The Trinity
 There is no verse in the Bible that states explicitly that God is a Trinity, consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why then do Christians believe it?
First of all, the Bible is very clear that there is only one God (Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; I Corinthians 8:6). The God of the Old Testament is called Jehovah (Yahweh) or Elohim. The concept of the Trinity comes from the fact that three different Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, claim to be Jehovah God. We are left with only two alternatives: 1: The Bible is incorrect, or 2: God is a plural personality consisting of three persons in one Being.
There is much evidence to support the fact that God exists as a Trinity. First of all, in the book of Genesis, we find God addressing Himself in the first person plural:
"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." (Gen. 1:26)
Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil." (Gen. 3:22) also see (Gen. 3:5, 11:7)
The word Elohim is a plural word, but it is applied to the one God. At times the word Elohim is used to describe the pagan deities and it is translated "gods" (Ex. 12:12). But when it is applied to Jehovah, the same word is translated "God" (Gen. 1:1).
The Father Is Jehovah God: Matt. 6:9
• This is usually agreed to by all. THE SON (JESUS) IS JEHOVAH GOD: John 14:9
The Holy Spirit Is Jehovah God: Acts 5:3-4
• In order to prove that the Holy Spirit is God, it is first necessary to prove that He is a separate Person and not just the presence of the Father. It is then necessary to prove that this separate person is Jehovah.
The Holy Spirit Is a Separate Person: John 14:16-17
• Acts 5:32 The Spirit is distinct from the Father and the Son.
• I Cor. 12:11 The Spirit has his own will.
• Eph. 4:30 The Spirit has emotions.
• Acts 5:3-4 The Spirit can be lied to.
The Holy Spirit Is Jehovah God:
The Holy Spirit has the attributes of God:
• Psalm 139:7-9 The Spirit is omnipresent.
• I Cor. 2:11; John 16:12-15; II Pet. 1:21; Is. 40:13 The Spirit is omniscient.
• Acts 5:3-4; Matt.12:31-32 The Spirit can be sinned against and blasphemed.
The Holy Spirit is Jehovah God:
• Compare Jer. 31:31-34 (Heb. 8:8) and Heb. 10:15-16.
• Compare Is. 6:8-9 and Acts 28:25-26
• Compare John 3:5-6 and John 1:12-13
• Compare I Cor. 6:19 and II Cor 6:16
• Compare Ex. 33:12-14 and Haggai 2:5
OTHER EVIDENCES FOR THE TRINITY:
• Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14 The three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are associated together.
Within the nature of the One God, there simultaneously exist three Eternal Persons, namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three are co-equal in attributes, eternity, power, and Glory.
God Is Spirit:
• John 4:24; II Cor. 3:1
Omnipotent:
• (Father) Jer. 12:17; Rev. 19:6 (Son) Matt. 28:18; I Cor 1:24; Rev.1:5; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:3 (Holy Spirit) Luke 1:35 and 37
Omniscient:
• (Father) Ps. 139:1-6; Is. 44:7-8; Is. 46:10 (Son) Matt. 12:25; John 2:24; John 16:30; John 6:64; I Cor. 1:24; Col. 2:3 (Holy Spirit) Is. 40:13-14; I Cor. 2:10
Omnipresent:
• (Father) Jer. 23:24; I Kings 8:27 (Son) Matt. 18:20; Matt. 28:20; Eph. 1:23 (Holy Spirit) Ps. 139:7-10
Person Of The Father:
• Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2; John 10:15; Mark 8:38
Person Of The Son:
• Matt. 3:17; Acts 13:33; Prov. 30:4; Is. 9:6
Person Of The Holy Spirit:
• John chapters 14, 15 & 16 (personal pronoun HE), Matt 12:31; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 10:29; Rom. 8:26-27 (only a person can be blasphemed, grieved, insulted, intercede, etc...)
Father = God:
• Rom. 1:7; I Cor. 1:3; II Cor. 1:2
Son= God:
• Is. 7:14 & Matt. 1:23; Is. 9:6; Is. 45:23 & Phil. 2:9-11; Jer. 23:5-6; Zech. 12:10; Mk. 2:7-9; Jn. 1:1 & 1:14; Jn. 1:18 (only begotten God, in Greek); Jn. 5:18; Jn. 10:30; Jn. 8:58 (the I AM is the same as in Ex. 3:14); Jn. 20:28; Acts 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:6-8; Rom. 9:5; I Tim. 1:17 & Rev. 17:14; II Pet. 1:1; Titus 2:10-13; Heb. 1:6 (& Lk 4:8); Heb. 1:8; Heb. 1:10-12 & Ps. 102:24-27; I Jn. 5:20; II Jn. 9; Rev. 1:8 & Rev. 22:12-13
Holy Spirit = God:
• II Samuel 23:2-4; Jer. 31:31-34 & Heb. 10:15-16; Is. 6:8-10 & Acts 28:25-27; Acts 5:1-5; I Cor. 3:16 & 6:19-20; Heb. 3:7-19 with Ps. 95:7-11
One God:
• Is. 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:21-22; Mk 12:32, etc...
