Beholding the Triune God: The Inseparable Work of the Father, Son, and Spirit by Matthew Y. Emerson and Brandon D. Smith is a welcome addition to my library. At once accessible and profoundly biblical, I have already recommended this book to others with full confidence in its usefulness.
It’s particularly providential that I set out to review this book this week. On Thursday night, our Life Group took a sudden rabbit trail and we had an impromptu question-and-answer session—including several questions about the Trinity. I pulled this book from my desk and found a few of my favorite passages.
First, we affirmed as a group that:
“The Father, the Son, and the Spirit inseparably and with one will, power, and authority know all things, created all things, sustain all things, and will complete the redemption of all things” (Emerson & Smith, Beholding the Triune God, p. 32).
Then, as our conversation moved toward distinctions and order, we referred to the formula of “from, through, and by” as communicated in this quote:
“A common way to put it [the order or taxis of the persons of the Trinity] throughout church history is that the acts of God are from the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit” (Emerson & Smith, Beholding the Triune God, p. 11).
Like many evangelicals, we all intuited the basic “from, through, and by” economy, but Emerson and Smith’s book provided much-needed clarity. Especially as fewer and fewer churches recite the ecumenical creeds regularly, this book fills an urgent need as it both provides and explains the language we need to speak faithfully about the Trinity.
As we continued to talk as a group, it became clear that many of us have heard people say that the Trinity is not mentioned in Scripture and that Jesus never talks about the Trinity. Emerson and Smith’s insight into the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 is especially helpful in correcting these common misconceptions. They write:
“Notice that Jesus commands baptism in the one, singular name of the three persons of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism is the sign of the new-covenant reality of union with God, and thus baptism into the one name of the three persons is a sign of union with all three persons of one God. This signifies the end, or goal, of the church’s mission, to see those who were once dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1) united to the triune God by faith” (Emerson & Smith, Beholding the Triune God, p. 79).
This excerpt gets at another reason I am eager to recommend this book. It goes beyond merely “getting the Trinity right” as a doctrine to why beholding the Trinity matters as a personal, life-changing reality.
Overall, this book serves as a great entry to or refresher on Trinitarian theology. It invites readers to deepen their understanding, but also to go further—to marvel at the inseparable operations of God the Father, Son, and Spirit in revelation, providence, creation, salvation, mission, communion, sanctification, and judgment. It emphasizes that beholding the Trinity throughout Scripture is not only critical for right doctrine but is a beautiful and transformational discipline. As we perceive the workings of the Father, Son, and Spirit in all things—indeed, in our very selves!—we are better prepared to love our Triune God and join in his mission as the Church.
A note: I received a copy of Beholding the Triune God from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your own copy below. I highly recommend that you do so!
Ryanne Molinari 