IS THE TRINITY BIBLICAL?
By: Yonatan Genene
Tags: Trinity, Bible, Diety Of Christ, Christianity

Trinity is one of the most important Christian doctrines, yet also the most misunderstood. Sometimes it is considered illogical, unreasonable, unbiblical, and even pagan. That’s why today we are answering the question “ IS TRINITY BIBLICAL?”

so the short answer is yes and the long answer is “of course yesss…” Reasoning with the scriptures I can understand that Trinitarians didn’t came up with the idea rather they were forced to believe in it by their scriptures. and first and most we need to know what’s the trinity?

Trinity is the belief in a single God who has three personalities. unlike humans which have one personality, God has three(the father, the son, and the holy spirit) and this is just the summarization I’m not gonna go into details about the definition, if you want a detail about the definition of trinity this Article is not what you want but at least gives you a biblical image of the trinity. we will look at trinitarian doctrine based on the fact that it’s domain is the bible as follows:

MONOTHEISM

One of the pillars of the trinity is the belief in a single God. The Bible obviously teaches that there is only one God, it’s found throughout the whole scripture but I’m only quoting three:

(Isaiah 44:6 ) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; besides me there is no God.

(Isaiah 43:10 ) Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me, there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

God is saying right now I’m the only God and there won’t be any other God even in the future. so not only that there is one God present but also no other God will be made, so trinity is a belief within the domain of “always one God present”

1 Corinthians 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one.

even in the new testament nothing changes paul said God is still one, there is no God other than one.

THE FATHER IS GOD

Actually, there is no dispute among Christians and others if the bible teaches that the father is God. so I’m just gonna give some verses and leave it be.

(Ephesians 4:6 ) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

(1 Peter 1:3 ) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

(Ephesians 1:3 ) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Clearly, the scripture teaches that the father of our Lord Jesus Christ is God, so the trinity is within the domain of the father being God.

THE SON IS GOD

This is highly debated, but the biblical answer for it is yes Jesus is God. that’s clearly what the bible teaches. I don’t really get why people who claimed to well study the bible denies it. Maybe it’s because he is introduced as a man, but that is only an idea that leads us to the incarnation of God and there is no wonder He is God since Isaiah prophecized the messiah to be God

(Isaiah 9:6 ) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Also, Thomas who’s one of the apostles called him my God

(John 20:28 ) And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

The interesting thing is how Jesus answered him saying “ now you believe?” Jesus here was literally being like “finally”. Moving on Thomas wasn’t the only one who called Jesus God

John 1:1–3 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 anything made that was made.

First, the Word was God. The Word had the character and nature of God; what God was, the Word was. Second, the personal pronoun him is applied to the Word, indicating that the Word is a personal being. Third, the Word was with God. The term with* indicates that the Word was not the same Person as the One with whom he was, One who is also referred to as God.

(John 1:14 ) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Just a few verses down john said this word become flesh and dwelt among them. He is speaking about Jesus as if he is God. Just by reading the first chapter of this book, we can conclude that the author(John) believed Jesus to be God.

(Titus 2:13 ) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ;

I can’t help but love this verse because it speaks of hope. but that’s not the point, the point is Paul is calling Jesus our God and savior and it’s not like he is saying God separately and then savior, because Paul is talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ about how Christians should wait for that day holy and clean if Jesus isn’t God then why mention God as if he is appearing in the second coming of Jesus Christ, second the Granville sharp rule which states that: if two substantives the first has an article and the other doesn’t has an article and both agrees on the number, case, and gender then they are referring to the same person. and Titus 2:13 falls under this rule since the substantive God has an article(our) and is joined with the substantive savior which doesn’t have an article using the word καί (and) so the great God and Savior is Jesus Christ that is what Paul was saying.

(2 Peter 1:1 ) Simeon Peter, a servant, and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 peter 1:1 also has the same structure so we can see that Peter is calling Jesus our God.

In the new testament, Jesus is referred to by names and titles that are used to God in the old testament let’s see some

(Isaiah 45:23 ) By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Philippians 2:10–11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Look at how in Isaiah God sworn that every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confess to him and the way Isaiah put’s it God seems very serious but when it comes to the new testament Paul is referring this same phrase to Jesus. Paul is a rabi who knows the scripture inside out and he knew this is saith about God there is no way he would use it to someone else. the only reason he is telling these exact words about Jesus is because he is the same God who sworn by his name in Isaiah.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

In Isaiah God is saying I’m the first and the last which Jesus said about himself in revelation. none except God can say that he is the first and the last mainly because creatures can either be the first or the last but not both.

