The Trinity
The concept of the Triune God, or Trinity, is one of the foundational teachings of Christianity and is considered the bedrock of the Christian faith because:
- It shows the person and deity of Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human.
- If the doctrine of the Trinity isn’t believed it means Jesus is a liar when He used God’s holy name saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)
Jesus also said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
If Jesus isn’t God as He said, then how can we trust Him when He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
Now that we understand the importance, we must understand that nowhere in the Bible is the word “Trinity” found. However this doesn’t mean that it is foundational. The concept is found throughout scripture.
In the New Testament there is a comparable term used, “Theotes,” which is the word for “Godhead.”
“For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9)
The word, “Trinity,” is derived from the Latin word, “Trinitas,” which means the number three. It has come to stand for “three in the unity of one,” or “Tri-Unity.” The word is used to express the unity of God existing in three distinct persons, also known as the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Bible does makes it clear that there is only one God.
We see the oneness of God in His own statements.
“That you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10)
“Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me.” (Isaiah 45:21)
This oneness is also seen at the very heart of the Jewish faith.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Yet, within this declaration of God’s oneness, we see the plurality of the one God.
This is seen in two places.
- Hebrew words: Echad and Yahid
- Yahid – means absolute oneness or singleness
- Echad – brings with it the idea of many that make-up one, or a composite unity.
There are several instances seen within the Bible.
The first is God’s plan for marriage where the husband and wife will be one, “echad,” flesh, Genesis 2:24. Here are two distinct individuals comprising a unity of one in marriage.
There is also the time when the spies came out of the land of Canaan with one, “echad,” cluster of grapes, or many grapes that make up the one cluster (Numbers 13:23).
The creation account is another place where a composite unity is found when it says that one day is made up of two distinct parts, morning and evening (Genesis 1:5).
- Plurality in oneness is seen in the plural language used for God, like when the Lord recounts His creation of humanity.
“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26a)
God is speaking amongst Himself in unity, which is the whole idea behind the description of Godhead.
If the Godhead is true, how can we know that means the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- It is brought out in the Apostle John’s first letter.
“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)
- It is also seen in Jesus’ Great Commission.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
- It is also seen through what the prophet Isaiah said in the Old Testament.
“Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me.” (Isaiah 48:16)
In the Hebrew language, this last sentence literally says, “The Lord God has sent Me and His Spirit.”
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comment section down below.