The Ontological and Economic Trinity
How can
God be a trinity, yet one? This we explain by adopting the concept of an
ontological Trinity; which simply means that the essence of the Godhead is that
of the personhoods of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Each person in
the Godhead is of the same eternal ontology—that is essence (nature) differing
only in relationship. So, we can say as he said of himself: “I and [my] Father
are one (John 10:30 KJV).” Theologians, however, distinguish between what God
is—that is his ontology; and what God does. God is ontologically a Trinity;
what God does—that is, how He conducts business, is called the economic Trinity
(economic,
from the Greek oikonomikos, which means relating to arrangement of
activities). Debate on who God is has long
been settled in the Church; however, how God works—that is, arranges His
activities is still controversial. More about that later; but first, let’s
consider how God can be ontologically a trinity, yet one.
One of
the early Church Fathers put it this way:
“A word
is an effluence (that which flows out from) from intelligence, and to speak as
men do, the intelligence that issues forth by mean of the tongue is derived
from the heart and passes through the mouth; and it is different from the word
which exists in the heart. For after sending the other forth, the latter
remains as it was. But the other, which was sent froth, flies off and is
carried about in every direction. And thus each is in the other, and each is
distinct from the other. They are one, and thus each is in the other, and each
is one, and at the same time there are two. Likewise, the Father and the Son
were said to be one, and in each other” Dionysius the Great (AD 248-265)
Interestingly,
Jesus is called the Word of God and from God, thus Jesus as the express image
of his, who bears the very stamp of His (God’s) nature and became superior to
the angels as the name he obtained is more excellent that their (Cf. Hebrews
1:1-4).
Now, as
consider this passage in relation to both the ontological and economic Trinity,
we see a praxis not of Divine essence, but rather of potentiality in and of the
Word as it progresses through Godly intentions in the workings of His will (cf.
1 Corinthians 12:6) and in particular in the life of Jesus as the Son of Man.
Thus, we must understand that for all practical purposes the three persons in
the Godhead are united in purpose and kind, and are of the same Godly essence
(cf. Colossians 1:19 with 2:9). Therefore, we are complete in Him which is the
head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10 KJV).
What a
wonderful possibility. What a wonderful though, that God in His fulness may
also dwell in us (cf. John 14:17; Romans 8:9; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16)
and we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).
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