Trinitarian Grace and Glory
In Colossians 1 Paul unhesitatingly celebrates the work of each person of the Divine Trinity in our salvation: in v.3 of “giving thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” for them of whom he says in v.13 as having “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love”, in v.4 speaking of their “faith in Christ Jesus…”, and in v.8 of their “love in the Spirit.”
From this we are to see that none of the Persons of the Trinity act separately from the rest in works of grace. They are as united in their works as in Their essence. In Their love toward the chosen They are one, and in the actions that flow from that great central source They are still undivided.
Let us then not make preferences between the Persons of the Trinity. Let us not make one attribute of deity more glorious of One and less so in another. Is God the Son lovely in kindness and full of grace, the Father is not less so, nor the Spirit.
In the same way let us not magnify the decree of the Father and the atonement of the Son so as to depreciate the work of the Spirit.
There is no competition between Them nor any reluctance in one compared to the other.
The Son came to glorify His Father in the work of redemption, looking to the Father to glorify Him through it, meanwhile the Spirit glorifies both Father and Son in its application to us and who in turn is glorified by both the Father and Son by sending Him to do that work.
Grace within grace, glory within glory. This is the God we worship, and who we gather to worship this day.
How do we stand in the light of such mystery and majesty?
C H Spurgeon’s call is most appropriate,
‘This day let us live in such a way
as to manifest the work of the Triune God in us.’