Biblical Evidence for the Trinity

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Monotheistic religions hold in common the belief that there is only one God and therefore only one divine essence. The identity of this God differs from religion to religion, but fundamental agreement exists that there is only one God, no matter who He happens to be.

Christian monotheism, however, does differ from other monotheistic faiths in its understanding of how this essence is possessed by God, even though Christianity agrees that there is only one God and only one divine essence. Other monotheistic faiths teach that the one divine essence belongs to only one divine person. Historic, biblical, orthodox Christian monotheism, however, says that the one divine essence belongs equally to three distinct divine persons. God is not merely Allah, for example; He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In other words, Father, Son, and Spirit are all fully divine, possessing identical divine attributes. Being fully equal, none is more or less God than the other. And this is our confession based on much biblical evidence.

First, some theologians have noted the Old Testament use of Elohim, one of the Hebrew terms translated into English as “God.” Though it is often used as a singular in Hebrew grammar, Elohim is actually plural in form. So, some have seen in the word itself a hint of plurality in God. It should be noted that the mere word itself does not necessitate a reference to divine plurality, and it would be insufficient by itself to give us a God who is both one and many. Its use, however, is congruent with the doctrine of the Trinity.

Psalm 110, which makes a distinction between the “LORD” (Yahweh) and the “Lord” (Adonai), also points us in the direction of Trinitarianism. There is an allusion to two divine persons, and Jesus brings this out in His use of the text to show His opponents that He is far more than a mere human son of David (Matt. 22:41–46).

Although there are various hints at God’s Trinitarian existence in the Old Testament, we do not get a full-orbed revelation of the Trinity until the New Testament. John 1:1–18, for example, is a clear teaching on the deity of Christ, the Word who in the beginning was God and was with God. There are also texts wherein the three persons are so closely associated so as to imply that all three are fully divine (for example, 2 Cor. 13:14). Clearly, the Bible assumes and teaches that God is triune.

The Trinity is a doctrine that we cannot fully understand, although there is much we can say. But we need not fully understand it in order to affirm it. It is taught in God’s Word, and we are responsible to believe what God’s Word teaches even when complete comprehension escapes us.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Isaiah 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Matthew 28:18 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

“Being fully equal, none is more or less God than the other.”

Based on scripture, a false teaching.

First point, God the father is distinct and separate from the Son. Matthew 3:17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased.

Second point, God the father is superior to the Son.

Matthew 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

The concept of the Holy Trinity did not appear until the council at Nicaea. Not that there wasn’t such a concept but it was much less than universal doctrine. Then The emperor Constantine who was apparently studying to become a Christian heard the doctrine of the Trinity from a bishop from Greece and fell in love with the concept and made it an edict in the Christian Church. You either had to profess belief in the Trinity as described now or leave the church and be banished from Rome. Some bishops left the Church. The emperor relented after a couple years and allowed the unbelieving bishops back into full fellowship but bade them not teach the traditional view of the Trinity. It was ok not to teach the new doctrine but they must not teach the old either.

So what was the old doctrine. The old doctrine was that there was a Father in heaven of The Lord Jesus Christ. That The Lord Jesus Christ was the first born of The Father and ruled with Him at His side. There was another member of this ruling group, we call Him the Holy Ghost. They were referred to by early saints (the first three hundred years) as the God Head. All three of these were considered God but there was a head god so to speak and others that were like God The Father but that God the Father, Elohim was the senior of the three, that The Son or Jehovah was next in seniority and then The Holy Ghost.

Early doctrine was that The Holy Ghost was a messenger from God and Christ, that God and Christ were beings of substance and the Holy Ghost was spirit.

At some point in time Christians who did not embrace the doctrines of Rome or the seat of “The Church” were no longer considered Christians by the majority and became heretics and some were executed and others banished.

There are arguments for both views and I don’t think it really should matter, the two doctrines should not be mutually exclusive.

The disciple Stephen while being stoned said as he was being stoned that he looked up and saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. To many that was as strong an argument for the traditional(old) view of The Trinity as was the Baptism of Jesus when a voice was heard from Heaven saying this is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, this while the Holy Ghost descended to Jesus in the form of a dove.

Were it not for the second council at Nicaea perhaps it would have never been such a big deal but at the second council in 375AD belief in the new doctrine of The Holy Trinity became a condition of membership. Believing the old doctrine became a capital offense from that point on.

I personally believe that the doctrine of Christianity that is important is that God gave His Son as a sacrifice and unless you accept that you cannot be saved.

God gave Abraham an example of what He would do when He had Abraham sacrifice his own son. God spared Issac at the last minute but Christ was not spared, He took upon Him our sins and was allowed to die so that we may live.

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