A Short Explanation of the Biblical Proof of Trinitarianism

 

The doctrine of the Trinity is not a New Testament development, as some hold, but is clearly taught also in the OT. "Come ye unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and His Spirit hath sent Me" (Is 48:16). In the very first verses of the Bible we learn of God and of the Spirit of God and of the Word of God, by whom all things were made (Gen.1:1-3); (Jn 1:1-3). Because there are more Persons than one, God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen 1:26). From the New Testament we learn that three distinct Persons were revealed at the baptism of Christ (Mat 3:16-17), and that all nations should be baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt:19); (2 Cor. 13:14).

The Father is true God. Of the Father Jesus says that He is "the only true God" (Jn 17:3). Paul writes: "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things and we in Him" (1 Cor. 8:6).
He is a Person distinct from the Son. God "gave His only begotten Son" (Jn 3:16); in the fullness of time "God sent forth his Son" (Gal 4:4). He is distinct also from the Holy Ghost, since He anointed "Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power" (Acts 10:38). In Gal 4:6 He is distinguished from the Son and the Spirit: "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts". Together with the Son He spirates the Holy Ghost from eternity. "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me" (Jn 15:26).

The Son is true God - "This (Jesus Christ) is the true God, and eternal life" (1 Jn 5:20). Paul says of Him that He "is over all, God blessed forever" (Rom 9:5). He is not merely similar to the Father, as Arius taught, but He is coequal with, and of the same essence as, the Father. Hence, "all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father"
He is distinct from the Father (Jn 3:16; Gal 4:4) and from the Holy Spirit, whom He calls "another Comforter" than Himself (Jn 14:16-17)

He is begotten from the Father from eternity (Ps 2:7: Jn 3:16) and together with the Father He sends forth the Spirit of Truth (Jn 15:26)

The Holy Spirit is True God - Peter tells Ananias that when he lied unto the Holy Spirit, he had lied unto God (Acts 5:3-4). Christians are called the temple of God, because the Holy Spirit dwells in them (1 Cor 3:16).

He is distinct from the Father and the Son, for in Jn 14:16 Christ clearly differentiates between Himself, the Father, and the Comforter.

The Holy Spirit did not beget, nor was He begotten, but He proceeds from the Father and the Son from eternity He is the Spirit both of the Father (Mt 10:20) and of the Son (Gal 4:6). He proceeds from the Father, and is at the same time sent by the Son (Jn 15:26). "Jesus breathed on them and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (Jn 20:22).

The eternal generation of the Son by the Father and the eternal spiration of the Holy Spirit by the Father and the Son are facts plainly taught in the Bible.

Trinity is unity - The Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three Gods, but only ONE God. Neither is the Deity split into three parts, each Person being one-third of the Godhead; but each Person is the fullness of the Godhead (Col 2:9) Neither is each only a different manifestation, or phase, of the one divine Essnece, as ice and steam are but different forms of water, but each is a distinct Person, and each is the full and complete God. Thus the Father is the one and only God (Jn 17:3) the Son is the one and only God (1Jn 5:20); the Holy Spirit is the one and only God (Acts 5:3-4). There is no subordination of one Person to the other, but the three Persons are of equal rank and majesty, none to be preferred before the other (jn 5:23). While definitely distinct in person, they are one in essence. Christ says: "He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father" (Jn 14:9) and "I and My Father are one" (Jn10:30). In this text for Greek has for "one" the neuter "hen" and not he masculine "heis" which shows that they are one in essence but not one in person. When Christ says "My Father is Greater than I" (Jn 14:28) this must not be understood of the Deity, but of the humanity of Christ in His humiliation. "Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood"..."We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance" (Athanasian Creed)

Edward W.A. Koehler A Summary of Christian Doctrine