Discovering the Trinity for Yourself

By John Sparks
(Much of the research for this paper was gathered from the CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS
AND RESEARCH MINISTRY Web Site. Please visit them for many many articles on the
Christian faith and defense of Christian Doctrines)
Introduction
The word Trinity was coined to describe the way that the Bible describes God. Th
e Bible teaches in various places that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and
that the Holy Spirit is God, and yet, it also teaches that there is only ONE Go
d, and that Jesus is not the Father, or Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit is
not the Father or Jesus, and so on. So since the Bible is infallible and is the
true word of God, we must conclude that there are three persons who are all ful
ly God, and yet there is only ONE God. So the there are three "who"s and one "wh
at." This means that God is one in substance and essence, but three in persons.
This concept is called the Trinity. The word doesn't appear in the Bible (neithe
r does the word "Bible" for that matter), but the concept is clearly taught by s
cripture. We will discuss how this can be below.

Part 1 The history of the concept of the Trinity:

The trinity wasn't "invented" in the fourth century as many believe. It goes bac
k to the very beginning of the church. It is also taught, though not explicitly,
in the Bible (I will go into that later). We have many records from early churc
h fathers, going back to the time of John (near 100 ad). I will be quoting some
of these sources below, showing that they believed in the Trinity and that Jesus
was actually God (note: When a Trinitarian talks about Jesus being God, he does
n't mean that Jesus is the Father. Jesus is God, the Father is God, and the Holy
Spirit is God.)

Ignatius of Antioch (died 98/117). Bishop of Antioch. He wrote much in defense o

f Christianity.
"In Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom and with whom be glory and power to the Fathe
r with the Holy Spirit for ever" (n. 7; PG 5.988).
"We have also as a Physician the Lord our God Jesus the Christ the only-begotten
Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary th
e virgin. For the Word was made flesh.' Being incorporeal, He was in the body; be
ing impassible, He was in a passable body; being immortal, He was in a mortal bo
dy; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls fr
om death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when t
hey were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts." (Alexander Roberts and Jam
es Donaldson, eds., The ante-Nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975 rpt.,
Vol. 1, p. 52, Ephesians 7.)
Irenaeus (115-190). As a boy he listened to Polycarp, the disciple of John. He b
ecame Bishop of Lyons.
"The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of th
e earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: ...one G
od, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things
that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate
for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets
the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the
passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in th
e flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His manifestation from heaven
in the glory of the Father to gather all things in one,' and to raise up anew al
l flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and Go
d, and Savior, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, every kne
e should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the ear
th, and that every tongue should confess; to him, and that He should execute jus
t judgment towards all...'" (Against Heresies X.l)
Tertullian (160-215). African apologist and theologian. He wrote much in defense
of Christianity.
"We define that there are two, the Father and the Son, and three with the Holy S
pirit, and this number is made by the pattern of salvation...[which] brings abou
t unity in trinity, interrelating the three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy S
pirit. They are three, not in dignity, but in degree, not in substance but in fo
rm, not in power but in kind. They are of one substance and power, because there
is one God from whom these degrees, forms and kinds devolve in the name of Fath
er, Son and Holy Spirit." (Agn. Prax. 23; PL 2.156-7).
Origen (185-254). Alexandrian theologian.
"If anyone would say that the Word of God or the Wisdom of God had a beginning,
let him beware lest he direct his impiety rather against the unbegotten Father,
since he denies that he was always Father, and that he has always begotten the W
ord, and that he always had wisdom in all previous times or ages or whatever can
be imagined in priority...There can be no more ancient title of almighty God th
an that of Father, and it is through the Son that he is Father" (De Princ. 1.2.;
PG 11.132).
"For if [the Holy Spirit were not eternally as He is, and had received knowledge
at some time and then became the Holy Spirit] this were the case, the Holy Spir
it would never be reckoned in the unity of the Trinity, i.e., along with the unc
hangeable Father and His Son, unless He had always been the Holy Spirit." (Alexa
nder Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids: E
erdmans, 1975 rpt., Vol. 4, p. 253, de Principiis, 1.111.4)
"Moreover, nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less, since the fount
ain of divinity alone contains all things by His word and reason, and by the Spi
rit of His mouth sanctifies all things which are worthy of sanctification..." (R
oberts and Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 4, p. 255, de Principii., I. iii
. 7).
========
If, as the anti-Trinitarians maintain, the Trinity is not a biblical doctrine an
d was never taught until the council of Nicea in 325, then why do these quotes e
xist? The answer is simple: the Trinity is a biblical doctrine and it was taught
before the council of Nicea in 325 A.D.
Part of the reason that the Trinity doctrine was not "officially" taught until t
he time of the Council of Nicea is because Christianity was illegal until shortl
y before the council. It wasn't really possible for official Christian groups to
meet and discuss doctrine. For the most part, they were fearful of making publi
c pronouncements concerning their faith.
Additionally, if a group had attacked the person of Adam, the early church would
have responded with an official doctrine of who Adam was. As it was, the person
of Christ was attacked. When the Church defended the deity of Christ, the doctr
ine of the Trinity was further defined. €
The early church believed in the Trinity, as is evidenced by the quotes above, a
nd it wasn't necessary to really make them official. It wasn't until errors star
ted to creep in, that councils began to meet to discuss the Trinity as well as o
ther doctrines that came under fire.

