The Third Creed—A Song of Praise to the Triune God (3)

Rev. C. Sonnevelt, Krabbendijke, the Netherlands

It was very quiet in the church. The preacher leaned forward a little before he said, “We can only be reconciled with God by God!’ What did he mean? He explained it in a simple way. “There will never be peace between God and man unless the Lord intervenes. He reconciles sinners to Himself. How does He do that? By the sacrifice of His only Son, the Lord Jesus! Christ is not a human Saviour. He is God Himself, the Second Person in the divine Being. What a wonder: sinners are reconciled with God by God!”

A deep hush fell over the congregation. One could almost hear a pin drop when the minister continued. “Yet we need a second wonder, friends. We need to be converted, and we can only be converted to God by God. Do you understand it? We cannot be converted by man but only by God’s Spirit. Just imagine that the Holy Spirit were a mere power; none of us could ever be saved. But what a wonder—He, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, is God Himself!”

Everything in the Athanasian Creed revolves around these two wonders. Do you remember that we studied the Apostolic and the Nicene Creeds in the previous articles? Both of them are called general or ecumenical creeds. This time we will look at the third creed of the Christian church. It is the confession that bears the name of Athanasius, the man who was banished five times because he stood firmly for the truth that Christ is God.

Not from Athanasius and yet Athanasian

It may disappoint you to learn that Athanasius is not the actual writer of the Athanasian Creed. Before the seventeenth century, many believed that the ancient church father was the author, but since then it has become clear that this is not the case. Whereas Athanasius used Greek, this confession was written in Latin. This most likely happened in the fifth century, long after his death. In addition, Athanasius does not refer to it in any of his writings. Yet, this creed has definitely been composed in the spirit of Athanasius. It proclaims the same truth which he so ardently defended. Therefore, we continue to call it the Athanasian Creed.

Son of God and Son of man

The second part of the Athanasian Creed (Articles 29-40) is devoted to the Person of Christ. As we know, Christ has two natures—the one human and the other divine. Nestorius separated these natures so that there seemed to be two Persons in Christ. Eutyches did the opposite. He hardly distinguished between the two natures. The human nature was, as it were, swallowed up by the divine nature. The Church Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. condemned both opinions. The church confessed that Christ is one Person with two natures which are neither separated nor changed. He is God and man in one Person. The same truth can be found in the Athanasian Creed. The words may sound a little difficult, but you will understand how important this truth is. Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man. That is why He is the perfect Mediator between God and man. His Name is Immanuel: “God with us”!

Three in One; One in Three

The longest part of the Athanasian Creed (Articles 3-28) is about the Trinity. It says that “we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in unity.” It speaks of the essential and the personal attributes of God. The three Persons have the same essence. Each of them is eternal and almighty. Together these Persons are the only, eternal, and almighty God. We also read about the relationships between the three Persons. Although they partake of the same essence, they have different personal properties. The Father is not begotten, but the Son is. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. In short, there are three Persons in the one divine essence; yet, these Three are one. It is a mystery that we cannot understand, but we believe it because the Lord has revealed it in His Word. God is always greater. He is adorable.

Head knowledge or heart knowledge?

We are on solid biblical ground when we believe in a Triune God. It is not enough, however, to agree with these articles in an intellectual way. We need more than head knowledge; we need heart knowledge. Our Belgic Confession speaks of operations of the Triune God which “we feel in ourselves” (Article 9). God’s people come to know this God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. When the Lord begins to deal with us in a saving manner, He shows us our sin and guilt. We are confronted with God the Creator, whose law we have broken and whose goodness we have despised. Our Maker has become our Judge who must condemn us forever. When this is experienced, we long to be delivered from the curse of the law, the wrath of God, and the power of our corruption. We are made to see our need of a righteousness which will satisfy God, but alas, in ourselves we find nothing but unrighteousness. We become bankrupt beggars who have nothing but guilt.

God or Allah?

How hopeless our condition would be if God would not be a Triune God—in other words, if He would be like Allah. But what a wonder, God has a Son whom He sent into this world to merit salvation. Christ took our human nature upon Himself to suffer and die. He fully satisfied the law and bore the punishment. How amazing! Yet, it will not help a poor and needy sinner unless this wonder is revealed to him. Precisely this makes the Trinity so wonderful. There also is a Third Person who opens the eyes of the soul, applies the treasures of Christ, and grants faith to receive them. We find this Third Person even hidden in that beautiful text: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Who is able to believe in Him without the power of God’s Spirit?

Above man, with man, and in man

Do we now see how necessary the doctrine of the Trinity is? When this glorious doctrine is denied, there can be no salvation. Those who do so only know of a God above them, a cold, remote deity with whom sinners can have no fellowship. Only Christians have a God above them and with them. Christ is their Immanuel. He has made it possible for guilty sinners to draw near unto the holy and righteous God above them with liberty. But not only do they have a God above them and with them; they also have God in them. The Holy Spirit dwells in their heart, assures them of salvation, renews them to a holy life, and keeps them, despite all their weakness and stumbling, to the very end.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost

Young people, you have been baptized in the Name of this Triune God. Seek Him before it is too late, before, as the Athanasian Creed says, “they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.” Beg the Lord for that true faith by which you will condemn yourself, justify God, and flee to that precious Redeemer who never rejects a poor sinner, whether young or old. The Lord grant you and me to pray:

May the grace of Christ the Saviour,
And the Father’s boundless love,
With the Holy Spirit’s favour
Rest upon us from above.

Who began the work in your soul, God or you?

— William Tiptaft

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