Eternity to Eternity: The Circumference of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Isaac Megbolugbe
April 4, 2026
Introduction
Apostle John perspective on the narrative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is anchored by the revelation of who Jesus is from eternity to eternity as person who was never created but the creator of everything. He was the Word of God that proceeded from God, the Father like radiance which proceeds from the Sun, providing light and heat from the same source, light to see and heat to supply energy. The fusion of the cosmic nature of Jesus Christ rooted in eternity and the personal nature of God embodied in the Lordship of Jesus Christ provides such clarity about the purpose of the ministry of Jesus Christ to offer an invitation of humanity to participate in the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as presented by the Apostle John, is not merely a historical record of a Galilean teacher; it is a profound theological account of the eternal, cosmic “Logos”—the Word made flesh. John’s perspective, framed from the “beginning” before time itself, anchors the gospel in the revelation that Jesus was never created, but is the creator of everything. This perspective, moving from eternity past (1:1) to eternity future (in Revelation), provides the ultimate context for the incarnation, ministry, and invitation of Jesus to participate in the Kingdom of God.
The Eternal Nature of the Word
John begins his narrative not in Bethlehem, but in eternity, asserting the absolute deity of Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Never Created, Always Creator: John establishes that the Word was already present at the inception of time and creation. Because “all things were made through him” (John 1:3), Jesus cannot be part of that creation. He is the uncreated Creator, distinct from the Father yet sharing the same divine essence.
The Radiance of God: The analogy of the Word proceeding from the Father is often understood as light proceeding from a sun—providing both illumination (light) and energy (heat) from the same source. Hebrews 1:3, echoing John, describes Jesus as the “radiance of God’s glory,” indicating that Jesus is the visible expression of God’s invisible nature, sharing His exact essence.
The “I AM”: John further secures this eternal perspective by recounting Jesus’ statements, such as “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), equating himself with the eternal name of God revealed to Moses.
The Incarnation: Cosmic Fusion
The “Word became flesh” (John 1:14) is the central fusion of the cosmic and the personal. The same Creator who upholds the universe stepped into it.
Tabernacling Among Us: John states the Word “dwelt” (literally “pitched his tabernacle”) among us. Just as the tent of meeting held the glory of God in the wilderness, Jesus’ humanity became the new, tangible dwelling place of God’s presence on earth.
Grace and Truth: In this personal form, Jesus reveals the fullness of God’s grace and truth, offering a personal connection to a divine being.
The Purpose: Invitation to the Kingdom
The purpose of this eternal Being entering human history is defined as an invitation to humanity to participate in the Kingdom of God, which John often refers to as “eternal life”.
The Invitation to Believe: John writes that this is done “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
Participation in the Kingdom: Eternal life in John is not merely a future hope, but a present reality—a quality of life lived in communion with God. It is the invitation to be born again, becoming children of God (John 1:12).
The Invitation to Abide: Jesus invites believers to “abide” in him, just as he abides in the Father, promising that those who believe are securely held in God’s hand.
Summary of John’s Perspective
Apostle John presents a cosmic Gospel that bridges the chasm between the infinite and the finite. Jesus is the eternal Word whose incarnation makes the “invisible God visible” (John 1:18). By fusing the cosmic nature of Christ with His personal Lordship, John offers the clearest, most profound invitation: for humanity to move from darkness into the Light, participating in the divine, eternal life of the Creator.
The Cosmic Vision of Jesus Christ
The Gospel according to John presents a majestic, cosmic vision of Jesus Christ that transcends the temporal narrative of his earthly life, anchoring salvation in the eternal nature of the Son. John’s perspective, often termed Johannine theology, reveals Jesus not as a created being, but as the eternal Creator, the “Word” (Logos) who existed with God the Father before the foundation of the world. By framing the Gospel from this “eternity to eternity” perspective, John demonstrates that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory—a personal embodiment of divine light and energy meant to draw humanity into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus: The Eternal Creator, Not a Created Being
Unlike the Synoptic Gospels which begin with Jesus’ human genealogy, John begins before time, stating: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
The Uncreated Creator: John presents Jesus as the agent of creation, through whom all things came into existence. He is the pre-existent God who took on flesh, not a divine being created at a specific point in time.
The Word (Logos) Proceeding from the Father: Jesus is depicted as proceeding from the Father in the same manner that radiance proceeds from the sun—an essential, inseparable emanation that is distinct from the source but not separate in essence. Just as a sun cannot exist without its light and heat, the Father is never without the Son.
