Finding Joy in the Trinity

Type of Doctrine: Primary

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

-2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

The Christian God, the God of the Bible, is one God in three persons. This is often referred to as the Trinity. There are many theological directions that we could go on this doctrine. However, one concern is that the doctrine of the Trinity is often presented as a perplexing doctrine that we can't fully fathom. Though this is true, what we can miss is the joy that can be found in the Trinity. This article will focus on that specific aspect of the doctrine.

The doctrine of the Trinity is considered a primary issue. All Christians must believe in the doctrine.

What Is It?

The doctrine of the Trinity contains two main ideas: (1) there is one God and (2) God eternally exists in three equal persons. That is how God has revealed himself in Scripture (some key Scriptures will be given below). While Deuteronomy 6:4 demonstrates that there is only one God, other Scriptures reveal God in three persons: (1) God the Father; (2) God the Son; and (3) God the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

While our human minds cannot fully grasp the depths and wonders of this doctrine, it is not a contradiction. A contradiction would be: there is one God and three Gods. Some issues appear to be a contradiction, but they are not. R. C. Sproul breaks these matters into two categories: (1) paradox and (2) mystery. First, a paradox seems to be a contradiction at first, but the issue is resolved when examined more closely. Second, a mystery may appear to be a contradiction, but upon further reflection, it becomes evident that the seemingly contradictory ideas can go together (even if one is not sure exactly how). Thus, upon further reflection, with a paradox we understand the resolution while with a mystery we don't yet understand it right now. However, either case is not a contradiction. With these categories in mind, the Trinity would be considered a mystery. It is not a contradiction, but we're not yet sure exactly how one God and three persons can go together.[1]

As stunning as it may seem, as I wrote this article I received a news email with this title: "Most American Christians don't believe in the Trinity: Survey." I thought, "Well, I suppose I better read this." Ryan Foley elaborates on the survey,

Overall, just 40% of respondents believe that God exists and affects people’s lives. That figure rises to 53% among self-identified Christians, 60% among theologically-identified born-again Christians, and 100% among Integrated Disciples. The latter term refers to those who have a biblical worldview. While a majority of those surveyed (59%) believe in the existence of Jesus Christ, a significantly smaller share of adults (29%) believe in the Holy Spirit . . . Slightly more than 1 in 10 respondents (11%) believe in the Trinity, that the God of the Bible is “three distinct but inseparable and equal persons in one infinite Being.”[2]

Yes, you read that correctly. About ten percent believe in the Trinity, which is a core doctrine of the Christian faith. Therefore, there is a massive need to inform (the church I guess). Yet, in this article we will go further than mere information.

The doctrine of the Trinity is meant to bring God glory and us joy. We can find joy in our Triune God. In the Old Testament, we're told that in God's "presence there is fullness of joy" (Psa. 16:11). In the New Testament, we're commanded: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Phi. 4:4). Therefore, we should find joy in each person of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Next, we'll look at some more Scriptures concerning the Trinity and finding joy in God. Finally, we'll close with some reflections on finding joy in the Trinity.

Biblical

Here are a few key Scriptures demonstrating the Trinity:

[Deu 6:4 ESV] 4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."
[Mat 3:16-17 ESV] 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
[Mat 28:18-20 ESV] 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
[Jhn 10:30 ESV] 30 "I and the Father are one."
[1Co 8:6 ESV] 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
[2Co 3:17-18 ESV] 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
[2Co 13:14 ESV] 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
[Col 2:9 ESV] 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

Also, here are a few Scriptures demonstrating that we should find our joy in God:

[Psa 16:11 ESV] 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[Jhn 16:22 ESV] 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
[Gal 5:22-23 ESV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
[Phl 4:4 ESV] 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Delight in Our Triune God

Many of us have one of these views of Christianity:

Christianity is about following a bunch of rules.
Christianity is about trying to be a good person.
Christianity is about dropping my bad habits and gaining good ones.

