The Trinity: Foundation of Grace and Salvation

 

Summary

The Reformation was a pivotal moment in history, emphasizing salvation as a gift of pure grace, where we are declared righteous not by our own deeds but through Christ's righteousness. This morning, we explored how the Trinity is integral to these truths. The triune nature of God—Father, Son, and Spirit—shapes the gospel, giving it its character and flavor. Martin Luther recognized this, calling the Trinity the highest article upon which all others depend.

In Romans, Paul presents the gospel as inherently Trinitarian. The gospel is the good news of the Father, concerning His Son, declared in power by the Spirit. This understanding moves us beyond simplistic analogies of the Trinity, like shamrocks or eggs, which fail to capture the profound reality of God’s nature. Instead, the Trinity is the foundation of the gospel, revealing a God who is love because He is triune. The Father has eternally loved the Son, and this love is poured out through the Spirit.

The triune God is distinct from the gods of human religion, who are often needy and dependent on creation. Our God, however, is self-sufficient, overflowing with life and love. This fullness allows Him to relate to us by sheer grace, offering salvation not as a transaction but as an invitation into His divine life. Without the Trinity, there would be no salvation by grace, as seen in other religions where success, not salvation, is the goal.

Romans 3 illustrates that only because the Father has a Son can God accomplish salvation Himself. The cross works because God is triune, providing the perfect sacrifice. A Trinity-lite gospel misses this depth, reducing salvation to mere rule-following. Instead, the gospel invites us into the life and joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit, offering us adoption as sons, sharing in the Son’s own relationship with the Father.

Romans 8 captures this beautifully, showing that believers are given the status of the Son Himself. The Spirit of adoption allows us to cry, "Abba! Father!" This is not just a new status but a transformation, as the Spirit turns our hearts to love God and hate sin. The Trinity shapes the gospel by drawing us into the eternal love and joy shared between the Father, Son, and Spirit, transforming our desires and uniting us in love.

Key Takeaways:

- The Trinity is foundational to the gospel, revealing a God who is love because He is triune. The Father’s eternal love for the Son, poured out through the Spirit, is the source of the gospel’s beauty and comfort. [08:18]

- Unlike the gods of human religion, the triune God is self-sufficient and overflowing with life. This fullness allows Him to offer salvation by grace, inviting us into His divine life rather than demanding service or worship. [11:53]

- The gospel is not just about rule-following but about being drawn into the life and joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit. This adoption as sons is a gift of grace, transforming our relationship with God and each other. [18:34]

- The Spirit’s work is to transform our desires, turning our hearts to love God and hate sin. This transformation is foundational to our holiness and godliness, reflecting the love and joy shared within the Trinity. [29:57]

- The Trinity not only reconciles us to God but also to each other, creating a community of love and peace. This unity reflects the harmonious relationship within the Trinity and is a foretaste of the heavenly harmony to come. [37:28]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:44] - The Reformation and Salvation by Grace
- [01:34] - The Trinity and the Gospel
- [02:24] - Paul's Trinitarian Gospel in Romans
- [04:02] - Misunderstandings of the Trinity
- [06:09] - The Eternal Father and His Son
- [08:18] - God is Love Because God is Trinity
- [10:52] - The Self-Sufficient Triune God
- [12:56] - The Unique God of the Gospel
- [14:42] - Salvation and the Trinity
- [16:12] - A Trinity-Lite Gospel
- [18:34] - Adoption as Sons in the Gospel
- [21:02] - The Spirit of Adoption
- [29:57] - Transformation by the Spirit
- [37:28] - Reconciliation and Unity in the Spirit
- [39:18] - The Trinity Makes the Gospel

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 1:1-4
2. Romans 3:23-25
3. Romans 8:14-17

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Observation Questions:

1. How does Paul introduce the gospel in Romans 1:1-4, and what does this reveal about the nature of the gospel? [03:15]

2. According to Romans 3:23-25, what role does the Trinity play in the work of salvation? [14:42]

3. In Romans 8:14-17, what is the significance of believers being called "sons of God"? How does this relate to the concept of adoption? [19:25]

4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit, and how is this relationship foundational to the gospel? [08:18]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does it mean for the gospel to be Trinitarian, and how does this understanding deepen our appreciation of salvation by grace? [02:24]

2. How does the concept of God as a self-sufficient, triune being challenge the common perceptions of gods in other religions? [10:52]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that a "Trinity-lite" gospel is deficient, and how does this impact our understanding of salvation? [16:12]

4. How does the Spirit's work in transforming our desires reflect the love and joy shared within the Trinity? [29:57]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your understanding of the Trinity. How has this sermon challenged or deepened your view of God as Father, Son, and Spirit? [08:18]

2. The sermon emphasizes that God is not needy but overflowing with life and love. How does this perspective influence the way you approach worship and service? [11:53]

3. Consider the idea of adoption as sons in the gospel. How does this change your view of your relationship with God and your identity as a believer? [18:34]

4. The Spirit transforms our desires to love God and hate sin. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with sin. How can you invite the Spirit to work in that area this week? [29:57]

5. The sermon highlights the unity and community created by the Trinity. How can you contribute to fostering a community of love and peace within your church or small group? [37:28]

6. Reflect on the concept of being drawn into the life and joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit. What practical steps can you take to experience this joy more fully in your daily life? [17:38]

7. How can the understanding of the Trinity as foundational to the gospel help you in sharing your faith with others? Consider a specific person you can talk to about this truth. [39:18]

Devotional

Day 1: The Trinity as the Foundation of Love
The Trinity is foundational to the gospel, revealing a God who is love because He is triune. The Father’s eternal love for the Son, poured out through the Spirit, is the source of the gospel’s beauty and comfort. This understanding of God as a community of love is essential to grasping the depth of the gospel message. The love shared within the Trinity is not just a theological concept but the very essence of the gospel, inviting believers into a relationship characterized by love and grace. The triune nature of God ensures that the gospel is not merely a set of doctrines but a living invitation to participate in divine love. [08:18]

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you reflect the love of the Trinity in your relationships today, especially with those who are difficult to love?