Part 2 - Why do we believe there IS€a Trinity?

€
Trinitarians believe that there are three persons in ONE God. Not three Gods. To
believe that Jesus is divine and Son of God, but completely separate, would mea
n that there€are TWO Gods. There is only ONE God, the old and new testament says t
his over and over. €
If Jesus was just the Son of the Father (who is God), then he would have to eith
er have been created by the Father (which we know he wasn't, since ALL things we
re created by and through him) or he would have to be a second God (since like b
egets like. A human begets a human, a God would beget a God). So Jesus would hav
e to be another God, or he would have to be a creature, an angel, or cherubim. W
e know he is not, because he accepts worship, and only God is to be worshiped. A
nd we know that there cannot be two Gods, because the LORD in the Old Testament
categorically denies any God before, beside, or after Him. That leaves only ONE
logical conclusion, Jesus is the same God that the Father is. But they are two p
ersons. So we have two persons in ONE God. The Holy Spirit is also shown to be a
person and God in the New Testament (especially in John chapter 14). This makes
three persons in one God. It is hard to understand, but it is the only logical
explanation of the various scriptures without going to three different Gods, or
saying that the Bible contradicts itself.
Below are some verses that demonstrate this reasoning:
First we must establish that there is only ONE God and no other:
"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, s
o that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god
was formed, nor will there be one after me" (Isaiah 43:10).
The LORD's servant is Jesus (read the passage in context). The LORD says that "I
am he", stating that He and the Servant are the same! Also, note no God was for
med before the LORD nor after.
Isaiah 44:6 "This is what the LORD says-- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD A
lmighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. 7 Who
then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what
has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come-- y
es, let him foretell what will come. 8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I n
ot proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any Go
d besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."€
Next, we show that Jesus is God
In the list below, you will see that there are many passages in the Bible that e
quate Jesus with the God of the old testament, known as Yahweh (YHWH), or LORD,
or Jehovah. There are verses in the Bible that give YHWH certain titles and attr
ibutes, and other verses that give Jesus those same attributes and titles.
€YHWH is Creator
€Isaiah 44:24 "This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the w
omb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens
, who spread out the earth by myself,
€Isaiah 48:13 "My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand sp
read out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.
Jesus is Creator
John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has
been made.
Col. 1:16-17 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all t
hings were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all t
hings hold together.
YHWH is the "First and the Last"
Isaiah 44:6 "This is what the LORD says -- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD
Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God."
Isaiah 48:12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am t
he first and I am the last."
Jesus is the "First and the Last"
Rev. 1:17 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his
right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. "
Rev. 2:8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him
who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again."
Rev. 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End."
YHWH is "I AM" (ego eimi)
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to th
e Israelites: I AM has sent me to you. "
Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I h
ave chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Bef
ore me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."
See also Deut. 32.39
Jesus is "I AM" (ego eimi in Greek)
John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do
not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (NKJV)
John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am
!"
John 13:19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen
you will believe that I am He."
YHWH is Judge
Joel 3:12 "Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehosh
aphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side." (God is spe
aking)
Rom. 14:10 "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on
your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat."
€Ezekiel 34:17 "`As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I wil
l judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 20 "`Therefor
e this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between
the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder,
butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22
I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between
one sheep and another.
Jesus is Judge
2 Tim. 4:1 "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the livin
g and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this ch
arge..."
2 Cor. 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that eac
h one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether
good or bad."
€Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with hi
m, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathe
red before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd s
eparates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the
goats on his left.
John 5: 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to
the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who do
es not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him
YHWH is King
Jeremiah 10:10 "But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal
King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.
"
Isaiah 44:6-8 "This is what the LORD says -- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LOR
D Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God."
See also Psalm 47
Jesus is King
Matthew 2:2 "...Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his
star in the east and have come to worship him."
Luke 23:3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as
you say," Jesus replied.
See also John 19:21
YHWH is Savior
Isaiah 43:3 "For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior"
Isaiah 45:21 "...And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior
; there is none but me."
Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
Hosea 13: 4 "But I am the LORD your God, [who brought you] out of Egypt. You sha
ll acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.
Jesus is Savior
John 4:42 "They said to the woman, We no longer believe just because of what you
said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the S
avior of the world. "
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be
the Savior of the world
YHWH is Shepherd
Psalm 23:1 Psalm 23 A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in
want.
Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arm
s and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
€Ezekiel 34:11 "`For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search fo
r my sheep and look after them. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie
down, declares the Sovereign LORD. 16 I will search for the lost and bring bac
k the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek
and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Jesus is Shepherd
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep."
Hebrews 13:20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenan
t brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
See also John 10:14,16; 1 Pet. 2:25
€John 10: 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them
also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one she
pherd.
YHWH is the Rock
Deut. 32:4 "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A
faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."
See also 2 Sam. 22:32 and Isaiah 17:10.
Jesus is the Rock
1 Cor. 10:4 "...for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, an
d that rock was Christ."
See also 1 Peter 2:6-8.
YHWH is the Light
Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear?"
Isaiah 60:20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the
LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
