As we entered into our four week series on the Trinity, a central doctrine of the Christian faith (a doctrine, in fact, without which our salvation, worship, and fellowship might simply crumble into dust) I felt it important to bring into focus both how the knowledge of God arises in us as well as what we might understand of God once such knowledge is received. With regard to the basic knowledge of God, it is important for us to consider two facts. First, it seems evident that for some a review of nature and its wonder, the universe and is awesome magnitude, that is, taking in the whole of creation insofar as we able to do so, points toward the plausibility of a creator. For sure, the bible suggests that the heavens declare the glory of the Lord and therefore can point us to this fact (Psalm 19:1). However, it seems that there is a limit to what such "natural" revelation might lead us to discover. Whereas we might ascertain that there is a creator, we do not know from our knowledge of the universe whether that creator is even still present let alone whether such a being would be good and loving in character and action. To know such things, and even deeper things such as the very essence of God, rather than his nature or actions, would require some other form of knowledge that we might receive elsewhere. That being the case, from a Christian perspective, if we are to know God's character and essence it is important that we supplement our own observations of the universe with what God might reveal about himself to us apart from such natural observations. To many theologians...

[our knowledge of God] ...is not predicated upon any human capacity or mode of thinking, but upon the initiative of God in making himself known to us and reconciling the world to himself." Murray Rae in Trinitarian Soundings in Systematic Theology

In this regard, Rae calls us to consider what Paul implies in 1 Corinthians 12:3 when Paul writes "...no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit." While anyone with vocal chords produce the vocalization "Jesus is Lord" the point is that no one can truly know who Jesus really is, Lord above all, apart from the intervention of the Holy Spirit in our lives prior to or in support of that knowledge (see also Matthew 16:16-17). My contention in the message I preached on Sunday was this: The direction of deep knowledge about God must flow primarily from him to us, not us to him. This basic point seems to be a necessary foundation from which to begin the study of the doctrine of the Trinity. If we are to know who God really is, we will need to supplement what we can perceive of him in general and our own understanding what is possible and logical with what he has revealed of himself through his word, according to his desire. This being said, I have some questions for you to consider before we move on later this week to specific scriptural references that bring us to the doctrine of the Trinity.

1. Can you know God's essential nature and essence only through 'natural revelation'? Does Romans 1:18-20 suggest that you can?
2. What role does scripture play in revealing the very nature or essence of God beyond such natural revelation?

These are the questions we'll begin with as we study the Trinity together as a congregation... let the discussion begin (and if you're reading this on email log on to my blog at reed.teammueller.com and post your responses there so we all can benefit from the discussion).