<> Ask the Pastor Pastor Walter Snyder The 'exciting' part of the Church Year ends today, with the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Trinity. From now until the next Advent season, the Christian Church settles into its equivalent of the "dog days" of summer. Rather than focusing on the special events in Jesus' life, those churches who follow a liturgical calendar turn to Christ's teachings, the building up of the faithful, and reaching out to those who are still lost. We won't skip lightly over Trinity Sunday. Today we celebrate a Biblical doctrine that is not expressed in so many words. Scripture is clear that we worship one true God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4; 1 Tim. 2:5) who is Triune, having three persons (Mt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:14). Reason cannot comprehend the Trinity, yet belief in it is a central article of the Christian Faith. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. However, the Father is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit, the Son is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Trinity Sunday is a celebration of all that God has revealed himself to be and all that he does. We recall with joy his work of creation, redemption, and sanctification, giving thanks that he has made us his and will bring us to heaven. We also may take time to consider his divine 'attributes' (those characteristics peculiar to him). As you examine his attributes, you'll see that some of them may also be applied to people-- especially to Christians--yet they are fully and perfectly realized only in our Triune God. Some of them are included in today's column. We know from the Bible that God is ETERNAL (without beginning or end), for Ps. 90:2 says, "From everlasting to everlasting you are God." He is IMMUTABLE (unchanging); "I the Lord do not change" (Mal. 3:6). God is also OMNIPOTENT (almighty, all powerful), since he says, "I am God Almighty" (Gen. 17:1) and OMNISCIENT (all-knowing), as Peter confessed in John 21:17, "Lord, you know all things." We also believe that he is OMNIPRESENT (present everywhere at the same time) from passages such as Jer. 23:24: "'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' declares the Lord." God also tells us that he is HOLY (sinless and hating sin); "I, the Lord, your God, am holy" (Lev. 19:2). He is JUST (completely fair and desiring that right always be done), as Deut. 32:4 confesses: "A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." Important especially for fallen mankind are the final two attributes listed today. God is MERCIFUL (full of pity and compassion) and "His tender mercies are over all his works" (Ps. 145:9). He is also GRACIOUS (loving beyond measure and without first being loved), for "God is love" (1 John 4:8). When we study all that God reveals about himself, we realize our error of too often limiting him. By not fully believing all that God is, we "downsize" him, making him smaller and weaker--less "Godly" in our own minds--than he really is. Such happens when we define God according to a few of his attributes, rather than confessing all that he shows himself to be. Thus, some who call themselves Christian focus only on his mercy or his grace. They refuse to believe that God truly hates sin and commands the death of sinners. Such a position not only denies much of Scripture, it also makes a mockery of Christ's work of atonement, because if God doesn't condemn sinners, then why did he send his Son to suffer and die in our place? Others practice what has sometimes been called "Gospel-shouting" Christianity. Actually, "Gospel" has no place in their religion, since they focus almost exclusively on the holiness, majesty, and power of God. They try to scare people into belief, rather than fully proclaiming the sweet Gospel message of his grace and mercy, his love for us in Christ Jesus. The Gospel is ignored and the Law is over-emphasized. Still, God is not defined by 'averaging' his attributes and finding some comfy middle ground. Instead, he is proclaimed in the language of extremism: He is absolutely holy, just, merciful, gracious, and all the rest. We fully teach his wrath at fallen mankind trying to live without him, mistreating and neglecting each other. We just as fully teach that he forgives all sins because of Jesus Christ and will bring all believers to live with him in heaven. Until next week, when, Lord willing, we enjoy more of your questions, remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas and is the coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.