Trinity Concepts (2.12) Functions of Music and Arts in Society

Prophetic

Worship/ Exaltation

Performance

The three main functions of music and the arts in culture are: Performance, Exaltation and Prophetic.

Performance is given from man to man.  This is centered on man’s skill and social acceptance.  It is beneficial in our society to create a sense of ‘community’, in which there is commonality of experience.  This kind of activity produces a ‘foundation’ for social interaction and opens a doorway of communication through this commonality for dialogue.  It is interesting that in youth cultures this is particularly needful, as young people are endeavoring to establish relationships beyond their own home, gravitating towards music and art that will identify them among their own unique generation, geographical location and philosophy.

Exaltation is a different use of music and the arts, in that it is not directed towards man, but rather towards an object of worship.  Music and the arts are successful tools in ‘exalting’ whatever they point towards.  It can be anything from the banal to the sublime.  It can be used to exalt “Coca-Cola” or the Most High God.

Prophetic is neither art for man, nor exaltation, but something different altogether.  Prophetic music and art is rather God speaking through the art-form to an individual or society.  It is not contrived, originated or initiated from man’s imagination or choosing, but rather by divine intervention.  The artist yields himself to the inspiration of God, bringing forth a particular message relevant to the culture, but not necessarily always accepted by that culture. 

(for more on this, see The Three Main Uses of Music and the Arts)

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)



Trinity Concepts (1.07) Love

Agape

Phileo

Eros

There are several different Biblical definitions of love, versus the one English word.  When we say the word ‘love’, it can mean anything from a ‘fetish’ to a life-long marital commitment.  Although the Bible outlines a number of different words for our one word 'Love', there are three primary definitions that are most prevalent. 

These three basic definitions of love outline the dimensions of Spirit, Soul and Body (I Thess. 5:23) and the corresponding parts of the Old Testament Tabernacle: the Holy of Holies, the Inner Court, and the Outer Court, respectively.

The highest form of love, correlating to the spirit of man and the Holy of holies is that of Agape.  Agape is unconditional.  It is typified by Jesus willingly going to the cross on behalf of the sins of mankind.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16) 

This love can also be expressed through us, as believers in Jesus Christ: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (I Jn. 3:16)   This kind of love cannot be generated by man himself in his own power and strength.  It can only come through man as he is aligned with the Spirit of God.  It’s like the acoustical phenomena of sympathetic vibration.  The still object resonates by the energy coming from another source.  “God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (I Jn. 4:16)  Agape is not originally emotional, although it can encompass emotion.  It is centered in the will.  It is a moral love, emanating from righteousness, unchanged by surrounding circumstances.  It gives regardless of whether or not it is received by the intended recipient.  This kind of love encompasses all moral traits and is the cumulative characteristic of all morality and Truth.  (See I Cor. 13)

The next kind of love correlates to the soul of man and Inner Court of the Tabernacle.  It is Phileo.  This kind of love is one of reciprocity and friendship.  It requires “a just weight” (Prov. 11:1), an even distribution of giving between the two parties involved.  Phileo is successful as long as both parties continue to justly give to one another (in each other’s perception) what is a ‘fair exchange’.  When this scenario begins to break down (and it always will at some point, due to human selfishness), the friendship or relationship will be dissolved.  The only remedy for this lack of equity is forgiveness, which can only come from Agape.  Agape is the ‘lubricant’ that makes successful Phileo possible.  Without love and forgiveness, ultimately all Phileo will fail. 

Economy is based upon the model of Phileo, and is thus categorically aligned with the Mind of the Soul and the Lust of the Eyes.  Phileo always seeks to ‘calculate’ what it is owed.  “I did such and such, so they owe me this or that.”  Or, “They did this or that for me, now I need to do something for them, so we’ll be even.”  This is not morally a bad thing.  Even God desires a just recompense between parties: “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” (Prov. 11:1)  The problem is that Phileo is humanly impossible to keep perpetually.  With Agape as the foundation, however, it is possible to function in successful Phileo.

The last and lowest kind of love which correlates to the body of man and the Outer Court of the Tabernacle is that of Eros.  Some philosophies consider the human body to be evil; however, the fact that Jesus rose from the dead physically, and even ate food in His resurrected body (Lk. 21:41-43) doctrinally establishes that God does not view the body as evil, but rather the fleshly desires and carnal willfulness against His Spirit. (Gal. 5:19-21)   

Having established this fact, Eros (or sexual love) is needful to procreate the human race, which is also God’s desire: “And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth…” (Gen. 1:28)  Unfortunately, Eros (which is centered in the Emotion of man), when exalted above Phileo and Agape, produces chaos, disorder, disharmony and wars, both internal and external.  The exaltation of Emotion over the Mind and the Will of man is destructive due to its imbalance of the Trinity pattern. 