1 John 1:5 "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."
Jesus is the Light
John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the
world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life."
Luke 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Is
rael."
See also John 1:7-9
Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the NIV Bible.
Some additional comparisons between the LORD and Jesus:
Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 9 You who bring good tid
ings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns
of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and
his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompani
es him.
Isaiah is talking about Jesus yet the verse clearly used the name LORD (YHWH) an
d specifically says "Here is your God!"
€Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government wi
ll be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, E
verlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
€Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus
, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fu
lfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with ch
ild and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means
, "God with us."
Immanuel means "God is with us." Jesus means "the LORD saves." Who does it say w
ill do the saving in verse 21? Jesus.
€
Worship
Only the LORD God should be worshiped. Not men, not false gods, not angels - nob
ody but God.
Exodus 34:14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous,
is a jealous God.
€Revelation 22:8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I ha
d heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had b
een showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servan
t with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of
this book. Worship God!"
Colossians 2:18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship
of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail ab
out what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
€
The LORD (YHWH) was worshiped.
Exodus 8:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, `This is
what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
€Nehemiah 8:6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted thei
r hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD
with their faces to the ground.
€1 Samuel 15:1 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
€Jesus was worshiped
Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, an
d they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you
are the Son of God."
Matthew 28:9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, cl
asped his feet and worshiped him.
Luke 24:51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven
. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
John 9:37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking wi
th you." 38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him
Hebrews 1:6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "L
et all God's angels worship him."
Note: the Greek word used for worship in the above passages is the same word as
used when speaking of worshiping God, the Father. So the worship Jesus received
was the same kind and level of worship the Father received. Jesus never reprima
nded anyone for this worship, in fact he accepted it as his due.
€John 5:22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to t
he Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does
not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Saying that Jesus should be honored JUST as they honor the Father, Jesus was cla
iming EQUALITY with the Father in all respects, for how can someone honor a less
er person to the same degree as a greater?
The Fourfold Gospel notes say: " Even as means in the same manner and in equal deg
ree. The prerogative of judgment was committed unto Jesus that men might behold
his true majesty. If this verse does not teach us to worship Jesus as God, langu
age cannot teach it, for God gives not his glory unto another.
€And a few verses previous to this we see:
€John 5:17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day,
and I, too, am working." 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kil
l him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own
Father, making himself equal with God.
When Jesus (Son of God) called God 'My Father' the Jews understood that Jesus wa
s claiming to be more than 'a' son of God. He was claiming he was equal to God.
Jesus = God. Someone could be a son of God in a metaphorical sense, but Jesus wa
s claiming he was the Son of God. A true son would have the Nature of his Father
, in this case being a God. Since there can only be one God, the Jews took this
as Blasphemy. John Wesley s Notes on the Bible says this: 'His own Father - The Gr
eek word means his own Father in such a sense as no creature can speak. Making
himself equal with God - It is evident all the hearers so understood him, and th
at our Lord never contradicted, but confirmed it.'
Jesus would have corrected the Jews if their conclusion was wrong. He didn t. Inst
ead he claimed that they should honor him just as they honor the Father (see Joh
n 5:22 above)
Jesus is directly called God and Savior:
2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who thr
ough the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith
as precious as ours:
Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our gre
at God and Savior, Jesus Christ
€Jesus is called God:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
€2 Timothy 3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He (1) app
eared in a body (2), was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preac
hed among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. NIV
footnotes: (1) Some manuscripts God -- (2) Or in the flesh
€John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out
your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said t
o him, "My Lord and my God!"
€God the Father calls Jesus God:
Hebrews 1:6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "L
et all God's angels worship him."€ 7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes
his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But about the Son he says, "Yo
ur throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sce
pter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; there
fore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the
oil of joy."
You can t get a better endorsement than that! God the Father€is calling the Son "God
" in two verses.
Next, we show that the Father is God
The LORD is the Father
Jeremiah 3:19 "I myself said, "`How gladly would I treat you like sons and give
you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.' I thought y
ou would call me `Father' and not turn away from following me. 20 But like a wom
an unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Isra
el," declares the LORD.
€Jesus is NOT the Father
Although Jesus said "I and the Father are one" Jesus is obviously a different pe
rson than the Father because he talks about the Father as 'his' Father, and he p
rays to the Father, showing the Father to exist at the same time as Jesus as a d
ifferent person.
€But, Jesus claimed equality with the Father
See the previous discussion under "Jesus was worshipped"
€
Next, we show the Holy Spirit is God (and a person)
OK we can all agree that the Holy Spirit is from God, right? In the Old Testamen
t the Holy Spirit is mostly called His Spirit, the Spirit of the LORD, or the Sp
irit of God. The question is: Is the Holy Spirit a person or just some imperso
nal manifestation of God s power, something like the Force in Star Wars? And if he
is a person, is He God?
The Holy Spirit can be grieved
Isaiah 63: 10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and be
came their enemy and he himself fought against them.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were seal
ed for the day of redemption.
How can a force be grieved? Only a person can feel grief.
Matthew 28:19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them i
n the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
The Holy Spirit is spoke of separately from the Father and the Son, and yet in u
nion with them. "In the name of", means "in the authority or power of." An impe
rsonal force would not have authority on its own. Only a person can have authori
ty. This verse also shows the equality between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a counselor and speaks and teaches:
Mark 13:11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforeha
nd about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not
you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
Luke 12:12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

