Doctrine of Trinity
Selected passages Introduction (Transcendence of God)
Dr. Abhishek Chintagunta
1. Why is it important to learn about the
doctrine of Trinity ?
a. Incorrect understanding leads to
idolatry - non-negotiable
b. Salvation depends on it
c. God’s attributes are at stake -
Love
d. Protection against cults - OP, JW,
Mormons, Iglesia ni Cristo, etc
2. Where do we learn about Trinity ?
a. Progressive revelation - this is
used by many cults OT vs NT
b. sola scriptura and tota scriptura -
this is misused by other cults like
mormons
3. Can we know about God ?
a. Incomprehensibility of God
b. The knowability of God
4. The Trinitarian formula (ontological
trinity)
a. Trinity : Mystery or contradiction
b. “Trinity” word is not found in the
Bible
c. Origin of the formula - Bible,
history. Explanation of the
formula from Scripture
d. Monotheism - God Is One
5. The Trinity in detail
a. The Father is God
b. The Son is God
c. The Holy Spirit is God
d. The offices of the members of
Trinity (economic trinity)
6. Common misunderstandings :
a. WRONG TEACHINGS ON
TRINITY
b. BAD ANALOGIES OF THE
TRINITY
7. What does the Trinity mean to us ?
a. We worship a Triune God
b. Our prayers are Trinitarian
c. Christian unity
d. Christian mission
e. Adds strength to the gospel
God is transcendent (1 Chron 29:11) i.e., He is
separate from His creation and not dependent
on the created order in any way. The Almighty
made the universe and He is therefore its
sovereign ruler (Gen. 1:1). A biblical view of
transcendence does not mean that God is
unable to enter into His creation or
communicate with it.
He is also immanent, present within the
universe that He has made (Ps. 139:7).
Nevertheless, creation is not God (pantheism),
nor does God depend upon it. Creation, instead,
depends upon our Creator for its continual
existence (Eph. 4:4–6).
1 Chronicles 29:11 (Transcendence of God)
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the victory and the majesty,
for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is
yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you
are exalted as head above all.
Psalm 139:7 (God is immanent)
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Eph 4:4-6 (God is the sustainer of creation)
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you
were called to the one hope that belongs to your
call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one
God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all.
Heb 1:3 (God is the sustainer of creation)
3
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the
exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the
universe by the word of his power. After
making purification for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of the Majesty on high,
God’s transcendence implies He is unknowable
but His immanence means He has entered into
creation and is able to reveal Himself and
communicate with it.
1/20
Introduction
We are going to learn one of the most important
and essential doctrines (or teachings) that is
taught in the Bible about our God.
The doctrine of Trinity is non-negotiable (not
open to discussion or reconsideration), has
been under attack from forces outside the
Church like cults/Islam/Hinduism. Throughout
the Church history this teaching was under
attack from false teachers from within the
Church as well. The Trinity is unique to the
Bible and is not found in any other religions.
The doctrine of Trinity is misunderstood in
serious ways even by many Christians. This led
to some people joining cults like JWs, OPs,
Islam, etc.
The word Trinity means “tri-unity” which
confirms the Biblical understanding of One God
or monotheism (i.e., mono-one, theism has to
do with God) in three-persons.
Deut. 6:4 (monotheism - we have only One
God)
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
one”
We know that we have three persons in the
Godhead as taught in the Bible i.e., the concept
of Trinity. We affirm the three persons as : God
the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy
Spirit. At the same time we affirm that God is
One. Note that we are not fragmenting (dividing)
or compartmentalizing (parts) the very being of
God. God is simple He is not composed of
parts.
I want you all to keep your Bibles ready and
take notes if possible, and write your questions
and ask them.
1.Why is it important to learn about the
doctrine of Trinity ?
Firstly, the doctrine of the Trinity is the
understanding of God, i.e. Who He is ? It
pertains to His nature, and How He works in
creation, and salvation of His people.
Any wrong understanding of God will result in
idolatry i.e. worshipping a god of our own
making (Easton BD). This the Bible says is
non-negotiable, i.e. God will not tolerate this,
Exodus 20:1-6
And God spoke all these words, saying,2 “I am
the Lord your God, who brought you out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery.3 “You shall have no other gods
before[a] me.
4
“You shall not make for yourself a carved
image, or any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall
not bow down to them or serve them, for I the
Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third
and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6
but showing steadfast love to thousands of
those who love me and keep my
commandments.
God identifies Himself as what He has
revealed Himself in the Bible, (the 66 books
of OT & NT).
Secondly, our salvation depends on it, the
gospel depends on it. Apart from the charge of
idolatry, denying (1) the deity of Jesus Christ,
which is the center of all non-trinitarian heresies,
(2) denying the three Persons of the Godhead,
would result in a dangerous position of placing
our faith in a different god apart from the One
God revealed in the Scripture.
John 3:16 (Father and Son are in the gospel)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:5 (Holy Spirit is in the gospel)
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
2/20
 John 8:24 (Deity of Jesus, is part of the
gospel)
I told you that you would die in your sins, for
unless you believe that I am he you will die
in your sins.”
John 17:3 (Trinity is essential for salvation)
3
And this is eternal life, that they know you,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
you have sent.
Thirdly, God’s nature and His attributes are at
stake. Apart from the Trinitarian understanding
of God, His nature and attributes cannot be
understood. The Bible says that “God is love”
(1 John 4:8). The next question that we can ask
is, “If God is love eternally, then whom did He
love before creation ? ”. We cannot answer this
unless we have at least another eternal Person
in the Godhead. This is clearly resolved in the
Trinitarian understanding, that God the Father
loved God the Son, and hence, God can be love
even before creation, there is no change in Him
(immutability).
Fourthly, a clear understanding of the Bible’s
revelation on the Trinity will protect us against
cults (a religious group that significantly differs
from the established Christian teachings). Some
examples are Jehovah’s Witnesses (who deny
that Jesus is God, Oneness Pentecostals - who
deny that there are 3 persons in the Godhead),
Mormons (who deny the deity of Christ).
The doctrine of Trinity is being constantly
attacked by Muslims, so-called Christian cults.
There are attacks from within the Church and
outside the Church. Hence, it is very important
for us as Christians to be vigilant, educated,
have a knowledge of teachings from Scripture. It
is our duty to be good students of God’s Word.
Hosea 4:6a
My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge; because you have rejected
knowledge,...
2.Where do we learn about Trinity ?
We have 2 sources of revelation (revealing or
communication from God) about God.
(1) We observe some things about God from
nature - we call it General revelation. Namely,
in creation, we can observe some of God’s
invisible attributes (and moral character from
the law or conscience written on the hearts
of men). We can understand that God exists (a
visible creation shows the invisible God), God is
all-powerful (omnipotent), He is all-wise and
all-knowing (omniscient),
Romans 1:20 (General revelation)
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal
power and divine nature, have been clearly