Day 2: The Self-Sufficiency of the Triune God
Unlike the gods of human religion, the triune God is self-sufficient and overflowing with life. This fullness allows Him to offer salvation by grace, inviting us into His divine life rather than demanding service or worship. The self-sufficiency of God means that He does not need anything from us, yet He chooses to invite us into a relationship with Him. This invitation is not based on our merit but on His abundant grace, which flows from the eternal love shared within the Trinity. Understanding this aspect of God's nature can transform how we view our relationship with Him, moving from a transactional mindset to one of gratitude and awe. [11:53]

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your perspective from trying to earn God's favor to simply receiving His grace and love today?


Day 3: Adoption into the Life of the Trinity
The gospel is not just about rule-following but about being drawn into the life and joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit. This adoption as sons is a gift of grace, transforming our relationship with God and each other. Through the Spirit of adoption, believers are invited to share in the Son’s own relationship with the Father, experiencing the same love and joy that exists within the Trinity. This profound truth reshapes our identity and purpose, calling us to live as beloved children of God, reflecting His love and grace to the world. [18:34]

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: How does knowing you are adopted into the life of the Trinity change the way you view yourself and your purpose today?


Day 4: Transformation by the Spirit
The Spirit’s work is to transform our desires, turning our hearts to love God and hate sin. This transformation is foundational to our holiness and godliness, reflecting the love and joy shared within the Trinity. The Spirit empowers believers to live in a way that honors God, aligning their desires with His will. This ongoing transformation is a testament to the Spirit's active presence in the life of a believer, drawing them closer to the heart of God and enabling them to reflect His character in their daily lives. [29:57]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: What specific desires or habits do you need to surrender to the Spirit today to allow Him to transform you more into the image of Christ?


Day 5: Unity in the Spirit
The Trinity not only reconciles us to God but also to each other, creating a community of love and peace. This unity reflects the harmonious relationship within the Trinity and is a foretaste of the heavenly harmony to come. As believers, we are called to embody this unity, living in peace and love with one another as a reflection of the divine community. This call to unity challenges us to move beyond divisions and embrace the diversity within the body of Christ, celebrating the unique gifts and perspectives each person brings. [37:28]

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively promote unity and peace within your community, reflecting the harmonious relationship of the Trinity?

Quotes


The triune nature of God is the mold for the gospel. The fact that God is Father, Son, and Spirit shapes the gospel. Everything beautiful about the gospel is only so because God is triune. The Trinity gives our gospel its character, its flavor. And all the gratuity and comfort of the gospel that Luther would fight for in the Reformation, all of it found its source in the triune nature of God. [00:01:30]

For Paul, do you see, the gospel is Trinitarian. It is verse 1, "The gospel of God," that is, it is the good news of the Father, verse 3, "concerning His Son who," verse 4, "was declared Son of God in power according to the Spirit." Now, straightaway this is a very different way to start thinking of the Trinity to what we often see. [00:03:34]

Because our God is triune, and only because our God is triune, we can say God is love. And so, we begin to see why the Trinity is such good news. God is love because God is Trinity. Because, for eternity, the Father has been positively bursting out with love for His Son. [00:08:27]

The triune God doesn't need us at all. The Father has never been lonely. For eternity, He's been perfectly satisfied in His glorious Son. Needing nothing, He has life in Himself, and so much so, He is brimming over with it. His glory is radiant and outflowing. [00:11:44]

It is only because the Father has a Son that God can accomplish the entire work of salvation Himself. He provides the sufficient sacrifice. It is because God is triune that the cross works. So, there is no salvation without the Trinity. [00:15:36]

If God is a Father loving His Son, then the gospel is something far sweeter. Salvation is about becoming Spirit-anointed sons of God. More than just forgiven, more than righteous; adopted. And here, ultimately and beautifully is how the Trinity shapes the gospel. [00:18:24]

The Spirit of adoption. Or in Galatians 4:4, he calls Him, "The Spirit of His Son," united to the Son. And so, adopted in Him, sharing His sonship, the children of God receive the very Spirit, the Comforter of the Son, which is why He makes us cry the very cry of the Son, "Abba!" [00:21:14]

The Spirit catches us up to share their mutual pleasure. And this, friends, is the heartbeat of what it means to be holy with this God, what it means to be godly. It’s why Jesus says in John 8:42, "If God were your Father, you would love Me." [00:31:42]

The Spirit makes us, like the Father, love the Son, and the Spirit gives us the mind of Christ. And what is characteristic of the Son? John 14:31, "I love the Father." The heart of our transformation into the likeness of the Son is our sharing in His deep delight in the Father. [00:32:42]

The Spirit would never be interested merely in empowering us to do good, merely. His deeper desire, which is the desire of the Father and the Son, is to bring us to such a hearty enjoyment of God through Christ that we delight to know Him, that we delight in all His ways. [00:36:16]

In the gospel from Romans 12 on, we see the Spirit not only reconciles us to God, He reconciles us to each other. So, you see, the Spirit leads us to, Romans 12 verse 10, love one another with brotherly familial affection. [00:37:28]

With the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, we have a God of love, a God we would want to know, a God we can trust. The Trinity makes salvation possible and the Trinity makes salvation sweet. Only with this God are we freely welcomed in together as brothers and sisters to share the very joy of God and cry together, "Our Father!" [00:39:12]

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Transcript
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