That God is three facets or natures in One is indicated throughout the Bible. For instance, Isaiah described how the Lord would send “his arm” (the Messiah), supernaturally, against the Babylonians (Isa. 48:14c) on Israel’s behalf. “I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission” (48:15). Next a (pre-incarnate) manifestation of God, the Messiah, spoke: “And now the Sovereign Lord [the Father] has sent me, with his [Holy] Spirit” (48:16). Jesus, the “...Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel...” (48:17a), was sent by the Father, along with the Holy Spirit, to rescue Israel countless times throughout the millennia—long before He was born of a virgin almost 2,000 years ago.
Another example is by John, who said,
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement (1 John 5:6-8).
Late manuscripts of the Vulgate state, “For there are three that testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one” (1 John 5:7).
Paul ended his second epistle to the Corinthians with,
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God [the Father] and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Cor. 13:14).
Also, Peter wrote to
...God’s elect, strangers in the world,...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the [Holy] Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood... (1 Pet. 1:1,2).
There are many other implications of a multi-personal God in the Bible (for instance, Isa. 11:2a, 42:1, 59:20,21, 61:1a; Matt. 3:16,17; Luke 1:35; Acts 1:7,8, 10:38; Rom. 1:1-4; Eph. 4:4-6; Rev. 1:4,5). Unquestionably, God is composed of multiple facets, three of Whom we know about. All of them share identical thoughts, goals, intents, objectives, motives, plans, and purposes. They are the Mind, the Body, and the the Emotion of God. I see it this way: the Father is the Lord (Heb. 12:9b) of our minds and spirits, Jesus is the Lord (Rom. 10:9a) of our bodies, and the Holy Spirit is the Lord (2 Cor. 3:17a,18b) of our hearts and souls.
God is One, and God is Three—at the same time. All three aspects of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—work together in perfect unison, approaching a common goal and never deviating from the mutual Divine Plan (see “
God’s Plan”: C-15, P-I). This Plan was initiated by the Father, brought into existence by the Son, and empowered by their Holy Spirit (Soul). Never has there been, nor will there ever be, any disagreement among these three in carrying out their eternal Project.Part of the Plan is accounting for everything that goes on. Each day, the Father has conceived of and wills the shapes of all the clouds in the sky and of every wave on every beach, as well as the movement of every bit of cosmic dust and the path of every photon of light emitted from every star in the universe. Jesus “assembles” the “products,” which have been “ordered” by the Father, out of the elements (which were created in the beginning by the Trinity out of nothing). Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit “energizes” or “galvanizes” every new “product” into action, while at the same time maintaining a steady energy level to everything else which will remain, for a time, at a status quo.
God’s Divine Plan, in my opinion, has included placing countless aspects of Himself in nature and in the world, each representing and pointing to the existence of the Trinity. I feel this fact is supported by Paul’s statement,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).
All one needs to do is to look around, be observant, and discover these qualities. They are everywhere.
I believe that God made triples of essentials and systems in this realm to point to His triplicity. For instance, every physical object in our domain, existing at a given moment on the time line, is 3-dimensional, having length, width, and height. Time itself has 3 subdivisions: past, present, and future. There are 3 main particles within an atom: protons, electrons, and neutrons. In only one of 3 states—gas, liquid, or solid—can anything exist at any given point in time. There are 3 basic constituents of the world in which we live: air, water, and land. Three spheres exist in the universe about which we are the most familiar: the sun, the moon, and the earth. And from 3 spectral hues—red, yellow, and bluish-violet—all other colors of light can be obtained.
Ron Cottle, on his TBN program, “Word for the World,” has noted that even the USA’s system of government, “the greatest the world has ever known,” is a triad of elements, all (ideally) having one accord and purpose: to protect and to serve the people. There is the 1) Legislative Branch (Congress, who originates the laws), the 2) Judiciary Branch (Supreme Court, who deems the laws “legal” and brings them to the people), and the 3) Executive Branch (President and his Cabinet) who enact and enforce the laws. Respectively, these represent the Branches of the Universal Government: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I believe that things here on earth are mere “images” or “representations” of things in heaven (see “
free City”: “the New Jerusalem”: C-14, P-II). In my opinion, the more two elemental units of something resemble each other, the more like the real template in heaven is that thing. For instance, most solid, physical objects are not purely one single element; they are made up of a variety of different components, so that one given unit in the structure of the object may not look anything like another.Two given molecules or atoms of a liquid or a gas, on the other hand, are extremely similar; a “snapshot” at any moment in time might show that they differ only in the configuration of the protons and neutrons in their nuclei or of the electrons orbiting these nuclei. Finally, two photons of the same wavelength of light are more exactly like each other than two units of anything else in the physical universe. Two units of light or of any other type of electromagnetic radiation differ only in their respective hues or energy levels, making electromagnetic radiation the truest representation of anything in heaven—specifically, of God, Who is Light (Psalm 9:2, 60:19c,20c; Matt. 4:16; 1 Tim. 6:16a; John 1:5a,9; 1 John 1:5b,7a; Rev. 21:23, 22:5b).