Eros is successful, however, when it is functioning in the Choice of Agape in marriage and the relationship of Phileo in friendship (within that marriage).  It is in this divine Trinity balance that Eros can be enjoyed to its fullest benefit through the establishment of wholeness in Family.

(for more on this subject, see My Vision: The Community- A Means of Exchange)

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (4.02) Color

Yellow

Blue

Red

The three primary colors of yellow, blue and red have distinct characteristics relating to the Trinity.  Blue and Red are opposites, from the standpoint of direction.  Blue is recessive, Red is aggressive.  Blue is the smallest light-wave of the three and red is the largest.  Yellow stands in the middle, between the two, almost like a balancing point between them.  It is the middle length light-wave.

The colors can be metaphoric of human personalities.  (See Man's Soul (personalities))  Red is the fiery, emotional Sanguine, Blue is the analytical Melancholy.  Yellow is the clear decision-making Choleric.  The mixture or blend of all three colors depicts the Phlegmatic.

Blue correlates to the Son or Word, Yellow correlates to the Father and Red correlates to the Holy Spirit.  With the human soul, following the same pattern, the mind correlates to the Son and the color Blue.  It is analytical, Melancholy and detailed, with the smallest wavelength. (People who are Melancholy in their personality temperament learn by visual systems, primarily). 

As stated above, the human will correlates to the Father, and the color yellow.  It is the middle wavelength, between blue and red.  The vibrancy of yellow is symbolic of the Choleric's aggressive, active will to ‘get things done’.  (People who are Choleric tend to learn by auditory systems successfully.)

The emotions of the human soul correlate to the Holy Spirit and the color Red. It is impassioned and incites response.  It is the longest of the three primary color waves.  It is the most noticeable color of the three and it draws attention to itself.  From the standpoint of human personality it relates to the Sanguine, the ‘life of the party’, the one with ‘charisma’.  (People who are of this temperament tend to learn more effectively kinesthetically, being involved in physical activity.  They also become disinterested if they are contained in un-involvement.)   

The blending of all three colors, especially in their pallor, can portray the unassuming personality of a Phlegmatic.

Interestingly, as the color Yellow is between Blue and Red, the Will stands between the Mind and the Emotions.  One can oftentimes observe a Choleric personality function in both the realm of the Mind and also the Emotions, as the Choleric touches both.

As in body types (see Man’s Body) we find that there are mixtures of different possibilities in a variety of combinations, which produce an array of different personalities.  Ultimately, there are as many variations as there are shades of color. 

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (1.08) Power

Purpose

Sacrifice          

Unity

There are three things that carry power.  Purpose is in the Father category.  The Father had a purpose to redeem humanity, bringing us into relationship and fellowship with Him.  With this purpose there had to be sacrifice, in order to achieve the purpose.  Sending His Son to die a human death brought about the Father’s desired result of unifying the spirits of human beings with His Spirit.  This unity flows through the rest of those who embrace this truth and relationship, otherwise known as the Church.

There can be no unity without sacrifice.  No one can or will sacrifice without a purpose, a reason for that sacrifice.

In leadership, one finds many people who desire unity and agreement.  'Politics' rises and falls based on the desire to bring people together with unifying ideas or purposes.  But there will be no unity without the willingness of the people to sacrifice in meaningful ways to obtain those goals.  If the goals are not compelling enough to warrant the sacrifice that is being required, people will withdraw their resources and there will be no unity.  When, however, the goal is compelling indeed, being clearly understood and embraced by the hearers, sacrifice is increased and unity results.  As Dr. E.L. Cole stated, “Agreement is the place of power.”

Jesus said that the world would know us by the love we have for one another in the Church.  The greatest witnessing tool we have to a lost and self-destructing world is our ability to live in harmony and agreement, producing an atmosphere of power and restoration for their healing.  Without it, we become a mere political community, driven by human ideologies or ‘peer-pressure’. 

As Christians, our purpose on the earth is made clear.  We must expand the Kingdom of God in the realm of the souls of people throughout the world.  This purpose requires sacrifice.  It is, in essence the same sacrifice God made for us.  He did not have to forgive us and free us.  He did not have to sacrifice for our salvation, our freedom, but He chose to do it, in spite of our waywardness, rebellion, selfishness and pride.  When we did not agree with Him, He forgave us anyway.  Our purpose requires us to live in the same way, making the same decision He did, and that is to forgive others, give love that is undeserved even in the midst of gross misunderstandings, failures and sin. 