Light and Heat: As light, the Word brings divine truth, illuminating the darkness of humanity; as heat, he provides the energetic life and power necessary to transform believers.
The Fusion of Cosmic Nature and Personal Lordship
John bridges the gap between a transcendent cosmic deity and a personal Lord. The same Jesus who held the cosmos together before time (cosmic nature) is the one who “tabernacled” (pitched his tent) among humanity (personal nature).
The “I AM” Statements: Jesus identifies himself using the divine name “I AM,” connecting his authority directly to God’s revelation in Exodus 3:14.
The Visible Father: The fusion is perfected in the incarnation, where Jesus acts as the “exact representation” of God. He is the visible radiance of the invisible God, making the divine approachable, understandable, and relational.
Lordship in Action: This fusion ensures that Jesus is not merely a philosophical principle, but the personal Lord who invites humanity into fellowship, demanding and enabling a new way of living, characterized by abiding in his word.
The Purpose: Invitation to the Kingdom of God
The purpose of this eternal perspective is to provide clarity on the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. John highlights that the Gospel is an urgent invitation for humanity to move from darkness to light and participate in the Kingdom of God, which is characterized by eternal life.
Participating in the Life of God: In John’s Gospel, eternal life is not just a future reality but a present experience that begins by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ.
Children of God: By believing in the name of this eternal Creator, humans are given the right to become children of God, reborn by grace rather than works.
A “10,000-Foot View” of Salvation: The narrative serves to show that Jesus was not just a teacher but the Savior who offers true meaning, breaking the power of darkness and offering the “bread of life”.
In summary, the Apostle John presents the Gospel as a comprehensive, eternal reality where the Creator becomes the Savior, inviting humanity to participate in a Kingdom that is not of this world, but which transforms our place within it.
Jesus Christ as the Personhood of God
Portraying Jesus Christ as fully divine and fully human—the God-Man—is foundational to Christian theology, signifying that God is intimately acquainted with human suffering, provides a perfect mediator for salvation, and restores the divine image in humanity. This union allows God to be both just and the
Significance of the Dual Nature of Jesus Christ
Divine Empowerment and Revelation: As fully divine, Jesus acts as the definitive revelation of God’s character, power, and love, showing God is not an abstract force but a purposeful person. He is “very God of very God,” capable of forgiving sins, performing miracles, and displaying divine knowledge.
Human Empathy and Solidarity: As fully human, Jesus experienced hunger, exhaustion, temptation, and death, allowing him to relate to the frailties of human existence. This means God understands the human experience from the inside, providing comfort and validation of human dignity.
Atonement and Mediation: The Incarnation was necessary for salvation; as human, Jesus could represent mankind and die, while as God, his sacrifice held infinite value to satisfy divine justice. He is the sole, necessary mediator between God and humanity.
Restoration of the Image of God: The Fall marred the divine image in humanity, but Jesus, as the perfect human, restores that image—characterized by righteousness and holiness—in those who follow him.
Modeling True Humanity: Jesus serves as the ultimate example of a life lived in perfect obedience to God, showing how humanity can live out its purpose in relation to the Creator.
This union, established in the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451), holds that Christ remains one person with two distinct natures, retaining individual properties without dilution.
Understanding the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God
Portraying Jesus Christ as fully divine and fully human—the God-Man—is foundational to Christian theology, signifying that God is intimately acquainted with human suffering, provides a perfect mediator for salvation, and restores the divine image in humanity. This union allows God to be both just and the redeemer, bridging the gap between holy divinity and finite humanity.
Significance of the Dual Nature of Jesus Christ
Divine Empowerment and Revelation: As fully divine, Jesus acts as the definitive revelation of God’s character, power, and love, showing God is not an abstract force but a purposeful person. He is “very God of very God,” capable of forgiving sins, performing miracles, and displaying divine knowledge.
Human Empathy and Solidarity: As fully human, Jesus experienced hunger, exhaustion, temptation, and death, allowing him to relate to the frailties of human existence. This means God understands the human experience from the inside, providing comfort and validation of human dignity.
Atonement and Mediation: The Incarnation was necessary for salvation; as human, Jesus could represent mankind and die, while as God, his sacrifice held infinite value to satisfy divine justice. He is the sole, necessary mediator between God and humanity.
