A BIBLICAL DEFENSE OF THE TRINITY

Part 2 - One God, Three Persons

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.

A Biblical Defense of the Trinity

Part 1 - The Deity of Christ

I

f you search for the word “trinity” in the Bible, you will not find it. However, throughout the Scriptures there is a multitude of evidence which plainly reveals a triune God. One God, in three persons. Namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each have a distinct role, but together they form a single unit, or Godhead. It is a mystery, but one which the Bible yields much light on. 

Essential to understanding the Trinity is recognizing the deity of Christ. Specifically, that during His time on earth, the Lord Jesus was equally God and man, having a dual nature. Likewise, that He was with the Father, as God, from before the foundations of the earth, and still is.  

In denying the Trinity, one must either deny the deity of Christ, or make Him a second “god”, subordinate to God the Father. To do either is heresy, and threatens not only the Trinity, but our very salvation. For, if the Lord Jesus walked on earth as merely a human being, His death on the cross would offer no more hope for sinners than my death, or yours. Why? Because the blood, human blood, is tainted, all the way from Adam (1 Cor. 15:22). 

Similarly, if Christ were only God, and not human, the sacrifice would be worthless, because He would not be like us, to offer Himself as our substitute. But since He was both God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ could and did fulfill both requirements. 

Considering how critical a doctrine it is, this post will focus primarily on the evidence surrounding the divine nature of Christ, and His relationship to the Father. The role of the Holy Spirit, and further evidence of the Trinity will be addressed in the next post. 

The Friendship of Christ

The other day I was listening to a sermon on some of the attributes of God, specifically along the lines of the Lord being "A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). It got me to
thinking again on just how real the friendship of Christ is, or can be. How intimately He understands us. It's hard for me to remember sometimes, because when you're lonely, one of the things you crave most is the physical affection, and physical closeness, and sometimes that can cause discouragement at the "lack" of such in the spiritual walk. However, if you consider all of the other elements of a genuine friendship, the qualities that make for a strong and enduring friendship, the verse "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" becomes quite real.

Faithfulness and loyalty…so long as we are born again, no matter what we do, He abides by His promises to us.

Strength and confidence…in the Word, like a friend reminding us of the truth, strengthening and encouraging us when we're weak, afraid, or uncertain.

Advice in the Word…like when we seek answers from a friend for understanding or guidance.

Comfort and gentleness…all in the Word, the solid foundation which the Scriptures offer, the peace and assurance it gives, the reason to look for the future, that "the hope which is laid up for you in heaven." Friends might not be able to prevent sorrow or calamity, but they can offer that comfort.

The Passover

The other day while reading Luke, about the death of Christ, I realized how the "passover" fits in. That on the first day of the passover, Jesus gave Himself to be the final lamb, to be sacrificed for our salvation.

Part of that is obvious. The other part, to me, had remained hidden. I suspect I have the pagan holiday, Easter, to thank for that. While knowing it to be pagan, it was nevertheless a distraction from the real issue.

The first passover was when God redeemed the Israelites, His chosen people, out of the power and land of Pharaoh. God sent ultimate destruction on every aspect of the Egyptians lives, but it was not until blood was shed that Pharaoh lost. (Exodus 12)

God was going to kill the firstborn of every man and beast in Egypt, except those who believed His Word, and killed a lamb, smearing it's blood on the door. The Israelites were saved by the sacrifice - not only their firstborn, but the entire people.

But what is the significance of the firstborn?