The Trinity
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Do you know what is meant by the Trinity?
To be honest, this is one of the most debated and misunderstood parts of the Christian faith, but is one of the most essential. In fact, it is so important that literal wars have been fought regarding the role of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, how Jesus came to be, even if Jesus is truly God at all.
As crazy as it sounds, bishops have led wars against other bishops and communities to silence them for their “heretical” views about the Trinity (also known as the Triune God). We do not expect that to happen here in our classes, but it is important for you to have a solid foundation to help you understand who each Person of the Godhead is.
The Godhead, Three in One
There is a very famous Christian song by the artist Chris Tomlin called, How Great Is Our God. Tomlin begins one of the verses by singing, “The Godhead Three in One, Father, Spirit, Son.”
You may have even sung that song yourself, wondering what was meant by the “Godhead.” The Godhead is the unity of the Father, Holy Spirit, and the Son, Jesus. Together, the three make up the Trinity. The term “Trinity” means three closely related members, in this case, the three Persons of God.
Before going any further, it is important to understand the importance of this concept. Judaism and Islam have challenged Christianity over the idea of three Gods in One. However, the foundation of this concept is rooted in the Old Testament teachings.
In Deuteronomy 6:4, God declares to the Israelite people, “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This section of verses (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) is considered the most essential declaration of the Jewish faith (referred to as the Shema), and begins by declaring that God is One.
This is an odd statement as no one refers to himself or herself as “one.” In fact, this statement has confused the Jewish scholars for thousands of years. However, in light of the Trinity, it is easier to understand this principle.
To grasp this, you must begin by understanding how the word “one” is used. No one would say that he or she is one. That would sound crazy. “I am one.” That would lead others to ask the question, “One what?”
The answer to what this means is rooted in the very nature of God. What God is saying in the use of the word “one” is that He is unified. He thinks as “one.” This is much like a situation where a father may tell the child, “Your mother and I are one in this.” What he means is that there is no division in their thinking. They are in complete agreement with one another.
This is what is meant here as well. When God is described as “one,” it means that all three Persons of the Trinity are in complete agreement with each other.
A Controversial Topic
If you are struggling to embrace this idea, you are not alone. People have questioned the concept of the Trinity for centuries, and this is the primary reason why Judaism refutes the Christian faith altogether. Accepting that Jesus is God is considered blasphemy to them. However, they cannot explain one of the most important verses of their faith (Deuteronomy 6:4).
What is important to realize is that the concept of the Godhead is one that is established in the very beginning of the Bible. In Genesis 1:26, it states, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’” In the beginning, there was nothing but God. God then created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. In this chapter, there is no one for God to talk to other than Himself. We do not know whether this is the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit talking, but One of Them says that They should make mankind in the image of Themselves. It is a discussion between the three of Them.
This truth is also seen in the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). In verse 7, God is speaking to Himself when He says, “7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Once again, it is the three Persons of God speaking to each other.
When we evaluate verses like this, then we understand that we have a Godhead that is more than One “Person.”
This may make you wonder why people often refer to God in a singular pronoun – He. If God is three Persons, then why is a singular pronoun used to describe Him? The reason is to demonstrate the unity of God. God is making it clear to us that whenever we address any part of the Godhead, we are addressing all of the Godhead.
The truth of the Trinity is also seen in the New Testament. Luke 3:21-22 tells the story of when Jesus was baptized. This text explains:
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
In one dramatic moment, the entire Trinity is revealed to us. Jesus was there in human form. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father declared that Jesus was His Son. The Trinity was revealed to all who were present.
Truth Is Established
What is truth to you?
One of the fundamental principles of the Bible is the Law of the Double Witness. This helps us to establish what truth is.
According to the Law of God, nothing could be established based upon the testimony of one witness. This principle is first established in Deuteronomy 17:6, where the text reads:
6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15 adds:
15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Both of these instances are dealing specifically with crimes, but the principle carried forth throughout the Bible. For example, in 2 Corinthians 13:1, Paul writes: “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Paul is specifically discussing when an allegation is made against an elder of the church, there must be two or three witnesses to the offense.
Once again, it appears that this principle is related only to some type of charge against another person. However, truth was established by this principle as well. In John 8:12-20, the religious leaders question Jesus about His authority.
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
In verse 13, they even say, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” They are 100% right. If Jesus was the only One testifying about Himself and there was no other witness to His claim, then His words would not be true. However, Jesus explained that not only does He bear witness to the truth, but that his Father also testified to Him being the Son of God (John 8:16, 18). Truth was established.
The same thing is found in John 5:30-37. In verses 36-37, Jesus explained that it is the works (the miracles) that He has performed and the witness of the Father that proves what He said about Himself.
Now, this may seem like an irrelevant point when discussing the Trinity, however, it is one of the most essential aspects of God. Nothing that any part of the Godhead does is separate or in opposition to what any of the other Two are doing. The Father supports the work of Jesus, and so does the Holy Spirit. Jesus and the Holy Spirit support the work of the Father, and the Father and Jesus bear witness to and support the work of the Holy Spirit. There is complete unity in everything that they do. There is also complete truth in everything that one of Them would say because the other Two always support the words of the other.
Before explaining the roles for each of the Trinity, it is important to understand that much of what They do overlaps. Often, the work of One leads into the role of the Other. So, instead of addressing each of the roles individually, it is better for us to understand how our God works in unity.
Matthew 3:16-17
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
These verses tell the story of when Jesus was baptized. At that time, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus to signify that His ministry was about to begin. The people also heard the Father speak, telling all who were present that Jesus is His Son. Later, Jesus would use this moment as proof of His authority, meaning that the religious leaders also heard that Jesus was God.
Matthew 28:19-20
Jesus supported the truth about the Trinity as well. In Matthew 28:19-20, often referred to as the “The Great Commission,” Jesus told His disciples:
“9 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.”
Jesus wanted His disciples to understand the truth about the Trinity, and told them that they should baptize all new believers in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
John 1:1-3
You read in Genesis 1 how God wanted to make mankind in His image. John provides an important detail about Jesus related to this.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John makes it clear that Jesus is God and that He was with the Father and the Holy Spirit from the very start. He even adds the detail that all things were made through Jesus, something that is reiterated in Colossians 1:16, where it says, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Romans 8:11
The role of the Holy Spirit is addressed in the Bible as well. In John 14:16, Jesus told His disciples,
“16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”
The Holy Spirit would come to be a Helper for all believers. Later, in verse 26, Jesus said that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
The primary role of the Holy Spirit is to help believers. The amazing part about it is that He helps each of us by dwelling within us. This is told to us in 1 Corinthians 6:19, where it reads, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” You have the Holy Spirit inside you, helping you through your challenges.
The Truth Revealed
This lesson has hopefully clarified the Trinity for you. It is not intended to be a comprehensive explanation of the Godhead, but should give you an understanding of who our God is. I encourage you to read the verses for this week and do your own research. Come to know your God more intimately, so that your relationship with Him will blossom even further.
Can you explain the Trinity?
Why do you think it is important to know that our God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Bible Passages for the Week:
Monday – John 14:16-17
Tuesday – Romans 14:17-18
Wednesday – 1 John 4:1-6
Thursday – John 10:29-39
Friday – John 16:4-15
Saturday – Pick a passage from Scripture that teaches you about what it means to pray.
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© 2024 Dr. Robert Pannier, Hope CDA, All Rights Reserved