perceived, ever since the creation of the
world,[a] in the things that have been made. So
they are without excuse.
Psalm 19:1–2 (General revelation)
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above[a] proclaims his
handiwork.
2
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
(2) The next revelation that God uses is called
the Special revelation or the written Word of
God - 66 books of the Bible. The Bible gives us
God’s plan of salvation and the sacrifice of His
Son Jesus Christ. As it is written in,
Hebrews 1:1-2 (Special revelation OT & NT)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways
(through dreams, visions, theophanies -
appearance of God by taking a human form),
God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2
but in these last days he has spoken to us by
his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all
things, through whom also he created the world.
God’s revelation in creation is equally as
infallible as His revelation in Scripture because
in both cases, it is God who is doing the
revealing, and God is always infallible. God
cannot err in His work of revealing Himself. The
Bible is inerrant (without error, incapable of
error) and infallible (trustworthy at all times, for
faith and practice).
3/20
 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (infallibility of Scripture)
All Scripture is breathed out by God (66
books of the Bible) and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, 17 that the man of God[b] may
be complete, equipped for every good work.
Hence, we learn about God from the Bible and
nature. Primarily, the Bible gives us all the
information we need to know about God.
Now we know that we need the Bible to know
about God.
(1) We have established that the Bible is
sufficient to know about God (sola scriptura),
this eliminates extra-biblical sources like the
book of mormon, or a special translation like the
Jehovah’s Witnesses (new world translation).
(2) And another thing that we need to remember
is when we read the Bible we have to
understand the teaching from the whole of the
Bible (tota scriptura). Some cults like the
Oneness Pentecostals (OP), JW, some
Messianic Jews, etc emphasize the OT teaching
on God and ignore the NT teaching. They say
that God is One in OT, hence NT cannot talk
about multiplicity of His personhood. But we
need to look at both OT and NT.
Acts 20:27 (tota scriptura - total scripture is
God inspired)
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the
whole counsel of God.
(3) But we have to understand how the Bible
reveals about God as well. The God of the Bible
reveals Himself progressively (progressive
revelation) i.e.
carm.org
Progressive revelation is the teaching that
God has revealed Himself and His will
through the Scriptures with an increasing
clarity as more and more of the Scriptures
were written. In other words, the later the
writing the more information is given. Therefore,
God reveals knowledge in a progressive and
increasing manner throughout the Bible from the
earliest time to later time.
1 Peter 1:10-12 (progressive revelation)
"As to this salvation, the prophets who
prophesied of the grace that would come to
you made careful search and inquiry, 11
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit
of Christ within them was indicating as He
predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories
to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they
were not serving themselves, but you, in
these things which now have been
announced to you through those who
preached the gospel to you by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven—things into which
angels long to look."
Wonderful news that the Jesus about whom the
prophets inquired, that even the angels longed
to look, we know Him from the Bible. We have
the full revelation from the Bible and by the
preaching of the gospel - why Jesus came, what
He did, how He died for our sins.
Just like God’s plan of salvation, the Triune
nature of God is revealed fully in the coming
of Christ. God revealed Himself fully, as God
the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We can see
glimpses of the Son and the Holy Spirit in
OT, but the full revelation can be seen in NT.
We now understand that we can know about
God from the Bible and also to some extent in
nature. But how much or can we even know
about God from the Bible ?
3.Can we know about God ?
Yes and No. We established that the Bible
reveals all that we need to know about God. At
the same time we understand that God is
infinite, and we are finite. Our knowledge is
limited, but God’s knowledge and wisdom is
infinite. We cannot understand God fully i.e
exhaustively, but we can understand some
things about Him that are revealed. There is an
infinite gap between us, creatures and God the
creator.
4/20
1.Incomprehensability (having or subject to
no limits) of God
Romans 11:33-34 (God’s wisdom, knowledge
is infinite)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his
judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For
who has known the mind of the Lord,or who
has been his counselor?”
Psalm 147:5 (God is all-powerful, and His
understanding is beyond measure)
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
These verses teach that not only is God’s
whole being incomprehensible but each of
his attributes—his greatness, power,
thoughts, ways, wisdom, and
judgments—are well beyond human ability to
fathom fully.
Not only can we never know everything there
is to know about God, we can never know
everything there is to know about even one
aspect of God’s character or work.
Yet, the Bible teaches that God is knowable.
2.The knowability of God
While God can never be exhaustively
understood, He can be known truly,
personally, and sufficiently. God is personal,
has definite characteristics, and has
personally revealed Himself so that He can be
truly known.
1 Pet 1:2-3 (God is knowable)
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirm Your Calling and Election His divine
power has granted to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge
of Him who called us to his own glory and
excellence,
The multiplication of grace and peace in our
lives is dependent on knowing God and this
knowledge provides sufficient resources for life
and for becoming the people God wants us to
be. If you want to grow spiritually know more
about God.
Summary of Incomprehensibility &
Knowability of God :
Scripture teaches that we can have a true and
personal knowledge of God, but this does not
mean we will ever understand Him
exhaustively. The Bible is clear that God is
ultimately incomprehensible to us; that is, we
can never fully comprehend his whole being.
This should humble us that we cannot know
everything about God, and be devoted to
learning more about God from the Bible. God
has revealed His character and His nature in the
Bible.
Today we are here to know about God as three
Persons that are revealed in the Bible. Let us be
diligent and devoted, and sincere in
understanding this.
4. The Trinity
Trinity : Mystery or contradiction
Some have attacked the doctrine of the Trinity
as irrational and contradictory. Because
critics have not completely understood the
doctrine they have labeled it as inherently
unintelligible.
Yet there are concepts that are mysterious to
us, but are understood by God. The claim that
Christ is one person with two natures is not a
contradiction, but rather a mystery only to us
and not God.
Three important concepts for discussing the
doctrine of the Trinity are: contradiction,
paradox, and mystery.
5/20
1. A paradox is an idea that sounds
contradictory but which is really not upon closer
scrutiny.
Example : Save money by spending it.
This could mean that if you spend your money
rightly, you could save more money than usual.
2. A mystery is a concept we believe to be true
although we cannot explain why it is true.
Example : God created the universe, but we
cannot explain it.
The claim that Christ is one person with two
natures is not a contradiction, but rather a
mystery only to us and not God.
3. A contradiction is a concept that is not
consistently logical (they are inherently
unintelligible).
Example : God can make a square circle. This is
impossible as it rejects the law of logic (law of