All Three Persons In Old Testament:
The Work Of All Three Persons:
• CREATION: (Father) Is. 42:5; Zech. 12:1
• (YHWH alone) Is. 44:6;
• (Son) Jn. 1:3; I Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2
• (Holy Spirit) Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:30; Job 26:13; Job 33:4
Indwells:
• Father) Jn. 14:23; I Jn. 2:23
• (Son) Eph. 3:17; II Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:27
• (Holy Spirit) Jn. 14:17; Rom. 8:11
• (Son) Eph. 3:17; II Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:27
Resurrection Of Jesus' Body:
• (Father) Gal. 1:1; I Thes. 1:9-10;
• (Son) Jn. 2:18-22; Jn. 10:17-18
One Lord:
• Eph. 4:5; (Father) Is. 64:8; Matt. 11:25; Acts 17:24
• (Holy Spirit) II Cor. 3:17
Eternal:
• (Father) Deut. 33:27; Is. 40:28
• (Son) Col. 1:17; Heb. 13:8; Micah 5:2; I Jn. 1:1
• (Holy Spirit) Heb. 9:14
Wisdom:
• (Father) Dan. 2:20
• (Son) Col. 2:2; Rev. 5:12
• (Holy Spirit) Is. 11:2
Knowledge:
• (Father) I Sam. 2:3
• (Son) Jn. 2:24; Col. 2:3
• (Holy Spirit) I Cor. 2:10-11
Power:
• (Father) Ps. 62:11; Matt. 6:13
• (Son) Matt. 28:18; I Cor. 1:24; Rev. 5:12
• (Holy Spirit) Rom. 15:13-14
Sanctifier:
• (Father) Jude 1
• (Son) Heb. 2:11
• (Holy Spirit) Rom. 15:16; I Pet. 1:2
Restorer From Death:
• (Father) Jn. 5:21; Rom. 4:17
• (Son) Jn. 5:21; Jn. 6:39
• (Holy Spirit) I Pet. 3:18
Searches The Heart:
• (Father) I Chron. 28:9
• (Son) Rev. 2:18,23
• (Holy Spirit) I Cor. 2:9-10
Glory:
• (Father) Is. 42:8
• (Son) Jn. 17:5
• (Holy Spirit) I Pet. 4:14
ALL THREE ARE PRESENT IN THE FOLLOWING:
Incarnation:
Baptism:
Great Commission:
• Matt. 28:18 (the word "name" is singular)
Paul's Letters:
Theophanies: (Appearances of God before the Incarnation)
• We see from Scripture that the Father did not appear unto men in the Old Testament (Jn. 1:18 & Jn. 6:46). Yet, Jehovah God or the Almighty God made Himself visible to men in the forms of a man, angel or in some form which was not mentioned. Jesus said it was He himself who appeared in the Old Testament (Jn. 8:56-58): John the Apostle testified of it (Jn. 12:41 with Is.6:1-5) and St. Paul testified of it (I Cor. 10:4,9).
• Some of the Theophanies are in this order: Genesis 12:7; 17:1; 18:1; 26:2; 26:24; 28:13; Exodus 6:3; 24:10; 33:18-23; Judges 13:15-23 I Kings 3:5; 11:9; II Chronicles 7:12; Isaiah 6:1,5.
Plurality & Separation Of Persons In The Godhead:
• Gen. 1:26-27; 3:22; 11:7-8; 19:24; Is. 6:8; 44:6; 45:11; 48:16; 51:15; 56:4-7; 60:7-9; Jer. 23:5-6; 51:3-4; Hosea 1:6-7; Obadiah 1:1; Zech. 2:8-11; 10:12; 12:10.
