The late Pastor D. James Kennedy once gave a sermon where he explained for our understanding in an analogy of the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in terms of time. He asked, of what does time consist? Obviously, it consists of the past, the present, and the future, those three. Any “time” we have ever known in this universe always consists of those three. Usually, we have the idea that we come out of the past, and that really is first, because that is where we came from. The fact of the matter is, time comes from the future, and we meet it head on.
For example, today, yesterday was called tomorrow. Now it’s today. A week ago, it was called next week, and now it is today. A year ago, it was called next year. So as time approaches us and we move through it, that is what always happens. Anything is first in the future and then in the present and then it disappears into the past. That is the way time always works. That in itself is an amazing story when you examine it carefully.
Dr. Nathan Wood gives a fascinating quote that is so remarkable I would like to read it to you. Now I realize when I do this, it is going to stretch your cranial capacity almost to the utmost. However, I would challenge you to try to see if you can follow his drift here.
He is going to give a long paragraph. Then he is going to give it again, only this time he is simply going to change four words. The four words are “time,” “future,” “present,” and “past.” They are going to be changed into “God,” “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit.” You are going to find something some of you never knew before—that time, which you live by, which you look at constantly in the way of clocks, watches or cell phones, and which you make your lives run by, is an incredible illustration of the divine Trinity. Listen carefully:
The Future is the source. The Future is unseen, unknown, except as it continually embodies itself and makes itself visible in the Present. The Present is what we see, and hear, and know. It is ceaselessly embodying the Future, day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. It is perpetually revealing the Future, hitherto invisible. The Future is logically first, but not chronologically. For the Present exists as long as Time exists, and was in the absolute beginning of Time. The Present has existed as long as Time has existed. Time acts through and in the Present. It makes itself visible only in the Present. The Future acts, and reveals itself, through the Present. It is through the Present that Time, that the Future, enters into union with human life. Time and humanity meet and unite in the Present. It is in the Present that Time, that the Future, becomes a part of human life, and so is born and lives and dies in human life.
The Past in turn comes from the Present. We cannot say that it embodies the Present. On the contrary, Time, in issuing from the Present into the Past, becomes invisible again. The Past does not embody the Present. Rather it proceeds silently, endlessly, invisibly from it. The Present therefore comes out from the invisible Future. The Present perpetually and ever- newly embodies the Future in visible, audible, livable form; and returns again into invisible Time in the Past. The Past acts invisibly. It continually influences us with regard to the Present. It casts light upon the Present. That is its great function. It helps us to live in the Present which we know, and with reference to the Future which we expect to see.
That is an exact description of the way time operates. It is a perfect analogy. I’m using “analogy” not in the common sense of the word that something is like something or a simile or a metaphor, but in the mathematical meaning, which means it is an exact replica as far as every line, every angle, every corner is concerned.
Now let us replace the words. “Time” is replaced by “God,” the “Future” by the “Father,” the “Present” by the “Son,” and the “Past” by the “Holy Spirit” (Every word the same but these four). You will see that perfect analogy, and you will see the divine Trinity that you have been swimming in all of your life.
The Father is the source. The Father is unseen except as He continually embodies Himself and makes Himself visible in the Son. The Son is what we see, and hear, and know. He is ceaselessly embodying the Father, day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. He is perpetually revealing the Father, hitherto invisible. The Father is logically first, but not chronologically. For the Son exists as long as God exists, and was in the absolute beginning of God. The Son has existed as long as God has existed.
God acts through and in the Son. He makes Himself visible only in the Son. The Father acts, and reveals Himself, through the Son. It is through the Son that God, that the Father, enters into union with human life. God and humanity meet and unite in the Son. It is in the Son that God, that the Father, becomes a part of human life, and so is born and lives and dies in human life.
The Spirit in turn comes from the Son. We cannot say that He embodies the Son. On the contrary, God, in issuing from the Son into the Spirit becomes invisible again. The Spirit does not embody the Son. Rather He proceeds silently, endlessly, invisibly from Him. The Son therefore comes out from the invisible Father. The Son perpetually and ever-newly embodies the Father in visible, audible, livable form; and returns into invisible God in the Spirit. The Spirit acts invisibly. He continually influences us with regard to the Son. He casts light upon the Son. That is His great function. He helps us to live in the Son whom we know, and with reference to the Father whom we expect to see.
That, my friends, is an exact mathematical analogy that each of the portions of the Triunity of the universe are in themselves triune.
Pastor D. James Kennedy
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