Counseling

The Trinity and Marriage – Counseling from the WCF – 2.3

Posted on by Dan Dodds

WCFWCF 2.3 states: In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

What does the Trinity have to do with counseling? Well, probably the most practical connection for our purposes is that the Trinity is the paradigm for marriage. God is of ‘one substance’ but ‘three persons.’ Each is equal in power and glory but each has a specific function or role. This is a picture of marriage isn’t it? The husband and wife are equal in worth but they have different functions. The man is ultimately responsible for the family and the woman is the helper to the man, but neither is of more value than the other.

This is why heresies of the Trinity also point to dysfunctional marriages (and visa versa). When you believe Jesus to be created rather than co-equal (one) with God you have the Arian heresy (think here of Jehovah’s Witness or Islam). A marriage based on this heresy would typically have the man ‘lording’ over the woman.

On the other hand, if you do not believe God to be three persons, that He only manifests Himself differently (sometimes the Father, sometimes the Son etc.), then you hold to Sabellianism or Modalism (think here of Oneness Pentecostalism). Marriages that model themselves after this heresy see the man and the woman as interchangeable; neither has a defined role.

But as God has graciously revealed Himself to us we have a wonderful picture of how we are to relate to one another, always in mutual love and according to our roles. Think of it this way, if we did NOT have God as our model, how would we know what marriage is, what our roles are etc.? Evolutionary and progressive attempts to answer this have failed miserably and led to the many disastrous marriages we see today.

Dan Dodds
Latest posts by Dan Dodds (see all)
, , ,
Dan Dodds
Dan is a native of Detroit, Michigan; a graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan and Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dan has worked in the financial area as a CPA and controller as well as in international business and sales. In 1995 Dan entered into the ministry in a Florida church as Sr. High and Singles Pastor. In 2001 he was brought on staff at Woodruff Road. Dan and his wife Christy have two daughters, Anna and Jenna and two sons, Will and Wyatt.