Rejoicing in the Work of the Triune God

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”

Personal Reflection

Salvation is the glorious work of the Triune God. The Father purposes salvation, the Son accomplishes redemption, and the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s saving work to His people.

The Spirit is involved throughout the entire course of salvation. He convicts, regenerates, grants repentance and faith, indwells, seals, sanctifies, preserves, and will ultimately participate in raising our mortal bodies to glory. From beginning to end, our salvation is surrounded by divine grace.

Thomas Goodwin encouraged believers to contemplate the distinct love displayed by each Person of the Trinity—the Father choosing, Christ redeeming, and the Spirit revealing and applying salvation—until the heart learns to rejoice in the love of the Triune God.

This is profoundly practical theology. Christianity is not merely believing propositions about God. Sound doctrine should lead us into communion with God.

We should rejoice in the Father who loved us before the foundation of the world. We should adore the Son who shed His blood for our redemption. And we should thank the Holy Spirit who opened our blind eyes, gave us life, brought us to Christ, indwells us now, and continues preparing us for glory.

The deeper our theology becomes, the warmer our worship should become.

Doctrine should never leave the heart cold. When rightly understood, the doctrines of grace should bring us to our knees in wonder.

We are saved by the Father, through the Son, and applied to us by the Spirit—all to the glory of the one Triune God.

Contemplation

Do I consciously worship and thank the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for their gracious work in my salvation?

Puritan Quote

Thomas Goodwin described the believer delighting in:

“the love of Christ in redeeming” and the Spirit’s love in applying salvation.

Prayer

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You for the greatness of Your saving grace. Teach me to rejoice in the distinct and harmonious work of the Triune God in my redemption. Amen.

Application

In prayer today, separately thank the Father for choosing, the Son for redeeming, and the Holy Spirit for applying salvation to your soul.