Three in one

There is so much confusion about the triune nature of God. I think that a lot of it is based on how divisive the different branches of Christianity have become. Different denominations choose to emphasize and de-emphasize different things for their own purposes of interpretation.

It seems to me that fundamental Christianity prefers to emphasize the three O's (omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence) and God's fatherly characteristics. This is what I grew up with, and it happened to help a lot in my faith because my own dad is pretty cool.

Modern Christianity loves to emphasize Christ as lover -- the bridegroom of the Church and the dashing prince who risks his neck to swoop in and save the day. I love this metaphor, and it has become fitting for me to think of Him this way.

And what many would call charismatics prefer to focus in on the Holy Spirit's all-consuming empowerment and the gifts He enables us to use through Him.

(my nomenclature for these categories is not set-in-stone -- it's just a general idea of how different groups can get an unbalanced mindset over time.)

We miss so much when we just limit God to one of these. We fail to realize that a healthy relationship with God involves understanding and relating to him in all three ways. He is simultaneously Father, Lover and Guide. These three distinct people are really rather difficult for the human imagination to condense into one person (Just as the human eye, weak flesh as it is, would go blind if exposed to the raw glory of God), so God relates to us in three.

Feel free to add your thoughts. I would love to get some feedback/verse references to back up my thoughts, because I'm thinking of writing a series of blog posts based on God's trinity.