The Holy Trinity ... from the beginning of Time?

[Yesua888]

WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT TEACH that God is the Trinity ("We")?

While the word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible, the concept of God as one God in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is taught throughout Scripture through various passages.:

Genesis 1:26 contains one of the earliest hints:
"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." The use of plural pronouns ("Us," "Our") when God speaks of creating humanity suggests a plurality within the Godhead.

Isaiah 6:8 also reflects this:
"Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?" Here, God speaks of Himself in a plural way, indicating more than one divine Person.

This is my all time favourites:

John 1:3 adds: "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made," linking Jesus to the act of creation, echoing Genesis 1 where God speaks creation into being.
and
John 1:1 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Matthew 3:16–17 describes Jesus’ baptism, where the Father speaks from heaven, the Son is being baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove—three distinct Persons in one event.

Matthew 28:19 gives the Great Commission: "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." This verse explicitly names all three Persons in a single divine name.

2 Corinthians 13:14 states: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." This blessing places the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together in a way that affirms their shared divine nature.

Though the doctrine was formally defined by the early Church councils (like Nicaea in 325 AD), the biblical foundation for the Trinity is found in the distinct roles, divine attributes, and co-equal presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit across both the Old and New Testaments.

Explicit Triadic Formulas​

These verses directly name all three Persons in a unified context:

• Matthew 28:19: Jesus commands baptism "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The singular "name" applied to all three indicates one divine essence shared by three distinct Persons.
• 2 Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." This benediction treats each Person as equally divine and active in believers’ lives.
• Ephesians 4:4–6: "One Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father of all." This passage links the three in a unified structure of faith.

Please feel free to add more to this : )

 

[David]

One more passage that really brings this into focus is found in what Jesus said the night before the cross. Listen carefully to how He speaks: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things” ~John 14:26. In that one sentence the Son is speaking, the Father is sending, and the Holy Spirit is coming to teach. Three are clearly present and active, yet the whole work is still the work of the one God.

Jesus says it again just a few moments later: “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” ~John 15:26. Notice how the roles unfold. The Father is the source, the Son sends, and the Spirit testifies about Christ. Heaven is not confused about who God is. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit move together in perfect unity.

Paul says something similar when he explains how sinners come to God in the first place. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” ~Ephesians 2:18. You come to the Father through the Son, and the Spirit is the one who brings you there. The whole work of salvation moves through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And Scripture leaves no doubt about who Jesus is in that relationship. Speaking of Christ, the Word says, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever” ~Hebrews 1:8. The Father Himself calls the Son God.

So while the later word “Trinity” does not appear in Scripture, the reality is written all through it. One God. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Spirit is God. Distinct in their roles, united in their nature, and working together in the redemption of sinners.

And here is where it stops being a theological puzzle and becomes a matter of life and death. The same Christ who is called God in Hebrews is the Lamb who takes away sin. If a man misses who Jesus really is, he misses the very One who saves. That is why Jesus warned plainly, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” ~John 8:24.

So the question is not whether we can explain every mystery about God. The real question is whether we believe what God has plainly revealed about His Son. Because the entire hope of salvation stands or falls on who Jesus truly is.

 

[bobinfaith]

Good morning, David;

Well said and I appreciate Linda starting this thread, The Holy Trinity ... from the beginning of Time?

When I share the Gospel will include the Trinity amongst believers and especially non-believers. They ask very good questions. But after reading both your posts, (which I do agree) I also have a question;

How does one (explain, articulate or minister) the application of the Trinity that may help the believer or unbeliever understand the co-existence and co-equal of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Showing them Scripture in the Bible is one way, but still, there isn't a "cookie cutter" way of explaining.

I've experienced not all humans receive, interpret and comprehend God's Word or any constructive subject the same.

God bless everyone.