noncontradiction). Or 1+1 = 3
There is no contradiction in the Trinity. We are
not saying 3 persons = 1 person, (like 3 apples
= 1 apple), but we are saying that 1 Being or
Substance or essence = 3 Persons. We are 1
being and 1 person (uni-personal), but God is 3
persons in 1 being (tri-personal).
The Trinity is a mystery NOT a contradiction,
we understand the concept to the extent that
God has revealed to us, but it is impossible for
us to fully understand (due to God’s infiniteness,
and our finiteness, limitation to human
language).
It would be like you teaching biology or calculus
to an ant. It simply cannot comprehend. But God
in His mercy and grace has chosen to
communicate with us, and even more dwell with
us in the person of Jesus Christ.
“Trinity” word is not found in the Bible
Some people like Muslims, and cults say that
the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible. True, it does
not occur in the OT or the NT. But the important
question is whether or not the concept of the
Trinity is found in the Scriptures. The word
Trinity was chosen to identify the unity as well
as the tri-personality of God. Theologians use
words such as Trinity to explain and defend
theological concepts in order to face the sly
assertions of heretics.
Origin of the formula - history
The Greek word τρίας (trias - Trinity in Greek)
was first used in Trinitarian connection by
Theophilus, bishop of Antioch (The church in
Acts 11:19-26, the first gentile church), in Syria,
from AD. 168.
The Latin term Trinitas was first used by
Tertullian, circum. 220. The early church was
also aware of the doctrine of Trinity. The
Apostles’ creed (well-ordered arrangement of
the facts of Scripture) was used in the 2nd
century, which had in itself the Trinitarian nature
of God.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of
heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our
Lord,who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and
born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified,
died, and was buried;he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the
right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and
the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic*
church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness
of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life
everlasting.
Amen.
*that is, the true Christian church of all times
and all places
“The Trinity is one God, not so that the
Father be the same Person, who is also the
Son and the Holy Ghost; but that the Father
be the Father, and the Son be the Son, and
the Holy Ghost be the Holy Ghost, and this
Trinity One God.”
6/20
 St. Augustine (3rd century AD)
God eternally exists as three persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each
person is fully God, and there is one God.
(Wayne Grudem)
Explanation of the formula from Scripture
1.There is one God : We are monotheists,
that is we affirm that there is only one God.
The Bible affirms that there is only one God
both in the OT and the NT.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (God is One)
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is
one.[a] 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all
your might.
Isaiah 44:6 (God is One)
Thus says 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.
Mark 12:29-30 (Jesus affirms that God is
One)
29
Jesus answered, “The most important is,
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind and with all your strength.’
1 Cor 8:4 (Paul affirms that God is One)
4
Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to
idols, we know that “an idol has no real
existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (Spiritual gifts, service,
activities are given by the Triune God)
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same
Spirit [the Holy Spirit, the third person of the
Trinity]; and there are varieties of service, but
the same Lord [the Son, the second person of
the Trinity]; and there are varieties of
activities, but it is the same God [the Father]
who empowers them all in everyone.
2.Next we will look at the Trinitarian
statements in the Bible i.e., bible verses that
refer to all the three persons in the Trinity.
The Bible never deals with the doctrine of the
Trinity as an abstract truth, but reveals the
trinitarian life in its various relations as a living
reality, to a certain extent in connection with the
works of creation and providence, but
particularly in relation to the work of
redemption. [LB]
In Creation we see the Trinitarian God as the
Creator.
(When the Father acts, the Son and the Holy
Spirit act as well. Father, Son, and Spirit are
identical in Their attributes, so if the Father
exercises His omnipotence to create, the Son
and the Spirit do so as well because the
omnipotence of the Father is the omnipotence of
the Son is the omnipotence of the Spirit. This
coworking of the three persons of the Godhead
is known as the doctrine of inseparable
operations.)
Gen 1:1-3 (Father and Holy Spirit)
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.
7/20
 26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the
John 1:1-3,14 (Father created everything Father will send in my name, he will teach you
through Jesus, the Word) all things and bring to your remembrance all that
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word I have said to you.
was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He
was in the beginning with God. 3 All things John 15:26 (sending of the Spirit)
26
were made through him, and without him “But when the Helper comes, whom I will
was not anything made that was made. send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth,
14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt who proceeds from the Father, he will bear
among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as witness about me.
of the only Son[d] from the Father, full of grace
1 Peter 1:2 (The Trinity working for our
and truth.
salvation)
2
according to the foreknowledge of God the
At Jesus’s baptism we see all the persons of the
Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for
Trinity:
obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling
with his blood.
Matthew 3:16 (Holy Spirit at Jesus’s baptism)
16
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately
Ephesians 4:4-6 (Trinity acting for our
he went up from the water, and behold, the
salvation)
heavens were opened to him,[a] and he saw the 4
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you
Spirit of God descending like a dove and
were called to the one hope that belongs to your
coming to rest on him;
call— 5 one Lord (Jesus), one faith, one
baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is
Luke 3:22 (Father speaks about Jesus at His
over all and through all and in all.
baptism)
22
and the Holy Spirit descended on him in
bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from
5.Doctrine of Trinity in detail
heaven, “You are my beloved Son;[a] with you I
am well pleased.”[b] God eternally exists as three persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each
The great commission that Jesus gives:
person is fully God, and there is one God.
(Wayne Grudem)
Matthew 28:19 (great commission, baptismal
formula)
19
We will see from the Scriptures that the
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
three-persons in the Godhead are equally God
baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and
from the Bible.
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Before that we need to remember that God is
The sending of the Holy Spirit after Jesus’s
One in Being or essence, and three in persons.
ascension:
The three persons of the Trinity equally share all
the sum-total of all the divine attributes of God
Acts 2:33 (Jesus after ascension)
like - omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresence,
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God,
Sovereignty, Almightiness, Holiness, goodness,
and having received from the Father the
Love, Glory, etc.
promise of the Holy Spirit, he (Jesus) has
poured out this that you yourselves are seeing
The Church confesses the Trinity to be a
and hearing.
mystery beyond the comprehension of man.
John 14:26 (Sending of the Spirit)

