U2 Test Essays - Cerjak

How does the doctrine of the Trinity show us that God IS love? How does this doctrine relate to us?

The doctrine of the Trinity shows that God is Love because it reveals Him as a relational being and an eternal relationship of love. CCC 221 states, "God Himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange." The ground for the doctrine is that love is an act that requires both a lover and a beloved. The God the Father is the Lover, the Son is the Beloved, and the Holy Spirit is the Love between them. In the Trinity, love is not just an action but the very being of God, a eternal exchange
This doctrine relates to us because we were made to share in the exchange. God, who is Love, is inviting us into relationship with Him.

Draw the Trinitarian shield. What are the two main points it expresses in regards to the doctrine of the Trinity?

The two main points the Trinitarian shield expresses in regards to the doctrine of the Trinity is that the doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is both equal and distinct within Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, sharing the same divine nature. All three are involved in the common work of salvation. At the same time, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct through their relationship to one another. The Father is the creator, the Son is the redeemer, and the Spirit is the sanctifier. The shield represents that they are equal yet distinct Persons, relating to the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that the Trinity is one God in three Persons.