Restoration of the Image of God: The Fall marred the divine image in humanity, but Jesus, as the perfect human, restores that image—characterized by righteousness and holiness—in those who follow him.
Modeling True Humanity: Jesus serves as the ultimate example of a life lived in perfect obedience to God, showing how humanity can live out its purpose in relation to the Creator.
This union, established in the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451), holds that Christ remains one person with two distinct natures, retaining individual properties without dilution.
Furthermore: Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of God”
Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of God” is central to grasping how a single, unified God interacts with the immense complexity of the physical and spiritual worlds. This perspective clarifies that the diverse operations of God—from the vastness of cosmic creation to the intimacy of human transformation—are not the work of separate entities, but the manifold activities of one personal God.
The Unified Presence in Multiplicity
The significance of this understanding lies in its ability to reconcile God’s oneness with His diverse ways of acting:
Bridge Between the Infinite and Finite:The Holy Spirit acts as the “personal, animating presence” of the Creator within the creation. This allows God to be both transcendent (above all) and immanent (present within), bridging the gap between His holy divinity and the chaotic elements of the world.
The “Executive” of the Godhead: In the “economy” of the Trinity—how God operates toward the world—the Spirit is often seen as the one who applies the Father’s plans and the Son’s accomplishments. While the Father plans and the Son accomplishes redemption, the Spirit is the one who “applies” it to individual lives and history.
Harmony of Diverse Functions: The Spirit’s operations are incredibly varied, yet they are all “Spirit of God” actions. These include:
Creation and Life: Bringing order out of chaos and sustaining all life-forces.
Revelation and Truth: Inspiring Scripture and helping believers interpret and apply it.
Empowerment: Granting “spiritual gifts” like wisdom, leadership, and artistry for specific missions.
Transformation: Renewing the human heart to move from “disobedience to obedience”.
Significance for Believers
Recognizing the Spirit as fully God in these operations provides several theological and practical benefits:
Assurance of Divine Authority: Because the Spirit is God, His work in a person’s life (such as conviction of sin or the “sealing” of a soul) carries the full weight and authority of the Almighty.
Experiential Knowledge of God: The Spirit is the “closest to us,” acting as the way humans “experience the life of God” within themselves. This moves God from being a “higher power outside” to a transforming presence within.
Unity in Diversity: The Spirit’s work in the Church demonstrates how God creates a “richer and dynamic unity” out of diverse people and gifts. Just as the Spirit is one with the Father and Son, He works to integrate “all varieties of people” into a single, harmonious community.
By viewing the Spirit as the very Spirit of God, theology avoids treating the Spirit as a mere “force” or “influence”. Instead, He is recognized as a personal being with volition and emotion, whose complex operations are the active, living reach of God into every corner of existence.
Interplay Between Spiritual Gifts and the Multiplicity of Modern Church Operations
The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts as a practical expression of God’s “multiplicity of operations,” ensuring that no single individual holds all the power, but rather that the entire community must work together as one body.
Categorization of Spiritual Gifts
Theologically, these gifts are often grouped into three broad categories that reflect the different ways God operates through people:
Motivational (Support) Gifts: These flow from a person’s inner inclinations to meet the practical needs of others.
Examples: Service, Giving, Mercy, Hospitality, and Administration.
Ministry (Office) Gifts: These are specific callings or roles established to lead and equip the church for its mission.
Examples: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastors/Teachers.
Manifestation (Sign) Gifts: These are supernatural “workings” intended to demonstrate the presence and power of God in a specific moment.
Examples: Healing, Miracles, Discernment, and Speaking in Tongues.
Distribution and Purpose in the Modern Church
The distribution of these gifts is not random but follows a divine logic designed for the “common good” of the community.
Sovereign Allotment: The Spirit apportions gifts “just as He determines,” meaning believers cannot force or manufacture a specific gift.
Essential Interdependence: By giving different gifts to different people, God creates a system where “the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you'”. This prevents the rise of a “Super Saint” and requires believers to live in a state of mutual care.
Providential vs. Miraculous: In many modern contexts, scholars distinguish between “providential” gifts (natural talents like teaching or mercy that are sanctified by the Spirit) and “miraculous” gifts (instantaneous displays of power), though both serve the same goal of glorifying Christ.
The Guard of Love: Without love, any operation of a gift is considered “worthless” or a “clanging cymbal”. Love acts as the integrating force that ensures the “multiplicity” of operations does not lead to “multiplicity” of division.