8/20
1.There is in the Divine Being but one
indivisible substance or essence (ousia,
essentia)
The term essence describes God as a
sum-total of infinite perfections; the term
substance describes Him as the underlying
ground of infinite activities.
The first is (essence), comparatively, an active
word; the last, a passive. The first is (essence),
comparatively, a spiritual, the last a material
term. We speak of material substance rather
than of material essence.
numerical unity of essence, that is, possess the
identical essence.
We will now look at each and every Person in
the Trinity and establish that each Person is fully
God. From the simple representation of the
Trinity in Figure 2. We can observe that The
Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy
Spirit is God. And that the Father is NOT the
Son, and the Son is NOT the Father, and the
Holy Spirit is NOT the Father.

2.In this one Divine Being there are three

Persons (persona / substantia - Latin,
hypostasis-Greek) or individual
subsistences, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

In common parlance it denotes a separate

rational and moral individual, possessed of
self-consciousness, and conscious of his
identity amid all changes. Figure 2: Trinity representation

Experience teaches that where you have a

person, you also have a distinct individual
essence. Every person is a distinct and
separate individual, in whom human nature is
individualized. But in God there are no three
individuals alongside of, and separate from,
one another, but only personal self-
distinctions within the Divine essence, which
is not only generically, but also numerically,
one.

3.The whole undivided essence of God

belongs equally to each of the three persons

This means that the divine essence is not

divided among the three persons, but is
wholly with all its perfection in each one of
the persons, so that they have a numerical
unity of essence. The divine nature is
distinguished from the human nature in that it
can subsist wholly and indivisibly in more than
one person. While three persons among men
have only a specific unity of nature or essence,
that is, share in the same kind of nature or
essence, the persons in the Godhead have a
God the Father
The Father as one person in the Godhead is
clear in the Scripture. He is the Creator for
whom we are created, He has loved, He had
mercy on us, He sent the Son Jesus to die for
us, and blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
It is viewed that the God (normally associated
with God the Father) in the OT is strict,
punishing, which is wrong. The same of the OT
is presented in the NT, He is loving, merciful to

9/20
the point of sacrificing His own Beloved Son for
the Church. It is the Father who sends the Son.
1 Cor 8:6 (God the Father, the creator, for
whom we exist)
6
yet for us there is one God, the Father, from
whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are
all things and through whom we exist.
John 5:18 (God the Father in relation to
Jesus)
This was why the Jews were seeking all the
more to kill him, because not only was he
breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling
God his own Father, making himself equal with
God.
Ephesians 1:3 (God the Father has blessed
us in Christ with every spiritual blessings)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
1 Peter 1:3 (God the Father has saved us, He
has mercy on us)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy,
he has caused us to be born again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,
John 3:16 (God the Father loved us and sent
His Son Jesus)
For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life
God the Son
The Deity of Christ is the most attacked doctrine
in church history and even in present times.
Hence, we will spend more time on showing
from the Bible that Jesus is indeed God in flesh.
That is the Bible teaches that Jesus being God
came down and took upon flesh i.e., human
nature and body. Jesus is fully God and fully
man. Making Him the perfect mediator between
God and Man, this is unique to the Bible.
Bible verses that show that Jesus is God (from
OT and NT):
Titus 1:3 (Jesus is God our Savior, (Jesus
commanded Paul for ministry)
3
and at the proper time manifested in his word[a]
through the preaching with which I have been
entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
Isaiah 9:6 (the prophecy of Isaiah about
Jesus, who is God)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[a] his
shoulder, and his name shall be called[b]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
John 5:18 (Jesus is equal with God)
This was why the Jews were seeking all the
more to kill him, because not only was he
breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling
God his own Father, making himself equal
with God.
Phil 2:6 (Jesus is God)
who, though he was in the form of God, did
not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped
For Jesus to be God, He must be what God is
: self-existent (uncreated), unchangeable
(immutability), eternal, omnipresent, omniscient,
omnipotent, loving and incomprehensible.
John 8:24, 5:26 (Jesus is self-existent)
I told you that you would die in your sins, for
unless you believe that I am he you will die in
your sins.”
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has
granted the Son also to have life in himself.
Heb 1:10-12 (Jesus is unchangeable, eternal)
10 And,“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the
earth in the beginning,and the heavens are the
work of your hands;11 they will perish, but you
10/20

