Trinity in Scripture?

[bookgirl]

I know that the word “Trinity” is never used in scripture to explain the concept of the Trinity. But is the concept of three persons in one God used in Scripture? I know they talk about God the Father, the Son of God (although the term “God the Son” is never really used, correct?), and the Holy Spirit. Does Jesus revealing that He’s the Messiah immediately translate to the Jews that He is God? I mean was that one of their expectations of the Messiah? And does it ever clearly state that the Holy Spirit IS God? I’m not questioning the Trinity, just wondering what the actual scriptural references are.

 

[VociMike]

In my humble opinion, the concept of the Trinity is not taught in Scripture, though it is hinted at if you’re looking for it. This is not a problem for me, because I know that not all of the deposit of faith iis explicitly found in Scripture, so I have no problem believing in the Trinity because the Church teaches it. But I think it’s a big problem for Protestants who insist, as a way of defending sola Scriptura, that the Trinity is explicitly found in Scripture, when it isn’t.

 

[bookgirl]

That’s kind of what I thought, which was why I was asking. I know there are some faiths who don’t believe in the Trinity. But are there any Christian faiths?

 

[awalt]

While the term “Trinity” is not there, there sure seems to be some obvious evidence that God is 3 persons in one:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(Mt 28:19).

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.(2 Co 13:14).

…chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

(1 Pe 1:2).

There are also many passages which independently declare (1) One God (2) God the Father is the Lord (3) Jesus is the Son of God and divine (4) The Holy Spirit is God

We could call Him anything, but it would still be the same theological Trinity.

 

[VociMike]

That’s kind of what I thought, which was why I was asking. I know there are some faiths who don’t believe in the Trinity. But are there any Christian faiths?

Depends on what you mean by “Christian”, but there are definitely people who consider themselves Christians who deny the Trinity. And according to the concept of sola Scriptura, nobody can say they’re wrong.

 

[jcrichton]

I know that the word “Trinity” is never used in scripture to explain the concept of the Trinity. But is the concept of three persons in one God used in Scripture?

***Hi, bookgirl!

I understand your concern… just today I was speaking with a Jehovah Witness and I covered some points of faith and the fact that we (Christians) are slow to understand what the children of the world understand: divided we fall!

There are many who demand to see, literally, things in Scripture which have not been specified. The Holy Trinity is just one such example.

But we know (if we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us) that God is three Persons in One Spiritual Being. In the Old Testament God the Father, Yahweh, is prominant. He is the Lord God and He teaches that He alone is God that He would not share His Glory (power, omnipotence, etc.) with another, and that He never changes (Isaiah 43:10-13; 48:11; Malachias 3:6). Yet, we also find that the Son, Jesus, is the Messiah and that He enters the world with all of the titles of God (Isaiah 9:5-6). And on the very first chapter of John’s Gospel we learn that Jesus is God , but not only that but we also learn that it was He who created all that exists–a heavy blow for anyone who reads the Old Testament and learns that Yahweh is the Creator–(John 1:1-5). In Acts we learn from the Peter that the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4). But it is Jesus Himself that reveals who the Holy Spirit truly is when He admonishes us not to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit (compare Isaiah 48:11 and St. Mark 3:28-29).

Finally, there are many passages in the New Testament that employ the Trinitarian formula (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); following is my personal preference:

3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, saith Anathema to Jesus. And no man can say the Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit; 5 And there are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord;
6 And there are diversities of operations, but the same God, who worketh all in all. (1 Corinthians 12:3-6)

…and do you remember by who’s power was Jesus incarnated and later resurrected?

May the Holy Spirit guide your life!

God Bless!

Angel(***

 

[jcrichton]

Depends on what you mean by “Christian”, but there are definitely people who consider themselves Christians who deny the Trinity. And according to the concept of sola Scriptura, nobody can say they’re wrong.

*Hi, VociMike!

The problem is that God has said that they are wrong as He reveals Himself as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit… and if they attempt to rely on their concept to reason through the Holy Scriptures, they haven’t got a prayer since the Holy Scriptures do not state “sola Scriptura;” rather it tells us that:

Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

And it is common sense to note that Jesus:
a) did not write anything down; His teaching was oral,
b) did not demand that a written record be kept, and
c) did not give the Apostles a manual describing the workings of the Church–He promised that the other Paraclete, the Holy Spirit would come (sent by Him from the Father) and would teach us the complete Truth!

Those who want to pretend that such a thing as sola Scriptura exists are, for the most part, the same people who want to pretend that the Church Jesus founded somehow got lost for nearly 1500 years, resurfing only at the behest of Luther and his colleagues.

God Bless!

Angel
*

 

[Teflon93]

Depends on what you mean by “Christian”, but there are definitely people who consider themselves Christians who deny the Trinity. And according to the concept of sola Scriptura, nobody can say they’re wrong.

T.D. Jakes is non-Trinitarian, I believe.

 

[johnstown_johnn]

The Angel Gabriel said to Mary, (paraphrasing) …the Holy Spirit shall overshadow you and thus the offspring will be the Son of the Most High God."

In that small passage the Trinity is revealed.