The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This is a central doctrine of the Christian faith, though admittedly it is difficult to fully comprehend. When it comes to what we will experience in heaven regarding the Trinity, the Bible gives us some clues but does not provide all the details we may wish for.
Here are some key biblical principles to consider regarding seeing and experiencing the Trinity in heaven:
We will see and know God the Father
Several passages indicate that in heaven we will stand face-to-face before the throne of God the Father in His glory. For example:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9 ESV)
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:27-22:1 ESV)
We will see God on His throne and stand in His presence. It will be an amazing and glorious experience to behold the Father in all His majesty and splendor.
We will see Jesus Christ in His glorified body
The Bible clearly teaches we will see our Lord and Savior face-to-face in heaven. For example:
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2 ESV)
In Christ’s high priestly prayer in John 17, He prays that all believers will be with Him in eternity to see His glory. Several verses indicate we will fellowship with Christ and enjoy His presence forever (e.g. Revelation 22:3-4). We will encounter the glorified, resurrected Christ and see Him in all His majesty and splendor – what an amazing blessing!
The Holy Spirit will be active, but His “presence” is more mysterious
The Bible does not give clear indication we will see the Holy Spirit with our physical eyes per se, since He does not take on a physical form. However, we know the Spirit is active in heaven from various verses:
– Revelation 22:1 indicates the river of life flows from the throne of the Father and the Lamb through the middle of the city by the Spirit.
– The Spirit bears His fruit in us and works in our hearts in this life, so we can expect Him to continue His blessed ministry in our lives in eternity (Galatians 5:22-23).
– The book of Revelation describes seven Spirits before the throne of God (Revelation 1:4), a symbolic reference to the Spirit in His fullness.
So while we may not see the Holy Spirit directly like we will the Father and Son, we can be sure He will be actively ministering, guiding, and bringing joy to the saints as we dwell in God’s presence.
Seeing the Trinity in Heaven
When it comes to beholding the Trinity in the afterlife, J.I. Packer offers this helpful summary based on Scripture:
“The life of heaven is pictured as seeing God (Rev. 22:4); being with Christ (Phil. 1:23); knowing as we are known (1 Cor. 13:12). Does this mean seeing the persons of the Trinity face to face? On earth we cannot see the Father and the Spirit at all, and we cannot normally see the Son, Jesus Christ, with our physical eyes either; but we can discern all three Persons at work in our lives, and we can live in interactive relationship with them, which is what matters. In heaven, however, knowing God will evidently be lifted to a new level, visualized in the Bible as seeing the persons of the Trinity face to face.”
So based on Scripture, we can affirm:
- We will see God the Father on His glorious throne.
- We will see the glorified Christ and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him.
- We will experience the dynamic ministry of the Holy Spirit.
While we may not fully comprehend how the Trinity operates, we joyfully anticipate fuller access to beholding the triune God in heaven for eternity. As Jonathan Edwards noted, “there will be then the most perfect unity, and the most perfect distinction.” What a blessed hope!
We will have transformed bodies to experience heavenly realities
Our resurrected bodies will be gloriously equipped to experience the heavenly realms in ways far beyond our current physical limitations. As Paul noted:
“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44 ESV)
John adds this detail:
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2 ESV)
Our spiritual bodies will be perfectly equipped to engage the spiritual realities of God’s presence and kingdom in ways we cannot fully fathom. So we need not worry – God will provide us bodies with senses capable of beholding eternal truths and glories far beyond what we can perceive now.
Mystery remains due to human limitations
The Bible does not provide exhaustive detail about how we will see and know the Trinity in heaven. As Paul expressed:
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV)
Much mystery remains due to the limitations of our current state. J.I. Packer again captures this well:
“What seeing God and being with Christ will actually be like remains beyond our powers of visualization, and to speculate would be folly. But we may be sure that it will not disappoint us. Rather, the reality will infinitely exceed our best imaginings of it.”
The key is that in heaven we will dwell with the triune God and experience eternal joy, blessing, and glory far beyond anything we could dream of in our current limited state. While we don’t have all the details, this provides amazing hope and assurance!
God’s transcendence and immanence
An important related issue when considering seeing God in heaven is understanding divine transcendence and immanence. God’s transcendence emphasizes His otherness – God is infinite, eternal, and beyond human limits. His immanence means He is intimately present and can be known by His creatures.
Wayne Grudem summarizes it this way:
“God’s transcendence means that he is infinitely exalted above everything else. God’s immanence means that he works in us and is present with us.”
In heaven, due to our transformed state, we will be able to experience and perceive God’s glorious transcendence in deeper ways. We will also know His immanence as we dwell in intimate relationship with Him.
The joyous blessing of beholding God’s glory
The ultimate blessing of heaven will be seeing and savoring the glory of God for eternity. As John Piper has expressed, we were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all else. In heaven this purpose will find ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction:
“In the new heavens and new earth, the glory of God will be the sun-like radiance streaming out from Christ himself. And we will stand in that brightness forever giving thanks and praise to the One who made us, loved us, and brought us home.”
May this inspire joyful anticipation in our hearts, as well as deeper longing for God’s glory to be seen, savored, and displayed to all peoples!
Conclusions
- We will behold the glory of God the Father on His majestic throne.
- We will see the resurrected and glorified Christ face-to-face.
- We will experience the dynamic ministry of the Holy Spirit.
- Our resurrected bodies will be equipped to know eternal realities.
- Mystery remains due to human limitations.
- God’s transcendence and immanence will be on display.
- Beholding the Trinity’s glory will bring unspeakable joy.
While many details are uncertain, Scripture gives us confident hope that we will dwell in the joyous presence of the triune God. As we eagerly await that day, may the wonder of beholding God’s glory shape our lives and priorities each day on this earth.