Source of all Existence
God, the Father is the source of all existence and life being self-existent and eternal. Both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father, yet the essence of God are fully embodied by both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit including in community and unity. The comprehension of this mystery of the nature and existence of God remains beyond human conception or imagination.
The Source and the Stream: The Mystery of the One Divine Essence
In the landscape of Christian theology, no concept is as profound or as elusive as the nature of God’s existence. At the heart of this mystery lies a paradox: God is a single, undivided essence, yet this essence is fully realized in three distinct persons. This relationship defines a God who is not a solitary monolith, but an eternal community of love and action.
The Father: The Unbegotten Source
The Father is recognized as the fons divinitatis—the fountainhead or source of all that exists. He is uniquely characterized by His self-existence (aseity); He is not created, nor does He derive His life from any external power. As the eternal Father, His very nature is to be the origin of life. From this source, the divine life flows eternally, establishing the Father as the foundational reality from which all spiritual and physical existence springs.
The Procession of the Son and the Spirit
While the Father is the source, Christian doctrine maintains that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not “creations” of the Father but rather proceed from Him eternally.
The Son (Jesus Christ): Is described as “eternally begotten.” Like light proceeding from a candle, the Son is of the same substance as the Father, embodying the Father’s Word and wisdom.
The Holy Spirit: Is understood to “proceed” from the Father (and, in Western theology, the Son), acting as the personal breath and animating power of the Godhead.
This “procession” does not imply a beginning in time or a secondary status. Instead, it describes an eternal relationship of origin that preserves the unity of the divine nature.
Full Embodiment in Unity
The significance of this mystery is that the “fullness of the Godhead” dwells in both Jesus and the Spirit. They do not possess a portion of God’s essence; they embody it entirely.
In Jesus, we see the personhood of God taking on human nature to bridge the gap between the Creator and the created.
In the Holy Spirit, we experience the operations of God within the heart and the cosmos.
Because they share the same essence, their operations are never in conflict. They exist in perichoresis—a Greek term describing a “divine dance” or mutual indwelling. In this community, the three persons are so perfectly united in will, love, and purpose that they remain one God.
A Reality Beyond Conception
Ultimately, the internal life of God remains a “mystery of faith.” Human language and logic are designed to categorize finite things—objects that have a beginning, an end, and a boundary. God, however, is infinite and eternal.
To suggest that God is both One and Three defies the limits of human conception. It invites the believer not into a math problem to be solved, but into a relationship to be experienced. We recognize that while we can apprehend the truth of God’s nature through revelation, we can never fully comprehend it. This “sacred incomprehensibility” ensures that God remains truly God—always greater than our highest thoughts.
The Early Church and Understanding of Divine Existence
The formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity at the early church councils was a rigorous process of refining Greek philosophical terms to express biblical revelation. These councils primarily addressed heresies that threatened the unity and divinity of the Godhead, resulting in the technical language used in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
1. The Council of Nicaea (325 AD): The Divinity of the Son
The First Council of Nicaea was convened primarily to address Arianism, a teaching by the priest Arius
Homoousios (Of the Same Essence):This became the most critical term. The council declared that Jesus Christ is homoousios with the Father, meaning he is of the “same substance” or “same essence”.
Refusal of Homoiousios: The Arians proposed homoiousios, meaning “of like essence.” The inclusion or exclusion of a single letter (“i” or iota) determined whether Jesus was viewed as identical in nature to God or merely similar.
Key Phrases: The council added phrases such as “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made” to explicitly define the Son’s eternal, uncreated nature.
2. The Council of Constantinople (381 AD): The Divinity of the Spirit
While Nicaea established the Son’s divinity, it left the nature of the Holy Spirit largely undefined. The First Council of Constantinople completed this work to counter groups like the Macedonians (or Pneumatomachi), who denied the Spirit’s full divinity.
The Giver of Life: The council expanded the creed to declare the Spirit as “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father”.
Equality of Worship: It affirmed that the Spirit is “worshiped and glorified” together with the Father and the Son, solidifying the Spirit’s co-equal status.
Three Hypostases, One Ousia: The “Cappadocian Fathers” (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus) were instrumental here, clarifying that God exists as one essence (ousia) in three persons(hypostases).
3. Philosophical Distinctions: Essence vs. Personhood
These councils used precise categories to distinguish what God is from who the persons are:
Ousia (Essence/Substance): Refers to the common nature shared by the three. It is simple, undivided, and uncreated.