remain;they will all wear out like a garment,12
like a robe you will roll them up,like a garment
they will be changed.[a]But you are the
same,and your years will have no end.”
(Jesus is omniscient)
Matt 9:4 (He knows the thoughts of others)
But Jesus, knowing[a] their thoughts, said,
“Why do you think evil in your hearts?
John 13:36-38 (Jesus knows the future, He
foretells Peter’s denial)
36
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you
going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am
going you cannot follow me now, but you will
follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why
can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life
for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down
your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the
rooster will not crow till you have denied me
three times.
Luke 21:20-24 (He knows what will happen to
Jerusalem, the future)
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, then know that its desolation has come
near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to
the mountains, and let those who are inside the
city depart, and let not those who are out in the
country enter it, 22 for these are days of
vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for
women who are pregnant and for those who are
nursing infants in those days! For there will be
great distress upon the earth and wrath against
this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the
sword and be led captive among all nations,
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
are fulfilled.
Acts 1:24 (Jesus knows the hearts of all)
24
And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who
know the hearts of all, show which one of
these two you have chosen
(Jesus is omnipresent)
John 1:47-49 (Jesus saw Nathanael before
He met Him)
47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and
said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in
whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to
him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered
him, “Before Philip called you, when you
were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49
Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the
Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
John 3:13 (Jesus was in heaven, with God)
13
No one has ascended into heaven except he
who descended from heaven, the Son of
Man.[a]
Ephesians 4:10-11 (Jesus is in heaven, with
God)
10
He who descended is the one who also
ascended far above all the heavens, that he
might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a]
and teachers,[b]
Col 3:11 (Jesus is in all)
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised
and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[a]
free; but Christ is all, and in all.
(Jesus is omnipotent)
John 10:17-18 (Jesus has power over His
own life)
For this reason the Father loves me, because I
lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my
own accord. I have authority to lay it down,
and I have authority to take it up again. This
charge I have received from my Father.”
Ephesians 1:19-21 (Jesus is far above all
rule and authority)
19
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his
power toward us who believe, according to the
working of his great might 20 that he worked in
Christ when he raised him from the dead and
seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
places, 21 far above all rule and authority and
power and dominion, and above every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in
the one to come.
11/20
 Colossians 2:10 (Jesus above all rule &
authority)
10
and you have been filled in him, who is the
head of all rule and authority.
1 Peter 3:22 (Jesus is the authority in
heaven)
22
who has gone into heaven and is at the right
hand of God, with angels, authorities, and
powers having been subjected to him.
(Jesus is incomprehensible)
have divine authority, raise the dead, be the
judge.
John 1:3 (Jesus is the Creator)
All things were made through him, and
without him was not any thing made that
was made.
Colossians 1:17 (Jesus sustains the whole
universe)
And he is before all things, and in him all
things hold together.

Matthew 11:25-27 (Jesus is

(Jesus is sovereign or absolute ruler of the
incomprehensible, as He is known only to
universe)
the Father)
25
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you,
Jesus calms the storm - Nature (Matt
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have
8:23-27)
hidden these things from the wise and 23
And when he got into the boat, his disciples
understanding and revealed them to little
followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great
children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your
storm on the sea, so that the boat was being
gracious will.[a] 27 All things have been handed
swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25
over to me by my Father, and no one knows
And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us,
the Son except the Father, and no one knows
Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them,
the Father except the Son and anyone to
“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then
whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and
there was a great calm. 27 And the men
(Jesus is eternally loving)
marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that
even winds and sea obey him?”
Rom 8:38-39 (Jesus loves us eternally)
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor
Jesus creates food for 5000, Jesus walks on
angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things
water (Matt 14:13-33)
to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor 13
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from
anything else in all creation, will be able to
there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.
separate us from the love of God in Christ
But when the crowds heard it, they followed him
Jesus our Lord.
on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore
he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion
Romans 5:8 (Christ’s death is God’s or
on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it
Christ’s love)
was evening, the disciples came to him and
but God shows his love for us in that while we
said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is
were still sinners, Christ died for us.
now over; send the crowds away to go into the
villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But
John 15:9 (Jesus is loved by the Father
Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give
eternally)
them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved
have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And
you. Abide in my love.
he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he
ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass,
For Jesus to be God, He must do what a God
and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he
does : Creator of the universe, sustainer of the
looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then
universe, sovereign or ruler over the universe,
he broke the loaves and gave them to the

