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The trinity is a difficult Christian doctrine.
Yet, it has been a historical part of orthodox Christian belief. Orthodoxy does not prove a doctrine correct. But, it does require us to take it seriously and not dismiss it lightly.
Most who oppose the doctrine of the trinity do so out of a fundamental misunderstanding of what the doctrine is all about.
The Word "Trinity" Does Not Appear in Scripture.
It is true that the word trinity does not appear in the Bible.
However, that is an issue of language. What is important is whether the concept we call "the trinity" is in scripture. The doctrine of the trinity is an attempt to understand certain things which are clearly contained in scripture. Whether one chooses to use the word "trinity" or not, these things never-the-less ARE in scripture and, as we seek to understand scripture, they must be dealt with and understood in some way. The best effort so far to understand and reconcile certain spiritual truths is the concept of the "trinity" or "tri-unity" of God.
The doctrine of the trinity clearly affirm that there is ONE GOD, not three.
However, the doctrine teaches that scripture indicates that God is complex and that there are three distinct persons revealed in that ONE complex God.
The concept of one being consisting of three persons is difficult to comprehend because we live in a world where there is a
one-to-one relationship between "personhood" and being. For example, if you have exactly one human PERSON standing in front of you, then you also have one human BEING standing in front
of you. If someone tells you he has three human PERSONS visiting for dinner, you may rightfully assume that three humans BEINGS are visiting him for dinner.
But, we know that God is far greater and far more complex than any human being or any other created being. Therefore,
given the greatness and complexity of God, it is not unreasonable to suggest the possibility that since the being we call God is more complex than we are, He may have more PERSONS making up
that BEING than we do. In fact, there is considerable scriptural evidence that this is true.
At this point we run into one of the first common misunderstandings of the trinity. As soon as we state that God is one
being composed of three persons, many will focus on the "three persons" and say "You have three Gods." Or they will focus on the "one being" and say, "There cannot be three
persons." Both are wrong.
We have to stretch our minds and acknowledge that God is something far greater and more complex than anything we know in this world. He is one complex being which includes three persons. The fact that God may be composed of three revealed persons does not negate the fact that there is only one God.
The Trinity in the Old Testament
There is much in the Old Testament which "hints" at the trinity.
There are also "problems" in the Old Testament which are very difficult to explain without an understanding of the Trinity. However, they make perfect sense with the trinity in view.
Perhaps the best known clue is that the God of creation is "Elohim" in Hebrew.
Elohim is a plural form. Apart from the trinity, it is suggested that this is simply use of the "majestic plural" (use of a plural form to emphasize the majesty of the individual.) If all we had for evidence was this example, the "majestic plural" explanation might seem reasonable. However, when all of the evidence is weighed, there seems to be more going on.
In Gen. 1:26 God is quoted as saying, "
let us make man in our image
" Again we see the plural form. From a
trinitarian point of view, this is a statement made from one person of the godhead to another.
Some would suggest that God is merely "thinking aloud" to Himself. But, that does not explain the plural usage. God could not have been talking to mankind because mankind had not been created yet. God could not have been talking with angels because "us make" suggests that whoever is being spoken to is involved in the creative process. Angles are created beings. Only God is identified in scripture as creator.
Probably the one great pronouncement of monotheistic belief is found in Deut. 6:4.
"Hear, O Israel: the LORD or God is one LORD." Those seeking to refute the doctrine of the trinity will often quote this passage as though it alone settles the matter. This statement seems clear enough until we look at it in the Hebrew and find something very interesting. The word used for "one" is "echad." This term speaks of complex oneness. For example, in Genesis 2:24, a man and woman become "one[echad] flesh." That is, one flesh made up of two people. Also, in Numbers 13:23-24 we see reference to one [echad] cluster of grapes. That is, one cluster but made of many grapes complex oneness. It has been argued that "echad" does not have to mean a complex unity. But, that is how it is used. Furthermore, Hebrew does have a word for singular unity: "yachid." It is interesting that the author of the ultimate declaration of monotheism has a word available to specifically express singular unity, but instead uses a word for expression of complex unity.
There is a very interesting passage in Isaiah 48:12-16. The speaker is clearly God.
The speaker says in verse 13, "Mine hand hath also laid the foundations of the earth." Only God could make such a statement. Interestingly, in the previous verse, the speaker refers to himself as "I am the first, I am also the last." (a statement which Jesus Christ applied to Himself in Rev. 1:11) Yet, in verse 16, the speaker (who is clearly identified as God) states that he was sent by two other entities and identifies them as the "Lord Jehovah" and "his spirit." Here we not only have three divine persons, but they correspond precisely to the trinitarian concept of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are God
There are attributes which only God posses. Only God is perfect, all powerful, all knowing, etc. All others are
imperfect, limited in power, limited in knowledge, etc. Therefore, if the Bible attributes to an entity a characteristic that can only be possessed by God, then that entity must be
God.
Father Matt. 5:48 (the Father is perfect)
Son Matt. 28:18 (Jesus is all powerful)
Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 2:11 (knows the things of God)
All three are identified as having characteristics unique to God. There is only one God.
(Deut. 6:4) So, all three are part of that one [echad] God. Is there a distinction between the three?
Distinctions among Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Luke 11:13 The Holy Spirit is distinct from the Father
John 5:36-37 Jesus is distinct from the Father
John 14:26 The Holy Spirit is distinct from Jesus Christ (and also the Father)
So, we have one (echad) God, but three distinct persons having characteristics which are attributable only to that one God.
Personhood of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
What is a person? A "person" is one having three characteristics: intellect, emotion and will. If you can point
to an entity which meets the definition of a "person" then you have a "person."
It's sort of like defining a "Philadelphian" as someone who lives in Philadelphia. If they live in Philadelphia, then they are a Philadelphian. If a person is an entity with intellect, emotion and will, then an entity with these characteristics is a person.
We have seen that scripture makes a distinction between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Scripture reveals that all three
have the characteristics of a person:
Father intellect Prov. 28:5
Father emotion Deut. 31:17
Father will Luke 22:42 (this verse speaks of both the Father's will and Jesus' will, distinguishing between the two.)
Son intellect Matt. 26:10
Son emotion Matt. 9:36
Son will Luke 22:42 (same as above)
Holy Spirit intellect Rom. 8:27
Holy Spirit emotion Eph. 4:30
Holy Spirit will 1 Cor. 12:11
Summary
So, from scripture, we have one God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are persons,
Yet, all three are one God, and thus united in one being.
The doctrine of the trinity does not teach that there are three Gods. Rather, the doctrine of the trinity acknowledges
the complexity of that one God as revealed in scripture. There is one (echad) God. But, He is a complex God. Part of His complexity is three revealed persons.
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