Bob

 

[Yesua888]

How does one (explain, articulate or minister) the application of the Trinity that may help the believer or unbeliever understand the co-existence and co-equal of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Showing them Scripture in the Bible is one way, but still, there isn't a "cookie cutter" way of explaining.

So True Bob, and a brilliant question ... I find that I can read so much on this forum and elsewhere, but when it come to explain what I understand, it is really difficult for me. I often think that perhaps I am losing my "marbles" (memory and/or retention ...).

The Trinity is a divine mystery revealed in Scripture, not a concept derived from human reasoning or natural examples. It cannot be fully captured by a "cookie cutter" analogy.

Distinct Roles, Equal Nature: Each Person has a unique role in redemption:

• Father: The source of all things (1 Corinthians 8:6), who initiates salvation (John 3:16).
• Son (Jesus Christ): The agent of creation and redemption (Colossians 1:16–17), who lived, died, and rose for humanity.
• Holy Spirit: The one who convicts, sanctifies, empowers, and unites believers to Christ (John 14:26; Romans 8:15–16).
• At Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16–17), all three Persons are present and active—simultaneously, not successively.

Despite these relational distinctions, all three are fully God—eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and unchanging. As Augustine said, the Trinity is not “three gods” but “one God in three Persons,” like how a person’s being, knowing, and willing are distinct yet unified in one self.

Acknowledge that the Trinity transcends full human comprehension. As Augustine said, if you can fully understand it, it’s not God. Instead, invite people to worship the triune God who has revealed Himself—Father, Son, and Spirit—united in eternal love

“God is one, but He shows Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three Persons, one divine essence, eternally united in love.”

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom” (Psalm 145:3).

Not sure whether this makes things any easier?

 

[David]

How does one (explain, articulate or minister) the application of the Trinity that may help the believer or unbeliever understand the co-existence and co-equal of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Showing them Scripture in the Bible is one way, but still, there isn't a "cookie cutter" way of explaining.

I've experienced not all humans receive, interpret and comprehend God's Word or any constructive subject the same.

First, understand that the best way to speak of the Trinity is how the Word of God speaks of the Trinity. The Bible never attempts to fit God into our nice little diagram we came up with. It reveals who He is and then says, “believe what I have said.”

The Bible starts by declaring the first truth. God is one. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” ~Deuteronomy 6:4. Christianity isn’t about three separate beings working together. There is only one God and He is alive.

But as you continue reading, you begin to notice something amazing. The Father is God. Jesus prays to Him and calls Him “the only true God” ~John 17:3.

The Son is God. John begins his Gospel by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” ~John 1:1. Later in John when Thomas falls before Jesus, He says, “My Lord and my God” ~John 20:28. Jesus didn’t correct Thomas because His statement was accurate.

And the Holy Spirit is God too. When Ananias was lying to the Holy Spirit, Peter confronted him saying, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost… thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” ~Acts 5:3-4.

And not only does Scripture call each of these persons God, it shows them together at work. At the baptism of Jesus we see the Son standing in the water, we see the Spirit descending like a dove, and we hear the Father’s voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” ~Matthew 3:16-17.

So now we have the picture that Scripture paints for us. God is one, but within that one, there are three distinct persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And this is where most people trip up. They want a human analogy that will help them wrap their mind around this concept. But God is not a problem for us to figure out. He is God and He reveals Himself to us. The Bible doesn’t try to philosophically justify the existence of God. The Word of God simply declares who He is.

The beauty of this truth comes when you understand it in light of the gospel. The Father sends. The Son died and rose again for sinners. The Spirit convicts people of their sin and opens their eyes to believe. Salvation itself is worked out by the triune God at work.

This is why the gospel is more than information to memorize. It is the living and active God at work saving sinners. When someone understands that you have removed the mystery of the Trinity and presented them with the glory of how God saves.

So how do we minister this truth? Simple. Open the Bible and show people the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit at work throughout Scripture. As people see how God clearly reveals Himself in the Word, their fog will begin to dissipate.