12/20
disciples, and the disciples gave them to the
crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied.
And they took up twelve baskets full of the
broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate
were about five thousand men, besides women
and children.
22
Immediately he made the disciples get into the
boat and go before him to the other side, while
he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had
dismissed the crowds, he went up on the
mountain by himself to pray. When evening
came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this
time was a long way[a] from the land,[b] beaten by
the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And
in the fourth watch of the night[c] he came to
them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the
disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried
out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to
them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be
afraid.”
28
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you,
command me to come to you on the water.” 29
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat
and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30
But when he saw the wind,[d] he was afraid, and
beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
31
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and
took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little
faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got
into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in
the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are
the Son of God.”
Jesus commands the demons (Mark 5:19-20)
And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go
home to your friends and tell them how much
the Lord has done for you, and how he has had
mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began
to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus
had done for him, and everyone marveled.
(Jesus speaking with divine authority)
Mark 1:22 (More authority than scribes -
teachers of the law)
And they were astonished at his teaching, for he
taught them as one who had authority, and not
as the scribes.
Mark 13:31 (Jesus words will not pass away)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away.
(Jesus is the God of salvation)
(Jesus forgives sins, which only God can,
and that are not committed against Him)
(Mark 9:1-8) And getting into a boat he crossed
over and came to his own city. 2 And behold,
some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on
a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said
to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your
sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the
scribes said to themselves, “This man is
blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing[a] their
thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your
hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins
are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But
that you may know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said
to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go
home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When
the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they
glorified God, who had given such authority to
men.
(Jesus raises the dead - authority over the
life of others)
Jesus raises a widow's son (Luke 7:11-17)
Soon afterward[a] he went to a town called Nain,
and his disciples and a great crowd went with
him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town,
behold, a man who had died was being carried
out, the only son of his mother, and she was a
widow, and a considerable crowd from the town
was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he
had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not
weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the
bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said,
“Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead
man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[b]
gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all,
and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet
has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his
13/20
 people!” 17 And this report about him spread
through the whole of Judea and all the
surrounding country.
Jesus raises Jairus’s daughter (Luke
8:49-56)
While he was still speaking, someone from the
ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is
dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50
But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do
not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51
And when he came to the house, he allowed no
one to enter with him, except Peter and John
and James, and the father and mother of the
child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for
her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not
dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him,
knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by
the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And
her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And
he directed that something should be given her
to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he
charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Jesus raises Lazarus (John 11:1-44)
Many rise from the dead at the time of
Jesus’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:50-54)
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and
yielded up his spirit.51 And behold, the curtain of
the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52
The tombs also were opened. And many bodies
of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,
53
and coming out of the tombs after his
resurrection they went into the holy city and
appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and
those who were with him, keeping watch over
Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place,
they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this
was the Son[a] of God!”
(Jesus is the righteous judge in the final
judgement)
At the end time the final judgement is by
Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46)
Jesus is the judge (John 5:22-23)
22
For the Father judges no one, but has given
all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor
the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever
does not honor the Son does not honor the
Father who sent him.
Jesus the God is the judge of the living and
the dead at the end time (Acts 10:42)
And he commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one appointed by
God to be judge of the living and the dead.
(Jesus can do all things that the Father can
do)
(John 5:19) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I
say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own
accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.
For whatever the Father[a] does, that the Son
does likewise.
FINAL NOTE
John 12:41 (John says that Isaiah saw Jesus
on the throne in Isaiah 6)
Isaiah said these things because he saw his
glory and spoke of him.
Isaiah 6:3-5 (Isaiah’s account of Jesus)
3 And one called to another and said:“Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole
earth is full of his glory!”[b]4 And the
foundations of the thresholds shook at the
voice of him who called, and the house was
filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me!
For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the
King, the Lord of hosts!”
Jesus worshipped along with the Father in
heaven in revelation. Note that God will not
share His glory with anyone else.
Isaiah 42:8 (YHWH shares His glory with no
one else)
I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I
give to no other, nor my praise to carved
idols.
14/20
But we see in revelation that Jesus and the
Father are worshipped together !
Revelation 5:13-14
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on
earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all
that is in them, saying,“To him who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb be blessing and
honor and glory and might forever and
ever!”14 And the four living creatures said,
“Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Some falsely teach that Jesus is an angel
(JWs, Islam, etc) but we see that in
revelation an angel strictly tells John not to
worship him but God alone. Hence, we see
clearly Jesus being worshipped in heaven,
and He cannot be higher creature or an
angel.
Revelation 19:9-10
9
And the angel said[a] to me, “Write this: Blessed
are those who are invited to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These
are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at
his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You
must not do that! I am a fellow servant with
you and your brothers who hold to the
testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a power or force, He is
also a person, the third person of the Trinity. He
is God, just as the Father is God, and the Son is
God.