Hypostasis (Person): Refers to the individual “subsistence” or centers of consciousness within that one essence. Each hypostasis possesses the entire divine essence without division.
Procession and Generation: These terms describe the relationships of origin within the Trinity (the Son is “begotten,” the Spirit “proceeds”) without implying a temporal beginning or inequality.
The work of these councils ensured that the “multiplicity of operations” mentioned previously was understood not as three gods working together, but as the one true God acting through distinct, co-equal persons.
Explaining How Jesus could be both God and man
The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) was the pivotal moment where the Church defined how the divine essence (discussed in Nicaea and Constantinople) united with human nature in the single person of Jesus Christ.
While earlier councils established who Jesus was (God), Chalcedon explained how He could be both God and man simultaneously without losing the integrity of either nature.
1. The Challenge: Two Extremes
The council had to navigate between two conflicting views that threatened the “mystery of the incarnation”:
Nestorianism: The idea that Jesus was two separate persons (one divine, one human) living in one body like a “split personality.”
Monophysitism (Eutychianism): The idea that Christ’s divinity “swallowed up” His humanity, creating a third, hybrid nature that was neither fully God nor fully man.
2. The Definition: The “Hypostatic Union”
The bishops produced the Chalcedonian Definition, which introduced the concept of the Hypostatic Union. It declared that Jesus is one person (hypostasis) existing in two natures (physeis).
To protect this mystery, the Council used four famous “negatives” to describe how these two natures relate to each other. They are joined:
Without Confusion: The two natures do not mix to create a “new” third thing.
Without Change: The divine nature did not change into a human one, nor did the human nature become divine.
Without Division: They are not two separate entities merely “glued” together.
Without Separation: The union is eternal; the Son of God will forever be the God-Man.
3. “The Communication of Idioms”
A key result of Chalcedon was the doctrine of Communicatio Idiomatum. This means that because Jesus is one person, whatever can be said of either nature can be said of the Person.
The divine acts: Because He is God, He can forgive sins and be omnipresent in His divinity.
The human acts: Because He is man, He can weep, bleed, and die.
The Unified Person: We can say “God died on the cross” or “The Son of Mary created the universe.” Not because the divine essence died, but because the Person who is God truly experienced death through His human nature.
4. The Significance of “Full Humanity”
Chalcedon insisted that Jesus has a rational soul and a physical body. He isn’t just God wearing a “human suit.” This was vital for salvation: theologians argued that “what is not assumed is not healed.” If Jesus didn’t have a human mind or a human will, then the human mind and will could not be redeemed.
By defining Jesus as “Consubstantial (Homoousios) with the Father as touching His Godhead, and consubstantial with us as touching His manhood,” the Council ensured that Jesus was the perfect bridge—fully reaching into the heart of God and fully reaching into the experience of man.
The Concept of Godhead and the Concept of Three Persons
I don’t like the concept of Godhead and the concept of three persons. I believe the personhood of God should be limited to Jesus Christ who shared humanity with us as persons. His personhood should be considered the manifestation of the personhood of God without engaging with the equivalence of personhood of the father and the spirit whose architecture of existence is beyond the imagination and comprehension of humanity.
This perspective is countenanced by a theological tradition often called Christocentrism or, in some historical contexts, a form of Economic Monarchianism. It prioritizes the tangible, relatable personhood of Jesus as the sole lens through which we can understand “personhood” in God, while leaving the Father and Spirit in the realm of the incomprehensible Divine Essence. This section of the article explores the significance of this view:
The Human Face of the Infinite: Jesus as the Singular Personhood of God
For many, the classical “Three Persons” model of the Trinity feels like an abstract mathematical problem that obscures rather than reveals the nature of God. By focusing the concept of personhood exclusively on Jesus Christ, a theology emerges that is both deeply relatable and intellectually honest about the limits of human imagination.
1. Personhood as a Human Category
The term “person” is a category derived from human experience. We understand persons as beings with whom we can converse, who have physical presence, and who share in our emotions and history.
The Problem with Divine “Persons”: Applying this term to the Father (the Infinite Source) or the Holy Spirit (the Omnipresent Operation) can feel like an anthropomorphism that misses the mark.
The Solution in Christ: By limiting “personhood” to Jesus, we acknowledge that God entered into our specific category of being. Jesus is the manifestation of God’s personhood—the point where the Infinite Divine Essence “translated” itself into a language humans could speak and a life we could witness.
