The Trinity

The Trinity is a central Christian doctrine that affirms the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The doctrine defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three distinct persons sharing one essence/substance/nature. The term "Trinity" comes from the Latin word "trinus", meaning "threefold". The Trinity is the belief that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God in essence, but three distinct persons. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. They each have their own personalities and roles, but they are fully integrated into one being. The Trinity is based on the scriptures, which identify Jesus as divine and credit the Holy Spirit with the resurrection.

 

Roles of the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most foundational, yet mysterious, aspects of the Christian faith. It declares 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. While the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, the concept is clearly supported throughout Scripture. Understanding the Trinity is a lofty goal, but we will attempt to help with this post.

Many Christians struggle to understand how God can be three in one. While it is a divine mystery, God has given us enough revelation to grasp its significance and necessity. This post will explore what the Bible teaches about the Trinity, provide helpful illustrations, and explain why this doctrine is essential to the Christian faith.

God the Father

God the Father is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” He is the source of divine will and purpose, as seen in Ephesians 1:11, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” The Father lovingly governs the universe, providing for His creation and ensuring His perfect plan unfolds throughout history.

Jesus Christ referred to His Father as God in John 6:27.

Although the Old Testament does not explicitly define the Trinity, it offers glimpses of God’s plurality.

  • Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’”
  • Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’”

These passages suggest a plurality within God. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, is plural in form, further hinting at the triune nature of God.

The Trinity means that God is one in essence but three in person.

  • Essence refers to what God is—His divine being.
  • Person refers to who God is—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Each person of the Trinity is fully God, not a part of God, and each is distinct. Jesus, the apostles, and the early church recognized God as one being who exists in three persons.

God the Son - Jesus Christ, God Incarnate

Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, fully God and fully man. John 1:1, 14 declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus came to earth to reveal the Father, teach truth, and redeem humanity through His death and resurrection. Philippians 2:6-8 explains, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

John 1:1 identifies Jesus as divine. While Christ never specifically called Himself "God," His Father did apply the title to Him (Heb. 1:8). Furthermore, Jesus acknowledged having unlimited power—an attribute possessed only by the divine Creator (Matt. 28:18)—and also accepted worship (Matt. 14:33; John 9:38). 

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, Guide, and Helper. Jesus promised in John 14:16-17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8), regenerates us (Titus 3:5), and empowers us to live godly lives.

After declaring that God raised Christ from the dead, the New Testament goes on to credit the Holy Spirit with the resurrection (Acts 4:10; Rom. 8:11). Jesus reinforced that idea when He commanded the disciples to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Understanding The Trinity

While no analogy perfectly captures the Trinity, some illustrations help make the concept easier to grasp.

  1. Water (H₂O): Water can exist in three forms—ice, liquid, and vapor—yet it remains the same substance. However, this can mistakenly suggest modalism (the false belief that God changes forms over time).
  2. The Sun: The sun consists of the star, its light, and its heat—three distinct aspects but one source. However, this could suggest that the persons of the Trinity are not co-equal.
  3. The Mind: A person’s mind has thoughts, words, and breath—all different but inseparable, much like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"For to have the fruition of God the Trinity, after whose image we are made, is indeed the fullness of our joy, than which there is no greater."

St. Augustine