As an optometric physician, with additional degrees in mathematics and visual science, I am fascinated with optics and visible and invisible electromagnetic radiation (ER). Nothing else in this universe can attain the speed of ER (about 299,792,458 meters/second, or 186,282 miles/second, in a vacuum). As ER travels through space, it skims along this side of the impassable barrier between our realm and the multi-dimensional realm of the infinite on the other side; though it may “dent” the time barricade, it never can quite break through it.
I believe God cleverly has made properties of electromagnetic radiation to match qualities of Himself, so as to give us valuable insights into His nature. The ER spectrum is divided into 1) ultraviolet or “UV” radiation (and beyond), 2) visible light, and 3) infrared or “IR” radiation (and beyond). UV waves (providing the direct source of life for plants but capable of destruction), x-rays, gamma waves, and cosmic rays have very short wavelengths; while IR waves (affording warmth but capable of burning), microwaves, Hertzian waves, and radio waves have very long wavelengths. All of these are invisible (just as the Father and the Holy Spirit are invisible).
But visible ER, a transition between the two, is light that we can perceive, because our eye systems respond best to moderate wavelengths (even though all wavelengths of radiation are pure energy and all travel at exactly the same velocity in the same medium). Likewise, Jesus is “...the light of the world” (John 8:12a, 9:5), the only aspect of God that has ever been seen by natural human eyes. Any light that we see around us is only a representation, a projection, of the True Light, which is Jesus. When we eventually see Him as He is (1 John 3:2c), we will see a Light more brilliant than any light which any of us has seen or of which we ever could conceive in the natural, physical world and universe (Matt. 17:1,2).
Did you know that pure purple and red colors are invisible? Any “purple” that we can see actually is tinged slightly with violet, but absolute purple is just off the visible spectrum in the invisible ultra-violet (UV). If we imagine for a moment that “Authority” is represented by “pure purple,” Jesus by the visible spectrum, and the Father by UV radiation (and beyond), it can be visualized that, for Jesus to obtain and secure real Authority, He must “merge” completely with the Father—which He has done (John 10:30, 16:15a).
Similarly, absolute red is just off the visible scale in the invisible infra-red (IR); any “red” that we can see is tainted with orange. If we think of “Power” as “pure red” and the Holy Spirit as IR radiation (and beyond), then for Jesus to employ and actuate complete Power, He must “blend” totally with the Holy Spirit—which He has done (John 1:33b, 16:15b).
As an aside, I think it is interesting that purple and red (scarlet) are indicators of wealth or royalty (Judg. 8:26b; 2 Sam. 1:24b; Esth. 8:15a; Mark 15:17a; Luke 16:19; Rev. 17:4a). Yet, we will not see the pure essences of these colors until we are changed and enter the uncontaminated realm of heaven.
To turn on a light, one first must 1) formulate the idea that the light should be on, then 2) physically walk over and flip up the switch, and finally 3) the transmitted electricity will illuminate the bulb. Likewise, 1) the Father conceived of the existence of everything (and has the Authority to carry out His Plan), 2) the Son materialized the universe into existence (by the Power of the Holy Spirit) and rules over it (by the Authority of the Father), and 3) the Holy Spirit is the agent by which everything operates (due to the Power He generates).
Just as the visible spectrum of light contains an infinite array of colors, so the people of the earth have a countless number of problems. The world, as a whole, could (and should) turn to Jesus as the remedy, because He has an infinite number of correct solutions to all problems (which is why only He personally is capable of one day seeing to it that the world is ruled properly—see “
reign of Jesus”: C-13, P-II).I feel that the rainbow, containing all visible colors and being a sign of God’s covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:13), is a fitting symbol of Jesus, Whom I believe Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:26,27). He reported, “Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (1:28ab). Likewise, “The Son is the radiance of God’s [the Father’s] glory and the exact representation of his being...” (Heb. 1:3a). “He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God...” (Col. 1:15a).
In addition, John, in his vision of the future, saw the Throne of God. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne” (Rev. 4:3). The rainbow was present because Jesus was there. John later saw “...a Lamb [Jesus], looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne.... He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits [seven-fold Spirit] of God...” (5:6). On that Throne sits the Triune God.
Rainbows can be seen in various places. Next time you see a colorful rainbow in the sky, in a waterfall, or in the mist above a fountain, think of the manifold, multifarious Lord, Jesus—the Light of the world and the Source of Living Water (see “
Jesus, the Rock: Source of Living Water”: C-5, P-III).All the emotions of God, including Love and Anger, are conjoined in the Holy Spirit. Those who think that God is capable only of “pleasant” emotions, like Love, but not “unpleasant” ones, like Anger (even leading to great Wrath), are only deceiving themselves. Some people even feel the opposite is true: that God is always angry and never loving; and they too are unaware of the whole truth.
David demonstrated the conjugation of these two diverse emotions within God in the following passage:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:8-12).
