Lesson 5 - The Trinity

     The doctrine of the Trinity simply teaches that there is one God, who exists as three Persons who are co-equal (they share the same attributes), co-infinite (not bound by time or space), and co-eternal (have eternally existed).  The Bible does not teach tritheism (three absolutely separate gods), nor does it teach modalism (that there is one person who manifests himself in three forms as Father, Son, and Spirit).  Though there are difficulties in understanding the Trinity, the Biblical evidence is clear that God exists as thee distinct Persons.

     The three Persons of the God-head are one in essence (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:6-8; John 10:30; 17:11). The use of the Hebrew numeral dx’(a, echad reveals, in some contexts, the idea of a complex one (cf. Gen. 2:24; Ezra 3:1; Ezek. 37:17). There is one God who exists as three distinct Persons within the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2): God the Father (Gal. 1:1; Eph. 6:23; Phil. 2:11), God the Son (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1, 8:58; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; 2 Cor. 13:14).

     The primary names of God are: Yahweh (hwLORD, Adonai (yn”doa]), which is commonly translated Lord, and Elohim (~yhil{a/) which is commonly translated God. God’s name is used in combination with other Hebrew words that reveal His character.

Related Articles:

• The Sovereignty of God
• God's Providence