Old Testament Passages Of Jehovah Applied To Jesus:
• Matt. 3:3 with Is. 40:3 and Mal. 3:1; Matt. 11:5 with Is. 35:4-6; Matt. 11:29 with Jer. 6:16; Matt. 13:41 with Zeph. 1:3; Matt. 16:27 with Ps. 62:12 and Prov. 24:12; Mark 1:3 with Is. 40:3; Luke 3:4-6 with Is. 40:3-5; Luke 3:6 with Is. 40:5 and Luke 2:30; Luke 7:22 with Is. 35:4-6; Jn. 1:23 with Is. 40:3; Jn. 3:17 with Is. 35:4; Jn. 8:58 with Ex. 3:14; Jn. 12:40 with Is. 6:10: Jn. 19:37 with Zech. 12:10; Acts 2:25-28 with Ps. 16:8-11; Acts 2:20-21 with Joel 2:32; Acts 10:42 with Is. 33:22; Rom. 10:9-13 with Joel 2:32; Rom. 14:10-11 with Is. 45:23 and Phil. 2:10; Eph. 2:17 with Is. 57:19; Titus 2:14 with Ps. 13:8 and Ex. 19:5 and Deut. 14:2; Heb. 1:10 with Ps. 102:25-27; I Pet. 2:8 with Is. 8:13-14; Rev. 1:7 with Ps. 2:8; Rev. 2:23 with Jer. 17:10; Rev. 22:12 with Is. 40:10 and Is. 62;11
JESUS IS YHWH, JESUS IS Jehovah
Glory:
• Is. 42:8 (alone) Is. 48:11, Jn. 17:5
Light:
• Is. 60:20 (true light) Ps. 27:1, Jn. 1:9 Jn. 8:12
Judge:
• Joel 3:12, Ps. 98:9, Ps. 96:10, 13, Ps. 50:6,Jn. 5:22, Jn. 9:39, II Cor. 5:10, II Tim. 4:1
King:
• Jer. 10:10, Ps. 47:7, Is. 44:6; 43:15, Zech. 14:9, Rev. 17:14, Jn. 12:15, I Tim. 1:16-17, I Tim. 6:15
Lord Of Lords:
• Deut. 10:17, Rev. 17:14
Knows The Heart:
• I Kings 8:39, Luke 5:22, Matt. 9:4
Draws:
Holy One:
• Hos. 11:9, Is. 40:25, Job 6:10, Hab. 1:12, Acts 3:14, Ps. 16:10, Mk. 1:24, I Jn. 2:20
Rock:
• Deut. 32:4, II Sam. 22:32, II Sam. 23:3, I Cor. 20:11I, Pet. 2:6-8, Num. 20:11
Savior:
• Ps. 106:21, Is. 43:3,11 (alone), Is. 45:21, Acts 4:12, I Jn. 4:14, Jn. 4:42
Swallow Up Death:
First And Last:
• Is. 41:4; 44:6, Is. 48:12, Rev. 1:8; 2:8, Rev. 1:17-18, Rev. 22:13
One Shepherd:
• Ps. 23:1, Ps. 80:11, Jn. 10:14,16, Heb. 13:20, I Pet. 5:4
I Am:
ALSO SEE:
• Is.33:22 with Acts 10:42; James 4:12; Rev. 17:14; Matt. 1:21; Jn. 3:17; I Tim. 1:15
THE TRINITY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
God is a plurality:
• Elohim is a plural noun used both for the one true God and for false gods. It has the masculine plural ending im. It is used for the one God in Gen. 1:1 and for many gods in Ex. 20:3 and Deut. 13:3.
The following are examples of plural verbs used with Elohim in reference to one God.
• Gen. 20:13 God caused (they caused) me to wander...
• Gen. 35:7 There God appeared (they appeared) unto him...
• II Sam. 7:23 God went (they went)...
• Ps. 58:12 There is a God that judgeth (they judgeth)...
• Eloah is the singular form of Elohim. It is used 250 times in the Old Testament while Elohim is used 2,500 times. e.g. Deut 32:15-17; Hab. 3:3.
• God speaks of himself using the plural: Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3:22; Gen. 11:7; Is. 6:8.
Plural descriptions of God:
• Eccl. 12:1 Remember now thy creator (creators).
• Ps. 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker (Makers).
• Josh. 24:19 ...holy God (Gods)...
• Is. 54:5 For thy Maker (Makers) is thy husband (husbands).
The Sh'ma
The word God is Elohim. The word one is echad and indicates compound unity. Other examples of its use in scripture are:
• Gen. 1:5 evening and the morning--one day.
• Gen. 2:24 man and the woman become one.
• Ezra. 2:64 assembly as one.
• Ezek. 37:17 two sticks combined to become one.
The word yachid means absolute unity. Some examples of it's use are:
• Gen. 22:2,12; Judg. 11:34; Ps. 22:21; Ps. 25:16; Prov. 4:3; Jer. 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech. 12:10
God is at least two:
• Elohim: Ps. 45:6-8. First Elohim is addressed, the second is the God of the first.
• YHWH: Gen. 19:24. The first is on earth and brings fire from the second who is in heaven.
• Zech. 2:10-11. One sends the other
• Other examples: Is. 41:14; 44:6; 49:7; Amos 6:8
God is a Trinity:
(1) Jehovah (YHWH)
(2) Spirit (ruach hakodesh) Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps 51:11-13; Ps.139:7; Is. 11:2. The Spirit contains all the characteristics of personality (intellect, emotion and will) and is considered divine.
(3) The Angel of Jehovah. Almost always Angel of YHWH and YHWH Himself: Gen. 16:7,13; 22:11-12; 31:11-13; Ex. 3:2-4; Judg. 6:11-12, 20,21 with vs. 14, 16, 22, 23; Judg. 13:3,21-23.
All three in one passage:
• Is. 48:12-16: The Creator is speaking and distinguishes Himself from the Lord Jehovah and the Spirit of God.
• Also see Is. 63:7-14: YHWH v. 7, Angel of YHWH v. 9, Spirit v. 10,11 and 14.
New Testament light:
• God the Father.
• God the Son; answers Prov. 30:4 "...what is His Son's name?" Compare with Jn. 3:13.
• God the Holy Spirit; Acts 5: compare vs. 3 with vs. 4
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