An Overview of the Trinity

The Definition of the Trinity

First, lets start by breaking down the word “trinity” -> tri (three) - unity (one) -> “three-one”

I will use no analogy here, as I cannot find one appropriate (more on this to come later in the week)

This is a little perplexing! -> One God, Three Persons -> semantics are important here

Not three parts or pieces, but rather three persons, all one singular God

Athanasian Creed excerpt (catholic as in “universal church”, not Roman catholicism):

Now this is the catholic faith:

That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,     neither blending their persons     nor dividing their essence.         For the person of the Father is a distinct person,         the person of the Son is another,         and that of the Holy Spirit still another.         But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,         their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.         The Father is uncreated,         the Son is uncreated,         the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

The Father is immeasurable,         the Son is immeasurable,         the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

The Father is eternal,         the Son is eternal,         the Holy Spirit is eternal.

And yet there are not three eternal beings;             there is but one eternal being.             So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;             there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Similarly, the Father is almighty,         the Son is almighty,         the Holy Spirit is almighty.             Yet there are not three almighty beings;             there is but one almighty being.

Thus the Father is God,         the Son is God,         the Holy Spirit is God.             Yet there are not three gods;             there is but one God.

Thus the Father is Lord,         the Son is Lord,         the Holy Spirit is Lord.             Yet there are not three lords;             there is but one Lord.

Just as Christian truth compels us     to confess each person individually     as both God and Lord,     so catholic religion forbids us     to say that there are three gods or lords.

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.     The Son was neither made nor created;     he was begotten from the Father alone.     The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;     he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Accordingly there is one Father, not three fathers;     there is one Son, not three sons;     there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.

Nothing in this trinity is before or after,     nothing is greater or smaller;     in their entirety the three persons     are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier,     we must worship their trinity in their unity     and their unity in their trinity.

The Doctrinal Truth of the Trinity

The trinity is a clear teaching found not just in early church creed and tradition, but the plain texts and teachings of scripture

The trinity is taught in creation (Gen. 1:1-2, 26, 3:22)

The trinity is found throughout the OT (Is. 6:8; Ps. 110:1)

The trinity was clearly on display in the life of Christ and a belief held by the 12 (Mt. 3:16-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Lk. 3:21-22; Jn. 1:32-34)

Luke was a companion of Paul, and Mark a companion of Peter

The trinity was recorded in the book of Acts (Acts 2:32-36)

The trinity was taught in the epistles (1 Jn. 5:7; 2 Cor. 13:14)

You get the point! The trinity is a clear teaching of the entire word of God, and eternal truth from before the beginning and spanning way after the end

The Importance of the Trinity

Why is the trinity important? -> It is who God is!

The trinity distinguishes the Christian God from the Muslim and non-Messianic Jewish God

The trinity provides an explanation for the word of God -> otherwise, the plurality of God would lead us to polytheism

It is the basis of our relationship with God and one another (Eph. 2:19-22)

It is the source of our salvation and commission (1 Peter 1:1-2)

The doctrine of the trinity is central to the Christian faith, and to diminish the issue is to disgrace the holy Word of God

We cannot agree to disagree on this issue