Commentary on Statements of Faith: The Trinity

The Trinity

        The Bible investigator starts at a disadvantage because the term "trinity" never appears in the Book. It was first used by Theophilus of Antioch (d.181 AD) to indicate "three-in-one". The Athanasian Creed spells it out: "We worship one God in trinity, and trinity in unity, neither confounding the persons, nor separating the substance." This "tri-unity" is written into the very fabric of both Old and New Testaments.

Who is God?

        Scripture references in turn call the Father, God; the Son, God; and the Holy Spirit, God. In fact, the same acts of God are variously attributed to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit:

1. In creation God and the Spirit of God and Jesus were active together.
2. In Old Testament history, God the Lord and Jesus are both credited with providing water from the rock during the exodus.
3. God, Jesus, and the Spirit are expressly involved, with unlimited power, in the resurrection of Jesus.
4. In salvation...
5. This is partly why we say there is one God and not three. A plurality in the Godhead is implied in Genesis 1:26, while the same Godhead acts as one in verse 27. The same is true in Genesis 3:22 compared with verse 24. This is confirmed, of course, by Paul's statements in at least two places, that there is "one God".

        Relevant Scriptures:

1. (a) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genesis 1:1-2.  (b) Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without nothing was made that has been made.  John 1:3.
2. (a) The Lord answered..."Strike the rock, and water will come out of it..." Exodus 17:5-6. (b) ...they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.  1 Corinthians 10:4.
3. (a) He (God) has given proof of this to all men by raising him (Jesus) from the dead. Acts 17:31. (b) Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple (His body) and I will raise it again in three days." John 2:19. (c) And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you...Romans 8:11. 
4. (a) Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  1 Timothy 1:15. (b) ...the Father has sent his son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14. (c) Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance... Ephesians 1:13, 14.
5. (a) Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." Genesis 1:26.  (b) So God created man in his own image...Genesis 1:27.  (c) And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us..." Genesis 3:22.