The only way we can know anything at all about God is through his self-revelation.  He has communicated himself to us in the Jesus’ story by the Spirit. This good news story reveals the One God as three persons who mutually indwell one another as a communion of love.  That is how he has made himself known to us in the story.  There is no “essence” of God that is in any way different from this.  No static, impersonal, substance behind, above or beyond what we come to know through the gospel story.  In the good news story, we see that God is essentially a Communal Being.

When we hear the words “God is Love” (1 John 4:16), we may think first of God’s love towards us.  No wonder!  His love towards us is so wonderful!  However, before we see God’s love towards us we must see God as love within himself.  Our God is love because he is three persons in love relationship.    The Father has always loved the Son.  The Son has always loved the Father.  These two have always loved one another in the love of the Spirit. 

Love expresses itself in self-giving.  And that is how God is love within himself.  The Father loves the Son and always gives himself to the Son.  The Son loves the Father and gives himself to the Father.  The Spirit gives himself to both the Father and the Son.  Through Jesus, God has given himself to us and for us.  And now, he continually gives himself to us as Father and Son make their home with us in the Spirit.