2. The Father and Spirit as Divine Mystery
In this framework, the Father and the Holy Spirit are not “persons” in the way Jesus is. Instead:
The Father is the Divine Essence—the eternal, self-existent Source of all things. To call the Father a “person” might feel like shrinking the Unfathomable Creator into a human-sized box.
The Holy Spirit is the Divine Operation—the active, invisible power of God moving through the cosmos.
Because the Father and Spirit are beyond human imagination, we do not attempt to assign them “personhood” equivalent to ours. We leave them in the “Cloud of Unknowing,” recognizing their reality without forcing them into human categories.
3. Jesus: The Only God We See
This view finds strength in the biblical assertion that “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God… has made him known” (John 1:18).
The Perfect Image: If Jesus is the only personhood of God we can comprehend, then our entire relationship with God is filtered through the humanity of Christ.
Solidarity in Personhood: Because Jesus shared our humanity, His personhood provides a bridge. We don’t have to wonder what the “personality” of the Father is; we look at the compassion, justice, and love of Jesus and say, “This is the character of the Divine Essence manifested in a way I can understand.”
4. Avoiding the “Three Gods” Trap
Many find that the “Three Persons” language accidentally leads to a “Social Trinity” that feels like three separate gods working together. By focusing on one personhood—Jesus—you preserve a stricter Monotheism.
In this view:
There is one God (the Essence).
There is one Personhood (Jesus) through which that God is revealed to us.
There is one Power (the Spirit) through which that God acts upon us.
The Significance of This Approach
This perspective honors the Transcendence of God (the Father/Spirit) while celebrating the Immanence of God (Jesus). It admits that we cannot imagine the “mind” of the eternal Source, but we can know the “heart” of God through the person of Jesus. It simplifies spiritual life by focusing worship and relationship on the one who walked among us, while bowing in silence before the incomprehensible mystery of the Father and the Spirit.
Furthermore, the Personhood of God
I am not saying personhood is singularly embodied or uniquely embodied by Jesus Christ. I am saying that in relationships with humanity as persons we understand personhood. Since Jesus Christ shared humanity with us, we understand his personhood and we don’t understand the personhood of the Father and the Holy Spirit and we should be humble enough to believe that reality instead of claiming that both Father and the Holy Spirit are persons too and then default to the concept of Godhead to accommodate the notion of three persons.
This theological perspective shifts the focus from an abstract, numerical definition of God to a relational and humble one. It argues that “personhood” is a category humans understand through shared experience—specifically the human experience shared by Jesus Christ—and that applying this same label to the Father and the Holy Spirit oversteps the boundaries of human comprehension.
The Limits of Language: Jesus as the Accessible Personhood of God
In traditional systematic theology, the term “person” is applied equally to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, a more cautious and humble approach suggests that this application may be linguistic overreach. If personhood is defined by the qualities we recognize in one another—relatability, shared nature, and mutual experience—then Jesus Christ stands as the unique point where the personhood of God becomes intelligible to humanity.
1. Personhood Rooted in Shared Humanity
Our understanding of what it means to be a “person” is not an abstract theory; it is a lived reality. We understand personhood because we exist as persons.
The Incarnation as Translation: When Jesus Christ “became flesh and dwelt among us,” the Infinite Divine Essence translated itself into the category of personhood.
The Shared Bond: Because Jesus experienced hunger, grief, joy, and death, we recognize His personhood as something akin to our own. In Christ, God met us on our own terms, allowing us to relate to Him “person-to-person.”
2. The Incomprehensibility of the Father and the Spirit
While we can speak confidently of the personhood of Jesus, the same cannot be said for the Father or the Holy Spirit.
The Father as Source: The Father is the eternal, self-existent source of all being. To label this infinite reality a “person” in the same sense we label Jesus—or ourselves—risks reducing the Creator to a human image.
The Spirit as Operation: The Holy Spirit is the multifaceted operation and breath of God throughout the cosmos. This manifestation is so vast and complex that it transcends the boundaries of “personality” as we understand it.
By acknowledging that the Father and the Spirit exist beyond the category of personhood, we respect the transcendence of God. We admit that their nature is beyond our imagination and our vocabulary.
3. A Critique of the “Godhead” and “Three Persons”
The traditional concept of the “Godhead” often serves as a theological placeholder to manage the tension of “three persons.” However, if we are humble enough to admit we do not understand the inner life of the Father and the Spirit, the need for these complex constructs diminishes.
