Christianity upholds a belief in one God revealed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is known as the doctrine of the Trinity, a fundamental belief central to our faith.
The Trinity, though not explicitly named in Scripture, is illuminated across both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV) announces, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This pronouncement sets the stage for the unfolding revelation of God’s triune nature seen in the New Testament.
Jesus Himself makes a profound reference to the Trinity. As recorded in Matthew 28:19 (ESV), He instructs His disciples to “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.” Here, Jesus clearly delineates the triune nature of God in His baptismal command.
Paul, in his letters, also presents the triune God. He concludes his second letter to the Corinthians with the words, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, ESV). Paul’s benediction acknowledges the distinctive roles of each person of the Trinity while affirming their divine unity.
Further, the account of Jesus’ baptism vividly portrays the Trinity. In Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV), as Jesus emerges from the water, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of the Father is heard from the heavens affirming His Son. Each person of the Trinity is distinctly present, demonstrating their unified action.
The Trinity does not stand as a mystery to be puzzled over but a Biblical truth to be embraced. It affirms not three separate gods, but one God in three persons. This is echoed in the Athanasian Creed: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence.”
The Trinity reveals God’s nature – His unity and diversity, His co-equal, co-eternal existence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This profound biblical truth draws us into a deeper understanding of the one true God who has chosen to reveal Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this revelation, we find love, grace, and fellowship abundantly poured out for us.
