Lesson Book, Level 2: The Triune God—The Triune God and the Person and Work of Christ, by Witness Lee

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III. A MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES

The Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit) is a mystery—in fact a mystery of mysteries! Small and finite as human beings are, we can neither understand it thoroughly nor define it in a full way. John 1:1 says, "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." By the clause "the Word was with God," we understand that the Word and God are two, for the Word was with God. But "the Word was God" indicates that the Word and God are one, for the Word was God. Are They one or two? They are both. This is a mystery.

Second Corinthians 3:17 says that "the Lord is the Spirit." Here the Lord and the Spirit are one, for the Lord is the Spirit. Then the same verse speaks of "the Spirit of the Lord." This indicates that They are two. Are the Lord and the Spirit one or two? It is a mystery.

Notice that in Hebrews 1:8-9 the Son is addressed as God; then God is referred to as "His" God: "But as to the Son, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever...therefore God, Your God, has anointed You." How can you explain this? Can you say, "O God, Your God"? This is also a mystery.

Finally, in Revelation 1:4, 4:5, and 5:6 we read that the one Spirit of God (Eph. 4:4) is called "the seven Spirits." Here is another mystery. Dear brothers and sisters, we must learn simply to accept the pure Word.

This mystery should not bother us too much, however. Many things relating to life are not understandable to men; we can only have a general idea of them. For instance, although we have life in our physical body, no one can explain this life thoroughly, for it is a mystery. Furthermore, there is a spirit within us—this is even more of a mystery. What is the life of man? And what is the spirit of man? No one can give a full explanation. If we cannot comprehend such a comparatively small mystery as man, we should not expect to be able to fully understand the great mystery of the Triune God—the Father, Son, and Spirit. There are many other unexplainable things in the universe. Electricity is one example. With our limited minds we can only understand that some things are so, but we cannot perceive why they are so. If we cannot fully understand something like electricity, how much less can we understand the Triune God!

SUMMARY

Although we cannot understand this mystery of the Trinity of the Godhead, we can receive and enjoy this mysterious God. We cannot understand, but we can enjoy! In former days men had no knowledge of vitamins, yet they greatly enjoyed their benefit. Praise the Lord! The Triune God is not for us to understand, but to enjoy. All that He is for us to enjoy is revealed in the Scriptures. Although we cannot fully understand it, we may, according to all that is declared in the Bible, accept whatever is said and enjoy Him.

QUESTIONS

  1. Quote two verses, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, that tell us there is only one God.
  2. What does the term "Triune" mean?
  3. Can you find three verses in the New Testament that refer to all three of the Trinity?

Quoted Portions from (Lee/LSM) Publications

  1. Concerning the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, pp. 5-6, 9-10, 29-31.
  2. The Revelation of the Triune God According to the Pure Word of the Bible, pp. 2-4, 20-21.
  3. The Divine Dispensing of the Divine Trinity, pp. 24-26, 37-38.
  4. Life-study of Genesis, pp. 400-402.
  5. Stream Magazine Book Two, pp. 1440-1441.
  6. Life Messages, pp. 620-621.

(Lesson Book, Level 2: The Triune God—The Triune God and the Person and Work of Christ, Chapter 1, by Witness Lee)

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