However, Christianity is about sinners receiving grace by faith and gaining an eternal relationship with God. We look forward to living in the kingdom and dwelling with him. But as we get to know more about this God, we often arrive at the doctrine of the Trinity and think one of these things:

The Trinity is hard to understand.
The Trinity is complex theology that doesn't seem relevant to my life.
The Trinity seems like a contradiction. (As discussed earlier, the Trinity is not a contradiction but a mystery.)

Thus, we can miss the point of Christianity and lose focus on why we should learn about the Trinity. Listen to Michael Reeves: "Yet Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God. To know and grow to enjoy him is what we are saved for."[3] We are saved to know and enjoy God.

Of course, our lives are transformed as we get to know God also. But Reeves addresses the main issue: "the Trinity is seen not as a solution and a delight, but as an oddity and a problem."[4] Sadly, sometimes we spend more time discussing the comprehension challenges and heresies concerning the Trinity while neglecting the subject of finding joy in the Trinity.

While we treat the doctrine of the Trinity as boring or odd, it is our pathway to joy. This is pretty ironic. Reeves explains, "The irony could not be thicker: what we assume would be a dull or peculiar irrelevance turns out to be the source of all that is good in Christianity. Neither a problem nor a technicality, the triune being of God is the vital oxygen of Christian life and joy."[5]

Reeves also points out that part of the reason our Western culture isn't drawn to the doctrine of the Trinity is due to how frequently we are drawn to the practical, "how to" books.[6] Perhaps, this highlights both our pragmatism and our misunderstanding of the Trinity.

However, this idea is not new. In fact, the idea of God being our pathway to joy stretches back throughout church history (indeed even into the Old Testament). However, there is an excellent, almost 400 year old book on a similar subject by the Puritan John Owen titled, Communion with God.[7] In this powerful book, Owen discusses how we relate with each member of the Trinity.

Owen begins by quoting John who wrote that "our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3b). Owen concludes that we have communion with each member of the Trinity. Since our fellowship with God was lost through our sin, he states that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to come back into fellowship with God.[8] Owen writes, "Human wisdom leads only to terrors and fears when it thinks of coming into God's presence. But we have, in Christ, the way into God's presence without fear."[9]

He also connects communion to delight: "Now communion is the mutual sharing of those good things which delight all those in that fellowship . . . Those who enjoy this communion are gloriously united to God through Christ and share in all the glorious and excellent fruits of such communion."[10] Owen claims that one day, in Christ's kingdom, our "communion will be perfect and complete when we enter into the full enjoyment of Christ's glory. Then we shall totally give ourselves up to him, resting in him as the utmost fulfilment [sic] of all our desires."[11] But right now our communion is partial and imperfect. This is because right now we only "enjoy the first-fruits and dawnings of that future perfection."[12]

Do you need happiness in your life? Draw near to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In his presence there is fullness of joy.

Application

You might be thinking, "Where do I begin?" Here are a few thoughts:

If you do not have saving faith, then believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins!
Then, read Scripture to learn about the Trinity. (May I suggest starting with the Gospel of John?)
Pray for God to fill you with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Fasting can be an important habit to help your joy in God (the early church often fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays).
Joy will often mingle with sorrow and trials in the Christian life. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2-3).
One day, when Jesus returns, we'll live in his kingdom with eternal, full, and uninterrupted joy.

Where Can I Learn More?

End Notes:

[1] R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith: 100 Key Teachings in Plain Language (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 1992), 7-9.

[2] Ryan Foley, "Most American Christians don't believe in the Trinity: Survey," The Christian Post, March 30, 2025, https://www.christianpost.com/news/most-american-christians-dont-believe-in-the-trinity-survey.html.

[3] Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012), 10.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid., 18.

[6] Ibid., 9-10.

[7] John Owen, Communion with God, ed. R.J.K. Law (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2022).

[8] Ibid., 2.

[9] Ibid., 3.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.