The Relational Trinity, God the Son Draws us in, Ephesians 1:7-12

God the Father, Son and Spirit have taken the initiative to draw you into intimacy, His original and unchanged Eden-intent. 

Nine times Paul repeats the phrase “in Christ” or “in Him” to underscore that this section centers on God the Son as part of the relational Trinity.

 

First, God the Father joins with God the Son to lavish the riches of His grace on us within the Community of this Triune God (1:7-8).

“Lavish” communicates the geyser of His outpoured grace. In Christ, we have been bought back from the slave market, no longer bound by the chains of Satan (Hebrews 2:14-15). We now have new Owners, Ones who have forgiven us in Christ for all our sins, fully removing the rubble of sin. God drenches us with His activated grace. The death of Jesus Christ on our behalf evidences the unshakeable and unbreakable love of the one true God (1 John 4:9-10). We stare with mouths gaping at the extravagant opulence of God’s outpoured love towards us in Christ.

 

Second, God the Father joins with God the Son to reveal and disclose to His friends what He has planned (John 15:15).

We are not in the dark. We are in on what God is doing and will do. As we recognize that virtually everything that has to do with God takes place previous to our knowing anything about it. This has at least two profound effects.

1. Initially, it demands humility; not a low view of ourselves, but an accurate one. We don’t know enough to protest or approve, but can only adore and appreciate since God chose to include us in His epic adventure. What we do know is that God is continuously in action in comprehensively glorious ways. And He invites His people to fully participate with Him in this epic adventure with cosmic proportions.

2. Finally, we recognize how bankrupt human reasoning and logic are in this process. We then approach Him with a theology of awe and wonder. We need spiritual Reality revealed to us since we can never grasp it on our own. “In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will." What does Paul disclose under the inspiration of the Spirit? Paul wants us to be captured with what has captured his heart and mind. God delights to catch us up into something so stupendous that it involves gathering everything together in Christ. This is something to get out of bed in the morning to partner in!

 

Third,  we are chosen and predestined according to God’s plan before time.

Just when our minds are ready to explode, Paul continues by reiterating lets us listen in on the conversation between the Father, Son and Spirit that launched creation. The Message paraphrase puts it this way: “Letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making.” This is why God created you and me! We have been invited into Jesus’ epic adventure for the ages. God intends to restore this fallen creation to intimacy with the Father. He will then bring to completion the fullness of all His original Eden-intent that was cut short when Adam went rogue. And this has eternal, cosmic consequences. We are on the winning side so that we “might be for the praise of His glory.”

Download from my website the PDF of my short meditation on Ephesians called Created Community. Also, visit my website at: JimFredericks.com

The Relational Trinity: God the Father Blesses, Ephesians 1:3-6

Please focus on what is clear about God the Father. 

The relational Trinity has chosen and now resources His people to connect and partner with Him as image-bearers. These verses do not describe the Trinity as a celestial object of study. Instead they depict this relational Community-God working out His eternal plan in conjunction with His people. Let’s dig a bit deeper to mine more treasures.

 

God the Father always takes the initiative.

Note that verse 3 names the Father and the word “he,” referring to the Father, takes the initiative throughout. Note also the three sweeping assertions of what God has already done for those who are His. Paul launches this indispensable letter, not with God in His abstract characteristics. Instead, Paul describes this touchable God as He blesses and relates to His people.

 

“What is God like?”

 

First, God the Father is relational at His core and blesses us!

He blesses us! God began by blessing us when He created humanity in Genesis 1:28, and He continued blessing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, God’s people in the Psalms…all the way down to His people today. What God does flows out of who God is. He is a generous God who blesses. God designed us to be blessed with every blessing imaginable in Christ and continues blessing His people as co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). In fact, Jesus is the pledge of our Father’s ongoing generosity. The Father already gave us His very best, Jesus, as a certain pledge of all else that He will bless us with (Romans 8:32). The Father’s heart is fixed to bless us. None of God’s people are excluded. In fact, view every command and prohibition in Scripture as God’s guide directing us to God’s “blessing portal” where He pours out His love most profusely. Don’t ever get over the wonder.

 

Second, God the Father chose us in Christ.