The only way the Church can truly be effective in its purpose is to enter into the sacrifice of our Example, which creates true unity (not just a show of unity) but unity that allows power through the agreement of those who are willing to walk in it.  Without people who are willing to be wronged, and to release the wrong against them, there can be no power, and hence, no true Church.

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (1.04) Kingdom Attributes (Time)

Love / Present

Faith / Past

Hope / Future

Love is present tense.  God is love. (I John 4:16)  He told Moses, “I Am that I Am.” (Ex. 3:14)  God, Himself encompasses the fullness of time, past and future, the same way He manifests Himself through both Word and Spirit, articulation and breath.

Love exists in the present tense and stands as the highest of all three Kingdom attributes, as the Apostle Paul states, “but now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:13)  The will of the human soul stands as the highest point between the mind and the emotions, choosing which thoughts to accept and meditate upon, while at the same time choosing the response of the emotions to these thoughts.  The will makes choices in the present, based upon the knowledge of the past.  It could be knowledge as old as the most ancient Scriptures, or as new as the last God-inspired revelation only a moment ago; but faith still draws upon the understanding of the past.  For example, the testimonies in Scripture, being of the past, build our faith to receive God’s manifested blessings in the present. 

Faith, however, works by love.  It is the action of love that brings faith to life.  “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)  Faith (past) united to Love (present) is the most powerful motivational force that causes the future, or realm of hope, to open wide with possibility.  Hope is the realm of the emotion (speaking of the soul), and as emotion is affected by choices (will) and thoughts (mind), the future responds to those choices and thoughts (past and present seeds, which have been and are being sown). 

Both the past and the future are subject to the choices of the present.  The present filters what it wants of the past, allowing it to pass into the future.  Of the past and future, however, the past holds authority over the future, just as seeds sown in the past must manifest in the future.  One would say, “But the future must be greater, because the possibilities are positive and full of wonder, whereas the past is fraught with both failures and successes, but truthfully, mostly failures.  The past speaks of death, the future of natural life.  How can the past be authoritative over the future?” 

The only way to sever the authority of the death and decay the past holds over the future lies in the power of the present (Love) to choose to overlook the failures of the past, draw upon the successes of the past, reject the destructive seeds of the past and to protectively nurture the good seeds sown. 

Love alone can take the past and metamorphosize it into a powerful future.  This is the power of forgiveness.  It is the power of Jesus (the Word) Who was made flesh, living in the death and decay of this realm, but risen in the power of God’s choice, anointed with victory for the future, to reign as King in the fullness of this hope…our “Blessed Hope.”  

The Word without the resurrection of Love remains a dead letter, for the “letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (II Cor. 3:6), but as faith is united to love, it is simultaneously broken from the past and brought into the present, creating victory for the future.  Without being united to love, however, faith’s future is non-existent, just as “faith without works is dead.” (Js. 2:26)  “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (Js. 1:22) 

Inactivity with the Word is disobedience.    It is rebellion to the possibilities of its future.  Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (I Sam. 15:23)  Leaving the Word unacted upon in the choices of the present is demonic and will be judged by God.  The rejection of God’s Word (Jesus) results in damnation, because the future is left empty and therefore hope is destroyed.  “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)  The Word must be acted upon and that action is Love.

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (1.00) Key

God

Father

Son

Holy Spirit

Kingdom Attributes

Righteousness

Peace

Joy

Kingdom Attributes (Time)

Love / Present

Faith / Past

Hope / Future

Godly characteristics (Matt. 23:23)

Justice

Faithfulness

Mercy

Christian activity

Prayer

Study of Word

Worship

Love

Agape

Phileo

Eros

Power

Purpose

Sacrifice          

Unity

Man

Spirit

Soul

Body   

Man’s spirit

Conscience

Intuition

Communion

Man’s soul (basic)

Will

Mind

Emotions

Man’s soul (personalities)

Choleric

Melancholy

Sanguine

Phlegmatic

Man’s soul (styles of learning)

Aural

Visual

Kinesthetic

Man’s soul (decision making)

‘because it’s right’

‘because it will benefit me’

‘because I feel like it’

Man’s flesh (temptations)

Glory- pride of life

Gold- lust of the eyes

Girls- lust of the flesh

Man’s soul (society)

Political

Economic

Social

Man's economies

Sowing/Giving/Forgiving

Reciprocity

Selfishness

Functions of Music and the Arts in Society

Prophetic

Exaltation (amplification)

Performance

Man’s body

Mesoderm- structural

Ectoderm- communications

Endoderm- engine

Man’s body (workout routines)

