What is the Trinity?

TL;DR:

The word trinity is used to describe the incomprehensible Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The great mystery of the Trinity communicates that God is somehow three Persons, yet still only one God.

what does the bible say?

Our infinite triune God is admittedly beyond the comprehension of our finite human minds. The Bible teaches that God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Corinthians 8:4, Galatians 3:20, 1 Timothy 2:5) but that God is also three Persons: God the Father (John 6:27, Romans 1:7, 1 Peter 1:2), God the Son (John 1:1,14, 8:58, Colossians 2:9), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4, 1 Corinthians 3:16). These two concepts seem mutually exclusive, at first. But we must remember we are speaking of a Creator God, who is not limited as we are (Isaiah 55:8-9). Many errors and heresies regarding God are born when people try to explain the unexplainable and fathom the unfathomable (Romans 11:33). These errors and heresies include tri-theism (the belief in three gods), modalism (the three Persons are independent job descriptions), monarchianism (God existed in Jesus and exists in the Holy Spirit, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not God), and patripassianism (God the Father became the Son and became the Spirit). Each of these attempted explanations makes the Trintiy easier to understand. Bbut they are all in error because they contradict the truth of God revealed in the Bible. There is only one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

from the old testament

God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4).
The triune God is shown as unified at creation (Genesis 1:1-2, 26-27).
God promises to send His Son, the Messiah (Deuteronomy 18:15, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 52:13-53:12, Micah 5:2, Zechariah 9:9).
God the Father gives authority to the Son to rule and reign as king (Psalm 2:7-12).
God the Father promises to put the Holy Spirit in His people (Ezekiel 36:26-27, Joel 2:28-29).

from the new testament

Jesus in one with God (John 10:30).
Triune God is unified at Creation (John 1:1-3).
God is unified at the baptism of Jesus and other believers (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19).
Triune God resurrected Jesus (1 Thessalonians 1:10, John 10:17-18, Romans 8:11).
Trinitarian verses (2 Corinthians 13:14, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 2:18, Luke 1:35, Romans 5:5-6, 15:15-16, 15:30, Acts 7:55, 1 Peter 4:14, Titus 3:4-6).

implications for today

Our triune God is marvelous and mysterious. His thoughts and ways are far beyond our own (Isaiah 55:8-9). The sooner we admit this, the sooner we can focus on our relationship with God. He has revealed enough of Himself to understand that the Trinity is true even if we don’t fully understand how it is possible. God the Father sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, the God Man, to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16, 4:42). Jesus spoke on behalf of the Father and came to do His will. This included offering His life as a sacrifice through His crucifixion, to pay the full penalty for our sin, and raising back to life from the dead. Jesus lived His life to glorify the Father just as the Father also glorified Him (John 17:1-5, Philippians 2:5-11). The Holy Spirit came to indwell believers at Pentecost and to convict, help and empower believers to live righteous lives and glorify Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit subjects Himself to Jesus and glorifies Him, revealing His truth to us. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God—but there is only one God. That is the biblical truth as expressed in the Scriptures. While it is fascinating to study, the doctrine of the Trinity should not consume our attention or become more important than our actual relationship with our God.

understand

The Trinity describes God as three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who are each fully and equally God.
Though Father, Son, and Spirit are each a Person, they are united as one Being, one God, sharing a single divine essence.
The Trinity remains a profound mystery, reflecting God’s infinite nature, which is beyond full human comprehension but is fully supported in Scripture.

reflect

How does understanding God as three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—shape your view of Him?
How do you experience the presence and work of each Person of the Trinity in your life?
How does recognizing the mystery of the Trinity affect your trust and relationship with God?

engage

While belief in the Trinity is not strictly required for salvation, understanding Jesus as fully God is essential, for if it were not true, He would not have the power to save.
What significance does the unity and distinctiveness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit hold for our understanding of God?
In what ways does the doctrine of the Trinity challenge or encourage our understanding of God’s infinite nature?