What Is the Trinity?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where is the Trinity mentioned in the Bible?
• How can three persons of the Trinity be one at the same time?
• Who or what is the Holy Spirit and what is it for?
• Is the Holy Ghost the same as the Holy Spirit?
• Is Jesus God?
• Was Jesus human?
• If Jesus is God, why did He pray to God?
• If Jesus is God, why did He call God His Father?
• How can Jesus be God and also be God's Son?

Introduction

Trinity [is] the term by which is expressed the unity of three Persons in the one God. The Christian doctrine is: (1) That there is only one God, one divine nature and being. (2) This one divine Being is tripersonal, involving the distinctions of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (3) These three are joint partakers of the same nature and majesty of God.¹

Most Christian denominations accept the doctrine of the Trinity, but not Christian Scientists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Jehovah's Witnesses, and some other denominations. Jews and Muslims also reject the doctrine of the Trinity.

Three Different Gods?

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20, NRSV)

God the Father

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:8-9, NRSV)

However, the Bible reveals some of God's characteristics in ways that we can understand:

• God is the creator of everything (Genesis 1:1, Acts 17:24-25, Revelation 4:11).
• God is our Father and we are His children (Deuteronomy 14:1, Isaiah 63:16, Matthew 5:43-45, 6:7-9, Mark 11:25).
• God is purely spiritual and invisible to us (John 4:24, 1 John 4:12, 1 Timothy 1:17).
• God is incomprehensible to us (Job 11:7-9, Psalms 18:11, Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 11:27, 1 Corinthians 2:16).
• God is all-powerful (Genesis 18:13-14, Job 42:1-2, Matthew 19:26).
• God is loving (Deuteronomy 4:37, Psalms 146:8, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:8-16).
• God is eternal (Genesis 21:33, Psalms 90:2, Revelation 4:8-10).
• God is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
• God is faithful and keeps His promises (Numbers 23:19, John 8:26, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Titus 1:1-3, 1 Peter 4:19).
• God is merciful (Psalms 86:5, Matthew 18:11-14, Ephesians 2:4-7, 1 Peter 1:3).

There is more information in our article "What does the Bible say about God?"

Jesus the Son

Many people think "Christ" was Jesus' last name, but "Christ" is actually a title. "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "Messiah," which means "anointed one." There were many prophecies in the Old Testament of a coming Messiah who would be the savior of the Jewish people (Isaiah 11:1-9, 42:1-4, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Malachi 3:1, etc.) Those prophesies were fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 1:1, 16:15-17, Luke 1:30-33, John 20:30-31, etc.) However, Jesus was not the powerful military and political leader many of the Jews had expected.

We cannot fully understand the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son, but the Bible explains different aspects of the relationship in these ways:

• Jesus is the Son of God ( Matthew 3:16-17, 14:33, 26:29, Mark 1:1, Luke 1:26-38, 22:29, John 5:36-37, 6:44-46, 20:30-31, Galatians 2:20).
• Jesus is one with the Father (John 1:1-3, 8:19, 10:30, 10:38, 14:8-11, Philippians 2:5-7, Colossians 1:15-17).
• Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:29-30, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, Revelation 5:8-9, 7:9-10, 17:14, 21:22-24).
• Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1-3, 1:14-15, 1:17-18).
• Jesus is God (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 28:18, John 12:44-45, Romans 9:4-5, Philippians 2:5-7, Colossians 1:11-20, Titus 2:13).

There is more information in our article "What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?"

The Holy Spirit

The original New Testament used the Greek term Pneúma tó Hágion. It literally means "the Holy Wind," and it conveyed the idea of the breath of God as invisible and immaterial but powerful (John 20:21-22 ). The old King James Version of the Bible usually translated this into English as "Holy Ghost." However, the English word "ghost" has now taken on the meaning of a disembodied soul and is associated with Halloween, so nearly all Bible versions published since the 1800s use the term "Holy Spirit" instead.

The Holy Spirit is another mystery we cannot fully understand, but the Bible does tell us these things:

• Jesus is the child of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:34-35).
• The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus when He was baptized (Matthew 3:16-17).
• The Holy Spirit guided Jesus (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:14, 10:21, Hebrews 9:14).
• Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7).
• The Holy Spirit empowered and guided Jesus' disciples (Mark 13:11, John 16:13-15, 20:21-23, Acts 2:1-4).
• The Holy Spirit is a teacher (John 14:26, 16:7-11, 16:13-15).
• The Holy Spirit guides the Church and its leaders (Acts 8:29, 10:17-20, 15:28-29, 1 Corinthians 2:13, Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 3:6).
• The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to build up the Church (1 Corinthians 12:1-31).
• We are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Acts 1:5, 11:15-16).
• The Holy Spirit gives joy, peace, hope and love to believers (Romans 5:3-5, 14:17, 15:13, Galatians 5:22, 1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Conclusion

¹Merrill F. Unger, The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1988.