Mesomorph- strength

Ectomorph- endurance

Endomorph- survival

Food groups

Protiens

Fats

Carbohydrates

Angels

Michael (warring)

Gabriel (messenger)

Lucifer (worship)

Devil’s attributes

Accuser

Deceiver

Tempter

Color

Yellow

Blue

Red

Brown

Tabernacle of Moses

Holy of Holies

Inner Court

Outer Court     

Trinity Concepts (2.00) Man

Man 

Spirit

Soul

Body

Man, created in God’s image, was made to have three main elements to his being.  This is outlined in the Scriptures as “spirit, soul and body”. (I Thess. 5:23) These three areas of our existence each have three parts, reflecting the Trinity ‘dimensions’ within themselves.

The spirit of man is the part of man that touches the supernatural realm, or the spiritual realm.  To one who has not yet received the new birth, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, his spirit is separated from God.  This produces within him a sensation of a ‘vacuum’, an insatiable hunger driving him to try to fill it with anything that will give some relief.  Just a moment of ‘inspiration’ from a movie or a walk in the park, or wherever he has tasted just a hint of God’s goodness (which is evident all around us), keeps him constantly searching for the next high, or 'fix', that will quell this aching pain within himself.  What he is not aware of is the fact that God is actually leading him to Himself by His goodness. (Rom.2:4)

Some people are lured into the negative power of the spirit realm through the occult, not realizing that spiritual forces can be destructive.  The misconception is that just because something is spiritual, and thus higher and more powerful than the natural realm, that this makes it automatically good.  Falling into this trap produces nothing but failure and destruction.

To the Christian, however, our spirits are joined to the Holy Spirit, united with Him.  We are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3)

Our soul is formed by the ‘merging together’ of our spirit and our body.  It is the ‘middle’ part of our being, characterized by our mind (or reasoning capabilities), emotions (or affections) and volition, or will (decision making ability).  Every person has unique strengths and ‘giftings’, based upon how these three areas of their soul function.  One person will have a very quick mind.  Someone else will be the ‘life of the party’ with emotional effectiveness, and yet others can make quick decisions that, more often than not, are correct and good.  These are known as the personality temperaments of our lives.  We each have varied combinations of these three elements, producing within us our own uniqueness. The body also affects our soul and the kind of personalities we have.    According to the field of embryology, the three main aspects of our bodies, formed within the womb, are the Mesoderm, Ectoderm and Endoderm.  In broad terminology, this is the Structural system (bones, muscles, tendons, etc.), the Nervous system (or communication system) and the Fueling System (turning food into energy for the body).  Each of these three parts of our body relate to the Trinity ‘dimensions’ as well.

Following is a discussion of the attributes of man: spirit, soul and body, in more detail.



(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (1.01) Introduction

“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.  For we all stumble in many ways.  If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man…” (James 3:1-2)

This Scriptural admonition is one I take seriously.  There is only One who is perfect, who spoke perfectly, and had complete purity in His understanding of life.  “For now I see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I have been fully known.  But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:12-13)

That which I am attempting to bring forth does not come from my own human wisdom or understanding, but rather has been given to me from countless influences: teachers, pastors, family, books and friends, through prayer and the meditation of God's Word.  Through the years I have seen patterns in my heart that I believe are indisputable.  Whatever difficulty there may be in transferring these thoughts in written form, the veracity of the thoughts themselves, if studied and meditated, I am convinced, will produce for the reader a favorable result. 

Lastly, although I believe wholeheartedly in this work, and its spiritual integrity, I will be the first to admit, since I am human and have a limited perception, that I may be wrong in one point or the other.  However, I encourage the reader to take the material, align it with Scripture and living, to test it and prove it.  I am bringing this forth with boldness, yet care, as I realize there will be some philosophical and doctrinal challenges to the reader.  I am in God’s hands.  He will judge me.

‘Trinity’, the word, has never been found in the Bible, however, its presence is felt through all of Scripture.  It is from the basis of revelation knowledge (heart knowledge) I am bringing forth this teaching.  The scientific (head knowledge) will surround the spiritual core of the body of this material. 

There are three areas I would like to address: 1) God Himself, 2) Creation, and 3) Man.

God created man in His image, much like what man creates is in his image.  As a songwriter, when I create a song, written from my heart, it’s a carbon copy of who I am, the struggles I am facing and my frame of mind at the moment I am writing.  The song is a reflection of my heart.  We are a carbon copy of our Creator.  To find out more about God, we can look at ourselves.  “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” (I John 4:20-21)

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)