. Jesus lived in a particular time, place and society. “At the beginning of the common era, Jesus and his contemporaries lived in the world marked by that Mediterranean culture which presented some common characteristics beyond its particular geographical locations.” As St. John wrote in his gospel as a true witness at the crucifixion of Jesus that- “an eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may (come to) believe (Jn19:35). The Apostles are the true witness of Jesus’ presence on earth that they preached the Good News all over the world by their life witness filled with the power of the Holy Spirit just after the Pentecost. Lie never last long but the truth lasts long. 

Bibliography

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2.PIPERJohnand Justin Taylor: “The supremacyof Christ in a postmodern world”,Authentic, London, 2009.

3.STOTTJohn:“Focus on Christ”, Kingsway publication,1985.

4. GOMES Fr. James Shyamol: “Doing theology in the pluralistic context of Bangladesh” Prodion, Vol. XXXV, 2011.

5. RAUSCH, Thomas P: “Who is Jesus?” Diliman, Claretian Publication, 2003.

6. KOMONCHAK, Joseph A. ed.: “The New Dictionary of Theology” Bangalore, TPI, 1999.

7. GRONCHI, Maurizio: “Jesus Christ” Assisi, Urbaniana University Press, 2013.