The Trinity: God in 3 Persons

Many have tried to explain the concept of the Trinity. I don’t know if I can. It is hard to comprehend. It is God in 3 persons. Each have a role, yet each is separate. The Father is Almighty God, above all. He is the creator and sustainer. Jesus Christ is the Son. He is our Lord, our redeemer. He paid for our sins so that we can be forgiven if we choose to believe. He will return to judge the earth. He was there during creation, and He will be there in the end. The Holy Spirit indwells those who believe. He guides and convicts. He gives us spiritual gifts. He prays for us on our behalf.

On the one hand, there is only one God. God says He is the only God. There is no other. But God is three persons. Not 3 separate Gods, but 3 persons as one God. They all work toward the same goal. There is no rivalry. Other so-called gods often fight to establish their superiority. God shows love and mercy to bring others to repentance. He shows His power to show His justice. Confused yet? Me too. But I know that God always works thing for good to those who love Him. He loves us so much that mad a way for us to be forgiven. God the Father sent His only Son to pay for our sins by dying on the cross. God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to this earth to take the sins of the world and give His life for us. He rose from the dead and conquered death and sin, and sent us the Holy Spirit to live in those who believe, those who are His children to guide us and strengthen us.

Hebrews 1:1-4

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Isaiah 44:6-8

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ “

God is God, there is no other. All other gods are false gods. They do not speak, they do not act. They are created by man. God created man in His own image. God created everything.

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

The usual word for God is Elohim.  This noun is plural.   Although in several places the term for God is a singular, such as El or Eloah.  In spite of the plural term for God, the true Jewish faith was strongly monotheistic (one God).  When Elohim is used regarding God, it is used with singular verbs, indicating that the God of Israel is a single being.  The plural allows for a plurality (more than one person) of expression for God, as later revealed in the New Testament such as in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (from The Nelson Study Bible).

1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

Again, there is only one God; one God in 3 persons, the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, who work together as God. They all had a part in creation, and they all had a part in our salvation.

Matthew 3:11-17

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The word “Trinity” is never used in the Bible, but the concept that God in 3 persons is clear. It is hard to understand, we can see the awesomeness and authority in each, and in all. In the next few posts, we will discuss in more detail of each person of God. May you be blessed and may God be glorified.