We know that God exists and that Jesus is God (for proof that God exists, the Bible is God’s Word and Jesus is God, go to https://www.christiantrainingonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Why-We-Believe-1.pdf). Does that mean we have two Gods, God the Father and Jesus the Son? No. They are different, although they are the same. As Christians, we believe in the Trinity, that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God. They are three separate personalities but one God. There is only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and co-equal persons, the same in substance but distinct in person. That’s not just hard to envision, it’s impossible to fully understand. We must believe it by faith.
Many deny the Trinity. In doing so, they deny the deity and divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Some also claim the Bible is untrue for it clearly teaches God is triune. There are those who believe the Holy Spirit is not as important as Jesus, and Jesus isn’t as important as God. But the Bible says they are all equal.
Don Stewart gives a succinct definition of the doctrine of the Trinity on BlueLetterBible.org: “The Bible teaches that there is one eternal God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is the only God that exists. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three Persons are co-equal and co-eternal. They are also distinguishable or distinct from one another. These three distinct Persons are the one God. Everything that is true about God is true about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Augustine, the distinguished Fourth century AD bishop of Hippo in North Africa, was strolling the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea one morning, engaged in deep thought. He was attempting to come to grips with the depths of the doctrine of the Trinity. He was interrupted in his thoughts when he stopped to watch a little fellow running toward the ocean with a bucket. He watched with amusement as the little guy filled his pail with water and hurried back up the beach to pour it into a little hole he had pawed into the sand. Within seconds the sea water soaked into sunbaked, thirsty sand. Then the bishop’s eyes followed the little boy down to the ocean again, and then back up to the hole. Once again the little guy poured the water into the hole, and once again the sand swallowed it up greedily. “What are you trying to do?” asked Augustine with a smile. The little boy, a little annoyed at being interrupted in the middle of his busy task, replied, ”I’m trying to put the ocean into this hole” Suddenly, it dawned on Augustine that he was behaving much like this little fellow. He was trying to cram the ocean of God’s truth into his little box of brains and was having no more success than the little boy with his bucket. If you are confused about the Trinity, you’re on the right path! That three can be one and one three doesn’t compute mathematically or in our minds, yet both truths are taught in the Bible. There is only one God, but in the unity of the godhead there are three eternal and coequal persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.
The Trinity is impossible to understand with our limited intelligence. We are a tiny speck on a tiny planet in the midst of the whole universe. The fact that we cannot understand all there is to understand about our Creator should not surprise or alarm us! There are many things our minds cannot understand. This is one of them. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. It would be more surprising if we were able to totally understand all the inner workings of the Godhead. How can we prove the Trinity and the Holy Spirit exist?
PROOF FROM REASON If the Trinity isn’t true, why would the writers of the Bible make up such a thing? If they were creating a new religion and trying to convince others to believe in their religion, why would they ever make something so hard to understand a key feature? Who would even think of such a thing in the first place? The Trinity is not something man could or would invent on his own. The only explanation is that God revealed this truth to the writers of the Bible and they faithfully recorded what He revealed.
PROOF FROM THE BIBLE The Bible records that the Father is God (John 6:27), the Son is God (Hebrews 1:8; John 10:27-30; 14:8-10; 17:3-5; Philippians 2:5-11) and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26). All three are referred to as equal (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Jesus says we are to “baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He doesn’t say in the “names” (plural) but in the “name” (singular). These three are all one. We have proof the Trinity exists.
The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-4 says Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit in verse 3. In verse 4 it says he lied to God – referring to the Spirit. We find the phrase “Spirit of the Lord” or “Spirit of God” more than 35 times in the Old Testament. In Genesis 1:26 we read, “Let us make God in our image,” referring to the plurality of the Godhead. Clearly the Holy Spirit is God.
The Bible also says the Holy Spirit and Jesus are equal: “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). The Spirit is equal to the Father and Son (Hebrews 9:14). The Spirit has all the attributes of God the Father. He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-13) and omnipotent (Romans 15:13). There is one God (Exodus 20:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:21; 44:6 but He exists in three Persons (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:18-20; Acts 7:55-56; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:6-10; Ephesians 2:13, 18; John 16:12-15). There really are no good analogies to explain how one is three, yet not divided and separate. Three being one yet separate is nothing we know in nature nor can we imagine it. Therefore, it clearly isn’t something the writers, and there were many who refer to the triune God, would make up unless it was revealed to them from God as true.
The beauty of the Trinity is that God has made Himself known to men. Jesus, being God in the flesh, redeemed us. The Spirit speaks to us, enlightens our minds to understand Scripture, convicts us and guides us. God has always been who He is, and in His Triune essence, provides everything the human soul, spirit and body could need or want. And why not? We are made in His image to worship Him in both the things we can know and those incomprehensible attributes we can only perceive by faith.
Matthew 28:18 Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
What difference does it make in your life if the Trinity is true or not?
Does it bother you that there are some things about God that you can’t understand? Why or why not?
Although we can’t totally understand the Trinity, taking it by faith can bring great assurance. What comfort do you find from the doctrine of the Trinity?
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India, Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)