Dictionaries :: Concerning God, His Being

Concerning God, His Being: The Trinity

By the Trinity is meant the unity of three persons in one Godhead; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Representing God as one, the Scriptures also ascribe divinity to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Course of the Argument by H. B. Smith

a. God is one. Unity is ascribed to God.

b. The Father is divine: a distinct person.

c. The Son is divine: a distinct person.

d. The Holy Spirit is divine: a distinct person.

e. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are classed together, separately from all other beings.

a. God is one.

(See passages cited under Attributes, Unity.)

b. The Father is divine and a distinct person. The Word "Father" is used in the Scriptures in a two-fold sense in relation to the Godhead: sometimes as equivalent to God, sometimes to the first person of the Trinity.

1. Passages where "Father" is used as equivalent to God, not implying personal distinctions.

Deu 32:6; 2Sa 7:14; 1Ch 29:10; Psa 89:26; Isa 63:16; Jer 3:19; Mal 2:10; Mat 6:9; Mar 11:25; Luk 12:30; Jhn 4:21,23,24; 2Cr 6:18; Phl 4:20; Jam 1:17; 1Jo 2:15,16

2. Passages applied to God in contrast with Christ, denoting a special relation to Christ as Son, in His office of Redeemer.

Psa 2:1-11; Mat 11:27; 25:34; Mar 8:38; 14:36; Jhn 5:18-23,26,27; Jhn 10:15,30; 17:1; Act 2:33; Rom 15:6; 1Cr 8:6; 15:24; 2Cr 11:31; Gal 1:1-4; Eph 1:2,3; 4:5,6; Phl 1:2; 1Th 3:11,13; 2Th 2:16; 1Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:2; Tts 1:4; Phm 1:3; 1Pe 1:2,3; 2Pe 1:17; 1Jo 1:3; 1Jo 4:14; Jud 1:1; Rev 3:21

c. The Son divine, a distinct person from the Father.

1. Christ pre-existent. Existed as a distinct person before He came into the world.

Mic 5:2; Jhn 8:56-58; 17:5; 1Cr 15:47; Phl 2:6,7; Col 1:17; 1Jo 1:1; Rev 22:13,16 (read 13 & 16 together)

2. Not merely pre-existent, but pre-eminent, above all things except the Father, co-eternal with the Father.

Mat 11:27; 28:18; Luk 20:41-44; Jhn 3:13,31; Act 10:36; Rom 14:9; Eph 1:20-22; Phl 2:9,10; Col 1:15,17,18; Hbr 1:4-6; 1Pe 3:22; Rev 1:5; 3:14

3. Creator of the universe.

Jhn 1:3; Col 1:16; Hbr 1:2,10

4. Divine attributes ascribed to Him

a. Omnipotence.

Isa 9:6; Mat 28:18; Jhn 10:17,18; 11:25; 1Cr 1:24; Phl 3:21; Col 2:10; 2Ti 1:10; Hbr 1:3; Rev 1:8

b. Omnipresence.

Mat 18:20; 28:20; Eph 1:23

c. Eternity.

Mic 5:2; Jhn 1:1; Rev 1:8

d. Omniscience.

Mat 11:27; Luk 10:22; Jhn 2:24,25; 21:17; Act 1:24; Col 2:3; Rev 2:23

5. The divine name is applied to Him as to no other being except the Father, implying supreme divinity.

Psa 102:24,25; Hbr 1:8-10; Isa 7:14; 9:6; Mal 3:1; Mat 1:23; Jhn 1:1; 20:28; Act 20:28; Rom 9:5; Eph 5:5; Phl 2:6; Col 2:9; Tts 1:3; 2:13; Hbr 1:8-10; Psa 102:24,25; 2Pe 1:1; 1Jo 5:20; Rev 17:14; 19:16

6. Exhibited in the Scriptures as the object of religious worship.

Mat 2:11; 14:33; 15:25; Luk 24:52; Jhn 5:23; Act 7:59,60; 1Cr 1:2; 2Cr 12:8,9; Gal 1:5; Phl 2:10; 1Th 3:11,12; 2Ti 4:18; Hbr 1:6; Psa 97:7; 2Pe 3:18; Rev 5:13

d. The Holy Spirit is divine and a distinct person from the Father and the Son.

1. The Holy Spirit is divine. Called the Spirit of the Father, the Spirit of the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of life.

Gen 1:2; 6:3; Neh 9:30; Isa 63:10; Eze 36:27,28; Act 2:16,17; Joe 2:28; Mat 10:20; Luk 12:12; Jhn 14:16,17; 15:26; Act 5:3,4; 28:25; Rom 8:14; 1Cr 3:16; Gal 4:6; Eph 1:13; 1Th 4:8; Hbr 2:4; 1Pe 1:2

2. Is distinct from Father and Son, and is personal. The personal pronoun _He_ applied to Him; personal acts ascribed to Him.

Mat 3:16,17; 28:19; Mar 1:10,11; Luk 3:21,22; Jhn 14:26; 15:26; 16:13; Act 13:2,4; 15:28; Rom 8:26; 1Cr 12:11

3. Converting, regenerating power ascribed to Him.

Neh 9:20; Isa 44:3; Eze 36:26,27; 37:14; Joe 2:28; Mat 3:11; Jhn 3:5,6; 14:26; Act 9:31; Rom 8:9,11,14; 1Cr 6:11; 2Cr 1:22; 5:5; Gal 4:6; 5:22; Eph 1:13; 3:16; 1Th 1:6; 2Th 2:13; Tts 3:5; 1Pe 1:2; 1Jo 3:24; Rev 22:17

e. The Father, Son, and Spirit are classed together, separately from all other beings, as divine.

Mat 28:19; Rom 8:9,14-17; 2Cr 13:14; 1Pe 1:2; Jud 1:20,21

Result of the Biblical evidence in respect to the divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

1. That the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are personally distinguished from each other. There is recognized throughout a personal relation of the Father and Son to each other. So of the Holy Spirit to both.

2. They each have divine names and attributes.

3. Yet there is only one God.