Matthew Y. Emerson and Brandon D. Smith, Beholding the Triune God: The Inseparable Work of Father, Son, and Spirit (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 142 pp.
One of the most important subjects for Christians to consider is the doctrine of the holy Trinity. St. Augustine wrote, “And I would make this pious and safe agreement … above all, in the case of those who inquire into the unity of the Trinity, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; because in no other subject is error more dangerous, or inquiry more laborious, or the discovery of truth more profitable.” The bishop from Hippo understood the gravity of this topic and commended it to followers of Christ.
Matthew Y. Emerson and Brandon D. Smith’s book, Beholding the Triune God: The Inseparable Work of the Father, Son, and Spirit is short and readable. It rivets the attention of readers on seven important areas including revelation, providence, creation, salvation, mission, communion, sanctification, and judgment.
The task of the authors is to behold the Trinity through his inseparable operations, a doctrine that teaches that one “cannot separate the acts of God between the persons of God. Every act of God is a singular act of Father, Son, and Spirit … Thus, every act of God is the act of the one God – Father, Son, and Spirit are each God but are not each other.” The central theme of the book, then, is to demonstrate that every thing God does is the work of the triune God.
Emerson and Smith work diligently to prove the unity of the Trinity in the seven specific areas noted above. They highlight pertinent biblical texts and draw learners into a deeper understanding of the triune God’s activity in the world and specifically in the church.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Veritas et Lux 