A Cord of Three.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ… In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace… Having believed, you were marked in him-with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:3, 7, 13b-14).

A thousand years before the Apostle Paul wrote these glorious words, King Solomon spoke about the strength of three. He said, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Although I do not think Solomon had the Holy Trinity in mind when he wrote so long ago, his words paint a biblical picture for Paul to write about the Trinity.

So what is the cord Paul had in his mind? What are the three strands? God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are the Cord, and the strands are the sworn promises declared by each of them to every believer. What does that mean for us? It means security at the highest level from God. It means
peace with God, emotionally, spiritually and interpersonally. His triune commitment is the unquestionable ground for inexorable security; security that isn’t based on personal worth or moral perfection before God, but rather, God’s foreordained decision (set in motion before the foundations of the world) to adopt and to redeem the least, the lost and the lonely.

What does that triune cord mean for us who believe? Humble confidence. God the Father secures us with the blessing of adoption (acceptance). God the Son secures us with the blessing of redemption (approval). God the Holy Spirit’s secures us with the blessing of confirmation; and that confirmation is that we belong to God. No wonder Paul is so excited to remind the Ephesians of this great hope!

Blessings and Peace!
Joe