In no uncertain terms, all throughout the Scriptures it is made clear that there is only one true God, and that all others are false, lowercase gods. The very first of ten commandments given to the Israelites was “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Every time the Israelites went “a whoring” after other gods, pestilences and destruction followed. God is a jealous God, and will not tolerate His people chasing after other, false gods.
Exodus 34:14 - For thou
shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous
God:
Isaiah 44:6,8 - Thus
saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the
first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God… Is there a God beside
me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Without proper Scriptural division and understanding, this
may seem contradictory once the Lord Jesus appears on earth in the New
Testament, (rightly) claiming to be God. The Lord Jesus Christ was and is God,
according to the Bible. While on earth, He was equally God and man. The problem
is, if the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father are separate Gods, then you have
more than one God. Something forbidden by God Himself.
Having already established a Scriptural foundation for the
Godhood of Christ in my previous post, this post will focus the evidence
surrounding a single, Triune God, and what the individual roles are.
One Saviour
Just as there is only one God, the Scriptures declare that there is only one
Saviour. But there are clear instances where both the Father and the Son are
called the Saviour. As born-again believers, we recognize the Lord Jesus as our
Saviour. God the Father is also the Saviour and Redeemer of Israel.
Hosea 13:4 - Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of
Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
Isaiah 45:21 - …who hath
declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I
the Lord? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there
is none beside me.
Titus 1:3-4 - …Grace,
mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
1 John 4:14 – And we
have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world.
Here again, if taken at face value, it would seem there are multiple Saviours. This is why some people are led astray in confusion and think Christ was either a lesser “god”, or not God at all. But the Bible clearly shows that He IS God.
The Trinity
The answer to this dilemma is found within the Trinity ("tri"
meaning three and "unity" meaning one), or Godhead. One God, three
persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit/Ghost. Each form
has an individual, unique role, but they all work together as one, and share
all of the same attributes.
The single, clearest verse demonstrating their unity is 1
John 5:7 – a verse which the majority of new “bible” versions attack by
deleting the last part, or removing the verse altogether -
1 John 5:7 - For there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:
and these three are one.
“And these three are one.” One. Any attempt to explain this
phrase away requires a twisting of the actual words, and therefore private
interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). And there are other proof texts as well,
including these -
Matthew 28:19 - Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Colossians 2:9 - For in
him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Ephesians 4:4-6 - There
is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your
calling; One Lord, one faith, one
baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in
you all.
As the saying goes, “Three in one and one in three and the
one in the middle died for me”.
The Trinity in Creation
Another proof of the Trinity is found in verses where a
plural pronoun is used to reference God. A prime example of this is in Genesis
1:26 and 3:22 -
Genesis 1:26 - And God
said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness…
Genesis 3:22 - And the Lord
God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us…
Who are the others mentioned, if not the other two parts of
the Trinity? Some suggest that it was the angels, but the Lord is our Maker –
not the angels. Nowhere in the Bible does it say the angels took part in
creation, except to praise the works of God. But we do know that the Holy
Spirit and the Lord Jesus were very much involved –
Genesis 1:1 - In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 - And the
earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Colossians 1:16-17 - For by
him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he
is before all things, and by him all things consist.
This example also shows how the members of the Trinity work
together. The Holy Spirit is, quite literally, the “breath of life”, breathing
life into creation (Job 33:4). The Son is the Word, the Word by which the
Father brought everything into being (John 1:1-3). And the Father was the one
who spoke the words, and created the world (Genesis 1:1).
Three Roles
To better understand how the three parts can function as one,
it is again helpful to look at our own tri-part beings. Each part has a unique,
essential role, but together they form a single unit: The role of the physical
body, or flesh, is to protect, nourish, and maintain our life. Our soul is what
makes us individual, unique. It controls how we think, feel, what we like, etc.
And, in any born-again Christian, our spirit is what connects us to Christ,
guides our conscience, gives us new life, and allows us to understand spiritual
things through the Holy Spirit.
Keeping this example in mind, let us look at a brief summary of the key functions of each part of the Trinity-
God the Father:
His role is that of a Father, both to the Lord Jesus Christ, and born-again believers. He is the Redeemer, Protector, and Husband of Israel. He is the Judge to whom all earth and sinners must give an account to. He is the leader, or planner, in the Trinity. In the Old Testament, He is the most prominent figure of the Godhead.
2 Corinthians 1:3 - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Galatians 1:4 - …according to the will of God and our Father:
Psalm 91:2,4 - I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust…He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
God the Son:
As the only begotten Son of God, He is physical image of God (like our physical body is to our spirit and soul). He is the future Husband of the Church and king of the world. As our Redeemer, He is responsible for our salvation. He is the Lamb, the sacrifice for our sins. He is the Word, by which the Father speaks, and we hear. And He acts as our Mediator, and high priest to God the Father.
Colossians 1:15 - Who [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
2 Corinthians 11:2 - For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Hebrews 10:12, 14 - But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Romans 8:34 - …It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Hebrews 4:14 - Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Zechariah 9:9-10 - …Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation…and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
God the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is the breath of life. He was involved in the conception of the Lord Jesus. He is sent to us as a comforter, teacher, and interpreter of the Scriptures. He is the power behind miracles. And it is through Him that our redemption is sealed, giving us eternal security.
Romans 15:19 - Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God…
Ephesians 4:30 - And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Shared Attributes
One last thing which should be considered in examining the
Trinity is the many attributes the members share. Though having different
roles, they all share the same attributes, which shows equality. Here are the
main references, as compiled by Dr. Pete Ruckman. (Tip: if on a desktop,
hovering your mouse over the reference will show the full verse).
Eternal:
God the Father – Psalm 90:2
God the Son – Revelation 1:8
God the Holy Spirit – Hebrews 9:14
Omnipotence (all-powerful):
God the Father – 1 Peter 1:5
God the Son – 2 Corinthians 12:9
God the Holy Spirit – Romans 15:19
Omniscience (all-knowing):
God the Father – Jeremiah 17:10
God the Son – Revelation 2:23
God the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 2:11
Omnipresence (present everywhere):
God the Father – Jeremiah 23:24
God the Son – Matthew 18:20
God the Holy Spirit – Psalm 139:7
Holiness:
God the Father –
Revelation 15:4
God the Son – Acts 3:14
God the Holy Spirit – Luke 1:15
Truthfulness, honesty:
God the Father – John 7:28
God the Son – Revelation 3:7
God the Holy Spirit – 1 John 5:6
Goodness, kindness, longsuffering:
God the Father – Romans 2:4
God the Son – Ephesians 5:25
God the Holy Spirit – Nehemiah 9:20
Communion with men:
God the Father – 1 John 1:3
God the Son – 1 John 1:3
God the Holy Spirit – 2 Corinthians 13:14
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