Book Review: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit by Bruce Ware

July 7, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

A few weeks ago, while I was in one of my favorite
bookstores, a guy made a comment about how the Holy Spirit has been forgotten
in contemporary Christianity. I replied by suggesting that we haven’t forgotten
Him, so much as we have misunderstood Him. Whether we misunderstand or forget
Him altogether, it’s clear that we don’t have a robust understanding of the
Holy Spirit, or the Trinity in general.

Bruce Ware’s Father, Son, & Holy Spirit: Relationships,
Roles, & Relevance, seeks to provide us with the robust understanding we
lack. The brief 158 page book is an adaptation from a series of lectures Dr.
Ware gave at a conference in 2004 and is broken down into six chapters.

Chapter One addresses the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity.
”Would God have chosen to reveal himself to us as the one God who is Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, unless he knew that this would be important to our
understanding of him and our faith?” (13) Chapter Two claims to be an
historical overview of the doctrine, though it’s really more of an analysis of
the Biblical evidence for the Trinity.

Chapters Three through Five are each on a different person
of the Godhead. Each chapter describes the unique roles of each person, how
they relate to one another, and what relevance each person’s roles has for our
lives.

The final chapter, six, concludes with ten “lessons for our
lives and ministries from the relationships and roles of the triune God.” (132)
Since we are made in God’s image, we must start with understanding of God in
order to understand ourselves. The applications include living in community,
the harmony of unity, the importance of authority and submission within our
families and churches, how to pray, and how to worship.

The book is a very easy read, though it is far from simple.
I still think James R. White’s The Forgotten Trinity is the best book available
in regards to the Biblical basis of the doctrine. However, Dr. Ware’s is the
best I’ve seen that explains the roles of each person and how the doctrine
should apply to how we live. For instance, “Here in the Trinity… we see
hierarchy without hubris, authority with no oppression, submission that is not
servile, and love that pervades every aspect of the divine life.” (157)

If you’re questioning the Biblical basis of the
doctrine, go read James White. If you are seeking a deeper understanding of the
Trinity and the relevance the nature of God has in your life, Dr. Ware’s book
is a must read. I know of no other book that explains these profound truths
with such clarity and warmth while maintaining their depth and weight.