Mark 2:7–10 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (8) And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? (9) Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? (10) But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the paralytic —

The scribes immediately concluded this man is blaspheming knowing that no one can forgive sins unless he is God, Jesus didn’t excuse himself instead he made it clear he also has the ability to forgive sin. It’s true none but God can forgive sin. this was to demonstrate his ability and who he is, that he can do what only God does, revealing his true nature.

Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

Matthew 14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 28:9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.

Throughout the hall bible, it is written worship non but the Lord your God(Due 6:14, Isa 42:8, Psa 97:7…). Jesus himself is saying don’t worship anyone but God, interestingly enough things are changing very quickly, Jesus who said don’t worship anyone else is now receiving worship himself, so are we supposed to conclude he is a blasphemer, therefore, a sinner? Certainly not! Jesus didn’t blaspheme or lied he only receives worship because he is God worthy of worship.

In fact with all these scriptures supporting the idea Jesus is Divine I must say without him being God the Gospel is destroyed. The Gospel makes it clear for us that the sinless man Jesus is the one who saved us from our sins, and without him being God and all those claims he made(forgiving sin, that he must be honored the same way the Father is honored(john 5:23), that he is the final judge in the day of the judgment, The Lord of lords) he is a blasphemer, therefore, a sinner. so no one is saved, But luckily That’s not the case the Gospel is just as True as the deity of Jesus.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD

Also known as the spirit of God or the Spirit with capital “S”.Now one obvious question is he God? well there is almost no argument about the Spirit being God the true question is “Is he a person or impersonal force?” which we are covering next. for now, let us just support the idea the Spirit is God.

Acts 5:3–4 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.”

One of the most convincing statements in the Bible about the Holy Spirit being God is found in the above passage. When Ananias lied about the price of a piece of property, Peter said that Satan had filled Ananias’s heart to “lie to the Holy Spirit” and concluded by saying that Ananias had “lied to God” (verse 4). Peter’s words equate the Holy Spirit with God; he spoke as if the Spirit and God were one and the same.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The bodies of those in Christ are described as temples of God because the Holy Spirit is in us. for even more clarification, God said he will dwell in us which the Spirit did. therefore it’s a fulfillment of promise when the Spirit dwelt in us.

And for the personality of the Spirit, the answer is yes the Spirit has a personality, here are few reasons why:

(Philippians 2:1) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

(2 Corinthians 13:14) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

The first reason is that we can have fellowship with the Spirit, a thing an impersonal immaterial force can’t do.

(1 Corinthians 2:11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

another characteristic of a personality is the ability to know, which the Spirit has. the spirit also teaches:

(Luke 12:12) For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

and most of all the Spirit loves

(Romans 15:30) Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

All these characteristics leave us with no choice but to conclude the spirit has a personality and it is not just an impersonal immaterial force of God. with that said let us pass on to the next important pillar of the trinity.

EACH PERSONALITY IS DISTINCT

The distinction of each personality is simply; having a different personality rather than one personality manifesting itself in three forms, which is unbiblical. The bible teaches that each person of the trinity is somehow different from the other person and that they interact with each other which is not something that a single personality can do, with this said let us see the biblical pieces of evidence:

send or been sent by one another:

(John 3:17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

(John 14:24) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

(John 15:26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

(Isaiah 48:16) Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

the father sent the son and the son sent the spirit with the father together likewise the spirit also send the lord, we can’t read the above texts and conclude the text is speaking about the same person.

the son spoke with the father:

(John 17:5) And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

(Romans 8:26) Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

(Hebrews 1:8) But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

the son prayed to the father which is a very odd thing to do if the father the same person as the son. the Spirit intercedes to those who prayed, now one obvious question if he is the only person in the being of God who is the Spirit interceding to?, Thirdly the father in Hebrews chapter one is talking about and to the Son. all these things are interactions which can only be made by multiple persons.

(John 3:35)The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

(John 14:31) but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

In John chapter three Jesus said the father loves him and in chapter 14 he tells us that he also loves the father and in chapter 17 they honored each other.

conclusion: The father is a person who, loved, sent, and honored the Son who also is another person who loves, honors, and prayed to the father, likewise the Spirit is another person who interceded to the father and sent by him alongside the son.

just to summarize every biblical idea we’ve been through I’ll say the following

There is only one God That one God is the father That one God is the son That one God is the Spirit The Father, The son and The Spirit has their own personality So there is one God with three distinct personalities

So to believe in the bible we must believe in one God who has three distinct persons “THE TRINITY” the name trinity is just a mere representation of the biblical idea of God. it’s not pagan, it’s not unbiblical, it’s not illogical but yeah it’s a mystery, I’ll be the first to admit that but still, I know enough to believe in it which leaves me with no excuse to deny it.