The Trinity

What the Trinity is Not

• The Trinity is not three gods. This is Tri-theism and it is repulsive to God.
• The Trinity is not one person with three names. This is a heresy known as Modalism.
• The Trinity is not one god and two lesser beings. This is a heresy known as Subordinationism.

Some Important Terms

• A “Being” is something that exists. A rock is a being, you are a being, and God is a being. Being is sometimes called Essence, or Substance
• A “Person” is an individual, a self; a conscious, rational being with an intellect, emotions and a will. “Personality” is an attribute possessed by some beings.
• The “Trinity” is one God who is three persons. God is one being, three persons. God is three persons, one being. 

An Important Distinction

It is important to notice the distinction between “being” and “person”. We often use the terms synonymously. But this is not the case when we discuss the Trinity.  

• A worm is one being and zero persons.
• A human is one being and one person.
• God is one being and three persons.   

A Statement

God is one being, three persons. 

A Common Objection

Critics of the Trinity will insist that the doctrine of the Trinity violates a rule of logic. They charge Christians with believing a contradiction. Of course, if the doctrine of the Trinity involved a contradiction, we would have to reject it. A bona fide contradiction is fatal to any doctrine. However, a careful examination of both the doctrine of the Trinity and the Law of Non-Contradiction will show that the doctrine of the Trinity does not involve a contradiction.

The Law of Non-Contradiction: X cannot be X and not X in the same way at the same time.

• God is only one being, God is three Beings, is a contradiction.
• God is three persons, God is only one person, is a contradiction.
• God is one being, God is three persons, is not a contradiction.
• God is three persons, God is one being, is not a contradiction.

Another Common Objection

No doubt, you have heard it before, “The word ‘Trinity’ is not even in the bible.” This is true but irrelevant. We get our word “Trinity” or “Tri-unity” from the Greek word, trias and the Latin word,trinitas, both mean, three in one.  Trias and trintas were used by early Christians to describe the Bible’s teaching about God. “Trinity” is a word that summarizes the tri-unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is not uncommon for the Church to borrow, or even create, words to describe theological truths. For example, the word “incarnation” means, in the flesh. It is not found in the Bible. Yet the truth of God in the flesh is undeniable. So, it is okay to use the word “incarnation” to describe God in the flesh. The word “Trinity” is no different. It does not appear in the Bible, but the truth that it expresses is present throughout the entire Bible.

Summary of the Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity

The Bible’s teaching on the Trinity can be summarized by the following three truths.

• There is one God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:6, 8)
• God is three persons (Mt. 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; Titus 3:4-6)
• Each person is fully God (Psalm 100:3; Col. 1:16; Psalm 104:30)

Each of these truths is undeniable, and they must all be held simultaneously.  These biblical truths are perfectly rational. Still, it is difficult for our minds to grasp these three truths all at one time. Yet, we should not be surprised that our feeble minds strain to grasp the Almighty God.

By Rick Appelton