Do you remember a story from your childhood when you were chosen last for a team (“You have to take Fredericks”)? What message does this convey? By sharp contrast, the Father chose us before creation so that we would know that this choice rested on what is in God’s heart, not on something we accomplished. God did not choose us “despite” who we are. Such a “stray dog” view of God’s loving choice is shattered by this language. What did the Father choose us for? To live in His presence (“before Him”) in complete spiritual health and beauty (“holy”) and without blame. Stop please. Mull this verse over in your mind like you savor a morsel of delicious food.
This God who spoke the universe into existence speaks personally to you because He chose you! Don’t allow any so-called theological arguments to detour you from what is essential. Before time began, this God chose you to be His own treasured child. His choice to include you in His Trinitarian quality of life was formulated in His eternal counsel before the foundation of the world (and, yes, Paul will get to our part later…for now rest in God’s initiating first-love). Its execution then does not primarily hinge on us, but on God’s determined goodness, greatness, and generosity.

 

Third, God the Father predestined our adoption as sons into His forever Family.

Now, with predestined, focus on the benefits God provides. It was God's pleasure to preplan before time to adopt you and me. We were outside, and now we are included forever within His Forever Family circle as His Blessed and Beloved sons and daughters. This is our true identity. This word “predestined” furthers the intentionality of “chose” and adds the flavor of a desired destination. Again, this adoption into His Forever Family was fulfilled through Jesus Christ, planned before time and executed the instant you placed your faith in Christ. The Father is tickled pink to have us as His children, Blessed Ones.

What the Community-God planned for you and for me before creation (compare God’s intent in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man…”) has now been conclusively fulfilled in Jesus Christ for all who embrace Him by faith. Behind everything in creation and in history lies this eternal purpose of God. We are no accident, but the determined choice of a Father who delights to bless. Again, there is mystery (what else would you expect when an uncreated, eternal Being communicates with His creation?!) Focus on what is clear and crucial, not any wrangling over a single side to Both/And concepts. What is clear? Our Father initiated with His first-love to include us with Him before time began.

 

Synthesis: What does Paul mean?

God ushers His people into a fellowship with God through faith in Christ. It's so close, so intimate, so deep, so real, so alive that everything God the Father is, everything He has are shared with us personally. Staggering as it may be, inconceivable as it may appear to us, this is what Paul is saying. The Father destined nothing short of Himself as our inheritance. The Father, Son and Spirit give us existence to bring us into profound intimacy with Him. This relational intimacy release God’s very being and life and joy into us so it becomes ours.

Paul concludes this small, yet life-impacting, section with this passionate outburst of praise: “to the praise of his glorious grace.” Soak in this until it blows your mind! No human mind can grasp such great and monumental promises from a God who always comes through (which is why Paul will pray for us to experience this in 1:15-23).

Download from my website the PDF of my short meditation on Ephesians called Created Community. Also, visit my website at: JimFredericks.com

Behold our God!

Let’s start where the Bible does, this Book of books. The Bible begins where each of our own lives begin. Scripture simply points us to God Himself… majestic and mighty, living and loving, existing before time and space.

In your sanctified imagination, return to this launching pad where God created the mystery of godliness. Are you at Genesis 1:1, blocking out all else in your mind? Then from this most ancient point in time, go backwards in your imagination. What do you see? Close your eyes and spend a bit of time in your mind with your sanctified imagination. Learning must penetrate into our minds and also into our affections to strengthen our will to choose. God fashioned His image-bearers with the ability to imagine like Him, and this infuses our affections with what is on His heart (Psalms 37:4).

What did you see, feel and think?

No heavens. No earth. No sun or stars, no plants, animals or people.

All we see in our sanctified imaginations is God Himself, Father, Son and Spirit! Before creation, God already existed.

Through the lens of the New Testament (NT), our highest good is God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit in perfect community and perfect individuality, cooperatively interacting with One Another in unity.

In the beginning God created… (Genesis 1:1).

No explanation. No description. No confusion. Just this God and the simple statement of His infinite majesty and sovereignty as Creator!

The Trinity experienced a stunning, eternally perfect, relational Community, constantly streaming co-love. The Father loved the Son and Spirit, and the Son loved the Father and Spirit, and the Spirit loved both. God is altogether lovely and attractive, authentically living in harmony with Himself.

The Father has never sought to impose His will on the Son, but serves His highest and best in harmony and oneness of purpose. And the Son chooses to reveal the Father’s heart in all He does. The Spirit reveals the Son, and thus also the Father. Care and kindness, life and mutual service, power and splendor, generosity and purity, light, life, love, and much more, all without limitations.

