THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY

 

God’s Revelation of Himself in Scripture

 

 

 

 

          The Doctrine of the Trinity is not a man made doctrine, but is rather an organized presentation of certain truths about God that are clearly and explicitly stated in Scripture – line upon line, here a little, there a little (Isaiah 28:9-10). One aspect of this doctrine affirms the fact that only one God exists, another the fact that even though the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God there is still only one God, the three (tri) are one (une).

 

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD

 

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Jahweh) our God (Elohim) is one LORD (Jahweh).

Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered, The most important of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

Mark 12:32 There is one God; and there is none other but He.

1Timothy 2:5 There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: even the demons believe, and tremble.

1Corinthians 8:6 there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.

Isaiah 43:10-11 I am he: no God was formed before me, and there will be none after me. I, even I, am the LORD (Jahweh); and there is no savior other than me.

Deuteronomy 4:35 The LORD is God; there is none other beside him.

Isaiah 44:6 The LORD (Jahweh) the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD (Jahweh) of hosts, says; I am the first, and I am the last; and there is no God but me.

[Comment: The purpose of these comments is not to explain the passages, but to call attention to what they say. All of them tell us that there is only one God. However, in the first passage the name “Jahweh” is a definite singular (which could be translated as “He who is” or “I am”). Yet “Elohim” is a plural (coupled with the singular word “is”). Thus the plural nature of the One God is indicated, while the fact that there is only one God is emphasized. In the last passage (Isaiah 44:6) we are told that Jahweh is both the God of Israel and our redeemer (Christ).]

 

THE FATHER IS GOD

 

Deuteronomy 32:6 Is this your repayment to the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? is not he your father who has bought you? has he not made you, and established you?

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.

Isaiah 63:16 Surely you are our father, even though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us: you, O LORD, are our father, our redeemer; your name is from everlasting.

1Thessalonians 3:11 Now may God Himself our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.

Malachi 2:10 Do we not all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us?

[Comment: While all of these passages tell that the Father is God, the words “bought you” (in the first verse) and “redeemer” (in the third verse) point to Christ as God.]

 

THE SON IS GOD

 

Isaiah 7:14 Behold, a virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel which being interpreted is, God with us (Matthew 1:23).

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be on his shoulders: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Psalm 2:7,12 Jahweh has said to me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you… Blessed are all those who put their trust in him.

Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son he says, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Isaiah 48:12-16 I am He; I am the first, I am also the last. My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens… from the time that it was, there I am: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, has sent me.

Isaiah 49:26 I Jahweh am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Isaiah 54:5 your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He will be called the God of the entire earth.

John 20:28 Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

1Timothy 3:16 God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (See also 1Tim. 1:1 and 2:3.)

[Comment: All of these verses affirm the deity of Christ. However, because there is only one God, in Psalm 2:7 Jahweh speaks as the Father, while in Isaiah 49:26 He speaks as the Son.]

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD

 

Acts 5:3-4 Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost… you have not lied to men, but to God.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life.

Matthew 12:31-32  blasphemy against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven… anyone who speaks against the Holy Ghost, will not be forgiven,

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek.

[Comment: These verses all tell us that the Holy Spirit is God.]

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PERSONAL (NOT A FORCE)

 

Acts 13:2 while they were worshipping the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

Romans 8:26-27 The Spirit himself makes intercession for us… He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit.

1Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit specifically says, that in the later times some shall depart from the faith.

John 14:26 The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.

Acts 5:3, 9 Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost… How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?

Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

1Corinthians 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each man as He will.

John 16:13 When, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak on his own; but whatever he hears, he will speak.

[Comment: we refer to the Holy Spirit as a person [personal being] because the Bible tells us that He has a “mind” (Romans 8:27), “speaks” (1Timothy 4:1), teaches (John 14:26), can “grieve” (Ephesians 4:30), can be “lied to” (Acts 5:3-4) and should be referred to as “He,” not it (John 16:13).]

 

EACH PERSON IS DISTINCT FROM THE OTHER TWO

 

Matthew 3:16-17 And having been baptized, Jesus immediately went up out of the water: and, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And a voice from heaven, said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 14:16-17 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may remain with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth.

John 14:26 The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and cause you to remember everything that I have said to you.

[Comment: These verses all speak of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as separate entities. In the first verse Jesus comes up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, and the Father speaks from heaven.]

 

YET THERE IS ONE GOD, NOT THREE GODS

 

Mark 12:29-30 And Jesus answered, The most important of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

Mark 12:32 There is one God; and there is none other but he.

[Comment: See all of the Bible passages in the first section that tell us that there is only one God.]

 

THE THREE ARE ONE

 

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD

Matthew 28:19 Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name [singular] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

1John 5:7 There are three who bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three (tri) are one (une).

[Comment: The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God yet there is only one God, not three Gods. See 2 Corinthians 13:14, Isaiah 48:16, Genesis 18:1-3, and all of the passages in the first section that tell us that there is only one God.]

 

THE TWO NATURES OF CHRIST

 

JESUS CHRIST IS TRUE GOD, JAHWEH INCARNATE

 

Isaiah 49:26 I Jahweh am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

[Comment: See all of the passages in section three that tell us that Jesus is true God.]

 

JESUS IS ALSO TRUE MAN, THE SERVANT OF JAHWEH

 

1Timothy 2:5 There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, my chosen one, whom I uphold; and in whom my soul delights. (Matthew 12:18)

 

CONCLUSION

 

As you have seen, the doctrine of the Trinity consists of truths that are clearly and explicitly stated in Scripture. Nevertheless, during the fourth century Christians adopted a terminology that made it easier to express certain facts about God without contradicting what the Bible says elsewhere. For example, even though the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, if we referred to them as three Gods we would appear to contradict the Bible passages that say there is only one God. Therefore, in order to avoid confusion, while making it clear that only one God exists, we refer to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as three persons rather than three Gods. Furthermore, when we refer to them as “persons,” all we really mean is that they have the attributes of a personal being (they love, care, plan, think, speak, etc.).

 

Christian doctrine is not produced by the theologian; all that the Christian theologian does is that he compiles the doctrinal statements contained in Scripture (in the text and context), groups them under their proper heads, and arranges these doctrines in the order of their relationship” (Francis Pieper, “Christian Dogmatics”, Vol. 1, pg 52)

 

Gary Ray Branscome