God as a Trinity

by Matt Slick

1. God
   1. God is the only Supreme Being in all existence, places, and time.  He is Holy (Rev. 4:8), Eternal (Isaiah 57:15), Omnipotent (Jer. 32:17,27), Omnipresent (Psalm 119:7-12), Omniscient (1 John 3:20), etc.
   2. He is Love (1 John 4:8,16), Light (1 John 1:5), Spirit (John 4:24), Truth (Psalm 117:2), Creator (Isaiah 40:12,22,26), etc.
   3. He is to be worshiped (Gen. 24:26; Exodus 4:31; 2 Chron. 29:28; 1 Cor. 14:25; Rev. 7:11).
   4. Christianity is monotheistic - Only one God in existence anywhere, anytime. See Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5,14,18,21,22; 46:9; 47:8; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:5-6; Gal. 4:8-9 for verses that teach monotheism.
   5. One God verses
      1. Isaiah 43:10, "You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me."
      2. Isaiah 44:6, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."
      3. Isaiah 44:8, "Do not tremble and do not be afraid; have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none."
      4. Isaiah 45:5, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God."
2. Trinity
   1. The Trinity is one God who exists simultaneously in three persons. Each is coequal, copowerful, and coeternal with the other. Each person--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--is not the other. Without either there is no God; all comprise the one God.
   2. Analogy of the Trinity:  With time, for example, the past is distinct from the present, which is distinct from the future. Each is simultaneous. Yet, they are not three 'times,' but one. That is, they all share the same nature: time
   3. Trinitarian Verses
      1. Matt. 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,"
      2. 1 Cor. 12:4-6, "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons."
      3. 2 Cor. 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."
3. Objections to the Trinity answered
   1. The Word Trinity is not in the Bible.
      1. Just because the word "trinity" is not in the Bible doesn't mean that the concept is not taught.  The word "monotheism" is not in the Bible, yet the Bible teaches it (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8).  Therefore, your criticism is invalid.
   2. The Trinity is illogical
      1. What law of logic is it that the doctrine of the Trinity violates?  If you cannot tell me, then your statement is meaningless.  Saying it is illogical does not mean it is.
   3. The Trinity is pagan
      1. Saying it is pagan means nothing.  The question is whether or not it is biblical.  Are there verses that show that the F., S., & H.S. are each God, each indwell, each have a will, each loves, etc.?  Yes there are.
      2. The F., S., & H.S. are each called God (F., Phil. 1:2), (S., John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9), (H.S., Acts 5:3-4).  Each has a will (F., Luke 22:42), (S., Luke 22:42), H.S., (1 Cor. 12:11).  Each is all knowing (F., 1 John 3:20), (S., John 16:30; 21:17), (H.S., 1 Cor. 2:10-11), etc.
      3. Regarding the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   Each has a will (F., Luke 22:42), (S., Luke 22:42), H.S., (1 Cor. 12:11).  Each speaks (F., Matt. 3:17), (S., Luke 5:20., (HS., Acts 8:29; 13:2).
   4. The Trinity came from pagan trinities.
      1. There are no trinities in pagan theology.  There are triads (three gods), but no trinities (one God in three persons).  Therefore, your statement is inaccurate.
   5. The Bible does not say that God is three who's and one what
      1. That is correct.  But the Trinity is a doctrine arrived at systematically (by looking at the whole of scripture), not by looking at a single verse.  Therefore, your complaint is misdirected and shows you don't understand the Trinity.
   6. Show me one verse in the Bible that says that God is three persons.
      1. The Trinity doctrine is arrived at systematically (by looking at the whole of scripture), not by looking at a single verse.  Therefore, you won't see a single verse that says it.  Also, this demonstrates that you don't understand the Trinity, otherwise you would not have asked that question.

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