GOD IN THREE PERSONS: DOCTRINE OF TRINITY

The revelation of God in the Bible is progressive. God had been taking initiative to reveal God’s own self to humanity. God revealed different names, attribute, plans and persons of God to humanity in different times. The greatest revelation of God manifested in Jesus himself. Let us look into Christian doctrine God.

What is Trinity?

The word trinity cannot find in the Bible. The word trinity means “tri-unity” or “three-in-oneness.” This word is used in Christian theology to summarize the fact that God is one with three persons. The core of the doctrine of Trinity can be summarized as follows:

(a)    There is only one God.

(b)   God is three persons.

(c)    Each person is fully God.

Now let us look into details of these three doctrinal summary statements.

(a)   Only one God

The common question is that how many gods are there in the Bible?

John 17:3  And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

1 Timothy 2:5   For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,

James 2:19  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-- and shudder.

It is very clear from the above verses that there is only one God in the Bible.

(b)   God is three persons.

The one God in the Bible revealed to humanity in three divine persons such as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Old Testament Evidences:

The Old Testament also acknowledges that there is only one God (Dt 6.4-5; Is 45.5-6; 21-22). Further, it seems that several texts in the Old Testament suggests or imply that God exists in more than one person.

Ø  Genesis 1:26   Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." (cf. Gen 3.22; 11.7; Is 6.8).

The phrase “let us” indicates plurality of persons in Godhead.

Ø  Psalm 45:6-7   ⁶ Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity;  ⁷ you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

Here, two distinct persons are called as God.

Ø  Psalm 110:1  The LORD says to my lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool."

Here, David speaks about two separate persons as “Lord” (cf. Mt 22.41-46).

Ø  Isaiah 63:10  But they rebelled and grieved his holy spirit; therefore he became their enemy; he himself fought against them.

The phrase “his holy Spirit” implies that Holy Spirit is distinct from God (cf. Is48.16)

The New Testament Evidences:

John 14:26   But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Matthew 3:16-17  And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 28:19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Hebrews 9:14   how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

Acts 7:55  But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

These verses indicate three distinct divine persons in God yet indivisible. Thus, there is one God in three persons.

(c)    Each person is fully God.

Father is God

Romans 1:7  To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:2  who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Both the verses clearly acknowledge that Father is God.

Son is fully God

Ø  John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ² He was in the beginning with God.

Here, Jesus is called as the Word who is God.

Ø  John 20:28  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

Here, Thomas clearly acknowledges that Jesus is God.

Ø  Hebrews 1:3  He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Here, son Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being.

Ø  Isaiah 9:6  For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (cf. Is 40.3)

This is a prophecy about Christ which clearly says Christ is Mighty God.

Holy Spirit is fully God

Ø  Matthew 28:19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Along with Mt 28.19, there are other texts such as 1 Cor 12.4-6; 2 Cor 13.14; Eph 4.4-6; 1 Pet 1.2 and Jude 20-21 equate Holy Spirit with other persons such as Father and Son in Godhead.

Ø  Acts 5:3-4   "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?  ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!"

Here, lie to the Holy Spirit is equated to the lie to God. Thus, Holy Spirit is understood here as God.

Ø  Psalm 139:7  Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?

Here, David equates God’s presence with Holy Spirit.

Attributes of God in Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Attributes	Father	Son Jesus	Holy Spirit
Omnipotent:Having all mighty power	1Pt 1.5	1 Cor 1:24	Lk 1:35-37; Rom 15:19
Omniscience: knows everything	1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 44:21, 94:11, 139:1-6; Isaiah 44:7-8, 46:10; Matthew 6:8, 32, 24:36; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8; Romans 11:2; 2 Corinthians 11:31, 12:2-3; Galatians 4:9, 1 John 3:20	Matthew 11:27, Luke 8:46; John 1:48, 2:23-25, 4:25, 8:14; 16:30, 21:17; Colossians 2:3	1Cor 2.10-11
Omnipresence	1 Kings 8:27; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 23:24	Matthew 18:20, 28:20; John 3.13, 14:20	Psalm 139:7-12
Immutable: Never changing	Mal 3.6	Heb 13.8	Is 63.11; Jn14.16-17
Eternal: Without beginning nor end	Genesis 21:33; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Jeremiah 10:10; Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 1:8; 21:6	John 1:1, Revelation 1.8. 22:13	Heb 9.14

From above discussion, it can be concluded that each person in the Godhead is fully and equally God. The Godhead is distinguishable but indivisible in essence.  The three persons in one God are coeternal  coequal and coexisting in nature, attributes, power and glory.

Is there any distinction among the three persons?

The three persons have different primary functions in relation to the world. The three persons in one God are equal in deity. However, their function in relation to the universe seems to be different. Following are two examples to prove this fact.

 For example, one can see different functions of three persons in one God in the event of creation. God the Father spoke the creative words to create the universe. These creative words of Father were carried out by God the Son, eternal Word of God.  "All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being" (John 1:3). Moreover, "in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16; see also Psalm 33:6, 9; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:2). The Holy Spirit was actively participated in executing the creative word of Father by "hovering" over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2).

Another example for the different functions of the three persons in the one God is redemption of the creation. Father God sent Son Jesus to this earth through Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:9-10). Son obeyed the Father and redeemed the creation through the salvific work on the cross and ascended back to the heaven (John 6:38; Hebrews 10:5-7). Then, the Holy Spirit was sent by Father and Son to the earth is working to actualize the redemption in the creation (John 14:26, 3:5-8).

Thus, there is no difference in being of the three persons in one God but there are functional differences among the three persons in one God in relation to the universe.

The relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit is eternal, not occurred in any point of the course of time. They exist eternally. The different functions are simply outworking of the eternally existing God in three persons. There is no difference in deity, attributes or essential nature between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each persons in one God is fully and equally God and has all the attributes of God. This wonderful eternal existence of three persons in one God is ultimate and final form of the real love. Here, it is meaningful to say that God is love.