Today we start a 5-week series on the biblical concept of “The Trinity” – one of the most debated and divisive doctrines in all of Christianity. In the Roman empire, heretical views of the Trinity almost prevailed over the biblical view. After this series, you’ll understand why the doctrine affirmed by all Christians today ultimately prevailed.
The concept of the Trinity is a mystery of God, but we grapple with it because it’s worthwhile to understand God as much as we can. In this first lesson we’ll offer a few basic ideas to keep in mind as we explore the mystery of God’s nature. In later lessons we’ll go into detail on the finer points of this important doctrine. Let’s start with a classical definition of the Trinity, one that we’ll come back to throughout this series:
There is one God who exists eternally in three persons.
The biblical doctrine of the Trinity may be hard to understand, but it isn’t hard to define. From the Old Testament onward, the Bible clearly teaches that there is only one God. Yet the early Christians heard Jesus claim to be God, and saw him rise to life from the dead. They experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. So they had to figure out how to maintain the oneness of God, while holding equally to the deity of the Son and the Spirit.
The trinitarian definition of God includes two key ideas. First, God is a unity. This refers to his basic, undivided essence. Second, God is also a diversity. This refers to the three divine persons who interact with each other (and with humanity) within the triune God. We’ll talk more about these ideas in the next two lessons.
Now, some people believe this doctrine is a man-made construct because you can’t find the word “Trinity” in scripture. But that’s a short-sighted argument. Here’s the real truth:
Even though the word “Trinity” isn’t in the Bible, the idea of God being three in one is found throughout its pages.
The word “Trinity” is just a simple way to express in a single word what the Bible teaches overall. References to the Trinity are found in many passages from several different biblical authors, such as 2 Corinthians 13:14 (Paul), Matthew 28:19 (Jesus), and 1 Peter 1:2 (Peter).
Even though the three persons of the Trinity are often seen in the same verses, we can’t point to one single Bible verse that directly says, “One God exists eternally in three persons.” Yet even so, this is the only understanding of God that is faithful to everything he has revealed about himself in the Bible.
Here’s why this doctrine is so hard to wrap our minds around:
God’s nature is a mystery to us because God is fundamentally different from us.
The biblical word for this is “holy” – which means that God is totally “other” than us. He is set apart from and is far above you and me. Though we are made “in the image” of God (Genesis 1:26-28), we are not the same kind of being as God. He was, is, and always will be the Creator God of the universe. We are (and always will be) creatures, human beings who are not (and never will be) worthy of worship. The Bible’s picture of heaven bears this out (Revelation 4:2-11), where God is exalted and all of creation bows before him.
Consider this: everyone you’ve ever met is one being and one person. That’s the way humans exist. But God is different. In some mysterious way, he exists as one being in three persons. Because this is outside our experience, we may never fully understand it – and that’s OK. We are finite, while God is infinite. God is God, and we are not. The book of Job says it well: “Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?” (Job 11:7)
We should expect that aspects of God’s nature will be beyond our comprehension. The Apostle Paul burst into praise on this point after ruminating on the nature of God’s sovereignty in his epic treatise on Christian doctrine: “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (Romans 11:33)
Though the idea of the Trinity seems impossible to us, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for God. There’s mystery in the Trinity, but that’s why God is worthy of our worship.