For those who possess a passionate love for and an appropriate fear of God, and who believe in and accept His gracious saving and redeeming qualities, the deserved Anger and coming Wrath of God have been turned away from them by Jesus (1 John 4:10)—the ultimate act of Love. However, protection from God’s Wrath is provided only for those who believe in and accept that protection by Jesus. A time will come when those not protected will wish they were (see
C-12, P-IV).The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the original Holy Trinity. But there is a “Holy Triad,” modeled and imaged after the original. It consists of 1) Jesus Christ, 2) the Church of Believers, and 3) the Holy Spirit.
Just as the Father raised Jesus from death in glory with the Power of the Holy Spirit, so Jesus will raise the Church of Believers (His figurative “Body”) from physical and spiritual death in glory with the same Power (see “
changed bodies” and “caught up”: C-12, P-V, S-1). And just as the Father, as Head of the Holy Trinity, is worthy of praise and worship, so Jesus, as Head of the “Holy Triad,” is worthy of esteem and honor.We should read and study what the Messiah, Yeshua, has said and done in the Old and New Testaments and give Him as much love, respect, and obedience as He has given the Father. Plus, we should observe how perfectly the members of the Holy Trinity work and coordinate together so that we can worthily fulfill our place as the “Body” of Christ in the “Holy Triad.”
Each human being, though not a god, is modeled after the Trinity, having mental, emotional, and physical activity. We each should try constantly to imitate God by keeping the emotions of our soul and the acts of our body under the control of our spirit. (Jesus, as a man here on earth, was able to do this completely and perfectly.) This represents full potential and spiritual maturity, and it can be approached only by allowing the Holy Spirit to direct each of our own spirits.
Without the Holy Spirit’s direction, any person’s spirit is “lifeless.” Lacking control by one’s spirit, a person is merely a mass of chaotic, conflicting emotional outbursts and compulsive, impulsive physical actions. (This is much like the way James, in describing a doubter, said that “...he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind”—James 1:6b). And, unfortunately, without one’s “dead” spirit being “born again” into God’s Holy Spirit (see “
purpose of the second birth”: C-15, P-II), one’s soul and resurrected body will remain fused in this disordered, bewildered, muddled state of turmoil forever, never able to reach the Father, the Source of our being (John 3:3,5,6).I will be the first to admit that I cannot even come close to the perfect standards set by God. There is no way, with the present state of my spirit, soul, and body, that I always can keep the emotions of my soul and actions of my body under the rule of my mind-spirit. My soul constantly shifts “this way and that” (since it is modeled after God’s “Soul,” the Holy Spirit—John 3:8—but has been corrupted), and my body too often follows it aimlessly around. My mind has a very difficult time “shepherding” my soul and body and “herding” them into Jesus’ “pen,” sanctified and set apart from the world’s greed and desires where they will be safe and content. And everytime I think I can keep control over my soul and body with my mind alone, without the help of the Holy Spirit, I always am proven wrong.
Not one of us can achieve, absolutely, the ideal state of mind/soul/body unification by oneself (nor via “seminars,” “encounters,” or “New Age” philosophies), particularly in this realm in which we now exist, because there is too much influence and distraction by the enemy (see
C-7, C-8, C-9, and C-10). But with the miraculous workings of the Father, through the Son and by the Holy Spirit, we can come as close as we wish in this life and actually can attain it in the next infinite and eternal Life. When, by faith (given by the Holy Spirit—see “gifts of the Holy Spirit”: P-IV), we know this to be a fact, the things of this world continually become dimmer and less important by comparison.The great price for this eventual perfection and transcendent unification of the three elements of our nature already has been paid by Jesus’ blood on the cross. But one must desire this consummate state to ever receive it (which will be at the time of the body’s resurrection and/or transformation—see “
changed bodies”: C-12, P-V, S-1), plus one only can attain it the way God has put forth in the Bible. Otherwise, this most enviable prize will not be given; it will remain elusive by any other means.Being ruled by God means surrendering to the Will of the Father, just as Jesus surrendered to His Will (see “
humility, surrender, and exaltation”: P-III). The benefits of doing so will be enormous, while the consequences of refusing to do so will be devastating. There is no “in-between” state in the realm of eternity. When attempting to “find” God, though, do not be misled by any of a multitude of counterfeits, many of which look genuine but which are, in reality, fakes and frauds. The following four chapters will explain these in greater detail, beginning in the next chapter with a description of the greatest counterfeiter in the universe.Proceed to Chapter 7 
Return to the Beginning of Chapter 6, Part V 
Return to the Beginning of Chapter 6
Return to the Table of Contents 
Return to the Quick Table of Contents
Return to the Comprehensive Outline
Go to the The 70th Week and Extensions: “Pre-Wrath” Rapture Table
Go to the Scripture Index
Go to the Bibliography
Go to Bible Book Abbreviations 
Return to the Preface
Return to the Title Page
Copyright © 1998– by Ted M. Montgomery, O.D. Most rights reserved.