Avoiding Presumption: Claiming that the Father and Spirit are “persons” is an attempt to define the indefinable. It assumes that our human category of personhood is a universal template that can be draped over the totality of God.
The Beauty of Mystery: Rather than defaulting to the “Godhead” to balance a three-person equation, this view allows the Father and Spirit to remain a glorious, incomprehensible mystery. We do not need to “accommodate” them into a human-defined system; we simply acknowledge their reality as the Source and Power behind the Person of Jesus.
4. The Significance of Humble Faith
This approach prioritizes epistemological humility—the willingness to admit what we do not know.
Relational Focus: It directs our relational energy toward Jesus, the “image of the invisible God,” where personhood is clear and present.
Reverent Silence: It leaves our interaction with the Father and the Spirit in the realm of awe and worship. We don’t need to name their “type” of personhood to experience their presence or depend on their power.
Conclusion: The Accessible and the Infinite
In this framework, the significance of Jesus Christ is that He is the only point where God’s nature enters the human category of personhood. By limiting “personhood” to the One who shared our humanity, we protect the holiness and “otherness” of the Father and the Spirit. We stop trying to solve God like a puzzle and begin to experience God as a reality: a reality that is personally met in Jesus but remains infinitely vast and beyond our grasp in the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Impactful Nature of Theology of Humility
When we stop trying to force the Father and the Holy Spirit into the human category of “personhood,” our spiritual life shifts from a mental exercise in “relating” to a profound experience of abiding. This theology of humility transforms prayer and spiritual experience from a dialogue with imagined figures into an encounter with the ultimate Source and the underlying Power of existence.
Beyond the Human Mirror: Prayer and Presence in the Theology of Humility
In traditional practice, believers are often taught to pray to the Father as a “person” with a human-like psyche or to interact with the Holy Spirit as a distinct “third person.” However, for those who reserve the category of personhood for Jesus Christ—the only one who shared our human nature—prayer and spiritual experience become something deeper, more mysterious, and arguably more honest.
1. Praying to the Father: Returning to the Source
When we pray to the Father without defining Him as a “person,” prayer ceases to be a conversation with a “great man in the sky” and becomes an alignment with the Eternal Source.
Surrender Over Transaction: Instead of trying to “persuade” a divine personality, prayer becomes an act of returning. We recognize the Father as the self-existent ground of our own life.
The Silence of Awe: Humility allows for a prayer of “reverent silence.” Because we admit the Father’s nature is beyond our imagination, we don’t feel the need to fill the space with words or human-centric descriptions. We simply “be” in the presence of the One from whom all existence flows.
The Model of Christ: We follow the lead of Jesus, the manifested Person, who pointed us toward the Father. We pray “through” the Person we understand to the Source we cannot fully conceive.
2. Experiencing the Holy Spirit: The Power of Operation
Without the need to define the Holy Spirit as a “person” with a separate ego, the believer’s experience of the Spirit becomes more immediate and pervasive.
From “He” to “Presence”: The Spirit is experienced not as an visiting entity, but as the Divine Operation—the very breath (pneuma) and energy of God moving within the soul.
Intuition and Transformation: We experience the Spirit as the “multiplicity of operations” mentioned in earlier discussions. It is the sudden insight, the strength to endure, and the internal “groaning” that aligns us with God’s will.
The Environment of God: Rather than trying to “talk” to the Spirit, the believer “walks” in the Spirit. The Spirit is the atmosphere of the divine life that surrounds and sustains us, acting as the invisible link between our finite lives and the infinite Essence.
3. The Relational Anchor: Jesus Christ
In this framework, the “relational” itch of the human heart is fully scratched by Jesus Christ.
The Mediator of Personhood: Because we know Jesus as a person, he becomes the “human face” we look toward when we need a personal connection.
Unity of Focus: We don’t have to divide our attention between three different “personalities.” We relate to the Person (Jesus), we rest in the Source (the Father), and we are moved by the Power (the Spirit). This creates a streamlined, focused spiritual life that is free from the confusion of “managing” three divine relationships.
4. The Freedom of Not Knowing
The greatest impact of this theology is the freedom from intellectual pretension.
Honesty in Worship: The believer is no longer required to pretend they understand how three “persons” can be one “Godhead.” They can honestly say, “I know Jesus, and through Him, I am connected to a Mystery I cannot name or imagine.”
