TRINITY
Commentary
Scripture References
The Bible declares that God is one God eternally existing in three distinct Persons—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three parts of God, making One God. But each is fully God, yet One in essence and nature. Such is the mystery of the Godhead.
Each Person in the Trinity is co-equal, co-powerful, co-eternal, and divine, yet separate and distinct from one another. The Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit. The Son is not the Father or the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. Yet, they are One God. (Note: Although the term "Trinity" is not found in Scripture, it represents the truth of God as revealed in the Old and New Testaments.)
Theologian James R. White said, "It is vitally important that we recognize the difference between the words Being and Person. Being is what makes something what it is. Person is what makes someone who he or she is" (Loving the Trinity, Christian Research Journal, Volume 21, Issue 4).
Similarly, Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe wrote, “God is one in essence, but three in Persons. God has one nature, but three centers of consciousness. That is, there is only one What in God, but there are three Who’s. There is one It, but three I’s. This is a mystery, but not a contradiction. It would be contradictory to say God was only one person, but also was three persons. Or that God is only one nature, but that He also had three natures. But to declare, as orthodox Christians do, that God is one essence, eternally revealed in three distinct persons is not a contradiction” (When Critics Ask, 1992).
Many plural forms of inspired words within Scripture denote plurality in God. These words describing God in the Old Testament were not an oversight or error by the original writers. They were an overt and deliberate choice inspired by the Holy Spirit to accurately describe and define God, which was later revealed more clearly in the New Testament as One God (in essence and nature) in three divine Persons (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
A few examples of God’s plurality in the Old Testament are as follows:
The Hebrew word for God throughout the entire Old Testament is "Elohim,” which is a plural noun, not singular. This word means “more than two,” yet the Holy Spirit divinely inspired it to describe and identify the One God of the Bible. Translators of the English Bible used the plural pronouns “us” and “our” in passages like Genesis 1:26, 3:22, and 11:7 to accurately express God’s compound unity.
In Deuteronomy 6:4, Moses said, “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” The Hebrew word for one in this passage is “echad,” which is a compound unity and means a single entity made up of more than one part. If God were “One and only One God; singular,” the Holy Spirit would have inspired Moses to use the word “yachid,” which means singular. Yet, “yachid” is never utilized in the Old Testament to describe God because He is one God in three divine Persons, as the New Testament reveals. Therefore, the inspired usage of “echad” expressed God’s plurality.
In Isaiah 6:8, God said, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” The Hebrew word used for “us” is a plural pronoun and is used 1,452 times in 1,094 Bible verses to signify “more than one.”
Many attempts have been made to describe the mysterious dynamic of the Trinity in a way human, finite minds can comprehend — but it is impossible to grasp fully. Although certain facts about the relationship between the Members of the Trinity are understood, it is ultimately unfathomable to the human mind. God is endlessly superior to humanity; therefore, people should not expect to understand Him completely.
One helpful analogy allowing individuals to comprehend a few aspects of the Trinity is found in the sun:
The earth’s atmosphere contains only one sun. The sun, which has one visible manifestation in the sky, consists of three distinct elements: energy, heat, and light.
People cannot see the intense energy of the sun. But without it, life would not exist on earth. Likewise, people cannot see God the Father and live because He lives in unapproachable light. However, life would not exist without Him (1 Timothy 6:16; Genesis 1 and 2).
People cannot see the heat radiating from the sun but can feel its warmth and see its effects on the earth. Likewise, people cannot see the Holy Spirit but can feel His power and see His effect on believers’ lives (John 3:8).
People can see the manifestation of the sun’s invisible elements in the form of an enormous bright light in the sky, held together by its own gravity. Likewise, Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12), the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact representation of His nature who upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).