The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-14, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 42."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 1993 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

I haven’t got the faintest idea. But there are three in one, and it’s not something that I can understand in my puny mind. But, God is one in essence, and yet manifests himself at all times in three different persons. I’ve heard all kinds of silly little description of it, like somebody said, it’s like H₂O. H₂O can either be steam, water, or ice. That doesn’t do it for me. But, you understand what they are trying to say. The problem with that argument is, it can’t be steam, water, and ice all at the same time. That’s the nature of God.

One of the things you want to learn about God is, God is beyond comprehension. You know there are some things you just don’t understand. You just can’t understand them, and no matter how hard you try you can’t understand them. And if you work at it harder and harder you still won’t understand them. If you keep doing that you’ll find yourself under the bed saying the Greek alphabet. Because your trying to unscrew the unscrutable. It’s just impossible to understand, but God is three in one, and he is so far beyond us, that we can’t fully comprehend what that means. I know this: God is one, that’s clear, "The Lord our God is one," Deuteronomy 6:4. And at the same time, within the oneness of God, the Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father, and the Spirit loves the Father and the Son, and the Father and Son loves the Spirit, and they work together in perfect harmony. They’re not just blended together because they talk to each other. How that can be explained humanly, I don’t know. That’s one of those things you just believe.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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