Acts21:11 Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet wi
th it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, `In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will b
ind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to
be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, becau
se it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you an
d will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, wil
l teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Jesus says he will send another counselor (the Holy Spirit) He calls the Spirit "H
im", making the Holy Spirit a person. He also says, "I will come to you", equati
ng the Holy Spirit with Himself.
As we saw above Jesus claimed equality with the Father, this makes the Holy Spir
it equal with the Father and Jesus.
The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed, and he testifies and speaks
Luke 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgive
n, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
Blasphemy is a sin against God, to speak irreverently or slander God Himself. Yo
u can t blaspheme an impersonal force. This verse shows the Holy Spirit is a perso
n, equal to God.
€1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
€Hebrews 10:15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
Acts1:16 and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy S
pirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as
guide for those who arrested Jesus--
Summary:
In summary we see:€

Only one God

Only one Savior.
Only one Messiah.
Only one Shepherd.
Only one Creator.
Only one Judge.
Only God should be worshipped.
€
The LORD is Savior.
Jesus is Savior.
The LORD is Messiah.
Jesus is Messiah.
The Lord is the Shepherd.
Jesus is the Shepherd.
The LORD is Creator.
Jesus is Creator.
The LORD is Judge
Jesus is Judge.
The LORD is worshiped
Jesus is worshiped.
The LORD is the Father.
Jesus is NOT the Father, but Jesus does claim Equality with the Father.
Conclusion:
We see that the LORD God is Jesus, but He is also the Father, but Jesus is NOT t
he Father (he prays to him). So Jesus and the Father are not the same person. Bu
t they are both LORD. If the Father is the LORD, and Jesus is the LORD, and yet
they are not the same person, (we will get to the Holy Spirit next), then someho
w they are two persons in ONE GOD (the LORD). For there cannot be more than ONE
God.
We also believe that the Holy Spirit is GOD and is a person (see above). So now
we have three persons all who are God, and yet we know there is only one God. Th
is is the logical conclusion based on the scriptures. This conclusion is called
the Trinity. The name Trinity was coined around 300 AD, but as we see, the proof
**is** in the scriptures and was always there. If you read the scriptures above
(and even more in the Bible) and try to reconcile the claims of the LORD and Je
sus, knowing the scripture is never wrong or contradicts itself, you can come to
no other conclusion.
Jesus is God, the Father is God, the Holy Spirit is God. And all three are equal
. Three persons in ONE GOD. Not three separate beings. ONE BEING: GOD
€The Trinity is the ONLY way we have to express what we know to be true about God
from reading the Bible.
You might say "But I don t understand it." You don t have to understand HOW it can b
e, you can see by the scriptures that it IS that way. You might not understand h
ow electricity works, but you can see that it does work, and you can use it with
out understanding it. God is infinite, and man is finite. The very fact that we
can't understand it fully is evidence of it's truth. Many cults try to tear down
the concept of the Trinity, claiming that it is a contradiction and can't be un
derstood. But as we have shown, it IS taught in the Bible, and we believe the Bi
ble to be true. If finite man could understand completely the nature of God, the
n God would be less than man. We will spend eternity learning about God, and wor
shiping and loving Him. Surely we can't understand all that now in an instant.€
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face
. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." -- 1 C
orinthians 13:12

Copyright by John Sparks - SaveMe.org - All rights reserved. Portions and quote
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