The Deep Things of God [eBook]

How the Trinity Changes Everything

The doctrine of the Trinity is widely taught and believed by evangelicals, but rarely is it fully understood or celebrated. Systematic theologian Fred Sanders, in The Deep Things of God, shows why we ought to embrace the doctrine of the Trinity wholeheartedly and without reserve, as a central concern of evangelical theology.

Sanders demonstrates, with passion and conviction, that the doctrine of the Trinity is grounded in the gospel itself. Written accessibly, The Deep Things of God examines the centrality of the Trinity in our salvation and the Trinity’s presence in the reading of the Bible and prayer. Readers will understand that a robust doctrine of the Trinity has massive implications for their lives. Indeed, recognizing the work of the Trinity in the gospel changes everything, restoring depth to prayer, worship, Bible study, missions, tradition, and our understanding of Christianity’s fundamental doctrines.

FRED SANDERS is associate professor of theology at Biola University’s Torrey Honors Institute. A popular blogger and speaker, Sanders has authored numerous journal articles and written or contributed to several books, including The Image of the Immanent Trinity. He blogs at www.scriptoriumdaily.com.

“At last, a practical guide to the most fundamental doctrine of them all. Mr Sanders shows us how the Trinity is the essential framework on which our faith is built, the hidden skeleton that gives shape and meaning to the flesh and blood of daily experience. Highly commended!”
—Gerald Bray, Research Professor of Divinity, History, and Doctrine, Beeson Divinity School; author, God Is Love and God Has Spoken

“Sanders has a gift for making the deep things of theology—in this case, the doctrine of the Trinity—clear and compelling rather than shallow and simplistic. This is as good an introduction to the essentially Trinitarian shape of evangelical faith and practice of which I’m aware. Every evangelical should be able to explain how the gospel is Trinitarian and the Trinity a summation of the gospel, and Sanders shows us how. He makes a convincing case that there is nothing wrong with the evangelical church in North American that a good dose of Trinitarian theology, if absorbed into the bloodstream of the body of Christ, could not cure. So take, drink, and prepare to be edified.”
—Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Fred Sanders’ book should be required reading for anyone involved in the work of the Gospel. It will help readers catch a fresh vision of the depths of the message they strive to proclaim and foster a renewed sense of the grandeur of the Christian life they invite people to enjoy.”
—Mark Hopson, Regional Director, The California School Project

“The Deep Things of God is at once profound and immediate. God’s Triune majesty is brought down to our daily prayers and life as believers. Anyone who wants to know their great God better will be blessed by meditating on the scriptural and practical truth in this book. Any Christian leader who wants to ground his local congregation in the life of the Three-in-One God will find both biblical depth and devotional insight to help him. In The Deep Things of God Fred Sanders makes clear what we tacitly know, that ‘the gospel is trinitarian and the Trinity is the gospel.’ This book shows the same wisdom Fred has shown in ministering in our church. The Deep Things of God shows that the faith which we held so delicately at our baptism is an expression of our personal relationship with Father, Son and Spirit. We live out The Deep Things of God every time we pray to the Father by the Son and through the Spirit. It is my prayer that the whole church will embrace The Deep Things of God and celebrate our relationship to the Trinity in the life of the church.”
—Scott Carpenter, Elder, Grace Fellowship Church, Costa Mesa, CA

“There simply aren’t enough superlatives to describe how important and timely this book is. Sanders demonstrates how the Trinity is at the heart of the Gospel and the foundation of the Christian life, and makes his case by bringing forward distinctly evangelical voices. But this is no book of abstract theology: Sanders’ work is lively, engaging, and accessible. He brings the Trinity out of the cloistered walls of academia and into the living room, explaining in terms anyone can understand that we are immersed in the reality of the Triune God. There is no better guide I know of to explore the deep things of God than this book, and it deserves a wide and serious hearing by pastors, theologians, and laymen alike.”
—Matthew Lee Anderson, author, Body Matters: Overcoming the New Gnosticism of Young Evangelicals; blogger, MereOrthodoxy.com

“Deep Things of God is a fascinating exploration of the trinitarian heartbeat of the gospel which underlies the rich (though often ignored) practices of evangelicalism. Fred Sanders wears his considerable learning lightly; this is a book I’m going to buy for my parents and recommend to my fellow doctoral students.”
—Ben Rhodes, PhD candidate in Systematic Theology, Kings College, University of Aberdeen