(Peter affirms that Holy Spirit is God (Acts
5:3-4))
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.”
(Holy Spirit is the Lord (2 Cor 3:17-18))
17
Now the Lord[a] is the Spirit, and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And
we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of
the Lord,[b] are being transformed into the same
image from one degree of glory to another.[c] For
this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
(Holy Spirit is eternal (Heb 9:14))
how much more will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without blemish to God, purify our[a] conscience
from dead works to serve the living God.
(Holy Spirit is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7))
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where
shall I flee from your presence?
(Holy Spirit is omniscient (1 Cor 2:10-11))
these things God has revealed to us through the
Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything,
even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a
person's thoughts except the spirit of that
person, which is in him? So also no one
comprehends the thoughts of God except
the Spirit of God.
(Holy Spirit is the creator & the sustainer)
Gen 1:2 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.
Ps 104:30 When you send forth your Spirit,[a]
they are created, and you renew the face of the
ground.
(Holy Spirit (is Holy) resurrects the dead to
life, even Jesus)
Rom 1:4 and was declared to be the Son of
God in power according to the Spirit of
holiness by his resurrection from the dead,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
Rom 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who
15/20
 raised Christ Jesus[a] from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit
who dwells in you.
(Holy Spirit active role in salvation - His
person, His work)
Romans 8:1-27
The Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and
death. We walk according to the law of the
Spirit. He is the life. He dwells in us. He bears
witness that we are the children of God. He
intercedes for us. He helps us in our weakness.
Heb 10:29 (Holy Spirit gets angry)
How much worse punishment, do you think, will
be deserved by the one who has trampled
underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the
blood of the covenant by which he was
sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of
grace?
(Holy Spirit is a person)
1.Has a name: Matt. 28:19; note that even
though “name” might be used of a nonperson,
here, in conjunction with the Father and the
Son, it must be used of a person.
2. Is the “Helper”
a. Is another Helper: John 14:16, cf. 1 John
2:1; note also that “Helper” (paraklêtos) was
used in Greek always or almost always of
persons.
b. Is sent in Jesus’ name, to teach: John
14:26.
c. Will arrive, and then bear witness: John
15:26-27.
d. Is sent by Christ to convict of sin, will
speak not on his own but on behalf of Christ,
will glorify Christ, thus exhibiting humility:
John 16:7-14.
3. Is the Holy Spirit, in contrast to unholy or
unclean spirits: Mark 3:22-30, cf. Matt. 12:32; 1
Tim. 4:1; 1 John 3:24-4:6.
4. Speaks, is quoted as speaking: John 16:13;
Acts 1:16; 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 16:6; 20:23;
21:11: 28:25-27; 1 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 3:7-11;
10:15-17; 1 Pet. 1:11; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6,
13, 22.
5. Can be lied to: Acts 5:3
6.Can make decisions, judgments: Acts 15:28
7.Intercedes for Christians with the Father:
Rom. 8:26
8.“Impersonal” language used of the Spirit
paralleled by language used of other persons
a. The Holy Spirit as fire: Matt. 3:11; Luke
3:16; cf. Ex. 3:2-4; Deut. 4:24; 9:3; Heb.
12:29
b. The Holy Spirit poured out: Acts 2:17, 33;
cf. Is. 53:12; Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6
c. Being filled with the Holy Spirit: Eph. 5:18,
etc.; cf. Eph. 3:17, 19; John 14:10
The offices of the members of Trinity
(Economic Trinity)
We have seen that all the persons in the Trinity
are equally divine (Ontological Trinity).
We see that the Persons of the Trinity are
related uniquely in the Bible. Specially, the
Father and the Son relationship. We see from
the scripture that even though the Son is
co-equal and co-eternal to the Father, He obeys
the Father. Similarly, we observe that the Holy
Spirit is sent by both the Father and the Son.
The Father and the Son share the same
essence and rank, and yet in their relationship,
the Son submits to the Father while the
Father never submits to the Son. No
inferiority. No inequality. Yet, different roles.
Granted, complementarians sometimes speak
too quickly about the “eternal subordination of
the Son.” It is better to say that there has always
been an “order” (taxis) in the Trinity—an order
not of rank, but of well-arranged relationships.
The Father sends the Son, and the Father
and the Son send the Spirit, and the
relations are not reversible. Mutuality and
equality exist in the Trinity alongside a
divinely instituted order. Calvin writes, “For
16/20
even though we admit that in respect to order
and degree the beginning of divinity is in the
Father, yet we say it is a detestable invention
that essence [being] is proper to the Father
alone, as if he were the deifier of the Son.” With
the Trinity as our model, then, we understand
that authority and God-given order in the
church, or, headship and submission in
marriage, are not inconsistent with equality of
personhood. (Kevin DeYoung)
The subsistence and operation of the three
persons in the divine Being is marked by a
certain definite order. There is a certain
order in the ontological Trinity. In personal
subsistence the Father is first, the Son
second, and the Holy Spirit third. It need
hardly be said that this order does not pertain to
any priority of time or of essential dignity, but
only to the logical order of derivation. The
Father is neither begotten by, nor proceeds
from any other person; the Son is eternally
begotten of the Father, and the Spirit
proceeds from the Father and the Son from
all eternity. Generation and procession take
place within the Divine Being, and imply a
certain subordination as to the manner of
personal subsistence, but no subordination as
far as the possession of the divine essence is
concerned. This ontological Trinity and its
inherent order is the metaphysical basis of the
economical Trinity. It is but natural, therefore,
that the order existing in the essential Trinity
should be reflected in the opera ad extra that
are more particularly ascribed to each one of the
persons. Scripture clearly indicates this order in
the so-called praepositiones distinctionales, ek,
dia, and en, which are used in expressing the
idea that all things are out of the Father, through
the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. (Berkhof)
That there are distinctions among the three
Persons of the Trinity is clear from Scripture.
For example, each Person has a slightly
different role in the salvation of mankind.
Our salvation is based on the Father’s power
and love (John 3:16; 10:29), the Son’s death
and resurrection (1 John 2:2; Ephesians 2:6),
and the Spirit’s regeneration and seal
(Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5). The different
tasks the Father, Son, and Spirit perform
help inform our understanding of the
economic Trinity. (gotquestions)
There is also a voluntary subordination among
the Trinity, in that the Father “sent” the Son
(John 6:57), the Father and the Son “send” the
Spirit (John 15:26), and the Spirit will “speak
only what he hears” (John 16:13). The Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit are ontologically equal, but
they are economically distinct. That is, they
have different roles, and those roles involve
relationships that can best be described as
superordinate and subordinate.The perfect
relationships within the Trinity are difficult to
understand, yet they are what all humanity is
drawn toward. Perfect love and perfect
fellowship exist within the economic Trinity. In
His love God draws us into fellowship with
Himself. Praise Him for “the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians
13:14). (gotquestions)
Matt 12:28 (Jesus worked by the Holy Spirit)
28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out
demons, then the kingdom of God has come
upon you.
6.Common misunderstandings
WRONG TEACHINGS ON TRINITY
God is incomprehensible and the Trinity is a
mystery to us. Although we acknowledge and
understand what the Scripture teaches. But
some people tried to misunderstand the Bible
and taught wrong views about God.
1. Truth : God is three persons (Distinction)
Deny this Truth: Modalism (3rd century by
Sabellius)
God acts as the Father in the Old Testament,
the son in the Gospels, and the Spirit in Acts
17/20
and the Epistles. Modalism teaches that one
God just changes forms or modes over the
course of scripture.
2. Truth : Each Person is Fully God (Deity)
Deny this Truth: Arianism (Arius, 3rd century)
Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in
