1 God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit

He is God the Father. He is God the Son. He is God the Holy Spirit. There is one God whose character, voice, expression, and compassion are fully revealed in and through the indivisible nature of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this relationship with God, the church exists as sons and daughters of the Father, the bride of Christ the Son, and as the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is true for the corporate church as well as for individuals. Having a biblical understanding of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is fundamental to understanding covenant relationship with God.

We typically think of the Father as God who is over us. He is a compassionate creator, provider, advisor, lawgiver, protector, and covenant maker. There is safety and security in the Father's loving arms. If you're okay with your father, then it doesn't matter what anyone else says about you. If you mess up, then you can take it to your father because he is not going to abandon you if you sincerely need his help! We accept the Father's discipline because we believe that he loves us. We are only fooling ourselves if we want to put off his advice. Sooner or later, we will have to face the music; besides, there is no trying to go around Him without losing out on His covenantal blessings and benefits.

We think of Jesus as the one who walks alongside us like He did with His first disciples. He is God the Son and is also known as the Word of God, Savior, Redeemer, and best friend. The church consists of those who have been saved and filled with Holy Spirit. The church is known as the bride of Christ. Therefore, Jesus is viewed as a loving husband who relentlessly pursues His bride. It is the relentless pursuit of His grace and truth that wins her over. She finds it easy to be faithful to Him with unwavering commitment. The bride experiences the qualities of the Father that have been passed onto His Son.

God's redemptive plan is for the whole earth to be in covenant relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit from generation to generation, world without end, as Paul described in Ephesians 3:14-21.

8 Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

19 and to know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.