Holy Trinity Anglican Church
Plainville, CT
Spiritual Growth
The Trinity
Although the word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, the concept of “God, Three in One” is a constant theme beginning on the first page of the Bible through the Book of Revelation.
The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is One true, eternal self-sustaining God. However, the Bible says that God is also 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity has a distinct personality but is equal and co-eternal, existing in perfect communion since before the beginning of time.
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This is not the belief that there are 3 Gods, but that there is One God existing eternally as 3 persons. In our limited knowledge this is impossible for us to understand, but, if we ever get to the point where we think we understand the nature of God we have reduced him to our understanding and he is not longer God! As Bill Johnson says, “If we want the peace that passes understanding we must be willing to set aside our need to understand.” Simply because we cannot fathom something, does not mean it is not true!
In Genesis 1:26 we read “And God said, 'Let us make man in our own image'”. The Hebrew word used for God in this phrase is el-o-heem” which is plural – the first indication in the Bible that God is One God, but 3 Persons.
When Jesus sent his disciples into the world to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” he was affirming the truth of the Trinity and saying that He and the Holy Spirit are co-equal with the Father . If the Son and the Holy Spirit were not God, Jesus would have commanded us to baptize only in the name of the Father. If Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not God, why would he invoke a lesser authority in his command to baptize?
Although we may be unable to understand the concept of One God and Three Persons, the Bible is clear – it is true! Praise be to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!