I have a website at JimFredericks.com where I’m blogging and providing resources to walk out the relational Trinitarian, incarnational worldview flowing from God’s Genesis 1 and 2 design.

“What is the Spirit saying to the church today…and to you personally?”

I’m simply joining together with a stream of others in this God-fueled restoration of a more relational view of the Trinity and its impact on every aspect of our lives. This began in the last twenty years of the 20^th century as a trickle among a few scattered theologians. Now it has become a deluge in the 21^st century, moving from the theoretical into the practical life of everyday Christianity.

 

And God is on the march today to recover this relational Trinitarian, incarnational Reality, which may have been for us in the past more on the circumference of our practical life-responses. He is transforming Christianity and His people from the inside out, at our most fundamental level…changing how we view this relational God revealed in Scripture as He intimately connects with us as partners in His eternal plan.

 

God is not a single, solitary figure removed from the world. He has always existed in relationship as relationship (Father, Son, and Spirit). This relational God is here, present, speaking, taking the initiative to love us as we are with the same love with which the Father loved His Son, oh wonder. He includes us into His Family in order to free us from the need to prove that we are wanted and valued. This Community-God is good and “for” us. He is wild with excitement to restore His people at our most fundamental level, from center to circumference, one image-bearer after another. God is delirious with joy over His people. The Community-God is on the march to restore this high, intimate view of God and His people. Drink fully of His great passion for us. He sees His people lovely, as a groom does his bride.

 

I desire is to make a difference. Let me know how I can help. If you are looking for more, perhaps you would like to visit by website at JimFredericks.com

 

 

About Me

What do you need to know about me to enjoy my blog and Christian material? I am "Poppo" to my fourteen grandchildren, "Freder" to my wife of 40+ years and family of 4 children and their 4 spouses (I consider them all our children!), and Jim Fredericks by birth. I want to make a difference in people's lives.

I am blogging with two aims. Primarily, my heart's desire is to come alongside to train, equip and release the "80%" in the Christian church who may be under-utilized in their Christian life. I believe a fresh view of our relational Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus makes a huge difference in our engagement. God is stirring you to more ("magus") with our God on His epic adventure. Secondarily, what I blog and the material I provide free of charge will also give leaders nuggets they can add to their own and further develop.

I run into many authentic believers in Jesus Christ who have disqualified themselves. The Father, Son and Spirit say we are competent to partner with Him in His epic adventure to win the lost and disciple all people groups. Our playing "small" helps no one. I want to be a catalyst for LifeChange and for us to be Jesus' hands and feet and heart out in the world where the Father is actively working. The desire for change must come from within you, although others, like me can come alongside as flesh-&-blood catalysts for the transformation our Team-of-Three long to bring about.

I'm equally comfortable in the work world, Christian world and academic world. My 40+ year career has weaved in and out between the secular and sacred (although I make no distinction!) as a manager and accountant in the business world, and as a pastor, missionary and adjunct prof as a Christian professional. My heart is particularly stirred for those in the work world. Recently I heard pastor Jay Pathok say: "You have heard the saying, '20% of the people do 80% of the work in the church,' usually just before a passionate request for workers. I got to thinking. It's right that 20% of the people do 80% of the work within the church because the other 80% should be sent to their natural relationships in the work-place, bringing the light and presence of  Jesus." Much of what I have written is with this end in mind, be a catalyst for the 80% to realize the joy and satisfaction in their call "to be sent into the world without being the same as the world."

What is your God-given assignment?  I invite you to explore this website and download any of the free resources you find helpful. I desire is to make a difference. Let me know how I can help. If you are looking for more, perhaps you would like to visit by website at JimFredericks.com

Jim Fredericks

The Marvelous Trinity, Father, Son & Spirit

The Trinity describes God as one in essence or nature, although existing as three separate, yet completely equal persons. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are each unique persons. All partake of the same infinite, eternal, uncreated God-nature. They are therefore co-equal in every way.

The Trinity discloses the fullness of life in eternal relationships and never-ending community. Three, inseparable, indivisible, essential concepts from Scripture form our understanding of God as Trinity, equality, unity and diversity. All three are non-negotiable:

1. Equality – all three Persons are equally and eternally divine in essence, glory, power and attributes, yet not excluding a difference in order or roles.