325 AD. He taught that the son was at one point
created by God the father. His motto was that
"There was a time when the son did not exist".
Jesus then becomes a created being and thus
less than fully God.
3. Truth : There is One God (Unity)
Deny this Truth: Tritheism - three Gods
Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by
saying there are just three different gods.
Tritheism denies that there is only one God.
BAD ANALOGIES OF THE TRINITY
1.The Trinity is like an egg. In one egg you have
the white, the yoke, and the shell composing
one full egg.
This analogy denies the unity of the
God-head. The problem with this analogy is that
an egg yoke is of a very different substance
than a shell. Also, the egg is made up of three
distinct and unalike parts. This analogy actually
teaches the heresy of tritheism.
2.The trinity is like water. Water has three
states: solid, liquid, and gas. Although the water
changes forms it is still H2O. Just as water
changes forms so too is the trinity.
This analogy denies the distinction of the
God-head. The problem with this analogy is that
no one molecule of H2O can actually exist as
solid, liquid, and gas at the same time. As a
result the water molecule must change forms. A
single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in
three different states. This analogy actually
teaches the heresy of modalism.
3.The trinity is Like a man who is a father,
husband, and son. Although he is one he has
different roles to different people. The trinity is
like this man.
The problem with this analogy is that it denies
the distinction of persons in the God-head.
The analogy breaks down because I can
simultaneously be a father, husband, and son to
any one person. In reality, I change my role
depending on who I am interacting with. As a
result, this analogy actually teaches modalism.
4. The trinity is like the sun (Father), the sunlight
(Jesus, Son) comes from the Father, and the
warmth we feel is the Holy Spirit.
The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its
heat. Again, it denies the distinctiveness of
the three persons.
7.What does the Trinity mean to us ?
We worship a Triune God
Our prayers are Trinitarian
Christian unity
Christian mission
Adds strength to the gospel
We worship a Triune God
When we look at the Godhead . . . that which
we conceive is One; but when we look at the
persons in whom the Godhead dwells, and at
those who tirelessly and with equal glory
have their being from the first cause —there
are three whom we worship.
(Gregory Nazianzen (3rd century), Fifth
Theological Oration,14)
The worship of the church is grounded on
who God is and what he has done. The
Father has sent the Son “for us and our
salvation.” This is prominent in John, chapters
5, 10 and 17, but Paul also directs attention to it
in Romans 8:32.
In turn, the Father together with the Son has
sent the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13) to indwell the
church. The focus of the Spirit’s ministry is
to speak of Christ the Son (mediator 1 Tim
2:5).
18/20
Galatians 4:4-6 (The Father sent the Son, the
Son died in our place, the Spirit convicts us,
and regenerate us - From the Father through
the Sonby the Holy Spirit)
But when the fullness of time had come, God
sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under
the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the
law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6
And because you are sons, God has sent the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!
Father!”
We worship the three with one undivided act
of adoration - Gregory of Nazianzen provides
a vital principle: “No sooner do I conceive of
the One than I am illumined by the splendour
of the Three; no sooner do I distinguish
them than I am carried back to the One.”
Our prayers are Trinitarian
Our prayers are helped by the Holy Spirit, even
things we do not pray for, or how we ought to
pray, He Himself prays on our behalf before the
Father.
Romans 8:26 (The Spirit helps in our
prayers)
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.
Our Lord Jesus intercedes for us, He is our
advocate before the Father (Heb. 7:25; Rom.
8:34; 1 John 2:1). He prays that our faith may
ont fail, He prays that we are forgiven (although
the sacrifice He made is once and for all). Jesus
knows our weaknesses and He has compassion
on us, hence, we can boldly approach the
throne of grace of God the Father.
Hebrews 4:16 (Jesus gives us boldness - not
carelessness / callousness - to approach
God, as He knows our weaknesses, He
sympathises with us)
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in time of need.
Christian unity
We as Christians are called to be one in
purpose and in life, just as the Father and the
Son are one. What a high calling for Christians
to lay aside everything that hinders their hearts
and minds towards one another, and embrace
each other as God’s people. But definitely not at
the cost of comprising on the things of God, i.e.,
people with a different view on God (liek JWs)
do not believe in the Trinitarian God and hence
cannot be one with us.
John 17:11b (we called to be united)
Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you
have given me, that they may be one, even as
we are one.
1 Corinthians 12:13 (we all have the same
Holy Spirit and are one body i.e., we belong
to Christ)
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one
body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all
were made to drink of one Spirit.
John 17:21 (our unity will help the gospel
cause)
that they may all be one, just as you, Father,
are in me, and I in you, that they also may be
in us, so that the world may believe that you
have sent me.
John 17:23 (our unity will help the gospel
cause)
I in them and you in me, that they may
become perfectly one, so that the world may
know that you sent me and loved them even
as you loved me.
Christian mission
We are saved to share the gospel with others.
We are not only simply commanded to preach
the gospel to all nations, but JUST as Jesus
was sent by the Father, we are sent by
Jesus. Our obedience to God in missions is of
the same degree to which Christ has completed
His mission of saving us. That is, when we see
the perfect obedience of the Son to the Father,
19/20
we are to show the same level of obedience to
the Son. Our life's purpose should be like that of
Christ’s i.e., to preach the good news and make
disciples of all nations.
John 20:21 (missions are Trinitarian)
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with
you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am
sending you.”
We can say the same thing about the Spirit
being sent by the Father and the Son.
John 16:7 (Jesus sends the Spirit)
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your
advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will
send him to you.
John 14:16-17 (Father sends the Spirit)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you
another Helper,[a] to be with you forever, 17 even
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees him nor knows
him. You know him, for he dwells with you and
will be[b] in you
The Trinity : Adds beauty to the Gospel
When we share the gospel and quote John
3:16,
“For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
We inadvertently are sharing the Trinity, the Son
dies for us, and the Father is pleased to crush
the Son for our sake, to put Him under grief
(unfathomable), and make Him an offering for
our sin. We may not be able to share everything
about the Trinity, but we can share about God’s
love for us. Who sacrifices their own child to
save another's child ? We cannot understand
how God can love sinful people like us, and give
His Only begotten (shows Christ’s uniqueness
- NOT creation) Beloved Son for us.
Isaiah 53:10 (Father bruises the Son)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath
put him to grief: when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Luke 11:13 (Father not only gave us the Son
but also gives the Holy Spirit)
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will the
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him!”
Final trinitarian prayer - Father strengthens us
with power through His Spirit in our inner being,
so that we are rooted and grounded in love. So
that Christ may dwell in our hearts. And have
the strength to comprehend the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge. So that we may
know and understand God, His love, His nature,
His attributes, His work in our salvation, His
providence in keeping us to the end.
Eph 3:14-19 (Paul’s trinitarian prayer)
For this reason I bow my knees before the
Father, 15 from whom every family[c] in heaven
and on earth is named, 16 that according to the
riches of his glory he may grant you to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit
in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith—that you,
being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may
have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height
and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.
20/20