“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
(1 John 5:20)
The word “Trinity” may not appear in the pages of Scripture, but the doctrine itself is plainly revealed throughout the whole of divine revelation. From the opening words of Genesis to the final amen of Revelation, God discloses Himself as one divine essence in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—equal in glory, majesty, power, and eternity. The Son is not less than the Father, nor is the Spirit less than the Son. All are fully and truly God.
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, shares in all the divine attributes and exercises all the divine works. At the creation of the world, it was the voice of the triune God that declared, “Let Us make man in Our image” (Genesis 1:26). The Apostle John confirms that the Son was the Word through whom all things came into being: “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). Christ is not only the Maker of heaven and earth, but also the One who sustains it moment by moment, “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).
Christ also performs the works of redemption, which belong to God alone. He sends His messengers into the world—prophets, apostles, pastors, and teachers—to instruct and edify His church (John 20:21, Ephesians 4:11). He gives them what they need—spiritual gifts, wisdom, and grace—to fulfill their callings (Luke 21:15). Through His Spirit and the faithful preaching of His Word, He opens the eyes of the blind and brings sinners into the knowledge of salvation (1 John 5:20). The miracles He performed confirmed His Word, bearing witness that He was who He said He was—God incarnate.
As God, Christ exercises sovereign rule over the hearts and lives of His people. He governs them, teaches them, comforts them, and keeps them through every temptation and trial. The godly are preserved by His intercession and power.
He is the One who hears every prayer lifted in faith (John 14:14; 2 Corinthians 12:8). He forgives sins, justifies the ungodly, and adopts us into the family of God (Isaiah 58:11; John 1:12). He does not offer salvation reluctantly, but freely, pouring out eternal life upon His people (John 10:28; 1 John 5:20). These are divine acts which no man or angel could perform. Only God can save, and Christ is God.
Even now, Christ prepares for that last great act: the judgment of the world. God has appointed Him Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31). Every soul will stand before Him. And the One who died for sinners will either welcome them home or cast them away.
All this confirms what Scripture declares: the Son is truly God. He is not “like God.” He is not “close to God.” He is God—absolutely and eternally. “This is the true God, and eternal life.” Theologian Zacharias Ursinus wrote, “Christ has equal and common honor, and worship, which shows His equality in His essence and operations.”[1] The angels bow before Him (Hebrews 1:6). The church exalts Him in song and prayer. Our faith rests in Him, and He receives our trust (John 14:1).
He who appeared throughout Scripture as the Angel of the Lord is the LORD Himself. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the Christ who walked the streets of Galilee. As the eternal Son, He possesses the very essence of the Father—equal in substance, power, and glory. This is the glorious mystery of the Trinity, that the one God eternally exists in three Persons, and yet is undivided and unchangeable. These truths are high and holy, and though I may never grasp them fully, I worship the Son as the true God and eternal life.
Contemplation:
- The Deity of Christ. I must never allow myself to think of Jesus as a great teacher or example only. He is fully God. When I pray to Him, I am speaking to the One who upholds the universe. When I read His words, I am hearing the voice of my Creator. Lord, forgive my small thoughts of You. Let me always approach You with awe, reverence, and delight, knowing You are truly divine.
- The Works of Christ Confirm His Godhead. The more I consider what Christ has done—creating, sustaining, saving, and judging—the more I am struck by the undeniable truth that He is indeed God. No created being could bear such a weight. I want my confidence in Christ to rest not only on what He has done for me personally, but on the full witness of Scripture, which declares Him to be very God of very God.
- The Trinity in Worship. The doctrine of the Trinity sometimes feels too phenomenal for my understanding, yet it is essential if I am to worship God in spirit and in truth. For I cannot separate the Son from the Father or the Spirit from the Son. To worship the Father aright, I must come through the Son, by the Spirit. I need to grow in honoring all three Persons of the Godhead equally. Let my worship be shaped by truth, Lord, and my heart rejoice in the mystery that one God exists in three Persons.
- Faith in the True God. My faith is not in a philosophy or a religious system—it is in a Person, the true God who became flesh for my sake. That makes all the difference when I’m struggling or doubting. I can go to Christ knowing He hears, He knows, He cares, and He acts. I don’t want a vague idea of God. I want to know the One who gave Himself for me. And I do—because He gave me understanding to know Him.
Prayer (Adoration):
O Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Son of the Father, I lift up my heart in reverence and adoration, for You are the true God and everlasting life. You are not an image of the divine or a reflection of the Father’s glory alone, but the express image of His person, full of majesty, power, and truth. With the Father and the Holy Ghost, You are to be worshipped and adored forever. I bless Your holy name, for in You all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.
You are the Alpha and the Omega, the One who was, and is, and is to come. Before the foundations of the world were laid, You were there in perfect union with the Father. By You all things were made, and without You was not anything made that was made. And now You sustain all things by the word of Your power, governing the heavens and the earth with wisdom and righteousness. Your throne is established forever, and Your dominion shall never pass away.
I adore You as the Head of the church, the Bridegroom of the redeemed. You have called us by Your Word, sanctified us by Your Spirit, and sealed us unto the day of redemption. Who is like You, O Christ? Your grace is beyond measure, Your mercy without end, and Your truth abides forever. You are the fountain of all light, the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the only hope of sinful men. You alone are worthy to open the scroll, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.
Holy Savior, I magnify You not only for what You have done, but for who You are. Your name is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. All creation bows before You, and the saints delight in Your presence. The angels veil their faces at Your glory, crying “Holy, holy, holy.” And I, a poor sinner redeemed by grace, join them in praise, for You have revealed Yourself to me and drawn me to Yourself in love.
How glorious is Your being, O Christ, and how sweet to know You are mine. You are God—unchanging, holy, just, and true. And yet You humbled Yourself to take on human flesh, that we might behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. I tremble at the mystery, and yet I rejoice in it, for it is my life and salvation. Let every breath in me praise You. Let my heart rise in devotion. Let my days be filled with worship.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for 1 John 5:20:
John 14:9, 17:3; 1 John 5:5, 11; Luke 24:45; Rev. 3:7.
[1] Zacharias Ursinus and G. W. Williard, The Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism (Cincinnati, OH: Elm Street Printing Company, 1888), 195.