The Depth of Mystery: This humility preserves the “Holy Otherness” of God. It ensures that our worship remains a response to something truly vast, rather than a reflection of our own human image mirrored back at us.
Conclusion: A Unified Spiritual Life
By limiting personhood to the Incarnate Son, the believer’s life becomes a balanced rhythm: the intimacy of a personal relationship with Jesus, the stability of rootedness in the Father, and the vitalityof the Spirit’s operations. Prayer and experience are no longer about “figuring God out,” but about living within the reality of God—a reality that is personally met in Christ and infinitely felt in the Father and the Spirit.
Revisiting Parables of Jesus regarding His relationship with the Father
In a theology that reserves “personhood” for the humanly accessible Jesus Christ, the parables shift from being stories about a “Divine Person” to being revelations of the Divine Essence through the only lens we can truly understand: the human one.
This humble approach impacts how we interpret Jesus’ most famous teachings regarding His relationship with the Source.
1. The Prodigal Son: The Humility of the Essence
In this framework, the father in the parable is not just a character or a “person,” but a manifestation of the gracious nature of the Divine Source.
The Run of Compassion: When the father runs to meet the son, we see the “Divine Operation” of mercy in action. It demonstrates that the Infinite Source is not a cold, static principle, but a dynamic power that actively seeks restoration.
Abolishing the Gap: By treating the son as an equal through a kiss and a robe, the parable suggests that the Divine Essence provides a path for humanity to be “reinstated” into its original purpose, a process made personally real through Christ.
2. The Persistent Widow: The Unfailing Operation
The parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow is often used to compare God to a person who needs “nagging.” In a theology of humility, this is inverted.
God as the Reliable Ground: Rather than a person with a fickle will, the Father is seen as the unfailing justice that underpins existence.
The Power of Prayer: Persistent prayer is not about changing a divine “mind,” but about the believer’s own alignment with the Spirit’s operation. It is the human person (the widow) anchoring themselves in the Infinite Source until the “just outcome” is realized.
3. The Vine and the Branches: The Flow of Life
Jesus’ teaching on the vine (John 15) perfectly illustrates the relationship between the Person, the Source, and the Power.
Jesus (The Vine): The visible Personhood where we are grafted in.
The Father (The Vinedresser): Not a worker in a garden, but the Source of Life that flows through the vine. He is the one who “prunes” or directs the Divine Operation for growth.
The Spirit (The Sap): The invisible “Divine Operation” (sap) that actually produces the fruit. We don’t relate to the sap as a “person”; we simply allow it to flow through us as we abide in the Person of Christ.
4. The Good Gifts: The Character of the Source
When Jesus asks, “What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?” (Luke 11), He is using human fatherhood as a metaphorical bridge to the Infinite.
Refining Our Concept: This teaching doesn’t mean the Father is a human-like dad, but that the goodness we recognize in human persons is a small, finite reflection of the Infinite Goodness of the Divine Essence.
Trust in the Incomprehensible: It encourages a “humble trust.” Even though we cannot imagine the Father’s “personhood,” we can trust His “nature” because we have seen that nature’s highest expression in the personhood of Jesus.
By interpreting these teachings through a lens of humility, we avoid “domesticating” God into three human-like figures. Instead, we see Jesus as the singular Person who leads us into the heart of an infinite and glorious Mystery.
Concluding Remarks
The exploration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the lens of Apostle John’s perspective reveals a majestic, cosmic vision of Jesus as the eternal Creator, not a created being. The fusion of Jesus’ cosmic nature and personal Lordship invites humanity to participate in the Kingdom of God, experiencing eternal life as a present reality. The significance of understanding Jesus Christ as fully divine and fully human is paramount, as it establishes God as intimately acquainted with human suffering, provides a perfect mediator for salvation, and restores the divine image in humanity.
The discussion on the personhood of God, limiting it to Jesus Christ, highlights the importance of humility in acknowledging the incomprehensible nature of the Father and the Holy Spirit. This perspective emphasizes the relational focus on Jesus, the accessible Person, while maintaining reverence for the Mystery of the Divine Essence.
Ultimately, this theological framework encourages a unified spiritual life, centered on the person of Jesus Christ, rooted in the Source (Father), and empowered by the Spirit’s operations.
Isaac Megbolugbe, Director of GIVA Ministries International. He is a recipient of Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in business and academia in the United States of America. He is retired professor at Johns Hopkins University and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He is resident in the United States of America.
