What is the Trinity

  • The word Trinity simply means Tri-Unity
  • It is a Plurality in God’s Unity
  • The Trinity goes BEYOND reason but it does not go AGAINST reason
  • The Trinity is only truly known through Divine Revelation
  • The Trinity is the Doctrine that deals with the Nature of God
  • The Trinity is Monotheistic and is the belief that God exists in 3 Distinct Persons
  • The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Holy Spirit
  • The Trinity is 3 Persons in ONE Essence, Nature, and Being

What the Trinity is NOT

  • The Doctrine of the Trinity is not the belief that God is 3 Persons in 1 Person at the same time and in the same sense
  • It is not 3 Natures in 1 Nature
  • It is not 3 Essences in 1 Essence
  • While God is One and Many at the same time, He is not One and Many in the same Sense

Essence

  • Intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something
  • Describes what it is to be God

Nature

  • The essential characteristics and qualities of a person or thing

Being

  • The state or quality of having existence

Person

  • The composite or characteristics that make up individual personality

The Basis for the Trinity

  1. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but the concept of the Trinity is clearly taught
  2. There are 2 Biblical Truths that are evident in Scripture
    • There is ONE God
    • There are 3 Distinct Persons who are God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

There is One God

  • The Trinity is Monotheistic (only One God) and not Polytheistic (more than one God)
  • Christianity is an off-shoot of Judaism. And Judaism’s central teaching is called the Shema, “Hear Oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE” Duet. 6:4.
  • Scriptures teach there is only one God and label all other gods False (Exodus 20:3; 1 Cor. 8:5-6)
  • The Bible recognizes a plurality of Persons in God (Psalm 110:1)