2. Diversity - God exists eternally as three distinct Persons in intimate, cooperative relationship with each other within this unity.
 3. Unity - there is one and only one true and unique God, complete in every way. He is Community in His united essence. His “Us-ness” is Diversity-within-Unity-&-Equality.

Counterfeits rear their ugly heads by jettisoning one or two of the three essential aspects. After all, the Trinity does scandalize our rational minds while ravishing our worshiping hearts. The trick is to hold these three truths simultaneously, like pushing on the peddles of a bicycle, although this vehicle has three pedals.

Of course, we don’t have equality with God…and never will. It’s silly to think that the created and the Creator could possibly be equal.

However, we do have equality with one another within the human race because the Father, Son and Spirit have equality with one another. And we have compatibility with God because we are made in His image and bear His image, the basis for the solidarity of humanity.

Although we never become little gods, something in God is so compatible with humanity that Jesus Christ in His incarnation could become fully man without ceasing to be fully God. So, as we practice practice a Both/And/And approach and strive to bring all three non-negotiables of equality, unity, and diversity into our everyday relationships on our human level, we will experience deeper, more long lasting and satisfying relationships.

This Both/And/And approach flows from the Trinity. The Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit are pictured most prominently in Scripture with three pictures…all true simultaneously. Marriage (Jesus is Groom and we are His Bride). Family (God is Father and we are His children). Kingdom (God is King and we are His servant/warriors).

The marriage emphasizes personal intimacy with God, His availability and connectedness. The family underscores our deepening maturity as we are nurtured in community to grow and to be trained together for the Family business. The kingdom thrusts us out into the world on our quest with our Team-of-Three to battle for the hearts of the lost world of people.

When we collapse the unique emphasis of either into one or two pictures, however, we lose some of the mystery of the Trinity and His power to transform us. Oh, we may teach all aspects through our one, favorite picture. However, we still diminish what God wants to release through the dynamic intersection of all three.

Embracing all three simultaneously keeps the proper tension of our three-fold life in focus, upward (marriage reflecting intimacy), inward (family raising and releasing children) and outward (kingdom redeeming and restoring the lost to life).

I have a website at JimFredericks.com where I’m blogging and providing resources to walk out the relational Trinitarian, incarnational worldview flowing from God’s Genesis 1 and 2 design.

God’s Intent for Humanity

If you wanted to understand God’s original plan and heart for you, where would you go? What would be your source? I only know of two reliable sources: first, Genesis 1 and 2 before the Fall of humanity in Genesis 3, and second, Jesus, especially as revealed in the four Gospels. This is why Genesis 1 & 2 and the incarnation of Jesus (God becoming man without ceasing to be God, oh mystery) are so crucial to how I now understand what God is like and how He sees me/us.

So let’s begin with God (rather than our partial beliefs) to see how He really views us. And such a true view is contagious. Let’s not begin with our own experience or any lack we internally feel. Return to God’s original (and unchanged) design and His call to journey on this epic adventure with Him. Soak in this first and foremost. Any other view of God impoverishes our lives.

God is intrinsically relational at His core, three Persons-in-Community. And He fashioned us in the Garden to bear His image. This one God in three Persons (Trinity) beckons us to enjoy this divine dance, with Him as Lead-Partner supplying direction and strength, beauty and grace. This brings about LifeChange, transformation at the core of our being, from the inside out. He shapes and forms us to be intimate allies with Himself “on the way” on this epic, lifelong adventure with Him. Don’t ever get over His passion to love and connect with us. Or the wonder.

I’m a committed follower of Jesus Christ. This is my first post of many. I want to explore what I believe is the 1^st century worldview, beginning with the Father and Son as God, and with a high view of His redeemed people.

As I’ve read blogs and their threaded discussions in the past, some just seem to divert to argumentation over small points.  I’m more interested in implementation for LifeChange. So, I’m not encouraging posting on this blog, even if this strikes a responsive chord. Instead, find one person in your circle and pass-it-along in a face-to-face way. Jesus met with His followers personally. We may be able to pass on information through social media and the internet, but LifeChange happens best as we engage personally with other flesh-&-blood people. Pass it along so we can know the full extent of what God offers us (check out the book of Philemon in the New Testament, verse 6).